Extraction characteristics of a one dimensional Talbot cavity with stochastic propagation phase

We study the near- and far-fields of a linear array of fiber lasers in an e xternal Talbot cavity. Each emitter has a random optical path difference (O PD) phase due to length and dispersion differences. The individual emitter fields are described by forward and reverse differential equations in the R igrod approximation with the Talbot cavity coupling all emitters through bo undary conditions. We analytically determine the effect of the rms phase on the increase in the threshold, the decrease in the emitter amplitude, and the decrease in the far-field intensity. These results are confirmed numeri cally by using a Monte Carlo technique or the phase. This leads to a lockin g probability, a coherence unction, and the on-axis intensity as unctions o f the rms phase. Another issue which we investigate is the cavity performan ce or inter-cavity and external cavity phasing and nd the latter preferable . We also determine the strong coupling limit for the fill actor. (C) 2001 Optical Society of America.