Heat pipe heat sink for cooling a laser diode

• US 6,517,221 B1
• Filed: 06/16/2000
• Issued: 02/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ciena Corporation
• Original Assignee: Ciena Corporation
• Inventors: Xie, Bo Ping
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Shea, Sandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): Alavi, Ali
• Application Number:
  US09/595,832
• Time in Patent Office: 970 Days
• Field of Search: 362/259, 362/373, 362/294, 362/553, 362/580, 372/34, 372/35, 257/712-715, 257/722, 257/742, 257/706, 313/45, 165/104.33
• US Class Current: 362/373
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 15/0266 with separate evaporating and condensing chambers connected by at least one conduit; Loop-type heat pipes; with multiple or common evaporating or condensing chambers F28D15/043 takes precedence
• 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

Abstract

A heat sink module consistent with the present invention includes a heat pipe for efficient heat transfer heat away from a semiconductor pump laser. The heat pipe heat sink occupies less space than a conventional heat sink, and the condenser portion of the heat pipe heat sink can be easily manufactured using an extrusion process.

Claims

1. An optical device, comprising:

a semiconductor laser, said semiconductor laser being configured to output light to pump an erbium doped fiber amplifier;

a heat dissipating element coupled to said optical source, said heat dissipating element including a plurality of tubes, each of which being coupled to said optical source and including a thermally dissipating fluid, and a plurality of fins, each of which being coupled to a respective one of said plurality of tubes, said heat dissipating element being configured to regulate a temperature of said optical source.

2. An optical device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said semiconductor laser emits light at a wavelength of 1480 nm.

3. An optical device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said semiconductor laser emits light at a wavelength of 980 nm.

4. An optical device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said heat dissipating element includes a base portion, said semiconductor laser being provided on said base portion.

5. An optical device in accordance with claim 1 further comprising an additional semiconductor laser and an additional heat dissipating element, said additional heat dissipating element being configured to regulate a temperature of said additional semiconductor laser.

6. An optical device in accordance with claim 5, wherein said semiconductor laser, said heat dissipating element, and said additional heat dissipating element are provided on a common substrate.

7. An optical device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said plurality of fins constitute a single contiguous piece of metallic material.

8. An optical device in accordance with claim 7, wherein said metallic material includes aluminum.

9. An optical device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said plurality of fins constitute a single contiguous piece of extruded metallic material.

10. An optical device in accordance with claim 9, wherein said metallic material includes aluminum.

11. An optical device in accordance with claim 4, wherein said base portion and said plurality of fins constitute a single contiguous piece of metallic material.

12. An optical device in accordance with claim 11, wherein said metallic material include aluminum.

13. An optical device in accordance with claim 4, wherein said base portion and said plurality of fms constitute a single contiguous piece of extruded metallic material.

14. An optical device in accordance with claim 13, wherein said metallic material includes aluminum.