US 12,249,803 B2
Coherent beam combination (CBC) systems and methods
Daniel Golubchik, Qiryat Motzkin (IL); Yehonathan Segev, Haifa (IL); and David Shwa, Dovrat (IL)
Assigned to RAFAEL ADVANCED DEFENSE SYSTEMS LTD., Haifa (IL)
Filed by RAFAEL ADVANCED DEFENSE SYSTEMS LTD., Haifa (IL)
Filed on Feb. 29, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/591,069.
Application 18/591,069 is a continuation of application No. 17/259,933, granted, now 11,973,305, previously published as PCT/IB2019/056151, filed on Jul. 18, 2019.
Claims priority of application No. 260702 (IL), filed on Jul. 19, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2024/0204473 A1, Jun. 20, 2024
Int. Cl. H01S 3/13 (2006.01); H01S 3/00 (2006.01); H01S 3/067 (2006.01); H01S 3/10 (2006.01); H01S 3/23 (2006.01); G01S 7/481 (2006.01); H01S 5/40 (2006.01)
CPC H01S 3/1307 (2013.01) [H01S 3/0085 (2013.01); H01S 3/067 (2013.01); H01S 3/10053 (2013.01); H01S 3/2308 (2013.01); H01S 3/2383 (2013.01); G01S 7/4815 (2013.01); H01S 3/06737 (2013.01); H01S 3/10092 (2013.01); H01S 3/1305 (2013.01); H01S 5/4012 (2013.01)] 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A coherent beam combination (CBC) system comprising:
(a) an array of beam sources configured to generate a plurality of coherent beams and transmit the plurality of coherent beams towards a target;
(b) a plurality of adjustable phase modulators associated with said array of beam sources so as to allow adjustment of relative phase offsets of said transmitted coherent beams;
(c) a detector deployed for monitoring a reflected intensity parameter that varies as a function of an intensity of radiation of said transmitted coherent beams impinging on an area of the target; and
(d) a controller comprising logic circuitry, said controller being associated with said detector to receive said reflected intensity parameter and with said plurality of adjustable phase modulators to control a phase adjustment of said transmitted coherent beams, said controller being configured to actuate said plurality of adjustable phase modulators so as to maximize said reflected intensity parameter,
wherein said detector is associated with a telescope arrangement for collecting radiation reflected from the target and directing the reflected radiation to the detector, said telescope arrangement comprising a wavefront sensor for measuring optical distortions in the reflected radiation, a deformable mirror and an adaptive optics controller, said adaptive optics controller being associated with the wavefront sensor and operative to control the deformable mirror so as to reduce optical distortions in the reflected radiation based on measurements from the wavefront sensor.