Optical loss management in high power diode laser packages

Abstract

A high power diode laser module is provided with improved high temperature handling and reliability, the module including a housing made of a thermally conductive material and providing a module interior extending between a plurality of housing surfaces, at least one diode laser disposed in the module interior and situated to emit a laser beam, one or more optical components disposed in the moduleinterior and coupled to the at least one diode laser so as to change one or more characteristics of the laser beam, a waveguide in optical communication with the module interior and situated to receive the laser beam from the one or more optical components, and an optical absorber disposed in the housing and situated to receive stray light which is associated with the laser beam and which is propagating in the module interior so as to absorb the stray light and conduct heat associated with the stray light away from the module interior and into the housing.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of an invention patent application with the application date of December 17, 2015, titled "Optical Loss Management in High Power Diode Laser Packaging", and application number 201510954661.2. [0002] Cross References to Related Applications [0003] This application claims the benefit of US Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 093,322, filed December 17, 2014, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. technical field [0004] This application relates to high power diode laser packages capable of producing 1OW or more of laser energy. Background technique [0005] One measure of efficiency in a diode laser package is the ratio of the amount of optical power emitted from one or more diode lasers to the amount of useful optical power output from the package. This optical-to-optical efficiency, even when maximized by optical design, suffers from losses that cause stray light to form within the laser package....

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

In higher power packages, such as those producing 10W to 300W or more of laser energy, this leads to 1W to 300W or more of stray light and thus heat, which the inventors have found causes damage to optics such as coatings. Degradation of surfaces and other internal components such as epoxy

This stray light can also be absorbed into the laser diode or the laser diode substrate, causing diode wavelength shifts, reduced diode lifetime, or laser instability

Heating of the opto-mechanical structures within the package including solder, epoxy, etc. can cause optical misalignment, PIF (package induced failure) through outgassing, and lead to premature laser, thermal, structural or optical failure

Conventional packages typically address increased heat load with active cooling systems alone, which adds significantly to cost

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