Pump Diode Driver Voltage Discharge for Fast Fiber Laser Shutdown
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Solution Overview
Problem
Fiber lasers lack a reliable and efficient method to quickly shut down laser radiation due to the absence of a mechanical optical path, leading to safety concerns and high maintenance costs associated with mechanical shutters, which are slow and prone to wear.
Innovation Solution
A device generating a current driver voltage for a pump diode, featuring a voltage source with a primary and secondary side, where the secondary side is electrically isolated and includes an accumulator, allowing for quick and safe shut-down via a discharge circuit triggered by a predetermined voltage, independent of the accumulator's charge state.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a mechanical shutter is installed in a mechanical laser system, then the laser radiation can be shut down, but the shutter time is very slow (100 ms to several seconds) and the mechanical shutter is subject to wear requiring regular maintenance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical shutter system with an electrical control system. A voltage source with electrically isolated primary and secondary sides controls the pump diode current directly. The primary side includes circuit breakers for safe disconnection, while the secondary side maintains electrical isolation to prevent charge discharge. This electrical system achieves shutdown times in the order of microseconds, dramatically improving speed compared to mechanical shutters while eliminating mechanical wear.
2Reliability
If a mechanical intermediate piece with a mechanical shutter is used to interrupt the laser beam, then the laser radiation can be shut down, but the intermediate piece is expensive, time-consuming to adjust, and requires regular maintenance due to mechanical wear
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the mechanical intermediate piece entirely by implementing shutdown control at the electrical level. The voltage source with electrically isolated sides controls the pump diode current directly, allowing shutdown without any mechanical components in the optical path. This reduces device complexity, removes adjustment requirements, and eliminates maintenance needs associated with mechanical wear.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the shutdown function from the mechanical domain and relocates it to the electrical domain. By controlling the pump diode current through an electrically isolated voltage source, the shutdown function is achieved without requiring any mechanical components, thereby removing the need for mechanical shutters and intermediate pieces from the system.
3Device complexity
If the optical fiber is spliced to the laser diode, then the fiber laser structure is compact, but there is no optical path that can be mechanically interrupted before the laser radiation leaves the laser
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical optical path interruption with electrical control of the pump diode current. The electrically isolated voltage source with circuit breakers on the primary side can quickly disconnect power to the pump diode, shutting down laser radiation generation at its source. This maintains the compact spliced structure while providing reliable shutdown capability through electrical rather than mechanical means.
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 predictable and reliable shut-down of the laser system within 50 ms, reducing safety risks and maintenance costs by eliminating the need for mechanical shutters and improving the efficiency of laser system operation.
Implementation Method 1
The voltage source (1) comprises a primary side (10) and a secondary side (12), wherein the secondary side (12) is electrically isolated from the primary side (10)
Implementation Method 2
The secondary side (12) comprises an accumulator (120) for electrical charge
Implementation Method 3
a discharge circuit (7) configured to receive a discharge trigger voltage and to discharge the accumulator (120) when the discharge trigger voltage assumes a predetermined value or a value range
Data Source
AI summary
A device for generating a current driver voltage for a current driver of a pump diode is provided. The pump diode is configured for pumping a fibre laser. The device includes a voltage source for generating the current driver voltage. The voltage source includes a primary side and a secondary side. The secondary side is electrically isolated from the primary side. The primary side includes primary circuit breakers. The secondary side includes an accumulator for electrical charge. The voltage source is configured to generate the current driver voltage at the accumulator by switching the primary circuit breakers. The device further includes a discharge circuit configured to receive a discharge trigger voltage and to discharge the accumulator when the discharge trigger voltage assumes a predetermined value or a value range.