Compact Wavelength Beam Combining Laser System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing laser systems face challenges in scaling output power while maintaining a compact footprint, simple thermal management, and low cost, as they often require complex thermal management and specialized optical components, which increase the system's size and cost.
Innovation Solution
A laser system design that includes a plurality of electromagnetic radiation sources with specific optical elements to reduce beam image size along one dimension, overlap beams, and use a dispersive element and partially-reflective output coupler to achieve multi-wavelength beam combining, allowing for scalable and replaceable modules with minimal training.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If wavelength beam combining is performed along the array dimension using prior art methods, then output power can be scaled to several kilowatts, but thermal management becomes more complex and system footprint increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from combining beams along the array dimension (horizontal) to combining along the stack dimension (vertical). This dimensional change allows for more efficient thermal management as heat can be extracted more effectively from the compact vertical arrangement, while still achieving high power output through wavelength beam combining of multiple laser diode bars stacked together.
Solution Approach 2:
The system divides the laser source into multiple separate laser diode bars stacked vertically, each contributing to the final combined beam. This segmentation allows independent thermal management of each bar while achieving high total power through the combination of multiple lower-power units, reducing overall thermal management complexity.
2Power
If specially manufactured optical coatings, lenses, and reflective mirrors are used to handle increased power, then power output increases, but system cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs standard, commercially available optical components rather than custom-specified expensive components. By using off-the-shelf optical coatings, lenses, and mirrors that are not specially manufactured for high power applications, the system achieves high power output at lower cost, accepting that these components may have limited power handling margins but are replaced more easily.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operating parameters by using multiple lower-power laser diode bars instead of fewer high-power components. This allows the use of standard optical components at reduced power levels, avoiding the need for expensive specially manufactured high-power optics while still achieving the desired total power output through beam combining.
3Ease of manufacture
If standard optical components are used instead of specially manufactured components, then system cost decreases, but capability to handle high power output is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The total power handling requirement is segmented across multiple laser diode bars, each operating at lower power levels that standard optical components can handle. The individual beams from each bar are then combined through wavelength beam combining, achieving high total power output while using only standard, cost-effective optical components throughout the system.
4Power
If beam combining is performed along the array dimension, then power scaling is achieved, but system footprint increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines laser diode bars along the stack dimension (vertical arrangement) rather than along the array dimension (horizontal arrangement). This vertical stacking achieves power scaling while minimizing the horizontal footprint of the system, creating a more compact overall configuration that is easier to integrate into space-constrained applications.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design results in a compact, cost-effective, and thermally manageable laser system capable of high-power and high-brightness output, enabling scalable power from hundreds of Watts to tens of kilowatts with reduced thermal loading and simpler optical components.
Implementation Method 1
a dispersive element positioned at a region of overlap to receive and transmit the overlapped beams as a multi-wavelength beam
Implementation Method 2
a partially-reflective output coupler arranged to receive the multi-wavelength beam, to reflect a portion of the multi-wavelength beam back to the dispersive element, and to transmit the multi-wavelength beam
Data Source
AI summary
A Compact Interdependent Optical Laser System and Method is designed for use with wavelength beam combining (WBC) systems that utilize both slow-axis and fast-axis WBC. Multiple optical elements having individual and interdependent functionality allow for the system to compact reducing the overall footprint of the system. Additional, configurations incorporating the compact system described herein allow for high-power and brightness scaling.