Unstable resonator with multiple outputs

Two or more unstable optical resonators can be coupled together by sharing optical elements. The result is then a single compound resonator with multiple outputs. For identical coupled cavities, the transverse structure of the outputs would be identical. In general, there will be misalignments and other aberrations that will vary from cavity to cavity. The cumulative effects of such aberrations are treated using both analytical and numerical approaches. It is shown that the average output of a multioutput resonator is the same as the output of a single uncoupled resonator with aberrations equal to the average of those contained in the multioutput resonator.