Light guide for delivering radiation and method of manufacture

Abstract

The invention relates to a light guide for transmitting radiation, in particular of a high-power diode laser, and a method for producing the light guide. The light guide is characterized by a slit-shaped, elongated light entry surface which is formed from one or more layers of optical fibers, wherein the fibers are at least partially connected to one another in a form-fitting manner and to the carrier plate. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for producing a light guide according to the invention.

Description

technical field [0001] The invention relates to a light guide for transmitting radiation, in particular of a high-power diode laser, and a method for producing the light guide. Background technique [0002] High-power diode lasers usually consist of one or more so-called laser bars, where each laser bar has several emitters with slit-shaped light coupling surfaces arranged side by side along the semiconductor junction at on the laser bar. The individual emitters have a small expansion of only about 1 μm parallel to the semiconductor junction in the direction of the semiconductor junction, ie along the so-called fast axis, and typically 100 to 200 μm in the so-called slow axis. The emitted radiation has a divergence angle of typically 20° to 30° in terms of half angle along the fast axis and a significantly smaller divergence angle of typically 5° along the slow axis. [0003] There is a wide range of prior art techniques for coupling semiconductor laser light into light gu...

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Problems solved by technology

[0010] However, according to the coupling described in DE 10 2004 006 932 B3 and especially the manufacture of this coupling, there are many drawbacks and doubts about the convertibility

As a rule of thumb, deformation of the optical fiber in direct contact with the extrusion tool can cause major problems

When using extrusion tools without special surface qualities, the fibers are often strongly damaged by deformation of the optical interface, so that the light guidance is extremely limited and a large part of the laser radiation is coupled out of the fiber

Furthermore, it is well known to the person skilled in the art that the adhesion of optical fibers on extrusion tools or even the attachment of metal to glass is to be expected, and furthermore no means for preventing these effects are known from this publication

Furthermore, the mechanical strength of optical fibers is greatly reduced after the thermal reforming process, so that it is not possible to apply the polishing process to single-layer fused fiber ribbons without breaking, as described in the published text, and it is not possible to carry out the necessary polishing process

Therefore, it can be assumed from this that the components described in this text cannot or cannot be produced economically and economically in the manner described

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