GROUPED, PHASE-LOCKED, DIODE ARRAYS

摘要

The invention relates to a phase-locked diode array laser which consists of a group of phase-locked, optically coupled laser diode arrays (2), such that the arrays of phase locked output beams (6) are themselves phase locked to produce effectively a single beam output (7). Inter diode array optical coupling may be provided by extra rows of laser diodes linking the arrays or by optical fibres. Also claimed is steering of the phase-locked output by emission of light from one end of a group of diode arrays before light is emitted from the opposite end.