Laser source assembly with thermal control and mechanically stable mounting

• US 10,181,693 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2015
• Issued: 01/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Daylight Solutions, Inc. (Leonardo S.p.A.)
• Original Assignee: Daylight Solutions, Inc. (Leonardo S.p.A.)
• Inventors: Arnone, David F., Caffey, David P., Pushkarsky, Michael, Weida, Miles
• Primary Examiner(s): Niu, Xinning(Tom)
• Application Number:
  US14/968,113
• Publication Number:
  US 20160111853A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,128 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 7/224 Deceiving or protecting means jamming or anti-jamming of radio-wave systems in general G01S7/36, G01S7/38; defense installations in general F41H11/02; chaff dispensers F42B12/70
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 11/02 Anti-aircraft or anti-guided missile or anti-torpedo defence installations or systems cartridges or missiles for producing smoke or for dispensing radar chaff or infrared material F42B5/15, F42B12/48, F42B12/70; informative reference: details of radar or sonar systems G01S7/00; jamming or electronic countermeasures G01S7/38, G01S7/495, H04K3/00
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 13/0056 for blinding or dazzling, i.e. by overstimulating the opponent's eyes or the enemy's sensor equipment
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4814 of transmitters alone
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/495 Counter-measures or counter-counter-measures using electronic or electro-optical means
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/02 Structural details or components not essential to laser action
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/02224 the gas comprising oxygen, e.g. for avoiding contamination of the light emitting facets
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/023 Mount members, e.g. sub-mount members
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/02325 Mechanically integrated components on mount members or optical micro-benches
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/0233 Mounting configuration of laser chips
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/0235 Method for mounting laser chips
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/02415 by using a thermo-electric cooler [TEC], e.g. Peltier element
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/02423 Liquid cooling, e.g. a liquid cools a mount of the laser
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/02469 Passive cooling, e.g. where heat is removed by the housing as a whole or by a heat pipe without any active cooling element like a TEC
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/06804 by monitoring an external parameter, e.g. temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/141 using a wavelength selective device, e.g. a grating or etalon H01S5/146 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/3401 having no PN junction, e.g. unipolar lasers, intersubband lasers, quantum cascade lasers
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/4087 emitting more than one wavelength

Abstract

A laser source (340) that generates an output beam (354) that is directed along a beam axis (354A) that is coaxial with a first axis and orthogonal to a second axis comprises a first frame (356), a laser (358), and a first mounting assembly (360). The laser (358) generates the output beam (354) that is directed along the beam axis (354A). The first mounting assembly (360) couples the laser (358) to the first frame (356). The first mounting assembly (360) allows the laser (358) to expand and contract relative to the first frame (356) along the first axis and along the second axis, while maintaining alignment of the output beam (354) so the beam axis (354A) is substantially coaxial with the first axis. The first mounting assembly (360) can include a first fastener assembly (366) that couples the laser (358) to the first frame (356), and a first alignment assembly (368) that maintains alignment of the laser (358) along a first alignment axis (370) that is substantially parallel to the first axis.

Claims

1. A laser source that generates an output beam that is directed along a beam axis that is coaxial with a first axis and orthogonal to a second axis, the laser source comprising:

a first frame;

a laser that is adapted to generate the output beam that is directed along the beam axis, the laser including a second frame;

wherein at least one of the first frame and the second frame includes a groove; and

a mounting assembly that couples the laser to the first frame, the mounting assembly including a fastener assembly that couples the laser to the first frame, and an alignment assembly that maintains alignment of the laser along an alignment axis that is substantially parallel to the first axis;

wherein the fastener assembly allows the second frame to expand and contract relative to the first frame along the first axis and along the second axis; and

wherein the fastener assembly includes an engagement rod that fits into the groove and a resilient assembly that urges the engagement rod into the groove to urge the second frame toward the first frame.

2. The laser source of claim 1 wherein the fastener assembly includes a plurality of fasteners, each fastener being adapted to fit within an oversized frame aperture in the first frame.

3. The laser source of claim 1 wherein the fastener assembly thermally and electrically isolates the second frame from the first frame.

4. The laser source of claim 1 wherein an interface between the resilient assembly and the engagement rod forms a line contact between the resilient assembly and the engagement rod that inhibits heat from being transferred between the second frame and the first frame, thereby providing thermal isolation between the second frame and the first frame.

5. The laser source of claim 1 wherein the engagement rod is made of an electrically insulating material to provide electrical isolation between the second frame and the first frame.

6. The laser source of claim 1 wherein the alignment assembly includes a first alignment pin that fits snugly within a first frame aperture in the first frame, and a second alignment pin that fits into a first frame slot in the first frame, the first frame slot extending along the alignment axis, and the alignment pins and the first frame aperture being aligned along the alignment axis.

7. The laser source of claim 1 further comprising a temperature controller that is positioned between the first frame and the second frame, and wherein the resilient assembly urges the second frame toward the first frame with the temperature controller positioned therebetween.

8. A laser source that generates an output beam that is directed along a beam axis that is coaxial with a first axis and orthogonal to a second axis, the laser source comprising:

a housing frame;

a laser that is adapted to generate the output beam that is directed along the beam axis;

a laser frame that retains the laser, wherein at least one of the housing frame and the laser frame includes a groove; and

a laser fastener assembly that couples the laser frame to the housing frame, the laser fastener assembly including an engagement rod that fits at least partly into the groove and a resilient assembly that urges the engagement rod into the groove to urge the laser frame toward the housing frame.

9. The laser source of claim 8 wherein an interface between the resilient assembly and the engagement rod forms a line contact between the resilient assembly and the engagement rod that inhibits heat from being transferred between the laser frame and the housing frame, thereby providing thermal isolation between the laser frame and the housing frame;

and wherein the engagement rod is made of an electrically insulating material to provide electrical isolation between the laser frame and the housing frame.

10. The laser source of claim 8 wherein the laser frame includes a plurality of grooves, and the laser fastener assembly includes a separate engagement rod and a separate resilient assembly for each of the grooves.

11. The laser source of claim 8 further comprising a laser alignment assembly that maintains alignment of the laser housing along a laser alignment axis that is substantially parallel to the first axis, the laser alignment assembly including a first laser alignment pin that fits within a laser frame aperture in the laser frame, and a second laser alignment pin that fits into a laser frame slot in the laser frame, the laser frame slot extending along the laser alignment axis, and the laser alignment pins and the laser frame aperture being aligned along the laser alignment axis.

12. The laser source of claim 11 further comprising a mounting frame, and a housing mounting assembly that couples the housing frame to the mounting frame, the housing mounting assembly allowing the housing frame to expand and contract relative to the mounting frame along the first axis and along the second axis, while maintaining alignment of the output beam so the beam axis is substantially coaxial with the first axis.

13. The laser source of claim 12 further comprising a housing frame alignment assembly that maintains alignment of the housing frame along a housing alignment axis that is substantially parallel to the first axis, the housing frame alignment assembly including a frame alignment pin that fits within a housing frame aperture in the housing frame.

14. The laser source of claim 8 wherein the laser fastener assembly allows the laser frame to expand and contract relative to the housing frame along the first axis and along the second axis, while maintaining alignment of the output beam so the beam axis is substantially coaxial with the first axis.

15. The laser source of claim 14 further comprising a mounting frame, and a housing mounting assembly that couples the housing frame to the mounting frame, the housing mounting assembly allowing the housing frame to expand and contract relative to the mounting frame along the first axis and along the second axis, while maintaining alignment of the output beam so the beam axis is substantially coaxial with the first axis.

16. The laser source of claim 8 further comprising a temperature controller positioned between the laser frame and the housing frame.

17. The laser source of claim 8 further comprising a mounting frame, and a housing mounting assembly that couples the housing frame to the mounting frame, the housing mounting assembly allowing the housing frame to expand and contract relative to the mounting frame along the first axis and along the second axis, while maintaining alignment of the output beam so the beam axis is substantially coaxial with the first axis.

18. A method for generating an output beam that is directed along a beam axis that is coaxial with a first axis and orthogonal to a second axis, the method comprising:

providing a housing frame;

generating an output beam directed along the beam axis with a laser;

retaining the laser with a laser frame, wherein at least one of the housing frame and the laser frame includes a first groove; and

coupling the laser frame to the housing frame with a first engagement rod that fits at least partly into the first groove and a first resilient assembly that urges the first engagement rod into the first groove to urge the laser frame toward the housing frame.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising maintaining alignment of the laser housing along a laser alignment axis that is substantially parallel to the first axis with a laser alignment assembly that includes a first laser alignment pin that fits within a laser frame aperture in the laser frame, and a second laser alignment pin that fits into a laser frame slot in the laser frame, the laser frame slot extending along the laser alignment axis, and the laser alignment pins and the laser frame aperture being aligned along the laser alignment axis.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein at least one of the housing frame and the laser frame includes a second groove, and wherein the step of coupling includes positioning a second engagement rod into the second groove, and urging the second engagement rod into the second groove with a second resilient assembly.