Interlaced Pulsed Pump Modules for Laser Sustained Plasma
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Solution Overview
Problem
In laser sustained plasma (LSP) illumination systems, plasma growth outside the collection volume leads to wasted light due to low collection efficiency, and maintaining optimal plasma temperature within the collection volume is challenging, affecting the emission and conversion efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A system with multiple pump modules generating interlaced pulses of pump illumination, directed through non-collinear paths into a collection volume, ensuring high repetition rate and minimal overlap outside the collection volume, allowing efficient absorption and maintaining plasma within the collection volume.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If the plasma grows outside the collection volume, then the plasma emission is increased, but the light collection efficiency decreases leading to wasted light
Solution Approach 1:
The illumination system is divided into multiple independent pump modules, each generating pulses that are spatially separated and directed through non-collinear paths. This segmentation allows the plasma to be confined to specific regions within the collection volume, preventing plasma growth outside the collection volume while maintaining high emission intensity within the confined plasma regions.
2Illumination intensity
If the gas temperature is high to sustain plasma, then the plasma emission is increased, but the absorption of pump laser power outside the collection volume increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses pulsed pump illumination with interlaced pulse trains from multiple modules. Each pulse sustains plasma temporarily, and the periodic pulsing allows the plasma to be maintained within the collection volume during pulse periods while minimizing absorption during inter-pulse periods. The interlaced timing ensures continuous plasma presence without continuous high absorption.
Solution Approach 2:
Different spatial regions are assigned different functions: the collection volume is optimized for plasma generation and light collection, while regions outside are kept free of plasma to minimize pump laser absorption. The non-collinear illumination paths are specifically designed to deposit energy only within the collection volume boundaries.
3Illumination intensity
If multiple pump modules are used with interlaced pulses, then the plasma emissivity within the collection volume is enhanced, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple pump modules are merged into a coordinated system where their pulse trains are interlaced in time. The modules work together as an integrated system, with their combined output achieving higher plasma emissivity than any single module could produce alone, while the coordination reduces the need for overly complex individual module designs.
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 approach enhances plasma emissivity within the collection volume, reducing waste and achieving higher collectable power and radiance, while maintaining plasma in a continuous wave-like state, thus overcoming limitations of duty cycle and plasma overheating.
Implementation Method 1
laser sustained plasma (LSP) illumination systems
Implementation Method 2
the light emitted from the plasma is mostly wasted
Implementation Method 3
absorption of the pump power is high
Data Source
AI summary
A system for pumping laser sustained plasma is disclosed. The system includes a plurality of pump modules configured to generate respective pulses of pump illumination for the laser sustained plasma, wherein at least one pump module is configured to generate a train of pump pulses that is interlaced in time with another train of pump pulses generated by at least one other pump module of the plurality of pump modules. The system further includes a plurality of non-collinear illumination paths configured to direct the respective pulses of pump illumination from the plurality of pump modules into a collection volume of the laser sustained plasma.