Abstract: A heterodyne phase-controlled beam-combiner system includes a laser source, a first beam splitter, a plurality of phase modulators, a tiled array and an optical mixer. The laser source generates a light beam, and the first beam splitter splits the light beam into multiple beamlets. A phase modulator tags each beamlet with an arbitrary phase dither signal corresponding to an arbitrary phase setpoint or offset, and a tiled array, including a number of lenslets, combines the tagged beamlets and directs the combined light to a second beam splitter. The optical mixer generates a heterodyne light including tagging information. A first output light of the second beam splitter is a target light directed to a target, and the arbitrary phase offset enables achieving a nonflat phase profile for beamlets to obtain the desired on-axis far-field intensity of the target light.

Abstract: An optical system can include a mirror that reflects incoming light to a sensor for detection. The position and/or orientation of the mirror can be controlled to reflect incoming light from different locations and/or directions. Position and/or orientation of the mirror may be tracked and/or detected by an optical position sensor. The position sensor can transmit a beam to a reflector on the mirror, and the reflected beam can be received by the position sensor. Characteristics of the reflected beam can be measured to determine the position and/or orientation of the mirror. For example, the beam can be used for interferometric and/or intensity measurements, which can then be correlated with a position and/or orientation of the mirror.

Abstract: An optical system can include a mirror that reflects incoming light to a sensor for detection. The position and/or orientation of the mirror can be controlled to reflect incoming light from different locations and/or directions. Position and/or orientation of the mirror may be tracked and/or detected by an optical position sensor. The position sensor can transmit a beam to a reflector on the mirror, and the reflected beam can be received by the position sensor. Characteristics of the reflected beam can be measured to determine the position and/or orientation of the mirror. For example, the beam can be used for interferometric and/or intensity measurements, which can then be correlated with a position and/or orientation of the mirror.

Abstract: An ion-based atomic clock includes an ion trap, a cooling laser, a re-pumping source and a frequency comb source. The ion trap can trap a plurality of Ra+ ions generated by an ion generator. The cooling laser can facilitate trapping of the plurality of Ra+ ions within the ion trap and populate excited state levels in the trapped Ra+ ions. The re-pumping source can trigger decaying of the excited state levels to a first metastable level. The frequency comb source can directly drive a multi-terahertz (multi-THz) clock transition between the first metastable level and a second metastable level in the trapped Ra+ ions. A signal derived from the population remaining in the first metastable level following the driving of the clock transition can be used to guide the repetition rate of the frequency comb source to an accurate frequency related to the clock transition frequency.

Abstract: A system for performing 3-dimensional (3-D) digital holographic refractometry includes a splitter to split a source light into a first light beam and a second light beam. A tomographic optical setup shines a sample with the first light beam and generates an image light beam. A detector array generates an interferogram signal in response to being simultaneously exposed to the image light beam and the second light beam.

Abstract: A laser device includes a gain medium configured to receive an excitation light and emit a fluorescence signal based on an amount of stored excitation light accumulated in the gain medium. The laser device includes a pump source configured to pump the excitation light to the gain medium using a supply voltage. The laser device includes one or more photodetectors configured to detect the fluorescence signal. The laser device also includes a comparator configured to generate an alert signal indicating an intensity of the detected fluorescence signal is greater than a threshold. The alert signal can trigger certain actions to occur for disrupting a destructive lasing action including one or more of ceasing output of the supply voltage to the pump source, spoiling an optical cavity to obstruct lasing action through the gain medium, or inserting a seed light to extract gain from the gain medium in a non-destructive manner.

Abstract: A method for frequency modulated continuous wave LADAR imaging is provided. The method comprises the steps of generating a chirped laser signal and a constant-frequency laser signal, forming a target laser signal from the chirped laser signal and the constant-frequency laser signal and forming a local oscillator laser signal from the chirped laser signal and the constant-frequency laser signal. The method further comprises delaying or frequency shifting the local oscillator laser signal and directing the target laser signal to a target. The method further comprises combining a returned signal received from the target with the delayed or frequency shifted local oscillator laser signal to form a combined received signal, and capturing the combined received signal with a plurality of image sensors.

Abstract: A controller, such as a programmable logic controller, may manipulate a phase and/or polarization module to alter and/or control the phase and polarization of input beams. Utilizing active phase and polarization control can enable the combination of any arbitrary number of input beams into a single, combined beam. Utilizing active phase and polarization control can also enable the combination of input beams having arbitrary power levels.

Abstract: A controller, such as a programmable logic controller, may manipulate a phase and/or polarization module to alter and/or control the phase and polarization of input beams. Utilizing active phase and polarization control can enable the combination of any arbitrary number of input beams into a single, combined beam. Utilizing active phase and polarization control can also enable the combination of input beams having arbitrary power levels.