Cylindrical Lens Pump Device for Laser Diode Beam Collimation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional pump devices for solid-state lasers using laser diodes face challenges in compactness and efficiency due to the strong divergence of laser beams, which increases material and assembly costs and results in power losses, and require lengthy optical components that compromise the compactness of the laser system.
Innovation Solution
A pump device with a cylindrical surface parallel to the x-axis and curved in the y-z plane, which reduces the divergence of laser beams in the y-z plane, allowing for collimation or convergence, thereby enhancing imaging efficiency and compactness without reflective or refractive surfaces in the x-z plane.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional flash lamps are used to pump solid-state lasers, then the system is simple to implement, but the pump efficiency and lifetime are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces conventional flash lamps with laser diodes as the pumping source. Laser diodes offer superior efficiency and lifetime characteristics compared to flash lamps, directly addressing the reliability improvement while accepting increased optical system complexity to manage the divergent beams they produce.
2Power
If multiple laser diodes are combined in a common component to achieve higher pump powers, then the pump power increases, but the strong divergence of laser beams increases material and assembly costs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple laser diodes into a common component mounted on a shared heat sink, enabling higher pump powers to be achieved. This merging approach consolidates multiple light sources while managing their collective thermal output through a single heat dissipation system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent arranges laser diodes in a bar configuration with specific spatial orientation, where multiple diodes are positioned along a strip-shaped chip. This dimensional arrangement allows the divergent beams to be managed systematically through optical components rather than treating each diode independently.
3Ease of operation
If microlenses are arranged in front of laser diodes to reduce divergence, then the imaging is simplified, but the material and assembly costs increase due to narrow tolerance requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces cylindrical lenses as intermediary optical components positioned between the laser diodes and the amplifying medium. These lenses serve as mediators that systematically manage the divergent beams, simplifying the imaging path while providing a more cost-effective solution than precision microlenses by tolerating broader manufacturing variations.
4Reliability
If rod-shaped or frustopyramidal optical components are used to guide laser radiation, then the radiation can be guided by total internal reflection, but the overall length in the z direction increases, reducing compactness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs optical components with curved surfaces, specifically cylindrical lenses, rather than traditional rod-shaped or frustopyramidal geometries. This curved surface approach enables effective total internal reflection and radiation guidance while achieving a more compact overall length in the z direction, directly resolving the compactness issue.
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
The solution achieves substantial collimation of laser beams, reducing divergence and power losses, and enables a compact, high-efficiency pump device that maintains imaging quality while minimizing material and assembly costs, suitable for both pulsed and continuous-wave lasers.
Implementation Method 1
The cylindrical surface extends parallel to the x axis and is curved in the y-z plane, i.e. in a plane perpendicular to the x axis... with which at least some of the laser beams emitted by the laser diodes interact
Implementation Method 2
The cylindrical surface extends parallel to the x axis and is curved in the y-z plane, i.e. in a plane perpendicular to the x axis... with which at least some of the laser beams emitted by the laser diodes interact
Data Source
AI summary
A pump device for pumping an amplifying laser medium (1), having a radiation source (13) with a plurality of laser diodes (15, 16) that emit laser beams (17) which have parallel beam axes (a) extending in the direction of a z axis and which diverge at least twice as much in the direction of an x axis perpendicular to the z axis as in the direction of a y axis perpendicular to the z axis and to the x axis. The pump device also has at least one optical component (22, 22′, 22″) with at least one cylinder surface (23), with which at least some of the laser beams (17) emitted by the laser diodes (15, 16) interact. The cylinder surface (23) lies parallel to the x axis and is curved on a plane perpendicular to the x axis.