Kinematic Mount Optical Axis Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-output laser apparatuses experience optical axis changes due to thermal expansion and contraction, leading to degraded laser light quality and potential distortion in the mount structure, which can inhibit movement and cause optical axis shifts.
Innovation Solution
A kinematic mount system with specific configurations, including points with zero, one, and two degrees of freedom, is used to orient the entrance and exit optical axes in a manner that prevents offset and distortion, eliminating the need for a holding mechanism and maintaining optical axis stability during thermal expansion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a kinematic mount with a holding mechanism is used to prevent movement, then the mount stability is improved, but distortion occurs in the laser apparatus or support base due to thermal expansion, causing optical axis changes
Solution Approach 1:
The kinematic mount is designed to allow controlled movement through three points with different degrees of freedom (0 DOF, 1 DOF, and 2 DOF points) rather than being completely fixed. This dynamic capability enables the mount to accommodate thermal expansion and contraction of the laser apparatus while maintaining optical axis stability, preventing distortion that would occur with a rigid holding mechanism.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the laser apparatus is fixed rigidly to prevent movement, then the position stability is improved, but thermal expansion causes distortion and optical axis changes
Solution Approach 1:
The mount structure changes its physical state by utilizing points with different degrees of freedom that can move relative to each other during thermal expansion. The 1 DOF point moves along a translational direction oriented toward the 0 DOF point, and the 2 DOF point allows rotational movement, enabling the system to adapt to thermal parameter changes without rigid constraint-induced distortion.
3Measurement precision
If a holding mechanism is added to the kinematic mount to inhibit movement, then the mount position control is improved, but distortion occurs due to thermal expansion, changing the optical axis
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the holding mechanism from the kinematic mount structure. By extracting this constraint element, the system allows natural thermal expansion and contraction movements through the three-point support system with different degrees of freedom, preventing distortion while maintaining optical axis stability through the geometric arrangement of the support points.
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 ensures that the optical axes remain unchanged and focused, preventing distortion and maintaining high-quality laser beam propagation and processing, even with large thermal changes, without requiring a holding mechanism for the kinematic mounts.
Implementation Method 1
the optical axis is changed due to thermal expansion and contraction of the laser apparatus
Data Source
AI summary
Kinematic mounts have three points having zero degree of freedom, one degree of freedom, and two degrees of freedom, respectively. As viewed from a direction perpendicular to a plane containing the three points, an extension of an entrance optical axis of a laser beam to an amplifying apparatus or an extension of an exit optical axis from the amplifying apparatus is oriented to the point with the zero degree of freedom. A translational direction of the point with the one degree of freedom is oriented to the point with the zero degree of freedom. One of the extension of the entrance optical axis and the extension of the exist optical axis passes on a side closer to the point with the two degrees of freedom with respect to a side of the point with the one degree of freedom.