High power multi-frequency laser
View Patent ↗A high power multi-frequency laser includes a laser cavity defined by reflective elements, a frequency routing device in the cavity comprising a plurality of frequency selective pathways, a first set of optical amplifiers optically coupled to a first end of the frequency routing device, and a second set of optical amplifiers optically coupling a second end of the frequency routing device and a first one of the reflective elements. The high power multi-frequency laser further includes a power combiner. The power combiner is optically coupled to the first set of optical amplifiers and a second one of the reflective elements and combines the outputs of the first set of optical amplifiers such that a common output for the multi-frequency laser is provided. The common output of the present invention provides a single output from the multi-frequency laser having a high output coupling efficiency.
1. A multi-frequency laser comprising:
a laser cavity defined by reflective elements;
a frequency routing device in said cavity comprising a plurality of frequency selective pathways;
a first plurality of optical amplifiers optically coupled to a first end of said frequency routing device;
a second plurality of optical amplifiers optically coupling a second end of said frequency routing device and a first one of said reflective elements;
a power combiner optically coupled to said first plurality of optical amplifiers and a second one of said reflective elements for providing a single, common output far said multi-frequency laser; and
an amplifier for amplifying an output signal of said power combiner.
2. The multi-frequency laser of claim 1 , wherein said reflective elements are mirrors.
3. The multi-frequency laser of claim 1 , wherein the first one of said reflective elements comprises a highly reflective coating.
4. The multi-frequency laser of claim 1 , wherein said power combiner is optically coupled to the second one of said reflective elements via a waveguide, said waveguide providing a single, common output for said multi-frequency laser.
5. The multi-frequency laser of claim 4 , wherein said waveguide comprises a non-angled output waveguide such that cavity losses are decreased.
6. The multi-frequency laser of claim 1 , wherein said power combiner comprises a star coupler.
7. The multi-frequency laser of claim 6 , wherein an output of said star coupler propagates through an output waveguide and a booster amplifier before being output from said cavity.
8. The multi-frequency laser of claim 1 , wherein said power combiner comprises a multimode interference coupler.
9. The multi-frequency laser of claim 1 , wherein the output power is greater than 1 dBm.
10. The multi-frequency laser of claim 1 , wherein said frequency routing device is chirped to eliminate multi-passband lasing.
11. The multi-frequency laser of claim 1 , wherein said frequency routing device comprises an arrayed waveguide grating.
12. The multi-frequency laser of claim 11 , wherein said frequency routing device is chirped to eliminate multi-passband lasing and to reduce the size of the grating.
13. The multi-frequency laser of claim 1 , wherein the number of optical amplifiers is substantially equal to twice the square root of the number of channels of said multi-frequency laser.
14. The multi-frequency laser of claim 1 , wherein said first plurality of optical amplifiers and said second plurality of optical amplifiers comprise silicon optical amplifiers.
15. A method of providing a high power output of a multi-frequency laser having a first plurality of optical amplifiers optically coupled to a first end of a frequency routing device and a second plurality of optical amplifiers optically coupled to a second end of said frequency routing device, comprising:
combining, outside of said frequency routing device and within a laser cavity of said multi-frequency laser, the outputs of said first plurality of optical amplifiers into a single output; and amplifying said single output with said laser cavity.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the combining of the outputs of said first plurality of optical amplifiers results in an improved output coupling efficiency for said multi-frequency laser.
17. The method of claim 15 , wherein said combining is performed via a power combiner.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein said power combiner comprises a star coupler.
19. The method of claim 17 , wherein said power combiner comprises a multimode interference coupler.