Fluoride Fiber Side-Joint Heat Dissipation for High-Power Lasers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Fluoride optical fibers used in laser oscillators and amplifiers have poor thermal resistance, leading to deformation and damage due to heat generated from intense pump light, especially when pump light is introduced from the end surface, limiting laser output and amplification.
Innovation Solution
An optical fiber device configuration where a second fiber is joined obliquely to the side surface of a first fiber, with a heat dissipation member covering the joint circumference, providing high thermal conductivity and low pump light absorption to manage heat and prevent damage, allowing for high-power laser output while suppressing heat generation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If pump light is introduced from the end surface of fluoride fiber, then laser oscillation and amplification can occur, but the fiber is deformed or damaged by heat generation due to poor thermal resistance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from end-surface pump light introduction to side-surface pump light introduction. By changing the spatial dimension of pump light coupling from the fiber end to the fiber side, multiple pump light sources can be coupled to different locations along the fiber, distributing heat generation across multiple points and preventing localized thermal damage while maintaining laser oscillation capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent divides the pump light introduction into multiple segments by coupling multiple pump light fibers to different locations on the gain fiber side surface. This segmentation allows the total pump power to be distributed across multiple coupling points, reducing heat concentration at any single location and enabling higher overall laser output without thermal damage.
2Power
If multiple pump light fibers are connected to side surface of gain fiber to increase pump power, then laser output increases, but joint portion reaches high temperature due to light leakage and scattering
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a heat dissipation member as an intermediary component between the pump light fibers and the gain fiber. This heat dissipation member has high thermal conductivity to conduct away heat from the joint portion, and low pump light absorption to prevent additional heat generation. The intermediary component thus manages the thermal environment at the coupling points, enabling multiple pump light connections without thermal damage.
3Adaptability or versatility
If fluoride fiber is used due to poor thermal resistance, then laser oscillation can occur with end surface pumping, but fiber deformation and damage occur under intense pump light
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the pump light coupling dimension from end-surface to side-surface, enabling fluoride fibers to operate under intense pump light by distributing thermal load across multiple side-coupling points. This dimensional change preserves the laser oscillation capability of fluoride fibers while overcoming their poor thermal resistance through spatial distribution of heat generation.
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 configuration effectively reduces heat buildup at the joint portion, preventing damage to the fibers and enabling high-power laser generation without thermal degradation, even with fluoride fibers, by using a heat dissipation member with high thermal conductivity and low pump light absorption.
Implementation Method 1
The heat dissipation member has high thermal conductivity... heat that is generated in the vicinity of the joint portion of the two fibers can be released
Implementation Method 2
the heat dissipation member has... a property of transmitting light that is guided by the first fiber and the second fiber... pump-light absorption and resulting heat generation by the heat dissipation member can be suppressed
Implementation Method 3
there are cases where the vicinity of the joint portion may reach a high temperature due to leakage of light or scattering of light caused by irregular reflection at the interface of the joint portion
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5
AI summary
In an optical fiber device having a configuration in which an optical fiber is joined to a side surface of another optical fiber, a joint portion is suppressed from reaching a high temperature. The optical fiber device includes a first fluoride fiber (3), a second fluoride fiber (4), and a heat dissipation member (6). The first fluoride fiber (3) guides light. The second fluoride fiber (4) has a first end on or from which light is incident or output and a second end at which an end surface of the second fluoride fiber is obliquely joined to a side surface of the first fluoride fiber (3). The heat dissipation member (6) is disposed so as to cover the entire circumference of a joint portion of the first fluoride fiber (3) and the second fluoride fiber (4), and has a thermal conductivity equal to or greater than that of the first and second fibers (3, 4) and a property of transmitting light guided by the fibers.