Laser Gain Medium Cooling Layout for Thermal Lens Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing laser medium units face challenges in assembling the cooling member accurately with the laser gain medium, particularly when downsized, leading to increased thermal lens effects due to temperature gradients.
Innovation Solution
A laser medium unit design where a light guiding and cooling member is connected to the first surface of the laser gain medium, thermally isolating a second region to align the irradiation and cooling regions effectively, thereby simplifying assembly and reducing thermal lens effects by ensuring uniform temperature distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the cooling member is connected to the laser gain medium such that the cooling region is within a range equal to or smaller than the irradiation region of the excitation light, then the thermal lens effect is reduced, but high accuracy is required in assembling the cooling member and the laser gain medium
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the light guiding function and cooling function into a single integrated member. The light guiding and cooling member includes both a light guiding portion that directs excitation light to the laser gain medium and a cooling portion that thermally connects to the same medium, eliminating the need for separate alignment of independent cooling and optical components.
Solution Approach 2:
The light guiding and cooling member performs multiple functions simultaneously: it guides excitation light toward the laser gain medium while also providing thermal cooling. This multi-functional design reduces the number of components and simplifies the assembly process while maintaining effective thermal management and optical alignment.
2Volume of moving object
If the laser gain medium is downsized, then the device compactness is improved, but the assembly accuracy requirement increases
Solution Approach 1:
By integrating the light guiding and cooling functions into one member that directly connects to the laser gain medium, the patent reduces the number of interfaces and assembly steps. This integrated approach maintains alignment accuracy even when the laser gain medium is downsized, as there are fewer separate components requiring precise positioning.
3Reliability
If the cooling region is aligned within the irradiation region, then the thermal lens effect is reduced, but the configuration complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the light guiding portion and cooling portion into a single integrated member, reducing the overall configuration complexity. This unified structure ensures proper alignment between the cooling region and irradiation region without requiring complex separate positioning mechanisms for independent cooling and optical components.
Solution Approach 2:
The light guiding and cooling member serves multiple functions simultaneously, reducing the number of separate components needed in the system. This multi-functional design simplifies the overall configuration while maintaining effective thermal management and optical alignment for thermal lens effect reduction.
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 design enhances the ease of assembly and reduces thermal lens effects by aligning the irradiation and cooling regions, improving the uniformity of temperature distribution and increasing the degree of freedom in member disposition, while maintaining efficient cooling and light amplification.
Implementation Method 1
a light guiding and cooling member connected to the first surface to guide the excitation light toward the first surface
Implementation Method 2
a cooling member thermally connected to a second surface on an opposite side of the laser gain medium from the first surface
Implementation Method 3
a laser gain medium that is formed in a plate shape, has a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, and generates emission light upon irradiation with excitation light from the first surface
Data Source
AI summary
A laser medium unit includes a laser gain medium that is formed in a plate shape, that has a first surface and a second surface, and that generates emission light upon irradiation with excitation light from the first surface; and a light guiding and cooling member connected to the first surface to guide the excitation light toward the first surface and to cool the laser gain medium. The first surface consists of a first region to which the light guiding and cooling member is thermally connected, and a second region other than the first region. An entirety of the second region is thermally isolated from the light guiding and cooling member.