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WO2025147289A2 - Ensemble laser avec réseau de lentilles décalé et coupleur de sortie à insensibilité angulaire - Google Patents

Ensemble laser avec réseau de lentilles décalé et coupleur de sortie à insensibilité angulaire Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2025147289A2
WO2025147289A2 PCT/US2024/034860 US2024034860W WO2025147289A2 WO 2025147289 A2 WO2025147289 A2 WO 2025147289A2 US 2024034860 W US2024034860 W US 2024034860W WO 2025147289 A2 WO2025147289 A2 WO 2025147289A2
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
emitter
axis
lens
laser
assembly
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Pending
Application number
PCT/US2024/034860
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Alexander Jason Whitmore
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Daylight Solutions Inc
Original Assignee
Daylight Solutions Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Daylight Solutions Inc filed Critical Daylight Solutions Inc
Publication of WO2025147289A2 publication Critical patent/WO2025147289A2/fr
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Pending legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01S—DEVICES USING THE PROCESS OF LIGHT AMPLIFICATION BY STIMULATED EMISSION OF RADIATION [LASER] TO AMPLIFY OR GENERATE LIGHT; DEVICES USING STIMULATED EMISSION OF ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION IN WAVE RANGES OTHER THAN OPTICAL
    • H01S5/00—Semiconductor lasers
    • H01S5/40—Arrangement of two or more semiconductor lasers, not provided for in groups H01S5/02 - H01S5/30
    • H01S5/4025—Array arrangements, e.g. constituted by discrete laser diodes or laser bar
    • H01S5/4087—Array arrangements, e.g. constituted by discrete laser diodes or laser bar emitting more than one wavelength
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
    • G02B19/00—Condensers, e.g. light collectors or similar non-imaging optics
    • G02B19/0033—Condensers, e.g. light collectors or similar non-imaging optics characterised by the use
    • G02B19/0047—Condensers, e.g. light collectors or similar non-imaging optics characterised by the use for use with a light source
    • G02B19/0052—Condensers, e.g. light collectors or similar non-imaging optics characterised by the use for use with a light source the light source comprising a laser diode
    • G02B19/0057—Condensers, e.g. light collectors or similar non-imaging optics characterised by the use for use with a light source the light source comprising a laser diode in the form of a laser diode array, e.g. laser diode bar
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01S—DEVICES USING THE PROCESS OF LIGHT AMPLIFICATION BY STIMULATED EMISSION OF RADIATION [LASER] TO AMPLIFY OR GENERATE LIGHT; DEVICES USING STIMULATED EMISSION OF ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION IN WAVE RANGES OTHER THAN OPTICAL
    • H01S3/00—Lasers, i.e. devices using stimulated emission of electromagnetic radiation in the infrared, visible or ultraviolet wave range
    • H01S3/05—Construction or shape of optical resonators; Accommodation of active medium therein; Shape of active medium
    • H01S3/08—Construction or shape of optical resonators or components thereof
    • H01S3/08059—Constructional details of the reflector, e.g. shape
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01S—DEVICES USING THE PROCESS OF LIGHT AMPLIFICATION BY STIMULATED EMISSION OF RADIATION [LASER] TO AMPLIFY OR GENERATE LIGHT; DEVICES USING STIMULATED EMISSION OF ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION IN WAVE RANGES OTHER THAN OPTICAL
    • H01S5/00—Semiconductor lasers
    • H01S5/02—Structural details or components not essential to laser action
    • H01S5/024—Arrangements for thermal management
    • H01S5/02407—Active cooling, e.g. the laser temperature is controlled by a thermo-electric cooler or water cooling
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01S—DEVICES USING THE PROCESS OF LIGHT AMPLIFICATION BY STIMULATED EMISSION OF RADIATION [LASER] TO AMPLIFY OR GENERATE LIGHT; DEVICES USING STIMULATED EMISSION OF ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION IN WAVE RANGES OTHER THAN OPTICAL
    • H01S5/00—Semiconductor lasers
    • H01S5/40—Arrangement of two or more semiconductor lasers, not provided for in groups H01S5/02 - H01S5/30
    • H01S5/4012—Beam combining, e.g. by the use of fibres, gratings, polarisers, prisms
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01S—DEVICES USING THE PROCESS OF LIGHT AMPLIFICATION BY STIMULATED EMISSION OF RADIATION [LASER] TO AMPLIFY OR GENERATE LIGHT; DEVICES USING STIMULATED EMISSION OF ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION IN WAVE RANGES OTHER THAN OPTICAL
    • H01S5/00—Semiconductor lasers
    • H01S5/40—Arrangement of two or more semiconductor lasers, not provided for in groups H01S5/02 - H01S5/30
    • H01S5/4025—Array arrangements, e.g. constituted by discrete laser diodes or laser bar
    • H01S5/4031—Edge-emitting structures
    • H01S5/4062—Edge-emitting structures with an external cavity or using internal filters, e.g. Talbot filters
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01S—DEVICES USING THE PROCESS OF LIGHT AMPLIFICATION BY STIMULATED EMISSION OF RADIATION [LASER] TO AMPLIFY OR GENERATE LIGHT; DEVICES USING STIMULATED EMISSION OF ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION IN WAVE RANGES OTHER THAN OPTICAL
    • H01S5/00—Semiconductor lasers
    • H01S5/02—Structural details or components not essential to laser action
    • H01S5/022—Mountings; Housings
    • H01S5/0235—Method for mounting laser chips
    • H01S5/02355—Fixing laser chips on mounts
    • H01S5/0237—Fixing laser chips on mounts by soldering
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01S—DEVICES USING THE PROCESS OF LIGHT AMPLIFICATION BY STIMULATED EMISSION OF RADIATION [LASER] TO AMPLIFY OR GENERATE LIGHT; DEVICES USING STIMULATED EMISSION OF ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION IN WAVE RANGES OTHER THAN OPTICAL
    • H01S5/00—Semiconductor lasers
    • H01S5/40—Arrangement of two or more semiconductor lasers, not provided for in groups H01S5/02 - H01S5/30
    • H01S5/4025—Array arrangements, e.g. constituted by discrete laser diodes or laser bar
    • H01S5/4031—Edge-emitting structures

Definitions

  • Laser assemblies can be used in many fields such as, Lidar, medical diagnostics, pollution monitoring, leak detection, analytical instruments, homeland security, remote chemical sensing, industrial process control, and jamming of heatseeking missiles.
  • Manufacturers are always searching for ways to reduce cost, reduce form factor, improve efficiency, improve beam quality, and improve power output of these laser assemblies.
  • the laser assembly can include: (i) an emitter array having a first emitter that generates a first emitter beam along a first emitter axis, and a second emitter that generates a second emitter beam along a second emitter axis, wherein the first emitter axis and the second emitter axis are spaced apart a first emitter separation distance; and (ii) a lens array including a first lens that colliminates the first emitter beam, and a second lens that colliminates the second emitter beam, wherein the first lens has a first lens axis and the second lens has a second lens axis, and wherein the first lens axis and the second lens axis are spaced apart a first lens separation distance that is different from the first emitter separation distance.
  • Figure 2A is a simplified illustration of another embodiment of a laser assembly
  • FIG. 3 is a simplified illustration of still another embodiment of a laser assembly
  • Figure 4 is a simplified illustration of yet another embodiment of a laser assembly
  • Figure 5A is a simplified illustration of a non-exclusive implementation of an output coupler
  • Figure 5B is a simplified illustration of a portion of the output coupler of Figure 5A;
  • Figure 6A is a simplified illustration of another, non-exclusive implementation of an output coupler
  • Figure 6B is a simplified illustration of a portion of the output coupler of Figure 6A;
  • Figure 7A is a simplified illustration of still another, non-exclusive implementation of an output coupler
  • Figure 7B is a simplified illustration of a portion of the output coupler of Figure 7A.
  • the plurality of emitters 18 are organized in an emitter array 34, and the plurality of lenses 22 are organized in a lens array 21 .
  • the lens array 21 can be offset from the emitter array 34.
  • the emitters 18 of the emitter array 34 are arranged to have an emitter pitch
  • the lenses 22 of the lens array 21 are arranged to have a lens pitch
  • the lens pitch is different from the emitter pitch.
  • the emitter array 34 and the lens array 21 can be designed and positioned so that the individual laser beams 20 are directed to spatially overlap onto a combiner focal plane 24A of the beam combiner 24 without any intermediary optical components.
  • the output coupler 26 can be uniquely designed to be optomechanically, angularly insensitive to the position of the output coupler 26 relative to the multispectral beams about at least two axes. This reduces the requirement to obtain and maintain the alignment of the output coupler 26, the emitter array 34, the lens array 21 , and/or the beam combiner 24.
  • the beam combiner 24 can be a diffraction grating that allows the laser assembly 10 to be angularaly insensitivity. As a result thereof, the laser assembly 10 can to be made less expensively, with improved quality of the assembly output beam 12, and improved stability and power of the assembly output beam 12.
  • multiple emitters 18, each generating a separate emitter beam 20 having relatively moderate output power can be combined into a multi-Watt module configuration that offers many practical benefits. For example, a lower per-facet intensity of each emitter 18 translates into lower thermal stress on the individual emitters 18, providing more long term system reliability. In addition, emitters 18 with lower power requirements can be manufactured with much higher yields, providing a dependable supply at lower costs. Further, the combined beams provide more power while preserving good spatial quality.
  • the optical power of the assembly output beam 12 can be changed by changing the number of emitters 18 used in the laser subassembly 14.
  • the design of laser assembly 10 can be easily adjusted to add or remove emitters 18 based on the desired output power of the assembly output beam 12.
  • the laser assembly 10 can be designed so that the assembly output beam 12 has an optical power of between five to fifty watts.
  • the laser assembly 10 can be designed so that the assembly output beam 12 has an optical power of at least five, ten, fifteen, twenty, twenty-five, thirty, thirty-five, forty, forty-five, fifty, sixty, eighty, or one hundred watts.
  • optical powers of less than five, or greater than one hundred watts are possible.
  • the resulting assembly output beam 12 is made up of the plurality of individual emitter beams 20 that are collimated and directed by the beam combiner 22 to co-propagate, and be coaxial with each other along an output axis 12A.
  • the term “combines” as used in regards to the assembly output beam 12 shall mean (i) that the beams are directed substantially parallel to one another (i.e, the beams travel along substantially parallel axes), and/or (ii) that the beams are fully or partly spatially overlapping.
  • the assembly output beam 12 will be multispectral because each of the individual emitters 18 is lasing at a different center wavenumber as a result of the arrangement of the laser assembly 10.
  • the laser assembly 10 is designed so that the assembly output beam 12 has a relatively small spectral width.
  • the laser assembly 10 is designed so that the assembly output beam 12 has a spectral width of less than 0.025, 0.05, 0.1 , 0.2, 0.3, 0.5, 0.75, 1 , or 1 .5 microns.
  • a ten emitter 18 design could achieve a spectral width of less than 0.1 microns, while a twenty emitter 18 design could achieve a spectral width of less than 0.2 microns.
  • the designs described herein provide the following benefits: (i) getting more power into the output beam 12 while preserving good spatial quality; (ii) getting high power out of the laser assembly 10 with a relatively small footprint; and/or (iii) providing different frequency pulses of light that travel down the same output axis 12A (at the same time or at different times depending on how the emitters 18 are controlled).
  • a number of Figures include an orientation system that illustrates an X axis, a Y axis that is orthogonal to the X axis and a Z axis that is orthogonal to the X and Y axes. It should be noted that these axes can also be referred to as the first, second and third axes.
  • the laser frame 14 is rigid, thermally stable, supports the other components of the laser assembly 10, and maintains the precise alignment of the components of the laser assembly 10.
  • the laser frame 14 is illustrated as a flat plate.
  • the laser frame 14 can be a sealed or unsealed housing that encircles and provides a controlled environment for the other components of the laser assembly 10.
  • the laser frame 14 can include a window (not shown) for the assembly output beam 12 to exit the laser frame 14.
  • the laser frame 14 can be filled with an inert gas, or another type of fluid, or the sealed chamber can be subjected to a vacuum.
  • desiccant or another drying agent can be positioned in the laser frame 14 to trap gases that could absorb laser emissions, cause corrosion, and/or to cause condensation.
  • the laser subassembly 16 includes a common laser mount 38, the plurality of emitters 18, and the plurality of lenses 22.
  • the laser mount 38 retains and secures the emitters 18 and the lenses 22 to the laser frame 14.
  • the laser mount 38 includes a mounting base 38A and a thermally conductive sub-mount 38B.
  • the mounting base 38A is rigid, generally rectangular shaped, and includes a plurality of embedded base passageways 38C, e.g. micro-channels (only a portion is illustrated in phantom) that allow for the circulation of a circulation fluid (not shown) through the mounting base 38A.
  • suitable materials for the mounting base 38A include copper, Glidcop, Molybdenum-Copper (MoCu), molybdenum, copper tungsten (CuW), aluminum, and aluminum nitride (ALN).
  • the sub-mount 38B retains the multiple emitters 18 and secures the emitters 18 to the mounting base 38A. Additionally, in certain designs, the sub-mount 38B can electrically isolate the emitters 18 from the mounting base 38A.
  • the sub-mount 38B is rectangular plate shaped and is made of rigid material that has a relatively high thermal conductivity to act as a conductive heat spreader. In one non-exclusive embodiment, the sub-mount 38B has a thermal conductivity of at least approximately 170 watts/meter K. With this design, in addition to rigidly supporting the emitters 18, the sub-mount 38B also readily transfers heat away from the emitters 18 to the mounting base 38A.
  • the sub-mount 38B can be fabricated from a single, integral piece of copper, copper-tungsten (CuW), copper-moly, molybdenium, aluminum-nitride (AIN), beryllium oxide (BeO), diamond, silicon carbide (SiC), or other material having a sufficiently high thermal conductivity.
  • CuW copper-tungsten
  • AIN aluminum-nitride
  • BeO beryllium oxide
  • SiC silicon carbide
  • the material used for the sub-mount 38B can be selected so that its coefficient of thermal expansion matches the coefficient of thermal expansion of the emitters 18.
  • the length of the external cavity for each emitter 18 is slightly different.
  • each emitter 18 will lase at a different center wavenumber, even if the characteristics of each of the emitters 18 are identical.
  • the first emitter beam 20A, the second emitter beam 20B, the third emitter beam 20C, the fourth emitter beam 20D, the fifth emitter beam 20E, and the emitter laser beam 20F will each lase at a different center wavenumber.
  • the specific center wavenumber of the emitter beam 20 generated by each emitter 18 is tied to an angle of incidence 56 (illustrated in Figure 1C) of its respective collimated beam 50A-50F on the beam combiner 24.
  • the angle of incidence of each collimated beam 50A-50F on the beam combiner 24 is tied to emitter pitch and the lens pitch.
  • each laser beam returning from the beam combiner 24 will be at a different return angle based on wavenumber, these angles being, by wavenumber, the same as the incident angles.
  • the wavenumber-distinct optical feedback to each of the individual emitters creates the lowest-loss condition for that emitter thereby driving the individual emitter 18 to resonate (“lase”) at that wavenumber.
  • each emitter 18 in combination with the external optics comprises a laser lasing with a center wavenumber dictated by geometry, and specifically dictated by the position of the individual emitter 18 and its corresponding lens 22 within the array.
  • each emitter beam of the assembly output beam 212 in the far field is diverging along the X axis and is collimated along the Y axis.
  • the assembly output beam 212 will have a somewhat rectangular profile. This beam configuration can be useful for a LIDAR application or another application.
  • the lens array 221 can be designed to achieve the desired profile of the assembly output beam 212.
  • Figure 7B is a simplified illustration of a front view of the partially refective surfaces 726lb, 726lc with the combination beam 758 directed thereon.
  • the combination beam 758 is distribued on the partially refective surfaces 726lb, 726I and thus are subjected to low power intensity on the coatings.
  • the heat from the combination beam 658 is more distributed.
  • FIG. 8 a central combination beam axis 858A of the combination beam 858; an output axis 812A of the output beam 812; and a central, coupler axis 826C of the output coupler 826 are also illustrated.
  • the output coupler 826 is precisely aligned with the comination beam 858.
  • the coupler coupler axis 826C is coaxial with the central combination beam axis 858A and the output axis 812A.

Landscapes

  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Optics & Photonics (AREA)
  • Electromagnetism (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Condensed Matter Physics & Semiconductors (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Plasma & Fusion (AREA)
  • Semiconductor Lasers (AREA)

Abstract

Un ensemble laser (10) comprend un réseau d'émetteurs (34) et un réseau de lentilles (36). Le réseau d'émetteurs (34) comprend un premier émetteur (18A) qui génère un premier faisceau d'émetteur (20A) le long d'un premier axe d'émetteur (44A), et un second émetteur (18B) qui génère un second faisceau d'émetteur (20B) le long d'un second axe d'émetteur (44B). Le premier axe d'émetteur (44A) et le second axe d'émetteur (44B) sont espacés d'une première distance de séparation d'émetteurs (42a). Le réseau de lentilles (36) comprend une première lentille (22A) qui collimate le premier faisceau d'émetteur (20A), et une seconde lentille (22B) qui collimate le second faisceau d'émetteur (20B). La première lentille (22A) a un premier axe de lentille (48A) et la seconde lentille (22B) a un second axe de lentille (48B). Le premier axe de lentille (48A) et le second axe de lentille (48B) sont espacés d'une première distance de séparation de lentilles (46a) qui est différente de la première distance de séparation d'émetteurs (42a).
PCT/US2024/034860 2023-06-23 2024-06-20 Ensemble laser avec réseau de lentilles décalé et coupleur de sortie à insensibilité angulaire Pending WO2025147289A2 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US202363509866P 2023-06-23 2023-06-23
US63/509,866 2023-06-23

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2025147289A2 true WO2025147289A2 (fr) 2025-07-10

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PCT/US2024/034860 Pending WO2025147289A2 (fr) 2023-06-23 2024-06-20 Ensemble laser avec réseau de lentilles décalé et coupleur de sortie à insensibilité angulaire

Country Status (1)

Country Link
WO (1) WO2025147289A2 (fr)

Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20210351571A1 (en) 2018-01-09 2021-11-11 Daylight Solutions, Inc. Laser assembly with beam combining

Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20210351571A1 (en) 2018-01-09 2021-11-11 Daylight Solutions, Inc. Laser assembly with beam combining

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