Gallium nitride based laser dazzling method

• US 9,014,229 B1
• Filed: 10/08/2014
• Issued: 04/21/2015
• 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): Owens, Douglas W
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chen, Jianzi
• Application Number:
  US14/509,596
• Time in Patent Office: 195 Days
• Field of Search: 372 4301- 5023
• US Class Current: 372/43.01
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 20/00 Nanooptics, e.g. quantum optics or photonic crystals
• 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: F41H 13/0087 the high-energy beam being a bright light, e.g. for dazzling or blinding purposes F41H13/0056 takes precedence
• 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 5/1053 Comprising an active region having a varying composition or cross-section in a specific direction
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/22 having a ridge or stripe structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/320275 semi-polar orientation
• 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 5/4087 emitting more than one wavelength

Abstract

A laser dazzler device and method. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention provide laser dazzling devices power by one or more green laser diodes characterized by a wavelength of about 500 nm to 540 nm. In various embodiments, laser dazzling devices according to the present invention include non-polar and/or semi-polar green laser diodes. In a specific embodiment, a single laser dazzling device includes a plurality of green laser diodes. There are other embodiments as well.

Claims

1. A method of operating a laser dazzling apparatus, the method comprising:

providing the laser dazzling apparatus comprising a housing member;

a laser device disposed within the housing member, the laser device comprising an active region and a laser stripe region configured to emit a laser beam having a wavelength from about 500 nm to about 540 nm, the active region comprising a gallium and nitrogen containing material and having a plurality of well layers and barrier layers stacked in a first direction, the laser stripe region configured to project the laser beam in a second direction substantially orthogonal to the first direction;

a driving circuit electrically coupled to the laser device, the driving circuit being adapted to deliver electrical power to the laser device, the electrical power being less than a predetermined value;

a power source electrically coupled to the driving circuit; and

an activation module electrically coupled to the driving circuit; and

transferring an activation signal using the activation module to the driving circuit.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the laser device is associated with one or more operational modes, each of the one or more operational modes being associated with an operating frequency.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising an optical concentrator aligned with the laser device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the laser device comprises a plurality of green laser diodes sharing a single substrate.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the laser device comprises one or more laser diodes selected from a non-polar green laser diode, a semi-polar green laser diode, and a combination thereof.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the laser device comprises one or more semi-polar {20-21} green laser diodes.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein

the laser device comprises one or more polar green laser diodes;

and

the laser device is fabricated from a gallium and nitrogen containing bulk substrate.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the laser beam is characterized by a power less than 600 mW.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the laser beam is characterized by a power less than 400 mW.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the laser device comprises a plurality of green laser diodes, wherein the plurality of green laser diodes share a single package.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising an optic configured to adjust a size of the laser beam at a predetermined distance.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising a sight configured to align the laser beam, wherein the sight is selected from an open sight, an aperture sight, a red dot sight, a hologram sight, and a scope.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the housing member is selected from a pistol grip and a rifle stock.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the activation module is selected from a trigger mode and a safety mode.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the power source comprises a battery.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the driving circuit is adapted to deliver electrical energy to the laser device in pulses.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the laser device is configured to cause temporary blindness to a person.

18. A method of operating a laser dazzling apparatus, the method comprising:

providing a laser device, the laser device comprising a green laser diode, the green laser diode comprising an active region and a laser stripe region configured to emit a laser beam characterized by a power less than a predetermined value, the active region comprising a gallium and nitrogen containing material and having a plurality of well layers and barrier layers stacked in a first direction, the laser stripe region configured to project the laser beam in a second direction substantially orthogonal to the first direction;

a driving circuit electrically coupled to the laser device, the driving circuit configured to deliver electrical power to the laser device, the electrical power being less than the emitted power in the laser beam;

a power source electrically coupled to the driving circuit;

an activation module electrically coupled to the driving circuit, the activation module configured to send an activation signal to the driving circuit, the activation module comprising an electrical trigger; and

a sight configured to align the laser beam to a desired position; and

using the laser dazzling apparatus.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the laser device comprises a plurality of green laser diodes.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the green laser diode is selected from a non-polar green laser diode and a semipolar laser diode.

21. A method of using a laser dazzling apparatus, the method comprising:

using the laser dazzling apparatus comprising a laser device, the laser device comprising a green laser diode;

wherein

the green laser diode is configured in a semi-polar {20-21} orientation; and

the green laser diode comprises a gallium and nitrogen containing substrate, an active region having a plurality of well layers and barrier layers stacked in a first direction, and a laser stripe region configured to emit a laser beam in a second direction substantially orthogonal to the first direction and at a power level of less than a predetermined value, the laser beam configured to cause temporary blindness to a person;

a driving circuit electrically coupled to the laser device, the driving circuit being adapted to deliver electrical power to the laser device; and

a power source electrically coupled to the driving circuit.