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Updated: Jan 9, 2026

Measurement of X-ray Beam Coherence along Multiple Directions Using 2-D Checkerboard Phase Grating
Published on: October 11, 2016
Exploring five types of beam shaping using tiled-aperture coherent beam combining
Yunhui Xie1, James A Grant-Jacob2, Matthew Praeger2
1Optoelectronics Research Centre, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK. Yunhui.Xie@soton.ac.uk.
Coherent Beam Combination (CBC) enhances High-Power Fiber Lasers (HPFLs) by enabling versatile beam shaping and steering. This technique allows precise control over laser beam focus and movement in 3D space.
Area of Science:
- Optics and Photonics
- Laser Physics
Background:
- High-Power Fiber Lasers (HPFLs) face power-scaling limitations.
- Coherent Beam Combination (CBC) offers a solution by combining multiple laser outputs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate advanced beam shaping and steering capabilities of CBC.
- To explore phase control for versatile optical element approximation and beam manipulation.
Main Methods:
- Experimental validation using spatial light modulation to simulate controllable fibre outputs.
- Phase manipulation to approximate optical element phase profiles (lenses, spiral plates).
Main Results:
- CBC successfully approximated phase profiles of spherical lenses, axicon lenses, and spiral phase plates.
- Phase-only control enabled steering and rotation of the combined beam focus in 3D.
- Demonstrated Bessel-like and orbital angular momentum beam profiles.
Conclusions:
- CBC extends beyond power scaling, offering advanced beam shaping and steering.
- Phase-controlled CBC provides pathways for multifunctional optical power delivery systems.
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