초록 ▼

An apparatus and technique are described for phasing the outputs of a multiplier telescope array used as a laser transmitter. The technique uses samples of the transmitted beams to control optical path lengths through the separate telescopes so that the beams add coherently at the receiver. The phas

An apparatus and technique are described for phasing the outputs of a multiplier telescope array used as a laser transmitter. The technique uses samples of the transmitted beams to control optical path lengths through the separate telescopes so that the beams add coherently at the receiver. The phasing concept is applicable both to systems which provide inputs to the multiple telescopes by dividing a single laser beam and to systems in which the inputs to the telescopes and multiple, phase-locked laser beams. The approach is also compatible with single line and multi-line lasers, and it does not entail stringent alignment requirements. The concept uses a procedure to find the zero optical path difference condition and to effect fine control of the optical path lengths through the different telescopes. Algorithms are described for estimating the phase mismatch from focal plane measurements.

대표청구항 ▼

A laser transmitter which produces an output by phase matching all outputs of an array of independent laser telescopes including a first primary telescope which has a first singular laser source which emits a first laser beam, and a plurality of second primary telescopes each placed in a position ad

A laser transmitter which produces an output by phase matching all outputs of an array of independent laser telescopes including a first primary telescope which has a first singular laser source which emits a first laser beam, and a plurality of second primary telescopes each placed in a position adjacent to said first primary telescope, each of said second primary telescopes having their own independent and singular laser source emitting their own independent second laser beams thereby creating a plurality of second laser beams, said laser transmitter comprising: a plurality of collecting telescopes facing and bridging said first and second primary telescopes, each of said plurality of collecting telescopes intercepting and diverting a sample of said first laser beam from said first primary telescope and a sample of said second laser beams from one of said plurality of second primary telescopes by partially blocking the first and second laser beams, said plurality of collecting telescopes reflecting all intercepted beams back in sets of focus points, each of said focus points being a focused pair of said sample from said first primary telescope and a sample of said second laser beam which is obtained from the first and second primary telescopes which are bridged by that particular collecting telescope; a detector array means receiving said sets of focus points from said plurality of said collecting telescopes and generating therefrom a set of interference patterns between each second laser beam from said plurality of second primary telescopes and the first laser beam from said first primary telescope; an analog-to-digital converter receiving and converting into a set of digital signals said set of interference patterns from said detector array means; a data processor means receiving said set of digital signals from said analog-to-digital converter and estimating an optical path length adjustment amount between each of said second laser beams and said first laser beam, said optical path adjustment amount being a measure of distance between the optical path lengths of said first laser beam and an associated second laser beam such that the application of said optical path length adjustment amount to the optical path of the second laser beam results in a matching of the phase of said second laser beam to said first laser beam; and a correcting means receiving said optical path length adjustment amount from said data processor and receiving said first and second laser beams from said first and second primary telescopes, said correcting means performing an adjustment of the optical path length of each of said second laser beams to match their phases with said first laser beam.