Gallium and nitrogen containing laser diode dazzling devices and methods of use

• US 10,205,300 B1
• Filed: 12/30/2015
• Issued: 02/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyocera SLD Laser Incorporated (Kyocera Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Soraa Laser Diode, Inc. (Kyocera Corporation)
• Inventors: Raring, James W., Rudy, Paul, Khosla, Vinod, Lamond, Pierre, Denbaars, Steven P., Nakamura, Shuji, Ogawa, Richard T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tra, Quan
• Application Number:
  US14/984,108
• Time in Patent Office: 1,140 Days
• Field of Search: 31511181, 372 4301- 5023
• CPC Class Codes: F41B 15/00 Weapons not otherwise provided for , e.g. nunchakus, throwing knives
• 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: F41H 9/10 Hand-held or body-worn self-defence devices using repellant gases or chemicals
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/02325 Mechanically integrated components on mount members or optical micro-benches
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/026 Monolithically integrated components, e.g. waveguides, monitoring photo-detectors, drivers stabilisation of output H01S5/06
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/042 Electrical excitation ; Circuits therefor monolithically integrated laser drive components H01S5/0261
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/0428 for applying pulses to the laser
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/1096 in a single cavity
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/22 having a ridge or stripe structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/2203 with a transverse junction stripe [TJS] structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/320275 semi-polar orientation
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/34333 with a well layer based on Ga(In)N or Ga(In)P, e.g. blue laser
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/4012 Beam combining, e.g. by the use of fibres, gratings, polarisers, prisms
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/4031 Edge-emitting structures
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/4087 emitting more than one wavelength

Abstract

Laser dazzler devices and methods of using laser dazzler devices are disclosed. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention provide laser dazzling devices power by one or more green laser diodes characterized by a wavelength of about 500 nm to 540 nm. In various embodiments, laser dazzling devices according to the present invention include non-polar and/or semi-polar green laser diodes. In a specific embodiment, a laser dazzling device includes a plurality of green laser diodes.

Claims

1. A method of using a laser dazzling system, comprising:

providing a laser dazzling apparatus comprising a gallium and nitrogen containing laser diode device;

the laser diode device comprising a plurality of green laser diodes each having an active region and a laser stripe region configured to emit a first laser beam characterized by an emission in a wavelength range of between about 500 nm to about 540 nm, the active region comprising gallium and nitrogen containing material and having a plurality of well layers and barrier layers stacked in a first direction, the laser stripe region configured to project the first laser beam in a second direction substantially orthogonal to the first direction, wherein first and second laser diodes of the plurality of green laser diodes emit laser beams characterized by emissions at wavelengths that differ by at least about 10 nm;

activating a first driving circuit electrically coupled to the laser diode device to enable the laser dazzling apparatus to be used as a laser pointer device, the first driving circuit being adapted to deliver between about 5 mW and 25 mW of electrical power to the laser diode device; and

activating a second driving circuit electrically coupled to the laser diode device to enable the laser dazzling apparatus to be used as a laser dazzler device, the second driving circuit being adapted to deliver between about 25 mW and 800 mW of electrical power to the laser diode device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising aiming the laser dazzling apparatus using the laser pointer device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the laser dazzling apparatus comprises a laser aiming device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the laser dazzling apparatus comprises a second stage, the method further comprising initiating the second stage.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the second stage comprises a second laser beam characterized by one or more wavelengths from about 420 nm to about 500 nm, one or more wavelengths from about 500 nm to about 540 nm, or a combination thereof.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the second stage comprises a Taser device configured to emit an electroshock.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the second stage comprises a pepper spray emitting device.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein the second stage comprises a rubber bullet projectile launching device.

9. The method of claim 4, wherein the laser dazzling apparatus comprises a third stage, the method further comprising initiating the third stage.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the third stage comprises a non-lethal stage.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the third stage comprises a lethal stage.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the lethal stage comprises a firearm.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing an optical concentrator aligned with the laser diode device.

14. The method of claim 1, where the laser diode device comprises a green laser diode characterized by a polar {0001} surface orientation.

15. The method of claim 1, where the laser diode device comprises a green laser diode characterized by a non-polar surface orientation.

16. The method of claim 1, where the laser diode device comprises a green laser diode characterized by a semi-polar surface orientation.

17. The method of claim 1, where the laser diode device comprises a green laser diode characterized by a semi-polar {20-21} surface orientation.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the laser diode device comprises a gallium and nitrogen containing bulk substrate.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the first laser beam is characterized by a power level less than 100 W.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the first laser beam is characterized by a power level less than 1 W.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the first laser beam is characterized by a power level less than 10 W.

22. The method of claim 1, further comprising adjusting the size of the laser beam at a predetermined distance using an optic.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the driving circuit delivers pulsed electrical energy.

24. A method of claim 1, further comprising:

directing the first laser beam at the subject.