| 摘要 |
A multi-pass optical amplifier system is provided comprising an amplifier medium (20) and at least one relay imaging telescope (18, 24) for imaging light from the amplifier medium onto a primary light directing optical component, such as a mirror (26, 29) and for imaging light directed back from a primary light directing optical component (26, 28) into the amplifier medium so that light is re-passed through the amplifier medium. The system further includes a phase conjugate mirror arrangement for intercepting light between passes for the amplifier medium to generate a phase conjugate reflection of the light incident on it. Preferably, the system is arranged such that a light beam is incident on phase conjugate mirror (22), after having passed through the amplifier medium a predetermined number of times and the phase conjugate reflection retraces the path of the incident beam. The system may be arranged such that a light beam from the amplifier medium which is re-imaged into the amplifier medium is spatially separated from itself at at least one point in its path between passes of the amplifier medium in order that it can be intercepted by additional light directing optical components, such as a prism (38).
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