High-efficiency coherent beam combination for optical feeder links using MPLC

This presentation addresses the critical need for high-power optical amplifiers in the C-band for optical feeder links in laser communications, in the context of the challenge of scaling up the power delivered by Erbium-Doped Fiber Amplifiers (EDFAs). It showcases the use of Multi-Plane Light Conversion (MPLC) technology for Coherent Beam Combination (CBC), achieving an 85% combining efficiency. Key results include the demonstration of 6-channels CBC with 10 W per channel, phase-locking via Frequency Dithering, and power scalability up to 6 x 20 W with stable performance. The session will delve into the experimental setup and performance analysis, emphasizing MPLC's potential to enable high-power optical feeder links for laser communications.