US4751705A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Single-element optical injection locking of diode-laser arrays
Assignee: United States Department of Energy
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Filing: 1986-10-07
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Granted: 1988-06-14
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Expires: 2006-10-07
Abstract
Abstract By optically injecting a single end-element of a semiconductor laser array, both the spatial and spectral emission characteristics of the entire laser array is controlled. With the output of the array locked, the far-field emission angle of the array is continuously scanned over several degrees by varying the injection frequency.
Inventors
- 👤 G. Ronald Hadley
- 👤 John P. Hohimer
- 👤 Adelbert Owyoung
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 16:14
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01S; H01S5/00; H01S5/40; H01S5/4025; H01S5/4031; H01S5/0014; H01S5/4006; H01S5/06; H01S5/062; H01S5/06233; H01S5/06243; H01S5/4075
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
59 words
A steerable beam semiconductor laser apparatus, comprising: an array of semiconductor laser elements, a variable frequency optical energy source, and means for directing optical energy from said optical energy source along the axis of said array onto one end element of said array of semiconductor laser elements to lock said array into a desired spatial and spectral laser emission.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
59 words
A steerable beam semiconductor laser apparatus, comprising: an array of semiconductor laser elements, a variable frequency optical energy source, and means for directing optical energy from said optical energy source along the axis of said array onto one end element of said array of semiconductor laser elements to lock said array into a desired spatial and spectral laser emission.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
15 words
An apparatus described in claim 1 wherein said semiconductor array is a diode laser array.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
An apparatus described in claim 2 wherein said semiconductor array is a stripe-geometry gain-guided diode-laser array.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
An apparatus described in claim 1 wherein said optical energy source comprises a continuous wave laser.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
An apparatus described in claim 1 wherein said optical energy source comprises a pulsed wave laser.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
15 words
An apparatus described in claim 4 wherein said continuous wave laser is a dye laser.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
16 words
An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said optical energy source comprises a semiconductor diode laser.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
16 words
An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said optical energy source comprises a color center laser.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
14 words
An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said directing means comprises an optical waveguide.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
29 words
An apparatus described in claim 1 wherein said means for directing optical energy from said optical energy source to said array of semiconductor laser elements is a focusing lens.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
35 words
A method of steering an optical injection locked laser beam generated from an array of semiconductor elements, comprising the step of varying an optical injection frequency applied to one end element in said semiconductor array.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
35 words
A method of steering an optical injection locked laser beam generated from an array of semiconductor elements, comprising the step of varying an optical injection frequency applied to one end element in said semiconductor array.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
49 words
A method of steering an optical laser beam generated from an array of semiconductor elements, comprising the steps of: maintaining a fixed optical injection frequency from a master oscillator to one end element of said array of semiconductor elements, and varying the electric current supplying the semiconductor laser array.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
49 words
A method of steering an optical laser beam generated from an array of semiconductor elements, comprising the steps of: maintaining a fixed optical injection frequency from a master oscillator to one end element of said array of semiconductor elements, and varying the electric current supplying the semiconductor laser array.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
20 words
An apparatus described in claim 1 wherein the output frequency of said array is locked into a single longitudinal mode.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1991-06-14 | 1991-12-14 | 1992-06-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1995-06-14 | 1995-12-14 | 1996-06-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1999-06-14 | 1999-12-14 | 2000-06-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |