Sealed Laser Optics With Protective Glasses for Contamination Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-power laser machining systems face issues with optical elements being sensitive to contamination, leading to heating, damage, and imaging errors due to materials like quartz glass and zinc sulfide, which are either expensive or inefficient in thermal conductivity and imaging.
Innovation Solution
A composite optical unit with a quartz glass or calcium fluoride optical element protected by sapphire or zinc sulfide protective glasses, enclosed in an airtight holder to prevent contamination and thermal issues, while using materials with high thermal conductivity for the protective glasses to minimize forward scattering and birefringence.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If quartz glass optical elements are used for high-power laser machining, then the optical element can be coated very well and has very good imaging properties, but the optical element is very sensitive to dirt and contamination leading to heating and damage
Solution Approach 1:
The optical system is divided into separate functional components: a quartz glass optical element for imaging and protective glasses (sapphire or zinc sulfide) for contamination protection. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function without compromise.
Solution Approach 2:
Protective glasses made of sapphire or zinc sulfide are introduced as intermediary elements between the laser beam path and the quartz glass optical element. These protective glasses prevent direct contact with contamination while allowing laser transmission, thereby protecting the sensitive optical element.
2Temperature
If zinc sulfide protective glasses are used, then thermal conductivity is improved, but forward scattering of 2-3% of laser power occurs causing heating of surroundings and adverse effects on machining
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the material parameters of the protective glasses by offering a choice between sapphire and zinc sulfide, each with different optical and thermal properties. This allows optimization based on specific application requirements, balancing thermal management against optical performance.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If sapphire protective glasses are used, then forward scattering is reduced compared to zinc sulfide, but the material is expensive and difficult to process due to high hardness
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the material parameters of the protective glasses by offering a choice between sapphire and zinc sulfide, each with different optical and thermal properties. This allows optimization based on specific application requirements, balancing thermal management against optical performance.
4Temperature
If sapphire optical elements are used, then thermal conductivity is acceptable and scattering is reduced, but the material is anisotropic with birefringence leading to imaging errors
Solution Approach 1:
The optical system is divided into separate functional components: a quartz glass optical element for imaging and protective glasses (sapphire or zinc sulfide) for contamination protection. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function without compromise.
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 protects the optical element from contamination, maintains imaging quality, and reduces thermal-related issues, ensuring reliable high-power laser machining with reduced sensitivity to dirt and improved thermal management.
Implementation Method 1
optical imaging is understood to mean that the laser beam is guided onto the workpiece, for example by refraction, reflection, diffraction and/or beam shaping
Implementation Method 2
ZnS has good thermal conductivity
Implementation Method 3
the outer edges of which are enclosed in an airtight manner by a holder in such a way that they form an interior space with the holder
Implementation Method 4
in the case of a focusing lens made of quartz
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3a~3b
Figure 3c~3d
AI summary
Disclosed is an optical unit for a laser beam for laser machining of a workpiece, in particular for a high-power laser beam, comprising an optical element for the optical imaging of the laser beam, and two protective glasses that are transparent for the laser beam, the outer edges of which protective glasses are enclosed in an airtight manner by a holder in such a way that they form an interior space with the holder, the optical element being arranged in the interior space. Also disclosed is a laser machining device.