Laser systems and optical devices for manipulating laser beams

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11526001-B2
Application number	US-201916557384-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 30, 2019
Priority date	Apr 4, 2008
Publication date	Dec 13, 2022
Grant date	Dec 13, 2022

Abstract

Various embodiments of a multi-laser system are disclosed. In some embodiments, the multi-laser system includes a plurality of lasers, a plurality of laser beams, a beam positioning system, a thermally stable enclosure, and a temperature controller. The thermally stable enclosure is substantially made of a material with high thermal conductivity such as at least 5 W/(m K). The thermally stable enclosure can help maintain alignment of the laser beams to a target object over a range of ambient temperatures. Various embodiments of an optical system for directing light for optical measurements such laser-induced fluorescence and spectroscopic analysis are disclosed. In some embodiments, the optical system includes a thermally conductive housing and a thermoelectric controller, a plurality of optical fibers, and one or more optical elements to direct light emitted by the optical fibers to illuminate a flow cell. The housing is configured to attach to a flow cell.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An optic system comprising:
a first lens for receiving a laser beam having a Gaussian beam profile;
a Powell lens configured to convert said laser beam that has a Gaussian beam profile into a laser beam having a flat top intensity distribution and an elongated cross-section orthogonal to propagation of the beam, said elongated cross-section having a length in a first direction that is longer than in a second orthogonal direction;
a second lens configured to collimate said laser beam at least in one direction;
a translation stage configured to receive a control signal that drives movement of said translation stage,
wherein said Powell lens is coupled to the translation stage such that the Powell lens can be translated with respect to said first and second lens in response to said control signal, and
wherein:
the first lens is a cylindrical lens; or
the second lens is a cylindrical lens; or
the first lens, the Powell lens, the second lens, and the translation stage are located inside an enclosure configured to mechanically couple to a target object.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first lens, the Powell lens, the second lens, and the translation stage are located inside the enclosure configured to mechanically couple to the target object.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the target object comprises a flow cell.

4. The system of claim 2 , wherein the target object comprises an optical fiber.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first lens is a cylindrical lens.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second lens is a cylindrical lens.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first lens is a cylindrical lens, wherein the second lens is a cylindrical lens, and wherein the first lens, the Powell lens, the second lens, and the translation stage are located inside the enclosure configured to mechanically couple to the target object.

8. An optic system comprising:
a first lens for receiving a laser beam having a Gaussian beam profile;
a Powell lens configured to convert said laser beam that has a Gaussian beam profile into a laser beam having a flat top intensity distribution and an elongated cross-section orthogonal to propagation of the beam, said elongated cross-section having a length in a first direction that is longer than in a second orthogonal direction;
a second lens configured to collimate said laser beam at least in one direction;
a translation stage configured to receive a control signal that drives movement of said translation stage,
wherein said Powell lens is coupled to the translation stage such that the Powell lens can be translated with respect to said first and second lens in response to said control signal.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the first lens is a negative lens and the second lens is a positive lens.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the translation stage is configured to translate the Powell lens in a longitudinal direction either closer to the first lens and farther from the second lens or farther from the first lens and closer to the second lens in response to said control signal.

11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the translation stage is configured to translate the Powell lens in a lateral direction in response to said control signal to adjust angular direction of the laser beam to reduce boresight error, and/or to adjust the centration of the converted laser beam, and/or to adjust an intensity profile of an output flat top line beam.

12. The system of claim 8 , wherein the translation stage comprises at least one actuator configured to move said translator in response to said control signal.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein said actuator comprises a motor.

14. The system of claim 8 , further comprising a detector disposed to receive said laser beam after being output by said group of first and second lenses having the Powell lens therebetween, said detector disposed to receive an image of the cross-sectional shape and intensity distribution of the laser beam.

15. The system of claim 14 , further comprising a beam splitter that receives said laser beam and splits said laser beam into at least one beam that is directed to said detector.

16. The system of claim 8 , further comprising a control system including an image processing unit, wherein the control system is configured to provide the control signal to adjust translation of the translation stage based on analysis by the image processing unit of the image received by the detector.

17. The system of claim 8 , further comprising a control system configured to receive input from a user, wherein the control system is configured to provide the control signal to adjust translation of the translation stage based on the input from the user.

18. The system of claim 17 , further comprising a detector disposed to receive said laser beam after being output by said group of first and second lenses having the Powell lens therebetween, said detector disposed to receive an image of the cross-sectional shape and intensity distribution of the laser beam.

19. The system of claim 17 , further comprising a display configured to display a representation of an image of the cross-sectional shape and/or intensity distribution of the laser beam for said user to view to determine whether the translation stage is to be translated.

Assignees

• Idex Health & Science Llc

Inventors

• Hargis David E
• O'Shaughnessy John

Classifications

• H01S3/027

  comprising a special atmosphere inside the housing · CPC title

• G02B27/141

  using dichroic mirrors · CPC title

• H01S3/0405

  Conductive cooling, e.g. by heat sinks or thermo-electric elements · CPC title

• G02B27/30

  Collimators · CPC title

• H01S3/0071

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