Volume Bragg grating external cavities for the passive phase locking of high-brightness diode laser arrays: theoretical and experimental study

doi:10.1364/JOSAB.28.001289

Volume Bragg grating external cavities for the passive phase locking of high-brightness diode laser arrays: theoretical and experimental study

David Pabœuf, Deepak Vijayakumar, Ole Bjarlin Jensen, Birgitte Thestrup, Jun Lim, Slawomir Sujecki, Eric Larkins, Gaëlle Lucas-Leclin, and Patrick Georges »View Author Affiliations

JOSA B, Vol. 28, Issue 5, pp. 1289-1299 (2011)
http://dx.doi.org/10.1364/JOSAB.28.001289

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Abstract

We describe the theoretical modeling of the external-cavity operation of a phase-locked array of diode lasers in two configurations, the self-imaging cavity based on the Talbot effect and the angular-filtering cavity. Complex filtering functions, such as the transmission or reflection of a volume Bragg grating (VBG), may be introduced in the external-cavity description. Experiments with high-brightness diode laser arrays were also conducted. The experimental results are carefully analyzed with regard to the numerical simulations, and the beneficial effect of the spectral selectivity of VBGs is demonstrated.

OCIS Codes
(140.2010) Lasers and laser optics : Diode laser arrays
(140.3298) Lasers and laser optics : Laser beam combining

ToC Category:
Lasers and Laser Optics

History
Original Manuscript: October 18, 2010
Revised Manuscript: March 1, 2011
Manuscript Accepted: March 2, 2011
Published: April 27, 2011

Citation
David Pabœuf, Deepak Vijayakumar, Ole Bjarlin Jensen, Birgitte Thestrup, Jun Lim, Slawomir Sujecki, Eric Larkins, Gaëlle Lucas-Leclin, and Patrick Georges, "Volume Bragg grating external cavities for the passive phase locking of high-brightness diode laser arrays: theoretical and experimental study," J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 28, 1289-1299 (2011)
http://www.opticsinfobase.org/josab/abstract.cfm?URI=josab-28-5-1289

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References

G. Overton, S. G. Anderson, D. A. Belforte, and T. Hausken, “Laser marketplace 2010: how wide is the chasm?” Laser Focus World 46, 32–49 (2010).
C. Fiebig, G. Blume, C. Kaspari, D. Feise, J. Fricke, M. Matalla, W. John, H. Wenzel, K. Paschke, and G. Erbert, “12 W high-brightness single-frequency DBR tapered diode laser,” Electron. Lett. 44, 1253–1255 (2008). [CrossRef]
T. Y. Fan, “Laser beam combining for high-power, high-radiance sources,” IEEE J. Sel. Top. Quantum Electron. 11, 567–577(2005). [CrossRef]
F. X. D’Amato, E. T. Siebert, and C. Roychoudhuri, “Coherent operation of an array of diode-lasers using a spatial filter in a Talbot cavity,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 55, 816–818 (1989). [CrossRef]
R. Huang, B. Chann, L. Missaggia, S. Augst, M. Connors, G. Turner, A. Sanchez-Rubio, J. Donnelly, J. Hostetler, C. Miester, and F. Dorsch, “Coherent combination of slab-coupled optical waveguide lasers,” Proc. SPIE 7230, 72301G(2009). [CrossRef]
B. Liu, Y. Liu, and Y. Braiman, “Coherent beam combining of high power broad-area laser diode array with a closed-V-shape external Talbot cavity,” Opt. Express 18, 7361–7368 (2010). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
J. Yaeli, W. Streifer, D. R. Scifres, P. S. Cross, R. L. Thornton, and R. D. Burnham, “Array mode selection utilizing an external cavity configuration,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 47, 89–91 (1985). [CrossRef]
C. J. Chang Hasnain, J. Berger, D. R. Scifres, W. Streifer, J. R. Whinnery, and A. Dienes, “High-power with high-efficiency in a narrow single-lobed beam from a diode-laser array in an external cavity,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 50, 1465–1467 (1987). [CrossRef]
B. L. Volodin, S. V. Dolgy, E. D. Melnik, E. Downs, J. Shaw, and V. S. Ban, “Wavelength stabilization and spectrum narrowing of high-power multimode laser diodes and arrays by use of volume Bragg gratings,” Opt. Lett. 29, 1891–1893 (2004). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
S. Yiou, F. Balembois, P. Georges, and J.-P. Huignard, “Improvement of the spatial beam quality of laser sources with an intracavity Bragg grating,” Opt. Lett. 28, 242–244 (2003). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
G. Lucas-Leclin, D. Pabœuf, P. Georges, J. Holm, P. Andersen, B. Sumpf, and G. Erbert, “Wavelength stabilization of extended-cavity tapered lasers with volume Bragg gratings,” Appl. Phys. B 91, 493–498 (2008). [CrossRef]
D. Mehuys, W. Streifer, R. G. Waarts, and D. F. Welch, “Modal analysis of linear Talbot-cavity semiconductor-lasers,” Opt. Lett. 16, 823–825 (1991). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
C. J. Chang-Hasnain, A. Dienes, J. R. Whinnery, W. Streifer, and D. R. Scifres, “Characteristics of the off-centered apertured mirror external cavity laser array,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 54, 484–486(1989). [CrossRef]
J. K. Butler, D. E. Ackley, and D. Botez, “Coupled-mode analysis of phase-locked injection-laser arrays,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 44, 293–295 (1984). [CrossRef]
O. Andrusyak, V. Smirnov, G. Venus, V. Rotar, and L. Glebov, “Spectral combining and coherent coupling of lasers by volume Bragg gratings,” IEEE J. Sel. Top. Quantum Electron. 15, 344–353 (2009), and references therein. [CrossRef]
D. Pabœuf, G. Lucas-Leclin, P. Georges, N. Michel, M. Krakowski, J. J. Lim, S. Sujecki, and E. C. Larkins, “Narrow-line coherently combined tapered laser diodes in a Talbot external cavity with a volume Bragg grating,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 93, 211102 (2008). [CrossRef]
H. Kogelnik, “Coupled wave theory for thick hologram gratings,” Bell Syst. Tech. J. 48, 2909–2947 (1969).
J. W. Goodman, Introduction to Fourier Optics (Roberts, 2005).
A. F. Glova, N. N. Elkin, A. Y. Lysikov, and A. P. Napartovich, “External Talbot cavity with in-phase mode selection,” Quantum Electron. 26, 614–616 (1996). [CrossRef]
W. Cassarly, J. Ehlert, J. Finlan, K. Flood, R. Waarts, D. Mehuys, D. Nam, and D. Welch, “Intracavity phase correction of an external Talbot cavity laser with the use of liquid crystals,” Opt. Lett. 17, 607–609 (1992). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
M. Krakowski, S. C. Auzanneau, F. Berlie, M. Calligaro, Y. Robert, O. Parillaud, and M. Lecomte, “1 W high brightness index guided tapered laser at 980 nm using Al-free active region materials,” Electron. Lett. 39, 1122–1123 (2003). [CrossRef]
J. J. Lim, T. M. Benson, and E. C. Larkins, “Design of wide-emitter single-mode laser diodes,” IEEE J. Quantum Electron. 41, 506–516 (2005). [CrossRef]
J. J. Lim, S. Sujecki, L. Lang, Z. Zhang, D. Pabœuf, G. Pauliat, G. Lucas-Leclin, P. Georges, R. C. MacKenzie, P. Bream, S. Bull, K. Hasler, B. Sumpf, H. Wenzel, G. Erbert, B. Thestrup, P. M. Petersen, N. Michel, M. Krakowski, and E. C. Larkins, “Design and simulation of next-generation high-power, high-brightness laser diodes,” IEEE J. Sel. Top. Quantum Electron. 15, 993–1008 (2009). [CrossRef]
A. Barthelemy, F. Louradour, and V. Couderc, “Wavelength-tunable diffraction-limited operation of a standard high-power diode-laser array using an off-centered extended cavity,” Electron. Lett. 28, 2038–2040 (1992). [CrossRef]
D. Pabœuf, G. Lucas-Leclin, N. Michel, M. Calligaro, M. Krakowski, and P. Georges, “Quasi-diffraction limited emission from an array of tapered laser diodes in volume Bragg grating external cavities,” in CLEO/Europe and EQEC 2009 Conference Digest (Optical Society of America, 2009), paper CB12_5. [CrossRef]
M. Kelemen, J. Weber, G. Kaufel, G. Bihlmann, R. Moritz, M. Mikulla, and G. Weimann, “Tapered diode lasers at 976 nm with 8 W nearly diffraction limited output power,” Electron. Lett. 41, 1011–1013 (2005). [CrossRef]
The phase plate has been designed and made by PowerPhotonic, Ltd., http://www.powerphotonic.co.uk.
C. J. Corcoran and F. Durville, “Experimental demonstration of a phase-locked laser array using a self-Fourier cavity,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 86, 201118 (2005). [CrossRef]
J. R. Leger, G. J. Swanson, and W. B. Veldkamp, “Coherent laser addition using binary phase gratings,” Appl. Opt. 26, 4391–4399(1987). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Ackley, D. E.
Andersen, P.
Anderson, S. G.
Andrusyak, O.
Augst, S.
Auzanneau, S. C.
Balembois, F.
Ban, V. S.
Barthelemy, A.
Belforte, D. A.
Benson, T. M.
Berger, J.
Berlie, F.
Bihlmann, G.
Blume, G.
Botez, D.
Braiman, Y.
Bream, P.
Bull, S.
Burnham, R. D.
Butler, J. K.
Calligaro, M.
Cassarly, W.
Chang Hasnain, C. J.
Chang-Hasnain, C. J.
Chann, B.
Connors, M.
Corcoran, C. J.
Couderc, V.
Cross, P. S.
D’Amato, F. X.
Dienes, A.
Dolgy, S. V.
Donnelly, J.
Dorsch, F.
Downs, E.
Durville, F.
Ehlert, J.
Elkin, N. N.
Erbert, G.
Fan, T. Y.
Feise, D.
Fiebig, C.
Finlan, J.
Flood, K.
Fricke, J.
Georges, P.
Glebov, L.
Glova, A. F.
Goodman, J. W.
Hasler, K.
Hausken, T.
Holm, J.
Hostetler, J.
Huang, R.
Huignard, J.-P.
John, W.
Kaspari, C.
Kaufel, G.
Kelemen, M.
Kogelnik, H.
Krakowski, M.
Lang, L.
Larkins, E. C.
Lecomte, M.
Leger, J. R.
Lim, J. J.
Liu, B.
Liu, Y.
Louradour, F.
Lucas-Leclin, G.
Lysikov, A. Y.
MacKenzie, R. C.
Matalla, M.
Mehuys, D.
Melnik, E. D.
Michel, N.
Miester, C.
Mikulla, M.
Missaggia, L.
Moritz, R.
Nam, D.
Napartovich, A. P.
Overton, G.
Pabœuf, D.
Parillaud, O.
Paschke, K.
Pauliat, G.
Petersen, P. M.
Robert, Y.
Rotar, V.
Roychoudhuri, C.
Sanchez-Rubio, A.
Scifres, D. R.
Shaw, J.
Siebert, E. T.
Smirnov, V.
Streifer, W.
Sujecki, S.
Sumpf, B.
Swanson, G. J.
Thestrup, B.
Thornton, R. L.
Turner, G.
Veldkamp, W. B.
Venus, G.
Volodin, B. L.
Waarts, R.
Waarts, R. G.
Weber, J.
Weimann, G.
Welch, D.
Welch, D. F.
Wenzel, H.
Whinnery, J. R.
Yaeli, J.
Yiou, S.
Zhang, Z.

Appl. Opt.

J. R. Leger, G. J. Swanson, and W. B. Veldkamp, “Coherent laser addition using binary phase gratings,” Appl. Opt. 26, 4391–4399(1987). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Appl. Phys. B

G. Lucas-Leclin, D. Pabœuf, P. Georges, J. Holm, P. Andersen, B. Sumpf, and G. Erbert, “Wavelength stabilization of extended-cavity tapered lasers with volume Bragg gratings,” Appl. Phys. B 91, 493–498 (2008). [CrossRef]

Appl. Phys. Lett.

C. J. Chang-Hasnain, A. Dienes, J. R. Whinnery, W. Streifer, and D. R. Scifres, “Characteristics of the off-centered apertured mirror external cavity laser array,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 54, 484–486(1989). [CrossRef]
J. K. Butler, D. E. Ackley, and D. Botez, “Coupled-mode analysis of phase-locked injection-laser arrays,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 44, 293–295 (1984). [CrossRef]
D. Pabœuf, G. Lucas-Leclin, P. Georges, N. Michel, M. Krakowski, J. J. Lim, S. Sujecki, and E. C. Larkins, “Narrow-line coherently combined tapered laser diodes in a Talbot external cavity with a volume Bragg grating,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 93, 211102 (2008). [CrossRef]
F. X. D’Amato, E. T. Siebert, and C. Roychoudhuri, “Coherent operation of an array of diode-lasers using a spatial filter in a Talbot cavity,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 55, 816–818 (1989). [CrossRef]
J. Yaeli, W. Streifer, D. R. Scifres, P. S. Cross, R. L. Thornton, and R. D. Burnham, “Array mode selection utilizing an external cavity configuration,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 47, 89–91 (1985). [CrossRef]
C. J. Chang Hasnain, J. Berger, D. R. Scifres, W. Streifer, J. R. Whinnery, and A. Dienes, “High-power with high-efficiency in a narrow single-lobed beam from a diode-laser array in an external cavity,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 50, 1465–1467 (1987). [CrossRef]
C. J. Corcoran and F. Durville, “Experimental demonstration of a phase-locked laser array using a self-Fourier cavity,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 86, 201118 (2005). [CrossRef]

Bell Syst. Tech. J.

H. Kogelnik, “Coupled wave theory for thick hologram gratings,” Bell Syst. Tech. J. 48, 2909–2947 (1969).

Electron. Lett.

C. Fiebig, G. Blume, C. Kaspari, D. Feise, J. Fricke, M. Matalla, W. John, H. Wenzel, K. Paschke, and G. Erbert, “12 W high-brightness single-frequency DBR tapered diode laser,” Electron. Lett. 44, 1253–1255 (2008). [CrossRef]
M. Krakowski, S. C. Auzanneau, F. Berlie, M. Calligaro, Y. Robert, O. Parillaud, and M. Lecomte, “1 W high brightness index guided tapered laser at 980 nm using Al-free active region materials,” Electron. Lett. 39, 1122–1123 (2003). [CrossRef]
A. Barthelemy, F. Louradour, and V. Couderc, “Wavelength-tunable diffraction-limited operation of a standard high-power diode-laser array using an off-centered extended cavity,” Electron. Lett. 28, 2038–2040 (1992). [CrossRef]
M. Kelemen, J. Weber, G. Kaufel, G. Bihlmann, R. Moritz, M. Mikulla, and G. Weimann, “Tapered diode lasers at 976 nm with 8 W nearly diffraction limited output power,” Electron. Lett. 41, 1011–1013 (2005). [CrossRef]

IEEE J. Quantum Electron.

J. J. Lim, T. M. Benson, and E. C. Larkins, “Design of wide-emitter single-mode laser diodes,” IEEE J. Quantum Electron. 41, 506–516 (2005). [CrossRef]

IEEE J. Sel. Top. Quantum Electron.

J. J. Lim, S. Sujecki, L. Lang, Z. Zhang, D. Pabœuf, G. Pauliat, G. Lucas-Leclin, P. Georges, R. C. MacKenzie, P. Bream, S. Bull, K. Hasler, B. Sumpf, H. Wenzel, G. Erbert, B. Thestrup, P. M. Petersen, N. Michel, M. Krakowski, and E. C. Larkins, “Design and simulation of next-generation high-power, high-brightness laser diodes,” IEEE J. Sel. Top. Quantum Electron. 15, 993–1008 (2009). [CrossRef]
T. Y. Fan, “Laser beam combining for high-power, high-radiance sources,” IEEE J. Sel. Top. Quantum Electron. 11, 567–577(2005). [CrossRef]
O. Andrusyak, V. Smirnov, G. Venus, V. Rotar, and L. Glebov, “Spectral combining and coherent coupling of lasers by volume Bragg gratings,” IEEE J. Sel. Top. Quantum Electron. 15, 344–353 (2009), and references therein. [CrossRef]

Laser Focus World

G. Overton, S. G. Anderson, D. A. Belforte, and T. Hausken, “Laser marketplace 2010: how wide is the chasm?” Laser Focus World 46, 32–49 (2010).

Opt. Express

B. Liu, Y. Liu, and Y. Braiman, “Coherent beam combining of high power broad-area laser diode array with a closed-V-shape external Talbot cavity,” Opt. Express 18, 7361–7368 (2010). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Opt. Lett.

Proc. SPIE

R. Huang, B. Chann, L. Missaggia, S. Augst, M. Connors, G. Turner, A. Sanchez-Rubio, J. Donnelly, J. Hostetler, C. Miester, and F. Dorsch, “Coherent combination of slab-coupled optical waveguide lasers,” Proc. SPIE 7230, 72301G(2009). [CrossRef]

Quantum Electron.

A. F. Glova, N. N. Elkin, A. Y. Lysikov, and A. P. Napartovich, “External Talbot cavity with in-phase mode selection,” Quantum Electron. 26, 614–616 (1996). [CrossRef]

Other

The phase plate has been designed and made by PowerPhotonic, Ltd., http://www.powerphotonic.co.uk.
D. Pabœuf, G. Lucas-Leclin, N. Michel, M. Calligaro, M. Krakowski, and P. Georges, “Quasi-diffraction limited emission from an array of tapered laser diodes in volume Bragg grating external cavities,” in CLEO/Europe and EQEC 2009 Conference Digest (Optical Society of America, 2009), paper CB12_5. [CrossRef]
J. W. Goodman, Introduction to Fourier Optics (Roberts, 2005).

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