UV Laser Zoom Beam Expander for High Magnification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional zoom beam expanders have limited expanding capacity and narrow adaptation range, making them inadequate for diverse laser processing applications, particularly in ultraviolet laser processing where higher magnification and flexibility are required.
Innovation Solution
An ultraviolet laser zoom beam expanding system comprising a specific configuration of three coaxially arranged lenses - a plane-convex positive lens, a meniscus negative lens, and another plane-convex positive lens - with precise curvature radii, refractive indices, and distances between surfaces, allowing for a magnification range of 2 to 16 times.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a beam expander with fixed magnification is used to achieve greater zoom value, then the expanding capacity is improved, but the device complexity and operation convenience deteriorate because multiple beam expanders are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a zoom beam expander with variable magnification capability, allowing the system to dynamically adjust the beam expansion ratio from 2x to 16x. This dynamic design eliminates the need for multiple fixed beam expanders, resolving the contradiction by providing high adaptability through a single adjustable device rather than requiring multiple specialized components.
Solution Approach 2:
The zoom beam expander is designed to perform multiple functions within a single device, accommodating various laser beam diameters and divergence angles through adjustable magnification. This multi-functional capability allows one beam expander to replace several fixed-magnification devices, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining high expanding capacity across different applications.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the common magnification of zoom beam expander is limited to 2x to 8x, then the device complexity is reduced, but the adaptability deteriorates because it cannot satisfy diverse laser processing requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extends the magnification range from the conventional 2x-8x to 2x-16x by dynamically adjusting the positions of movable lenses. This extended dynamic range allows the single beam expander to accommodate a wider variety of laser processing applications, including those requiring higher expansion ratios, without increasing the number of components.
Solution Approach 2:
The system achieves extended magnification capability by changing the optical parameters (lens positions, focal lengths) of the movable lenses within the beam expander. By adjusting these parameters, the system can achieve higher magnification values up to 16x while maintaining a relatively simple optical structure, thus improving adaptability without proportionally increasing complexity.
3Manufacturing precision
If a narrow light beam is focused directly without beam expansion, then the device complexity is minimized, but the manufacturing precision deteriorates due to greater Rayleigh disk
Solution Approach 1:
The beam expander performs preliminary action by expanding the narrow laser beam before it reaches the focus lens. This preliminary expansion increases the beam diameter, which according to the Rayleigh disk formula (δ=2.44λf/D), reduces the focused spot size and improves processing accuracy. The system proactively addresses the precision requirement by preparing the beam in advance rather than relying on post-processing adjustments.
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 system significantly enhances the adaptability and processing precision of ultraviolet lasers by expanding the beam magnification range, improving focusing performance and processing accuracy, and increasing the efficiency of laser processing.
Implementation Method 1
the first lens and the third lens being plane-convex positive lenses, and the second lens being a meniscus negative lens
Implementation Method 2
a focusing lens configured to focus the expanded beam
Data Source
AI summary
An ultraviolet laser zoom beam expanding system, applied to the field of laser processing, includes a first lens, a second lens, and a third lens (L1, L2, L3). The first lens and the third lens (L1, L3) are plane-convex plus lenses, and the second lens (L2) is a convex-concave minus lens. The first lens, the second lens and the third lens (L1, L2, L3) respectively comprise a first surface and a second surface (S1, S2), a third surface and a fourth surface (S3, S4) as well as a fifth surface and a sixth surface (S5, S6). The radiuses of curvature of the first to sixth surfaces (S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6) are ∞, −30, 10, 2.2, ∞, −81. The center thickness of the first to third lenses (L1, L2, L3) is 2, 1, 4. The outer diameters of the first to third lenses (L1, L2, L3) are 10, 3, 34. Proportions of the refractive indexes to the abbe numbers of the first to third lenses (L1, L2, L3) are 1.57:41, 1.48:68, and 1.57:41. An interval (d2) between the second surface and the third surface (S2, S3) is 6-37. An interval (d4) between the fourth surface and the fifth surface (S4, S5) is 114-125, a unit is mm, and a tolerance is 5%. The system may perform beam expanding on entering light by 2-16 times, which may be adaptable to laser devices with different emergent diameters and divergence angles, and improve efficiency and accuracy of laser processing.