Quantum cascade lasers can be designed to emit at any desired wavelength in the mid-infrared. When the optical output power of a single quantum cascade laser is too low, the beams of different lasers can be combined, e.g. by incoherent aperture beam combining. For incoherent aperture beam combining the laser beams are arranged side by side on the aperture of the (multi-) laser system and combine in the far field. The technique is neither limited to any number of lasers nor to any laser characteristics. We investigated incoherent aperture beam combining of quantum cascade laser beams in experiment and simulations at different distances from the laser aperture. We present results of combining laser sources of different wavelengths and demonstrate advantages of various beam arrangements.

Date Published: 7 October 2014
PDF: 6 pages
Proc. SPIE 9251, Technologies for Optical Countermeasures XI; and High-Power Lasers 2014: Technology and Systems, 925109 (7 October 2014); doi: 10.1117/12.2066166

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 9251:
Technologies for Optical Countermeasures XI; and High-Power Lasers 2014: Technology and Systems
David H. Titterton; Willy L. Bohn; Harro Ackermann; Mark A. Richardson; Robert J. Grasso, Editor(s)