Patent ID: 8953240
Filing Date: 2015-02-10
Classification: H01S

Abstract:
1. A high power semiconductor laser system comprising: a chirped diode laser generating an output with a frequency that changes as a function of time; at least first and second amplifier paths for receiving said chirped diode laser output and generating first and second amplified outputs, each of said paths including an optical frequency shifter and an optical amplifier, said first amplifier path having a length that is different from a length of said second amplifier path; first and second optical phase locked loops for controlling said first and second optical frequency shifters, respectively; a detector for detecting a phase difference between said laser output and each of said amplified outputs and employing each said phase difference to control said first and second phase locked loops, respectively, to thereby impart a frequency shift to each of said amplified outputs that compensates for the difference in path lengths to enable coherent beam combining of said amplified outputs; and means for combining said first and second amplified outputs to form a high power laser output; wherein said chirped diode laser is selected to have a chirp rate that compensates for stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) and a chirp duration that results in a chirp length that is substantially greater than the lengths of either of said first and second amplifier paths.