Laser device and method for a vehicle

• US 10,297,977 B1
• Filed: 06/05/2018
• Issued: 05/21/2019
• 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
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tuan N
• Application Number:
  US16/000,802
• Time in Patent Office: 350 Days
• Field of Search: 257 99, 372 3802
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 2/00 Systems of lighting devices, not provided for in main groups F21S4/00 - F21S10/00 or F21S19/00, e.g. of modular construction
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/02 the elements being transformers, impedances or power supply units, e.g. a transformer with a rectifier
• 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: H01S 3/1603 rare earth
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/1643 YAG
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/005 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 Class Codes: H01S 5/0071 for beam steering, e.g. using a mirror outside the cavity to change the beam direction
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/0087 for illuminating phosphorescent or fluorescent materials, e.g. using optical arrangements specifically adapted for guiding or shaping laser beams illuminating these materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/02208 characterised by the shape of the housings
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/02212 Can-type, e.g. TO-CAN housings with emission along or parallel to symmetry axis
• 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 5/22 having a ridge or stripe structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/3202 grown on specifically orientated substrates, or using orientation dependent growth
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/320275 semi-polar orientation
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/32341 blue laser based on GaN or GaP
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/31 : Projection devices for colour picture display , e.g. using electronic spatial light modulators [ESLM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/77 : Circuits for processing the brightness signal and the chrominance signal relative to each other, e.g. adjusting the phase of the brightness signal relative to the colour signal, correcting differential gain or differential phase circuits for matrixing H04N9/67

Abstract

A laser illumination or dazzler device and method. More specifically, examples of the present invention provide laser illumination or dazzling devices power by one or more violet, blue, or green laser diodes characterized by a wavelength from about 390 nm to about 550 nm. In some examples the laser illumination or dazzling devices include a laser pumped phosphor wherein a laser beam with a first wavelength excites a phosphor member to emit electromagnetic at a second wavelength. In various examples, laser illumination or dazzling devices according to the present invention include polar, non-polar, or semi-polar laser diodes. In a specific example, a single laser illumination or dazzling device includes a plurality of violet, blue, or green laser diodes. There are other examples as well.

Claims

1. A laser source apparatus for a vehicle, comprising:

a laser device including an active region and a cavity member, the laser device configured to emit a laser beam having a first wavelength, the active region including a gallium and nitrogen containing material;

a driving circuit electrically coupled to the laser device, the driving circuit adapted to deliver electrical energy to the laser device and generate the laser beam;

a first optical member provided within proximity of the laser device;

a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) scanning mirror adapted to dynamically modify a spatial pattern of an output beam;

a phosphor member positioned remote from the laser device and configured for excitation of at least a portion of the laser beam, wherein the first optical member is adapted to direct the laser beam from the laser device to the MEMS scanning mirror, and the MEMS scanning mirror is configured to project the laser beam onto the phosphor member, the phosphor member operable in a reflective mode where at least a portion of the laser beam passing through the phosphor member is reflected by a reflective surface back through the phosphor member, and the phosphor member is configured to convert at least the portion of the laser beam from the first wavelength to a second wavelength; and

a second optical member configured to collimate and/or project the output beam comprising at least the first wavelength and the second wavelength as a white emission.

2. The laser source apparatus of claim 1 wherein the phosphor member comprises a yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) based phosphor.

3. The laser source apparatus of claim 1 wherein the phosphor member is coupled to the reflective surface.

4. The laser source apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first wavelength is between about 390 nm to about 480 nm.

5. The laser source apparatus of claim 1 wherein the second wavelength is between about 500 nm to 580 nm.

6. The laser source apparatus of claim 1 wherein the laser device is associated with one or more operational modes, each of the operational modes associated with an operating frequency.

7. The laser source apparatus of claim 1 wherein the laser device comprises a plurality of laser diodes sharing a single package.

8. A laser source apparatus for a vehicle, comprising:

a laser device including an active region and a cavity member, the laser device configured to emit a laser beam having a first wavelength, the active region including a gallium and nitrogen containing material;

a driving circuit electrically coupled to the laser device, the driving circuit adapted to deliver electrical energy to the laser device and generate the laser beam;

a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) scanning mirror adapted to dynamically modify a spatial pattern of an output beam;

a phosphor member disposed in an optical pathway of the laser beam and configured for excitation of at least a portion of the laser beam, wherein the MEMS scanning mirror is configured to direct the laser beam onto the phosphor member, the phosphor member operable in a reflective mode where at least a portion of the laser beam passing through the phosphor member is reflected by a reflective surface back through the phosphor member, and the phosphor member is configured to convert at least the portion of the laser beam from the first wavelength to a second wavelength; and

a first optical member configured to collimate and/or project the output beam comprising at least the first wavelength and the second wavelength as a white emission.

9. The laser source apparatus of claim 8 further comprising a second optical member adapted to direct the laser beam from the laser device to the MEMS scanning mirror.

10. The laser source apparatus of claim 8 wherein the phosphor member is positioned remote from the laser device.

11. The laser source apparatus of claim 8 wherein the phosphor member comprises a yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) based phosphor.

12. The laser source apparatus of claim 8 wherein the phosphor member is coupled to the reflective surface.

13. The laser source apparatus of claim 8 wherein the first wavelength is between about 390 nm to about 480 nm.

14. The laser source apparatus of claim 8 wherein the second wavelength is between about 500 nm to 580 nm.

15. A laser source apparatus for a vehicle, comprising:

a laser device including an active region and a cavity member, the laser device configured to emit a laser beam having a first wavelength, the active region including a gallium and nitrogen containing material;

a first optical member provided within proximity of the laser device;

a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) scanning mirror adapted to dynamically modify a spatial pattern of an output beam;

a phosphor member positioned remote from the laser device and configured for excitation of at least a portion of the laser beam, wherein the first optical member is adapted to direct the laser beam from the laser device to the MEMS scanning mirror, and the MEMS scanning mirror is configured to project the laser beam onto the phosphor member, the phosphor member operable in a reflective mode where at least a portion of the laser beam passing through the phosphor member is reflected by a reflective surface back through the phosphor member, and the phosphor member is configured to convert at least the portion of the laser beam from the first wavelength to a second wavelength; and

a second optical member configured to provide the output beam comprising at least the first wavelength and the second wavelength as a white emission.

16. The laser source apparatus of claim 15 wherein the phosphor member comprises a yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) based phosphor.

17. The laser source apparatus of claim 15 wherein the phosphor member is coupled to the reflective surface.

18. The laser source apparatus of claim 15 wherein the first wavelength is between about 390 nm to about 480 nm.

19. The laser source apparatus of claim 15 wherein the second wavelength is between about 500 nm to 580 nm.

20. The laser source apparatus of claim 15 wherein the laser device comprises a plurality of laser diodes sharing a single package.