Laser module and laser system including the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11515681-B2
Application number	US-201916509860-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 12, 2019
Priority date	Jul 12, 2018
Publication date	Nov 29, 2022
Grant date	Nov 29, 2022

Abstract

Provided is a laser module that receives a first laser beam and outputs a second laser beam different from the first laser beam, the laser module including an optical system configured to modulate the first laser beam into the second laser beam and output the second laser beam, a first mirror disposed on an optical path of the first or second laser beam defined in the laser module, the first mirror reflecting the first laser beam to the optical system, a first sensor disposed adjacent to the first mirror and configured to sense the first laser beam incident to the first mirror, a second mirror disposed on the optical path to reflect the second laser beam to an outside of the laser module, and a first driver connected to the second mirror and configured to rotate the second mirror.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A laser module, which receives a first laser beam and outputs a second laser beam different from the first laser beam, the laser module comprising:
an optical system configured to modulate the first laser beam into the second laser beam and output the second laser beam;
a first mirror disposed on an optical path of the first laser beam defined in the laser module, the first mirror reflecting the first laser beam to the optical system;
a first sensor disposed adjacent to the first mirror and configured to sense a position corresponding to where the first laser beam is incident to the first mirror;
a second mirror disposed on the optical path to reflect the second laser beam to an outside of the laser module;
a first driver connected to the second mirror and configured to rotate the second mirror, and
a second driver connected to the first mirror and configured to rotate the first mirror.

2. The laser module of claim 1 , wherein the optical system includes at least one among a pulse stretcher, an amplifier, or a pulse compressor.

3. The laser module of claim 1 , wherein the second laser beam is different from the first laser module in at least one among a pulse width, a pulse spectrum, intensity, or a polarization direction.

4. The laser module of claim 1 , further comprising:
a control unit connected to the first sensor and configured to receive a sensing signal for the first laser beam from the first sensor to generate a driving signal.

5. A laser module of claim 4 , further comprising:
a first terminal connected to the control unit; and
a second terminal connected to the first driver.

6. The laser module of claim 1 , wherein the first mirror includes a semi-transmissive mirror, and
the first sensor includes a charge-coupled element configured to sense a portion of the first laser beam penetrating through the first mirror.

7. The laser module of claim 1 , further comprising:
a third mirror disposed behind the first mirror on the optical path; and
a second sensor disposed adjacent to the third mirror to sense the first laser beam incident to the third mirror.

8. The laser module of claim 1 , further comprising:
a third mirror disposed behind the first mirror on the optical path;
a second sensor disposed adjacent to the third mirror and configured to sense the first laser beam incident to the third mirror; and
a control unit configured to receive a sensing signal for the first laser beam from the second sensor and provide the second driver with a driving signal.

9. A laser system comprising:
a first laser module; and
a second laser module configured to receive a laser beam from the first laser module,
wherein the first laser module comprises:
a first optical system configured to output a first laser beam;
a first mirror configured to reflect the first laser beam to the second laser module; and
a first driver coupled to the first mirror so as to rotate the first mirror, and

wherein the second laser module comprises:
a second optical system configured to receive the first laser beam and output a second laser beam different from the first laser beam;
a second mirror configured to reflect the first laser beam towards the second optical system; and
a sensor disposed adjacent to the second mirror and configured to sense a position corresponding to where the second laser beam is incident to the second mirror.

10. The laser system of claim 9 , wherein the second laser module further comprises a control unit connected to the sensor and the first driver.

11. The laser system of claim 10 , wherein the control unit is configured to receive a sensing signal for the first laser beam from the sensor to thereby provide the first driver with a driving signal.

12. The laser system of claim 11 , wherein the sensing signal includes at least one among information on whether the second mirror is irradiated with the first laser beam and information on a position at which the first laser beam is irradiated on a third mirror.

13. The laser system of claim 9 , wherein the first optical system includes at least one among an oscillator, a pulse stretcher, an amplifier, or a pulse compressor.

14. The laser system of claim 9 , wherein the second laser beam is different from the first laser beam in at least one among a pulse width, a pulse spectrum, intensity or a polarization direction.

15. The laser system of claim 9 , wherein the second laser module includes a third mirror configured to reflect the second laser beam to an outside of the second module and a second driver coupled to the third mirror so as to rotate the third mirror.

16. The laser system of claim 9 , wherein the second mirror includes a semi-transmissive mirror, and the sensor includes a charge-coupled element configured to sense the first laser beam penetrating through the second mirror.

17. The laser system of claim 9 , wherein the first laser module includes a first terminal connected to the first driver,
the second laser module includes a control unit connected to the first driver and a second terminal connected to the control unit, and
the first terminal and the second terminal are connected to each other so as to connect the control unit and the first driver.

18. The laser module of claim 1 , wherein the first sensor includes a camera module disposed to view a front surface of the first mirror.

Assignees

• Electronics & Telecommunications Res Inst

Inventors

• Cho Won Bae
• Jung Moon Youn

Classifications

• G02B27/0955

  Lenses (lenses per se G02B3/00) · CPC title

• H01S3/0071

  Beam steering, e.g. whereby a mirror outside the cavity is present to change the beam direction · CPC title

• G02B27/0977

  Reflective elements · CPC title

• H01S3/0085

  Modulating the output, i.e. the laser beam is modulated outside the laser cavity · CPC title

• H01S3/2308

  Amplifier arrangements, e.g. MOPA · CPC title