Adaptive Lens System

• US 20130003188A1
• Filed: 08/03/2012
• Published: 01/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trumpf Laser- und Systemtechnik GmbH (TRUMPF SE + Co. KG)
• Original Assignee: Trumpf Laser- und Systemtechnik GmbH (TRUMPF SE + Co. KG)
• Inventors: Andreasch, Wolfgang, Burger, Dieter, Sepp, Florian, Enzmann, Andreas
• Granted Patent: US 8,649,103 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/666
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/046 Automatically focusing the laser beam
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0875 by means of one or more refracting elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/14 of variable focal length

Abstract

An adaptive lens system for laser materials processing, for example, in the high-power range of at least approximately 1 kW, includes two deformable lens surfaces spaced apart from each other in the direction of the optical axis, a chamber formed between the two lens surfaces and filled with a fluid, and a device for changing the distance between the two lens surfaces along the optical axis.

Claims

1. An adaptive lens system for laser materials processing, the adaptive lens system comprising:

a first deformable lens and a second deformable lens spaced apart from each other in the direction of a common optical axis;

a chamber defined between a first surface of the first deformable lens and a first surface of the second deformable lens; and

a device operable to change the distance, along the optical axis, between the first surface of the first deformable lens and the first surface of the second deformable lens, thereby changing a pressure in the chamber and deforming the first deformable lens and the second deformable lens.

2. The adaptive lens system according to claim 1, wherein the chamber contains a fluid, and the fluid contacts the first surface of the first deformable lens and the first surface of the second deformable lens.

3. The adaptive lens system according to claim 1, wherein the chamber is sealed.

4. The adaptive lens system according to claim 1, further comprising a pressure-compensation element coupled to the chamber.

5. The adaptive lens system according to claim 4, wherein the pressure-compensation element is configured to compensate low-frequency changes in pressure.

6. The adaptive lens system according to claim 1, wherein the device operable to change the distance between the first surface of the first deformable lens and the first surface of the second deformable lens along the optical axis comprises an actuator.

7. The adaptive lens system according to claim 6, wherein the actuator is arranged on the first surface of the first deformable lens or the first surface of the second deformable lens.

8. The adaptive lens system according to claim 6, wherein the actuator is a piezoelectric ring actuator.

9. The adaptive lens system according to claim 8, wherein the actuator is arranged on a second surface of the first deformable lens or a second surface of the second deformable lens, wherein the second surface of the first deformable lens is opposite the first surface of the first deformable lens and the second surface of the second deformable lens is opposite the first surface of the second deformable lens.

10. The adaptive lens system according to claim 8, further comprising an additional piezoelectric ring actuator arranged on the first surface of the first deformable lens or the first surface of the second deformable lens.

11. The adaptive lens system of claim 1, wherein the first deformable lens comprises a planar plate or a curved plate, the second deformable lens comprises a planar plate or a curved plate, or the first deformable lens and the second deformable lens each comprises a planar plate or a curved plate.

12. The adaptive lens system of claim 1, wherein the first deformable lens comprises a material transparent to laser radiation, the second deformable lens comprises a material transparent to laser radiation, or the first deformable lens and the second deformable lens each comprises a material transparent to laser radiation.

13. The adaptive lens system of claim 12, wherein the material transparent to laser radiation comprises glass.

14. The adaptive lens system of claim 12, wherein a damage threshold of the material is adapted to the laser power.