Multi-Wavelength Laser Assembly with Dispersive Beam Combiner
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current mid-infrared laser sources face challenges in achieving high power output while maintaining spatial quality and reliability, often requiring complex cooling systems and suffering from thermal stress issues.
Innovation Solution
A laser source assembly that combines multiple external cavity laser sources with a dispersive beam combiner, allowing for the co-propagation of beams with different wavelengths and angles, which reduces thermal stress and enhances power output while preserving spatial quality through the use of a grating-based beam combiner.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If multiple laser sources are combined to increase power output, then power output is improved, but thermal stress increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the high-power laser system into multiple separate laser sources, each operating at moderate power levels. This segmentation allows the system to achieve high total power output while each individual source experiences reduced thermal stress, improving reliability and longevity of the overall system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines multiple laser sources with different wavelengths into a single co-propagating beam using a dispersive beam combiner. This merging achieves high total power output while maintaining the benefits of lower individual source power levels, effectively resolving the thermal stress issue.
2Power
If multiple laser sources are combined to increase power output, then power output is improved, but beam spatial quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a dispersive beam combiner that utilizes wavelength-dependent angular separation to combine beams. By carefully controlling the incident angles and wavelengths of individual beams, the system achieves co-propagation with preserved spatial quality, maintaining low M2 values even at high combined power levels.
3Power
If laser sources operate at high power, then power output is improved, but reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the high-power operation into multiple moderate-power sources, where each source operates within reliable thermal limits. This segmentation maintains high overall power output while improving the reliability of individual components through reduced thermal stress.
4Power
If beams with different wavelengths are combined, then power output is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a dispersive beam combiner as an intermediary device that facilitates the combination of multi-wavelength beams. This component uses wavelength-dependent refraction or diffraction to angularly separate and recombine beams, enabling high-power multi-wavelength output while managing the complexity through a dedicated optical element.
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 enables the generation of a multi-Watt output beam with improved reliability and reduced thermal stress, allowing for more efficient and cost-effective production of mid-infrared laser sources with higher power and better beam quality.
Implementation Method 1
The dispersive beam combiner includes a common area that combines the first beam and the second beam to provide the assembly output beam. In one embodiment, the first beam impinges on the common area at a first angle, and the second beam impinges on the common area at a second angle that is different than the first angle.
Implementation Method 2
In one embodiment, the dispersive beam combiner includes a grating which combines the first beam and the second beam.
Implementation Method 3
each laser source includes (i) a quantum cascade gain media that generates a beam in the mid to far infrared range
Data Source
AI summary
A laser source assembly (210) for generating an assembly output beam (212) includes a first laser source (218A), a second laser source (218B), and a dispersive beam combiner (222). The first laser source (218A) emits a first beam (220A) having a first center wavelength, and the second laser source (218B) emits a second beam (220B) having a second center wavelength that is different than the first center wavelength. The dispersive beam combiner (222) includes a common area 224 that combines the first beam (220A) and the second beam (220B) to provide the assembly output beam (212). The first beam (220A) impinges on the common area (224) at a first beam angle (226A), and the second beam (220B) impinges on the common area (224) at a second beam angle (226B) that is different than the first beam angle (226A). Further, the beams (220A) (220B) that exit from the dispersive beam combiner (222) are substantially coaxial, are fully overlapping, and are co-propagating.