Device for shaping laser radiation

• US 7,986,461 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2008
• Issued: 07/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LIMO GmbH
• Original Assignee: LIMO Patentverwaltung GmbH & Co. KG
• Inventors: Bartoschewski, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): MARTINEZ, JOSEPH P
• Application Number:
  US12/336,143
• Publication Number:
  US 20090159820A1
• Time in Patent Office: 952 Days
• Field of Search: 359/622, 359/623, 359/629, 359/639, 362/268
• US Class Current: 359/622
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 19/0014 at least one surface having optical power
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 19/0057 in the form of a laser diode array, e.g. laser diode bar semiconductor laser arrays with beam combining arrangement H01S5/4012
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0966 Cylindrical lenses cylindrical lenses per se G02B3/06

Abstract

Device for shaping laser radiation which has sub-beams (3) spaced apart in a first direction (X) perpendicular to the propagation direction (Z) of the laser radiation, in particular for shaping laser radiation which is output by a laser diode bar (1), comprising a first refractive interface (8) which can differently deviate at least a multiplicity of the sub-beams (3) of the laser radiation to be shaped, so that they travel at least partially converging together after passing through the first interface (8) more than before passing through the first interface (8), and furthermore comprising a second refractive interface (9) through which the laser radiation can pass after having passed through the first interface (8), the second interface (9) being able to deviate at least some of the sub-beams (3) so that their convergence is reduced.

Claims

1. A device for shaping laser radiation which has sub-beams (3) spaced apart in a first direction (X) perpendicular to the propagation direction (Z) of the laser radiation, in particular for shaping laser radiation which is output by a laser diode bar (1), comprising

a first refractive interface (8) differently deviates at least a multiplicity of the sub-beams (3) of the laser radiation to be shaped, so that they travel at least partially converging together after passing through the first interface (8) more than before passing through the first interface (8),

a second refractive interface (9) through which the laser radiation passes after having passed through the first interface (8), the second interface (9) deviates at least some of the sub-beams (3) so that their convergence is reduced;

and

two substrates (6, 7) arranged successively but spaced apart from one another in the propagation direction (Z) of the laser radiation;

the first and second of the refractive interfaces (8, 9) respectively comprise a multiplicity of mutually inclined surfaces (14, 17), at least one of the sub-beams (3) passes through each of the surfaces (14, 17);

the mutually inclined surfaces (14, 17) of each of the two refractive interfaces (8, 9) are arranged respectively on at least one cylindrical contour (12, 13, 15, 16);

the at least one cylindrical contour (12, 13) on the first refractive interface (8) is shaped convexly and the at least one cylindrical contour (15, 16) on the second refractive interface (9) is shaped concavely;

the first refractive interface (8) is an entry surface of the first substrate (6) and the second refractive interface (9) is an exit surface of the second substrate (7).

2. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first refractive interface (8) differently deviates at least a multiplicity of the sub-beams (3) of the laser radiation to be shaped, so that after passing through the first interface (8) they are aligned at a point which is arranged behind the second refractive interface (9) in the propagation direction (Z) of the laser radiation.

3. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the device comprises collimation means which at least partially collimates the laser radiation with respect to the first direction (X) and/or with respect to a second direction (Y) which is perpendicular to the first direction (X) and to the propagation direction (Z) of the laser radiation, the collimation means being arranged before the first refractive interface (8) in the propagation direction (Z) of the laser radiation for collimation in the second direction (Y).

4. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second interface (9) deviates at least some of the sub-beams (3) so that the convergence of the sub-beams (3) is reduced, such that they travel mutually parallel with deviations of ±

10%, preferably ±

5%, in particular ±

1%.

5. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mutually inclined surfaces (14, 17) are at least partially plane.

6. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mutually inclined surfaces (14, 17) at least partially adjoin one another in the first direction (X).

7. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cylinder axis of the at least one cylindrical contour (12, 13, 15, 16) extends in the second direction (Y).

8. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the surfaces (14) of the first refractive interface (8), which adjoin one another in the first direction (X), at least partially make an angle of between 150°

and 180°

with one another, in particular an angle of between 165° and

180°

, preferably an angle of between 175° and

179°

.

9. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the surfaces (17) of the second refractive interface (9), which adjoin one another in the first direction (X), at least partially make an angle of between 180°

and 210°

with one another, in particular an angle of between 180° and

195°

, preferably an angle of between 181° and

185°

.

10. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and/or second of the refractive interfaces (8, 9) has at least two groups of mutually inclined surfaces (14, 17), each of the groups being arranged on its own cylindrical contour (12, 13, 15, 16).

11. The device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the at least two cylindrical contours (12, 13) on the first refractive interface (8) are arranged next to one another in the first direction (X).

12. The device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the at least two cylindrical contours (15, 16) on the second refractive interface (9) are arranged spaced apart in the first direction (X).

13. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the exit surface of the first substrate (6) is plane and/or the entry surface of the second substrate (7) is planar.

14. A device for shaping laser radiation which has sub-beams (3) spaced apart in a first direction (X) perpendicular to the propagation direction (Z) of the laser radiation for shaping laser radiation which is output by a laser diode bar (1), comprising

a first refractive interface (8) differently deviates at least a multiplicity of the sub-beams (3) of the laser radiation to be shaped, so that they travel at least partially converging together after passing through the first interface (8) more than before passing through the first refractive interface (8);

and

a second refractive interface (9) through which the laser radiation passes after having passed through the first refractive interface (8), the second refractive interface (9) deviates at least some of the sub-beams (3) so that their convergence is reduced;

at least one of the first and second of the refractive interfaces comprises a plurality of mutually inclined surfaces;

the plural mutually inclined surfaces at least partially adjoin one another in the first direction;

the plural mutually inclined surfaces of each of the two refractive interfaces are arranged respectively on at least one convex cylindrical contour; and

angles between the plural mutually inclined surfaces increase or decrease in the first direction from an outer edge region of the at least one convex cylindrical contour to a middle of the at least one convex cylindrical contour.