Laser diode subassembly and method of generating light
First Claim
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1. A laser diode subassembly comprising:
- an array of M laser diode emitters disposed for emitting M light sub-beams propagating in a common first plane, wherein each laser diode emitter has a sequential array index from 1 to M in the array of M laser diode emitters;
an array of M dichroic reflectors, wherein each dichroic reflector has a sequential array index from 1 to M in the array of M dichroic reflectors,wherein each dichroic reflector is disposed in the common first plane to reflect a light sub-beam of a laser diode emitter having a same array index and to transmit light sub-beams from other laser diode emitters having lower array indices, if any, thereby forming an optical beam,wherein the M dichroic reflectors comprise low-pass reflectors or high-pass reflectors, each dichroic reflector having a corresponding edge wavelength, wherein the edge wavelengths of the M dichroic reflectors are monotonically increasing or decreasing, respectively, with the dichroic reflector'"'"'s array index; and
a partial reflector disposed downstream of the array of M dichroic reflectors in an optical path of the optical beam and arranged to reflect a portion of each light sub-beam comprising the optical beam to propagate back to its originating laser diode emitter, thereby forming a laser cavity for each one of the M laser diode emitters.
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Abstract
A laser diode subassembly is disclosed, in which dichroic reflectors are disposed sequentially one after another forming an array or stack, each reflector having a sequential array index. An array of laser diode emitters is provided, each emitter having a sequential array index. Individual reflectors of the array redirect laser sub-beams from individual laser diode emitters having same array indices, to propagate via dichroic reflectors having higher array indices, so as to form a combined optical beam. A common partial reflector may be used for the laser diode emitters instead of individual wavelength selective reflectors for each laser diode emitter.
31 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A laser diode subassembly comprising:
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an array of M laser diode emitters disposed for emitting M light sub-beams propagating in a common first plane, wherein each laser diode emitter has a sequential array index from 1 to M in the array of M laser diode emitters; an array of M dichroic reflectors, wherein each dichroic reflector has a sequential array index from 1 to M in the array of M dichroic reflectors, wherein each dichroic reflector is disposed in the common first plane to reflect a light sub-beam of a laser diode emitter having a same array index and to transmit light sub-beams from other laser diode emitters having lower array indices, if any, thereby forming an optical beam, wherein the M dichroic reflectors comprise low-pass reflectors or high-pass reflectors, each dichroic reflector having a corresponding edge wavelength, wherein the edge wavelengths of the M dichroic reflectors are monotonically increasing or decreasing, respectively, with the dichroic reflector'"'"'s array index; and a partial reflector disposed downstream of the array of M dichroic reflectors in an optical path of the optical beam and arranged to reflect a portion of each light sub-beam comprising the optical beam to propagate back to its originating laser diode emitter, thereby forming a laser cavity for each one of the M laser diode emitters. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method for generating light, the method comprising:
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(a) providing an array of M laser diode emitters and disposing the M laser diode emitters for emitting M light sub-beams propagating in a common first plane, wherein each laser diode emitter has a sequential array index from 1 to M in the array of M laser diode emitters; (b) providing an array of M dichroic reflectors, wherein each dichroic reflector has a sequential array index from 1 to M in the array of M dichroic reflectors, and disposing each dichroic reflector in the common first plane to reflect a light sub-beam of a laser diode emitter having a same array index and to transmit light sub-beams from other laser diode emitters having lower array indices, if any, thereby forming an optical beam, wherein the M dichroic reflectors comprise low-pass reflectors or high-pass reflectors, each dichroic reflector having a corresponding edge wavelength, wherein the edge wavelengths of the M dichroic reflectors are monotonically increasing or decreasing, respectively, with the dichroic reflector'"'"'s array index; (c) providing a partial reflector, and arranging the partial reflector downstream of the array of M dichroic reflectors in an optical path of the optical beam, to reflect a portion of each sub-beam comprising the optical beam to propagate back to its originating laser diode emitter, thereby forming a laser cavity for each one of the M laser diode emitters; and (d) energizing the array of M laser diode emitters. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification