Reflective Optics Two-Stage Cooling Against Thermal Aberrations
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooling systems for reflective optics in high average power lasers and optical devices suffer from inefficiency, thermal deformation, and optical aberrations, leading to costly replacements and reduced optical quality.
Innovation Solution
A two-stage cooling system with a heat-conducting fluid in an intermediate chamber and a heat transfer fluid in a dissipator, ensuring uniform heat distribution and minimizing contact with the mirror, adaptable to various mirror shapes and powers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If cooling systems with liquid circulating on the back face of the mirror are used, then thermal efficiency is excellent, but pulsations of the pumping cause dynamic optical defects in the laser beam
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a deformable membrane as an intermediary between the cooling system and the mirror. The membrane is in contact with the cooling liquid but separates it from the mirror surface, preventing direct transmission of pumping pulsations to the optical component while still allowing efficient heat transfer from the mirror back face to the cooling fluid.
2Temperature
If cooling channels are located in the thickness of the mirror or against the rear face, then cooling is provided, but optical aberrations appear due to thermal imprint of the cooling channels
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the cooling channels from direct contact with the mirror surface and relocates them to the back face of the mirror support structure. This separation removes the source of thermal imprinting that causes optical aberrations while preserving the cooling function through the deformable membrane interface.
3Temperature
If cooling systems create a temperature gradient at the active surface of the mirror, then cooling is provided, but optical quality is detrimental
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by using a deformable membrane that can conform to the mirror back face geometry, ensuring uniform thermal contact across the entire cooling surface. This localized adaptation eliminates temperature gradients at the active surface by distributing cooling evenly across the mirror back face, preventing optical quality degradation.
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
Provides efficient, uniform cooling that maintains optical quality by preventing thermal deformation and aberrations, suitable for a wide range of laser beam powers and mirror types.
Implementation Method 1
a heat-conducting fluid in an intermediate chamber formed between the reflective face and the dissipator
Implementation Method 2
a heat transfer fluid in a dissipator having a channel for circulation of the heat transfer fluid
Implementation Method 3
a heat transfer fluid in a dissipator having a channel for circulation of the heat transfer fluid
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The invention relates to reflective optics (1) for transporting, transforming or correcting a light beam (19), in particular of the laser type, characterised in that it comprises a mirror (2) receiving the light beam (19), a primary cooling circuit made up of an intermediate chamber (6) of thermally conductive fluid (7) disposed against the mirror (2) at the rear thereof and a secondary cooling circuit made up of a heat sink (3) disposed against the intermediate chamber (6) of thermally conductive fluid (7), said heat sink (3) being either in the form of a cold mass cooled by convection or conduction, or in the form of a plate made of a material having good thermal conductivity, the heat sink (3) having a size and a shape equivalent to those of said reflective optics.