Crystal mount for laser application

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9841654-B2
Application number	US-201615173330-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 3, 2016
Priority date	Sep 19, 2014
Publication date	Dec 12, 2017
Grant date	Dec 12, 2017

Abstract

An optical crystal can be mounted to a mounting block configured to receive the crystal. A base portion on the mounting block utilizes two walls forming a corner and a single biasing spring clip to secure the crystal. The spring clip applies forces in two different directions substantially orthogonal to the two walls. The spring clip is based off a symmetrical geometry which applies nearly the same force application in both directions. The spring also features bend regions that contact the crystal in such a way as to reduce the presence of point loads or stress risers. The length of contact along the crystal is maximized, allowing for proper force distribution and a sufficient surface are contact for static holding capabilities.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus, comprising:
a) a body comprising:
a receptacle for receiving a crystal, the receptacle extending in the longitudinal direction, the receptacle comprising a first wall extending in the longitudinal direction and a second wall extending in the longitudinal direction, the first wall and the second wall being substantially perpendicular to one another to form a corner region extending in the longitudinal direction;

b) one or more spring clips securable to the body configured to exert forces on two different faces of a crystal to push the crystal into a corner of the receptacle, wherein the one or more spring clips include a spring clip having
a first bend region extending in the longitudinal direction;
a second bend region extending in the longitudinal direction, wherein the first bend region is connected to the second bend region;

a first leaf region connected to the first bend region, the first leaf region extending laterally away from the first bend region;
a second leaf region connected to the second bend region, the second leaf region extending laterally away from the second bend region.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first leaf region terminates in a first hooked portion configured to be received in a slot in the body.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the second leaf region terminates in a second hooked portion configured to be secured over a lip portion of the body.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the receptacle is disposed between the lip portion and the slot.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a longitudinally extending crystal disposed in the receptacle.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 ,
wherein the longitudinally extending crystal includes four faces, each of the four faces extending in the longitudinal direction, a first face of the four faces being perpendicular to a second face of the four faces, a third face of the four faces being perpendicular to a fourth face of the four faces, the first face being parallel to the third face, and the second face being parallel to the fourth face;
the first bend region of the spring clip being tensioned against the first face of the crystal to press the third face of the crystal in contact with the first wall;
the second bend region of the spring clip being tensioned against the second face of the crystal to press the fourth face of the crystal in contact with the second wall.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein
the first bend region is tensioned against the first face of the crystal in a direction substantially orthogonal to the first wall; and
wherein the second bend region being tensioned against the second face of the crystal in a direction substantially orthogonal to the second wall.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 ,
wherein the longitudinally extending crystal having a rectangular cross section in a transverse plane that is transverse to the longitudinal direction.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more spring clips include two or more spring clips.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more spring clips include a single spring clip.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the single spring clip is configured to secure the crystal to the body by exerting nearly equal forces on the crystal in orthogonal directions to urge the crystal toward the corner region.

12. A wavelength-converted laser system comprising:
a laser system configured to emit a laser beam;
optics configured to couple the laser beam to at least one non-linear optical crystal of a set of one or more non-linear optical crystals; and
an apparatus for retaining the at least one optical crystal, the apparatus comprising:
a) a body having a receptacle for receiving a crystal, the receptacle extending in the longitudinal direction, the receptacle comprising a first wall extending in the longitudinal direction and a second wall extending in the longitudinal direction, the first wall and the second wall being substantially perpendicular to one another to form a corner region extending in the longitudinal direction; and
b) one or more spring clips securable to the body configured to exert forces on two different faces of the at least one non-linear optical crystal to push the at least one non-linear optical crystal into a corner of the receptacle, the one or more spring clips include a spring clip having
a first bend region extending in the longitudinal direction; a first leaf region connected to the first bend region, the first leaf region extending laterally away from the first bend region; a second bend region connected to the first bend region and extending in the longitudinal direction; a second leaf region connected to the second bend region, the second leaf region extending laterally away from the second bend region, wherein the spring clip is configured to be secured to the body and secure the at least one non-linear optical crystal in the receptacle.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the first leaf region terminates in a first hooked portion configured to be received in a slot in the body.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the second leaf region terminates in a second hooked portion configured to be secured over a lip portion of the body.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the receptacle is disposed between the lip portion and the slot.

16. The system of claim 12 , further comprising the at least one non-linear optical crystal.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the at least one non-linear optical crystal comprises four faces, each of the four faces extending in the longitudinal direction, a first face of the four faces being perpendicular to a second face of the four faces, a third face of the four faces being perpendicular to a fourth face of the four faces, the first face being parallel to the third face, and the second face being parallel to the fourth face;
wherein the first bend region of the spring clip is tensioned against the first face of the at least one non-linear optical crystal to press the third face of the crystal in contact with the first wall;
wherein the second bend region of the spring clip is tensioned against the second face of the at least one non-linear optical crystal to press the fourth face of the crystal in contact with the second wall.

18. The system of claim 17 ,
wherein the first bend region is tensioned against the first face of the at least one non-linear optical crystal in a direction substantially orthogonal to the first wall;
wherein the second bend region is tensioned against the second face of the at least one non-linear optical crystal in a direction substantially orthogonal to the second wall.

19. The system of claim 16 , wherein the at least one non-linear optical crystal has a rectangular cross section in a transverse plane that is transverse to the longitudinal direction.

20. The system of claim 12 , wherein the one or more spring clips include two or more spring clips.

21. The system of claim 12 , wherein the one or more spring clips include a single spring clip securable to the body.

22. The system of claim 21 , wherein the single spring clip is configured to secure the crystal to the body by exerting nearly equal forces on the crystal in orthogonal directions to urge the crystal toward the corner region.

23. The system of claim 12 wherein the laser system includes a seed source and a fiber amplifier optically coupled to the seed source.

24. A

Assignees

• Ipg Photonics Corp

Inventors

• Swanbeck Daniel
• Byer Mark W
• Martinez Manuel

Classifications

• H01S3/109

  Frequency multiplication, e.g. harmonic generation · CPC title

• H01S3/10007

  in optical amplifiers · CPC title

• H01S3/094003

  the pumped medium being a fibre · CPC title

• H01S3/06758

  Tandem amplifiers · CPC title

• H01S3/0092

  Nonlinear frequency conversion, e.g. second harmonic generation [SHG] or sum- or difference-frequency generation outside the laser cavity (nonlinear frequency conversion per se G02F1/35) · CPC title