SYSTEM, APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MONITORING, DETECTING AND/OR SENSING ONE OR MORE LIGHT BEAM CHARACTERISTICS

• US 20200132543A1
• Filed: 04/16/2018
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Solar Bright Limited
• Original Assignee: Solar Bright Limited
• Inventors: Bonitatibus, Michael H., Hmiel, Andrew F., Silverman, Jay M., Withers, Richard
• Granted Patent: US 11,293,801 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/0414 using plane or convex mirrors, parallel phase plates, or plane beam-splitters
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/0422 using light concentrators, collectors or condensers
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/0474 Diffusers cavities G01J2001/0481
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/4257 applied to monitoring the characteristics of a beam, e.g. laser beam, headlamp beam monitoring arrangements for lasers in general H01S3/0014

Abstract

A device for collecting light from one or more incident light beams includes a first surface extending in a first plane and a second surface spaced-apart from the first surface. The second surface extends in a second plane parallel to the first plane. At least one of the first surface and the second surface including an optical polish or forming a reflective mirror coating. An edge surface extends from the first surface to the second surface. At least a portion of the edge surface forms a reflective mirror. At least one structure is formed in the first surface. The structure extends inwardly into the device from the first surface. The structure is configured to redirect light from a light source directed at the first surface.

Claims

1. A device for collecting light from one or more incident light beams, the device comprising:

a first surface extending in a first plane;

a second surface spaced-apart from the first surface, the second surface extending in a second plane, the second plane extending parallel to the first plane, at least one of the first surface and the second surface including an optical polish or forming a reflective mirror coating;

an edge surface extending from the first surface to the second surface, at least a portion of the edge surface forming a reflective mirror; and

at least one structure formed in the first surface, the structure extending inwardly into the device from the first surface, the structure being configured to redirect light from a light source directed at the first surface.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one hole extending from the edge surface toward a geometric center of the device, the hole being configured to receive at least a portion of a sensor therein.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein a surface of the structure is rough to produce light diffusion.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein at least a portion of the surface of the structure includes a fluorescent material.

5. The device of any one of claims 1-4, 13 and 14, wherein the at least one structure includes a plurality of spaced-apart structures.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the plurality of spaced-apart structures are arranged in a pattern on the front surface, each of the structures being spaced-apart from the edge surface.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the pattern is hexagonal.

8. The device of claim 5, wherein each structure has the same size and shape.

9. The device of claim 5, wherein two or more structures of the plurality of spaced-apart structures have a different size or shape.

10. The device of claim 5, wherein the structure can be configured to redirect at least one ray of light directed to the front surface internally to the device if the angle with regard to the front surface meets the total internal reflection criteria determined by Snell'"'"'s Law.

11. The device of claim 5, wherein the device is in the form of a disk, the disk having a diameter of approximately 10 mm and a thickness of approximately 1 mm, the disk being formed of at least one of fused silica, quartz, glass and molded plastic.

12. The device of claim 5, wherein the edge surface has a length of approximately 1 mm as measured from the first surface to the second surface.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the entire structure is spaced-apart from the second surface.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein localized cracks are formed inside the device and act as a diffusion feature.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one structure includes a hole in the center thereof, the hole extending from a bottom of the structure to the second surface.

16. A system for collecting light from one or more incident light beams to sense one or more characteristics of the one or more light beams, the system comprising:

a device including;

a first surface extending in a first plane;

a second surface spaced-apart from the first surface, the second surface extending in a second plane, the second plane extending parallel to the first plane, each of the first surface and the second surface including an optical polish or reflective mirror coating;

an edge surface extending from the first surface to the second surface, the edge surface including a material that forms a reflective mirror; and

a plurality of spaced-apart structures formed in the first surface, each of the plurality of spaced-apart structures extending inwardly into the device from the first surface, each of the plurality of spaced-apart structures being configured to collect light from a beam directed at the first surface;

a light source directing light on the first surface of the device; and

a block configured to support the device, the device being mounted in the block transverse to the direction of the light from the light source.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein an entirety of each structure is spaced inwardly from the edge surface of the device.

18. The system of claim 16 or 17, wherein at least one hole extends from the edge surface toward a geometric center of the device, and wherein the system further comprises:

a sensor positioned substantially coaxially to at least one hole, the sensor being configured to detect a plurality of wavelength ranges of the light.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein each structure includes a hole in the center thereof, the hole in the center of at least one of the structures attenuating light to the sensor.

20. A method for collecting light from one or more incident light beams to sense one or more characteristics of the one or more light beams, the method comprising:

receiving light from one or more incident light beams in a plurality of spaced-apart structures in a first surface of a device, each of the plurality of spaced-apart structures extending inwardly into the device from the first surface, the first surface extending in a plane that is parallel to a plane defined by a second surface of the device, the second surface being spaced-apart from the first surface, an edge surface extending from the first surface to the second surface; and

directing at least some of the light to a sensor at least partially positioned in a hole formed in the edge surface of the device, the sensor being configured to detect a plurality of wavelength ranges of the light.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the plurality of spaced-apart structures are arranged in a pattern on the front surface, and wherein the pattern is hexagonal.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the device is in the form of a disk, the disk having a diameter of approximately 10 mm and a thickness of approximately 1 mm, the disk being formed of at least one of fused silica, quartz, glass and molded plastic

23. The method of claim 21 or 22, further comprising:

placing the device in a block such that the device is positioned transverse to the direction of the light from the light source.