Remote Fiber Beam Dump for Laser Heat and Stray Light Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current laser systems used in semiconductor and photomask inspection systems face issues with excess heat, scattered light, and photocontamination when handling residual light from frequency conversion processes, leading to instability and performance compromises.
Innovation Solution
A beam dump system utilizing a remote enclosure connected via optical fibers, featuring tapered structures and volume absorbers to absorb and scatter residual light, minimizing heat generation and photocontamination, while being cost-effective and compact.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-generated harmful factors
If residual light is sent into an absorbing medium or beam dump, then the light is absorbed, but excess heat is generated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the beam dump from the laser system by using optical fibers to transport residual light away from the laser to a remotely located beam dump. This separation removes the heat-generating component from the laser, preventing temperature increase while still absorbing the harmful residual light.
Solution Approach 2:
Optical fibers serve as intermediaries to transfer residual light from the laser to the beam dump without direct thermal coupling. The fibers conduct the light energy away from the heat-sensitive laser system to the remote absorption point.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If a beam dump is implemented to absorb residual light, then light absorption is achieved, but the system becomes larger in size
Solution Approach 1:
The beam dump functionality is extracted and placed in a compact remote enclosure connected via optical fibers. This allows the absorption function to be separated from the laser system volume, enabling a smaller integrated laser unit while maintaining effective light termination elsewhere.
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
The solution effectively isolates the laser system from heat and scattered light, reduces photocontamination, and maintains low cost and small size, enhancing the stability and performance of laser systems by efficiently managing residual light.
Implementation Method 1
an enclosure configured for being connected to at least one optical fiber, the enclosure configured with an aperture for receiving light into an interior of the enclosure via at least one optical fiber, said light being transmitted from a remotely-located light source into the enclosure via the at least one optical fiber
Implementation Method 2
The internal surface may be configured for reflecting, scattering and/or absorbing the impinging light
Implementation Method 3
The internal surface may be configured for reflecting, scattering and/or absorbing the impinging light
Implementation Method 4
a portion that is coated with a light-absorbing material (ex.—the light-absorbing material having a light absorption level/percentage of greater than 10%)
Implementation Method 5
The tapered structure(s) may be formed of a thermally-conductive material, aluminum, copper, stainless steel, a metal alloy, carbon, and/or graphite
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention is directed to a beam dump which is configured for not increasing a temperature of a laser with which it may be implemented. The beam dump may include an opaque enclosure which is configured for receiving light (ex.—initial light) from a light source (ex.—a frequency-converted laser), said light being delivered through an aperture of the enclosure via one or more connected optical fibers. The received light may be scattered within the enclosure. However, the beam dump is configured for minimizing the amount of light which is back scattered light into the fiber(s). For instance, the amount of back scattered light may be less than 1/1000 of the initial light. Further, the beam dump may be configured for minimizing photocontamination which may be caused when the light contacts interior surfaces of the enclosure. Still further, the beam dump may be a small size, low cost structure.