Wavelength beam combining laser systems utilizing prisms for beam quality improvement and bandwidth reduction
In various embodiments, one or more prisms are utilized in a wavelength beam combining laser system to regulate beam size and/or to provide narrower wavelength bandwidth.
1. A method of wavelength beam combining a plurality of beams having different wavelengths, the method comprising:
emitting the plurality of beams with a beam emitter;
focusing the plurality of beams toward a dispersive element;
expanding a size of the beams upstream of the dispersive element;
wavelength-dispersing the beams with the dispersive element;
propagating a first portion of the dispersed beams to the beam emitter as feedback; and
transmitting a second portion of the dispersed beams as a multi-wavelength output beam.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the size of the beams is expanded via one or more first prisms.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the dispersive element is optically coupled to at least one said first prism.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the dispersive element is optically coupled to the at least one said first prism via an optical adhesive.
5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the dispersive element and at least one said first prism are a single integrated component.
6. The method of claim 2 , wherein the one or more first prisms comprises a plurality of first prisms.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the one or more first prisms comprises two prisms configured as an anamorphic prism pair.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising reducing the size of the beams downstream of the dispersive element.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the size of the beams is reduced via one or more second prisms.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the one or more second prisms comprises a plurality of second prisms.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the one or more second prisms comprises two prisms configured as an anamorphic prism pair.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein wavelength-dispersing the beams comprises transmitting the beams through the dispersive element.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein wavelength-dispersing the beams comprises reflecting the beams with the dispersive element.
14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the dispersive element comprises a diffraction grating.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the diffraction grating comprises a transmissive diffraction grating.
16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the diffraction grating comprises a reflective diffraction grating.
17. The method of claim 1 , further comprising throwing waists of the beams onto an output coupler, the output coupler transmitting the second portion of the dispersed beams as a multi-wavelength output beam.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the waists of the beams are thrown onto the output coupler within approximately 5% of a Rayleigh range.
19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the waists of the beams are thrown onto the output coupler via a plurality of optical elements.
20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the plurality of optical elements is configured as an optical telescope.