Laser system with monolithic optical collimation and circularisation device

Abstract

The invention relates to a laser system (1) comprising a solid amplifying medium (2) capable of emitting an amplified beam (4) in a propagation direction (D), the amplified beam having a first angle of divergence in a first plane (Px) including the propagation direction, and a second angle of divergence in a second plane including the propagation direction and separate from the first plane, the second angle of divergence being separate from the first angle of divergence; and an optical device (3). According to the invention, the optical device comprises a lens (31) arranged so as to refract the amplified beam into an outgoing beam (5), the lens having a first radius of curvature in the first plane and a second radius of curvature in the second plane, the second radius of curvature being separate from the first radius of curvature.

Description

Laser system with monolithic optical collimation and circularization device Technical field

[0001] The present invention relates generally to the technical field of optics.

[0002] It particularly concerns a laser system.

[0003] The invention finds a particularly advantageous application in the production of a laser system based on a plate amplifier medium. Technological background

[0004] A laser system (from the English acronym "light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation") typically comprises an amplifying medium, for example a solid, designed to emit a spatially and temporally coherent light beam. Such a beam is then often also referred to as a "laser".

[0005] In the case of an amplifying medium that does not have rotational symmetry with respect to the propagation axis, the emitted light beam is often astigmatic. The light beam can then have different divergence or opening angles in different planes comprising the beam propagation direction. Thus, the light beam emerging from a solid amplifying medium without rotational symmetry is often elliptical and / or astigmatic.

[0006] To make this light beam circular (ellipticity close to 1), or simply stigmatic, and less divergent (collimated), laser systems include optical beam shaping devices. Such an optical device generally requires three or four lenses successively refracting the light beam. Some lenses circularize the beam by each modifying the divergence of the beam in a given direction, while other lenses collimate the beam and correct intrinsic astigmatism or astigmatism caused by the different lenses.

[0007] However, such optical beam shaping devices are expensive, complex to adjust and have a significant footprint. Summary of the invention

[0008] In this context, the present invention provides a laser system comprising: - a solid amplifying medium capable of emitting an amplified beam in a propagation direction, the amplified beam having a first divergence angle in a first plane including the propagation direction, and a second divergence angle in a second plane including the propagation direction and distinct from the first plane, the second divergence angle being distinct from the first divergence angle; and - an optical device comprising a lens arranged to refract the amplified beam into an outgoing beam, the lens having a first radius of curvature in the first plane and a second radius of curvature in the second plane, the second radius of curvature being distinct from the first radius of curvature.

[0009] Thus, thanks to the invention, the optical beam shaping device is simplified. Indeed, the lens implemented by the optical device makes it possible to modify the two divergence angles of the incident beam at the same time. Thus, the amplified beam can be circularized and collimated by a reduced number of lenses, preferably by a single lens.

[0010] Therefore, although it has less freedom of adjustment, the optical shaping device of the laser system according to the invention is inexpensive, simple to adjust and has a reduced footprint.

[0011] In the laser system according to the invention, a single lens can thus replace a complex optical shaping system consisting of at least three or four lenses. The lens is then manufactured to correct the defects of a particular laser system and, although it offers less adjustment possibilities, it limits the risks of misalignment.

[0012] Other advantageous and non-limiting characteristics of the laser system according to the invention, taken individually or in all technically possible combinations, are the following: - the outgoing beam has two divergence angles respectively in the first plane and in the second plane, and the first radius of curvature and the second radius of curvature are determined, on the basis of the first divergence angle and the second divergence angle, so as to achieve at least one of the following criteria: a difference between the two divergence angles of the outgoing beam is less than a first threshold value, at least one of the two divergence angles of the outgoing beam is less than a second threshold value; - the first radius of curvature and the second radius of curvature are determined such that the outgoing beam is less astigmatic than the amplified beam; - the amplified beam has a circularity section perpendicular to the direction of propagation in which the amplified beam is circular in shape, and the lens is positioned so as to intersect the circularity section; - the first plane is perpendicular to the second plane; - between the amplifying medium and the optical shaping device, the amplified beam is divergent in the first plane and convergent in the second plane; - the lens comprises a first optical face forming the first radius of curvature and a second optical face, opposite the first optical face, forming the second radius of curvature; - at least one of the first optical face and the second optical face extends along a cylindrical surface of revolution; - the lens comprises a first planar optical face and a second optical face, opposite the first optical face, forming the first radius of curvature and the second radius of curvature; - the second optical face extends along a toric surface; - the first radius of curvature and the second radius of curvature are each between 1 mm and 1000 mm; - the amplified beam comprises a central wavelength, and the lens comprises optical faces whose roughness is less than a quarter of the central wavelength; - the lens is made from silica with an absorption of less than 10 -5 cm 1 for a wavelength between 900 nm and 1100 nm; - the amplified beam has a Gaussian profile in a transverse direction perpendicular to the direction of propagation; - the optical shaping device consists of the lens; - the lens has a thickness, depending on the direction of propagation, of between 2 mm and 4 mm; - the lens is made of electronic-grade silica; - the lens is arranged so that the amplified beam illuminates a region of the lens having a surface area of ​​between 9 mm 2 and 40,000 mm 2 ; - the lens comprises at least one of the coatings having a reflectance at normal incidence of less than 0.1% at 1030 nm; - the amplified beam is a pulsed beam whose emission duration is between 100 fs and 20 ns; - the solid amplifying medium comprises a rectangular parallelepiped crystal and the lens is positioned opposite an output edge of the crystal.

[0013] Of course, the various features, variants and embodiments of the invention may be combined with each other in various combinations to the extent that they are not incompatible or mutually exclusive. Detailed description of the invention

[0014] The description which follows with reference to the appended drawings, given as non-limiting examples, will make it clear what the invention consists of and how it can be implemented.

[0015] On the attached drawings:

[0016] Figure 1 is a schematic cross-sectional representation, in a first plane, of the laser system according to the invention;

[0017] Figure 2 is a schematic cross-sectional representation, in a second plane, of the laser system of Figure 1;

[0018] Figure 3 is a schematic cross-sectional representation, in the foreground, of a portion of a light beam generated by the laser system of Figure 1;

[0019] Figure 4 is a schematic representation of the light beam generated by the laser system propagating freely in each of the planes of Figures 1 and 2 as well as in transverse planes;

[0020] Figure 5 is a schematic representation of the light beam of Figure 4 refracted into an outgoing beam through a lens, implemented in the laser system of Figure 1, according to a first embodiment of the invention;

[0021] Figure 6 is a schematic perspective representation of the lens of Figure 5;

[0022] Figure 7 is a schematic perspective representation of a second embodiment of a lens implemented in the laser system of Figure 1.

[0023] A laser system 1 according to the invention is shown in Figures 1 and 2. As shown in Figure 1 or 2, the laser system 1 comprises an amplifying medium 2 and an optical device 3. The laser system 1 is referred to as a “laser” in the sense that it makes it possible to produce a high-intensity light beam that is spatially and temporally coherent. The laser system 1 is more specifically of the pulsed type and based on a crystalline amplifying medium. The laser system can, for example, be used for laser cutting.

[0024] The laser system 1 is for example designed to generate a pulsed light beam whose energy is between 10 W and 10 kW at frequencies varying between 50 kHz and 40 MHz. The emission duration is for example between 100 fs and 1 ns. The power of the light beam is for example between 1 pJ and 10 mJ.

[0025] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the amplifying medium 2 is capable of emitting a laser light beam, hereinafter called the amplified beam 4. For this, the amplifying medium 2, which is solid here, is optically pumped to cause the atoms constituting it to pass into an excited state. Conventionally, the laser system 1 comprises an optical cavity (not shown), which comprises for example two mirrors, within which the amplifying medium 2 is placed. Thus, a precursor beam (not shown) injected into the optical cavity passes through the amplifying medium 2 multiple times, which produces, by stimulated emission, the amplified beam 4.

[0026] The amplifying medium 2 is here of parallelepipedal shape, for example rectangular. The input and output faces of the amplifying medium can also be wedge-shaped, i.e. non-parallel, so as to avoid returns in the amplifying medium 2. The amplifying medium 2 more specifically has a plate shape, the precursor beam being injected via a slice of the plate, perpendicular to the thickness of the plate, i.e. to its smallest dimension. The amplifying medium 2 has for example a width of between 5 mm and 30 mm, a length of between 5 mm and 30 mm and a thickness of between 0.3 mm and 2 mm.

[0027] The amplifying medium 2 is for example made of neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG) or ytterbium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Yb:YAG). The amplified beam 4 has a central wavelength, the intensity of which is maximum, which is for example between 1000 nm and 1100 nm. The central wavelength depends on the material from which the amplifying medium 2 is made. Thus, for example, for an amplifying medium made of Yb:YAG, the central wavelength is 1030 nm and for an amplifying medium made of Nb:YAG, the central wavelength is 1064 nm.

[0028] The amplified beam 4 is emitted by the amplifying medium 2 in a propagation direction D corresponding here to the Z axis of an orthonormal reference frame XYZ. The incident beam 4 has a width which is defined in a direction perpendicular to the propagation direction D, corresponding for example to the X axis or the Y axis of the orthonormal reference frame XYZ, as: - a segment for which, at the central wavelength, the intensity is greater than half of the maximum intensity, such a segment corresponds to a width at half-maximum (commonly called “full width at half-maximum” in English); - a segment for which, at the central wavelength, the intensity is greater than the maximum intensity divided by e 2 ; or again - a segment for which the energy is greater than 86% of the total energy of the incident beam 4.

[0029] Subsequently, the width of the amplified beam 4 is defined as the width at half maximum.

[0030] The geometry of the amplifying medium 2 confers an astigmatism on the amplified beam 4. In an amplifying medium 2 whose output slice 21 is rectangular, the divergence along the small width of the slice is mainly guided by the gain of the amplifying medium and the divergence along the large width is mainly guided by the radii of curvature of the mirrors forming the optical cavity.

[0031] Here, the amplified beam 4 more specifically has a first divergence angle Ax in a first plane Px which includes the propagation direction D, and a second divergence angle in a second plane Py which also includes the propagation direction D and which is distinct from the first plane Px. Here, the mathematical term "include" means that the propagation direction D is included, that is to say extends, in the first plane Px and in the second plane Py. Here, the first divergence angle Ax is distinct from the second divergence angle Ay.

[0032] Subsequently, as shown in Figure 1, a first width Lx of the incident beam 4 is defined as the width of the incident beam 4 in a direction perpendicular to the propagation direction D and included in the first plane Px. Similarly, as shown in Figure 2, a second width Ly of the incident beam 4 is defined as the width of the incident beam 4 in a direction perpendicular to the propagation direction D and included in the second plane Py.

[0033] Each divergence angle Ax, Ay is an angle representative of a variation of the width of the amplified beam 4 along the propagation direction D in its respective plane Px, Py. As shown in Figure 3, the first divergence angle Ax is representative of the variation of the first width Lx and the second divergence angle Ay is representative of the variation of the second width Ly. Each divergence angle Ax, Ay is for example defined in the manner of the ISO11146 standard.

[0034] More particularly, as shown in Figure 3, the first divergence angle Ax is here defined, in the first plane Px, as the half-angle between a first periphery Fx of the amplified beam 4 and the propagation direction D, measured at a first size Tx of the incident beam 4, that is to say at the focal point of the amplified beam 4 in the first plane Px, where the first width Lx is minimum. As shown in Figure 3, the first periphery Fx represents the variation of the first width Lx in the first plane Px.

[0035] The second divergence angle Ay is here defined analogously in the second plane Py as the half-angle between a second periphery Fy of the amplified beam 4 and the propagation direction D, measured at a second size Ty of the incident beam 4, i.e. at the focal point of the amplified beam 4 in the second plane Py, where the second width Ly is minimum, the second periphery Fy representing the variation of the second width Ly in the second plane Py.

[0036] The amplified beam 4 being astigmatic, its first size and its second size are spatially separated, they are for example 1 mm to 10000 mm apart along the propagation direction D.

[0037] Due to its astigmatism, the amplified beam 4 has a section, perpendicular to the propagation direction D, which is generally elliptical between the amplifying medium 2 and the optical device 3.

[0038] Here, as shown in Figure 4, the first plane Px and the second plane Py are defined so as to be perpendicular to each other. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the first plane Px here corresponds to the XZ plane of the orthonormal coordinate system XYZ and the second plane Py corresponds to the YZ plane of the orthonormal coordinate system XYZ.

[0039] The first plane Px and the second plane Py are more particularly defined so as to correspond to the major axis and the minor axis of the elliptical section of the incident beam 4 in a transverse plane Tl, T2, T3 perpendicular to the direction of propagation D.

[0040] In the example illustrated in Figure 4, the amplified beam 4 is elliptical with a major axis included in the second plane Py at a first transverse plane Tl then elliptical with a major axis included in the first plane Px at a second transverse plane T2 and a third transverse plane T3. The first transverse plane Tl corresponds here to that of the output slice 21 of the amplifying medium 2.

[0041] Here, perpendicular to the propagation direction D, that is to say in transverse directions perpendicular to the propagation direction D, for example along the X and Y axes of the orthonormal reference frame XYZ, the amplified beam 4 generally has a Gaussian intensity profile at the central wavelength.

[0042] The optical device 3 is adapted to shape the amplified beam 4 in the sense that it makes it possible to modify geometric characteristics of the amplified beam 4.

[0043] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the optical device 3 comprises a lens 31 arranged along the propagation direction D. The lens 31 is here arranged opposite the output edge 21 of the amplifying medium 2 through which the amplified beam 4 is emitted. Thus, the lens 31 refracts the amplified beam 4 into an outgoing beam 5. The outgoing beam 5 also has a divergence angle in the first plane Px, called the main divergence angle, and a divergence angle in the second plane Px, called the secondary divergence angle. The divergence angles of the outgoing beam 5 are defined in the same way as those of the incident beam 4.

[0044] Remarkably, the lens 31 has two different radii of curvature in two distinct planes. In other words, the lens 31 is a bifocal lens. Each of the radii of curvature Rx, Ry is associated with a strictly positive, i.e. non-zero, curvature. The lens 31 is oriented to have a first ray of curvature Rx in the first plane Px and a second ray of curvature Ry in the second plane Py.

[0045] By determining the first radius of curvature Rx and the second radius of curvature Ry on the basis of the first divergence angle Ax and the second divergence angle Ay, the lens 31 is adapted to circularize or collimate the outgoing beam 5. Preferably the lens 31 is adapted to circularize and collimate the outgoing beam 5.

[0046] The effect of the lens 31 on the amplified beam 4 is shown in Figure 5, in comparison with Figure 4 in which a free propagation of the amplified beam 4 is illustrated. In Figure 4, i.e. without the lens 31, the amplified beam 4 is elliptical in the second cross-section T2 and in the third cross-section T3 and diverges since the first width Lx and the second width Ly increase between the second cross-section T2 and the third cross-section T3. In Figure 5, the outgoing beam 5 is circular in shape, as shown in the second cross-section T2 and in the third cross-section T3. The outgoing beam 5 is therefore also stigmatic. In addition, the outgoing beam 5 is collimated since its diameter is substantially equal in the Rayleigh zone, for example here in the second cross-section T2 and in the third cross-section T3.

[0047] Thus, the outgoing beam 5 can be shaped solely by means of the lens 31. The lens 31 is therefore preferably specifically designed with respect to the shape of the amplified beam 4. The adjustment of the optical device 3 is simple since the latter here consists of a single optical element: the lens 31. In return, the design of the lens 31 depends on the amplified beam 4 and therefore on the amplifying medium 2.

[0048] The first radius of curvature Rx and the second radius of curvature Ry can be determined in such a way as to optimize the circularity of the outgoing beam 5, i.e. in such a way as to make a section of the outgoing beam 5 circular in a plane perpendicular to the direction of propagation D. The circularity of a laser beam is here defined according to the standard ISO11146. Thus a beam is considered circular when its ellipticity is greater than 87%.

[0049] The first radius of curvature Rx and the second radius of curvature Ry are therefore determined so as to minimize a difference between the main divergence angle and the secondary divergence angle of the outgoing beam 5. In practice, the radii of curvature Rx, Ry of the lens 31 are then determined so that the difference between the main divergence angle and the secondary divergence angle is less than a first threshold value. The first threshold value is for example less than 0.1 mrad.

[0050] The first radius of curvature Rx and the second radius of curvature Ry may also be determined so as to minimize the divergence of the outgoing beam 5, i.e. to minimize the broadening of the outgoing beam 5. In other words, the first radius of curvature Rx and the second radius of curvature Ry are determined so as to minimize the main divergence angle or the secondary divergence angle. Preferably, the radii of curvature Rx, Ry of the lens 31 are determined so as to minimize both the main divergence angle and the secondary divergence angle. In practice, the radii of curvature Rx, Ry of the lens 31 are then determined so that the main divergence angle and / or the secondary divergence angle is less than a second threshold value. The second threshold value is for example between 0.1 prad and 2 mrad.

[0051] Of course, the value of the radii of curvature Rx, Ry also depends on the optical index of the lens 31. The design of the lens 31 can therefore be carried out in terms of focal lengths which are then converted into radii of curvature, for example according to the following formula: R=f-(nl) where R is the radius of curvature, / the desired focal length and n the optical index of the lens.

[0052] Furthermore, thanks to the lens 31, the outgoing beam 5 is less astigmatic than the amplified beam 4.

[0053] As shown in Figure 4, although the amplified beam 4 is astigmatic, the latter has a section of circularity S, perpendicular to the propagation direction D, in which the amplified beam 4 is circular. Before and after this section of circularity S, the incident beam 4 is elliptical.

[0054] As shown in Figure 5, remarkably, the lens 31 is positioned so as to intersect the circularity section S. This makes it possible to improve the combined collimation and circularization effect of the lens 31. The lens 31 is here designed to operate in the circularity section S.

[0055] In the example illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 5, between the amplifying medium 2 and the lens 31, the amplified beam 4 is divergent in the first plane Px and convergent in the second plane Py. Such an amplified beam is typically generated by slab laser systems (also called "Slab Laser" in English). In these systems, the small width of the slice of the slab is included in the first plane Px and the large width of the slice of the slab is included in the second plane Py.

[0056] As shown in Figure 4, at the output of the amplifying medium 2, the first width Lx is then increasing while the second width Ly is decreasing along the propagation direction D. As shown diagrammatically in Figure 4, the circularity section S then corresponds to the plane, perpendicular to the propagation direction D, in which the first width Lx is equal to the second width Ly. Here, the amplified beam 4 is therefore circular in the circularity section S. Upstream of the circularity section S, the incident beam 4 is elliptical with major axis along the second plane Py and, downstream of the circularity section S, the incident beam 4 is elliptical with major axis along the first plane Px.

[0057] Therefore, as illustrated in Figure 5, to circularize and collimate the outgoing beam 5, the first radius of curvature Rx is associated with a positive focal length, in the sense that the associated image focus is located downstream of the lens 31 along the propagation direction, i.e. on the side of the outgoing beam 5. Conversely, the second radius of curvature Ry is associated with a negative focal length, in the sense that the associated image focus is located upstream of the lens 31 along the propagation direction, i.e. on the side of the amplified beam 4.

[0058] Thus, thanks to the lens 31 oriented to present the first radius of curvature Rx in the first plane Px and the second radius of curvature Ry in the second plane Py and positioned in the circularity section S, the outgoing beam 5 is here circular and collimated. In figure 5 the diameter of the outgoing beam 5 is thus globally constant up to the third transverse plane T3, in the Rayleigh zone.

[0059] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the lens 31 comprises two opposite optical faces. The lens 31 more particularly comprises a first optical face 32 illuminated by the amplified beam 4 and a second optical face 33 from which the outgoing beam 5 is emitted. In other words, the first optical face 32 is oriented towards the amplifying medium 2 and the second optical face 33 is oriented away from the amplifying medium 2. Here, the optical faces 32, 33 are arranged perpendicular to the propagation direction D. The lens 31 is arranged so that the amplified beam 4 illuminates a surface of the first optical face 32 of between 0.2 mm 2 and 40000 mm 2 , for example between 9 mm 2 and 10,000 mm 2 Advantageously, the lens 31 has small optical faces 32, 33, for example between 0.2 mm 2 and 100 mm 2, which makes it less expensive and less bulky.

[0060] The lens 31 has, for example, a thickness of between 2 mm and 4 mm. The thickness of the lens 31 may correspond to its dimension along the propagation direction D or to the smallest distance between the first optical face 32 or the second optical face 33.

[0061] The lens 31 also comprises a peripheral edge 34 connecting the optical faces 32, 33. The peripheral edge 34 may for example have a square profile perpendicular to the propagation of the amplified beam 4, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, or a circular profile.

[0062] In a first embodiment shown in figures 5 and 6, each optical face 32, 33 respectively forms one of the radii of curvature Rx, Ry.

[0063] Thus, here, the first optical face 32 forms the first radius of curvature Rx and the second optical face 33 forms the second radius of curvature Ry. This means that the intersection between the first optical face 32 and the first plane Px defines a circular arc whose radius of curvature is equal to the first radius of curvature Rx. Similarly, this means that the intersection between the second optical face 32 and the second plane Py defines a circular arc whose radius of curvature is equal to the second radius of curvature Ry.

[0064] Of course, in an equivalent manner, the first optical face 32 can form the second radius of curvature Ry and the second optical face 33 can form the first radius of curvature Rx.

[0065] Advantageously, in this first embodiment, the lens 31 can be manufactured simply, at low cost and with great precision. The radii of curvature Rx, Ry are thus designed with a tolerance of less than 1%.

[0066] Indeed, as visible in Figure 6, each optical face 32, 33 extends here along a cylindrical surface of revolution. In other words, the first optical face 32 corresponds to a part of the cylindrical face of a cylinder of revolution whose radius is equal to the first radius of curvature Rx. Similarly, the second optical face 33 corresponds to a part of the cylindrical face of a cylinder of revolution whose radius is equal to the second radius of curvature Ry.

[0067] Here, the first plane Px being perpendicular to the second plane Py, the optical faces 32, 33 extend along cylindrical surfaces of revolution whose axes are oriented orthogonally to each other. In other words, the first optical face 32 corresponds to a part of the cylindrical face of a cylinder of revolution whose axis is included in the second plane Py. Similarly, the second optical face 32 corresponds to a part of the cylindrical face of a cylinder of revolution whose axis is included in the first plane Px.

[0068] The aforementioned cylindrical face parts depend here on the shape of the peripheral edge 34, they are therefore for example square or circular.

[0069] As a variant of this first embodiment, one of the optical faces can extend along a cylindrical surface of revolution while the other optical face extends along a spherical surface.

[0070] In this first embodiment, to shape the amplified beam 4 shown in figures 1 and 2 (which is divergent in the first plane Px and convergent in the second plane Py), the first optical face 32 is convex and the second optical face 33 is concave. Of course, equivalently, when the first optical face 32 forms the second radius of curvature Ry and the second optical face 33 forms the first radius of curvature Rx, the first optical face 32 is concave and the second optical face is convex.

[0071] In this first embodiment, the lens 31 here has a mean plane PM located halfway between the optical faces 32, 33. This mean plane PM is for example the plane best fitted to the optical faces 32, 33 by a first-order regression. Preferably, the mean plane PM of the lens 31 is coincident with the circularity section S of the incident beam 4 as illustrated in Figure 5. This makes it possible to improve the combined effect of collimation and circularization of the lens 3.

[0072] In a second embodiment shown in Figure 7, one of the optical faces 32, 33 is planar and the other optical face 32, 33 forms the first radius of curvature Rx and the second radius of curvature Ry.

[0073] In the example illustrated in Figure 7, the first optical face 32 is planar and the second optical face 33 forms both the first radius of curvature Rx and the second radius of curvature Ry. This means that the intersection between the second optical face 33 and the first plane Px defines a circular arc whose radius of curvature is equal to the first radius of curvature Rx and that the intersection between the second and second plane Py defines a circular arc whose radius of curvature is equal to the second radius of curvature Ry.

[0074] Advantageously, in this second embodiment, the lens 31 is placed so that the second optical face 33 intersects the circularity section S. Preferably, the lens 31 is placed so that the circularity section S coincides with a mean plane of the second optical face 33. The mean plane of the second optical face 33 is for example the plane tangent to the second optical face 33 at the center of the second optical face 33 or even the plane best adjusted to the second optical face 33 by a first-order regression.

[0075] Thus, in this second embodiment, the lens 31 generates almost no astigmatism since the two radii of curvature Rx, Ry are coplanar.

[0076] Here, as illustrated in Figure 7, the second optical face 33 extends along a toric surface. The second optical face 33 corresponds for example to a part of a surface generated by the rotation of a circle whose radius is equal to the first radius of curvature Rx around a straight line located at a distance equal to the second radius of curvature Ry. The aforementioned part here depends on the shape of the peripheral edge 34, it is for example square or circular.

[0077] In this second embodiment, to shape the amplified beam 4 shown in figures 1 and 2 (which is divergent in the first plane Px and convergent in the second plane Py), the second optical face 33 is therefore both convex and concave. The second optical face 33 is more particularly convex in the first plane Px and concave in the second plane Py. The second optical face 33 then extends along a surface part of an open torus which is located opposite the axis of rotation of the torus.

[0078] The first optical face 32 is preferably perpendicular to the propagation direction D.

[0079] Whatever the embodiment, the lens 31 is here made of silica. The lens 31 can also be made of another optical glass such as flint or crown. The lens 31 is here made from electronic-grade silica (SiO2). This makes it possible to reduce the inclusions that could be present in the lens 31 and contribute to its heating when it is illuminated by the amplified beam 4. The OH ion content of the lens is preferably low, for example less than 1000 ppm, so that the lens absorbs little infrared radiation, which limits its heating.

[0080] Here, the lens 31 is made of a silica having an absorption of less than 10' 5 cm 1ppm for a wavelength between 900 nm and 1100 nm. Since the infrared range is a preferred operating range for laser systems, it is advantageous for the lens 31 to have low absorption in this range. Here, the heating of the lens 31 is thus greatly limited when the amplified beam 4 is within the aforementioned wavelength range.

[0081] The lens 31 is manufactured here by computer numerically controlled machining, also called “CNC” machining, which makes it possible to produce complex optical faces, for example a toric surface such as that of the second embodiment, with high precision. Manufacturing by computer numerically controlled machining makes it possible in particular to shape spherical, aspherical or even free-form surfaces. After machining, the optical faces 32, 33 are polished so that their roughness is less than a quarter of the central wavelength. According to the MIL-PRF- 13830B standard, the optical faces 32, 33 are polished so that the scratch and the dig are between 10 and 20. ***Do the French translations of the parameters and their values ​​seem correct to you?***

[0082] The lens 31 may also be treated by applying coatings to its optical faces 32, 33. The lens 31 comprises, for example, one of the following coatings: anti-reflective, a nano-structured coating. Preferably, the anti-reflective coating has a normal incidence reflectance of less than 0.1% at 1030 nm. The coatings are deposited after polishing.

[0083] The present invention is in no way limited to the embodiments described and shown, but those skilled in the art will be able to provide any variant in accordance with the invention. For example, the amplified beam may be divergent (between the amplifying medium and the optical device) both along the first plane and along the second plane. This is the case, for example, when the amplifying medium corresponds to that of a laser diode. For such an amplified beam, it is then provided that the lens has two positive focal lengths. When the divergence of such an amplified beam is not the same along the first or second plane, it then also has a circularity section at which the lens is preferably placed. When the amplifying medium corresponds to that of a laser diode, the radii of curvature are, for example, between 1 mm and 1000 mm.

Claims

Claims

1. Laser system (1) comprising: - a solid amplifying medium (2) capable of emitting an amplified beam (4) in a propagation direction (D), the amplified beam (4) having a first divergence angle (Ax) in a first plane (Px) including the propagation direction (D), and a second divergence angle in a second plane (Py) including the propagation direction (D) and distinct from the first plane (Px), the second divergence angle being distinct from the first divergence angle (Ax); and - an optical device (3), characterized in that the optical device (3) comprises a lens (31) arranged to refract the amplified beam (4) into an outgoing beam (5), the lens (31) having a first radius of curvature (Rx) in the first plane (Px) and a second radius of curvature (Ry) in the second plane (Py), the second radius of curvature (Ry) being distinct from the first radius of curvature (Rx).

2. Laser system (1) according to claim 1, wherein the outgoing beam (5) has two divergence angles respectively in the first plane (Px) and in the second plane (Py), and wherein the first radius of curvature (Rx) and the second radius of curvature (Ry) are determined, on the basis of the first divergence angle (Ax) and the second divergence angle, so as to achieve at least one of the following criteria: - a difference between the two divergence angles of the outgoing beam (5) is less than a first threshold value; - at least one of the two divergence angles of the outgoing beam (5) is less than a second threshold value.

3. Laser system (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first radius of curvature (Rx) and the second radius of curvature (Ry) are determined such that the outgoing beam (5) is less astigmatic than the amplified beam (4).

4. Laser system (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3, in which the amplified beam (4) has a circularity section (S) perpendicular to the propagation direction (D) in which the amplified beam (4) is of shape circular, and wherein the lens (31) is positioned so as to intersect the circularity section (S).

5. Laser system (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4, in which the first plane (Px) is perpendicular to the second plane (Py).

6. Laser system (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5, in which, between the amplifying medium (2) and the optical shaping device (3), the amplified beam (4) is divergent in the first plane (Px) and convergent in the second plane (Py).

7. Laser system (1) according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the lens (31) comprises: - a first optical face (32) forming the first radius of curvature (Rx); and - a second optical face (33), opposite the first optical face (32), forming the second radius of curvature (Ry).

8. Laser system (1) according to claim 7, wherein at least one of the first optical face (32) and the second optical face (33) extends along a cylindrical surface of revolution.

9. Laser system (1) according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the lens (31) comprises: - a first flat optical face (32); and - a second optical face (33), opposite the first optical face (32), forming the first radius of curvature (Rx) and the second radius of curvature (Ry).

10. A laser system (1) according to claim 9, wherein the second optical face (33) extends along a toric surface.

11. Laser system (1) according to one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the first radius of curvature (Rx) and the second radius of curvature (Ry) are each between 1 mm and 1000 mm.

12. Laser system (1) according to one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the amplified beam (4) comprises a central wavelength, and wherein the lens (31) comprises optical faces (32, 33) whose roughness is less than a quarter of the central wavelength.

13. Laser system (1) according to one of claims 1 to 12, in which the lens (31) is made of a silica having an absorption of less than 10 -5 cm- 1 for a wavelength between 900 nm and 1100 nm.

14. Laser system (1) according to one of claims 1 to 13, in which the amplified beam (4) has a Gaussian profile in a transverse direction perpendicular to the propagation direction (D).

15. Laser system (1) according to one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the optical shaping device (3) consists of the lens (31).

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