Laser device, ignition system, and internal combustion engine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9935420-B2
Application number	US-201514869336-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 29, 2015
Priority date	Sep 30, 2014
Publication date	Apr 3, 2018
Grant date	Apr 3, 2018

Abstract

A laser device is provided including a surface emitting laser array configured to emit light, an optical system disposed in an optical path of light that is emitted from the surface emitting laser, a laser resonator which the light passed through the optical system enters, where the optical system includes a first optical element configured to collimate the light emitted from the surface emitting laser, and a second optical element configured to collect and condense the light collimated by the first optical element.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A laser device, comprising:
a surface emitting laser array configured to emit light;
an optical system disposed in an optical path of light that is emitted from the surface emitting laser, the optical system including
a first optical element configured to collimate the light emitted from the surface emitting laser, and
a second optical element configured to collect and condense the light collimated by the first optical element;

a laser resonator which the light passed through the optical system enters; and
a transmission member configured to transmit light from the second optical element to the laser resonator.

2. The laser device according to claim 1 , wherein
the surface emitting laser includes a plurality of light emitters, and
the first optical element is a microlens array including a plurality of lenses that correspond to the plurality of light emitters of the surface emitting laser.

3. The laser device according to claim 1 , wherein the laser resonator is a Q-switched laser.

4. The laser device according to claim 3 , wherein the laser resonator includes a laser medium and a saturable absorber.

5. The laser device according to claim 4 , wherein
the laser medium is a YAG crystal where Nd is doped, and
the saturable absorber is a YAG crystal where Cr is doped.

6. The laser device according to claim 4 , wherein the laser resonator is a composite crystal.

7. The laser device according to claim 1 , wherein the laser resonator is made of ceramic.

8. The laser device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
at least one optical element disposed in an optical path between the transmission member and the laser resonator.

9. The laser device according to claim 1 , wherein the transmission member is an optical fiber.

10. The laser device according to claim 9 , wherein a diameter of a core of the optical fiber is equal to or greater than 1.0 mm and less than 2.0 mm.

11. The laser device according to claim 9 , wherein a fiber output of the optical fiber is equal to or greater than 120 watts.

12. The laser device according to claim 9 , wherein an M2 value of light exiting from the optical fiber is equal to or less than 1200.

13. The laser device according to claim 1 , wherein
the surface emitting laser includes a plurality of light emitters, and
an area in which the plurality of light emitters are formed is shaped like a circle or a regular polygon with six or more angles.

14. An ignition system, comprising:
the laser device according to claim 1 ; and
a second optical system configured to collect and condense light emitted from the laser device.

15. An internal combustion engine, comprising:
the ignition system according to claim 14 , wherein
the ignition system is configured to ignite fuel to produce inflammable gas.

Assignees

• Izumiya Kazuma
• Suzudo Tsuyoshi
• Jikutani Naoto
• Higashi Yasuhiro
• Hagita Kentaroh
• Numata Masayuki
• Arai Nobuyuki
• Ricoh Co Ltd

Inventors

• Izumiya Kazuma
• Suzudo Tsuyoshi
• Jikutani Naoto
• Higashi Yasuhiro
• Hagita Kentaroh
• Numata Masayuki
• Arai Nobuyuki

Classifications

• H01S5/005

  Optical components external to the laser cavity, specially adapted therefor, e.g. for homogenisation or merging of the beams or for manipulating laser pulses, e.g. pulse shaping (H01S5/026, H01S5/18388 take precedence) · CPC title

• H01S5/423

  having a vertical cavity · CPC title

• H01S3/094053

  Fibre coupled pump, e.g. delivering pump light using a fibre or a fibre bundle · CPC title

• H01S3/0627

  the resonator being monolithic, e.g. microlaser · CPC title

• H01S3/094049

  Guiding of the pump light · CPC title