Semiconductor Laser Beam Combining with Grating-Based Spectral Compression
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional semiconductor laser beam combining techniques, such as wavelength beam combining, are limited in enhancing output power and brightness due to coating limitations, which restrict the number of beam combining units and fail to effectively compress spectral width, thereby limiting the enhancement of beam quality and power.
Innovation Solution
A semiconductor laser beam combining device utilizing multiple grating structures to compress the spectrum and reduce spectral width, comprising modular laser input units with semiconductor lasers, beam shaping components, transformation lenses, and diffraction gratings, where beams are combined at identical positions and angles to enhance output power and brightness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If wavelength beam combining is used to combine multiple laser beams, then output power can be enhanced, but the number of beam combining units is limited to not more than 5 due to coating technique limitations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the working principle from wavelength beam combining to spectral beam combining, fundamentally altering the parameter space. By using grating dispersion instead of coating-based wavelength selection, the system can accommodate more beam combining units (more than 5) without being constrained by coating technique limitations, thus resolving the contradiction between enhancing output power and managing device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the coating-based wavelength selection mechanism with a grating-based spectral dispersion mechanism. This substitution allows for greater flexibility in combining multiple laser beams of different wavelengths, enabling the system to handle more beam combining units while maintaining effective power enhancement
2Reliability
If conventional beam combining techniques are used, then beam combination is achieved, but spectral width cannot be effectively compressed, limiting beam quality enhancement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a grating as an intermediary component that performs spectral dispersion and compression. The grating acts as a mediator between the multiple laser beams and the final combined beam, enabling effective spectral width compression that conventional coating-based techniques cannot achieve, thereby improving beam quality
Solution Approach 2:
The patent fundamentally changes the approach to spectral control by transitioning from coating-based wavelength filtering to grating-based spectral dispersion. This parameter change enables effective spectral width compression, directly improving beam quality and resolving the contradiction between reliability and manufacturing precision
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 device effectively enhances output power and brightness by combining multiple spectral beams, allowing for more beam combining units within a specific gain range, thereby improving beam quality and reducing spectral width, thus overcoming the limitations of conventional methods.
Implementation Method 1
Each beam is gathered by the transformation lens and diffracted by the first diffraction grating to the second diffraction grating. Each beam is combined at an identical position and an identical diffraction angle on the second diffraction grating
Data Source
AI summary
A semiconductor laser beam combining device includes at least two modular laser input equipments, a second diffraction grating, and an output coupler. The modular laser input equipment includes a semiconductor laser, a beam shaping component, a transformation lens, and a first diffraction grating arranged along an optical path in sequence. The semiconductor laser generates a beam. The semiconductor laser is located at a front focal point of the transformation lens. The first diffraction grating is located in front of a back focal point of the transformation lens. Each beam is gathered by the transformation lens and diffracted by the first diffraction grating to the second diffraction grating. Each beam is combined at an identical position and an identical diffraction angle on the second diffraction grating to generate a combined beam. The combined beam from the second diffraction grating enters the output coupler vertically and is outputted by the output coupler.