Light Source Device Vibration Resistance via Shortened Cavity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Light source devices with long external cavity lengths are prone to failure due to slight deviations in optical element positions caused by vibrations, leading to resonance failures and instability in high-output laser light emission.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a light source device with a shortened external cavity length, achieved by using plane transmission gratings, volume holographic gratings, or fiber Bragg gratings to diffract light back to the laser sources, allowing for adjustable wavelength selection and resonance, thereby reducing the cavity length and increasing vibration resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a long external cavity length is used in the WBC device, then the optical resonance can be achieved, but the device becomes highly sensitive to vibrations causing position deviations and resonance failure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the key parameter of external cavity length from approximately 1 meter to a much shorter distance by repositioning the grating adjacent to the laser source. This parameter change fundamentally reduces the system's sensitivity to vibrations while maintaining the external resonance function through the new optical configuration.
2Reliability
If a long external cavity length is used, then the optical path can be established, but the alignment precision required increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
By changing the spatial parameter of the optical path and placing the grating adjacent to the laser source rather than at the end of a long cavity, the patent dramatically reduces the alignment precision requirements while establishing a stable optical path for external resonance.
3Ease of operation
If the grating is positioned far from the laser source, then the diffracted beams can be manipulated, but the external cavity length increases causing vibration problems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent rearranges the optical components in a different spatial configuration, placing the grating adjacent to the laser source in a dimensionally optimized layout. This allows beam manipulation functionality to be maintained while minimizing the external cavity length and reducing vibration sensitivity.
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 solution provides a light source device with enhanced vibration resistance and simplified assembly, as it reduces the precision required for initial adjustments and improves the tolerance to optical element position deviations, ensuring stable high-output laser light emission.
Implementation Method 1
collimating parts each configured to collimate light emitted from a corresponding one of the laser sources into a substantially parallel light
Implementation Method 2
a combining grating configured to diffract, at an identical diffraction angle, lights that have passed through the collimating part and are incident on the combining grating at different incident angles, to combine the diffracted lights
Implementation Method 3
Each of the plane transmission gratings is configured to diffract a portion of light emitted from a corresponding one of the laser sources back to the corresponding one of the laser sources, to cause external resonance between the corresponding one of the laser sources and each of the plane transmission gratings
Data Source
AI summary
A light source device includes: a plurality of laser sources; a plurality of collimating parts, each configured to collimate the light beam emitted from a corresponding one of the laser sources; a combining grating configured to diffract, at an identical diffraction angle, light beams that have passed through the collimating parts and are incident on the combining grating at different incident angles to combine the diffracted light beams; and a plurality of volume holographic gratings, wherein each of the volume holographic gratings is disposed in an optical path between a corresponding one of the laser sources and the combining grating, wherein each of the volume holographic gratings determines a wavelength of the light beam incident on the combining grating, and wherein each of the volume holographic gratings is configured to diffract a portion of the light beam emitted from a corresponding laser source back to the laser source.