Development of the high energy/power laser system with high repetition rate using the beam combination technique

The beam combination technique using stimulated Brillouin scattering phase conjugate mirrors (SBS-PCMs) is one of the most promising technology to realize high energy/high power/high repetition rate. The beam combination technique using SBS-PCM can compensate any optical distortions occurred in the amplifier chain because it gives the phase conjugated wave for the good beam quality. In this paper we will introduce the cross type amplifier as a basic unit of the proposed beam combination system and show essential technology for realization of the beam combination system, such as the new SBS phase control technique proposed by the authors. These new techniques are the most simple among the phase locking techniques developed previously, and furthermore it is possible not only to lock but also to control the phases of the SBS waves very accurately.