Laser Diode Package Cooling Structure for Compact High-Power Output
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Solution Overview
Problem
As the power of laser diode packages increases, effective heat management becomes crucial to ensure performance and longevity, but existing technologies struggle to efficiently dissipate heat from multiple laser diodes in a compact package.
Innovation Solution
A laser diode package design featuring a coolant housing unit with a coolant flow path, a cooler with a metal layer, and a submount with a ceramic substrate that disperses heat from the laser diode to a metal layer for dissipation, using a fin-free coolant channel structure and distilled water to prevent blockages and ensure efficient heat removal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If the number of laser diode chips is increased to achieve higher power output, then the laser beam power is improved, but heat dissipation becomes more difficult and performance reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The laser diode package is divided into multiple independent light source units (e.g., 2 rows with multiple units each), where each unit contains its own laser diode chips, optical elements, and cooling structure. This segmentation allows heat to be distributed across multiple localized cooling zones rather than concentrated in a single area, enabling effective heat dissipation while maintaining high total power output.
Solution Approach 2:
A cooler with integrated coolant channels is introduced as an intermediary heat transfer medium between the laser diode chips and the external cooling system. The cooler includes upper and lower coolant channels that form a heat exchange path, allowing efficient thermal management of multiple laser diode chips simultaneously, thus maintaining reliability at high power levels.
2Power
If the number of laser diode chips is increased to achieve higher power output, then the laser beam power is improved, but heat dissipation efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is segmented into multiple coolant channels (upper and lower channels in each cooler) that are distributed across different regions of the package. This allows heat from multiple laser diode chips to be dissipated through parallel thermal paths, significantly improving overall heat dissipation efficiency while supporting higher power output.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooler incorporates three-dimensional coolant channel architecture with upper and lower channels arranged in different vertical levels. This multi-dimensional cooling approach increases the heat exchange surface area and improves thermal management efficiency, enabling effective heat dissipation from multiple laser diode chips stacked in a compact configuration.
3Volume of moving object
If a compact package design is used to accommodate multiple laser diodes, then the device size is reduced, but heat dissipation capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The optical elements (collimating lenses, reflective mirrors, beam combiner) are nested within the cooler structure, with the cooler serving as both a thermal management component and a mechanical housing. The laser diode chips are mounted on submounts that are integrated into the cooler assembly. This nested configuration eliminates the need for separate housing structures, achieving compact packaging while maintaining effective heat dissipation through the cooler's integrated coolant channels.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooler combines multiple functions: it serves as the heat dissipation structure, the mechanical support for optical elements, and the mounting platform for laser diode chips. By merging these functions into a single integrated component, the package size is minimized while heat dissipation capability is maintained through the built-in coolant channel system.
4Device complexity
If conventional coolant channels are used, then the structure is simple, but coolant flow reliability deteriorates due to blockage risks
Solution Approach 1:
The coolant channels are designed with locally optimized characteristics, including varied cross-sectional areas and strategic positioning of inlet/outlet ports. The upper and lower channels have different configurations tailored to their specific heat dissipation requirements. This localized optimization ensures smooth coolant flow throughout the system, preventing blockages while maintaining effective heat exchange, thus improving coolant flow reliability without excessive complexity.
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 design effectively removes heat from the laser diodes, preventing output degradation even with increased pumping power, while minimizing the risk of coolant flow failures and allowing for a compact, high-power laser diode package.
Implementation Method 1
a cooler coupled to the base, including a coolant channel connected to the coolant flow path of the coolant housing unit
Implementation Method 2
a coolant flow path therein... through which coolant is introduced and a coolant outlet through which coolant is discharged
Implementation Method 3
a submount bonding-coupled to the upper surface of the cooler and having an upper surface to which the laser diode is bonding-coupled... the ceramic substrate may disperse heat transferred from the upper metal layer and transfer the heat to the lower metal layer
Implementation Method 4
reflective mirrors each configured to reflect the collimated laser beam to an optical element arrangement region on the base
Implementation Method 5
collimating lenses each configured to collimate the laser beam emitted from the laser light source unit
Data Source
AI summary
A laser diode package according to the present disclosure includes a packaging housing unit and a coolant housing unit, wherein the coolant housing unit is coupled to the packaging housing unit, includes a coolant inlet through which coolant is introduced and a coolant outlet through which the coolant is discharged, and has a coolant flow path therein, and laser light source units disposed on a base of the packaging housing unit and each including a laser diode configured to emit a laser beam, wherein the laser light source unit includes a cooler coupled to the base, including a coolant channel connected to the coolant flow path of the coolant housing unit, and having at least an upper surface made of a metal layer, and a submount bonding-coupled to the upper surface of the cooler and having an upper surface to which the laser diode is bonding-coupled.