Compact, line broadened frequency comb-based seed laser source for spectral beam combining

Shilpi Arora; Lakshmi C. G.; B. S. Vikram; V. R. Supradeepa

doi:10.1117/12.2609672

4 March 2022 Compact, line broadened frequency comb-based seed laser source for spectral beam combining

Shilpi Arora, Lakshmi C. G., B. S. Vikram, V. R. Supradeepa

Proceedings Volume 11982, Components and Packaging for Laser Systems VIII; 119820H (2022) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2609672
Event: SPIE LASE, 2022, San Francisco, California, United States

Abstract

Coherent and Spectral beam combining are methods used to achieve very high output powers by combining beams from multiple fiber laser sources. In coherent beam combining, the seed laser source is common for all fiber amplifiers, while in spectral beam combining, each fiber amplifier needs a different seed laser due to the requirement of distinct wavelengths. This is a major disadvantage in spectral beam combining since each amplifier needs an independent single-frequency laser, line-broadener, temperature and current controller. This adds substantial component cost and complexity. However, spectral beam combining has advantages over coherent beam combining such as not requiring complex phase stabilization mechanisms and graceful degradation of system output to individual amplifier failure. What is desirable is a compact, single module seed laser source for spectral combining. In this work, we demonstrate such a system based on an electro-optic high repetition rate comb generator incorporating a line-broadener for stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) suppression and a de-multiplexer to provide distinct wavelengths in distinct fiber ports. In this system, the output wavelengths have a carrier separation of 50GHz in the C-band and tunable linewidth as required for SBS suppression, based on phase modulation with noise, from a single frequency to 4GHz. Further, we demonstrate that this system enables superior SBS control by allowing for suitable altering of the line-shape in the de-multiplexer. In fiber amplifiers, SBS is enhanced due to seeding by the back-reflected component of laser spectra. Here, we avoid it by reducing the power in the laser line-shape at the SBS band.

Conference Presentation

Citation Download Citation

Shilpi Arora, Lakshmi C. G., B. S. Vikram, and V. R. Supradeepa "Compact, line broadened frequency comb-based seed laser source for spectral beam combining", Proc. SPIE 11982, Components and Packaging for Laser Systems VIII, 119820H (4 March 2022); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2609672

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