Cascaded Diode Drivers with 90-Degree Phase Shift
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional high-power laser systems face challenges with diode drivers that require unique designs for each gain stage and are costly due to laser diodes wired in series, leading to potential cascading failures from faults like short-circuits, and struggle with varying input line voltages and output power demands across different domains.
Innovation Solution
A high-power laser system utilizing cascaded diode drivers operating at a fixed frequency, with buck regulator circuits and series resonant DC-DC converters connected in parallel and 90 degrees out of phase, minimizing filter and capacitor sizes while maximizing efficiency and protecting against faults by reducing stored energy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If laser diodes are wired in series to achieve high power output, then power output is improved, but system reliability deteriorates due to potential cascading failures from faults
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the laser diode system into multiple independent parallel strings instead of using a single series connection. Each string can operate independently, and if one string fails, the others continue to function. This segmentation maintains high power output while improving reliability by eliminating cascading failure risks.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the electrical connection topology from series to parallel configuration. This parameter change allows the system to achieve high power through increased current capacity in parallel strings rather than through voltage multiplication in series connections, thereby maintaining reliability while achieving the desired power level.
2Productivity
If conventional diode driver circuits are uniquely designed for each gain stage, then device performance is optimized, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent develops a universal diode driver circuit design that can serve multiple gain stages and different laser diode configurations. This single standardized circuit topology replaces the need for uniquely designed circuits for each stage, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining optimized performance through configurable parameters.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs dynamically adjustable parameters within the standardized circuit design, allowing the same hardware architecture to adapt to different gain stages and operating conditions. This dynamic configurability enables optimized performance across multiple applications without requiring separate fixed designs for each case.
3Loss of energy
If laser systems are designed for specific input line voltages, then power efficiency is improved, but adaptability deteriorates when facing varying input voltages across different domains
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates dynamically adjustable parameters in the diode driver circuit that allow it to adapt to different input line voltages. The circuit can modify its operating characteristics in real-time to maintain optimal efficiency across varying voltage conditions, enabling deployment across land, sea, air, and space domains with different electrical infrastructures.
Data Source
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AI summary
A high-power laser system includes a plurality of cascaded diode drivers (102a), (102b), a pump source (104), and a laser element (106). The diode drivers are configured to generate a continuous driver signal. The pump source is configured to generate radiated energy in response to the continuous driver signal. The laser element is disposed downstream from the pump source and is configured to generate a laser beam in response to stimulation via the radiated energy. The high-power laser system further includes an electronic controller (110) configured to output at least one driver signal that operates the plurality of diode drivers at a fixed frequency. The at least one driver signal operates a first cascade diode driver (102a) among the plurality of diode drivers 90 degrees out of phase with respect to a second cascade diode driver (102b) among the plurality of diode drivers.