Step Mirror Laser Source Layout for Dense Beam Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing light source devices using laser diodes face challenges in efficiently integrating light beams in both the row and column directions due to the elliptical shape of the beams and the limitations of using two step-like mirrors, which result in insufficient convergence and high reflection losses.
Innovation Solution
A light source device configuration that includes a light source unit with laser diodes arranged in a row and column direction, utilizing a collimator to create parallel beams, and two step mirrors with different numbers of steps and mirror surface widths to reduce beam intervals in both directions, with a condenser lens and optical fiber to condense and extract the beams, ensuring optimal alignment and integration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If two step-like mirrors are used to reduce beam intervals in both row and column directions, then light integration is improved, but reflection losses increase and convergence becomes insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the light source array into multiple groups along the row direction, with each group containing multiple laser diodes arranged in the column direction. Collimator lenses are assigned to each group rather than individual diodes, reducing the total number of optical components and reflection surfaces while maintaining light integration capability.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple collimator lenses are merged to serve a single group of laser diodes. Instead of having one-to-one correspondence between diodes and collimators, multiple diodes share common collimator lenses, thereby reducing the number of reflection surfaces and associated losses while still achieving proper beam collimation and integration.
2Device complexity
If the number of collimator lenses is reduced to decrease device complexity, then manufacturing cost is improved, but beam parallelization quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different optical configurations to different regions of the light source array. Each group of laser diodes is optimized with appropriately sized collimator lenses that provide sufficient parallelization for that specific group, ensuring local optical quality is maintained while reducing overall component count.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a one-to-one mapping between diodes and collimators to a many-to-one mapping where multiple diodes share collimators. This dimensional change in the mapping relationship reduces the number of collimator lenses required while maintaining adequate beam parallelization through proper optical design of the shared collimators.
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
This configuration achieves efficient integration and convergence of light beams, reducing losses and increasing the output efficiency to 70% or more, allowing for the collection of more light from laser diodes, suitable for high-output applications like direct diode lasers.
Implementation Method 1
a collimator having a plurality of collimator lenses (2a) arranged to correspond to the plurality of laser diodes (1a) so as to convert light beams emitted from the plurality of laser diodes (1a) into parallel light
Implementation Method 2
a first step mirror having a plurality of mirror surfaces arranged on optical axes of a plurality of parallel light beams parallelized by the collimator to reduce the plurality of parallel light beams in a row direction by narrowing a column interval of the plurality of parallel light beams to reflect the plurality of parallel light beams
Implementation Method 3
a condenser lens (5) to condense parallel light beams reduced in the row direction and the column direction by the first step mirror (3) and the second step mirror (4)
Data Source
AI summary
A light source device according to the present disclosure includes a light source unit, a collimator, a first step mirror, a second step mirror, a condenser lens, and an optical fiber. The first step mirror reduces a plurality of parallel beams in a row direction by narrowing a column interval between the plurality of parallel beams. The second step mirror reduces the plurality of parallel beams in the column direction by narrowing a row interval between the plurality of parallel beams. The number of steps of the first step mirror and the number of steps of the second step mirror are different from each other, and a width of each of the plurality of mirror surfaces of the first step mirror and a width of each of the plurality of mirror surfaces of the second step mirror are different from each other.