High-power laser lighting device

Abstract

The utility model relates to a high-power laser lighting device comprising a plurality of high-power laser sources, each high-power laser source is provided with a laser transmission optical fiber, and each laser transmission optical fiber is provided with a transmitting end face; the optical fiber bundle assembly is formed by combining a plurality of laser transmission optical fibers, and each laser transmission optical fiber is surrounded by a sheath; the fly's-eye lens array is installed in the frame and composed of a plurality of sub-lenses, the sub-lenses are closely arranged, each laser transmission optical fiber in the optical fiber bundle assembly corresponds to one sub-lens in the fly's-eye lens array, and a laser beam output by each laser transmission optical fiber is coaxial with the optical axis of the corresponding sub-lens in the fly's-eye lens array. The frame on which the fly-eye lens array is mounted is adjustable relative to the transmitting end face to output an illumination beam having a predetermined divergence angle. The divergence angle of an output light beam can be freely adjusted in different illumination applications; the mixed divergence angle of the output light beam, the mixed output light beam and the light spot morphology are realized; and the output efficiency is higher.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to a high-power laser lighting device, and more particularly to a high-power laser lighting device with a variable divergence angle. Background Technology

[0002] Upgrading the power of laser beams is crucial for high-power laser industrial applications. Expanding the output to >10 kW or even above 100 kW has always been a challenge. When such power levels are required and fiber optic transmission is necessary, the common practice is to combine multiple low-power laser beams and feed them into a single multimode fiber (MMF), while managing thermal, optical, and system-level constraints.

[0003] In various power upgrade technologies, the traditional approach is spatial multiplexing based on beam stacking of semiconductor or fiber laser sources. More typically, fiber combiners are used, which are usually formed by fusing multiple input fibers 102 (e.g., multimode fibers with a core diameter of 100–400 µm) to an output fiber 104 at a fusion node 103. The brightness of the output fiber is close to the combined brightness of the input fibers. In power upgrades, the laser power of multiple sub-unit laser sources 101 is coupled into the input fiber of the fiber combiner, and the combined power is output from the output fiber 104, such as... Figure 1 In some industrial systems, fiber optic combiners typically combine 7 to 61 input fibers into a single output fiber. Multiple combiners can also be used for multi-stage combinations. However, this power upgrade method has several drawbacks: 1) Fiber optic combiners are expensive to manufacture, and their structure becomes increasingly complex with the number of input fibers. Power loss at the fusion splice can lead to severe heat generation in high-power applications, requiring good thermal management to prevent combiner failure during high-power operation, which could affect operation or even cause combustion; 2) When the fiber output beam is collimated, high-power beam output via fiber combiners lacks flexibility, and light mixing in the output fiber makes it impossible to change the intensity and wavelength distribution of the collimated beam; one of the main problems with using combiners for power upgrades is the limited size of the output fiber. Although high brightness is not required in many applications such as welding and heating due to the large spot size, it is difficult to manufacture fiber combiners with output fiber sizes exceeding 1–2 mm due to manufacturing reasons and the rigidity of optical cables. Therefore, in optical solutions for very high-power systems, there is a bottleneck in the high-brightness region, limiting the level of power upgrades. The high-brightness region, namely the fusion section of the input and output fibers and the output end of the fiber, requires extremely careful thermal management and other special treatments. For many applications, especially low-brightness laser applications, this is unnecessary and should be avoided. Therefore, although fiber optic transmission systems are very convenient to use, the brightness bottleneck region of lasers makes it very difficult to achieve megawatt-level systems. Utility Model Content

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the existing technology and provide a high-power laser lighting device.

[0005] The objective of this utility model is achieved through the following technical solution:

[0006] High-power laser illumination device, characterized by: including

[0007] Multiple high-power laser sources, each with a laser transmission fiber;

[0008] Fiber bundle assembly, which is a fiber bundle formed by combining multiple laser transmission fibers, each laser transmission fiber being surrounded by a sheath;

[0009] The frame contains a compound eye lens array consisting of multiple sub-lenses arranged closely together. Each laser transmission fiber corresponds to one sub-lens. The laser beam output from each laser transmission fiber is coaxial with the optical axis of the corresponding sub-lens in the compound eye lens array. The frame housing the compound eye lens array can be adjusted relative to the emission plane to output an illumination beam with a predetermined divergence angle.

[0010] Furthermore, in the aforementioned high-power laser illumination device, the multiple high-power laser sources are multiple high-power laser sources of different power levels.

[0011] Furthermore, in the aforementioned high-power laser illumination device, the plurality of high-power laser sources include at least two high-power laser sources of different wavelengths.

[0012] Furthermore, in the aforementioned high-power laser illumination device, the high-power laser source is a fiber-coupled semiconductor laser, a fiber laser, or a solid-state laser.

[0013] Furthermore, in the aforementioned high-power laser illumination device, the high-power laser source is a continuous laser source or a pulsed laser source.

[0014] Furthermore, in the aforementioned high-power laser lighting device, each laser transmission fiber is installed inside a sheath and separated from the other laser transmission fibers by a distance of 1mm to 100mm.

[0015] Furthermore, in the aforementioned high-power laser lighting device, the sheath is a glass, ceramic, or metal thermally conductive sheath.

[0016] Furthermore, in the aforementioned high-power laser illumination device, the laser transmission fiber is a multimode fiber, a single-mode fiber, or a fiber laser transmission fiber.

[0017] Furthermore, in the aforementioned high-power laser illumination device, the laser transmission fibers in the fiber bundle assembly are arranged in a predetermined manner to output an illumination beam with a predetermined power distribution.

[0018] Furthermore, in the aforementioned high-power laser illumination device, the sub-lenses of the compound eye lens array are arranged in a square close-packed form or in a hexagonal close-packed form.

[0019] Furthermore, in the aforementioned high-power laser illumination device, the sub-lenses are separated by metal walls.

[0020] Furthermore, in the aforementioned high-power laser illumination device, the sub-lens is a circular sub-lens with a circular aperture.

[0021] Furthermore, in the aforementioned high-power laser illumination device, the compound eye lens array is installed at a predetermined position, and the divergence angle of the output laser beam of the compound eye lens array is equal to or greater than A / f, where A refers to the core diameter of the laser transmission fiber and f refers to the focal length of the sub-lens.

[0022] Furthermore, in the aforementioned high-power laser illumination device, the output end faces of all laser transmission optical fibers are located on the same emission plane.

[0023] Furthermore, in the aforementioned high-power laser illumination device, the divergence angle is controlled by changing the numerical aperture of the laser beam emitted by the laser transmission fiber.

[0024] Furthermore, in the aforementioned high-power laser illumination device, the emitting end face of at least one laser transmission fiber is positioned at a predetermined distance from the emitting ends of the other laser transmission fibers.

[0025] Compared with the prior art, this utility model has significant advantages and beneficial effects, specifically reflected in the following aspects:

[0026] ①This utility model provides a power upgrade solution for fiber output laser sources without high-brightness bottleneck areas or power level limitations of fiber combiners, allowing free adjustment of the divergence angle of the output beam for different lighting applications; achieving mixed divergence angles of the output beam, mixed output beams and spot morphology; facilitating the combination of output wavelengths; and achieving higher output efficiency by eliminating transmission losses caused by fiber fusion regions.

[0027] ② The frame accommodating the compound eye lens array can be adjusted relative to the emitting plane to output an illumination beam with a predetermined divergence angle; it allows for upgrades in the output power of the fiber-guided laser source, without either a high-brightness bottleneck or a power level limitation of the fiber combiner.

[0028] ③ The laser transmission fibers are arranged in a predetermined manner to transmit an illumination beam with a predetermined wavelength distribution and to output an illumination beam with a predetermined power distribution.

[0029] ④ The divergence angle of the output beam emitted from each sub-lens can be controlled by changing the numerical aperture (NA) of the laser beam emitted from the laser transmission fiber; the fiber output beam angle produced by different NAs can be achieved by selecting the type of high-power laser source or the parameters of the transmission fiber.

[0030] ⑤ Each sub-lens of the compound eye lens array is separated by a metal wall, so that heat can be guided into the frame of the compound eye lens array for better cooling. Attached Figure Description

[0031] Figure 1 Background technology device structural schematic diagram;

[0032] Figure 2a Example 1: Schematic diagram of the device structure;

[0033] Figure 2b : A schematic diagram of the structure in which a sheath surrounds the laser transmission optical fiber;

[0034] Figure 2c A schematic diagram showing the sub-lenses arranged in a close hexagonal pattern;

[0035] Figure 2d A schematic diagram showing the sub-lenses arranged in a square and closely spaced configuration;

[0036] Figure 2e Schematic diagram of the metal wall structure;

[0037] Figure 3 Example 2: Schematic diagram of the device structure;

[0038] Figure 4a Example 3: Schematic diagram of the device structure;

[0039] Figure 4b Schematic diagram of intensity distribution of semiconductor lasers and fiber lasers;

[0040] Figure 5a Example 4: Schematic diagram of the device structure;

[0041] Figure 5b Schematic diagram of the near-field wavelength distribution of the output beam of the dual-wavelength (λ1, λ2) system;

[0042] Figure 6a Example 5: Schematic diagram of the device structure;

[0043] Figure 6b Schematic diagram of the near-field beam power distribution output by the two power modules (W1, W2);

[0044] Figure 7 Example 6: Schematic diagram of the device structure. Detailed Implementation

[0045] A high-power laser illumination device includes: multiple high-power laser sources 1, each with a laser transmission fiber 2; a fiber bundle assembly 3, a fiber bundle formed by combining multiple laser transmission fibers, each laser transmission fiber being surrounded by a sheath 4; and a compound eye lens array 5, consisting of multiple sub-lenses 7 with a predetermined focal length f, installed in a frame 6. The sub-lenses are closely arranged, with each laser transmission fiber corresponding to one sub-lens. The laser beam 21 output from each laser transmission fiber is coaxial with the optical axis 22 of the corresponding sub-lens in the compound eye lens array. The frame 6 housing the compound eye lens array can be adjusted relative to the emission plane to output an illumination beam with a predetermined divergence angle θ. The adjustment method can specifically employ mechanical adjustment methods such as lead screws.

[0046] Example 1

[0047] High-power laser lighting devices, such as Figure 2a Each high-power laser source includes a laser transmission fiber 2 (with a core diameter of a), and a fiber bundle assembly 3 consisting of multiple laser transmission fibers, wherein each fiber is surrounded by a sheath 4 of glass or thermally conductive material, such as... Figure 2b The output ends of the optical fibers are located on the same emission plane 8. A compound eye lens array 5, consisting of multiple sub-lenses 7 with predetermined focal lengths f, is mounted in a frame 6. The sub-lenses are closely arranged, with each laser transmission fiber corresponding to one sub-lens. The output laser beam 21 is coaxial with the optical axis 22 of the corresponding sub-lens in the compound eye lens array. The frame housing the compound eye lens array can be adjusted relative to the emission plane to output an illumination beam with a predetermined divergence angle θ. This allows for upgrades in the output power of the fiber-guided laser source, without high-brightness bottlenecks or power level limitations of fiber combiners.

[0048] Compound eye lens arrays can be arranged in various ways, such as Figure 2c The sub-lenses of the compound eye lens array are arranged in a close hexagonal pattern, such as... Figure 2d The sub-lenses of a compound eye lens array are arranged in a square, closely spaced pattern. For example... Figure 2e To improve thermal management, each sub-lens is separated by a metal wall 10, and heat is directed into the frame 6 for better cooling. The frame 6 can be water-cooled if needed. For circular fiber output, the aperture of the sub-lens is also circular. The compound eye lens array is composed of circular sub-lenses, and the larger volume of the metal surrounding the sub-lenses results in better heat conduction.

[0049] Example 2

[0050] like Figure 3A high-power laser illumination device is provided, in which each high-power laser source includes a laser transmission fiber 2 with a core diameter of a. The emitting end face 8a of at least one laser transmission fiber is positioned at a predetermined distance d from the emitting surfaces 8b of the other laser transmission fibers. A compound eye lens array 5, consisting of multiple sub-lenses 7 with predetermined focal lengths f, is mounted in a frame 6. The sub-lenses are closely arranged, with each laser transmission fiber corresponding to one sub-lens. The output laser beam is coaxial with the optical axis 22 of the corresponding sub-lens within the compound eye lens array. The frame housing the compound eye lens array can be adjusted relative to the emitting plane to output an illumination beam with a predetermined divergence angle. This allows for upgrades in the output power of the fiber-guided laser source, without high-brightness bottlenecks or power level limitations of fiber combiners. The high-power laser source 1 can be a fiber-guided semiconductor laser source or a fiber laser source.

[0051] Example 3

[0052] like Figure 4a A high-power laser illumination device is provided, in which each high-power laser source has a laser transmission fiber 2 with the same or different core diameters, and the output end faces of all laser transmission fibers are located on the same emission plane 8. A compound eye lens array 5, consisting of multiple sub-lenses 7 with predetermined focal lengths f, is mounted in a frame 6. The sub-lenses are closely arranged, with each laser transmission fiber corresponding to one sub-lens. The frame housing the compound eye lens array can be adjusted relative to the emission plane to output an illumination beam with a predetermined divergence angle.

[0053] At least one high-power laser source is a fiber laser source. The obtained far-field spot morphology is a combination of fiber laser and fiber-transmitted semiconductor laser, such as... Figure 4b The intensity distribution of semiconductor lasers and fiber lasers, wherein fiber lasers can be single-mode or multi-mode.

[0054] Example 4

[0055] like Figure 5a A high-power laser illumination device includes multiple high-power laser sources 1λ1, 1λ2, 1λ3, 1λ4, 1λ5, 1λ6, 1λ7, and 1λ8. Each high-power laser source outputs laser light at least two different wavelengths. The output end faces of all laser transmission fibers are located on the same emission plane 8. A compound eye lens array 5, mounted in a frame 6, consists of multiple sub-lenses 7 with predetermined focal lengths f. The sub-lenses are closely arranged, with each laser transmission fiber corresponding to one sub-lens. The output laser beam 21 is coaxial with the optical axis 22 of the corresponding sub-lens within the compound eye lens array. The frame housing the compound eye lens array can be adjusted relative to the emission plane to output an illumination beam with a predetermined divergence angle.

[0056] The laser transmission fibers in the fiber optic bundle assembly are arranged in a predetermined manner to transmit an illumination beam with a predetermined wavelength distribution. For example... Figure 5b A near-field wavelength distribution of the output beam from a dual-wavelength (λ1, λ2) system. The output wavelength can be selected from the visible to near-infrared spectrum. For example, wavelengths can be selected from 300 nm and 1550 nm, such as 375 nm, 450 nm, 532 nm, 650 nm, 780 nm, 790 nm, 808 nm, etc. The wavelength bandwidth of the laser source can be narrowband or wideband.

[0057] Example 5

[0058] like Figure 6a A high-power laser illumination device with a variable output divergence angle includes multiple high-power laser sources 1W1, 1W2, 1W3, 1W4, 1W5, 1W6, 1W7, and 1W8 with different power levels. Each high-power laser source includes a laser transmission fiber, a fiber bundle assembly 3 composed of multiple laser transmission fibers, with the output end faces of the fibers located on the same emission plane 8, and a compound eye lens array 5 mounted in a frame 6, consisting of multiple sub-lenses 7 with predetermined focal lengths f. The sub-lenses are closely arranged, with each laser transmission fiber corresponding to one sub-lens, and the output laser beam 21 is coaxial with the optical axis 22 of the corresponding sub-lens in the compound eye lens array.

[0059] When the frame containing the compound eye lens array is adjusted relative to the emitting plane 8 in a predetermined manner, it can output a beam with a variable divergence angle; when adjusted in a pre-planned manner, it can output an illumination beam with a predetermined divergence angle. The laser transmission fibers in the fiber optic bundle assembly are arranged in a predetermined manner to transmit an illumination beam with a predetermined power distribution pattern. For example... Figure 6b The near-field beam power distribution output by the two power modules (W1, W2) arranged in a pre-planned combination.

[0060] Example 6

[0061] like Figure 7 A high-power laser illumination device with a variable output divergence angle includes multiple high-power laser sources of different power levels. Each high-power laser source has a laser transmission fiber with a core diameter of 'a'. A fiber bundle assembly 3 consists of multiple laser transmission fibers, each fiber being surrounded by a glass or metal thermally conductive sheath and separated from the other fibers by a distance. The spacing between each fiber and the other fibers is 1–100 mm. The output end faces of all fibers are located on the same emission plane 8. A compound eye lens array 5, mounted in a frame 6, consists of multiple sub-lenses 7 with predetermined focal lengths 'f'. The sub-lenses are closely arranged, with each laser transmission fiber corresponding to one sub-lens, and the output laser beam 21 is coaxial with the optical axis 22 of the corresponding sub-lens within the compound eye lens array.

[0062] The divergence angle of the output beam emitted from each sub-lens is controlled by changing the numerical aperture NA of the laser beam emitted from the laser transmission fiber. The fiber output beam angles θ1 and θ2 produced by two different numerical apertures NA are achieved by selecting the type of high-power laser source or the parameters of the transmission fiber. Laser source types include fiber-transmitted semiconductor lasers, fiber lasers, and other solid-state lasers. Clearly, multiple high-power laser sources are either individual types of lasers or combinations of different types. The compound eye lens array is adjusted to a predetermined position such that the divergence angle θ of the laser beam from the compound eye lens array is approximately equal to A / f, where A refers to the core diameter of the laser transmission fiber and f refers to the focal length f of the sub-lens. The compound eye lens array is positioned such that the divergence angle of the laser beam output from the compound eye lens array is substantially greater than A / f. Also preferably, the aperture of the sub-lens is minimized without obstructing light to maximize the brightness of the combined output beam.

[0063] Laser transmission fibers can be single-mode, multimode, or clad large-mode area fibers used in fiber lasers. They can also be non-circular fibers, such as rectangular or square fibers. The thermally conductive material surrounding the fiber is glass, ceramic, or a thermally conductive metal. Standard fiber optic connectors such as SMA, D-80, QBH, or QD can be used. Depending on the laser source, each laser transmission fiber can output a beam with the same or different power, wavelength, beam quality, and operating mode. Any predetermined fiber output beam can be inserted to work with compound eye optics and output a beam with predetermined characteristics. Pulsed laser outputs can be combined with continuous lasers in a single device.

[0064] In summary, this invention provides a power upgrade solution for fiber optic output laser sources without high-brightness bottlenecks or power level limitations imposed by fiber combiners. It allows for free adjustment of the output beam divergence angle in different lighting applications; achieves mixed divergence angles, mixed output beams, and beam morphology; facilitates the combination of output wavelengths; and achieves higher output efficiency by eliminating transmission losses caused by fiber fusion regions.

[0065] The frame housing the compound eye lens array can be adjusted relative to the emission plane to output an illumination beam with a predetermined divergence angle. This allows for upgrades in the output power of the fiber-guided laser source, without high-brightness bottlenecks or power level limitations of fiber combiners.

[0066] Laser transmission fibers are arranged in a predetermined manner to transmit an illumination beam with a predetermined wavelength distribution and to output an illumination beam with a predetermined power distribution.

[0067] The divergence angle of the output beam emitted from each sub-lens is controlled by varying the numerical aperture (NA) of the laser beam emitted from the laser transmission fiber. The angle of the fiber output beam produced by different NAs can be achieved by selecting the type of high-power laser source or the parameters of the transmission fiber.

[0068] Each sub-lens of the compound eye lens array is separated by a metal wall, so that heat can be directed into the frame of the compound eye lens array for better cooling.

Claims

1. A high-power laser illumination device, characterized in that: Include Multiple high-power laser sources (1), each high-power laser source having a laser transmission fiber (2), each laser transmission fiber having a transmitting end face; A fiber bundle assembly (3) consisting of laser transmission fibers, each laser transmission fiber being surrounded by a sheath (4); A compound eye lens array (5) consisting of multiple sub-lenses (7) is installed in a frame (6). The sub-lenses are closely arranged. Each laser transmission fiber in the fiber bundle assembly corresponds to a sub-lens, and the laser beam (21) output by each laser transmission fiber is coaxial with the optical axis (22) of the corresponding sub-lens in the compound eye lens array. The frame (6) on which the compound eye lens array is mounted can be adjusted relative to the emitting end face to output an illumination beam with a predetermined divergence angle.

2. The high-power laser illumination device according to claim 1, characterized in that: Multiple high-power laser sources (1) are multiple high-power laser sources with different power levels.

3. The high-power laser illumination device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The high-power laser source (1) is a fiber-coupled semiconductor laser, fiber laser or solid-state laser.

4. The high-power laser illumination device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The high-power laser source (1) is a continuous laser source or a pulsed laser source.

5. The high-power laser illumination device according to claim 1, characterized in that: Each laser transmission fiber is installed inside a sheath and separated from the other laser transmission fibers by a distance of 1mm to 100mm.

6. The high-power laser illumination device according to claim 1 or 5, characterized in that: The sheath is made of glass, ceramic, or metal and is a thermally conductive sheath.

7. The high-power laser illumination device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The laser transmission fibers in the fiber bundle assembly (3) are arranged in a predetermined manner to output an illumination beam with a predetermined power distribution.

8. The high-power laser illumination device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The sub-lenses of the compound eye lens array (5) are arranged in a square close-fitting pattern or in a hexagonal close-fitting pattern.

9. The high-power laser illumination device according to claim 1 or 8, characterized in that: The sub-lenses are separated by a metal wall (10).

10. The high-power laser illumination device according to claim 1 or 8, characterized in that: The sub-lens is a circular sub-lens, and the light-transmitting aperture of the sub-lens is circular.

11. The high-power laser illumination device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The compound eye lens array (5) is installed at a predetermined position. The divergence angle of the output laser beam of the compound eye lens array is equal to or greater than A / f, where A refers to the core diameter of the laser transmission fiber and f refers to the focal length f of the sub-lens.

12. The high-power laser illumination device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The output end faces of all laser transmission fibers are located on the same emission plane (8).

13. The high-power laser illumination device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The divergence angle is controlled by changing the numerical aperture of the laser beam emitted from the laser transmission fiber.

14. The high-power laser illumination device according to claim 1, characterized in that: In the fiber bundle assembly, the emitting end face (8a) of at least one laser transmission fiber is positioned at a predetermined distance from the emitting end faces (8b) of the other laser transmission fibers.

15. The high-power laser illumination device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The high-power laser source includes at least one fiber laser source, and the output beam quality of the fiber laser source is higher than that of other high-power laser sources. The frame (6) equipped with a compound eye lens array can be adjusted relative to the emitting end face to output an illumination beam with at least two different divergence angles, wherein the divergence angle of the beam generated by the fiber laser source is smaller than that of the beam generated by other high-power laser sources.

16. The high-power laser illumination device according to claim 15, characterized in that: Other high-power laser sources besides fiber laser sources are fiber-coupled semiconductor laser sources.

17. The high-power laser illumination device according to claim 15, characterized in that: The frame (6) with the compound eye lens array is adjusted so that each emitting end face is at the focal point of the corresponding sub-lens.

18. The high-power laser illumination device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The high-power laser source (1) contains at least two high-power laser sources with different wavelengths.

19. The high-power laser illumination device according to claim 18, characterized in that: The fiber optic transmitting end face of high-power laser sources of different wavelengths is placed at different positions so that the illumination beams generated by the different wavelength high-power laser sources after the frame (6) with compound eye lens array is adjusted relative to the transmitting end face have the same divergence angle.

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