Laser Oscillator Snubber Circuit Without Resistor Heating
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing laser oscillator designs face increased failure rates and size issues due to heat generated by the resistor in the snubber circuit when the switching frequency of the bypass switch is high, leading to inefficiencies in current flow through the capacitor.
Innovation Solution
A laser oscillator design that includes a light emission circuit with laser diodes connected in series, a bypass switch, a capacitor, and a rectifier element connected in parallel to the bypass switch, which allows energy to be stored in the capacitor through wiring inductance, eliminating the need for a resistor and enabling higher switching frequencies without increasing size or failure rates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the switching frequency of the bypass switch is increased, then the productivity of the laser oscillator is improved, but the heat generated by the resistor of the snubber circuit increases causing higher failure rate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the resistor from the snubber circuit, keeping only the capacitor. This eliminates the heat-generating component while maintaining the surge suppression function through the capacitor alone, thereby resolving the contradiction between high switching frequency and failure rate caused by resistor heating.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful effect of surge voltage into a beneficial charging process for the capacitor. By using the rectifier element to guide the surge current to charge the capacitor rather than dissipating it through a resistor, the circuit transforms potential damage into useful energy storage, enabling high switching frequencies without heat generation.
2Reliability
If a large-sized resistance element is used as the resistor of the snubber circuit to reduce heat generation, then the reliability is improved, but the device complexity and size increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the resistor component entirely from the snubber circuit, replacing the traditional RC snubber with a capacitor-only design. This extraction eliminates the need for large-sized resistance elements and their associated heat dissipation requirements, reducing both device size and complexity while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces the rectifier element as an intermediary component that directs current flow to charge the capacitor during surge events. This mediator enables the capacitor to handle surge energy without requiring a resistor, thereby achieving reliable surge suppression with reduced component size and 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
This design effectively suppresses surge voltage and allows for increased switching frequency of the bypass switch while maintaining a compact size and reducing failure rates, enhancing the performance and reliability of the laser oscillator.
Implementation Method 1
a capacitor connected between the first node and the second node in parallel with the bypass switch
Implementation Method 2
a rectifier element that is connected in parallel with the light emission circuit and the bypass switch and connected in series with the capacitor on a side close to the first node to rectify a current
Implementation Method 3
when the bypass switch is switched from on to off, energy held by wiring inductance is transmitted to the capacitor through the rectifier element to charge the capacitor
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a laser oscillator including: anti-surge capacitor (44) that is connected in parallel with bypass switch (43) between first and second nodes (N1), (N2); first diode (45) that is connected in parallel with light emission circuit (42) and bypass switch (43) and in series with anti-surge capacitor (44) on a side close to first node (N1), and that rectifies a current to allow the current to flow in a direction from first node (N1) toward anti-surge capacitor (44); and current supply circuit (60) that supplies the current to light emission circuit (42) using electrostatic energy stored in anti-surge capacitor (44).