US 12,360,358 B2
Micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) micro-mirror array (MMA) steered high-power laser transmitter
Benn H. Gleason, Tucson, AZ (US); Gerald P. Uyeno, Tucson, AZ (US); and Sean D. Keller, Tucson, AZ (US)
Assigned to Raytheon Company, Arlington, VA (US)
Filed by Raytheon Company, Arlington, VA (US)
Filed on Apr. 22, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/238,147.
Prior Publication US 2022/0342201 A1, Oct. 27, 2022
Int. Cl. G02B 26/08 (2006.01); B81B 3/00 (2006.01)
CPC G02B 26/0841 (2013.01) [B81B 3/0048 (2013.01); B81B 3/0062 (2013.01); B81B 2201/042 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A steered high-power laser transmitter comprising:
a laser system configured to emit a light beam;
a discrete optical amplifier oriented along an optical axis to amplify the light beam, wherein the discrete optical amplifier provides substantially uniform gain over a fine angular range no greater than ±2°×±2° about the optical axis;
a first Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) Micro-Mirror Array (MMA) including a plurality of mirrors responsive to command signals to tip and tilt in two degrees-of-freedom (2 DOF) to steer the light beam, wherein said first MEMS MMA is positioned upstream of the discrete optical amplifier to steer the light beam over only the fine angular range, and
a beam steerer positioned downstream of the optical amplifier to discretely steer the light beam in a coarse angular range of at least ±10°×±10°.