Segmented Spatial Light Modulator for Sequential Laser Beam Shaping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing laser beam shaping arrangements are often space-intensive, lack flexibility, and have difficulty in controlling or regulating the shaping of laser beams, making them inefficient for various applications.
Innovation Solution
A compact and flexible arrangement featuring a controllable spatial light modulator and a control device that divides the modulator's display plane into multiple areas to display different beam influencing structures, allowing for precise control of the laser beam's phase, intensity, and polarization, with beam guidance optics to direct the laser beam through these areas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional laser beam shaping arrangements are used, then beam shaping functionality is achieved, but the arrangement becomes space-intensive and lacks flexibility
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple beam shaping functions into a single spatial light modulator by dividing its display plane into multiple display areas. Each display area can independently display different beam-influencing structures, allowing multiple shaping operations to occur simultaneously in one compact device, thereby achieving high flexibility without increasing arrangement space.
Solution Approach 2:
The spatial light modulator is designed to perform multiple beam shaping functions simultaneously by displaying different beam-influencing structures in different display areas. This universal device can adapt to various beam shaping requirements without needing separate dedicated components for each function, resolving the contradiction between versatility and compactness.
2Ease of operation
If multiple separate components are used for beam shaping, then comprehensive beam control is achieved, but the arrangement becomes complex and difficult to control
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple beam shaping components into a single integrated spatial light modulator with multiple display areas. This consolidation reduces the number of separate components and interfaces that need to be controlled, simplifying the overall control system while maintaining comprehensive beam shaping capability through the coordinated operation of different display areas.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a single display area is used in the spatial light modulator, then the arrangement is simple, but flexibility and adaptability in beam shaping are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the display plane of the spatial light modulator into multiple independent display areas. Each segment can independently display different beam-influencing structures, enabling diverse beam shaping functions to be performed simultaneously. This segmentation increases adaptability while keeping each individual segment relatively simple in structure.
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 efficient, compact, and flexible shaping of laser beams, allowing for real-time control and adaptation to different processing strategies, compensating for errors, and improving the quality of the laser beam for precise applications.
Implementation Method 1
a controllable spatial light modulator (110), in particular a liquid crystal display, and a control device (120) for controlling the light modulator (110)... the control device (120) is configured to bring the laser beam (200) into interaction first with a first display area (1111) and then with a second display area (1112)
Implementation Method 2
beam guidance optics (130)... configured to bring the laser beam (200) into interaction along its propagation direction first with the first display area (1111) and then with the second display area (1112)
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
AI summary
The invention relates to an arrangement (100) for forming a laser beam (200), with a controllable spatial light modulator (110), a control device (120) for controlling the light modulator (110), and beam guiding optics (130). The control device (120) is configured to divide a display plane (111) of the light modulator (110) into a plurality of display regions (1111,1112,1113) and to present a first beam influencing structure in at least one first display region (1111) of the plurality of display regions (1111,1112,1113) and to present a second beam influencing structure in a second display region (1112) of the plurality of display regions (1111,1112,1113). The beam guiding optics (130) are configured to bring the laser beam (200) along the propagation direction thereof into interaction initially with the first display region (1111) and then with the second display region (1112).