Phase control mechanism for coherent fiber amplifier arrays
US6400871B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | May 19, 2000 |
| Grant date | Jun 4, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 19, 2020 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01S3/13013
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A phase control system configured for application with coherent fiber amplifier arrays. The invention advantageously utilizes existing fiber amplifiers to modulate array elements material properties of the fiber amplifier arrays; specifically, the arrays may be phased up or steered via modulation of their pump lasers. There are both thermal and index of refraction changes in the fiber when the pump light is absorbed. This invention specifically addresses using the pump light already present in fiber amplifiers to effect desired phase control, and to enable arrays of fibers to be coherently phased and steered via amplifier pumps additionally the degree of phasing may be adjusted using adaptive optic feedback techniques.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.