Optical Fiber Bending Mechanism for Adjustable Laser Beam Shaping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current laser systems for materials processing require adjustable beam characteristics, but existing solutions either compromise on performance and flexibility or incur significant costs, complexity, and reliability issues due to reliance on free-space optics and complex add-on mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
An in-fiber apparatus using a flexible plate with an ionic-polymer composite or piezobending actuator to vary the curvature of optical fibers, allowing for adjustable beam characteristics without the need for free-space optics, by perturbing the fiber to alter beam properties such as diameter, divergence, and intensity distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If free-space optics or complex add-on mechanisms are used to vary beam characteristics, then beam adjustability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the beam characteristic adjustment function from external free-space optics and relocates it directly into the optical fiber through integrated gratings. This eliminates the need for separate zoom lenses, mirrors, and other complex add-on mechanisms, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining beam adjustability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the beam adjustment functionality with the optical fiber delivery system by integrating gratings directly into the fiber structure. This combination eliminates the separation between the fiber and external adjustment optics, reducing the number of components and simplifying the overall system architecture.
2Adaptability or versatility
If free-space optics or complex add-on mechanisms are used to vary beam characteristics, then beam adjustability is improved, but cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the expensive external optical components (zoom lenses, mirrors, combiners) and replaces them with integrated gratings within the fiber. This substitution dramatically reduces the bill of materials cost while preserving the ability to adjust beam characteristics.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs relatively simple and inexpensive grating structures that can be manufactured and integrated directly into the fiber, replacing costly precision optical components. These integrated gratings provide a cost-effective solution for beam adjustment without requiring expensive free-space optics.
3Adaptability or versatility
If free-space optics or complex add-on mechanisms are used to vary beam characteristics, then beam adjustability is improved, but reliability decreases due to additional components
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the adjustment mechanism directly into the optical fiber, eliminating multiple external components that could fail. By integrating the gratings within the fiber structure, the system reduces the number of potential failure points and improves overall reliability while maintaining beam adjustability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention removes external free-space optics and add-on mechanisms that introduce reliability issues. By extracting these vulnerable components and replacing them with integrated fiber-based gratings, the system achieves higher reliability through reduced component count and fewer alignment-critical interfaces.
4Device complexity
If fixed beam characteristics are used, then system simplicity is maintained, but performance is compromised for different processing tasks
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces dynamic adjustability into the optical fiber system through integrated gratings that can be tuned to provide different beam characteristics. This allows the system to adapt beam parameters for different processing tasks while maintaining a simple fiber-based architecture without complex external mechanisms.
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
Enables customizable beam characteristics for various materials processing tasks, reducing costs and complexity while maintaining performance and reliability by adjusting beam properties within the fiber itself, eliminating the need for external optics.
Implementation Method 1
the flexible plate includes an ionic-polymer composite
Implementation Method 2
a piezobending actuator is used that can include one or more piezoelectric plates bonded together
Implementation Method 3
perturbing the fiber to alter beam properties such as diameter, divergence, and intensity distribution
Data Source
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AI summary
Fiber bending mechanisms vary beam characteristics by deflecting or bending one or more fibers, by urging portions of one or more fibers toward a fiber shaping surface having a selectable curvature, or by selecting a fiber length that is to be urged toward the fiber shaping surface. In some examples, a fiber is secured to a flexible plate to conform to a variable curvature of the flexible plate. In other examples, a variable length of a fiber is pulled or pushed toward a fiber shaping surface, and the length of the fiber or a curvature of the flexible plate provide modification of fiber beam characteristics.