Optical Isolator with Interchangeable Collimator Lens
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-volume laser systems face challenges in optical isolation due to varying beam qualities and the need for multiple optical accessories, leading to increased complexity, cost, and size issues, especially when dealing with high-power lasers and materials processing applications.
Innovation Solution
An optical isolator design that focuses the light beam to a small diameter within the isolator, followed by a first lens arrangement to create a well-defined divergence, allowing for a family of collimators to be used across different beam qualities, reducing the number of required designs and enabling interchangeability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of stationary object
If the light beam is focused to a small diameter within the isolator, then the size and cost of the isolator are reduced, but the beam quality variations across different laser types increase the complexity of matching with beam expanding telescopes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal beam expanding telescope design that can accommodate multiple laser types with different beam qualities (M² values) through a single interchangeable lens arrangement. The telescope is designed with a reference plane and standardized interface that accepts different lens arrangements tailored to specific M² values, allowing one telescope body to serve multiple laser types without requiring separate telescopes for each laser variant.
Solution Approach 2:
The beam expanding telescope is segmented into modular components: a standardized telescope body with reference plane and interface, and interchangeable lens arrangements specific to different laser beam qualities. This segmentation allows the universal telescope to work with multiple laser types by simply swapping the appropriate lens arrangement, reducing the need for multiple complete telescope assemblies.
2Ease of operation
If a collimating lens is added at the output of the isolator to collimate the light beam, then the beam is made compatible with standard beam expanding telescopes, but the number of optical elements increases leading to redundant components and higher cost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the collimating function with the beam expanding telescope by integrating a collimating lens arrangement within the telescope itself. The first lens arrangement in the telescope serves dual purposes: it collimates the divergent beam from the isolator and simultaneously acts as part of the beam expanding optics. This integration eliminates the need for a separate collimating lens, reducing the total number of optical elements while maintaining beam compatibility.
3Reliability
If different beam expanding telescopes are designed for each laser type with different M² values, then optimal beam matching is achieved, but the number of required telescope designs increases rapidly with the number of laser types
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal beam expanding telescope design that can accommodate multiple laser types with different beam qualities (M² values) through a single interchangeable lens arrangement. The telescope is designed with a reference plane and standardized interface that accepts different lens arrangements tailored to specific M² values, allowing one telescope body to serve multiple laser types without requiring separate telescopes for each laser variant.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates dynamic adaptability through interchangeable lens arrangements that can be swapped based on the specific laser type being used. The telescope maintains optimal performance across different laser configurations by allowing the optical configuration to be dynamically adjusted through lens replacement rather than requiring fixed designs for each laser type.
4Ease of manufacture
If the isolator crystal size is minimized to reduce cost, then the beam must be focused through the isolator, but this results in a non-collimated output beam requiring additional collimation optics
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the collimating function with the beam expanding telescope by integrating a collimating lens arrangement within the telescope itself. The first lens arrangement in the telescope serves dual purposes: it collimates the divergent beam from the isolator and simultaneously acts as part of the beam expanding optics. This integration eliminates the need for a separate collimating lens, reducing the total number of optical elements while maintaining beam compatibility.
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 solution simplifies collimation accessories, reduces the size and cost of isolators, minimizes optical losses, and allows for interchangeable collimators across different laser types, enhancing compatibility and reducing production complexity.
Implementation Method 1
Back reflected light is then prevented from returning to the laser by the optical isolator
Implementation Method 2
An optical isolator design that focuses the light beam to a small diameter within the isolator, followed by a first lens arrangement to create a well-defined divergence
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4~6
Figure 5
AI summary
Apparatus for optically isolating a light beam from a laser, which apparatus comprises an optical input (1) for the light beam (2), an input lens (25), an optical isolator (3), an output connector (4), and a first lens arrangement (6). The optical isolator (3) is selected to isolate a light beam (2) having an average power greater than approximately 1 W, which light beam (2) is characterized by a pre-determined beam quality (7) defined by an M2 value. The input lens (25) is positioned before the isolator (3), is selected based upon the pre-determined beam quality (7), and focuses the light beam (2) through the isolator (3) such that a beam diameter (19) of the light beam (2) varies by more than five percent within the optical isolator (3). The output connector (4) is located at the output (8) of the optical isolator (3). The output connector (4) comprises a surface forming a reference plane (5). The first lens arrangement (6) is positioned to receive the light beam (2) from the isolator (3). The first lens arrangement (6) is selected based upon the pre¬ determined beam quality (7) of the light beam (2) to provide an output light beam (1 1) having a pre-determined divergence (12), allowing a plurality of collimators (9) to be individually connected to the output connector (4) to provide a collimated beam (16) having a collimated beam diameter (17) that is independent of the beam quality (7) of the light beam (2). A method for optically isolating a light beam from a laser is also provided.