Optical Fiber Combiner Heat-Sinking Package Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-power optical fiber combiners face reliability issues due to thermal management challenges, particularly at high pump powers, where localized hot spots can occur, and exposure to water cooling can lead to moisture ingress and reduced reliability.
Innovation Solution
A heat-sinking package for the optical fiber combiner using an overlay structure with epoxies of different refractive indices to effectively disperse heat and minimize hot spots, combined with optional thermally conductive sheaths and a heat pipe for enhanced thermal management, allowing for efficient heat removal without water cooling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If water cooling is used to remove heat from the optical fiber combiner, then heat removal efficiency is improved, but moisture ingress occurs leading to reduced reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces air as an intermediary cooling medium between the optical fiber combiner and the external environment. The air cooling system acts as a mediator that transfers heat away from the combiner without requiring direct water contact, thus preventing moisture ingress while maintaining effective thermal management. The air flow path is designed to pass over heat-dissipating surfaces of the combiner package.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the water-based liquid cooling system with an air-based cooling system. This substitution eliminates the harmful effects of water exposure (moisture ingress, corrosion risk) while maintaining the essential function of heat removal. The air cooling mechanism uses forced convection through fans or natural convection currents to achieve effective thermal management.
2Power
If high pump power is applied to the optical fiber combiner, then output power is improved, but localized hot spots occur reducing reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by providing enhanced cooling specifically at the locations where hot spots are most likely to occur. The package design includes thermally conductive elements positioned in direct contact with or near the high-power input fibers and the combiner core region. This localized thermal management ensures that critical areas with highest heat generation receive preferential cooling, preventing localized overheating while maintaining high overall power output.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the cooling function into multiple zones within the package. Different regions of the combiner are cooled through separate thermal pathways - the input fiber region, the combiner core region, and the output fiber region each have dedicated thermal management approaches. This segmentation allows optimized cooling for each high-heat-generation zone, preventing hot spots while supporting high pump power operation.
3Strength
If polymer coating is used to protect the optical fiber, then mechanical protection is improved, but thermal tolerance is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces air as an intermediary thermal management medium that contacts the polymer-coated fiber surfaces. Since air does not degrade the polymer coating and can still effectively remove heat through convection, it serves as an ideal intermediary that preserves the mechanical protection function of the polymer while enabling adequate thermal management. The air cooling system removes heat from the fiber surfaces without requiring direct liquid contact that could compromise the polymer coating.
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 uniform temperature distribution and improved reliability by efficiently dispersing heat away from the optical fiber combiner, preventing damage from hot spots and maintaining performance in high-power applications.
Implementation Method 1
The three epoxies with different refractive indices accommodated in the three compartments of the long shallow receptacle not only fix the optical fiber combiner in place but also serve thermal contacts to effectively disperse the heat generated in the optical fiber combiner to the overlay structure
Implementation Method 2
the case further comprises a heat pipe configured to be installed in a hole near bottom of the case
Implementation Method 3
The one or more thermally conductive sheaths can thermally contact the optical fiber combiner so that the heat generated in the optical fiber combiner can be more efficiently dispersed to the case
Data Source
AI summary
A heat-sinking package of an optical fiber combiner comprising an optical fiber combiner assembly and a case operates for a uniform temperature gradient inside the case. The optical fiber combiner assembly, fixed inside the case, comprises an overlay structure and an optical fiber combiner. The overlay structure comprises a long shallow receptacle divided by three compartments on upper side of the overlay structure, in which the optical fiber combiner is fixed with three epoxies respectively applied in the three compartments. The three epoxies with different refractive indices accommodated in the three compartments of the long shallow receptacle not only fix the optical fiber combiner in place but also serve thermal contacts to effectively disperse the heat generated in the optical fiber combiner to the overlay structure, further dispersing to surroundings of the case. The overlay structure further comprises one or more thermally conductive sheaths to more efficiently disperse the heat.