Wavelength beam combining laser systems utilizing etalons
In various embodiments, wavelength beam combining laser systems incorporate etalons to establish external lasing cavities and/or to combine multiple input beams into a single output beam.
1. A method of forming an output beam, the method comprising:
receiving a plurality of first beams at an etalon, the first beams being emitted by a plurality of beam emitters;
spatially combining the plurality of first beams at the etalon to form a combined beam;
emitting the combined beam from the etalon;
stabilizing each of the first beams to an emission wavelength by reflecting a first portion of the combined beam back to the etalon, whereby a portion of the first portion of the combined beam propagates back to each of the beam emitters; and
emitting a second portion of the combined beam as an output beam.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein (i) each of the first beams has a different wavelength, and (ii) the output beam is a multi-wavelength beam.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein combining the plurality of first beams at the etalon comprises reflecting each of the first beams within the etalon one or more times.
4. A method of forming an output beam, the method comprising:
receiving a plurality of first beams at an etalon;
spatially combining the plurality of first beams at the etalon to form an output beam, each of the first beams being reflected within the etalon one or more times thereduring;
receiving a second beam at the etalon and combining the second beam into the output beam without reflecting the second beam within the etalon; and
emitting the output beam from the etalon.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein a wavelength of the second beam is different from a wavelength of each of the first beams.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the first beams is received at a different location on the etalon.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising (i) focusing, (ii) collimating, or (iii) focusing and collimating the first beams before they are received at the etalon.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising coupling at least a portion of the output beam into an optical fiber.
9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising delivering the at least a portion of the output beam to a workpiece.
10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising cutting or welding the workpiece with the at least a portion of the output beam.
11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising delivering at least a portion of the output beam to a workpiece.
12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising cutting or welding the workpiece with the at least a portion of the output beam.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the combined beam is transmitted from the etalon to a partially reflective output coupler.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the output coupler (i) reflects the first portion of the combined beam and (ii) transmits the second portion of the combined beam.
15. A laser system comprising:
an array of beam emitters each emitting a beam;
an etalon for (i) receiving each of the beams at a different location on the etalon, (ii) reflecting a first portion of each beam back to the array of beam emitters, thereby stabilizing each beam at a unique wavelength, and (iii) transmitting a second portion of each beam, the etalon having an optical axis, a front surface, and a back surface optically downstream of the front surface;
disposed optically downstream of the beam emitters and optically upstream of the etalon, focusing optics for focusing the beams toward the etalon; and
disposed optically downstream of the etalon, a dispersive element for receiving and dispersing the beams, thereby forming a multi-wavelength output beam.
16. The laser system of claim 15 , wherein the etalon comprises at least one of glass, sapphire, or fused silica.
17. The laser system of claim 15 , wherein the optical axis of the etalon is tilted at a non-zero angle with respect to a propagation direction along which the beams are propagating when the beams are received at the etalon.
18. The laser system of claim 15 , wherein the front surface of the etalon is substantially planar.
19. The laser system of claim 15 , wherein the back surface of the etalon is convexly curved.
20. The laser system of claim 19 , wherein the front surface of the etalon is substantially planar.
21. The method of claim 3 , further comprising receiving a second beam at the etalon and combining the second beam into the combined beam without reflecting the second beam within the etalon.
22. The method of claim 21 , wherein a wavelength of the second beam is different from a wavelength of each of the first beams.