Fast adaptive laser shaping based on multiple laser incoherent combining

We introduce a novel technique allowing simultaneous combining and reshaping of several non-coherent laser sources. This Multi-Plane Light Conversion technique is based on a passive, tailored and multi-reflective phase element which realizes intrinsically lossless unitary transforms. This approach is particularly suitable for multiple kilowatt laser beam shaping applied to improved material processing. We present numerical and experimental results of 3 applications of this shaper: a multiple multi-mode laser beam shaper, a beam shaper and combiner for generating adaptive tailored beam, and a beam combiner managing up to ten incoherent laser beams with optimum output beam quality (M 2 ). High power handling, up to 12 kW, of MPLC based shaper is also demonstrated.