Laser Light Source Spacer With Clearance Grooves
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current semiconductor laser element configurations face challenges in achieving high in-plane mounting density and precise lens positioning, with existing methods limiting optical design flexibility and lens adjustment accuracy.
Innovation Solution
A laser light source apparatus with a base and lattice-point arranged semiconductor laser elements, supported by a spacer with annular surfaces and clearance grooves, allowing for high-density mounting and precise lens adjustment without a lens tube, using an adhesive agent to fix lenses to the spacer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a lens tube is used to hold the lens, then the lens is securely supported, but the in-plane mounting density of semiconductor laser elements decreases due to the functional limiting condition
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the lens tube component entirely and extracts only the essential support function, implementing it directly through the spacer structure. The spacer includes a support surface that directly holds the lens without requiring a separate lens tube, thereby eliminating the space constraint while maintaining support stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the lens support function with the spacer structure. The spacer simultaneously serves as both the mounting substrate for laser elements and the support structure for lenses, combining multiple functions into a single component to reduce overall complexity and increase mounting density.
2Quantity of substance
If the lens tube is downsized to increase in-plane mounting density, then more laser elements can be mounted, but the freedom degree of optical design decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the support function from the optical design function. The spacer provides standardized support while the lens mounting position and orientation can be independently optimized for optical performance, allowing optical design freedom to be maintained without being constrained by support structure dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the structural parameters of the spacer to eliminate the need for a lens tube. By modifying the spacer design to include integrated support surfaces and positioning features, the system achieves high mounting density while maintaining full optical design flexibility through parameter optimization rather than being constrained by fixed tube dimensions.
3Quantity of substance
If a lens array is used for multiple semiconductor laser elements, then in-plane mounting density improves, but the ability to optimize lens position for each laser element decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by providing individual support surfaces and positioning features on the spacer for each lens-laser element pair. This allows each lens to be independently positioned and optimized for its corresponding laser element while maintaining high overall mounting density through the compact spacer design.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements local quality by providing customized support and positioning features at each lens mounting location on the spacer. Each region of the spacer can be locally optimized for its specific lens element, allowing precise positional control and optical optimization for each laser element while maintaining high overall mounting density.
4Strength
If welding is used to fix the lens holder to the support member, then strong adhesion is achieved, but the adjustment mechanism for lens position becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the adjustment function from a separate mechanism and integrates it directly into the spacer structure through clearance grooves. This eliminates the need for complex adjustment mechanisms while maintaining strong adhesion, as the clearance grooves provide inherent adjustment capability during assembly without requiring additional components or complex procedures.
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 achieves high in-plane mounting density and precise lens positioning, enhancing optical design flexibility and reducing manufacturing costs while maintaining high adhesion strength and accuracy.
Implementation Method 1
an adhesive agent fixing the plurality of lenses to the spacer
Data Source
AI summary
It is an object to provide a technique of achieving a high in-plane mounting density of a laser light source element and capable of adjusting a position of a lens for each laser light source element with a high degree of accuracy. A laser light source apparatus 1 includes: a base; a plurality of semiconductor laser elements; a plurality of lenses parallelizing laser light being output from the plurality of laser light source elements; a spacer disposed on the upper surface of the base; and an adhesive agent fixing the plurality of lenses to the spacer. The spacer includes, for each of the lenses, an annular support surface and a wall, and the wall has a clearance groove formed along a direction connecting diagonal points of the lattice points.