Method and system for compact efficient laser architecture
A laser amplifier module having an enclosure includes an input window, a mirror optically coupled to the input window and disposed in a first plane, and a first amplifier head disposed along an optical amplification path adjacent a first end of the enclosure. The laser amplifier module also includes a second amplifier head disposed along the optical amplification path adjacent a second end of the enclosure and a cavity mirror disposed along the optical amplification path.
1. A quad-beam laser amplifier module including an enclosure, the quad-beam laser amplifier module comprising:
a set of four input ports disposed on a top surface of the enclosure;
a set of four output ports disposed on the second end of the enclosure;
a first amplifier head disposed at a first end of the enclosure, wherein the first amplifier head includes four amplifiers;
a second amplifier head disposed at a second end of the enclosure, wherein the second amplifier head includes four amplifiers; and
a cavity mirror operable to reflect light into the second amplifier head.
2. The quad-beam laser amplifier module of claim 1 further comprising a set of four relay telescopes disposed between the first amplifier head and the second amplifier head.
3. The quad-beam laser amplifier module of claim 1 wherein beams passing through a set of outside amplifiers of the four amplifiers of the first amplifier head pass through a set of inside amplifiers of the four amplifiers of the second amplifier head.
4. The quad-beam laser amplifier module of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of Pockels cells operable to receive amplified beams after two amplification passes through the first amplifier head and the second amplifier head.
5. The quad-beam laser amplifier module of claim 1 further comprising a second set of four relay telescopes disposed the second amplifier head and the cavity mirror.
6. The quad-beam laser amplifier module of claim 1 further comprising a set of four transport telescopes optically coupled to the set of four output ports.
7. The quad-beam laser amplifier module of claim 1 wherein the cavity mirror comprises a deformable mirror.
8. The quad-beam laser amplifier module of claim 1 further comprising a Pockels cell and a second cavity mirror operable to reflect amplified beams into the first amplifier head.
9. The quad-beam laser amplifier module of claim 8 wherein the first amplifier head and the second amplifier head are transverse pumped by diode arrays.
10. The quad-beam laser amplifier module of claim 8 wherein the first amplifier head and the second amplifier head are end pumped by diode arrays.
11. The quad-beam laser amplifier module of claim 10 wherein the diode arrays are optically coupled to the amplifier heads through dichroic mirrors.