Scalable Laser Array With Movable Diffuser For Heat Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Higher power lasers used for brighter illumination or pointing generate excessive waste heat, leading to reduced efficiency and potential overheating, which limits the power that laser illuminators or pointers can achieve.
Innovation Solution
A scalable laser array using multiple diode lasers with adjustable divergence, where the number of lasers and their alignment can be varied to achieve desired power levels and beam shaping, with movable diffusers controlling beam divergence to manage heat and improve thermal efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If a higher power laser is used to provide brighter illumination and pointing, then the brightness and pointing intensity are improved, but the waste heat generated increases leading to reduced efficiency and potential overheating
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides a single high-power laser into multiple lower-power laser diodes arranged in an array. Each laser diode operates at a lower power level, generating less heat individually, while collectively providing the desired total brightness. This segmentation allows the system to achieve high illumination intensity without the excessive heat generation problems of a single high-power laser.
2Power
If a higher power laser is used to increase output power, then the power level is improved, but thermal management becomes more difficult requiring more complex cooling systems
Solution Approach 1:
By using multiple lower-power laser diodes instead of a single high-power laser, the thermal load is distributed across multiple independent sources. Each diode requires minimal cooling, and the distributed heat generation allows for simpler thermal management compared to concentrating all power in one component that would require a complex cooling system.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple laser diodes are combined in an array configuration to achieve the desired total output power. The individual beams from each diode are merged into a single composite beam, allowing the system to reach high power levels through combination rather than relying on a single high-power component that would demand complex cooling infrastructure.
3Loss of energy
If multiple laser diodes are used to reduce heat, then thermal efficiency is improved, but the beams may not align properly requiring complex alignment mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
Each laser diode in the array is equipped with its own beam-shaping optic tailored to that specific diode's characteristics. This local optimization allows each beam to be properly shaped and directed, simplifying the overall alignment process since each element is independently optimized rather than requiring complex inter-element alignment mechanisms.
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 allows for higher brightness and power with reduced waste heat, enabling more efficient operation and longer lifespan of laser devices by using lower power lasers in an array configuration, which are thermally more efficient and require simpler cooling systems.
Implementation Method 1
A plurality of diffusers can be disposed on the window and can be positioned to vary a divergence of at least one of the laser beams
Data Source
AI summary
A laser illuminator/pointer can have an array of diode lasers for providing laser beams. A beam shaping optic can shape each of the laser beams. A movable, substantially transparent window can be in a path of the laser beams. A plurality of diffusers can be disposed on the window and can be positioned to vary a divergence of at least one of the laser beams when the window is moved.