Vacuum Laser Cooling Structure With External Cooler Isolation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing laser devices face challenges in efficiently cooling the laser medium while minimizing device size, which can lead to increased device size and instability in laser light characteristics due to the inclusion of coolers and vacuum containers.

Innovation Solution

The cooler is disposed outside the vacuum container and connected to the laser medium via heat conductors, with vibration cancelers and extension/contraction portions to maintain vacuum integrity and prevent vibration transfer, allowing for efficient and stable cooling.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If the cooler and laser medium are disposed inside the vacuum container, then the cooling efficiency is improved, but the device size increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecooling efficiencyVSAvoiddevice size
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The system is divided into two separate spatial zones: the vacuum container housing the laser medium, and the external cooler unit. They are connected through a heat conductor that penetrates the vacuum container wall, allowing thermal coupling while maintaining spatial separation. This segmentation enables efficient cooling without increasing the vacuum container volume.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A heat conductor serves as an intermediary element connecting the laser medium inside the vacuum container to the cooler outside. This intermediary transfers heat efficiently across the vacuum boundary, enabling cooling functionality without requiring the cooler to be housed within the vacuum container, thus avoiding volume increase.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Volume of stationary object

If the cooler is disposed outside the vacuum container, then the device size is reduced, but the cooling reliability may deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice sizeVSAvoidcooling reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of stationary objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The heat conductor is designed with a curved or bent configuration to optimize its path from the laser medium through the vacuum container wall to the external cooler. This curved geometry allows the heat conductor to maintain optimal thermal contact at both ends while navigating the spatial constraints, ensuring reliable heat transfer despite the external placement of the cooler.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Solution Approach 2:

The heat conductor exhibits different structural characteristics at different locations: it maintains rigid fixed portions at both ends for stable thermal contact with the laser medium and cooler, while having a flexible intermediate portion that can accommodate thermal expansion and mechanical stress, thereby ensuring reliable cooling performance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Temperature

If a mechanical-type cooler is used, then the cooling performance is improved, but vibration transfer to the laser medium occurs

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecooling performanceVSAvoidvibration transfer
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The heat conductor acts as a vibration-isolating intermediary between the mechanical cooler and the laser medium. While efficiently conducting heat, its flexible intermediate portion and fixed-end configuration prevent mechanical vibrations from the cooler from being transmitted to the laser medium, thereby eliminating the harmful vibration effect while maintaining high cooling performance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Temperature

If the heat conductor penetrates the vacuum container wall, then the cooling connection is established, but vacuum integrity may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecooling connectionVSAvoidvacuum integrity
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The cooler unit is extracted from the vacuum container environment and placed externally, connected only through the heat conductor. This extraction allows the majority of the vacuum container volume to remain sealed and intact, maintaining vacuum integrity while still establishing the necessary thermal connection for cooling through the penetrating heat conductor.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

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 enables effective cooling of the laser medium while minimizing device size and maintaining stable laser light characteristics, preventing dew condensation and vibration transfer, thus ensuring uniform excitation distribution and reducing the risk of device instability.

Implementation Method 1

the cooler is connected to the laser medium disposed inside the vacuum container via the heat conductor

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

a vacuum container accommodating the laser medium and the cooler

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectVacuum: Vacuum

Data Source

PatentEP4135133B1Laser device
Publication Date: 2025.08.06 HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS KK
  • EP4135133B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4135133B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4135133B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A laser device includes a vacuum container including a wall portion, a laser medium disposed inside the vacuum container, a cooler disposed outside the vacuum container, and a heat conductor penetrating the wall portion in a predetermined direction and connected to the laser medium and the cooler.