Optical Beam Mode Matching for Equal-Path Power Amplifier Arrays
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing laser air-data systems for aircraft require complex light box architectures with numerous optical elements and calibration challenges due to varying optical path lengths between multiple optical power amplifiers, leading to inefficiencies in beam projection and data measurement.
Innovation Solution
A system that employs mode-matching optics to equalize optical path lengths between a laser and a plurality of optical power amplifiers, splitting a laser beam into equal amplitude portions and projecting them into the atmosphere, with aligned optical receivers to calculate air data metrics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple separate mode-matching optics are used for each optical power amplifier, then each amplifier can be independently optimized, but the device complexity and calibration difficulty increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple separate mode-matching optics into a single shared mode-matching optics unit that serves multiple optical power amplifiers. This merging approach reduces the total number of optical components, simplifies the overall system architecture, and decreases calibration complexity while maintaining reliable beam amplification across all channels through the shared optical path.
2Ease of manufacture
If optical path lengths between mode-matching optics and optical power amplifiers are unequal, then system design is more flexible, but beam quality and measurement precision deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements equal optical path lengths from the shared mode-matching optics to each optical power amplifier, creating an equipotential optical configuration. This ensures that all beams experience identical optical conditions and path lengths, which maintains consistent beam quality and mode matching precision across all amplification channels while still allowing design flexibility in the overall system layout.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple optical elements are used in the light box architecture, then beam projection capability is enhanced, but calibration challenges and operational complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple optical elements into a consolidated architecture where a single shared mode-matching optics unit serves multiple optical power amplifiers. This reduces the total number of optical elements that require individual calibration, thereby maintaining versatile beam projection capability while significantly easing the calibration process and improving operational simplicity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Simplifies the design and calibration of laser air-data systems by ensuring consistent beam shaping and amplification across multiple channels, enhancing accuracy and efficiency in airspeed and atmospheric metric measurements.
Implementation Method 1
A laser is configured to generate a laser beam
Implementation Method 2
A reflected portion of each of the projected beams of light is then backscattered by aerosols (small particles that are suspended in the atmosphere)
Implementation Method 3
A plurality of optical power amplifiers are configured to receive and amplify a corresponding one of the plurality of beam-split portions
Data Source
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AI summary
Apparatus and associated methods relate to mode matching a plurality of optical beams to a corresponding plurality of optical power amplifiers (24A-24D). The mode-matched plurality of beams is generated by mode matching a single laser beam and then splitting the mode-matched beam into the plurality of beam-split portions. Each of the plurality of beam-split portions is then guided to a corresponding one of a plurality of optical power amplifiers (24A-24D) that amplifies the beam-split portion guided thereto. Optical path lengths between the mode-matching optics (14) and the plurality of optical power amplifiers (24A-24D) are created to be substantially equal to one another thereby enabling optical mode matching of the mode-matched optical beam to each of the plurality of optical power amplifiers (24A-24D).