Laser Device

Abstract

A laser device comprising a plurality of laser diodes (3) arranged at least partially side by side in a first direction (X), wherein, in operation of the laser device, light (21) emanates from the laser diodes (3), an optical fiber (15) into which the light (21) emanating from the laser diodes (3) can be coupled, an optical device which, during operation of the laser device, combines the light (21) emanating from the laser diodes (3), so that the light (21) of a plurality of laser diodes (3) can be coupled at least partially together into the optical fiber (15), the beam parameter product of the laser diodes (3) with respect to the direction in which the laser diodes (3) are arranged next to one another being greater than the beam parameter product of the optical fiber (15).

Claims

1. Laser device, comprising a plurality of laser diodes which are at least partially arranged side by side in a first direction (X), light emitted from the laser diodes when the laser device is in operation an optical fiber into which the light emitted from the laser diodes can be coupled an optical structure which, during operation of the laser device, combines the light emitted from the laser diodes, so that the light from a plurality of laser diodes can be coupled into the optical fiber at least partially together, characterized in that the beam parameter product of the laser diodes with respect to the direction in which the laser diodes are arranged next to one another is greater than the beam parameter product of the optical fiber.

2. Laser structure according to claim 1, characterized in that the laser device comprises two groups of laser diodes, each comprising a plurality of laser diodes, wherein the laser diodes of a first of the two groups being arranged next to one another in the first direction (X), and the laser diodes of the second of the two groups being arranged next to one another in a second direction (Y) which is different from the first direction (X), in particular being perpendicular to the first direction (X).

3. Laser structure according to claim 1, characterized in that the laser structure comprises a transformation device which, during operation of the laser structure, splits the combined light of a plurality of laser diodes, in particular of all laser diodes, into at least two parts in the first and/or the second direction (X, Y) and arranges these two parts next to one another in a third direction (Z) which is aligned in particular perpendicular to the first and/or the second direction (X, Y).

4. Laser structure according to claim 3, characterized in that the transformation device comprises a plurality of plane-parallel plates and/or at least one telescope, in particular at least one Galilean telescope.

5. Laser structure according to claim 1, characterized in that the row of laser diodes formed by the laser diodes of the first group and the row of laser diodes formed by the laser diodes of the second group cross each other.

6. Laser structure according to claim 1, characterized in that the beam parameter product of the laser diodes with respect to the direction in which the laser diodes are arranged side by side is at least twice as large as the beam parameter product of the light guide.

7. Laser structure according to claim 1, characterized in that the direction in which the laser diodes are arranged side by side corresponds to the slow-axis direction of the laser diodes.

8. Laser structure according to claim 1, characterized in that the laser structure comprises slow-axis collimating lenses and/or fast-axis collimating lenses for the light emitted by the laser diodes.

9. Laser structure according to claim 1, characterized in that the optical structure comprises a plurality of mirrors, each of the laser diodes being assigned a mirror in such a way that the light emitted from the respective laser diode is reflected by the assigned mirror during operation of the laser device in such a way that the propagation direction of the light changes, in particular changes by about 90°.

10. Laser structure according to claim 9, characterized in that the laser device is designed in such a way that the incident areas of the light of individual, in particular all, laser diodes arranged next to one another in the first and/or the second direction (X, Y) are offset with respect to one another in the third direction (Z), so that the light emitted by different laser diodes arranged next to one another in the first and/or the second direction (X, Y) is arranged next to one another in the third direction (Z) after reflection at the mirrors assigned to these laser diodes.

11. Laser structure according to claim 1, characterized in that the optical structure comprises a beam combiner which combines the light emitted by the two groups of laser diodes during operation of the laser device.

12. Laser structure according to claim 11, characterized in that the beam combiner is formed as a polarization cube or as a mirror.

13. Laser structure according to claim 1, characterized in that the laser structure comprises a plurality of first groups of laser diodes arranged side by side in the third direction (Z) and/or in that the laser structure comprises a plurality of second groups of laser diodes arranged side by side in the third direction (Z).

14. Laser structure according to claim 1, characterized in that the laser structure comprises a plurality of optical devices arranged side by side in the third direction (Z).

15. Laser structure according to claim 1, characterized in that the laser structure comprises a housing in which the laser diodes and the optical device are arranged and the optical fiber is supported.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

[0013] FIG. 1 shows a schematic top view of a first embodiment of a laser device;

[0014] FIG. 2 shows a schematic top view of a second embodiment of a laser device with indicated beam paths of the light;

[0015] FIG. 3 shows a side view of the laser device according to FIG. 2;

[0016] FIG. 4 shows a detailed view of a telescope of the laser device according to FIG. 2;

[0017] FIG. 5 shows a schematic top view of a third embodiment of a laser device;

[0018] FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of the laser device according to FIG. 5;

[0019] FIG. 7 shows a detail of FIG. 6;

[0020] FIG. 8 shows a cross-section of the light spreading in the laser device in front of a transformation device of the first embodiment of a laser device;

[0021] FIG. 9 shows a cross-section of the light spreading in the laser device after passing through a first component of the transformation device of the first embodiment of a laser device;

[0022] FIG. 10 shows a cross-section of the light spreading in the laser device after passing through the transformation device of the first embodiment of a laser device;

[0023] FIG. 11 shows a cross-section of the light spreading in the laser device on the entrance surface of the optical fiber of the first embodiment of a laser device.

[0024] In the figures, identical and functionally identical parts are marked with identical reference signs. Cartesian coordinate systems are drawn in some of the figures for better orientation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] The embodiment of a laser device shown in FIG. 1 comprises two groups 1, 2 based on laser diodes 3, which are only schematically indicated and from which light is emitted during operation of the laser device. The laser diodes 3 of the first group 1 are arranged side by side in a first direction X, whereas the laser diodes 3 of the second group 2 are arranged side by side in a second direction Y, which is aligned perpendicular to the first direction X.

[0026] In the embodiment example illustrated in FIG. 1, the first group 1 comprises three laser diodes 3 arranged equidistantly to each other. Furthermore, the second group 2 also comprises three laser diodes 3 arranged equidistantly to each other, wherein the distance between the laser diodes 3 of the first group 1 is equal to the distance between the laser diodes 3 of the second group 2.

[0027] It is certainly possible to provide more or less than three laser diodes 3 per group 1, 2. Furthermore, it is also possible to provide a different number of laser diodes 3 in the first group 1 than in the second group 2.

[0028] In this case, the slow-axis direction of the laser diodes 3 of the first group 1 is parallel to the first direction X, or to the direction X in which the laser diodes 3 of the first group 1 are arranged next to each other. Furthermore, the slow-axis direction of the laser diodes 3 of the second group 2 is parallel to the second direction Y, or to the direction Y in which the laser diodes 3 of the second group 2 are arranged next to each other. The fast-axis direction of the laser diodes 3 is parallel to a third direction Z, which is aligned perpendicular to the first and the second directions X, Y, respectively.

[0029] The laser device comprises not shown fast-axis collimation lenses for the at least partial collimation of the light emitted by the laser diodes 3 with respect to the third direction Z. The laser device further comprises slow-axis collimation lenses 4 for the at least partial collimation of the light emitted by the laser diodes 3 with respect to the first direction X and with respect to the second direction Y. The laser device is designed in such a way that the light emitted by the laser diodes 3 first passes through the fast-axis collimation lenses and then through the slow-axis collimation lenses 4.

[0030] The laser device further comprises a first group 5 and a second group 6 of mirrors 7, the first group 5 of mirrors 7 being associated with the first group 1 of laser diodes 3 and the second group 6 of mirrors 7 being associated with the second group 2 of laser diodes 3. In particular, each of the mirrors 7 is arranged such that the light emitted by one of the laser diodes 3 is reflected by exactly one of the mirrors 7.

[0031] In this case, the fast-axis collimating lenses and then the slow-axis collimating lenses 4 are arranged between the laser diodes 3 and the mirrors 7.

[0032] The mirrors 7 of the first group 5 are offset to each other in Z-direction (not shown). Furthermore, the incident areas of the laser beams of the first group 1 emitted from the individual laser diodes 3 on the mirrors 7 of the first group 5 are offset from each other in the Z-direction.

[0033] In this way, it can be achieved that, for example, the left mirror 7 of the first group 5 in FIG. 1 is arranged further down in the Z-direction than the middle mirror 7 and that, furthermore, the middle mirror 7 in FIG. 1 is arranged further down in the Z direction than the right mirror 7. If at the same time the incident areas of the laser beams of the first group 1 emitted from the individual laser diodes 3 on the mirrors 7 of the first group 5 are arranged correspondingly offset to each other in the Z-direction, the light reflected from the mirror 7 on the left in FIG. 1 can pass in the Z-direction under the middle mirror to the right in FIG. 1. Similarly, the light emitted by the left mirror 7 in FIG. 1 and the light emitted by the center mirror 7 in FIG. 1 can pass in the Z-direction under the right mirror 7 to the right in FIG. 1. The laser beams reflected by the mirrors 7 are then arranged one above the other in the Z-direction behind the right mirror 7 in FIG. 1.

[0034] Similarly, the mirrors 7 of the second group 6 are offset from one another in the Z-direction (not shown). Furthermore, the incident areas of the laser beams of the second group 2 emitted from the individual laser diodes 3 on the mirrors 7 of the second group 6 are offset from each other in the Z-direction.

[0035] In this way, it can be achieved that, for example, the lower mirror 7 of the second group 6 in FIG. 1 is arranged further down in the Z-direction than the middle mirror 7 and that, furthermore, the middle mirror 7 in FIG. 1 is arranged further down in the Z-direction than the upper mirror 7 in FIG. 1. If at the same time the incident areas of the laser beams of the second group 1 emitted from the individual laser diodes 3 on the mirrors 7 of the second group 6 are arranged correspondingly offset to one another in the Z-direction, the light reflected from the lower mirror 7 in FIG. 1 can pass through in the Z direction under the middle mirror to the top in FIG. 1. Similarly, the light emitted by the lower mirror 7 in FIG. 1 and the light emitted by the middle mirror 7 in FIG. 1 can pass in the Z-direction under the upper mirror 7 to the top of FIG. 1.

[0036] The offset of the incident areas of the light emitted by the individual laser diodes 3 of one of the groups 1, 2 on the mirrors 7 can be achieved, for example, by arranging plane-parallel plates or other optical elements between the laser diodes 3 and the mirrors 7 assigned to them, which offset the light emitted by the individual laser diodes 3 in the Z-direction upwards or downwards. Such a design is described, for example, in US 2018/0278008 A1.

[0037] Alternatively, such an offset in positive or negative Z-direction can also be achieved by a corresponding positioning of the fast-axis collimation lens associated with the respective laser diode 3.

[0038] Alternatively, the laser diodes 3, one of the group 1, can also have exit areas for the light that are offset from one another in the Z-direction. This can be achieved, for example, by arranging the laser diodes in different positions in the Z-direction.

[0039] The structure of the laser device shown in FIG. 1 further comprises a beam combiner which is designed as a mirror 9. The mirror 9 is designed and arranged in such a way that it reflects the lights from each mirror (start from mirror 7) of the second group 6 to the right in the X-direction in FIG. 1.The mirror 9 is further designed and arranged in such a way that the light from each mirror (start from mirror 7) of the first group 5 can pass the mirror unhindered to the right in the X-direction in FIG. 1. Thereby, the light coming from each mirror (start from mirror 7) of the first group 5 will pass the mirror 9 in Z-direction above or below. To make this possible, the mirrors of the first group 5 and the incident areas of the laser beams coming from the first group 1 are arranged in the Z-direction above or below the mirrors 7 of the second group 6 and the incident areas of the laser beams emanating from the second group 2.

[0040] In this way, it is achieved that the total of six laser beams reflected by the mirror 9 and laser beams passing by the mirror 9 are arranged one above the other in the Z-direction on the right of the mirror 9 in FIG. 1. FIG. 8 shows a cross-section through the laser beams behind the mirror 9, with the six intensity distributions of the laser beams arranged one above the other in the Z-direction.

[0041] The structure of the laser device shown in FIG. 1 further contains a transformation structure 10 which splits the combined light of the six laser diodes 3 in the second direction Y into two parts and arranges these two parts on top of each other in the third direction Z.

[0042] The transformation structure 10 contains its first component 11 which splits the combined light of the six laser diodes 3 in the Y-direction into two parts and arranges these parts on top of each other in the Z-direction.

[0043] For this purpose, the transformation device 10 comprises a first component 11 which splits the combined light of the six laser diodes 3 into two parts in the Y-direction and offsets these parts with respect to each other in the Z-direction. This can be seen in FIG. 9. The six intensity distributions 8 shown there are each divided into two parts 8a, 8b in Y-direction and offset to each other in Z-direction.

[0044] The first component 11, for example, consists of two telescopes 11a and 11b, which are shown in FIG. 4. The telescopes 11a and 11b are Galileo-telescopes, actually the telescope 11a or 11b is a part of any kind of an anamorphic optics. The telescopes 11a, 11b can be reducing telescopes which, for example, can reduce the cross section of the light impinging on them by a reduction factor of 1.8.

[0045] The six laser beams that are arranged one below the other in the Z-direction, fall on the telescopes 11a, 11b and are converted by the telescopes 11a, 11b into twelve laser beams. The twelve laser beams are arranged one below the other in the Z-direction, six of which, however, are also offset from one another in the Y-direction (see also according to FIG. 9).

[0046] Besides the telescopes 11a, 11b, the first component 11 can also comprise other optical components which split the combined light from the laser diodes 3 into two parts in the Y-direction and offset these parts in the Z-direction. For example, correspondingly arranged plane-parallel plates can also be considered for this. For example, two differently arranged plane-parallel plates can be arranged next to one another in the Y-direction.

[0047] Alternatively, both telescopes and plane-parallel plates can be provided, the telescopes being responsible for a reduction in size and the plane-parallel plates being responsible for the desired offset.

[0048] The transformation structure 10 also has its second component 12, which offsets the two parts of the light offset from one another in the Z-direction and arranged next to one another in the Y-direction relative to one another in the Y direction so that they are arranged one above the other in the Z-direction. This is shown in FIG. 10, where the twelve parts 8a, 8b of the intensity distributions are no longer offset in the Y-direction and are arranged one above the other in the Z direction.

[0049] The second component 12 can have two mirrors 12a, 12b, for example. One of the two mirrors 12a, 12b can be assigned to one of the two parts 8a, 8b of the intensity distributions. For example, the mirror 12a can be offset upwards in the Z-direction relative to the mirror 12b, so that the first part 8a of the light in the Z-direction can impinge on the mirror 12a over the mirror 12.

[0050] The laser structure furthermore comprises focusing optics 13, which can focus the light coming from the transformation structure 10 onto the entry surface 14 of an optical fiber 15 likewise comprised by the laser device. The optical fiber 15 is held in position by a holder 16.

[0051] It should be noted here that the beam parameter product of each of the laser diodes 3 in the slow-axis direction is about twice as large as the beam parameter product of the optical fiber 15. Despite this ratio, the light 21 emitted by the laser diodes 3 can be almost completely coupled into the optical fiber 15 because the transformation device 10 halves the beam parameter product of the laser beams in the slow-axis direction.

[0052] FIG. 11 shows the cross-section of the intensity distribution of the light incident on the entrance surface 14 of the optical fiber 15, where the edge of the entrance surface 14 has been given the reference number 17.

[0053] The laser structure further comprises a housing, of which only a base plate 18 is shown, on which the laser diodes 3 and the optical components can be mounted. The base plate 18 can in particular serve as a cooling plate for the plurality of laser diodes.

[0054] In the second structure according to FIG. 2, the light 21 emitted by the laser diodes 3 is drawn for clarity. The second structure differs from that according to FIG. 1 on the one hand in that each group 1, 2 has six laser diodes 3. On the other hand, the groups 1, 2 of laser diodes 3 are also shifted somewhat with respect to each other in the X-direction and in the Y-direction, so that the rows formed by laser diodes 3 cross each other.

[0055] This displacement or offset of the rows of laser diodes 3 relative to each other allows better adaptation to, for example, parameters of the optical system formed by the lenses and mirrors when designing the laser device. For example, by suitable selection of the distance of the row of laser diodes 3 from the mirrors 7, it is possible to influence the required focal length of the slow-axis collimating lenses 4. The focal length of the slow-axis collimation lenses 4 is in turn responsible for the size of the laser device.

[0056] Furthermore, the second structure shown in FIG. 2 differs from the structure shown in FIG. 1 in the design of the beam combiner. The beam combiner of this structures not designed as a mirror but as a polarization coupler 19. The polarization coupler 19 allows light with a first polarization direction to pass through unhindered in a manner known per se and reflects light with a polarization direction perpendicular thereto. For this purpose, a polarization rotator such as a half-wavelength plate can be provided in front of the polarization coupler 19 in one of the two paths of the light coming from the two groups 1, 2.

[0057] By using a polarization coupler 19, it can be achieved that the laser beams emitted by the laser diodes 3 of the first group 1 are arranged at the same height in Z-direction as the laser beams emitted by the laser diodes 3 of the second group 2. Thus, both one of the laser diodes 3 of the first group 1 and one of the laser diodes 3 of the second group 2 contribute to each of the intensity distributions 8 in FIG. 8.

[0058] In contrast to the first and second structure examples, the third structure example according to FIG. 5 has six planes 22a, 22b, 22c, 22d, 22e, 22f arranged one above the other in the Z-direction (see FIG. 6). Of these six planes, only one is shown in FIG. 5. It is quite possible to provide more or less than six planes.

[0059] Each of these planes 22a, 22b, 22c, 22d, 22e, 22f can be configured like the plane 22a shown in FIG. 5. In the case of the plane 22a of the laser device shown in FIG. 5, two groups 1, 2 of eight laser diodes 3 each are provided. In this structure, the groups 1, 2 of laser diodes 3 are shifted in the X-direction and in the Y-direction even slightly more relative to each other than in the second structure according to FIG. 2.

[0060] Also in the plane 22a shown in FIG. 5, a polarization coupler 19 is provided as a beam combiner.

[0061] The transformation device of each plane 22a, 22b, 22c, 22d, 22e, 22f comprises, for example, a first telescope 11a. For all planes 22a, 22b, 22c, 22d, 22e, 22f together, a second telescope 11b may be provided to suitably shape the merged laser beams. The transformation device further comprises at least one common mirror 12 (see FIG. 6 and FIG. 7).

[0062] The laser structure further comprises six mirrors 20a, 20b, 20c, 20d, 20e, 20f arranged one above the other in the Z-direction, each of which reflects the laser beams of a plane 22a, 22b, 22c, 22d, 22e, 22f in such a way that they no longer propagate in the positive X-direction or to the right in FIG. 5 but upward in the Z-direction. The mirrors 20a, 20b, 20c, 20d, 20e, 20f are also offset from each other in the X-direction and in the Y-direction, as can be seen from the plan view in FIG. 5 or the projection 20a′, 20b′, 20c′, 20d′, 20e′, 20f′ added for clarification in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7.

[0063] The laser radiation propagating upwards in the Z-direction is deflected by the common mirror 12 in the negative Y-direction or downwards in FIG. 5. Then pass through the second telescope 11b and are focused on the entry surface 14 of the optical fiber 15 by the focusing optics 13.