Laser system with isolated optical cavity

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11095084-B1
Application number	US-202016784459-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Feb 7, 2020
Priority date	Feb 7, 2019
Publication date	Aug 17, 2021
Grant date	Aug 17, 2021

Abstract

In various embodiments, laser resonator modules produce output beams via manipulation of input beams on opposite sides of the module. The input beams are emitted by one or more beam emitters that may be cooled using a liquid coolant cavity. The liquid coolant cavity may be isolated from optical elements utilized to manipulate the input beams, at least in part, by an isolation wall protruding from the base plate of the resonator module.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A laser resonator comprising:
a base plate (i) having a first side and a second side opposite the first side and (ii) surrounded by an external wall, the external wall protruding from the base plate on both the first side and the second side;
disposed on the first side of the base plate, (i) a mounting area configured to receive a plurality of beam emitters, and (ii) a first optical cavity for manipulation of beams emitted by the beam emitters;
disposed on the second side of the base plate, (i) a liquid coolant cavity disposed beneath the mounting area and configured to receive liquid coolant therewithin, (ii) a second optical cavity, and (iii) an isolation wall extending from the base plate and disposed between the liquid coolant cavity and the second optical cavity;
a fluid inlet for supplying the liquid coolant to the liquid coolant cavity; and
a fluid outlet for receiving the liquid coolant from the liquid coolant cavity; wherein the base plate defines an opening therethrough, and the second optical cavity is configured to receive beams from the first optical cavity through the opening.

2. The laser resonator of claim 1 , wherein a thickness of a first portion of the base plate disposed between the first optical cavity and the second optical cavity is greater than a thickness of a second portion of the base plate disposed between the liquid coolant cavity and the mounting area.

3. The laser resonator of claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the isolation wall is less than or approximately equal to a thickness of the external wall.

4. The laser resonator of claim 1 , wherein a height of the isolation wall is approximately equal to a height of a portion of the external wall extending from the second side of the base plate.

5. The laser resonator of claim 1 , wherein the isolation wall surrounds an entirety of a perimeter of the second optical cavity.

6. The laser resonator of claim 1 , wherein a perimeter of the liquid coolant cavity is surrounded by the isolation wall.

7. The laser resonator of claim 1 , wherein a perimeter of the liquid coolant cavity is collectively surrounded by the isolation wall and the external wall.

8. The laser resonator of claim 7 , wherein the external wall abuts one or more sides of the liquid coolant cavity, and the isolation wall abuts one or more sides of the liquid coolant cavity.

9. The laser resonator of claim 1 , further comprising a first cover plate configured to seal against a sealing path surrounding a perimeter of, and thereby enclose, the first optical cavity and the mounting area.

10. The laser resonator of claim 1 , further comprising a second cover plate configured to seal against a sealing path surrounding a perimeter of the second optical cavity, thereby enclosing the second optical cavity.

11. The laser resonator of claim 10 , wherein the second cover plate does not cover or enclose the liquid coolant cavity.

12. The laser resonator of claim 1 , further comprising, disposed within the second optical cavity, (i) a dispersive element for combining a plurality of beams into a multi-wavelength beam, and (ii) a partially reflective output coupler for receiving the multi-wavelength beam from the dispersive element, transmitting a first portion of the multi-wavelength beam as an output beam, and reflecting a second portion of the multi-wavelength beam back toward the dispersive element.

13. The laser resonator of claim 12 , wherein the dispersive element comprises a diffraction grating.

14. The laser resonator of claim 1 , further comprising the plurality of beam emitters received within the mounting area.

15. The laser resonator of claim 14 , wherein at least one of the beam emitters is a diode bar configured to emit a plurality of discrete beams.

16. The laser resonator of claim 1 , further comprising one or more optical elements disposed within the first optical cavity.

17. The laser resonator of claim 1 , further comprising one or more optical elements disposed within the second optical cavity.

18. The laser resonator of claim 1 , wherein the isolation wall and the base plate are portions of a single volume of material.

19. The laser resonator of claim 1 , wherein the isolation wall is attached to the base plate.

20. The laser resonator of claim 19 , wherein the isolation wall is attached to the base plate via at least one of an adhesive material, a solder joint, or a brazing joint.

21. The laser resonator of claim 1 , wherein the isolation wall comprises a first material, the base plate comprises a second material, and the first and second materials are the same.

22. The laser resonator of claim 1 , wherein the isolation wall comprises a first material, the base plate comprises a second material, and the first and second materials are different.

23. The laser resonator of claim 1 , further comprising a fluid reservoir configured to fit within the liquid coolant cavity and contain the liquid coolant.

Assignees

• Sauter Matthew
• Lochman Bryan
• Chann Bien
• Panasonic Ip Man Co Ltd

Inventors

• Sauter Matthew
• Lochman Bryan
• Chann Bien

Classifications

• G02B27/1086

  operating by diffraction only · CPC title

• H01S5/4087

  emitting more than one wavelength · CPC title

• H01S5/4068

  with lateral coupling by axially offset or by merging waveguides, e.g. Y-couplers · CPC title

• H01S5/4062

  with an external cavity or using internal filters, e.g. Talbot filters · CPC title

• H01S5/143

  Littman-Metcalf configuration, e.g. laser - grating - mirror · CPC title