Optical Fiber Beam Profile Conversion for Top Hat Laser Ablation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing beam profile converters for laser ablation devices require complex configurations and special optical fibers to achieve a top hat beam profile, which is inefficient and costly, and often necessitate lengthy optical fibers to achieve sufficient conversion.
Innovation Solution
A beam profile converter comprising a first optical fiber with a larger core diameter second optical fiber, where the light is input at a position separated from the optical axis of the second fiber, allowing for efficient conversion to a top hat shape without the need for special optical elements or lengthy fibers, using a simple configuration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a special optical fiber or additional special optical element is used to convert the beam profile to a top hat shape, then the beam profile conversion is achieved, but the device complexity increases and manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameters of standard optical fibers (core diameters, numerical apertures, lengths) and their spatial arrangement to achieve beam profile conversion. Specifically, it uses a first optical fiber with core diameter d1 and a second optical fiber with core diameter d2 > d1, with their end surfaces separated by a distance L, to transform the Gaussian beam profile into a top hat profile without requiring special optical fibers or additional optical elements.
2Manufacturing precision
If the optical axis of the laser light is inclined to the optical axis of the optical fiber for conversion, then the beam profile conversion is achieved, but the conversion efficiency decreases and longer fiber length is required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a spatial separation dimension between the end surfaces of the two optical fibers, with the distance L allowing the divergent light from the first fiber to naturally form a top hat profile when entering the second fiber. This spatial arrangement in the axial dimension enables efficient beam profile conversion without requiring angular misalignment that would cause energy loss.
3Device complexity
If standard optical fibers with different core diameters are used with a specific separation distance, then the device complexity is reduced, but the beam profile conversion efficiency must be optimized
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the parameters of standard optical fibers (core diameters d1 and d2, numerical apertures NA1 and NA2, length L) to achieve both simple device configuration and high conversion efficiency. The specific parameter relationships (d2 > d1, NA2 > NA1, and optimized separation distance L) enable efficient beam profile conversion using readily available standard optical fibers.
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 configuration efficiently converts the beam profile to a top hat shape with lower loss and shorter fiber lengths, reducing costs and maintaining high efficiency, while avoiding the use of special optical fibers or additional elements.
Implementation Method 1
a second optical fiber being a multi-mode optical fiber to which the light is input to a second end surface and configured to guide the light
Implementation Method 2
Converting the beam profile in this manner is also referred to as homogenization
Data Source
AI summary
For the purpose of efficiently converting a beam profile of laser light with a simple configuration, provided is a beam profile converter including: a first optical fiber that outputs guided light from a first end surface; and a second optical fiber being a multi-mode optical fiber to which the light is input to a second end surface and configured to guide the light, in which a core diameter of the second optical fiber is larger than a core diameter of the first optical fiber at the first end surface, and the light output from the first end surface is input to a core portion of the second end surface at a position separated from an optical axis of the second optical fiber in a direction inclined with respect to the second end surface.