Aggregating Plasma Light Sources for High Power Output

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Solution Overview

Problem

Laser-sustained plasma sources face limitations in increasing collectible power beyond a certain point due to saturation, requiring high laser pump powers that lead to optical damage and thermal management challenges.

Innovation Solution

A system that aggregates broadband light outputs from multiple plasma or discharge light sources using reflector elements and optical elements to form a high-power broadband light beam, avoiding the need for high laser pump powers and reducing thermal issues.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Power

If laser pump power is increased to increase collectible output power, then output power is improved, but optical damage and thermal management issues occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecollectible output powerVSAvoidoptical damage and thermal management issues

Core Design Contradiction:

PowerVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides a single high-power plasma source into multiple lower-power plasma sources (first light-sustained plasma light source and additional light-sustained plasma light source). Each source operates at a lower power level that avoids optical damage and thermal management issues, while the combined output of multiple sources achieves the desired high collectible output power.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Power

If laser pump power is increased beyond saturation point, then output power should increase, but saturation occurs and collectible power stops increasing

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecollectible output powerVSAvoidefficiency of power conversion

Core Design Contradiction:

PowerVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of using a single plasma source that saturates at high pump powers, the patent employs multiple plasma sources each operating below the saturation point. This allows the system to scale output power linearly by adding more sources rather than relying on a single source that would require prohibitively high pump powers to overcome saturation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent combines the broadband light outputs from multiple plasma sources using optical elements to form an aggregated high-power broadband light beam. This merging approach allows the system to achieve high output power by summing the outputs of individual sources, avoiding the saturation limitations of a single source.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Power

If multiple light sources are combined to achieve high power output, then output power is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaggregated broadband light beam powerVSAvoidoptical elements and light source configuration

Core Design Contradiction:

PowerVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses optical elements to combine the outputs of multiple plasma sources into a single aggregated broadband light beam. This merging approach consolidates the light paths and enables the system to achieve high power output through combination rather than requiring each individual source to operate at extremely high power levels, thereby managing complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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

Achieves high-power broadband light generation without the limitations of high laser pump powers, enabling efficient and stable operation by combining lower power outputs from multiple sources.

Implementation Method 1

a first discharge lamp including a first reflector element configured to collect broadband light emitted by a stimulated discharge of the first discharge lamp

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectStimulated discharge: Electric Arc

Implementation Method 2

a first reflector element configured to collect broadband light emitted by a stimulated discharge of the first discharge lamp

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLight reflection: Reflection

Implementation Method 3

a plurality of optical elements configured to combine the first broadband light output from the first light-sustained plasma light source and the additional broadband light output from the additional light-sustained plasma light source to form an aggregated broadband light beam

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectOptical combination:

Data Source

PatentUS9941655B2High power broadband light source

Publication Date: 2018.04.10 KLA CORP

AI summary

A system for generating high power broadband light includes multiple light-sustained plasma light sources. Each one of the light-sustained sources includes a pumping source, a gas containment structure for containing gas and configured to receive pumping illumination from the pumping source and a parabolic reflector element arranged to collect at least a portion of the broadband radiation emitted by the generated plasma and form a collimated broadband radiation output. The system also including a set of optical elements configured to combine the collimated broadband outputs from the parabolic reflector elements of the multiple light-sustained plasma light sources into an aggregated broadband beam.