Laser Light Source Submount Thermal Resistance Variation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing light source devices with semiconductor laser arrays experience uneven heat dissipation, leading to insufficient reduction of speckle noise due to identical heat sink materials at the central and end regions, resulting in similar thermal resistance and emission wavelength for adjacent semiconductor laser elements.
Innovation Solution
The light source device employs individually and independently disposed laser light sources with varying thermal resistance between semiconductor laser elements and the substrate by using different materials or dimensions for the submounts, such as ceramic materials like aluminum nitride and silicon carbide, or adjusting the thickness and surface area of the submounts to achieve distinct thermal resistances.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a heat sink with different materials at central and end regions is used, then heat dissipation efficiency becomes uneven in the lateral direction, but speckle noise reduction is insufficient because adjacent semiconductor laser elements still contact regions with identical heat sink material
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the heat dissipation system into individually disposed laser light sources, each with its own submount and heat dissipation path to the substrate. This segmentation ensures that each laser element independently contacts the substrate through its own thermal path, preventing the propagation of thermal variations from adjacent elements and thereby reducing speckle noise while maintaining manufacturability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention applies different thermal resistance characteristics to different laser light sources by varying submount materials or dimensions for each individual source. This local differentiation ensures that adjacent laser elements have distinct junction temperatures, which widens the effective wavelength bandwidth and reduces speckle noise without compromising overall manufacturing precision.
2Ease of manufacture
If semiconductor laser elements are arranged in an array with identical heat sink material, then manufacturing is simplified, but heat dissipation efficiency becomes uneven and speckle noise is not sufficiently reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the laser light source array into individually disposed units, each with its own submount and independent heat dissipation path to the substrate. This segmentation allows for simplified manufacturing of identical modular units while achieving different effective thermal resistance through variations in submount properties, thereby reducing speckle noise without complicating the manufacturing process.
Solution Approach 2:
The submount acts as an intermediary component between the semiconductor laser element and the substrate. By varying the thermal properties of this intermediary (submount material or dimensions), the invention achieves different heat dissipation characteristics for each laser source while maintaining a uniform substrate and simplified manufacturing process for the overall assembly.
3Reliability
If adjacent semiconductor laser elements have similar thermal resistance, then manufacturing consistency is maintained, but wavelength variation is insufficient and speckle noise reduction is inadequate
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces local quality variations in the submounts (different materials or dimensions) for adjacent laser light sources while maintaining consistent manufacturing processes. This local differentiation creates sufficient wavelength variation to reduce speckle noise, while the modular design and standardized variations preserve manufacturing consistency and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes thermal resistance parameters of individual laser light sources by selecting different submount materials or dimensions. These parameter changes are implemented through controlled variations in the submount design, maintaining manufacturing consistency through standardized options while achieving sufficient thermal resistance differences to reduce speckle noise effectively.
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 approach effectively reduces speckle noise by ensuring different junction temperatures and emission wavelengths for adjacent laser light sources, improving heat dissipation and manufacturing efficiency while maintaining a single or multiple wavelength bands.
Implementation Method 1
thermal resistance at a region between the semiconductor laser element and the substrate
Data Source
AI summary
A light source device includes a substrate and a plurality of laser light sources. The laser light sources each include a submount mounted on the substrate, and a semiconductor laser element mounted on the submount. The laser light sources are individually and independently disposed on the substrate. The laser light sources disposed adjacent to each other and emitting light having an identical wavelength band differ from each other in thermal resistance at a region between the semiconductor laser element and the substrate.