Intelligent Laser Interlock System

• US 20070253455A1
• Filed: 04/26/2007
• Published: 11/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rayd LLC
• Original Assignee: Raydiance, Inc. (Coherent Corp.)
• Inventors: Farley, Mark, Mielke, Michael, Goldman, David, Stadler, Andrew
• Granted Patent: US 8,232,687 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 372/38.90
• CPC Class Codes: F16P 3/20 for electric control systems
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/005 Optical devices external to the laser cavity, specially adapted for lasers, e.g. for homogenisation of the beam or for manipulating laser pulses, e.g. pulse shaping shaping laser beam for working metal or other materials B23K26/06; optical elements, systems or apparatus in general G02B
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/0912 Electronics or drivers for the pump source, i.e. details of drivers or circuitry specific for laser pumping laser diode drivers H01S5/042
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/10038 Amplitude control
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/2308 Amplifier arrangements, e.g. MOPA

Abstract

The present invention comprises, in various embodiments, systems and methods for shutting down a laser system in an intelligent and flexible manner. An intelligent laser interlock system includes both hardwired components, and intelligent components configured to execute computing instructions. The hardwired components and the intelligent components are configured to shutdown the laser system to one or more alternative shutdown states in response to one or more interlock signals.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

an oscillator configured to generate a laser light pulse;

an amplifier configured to receive the laser light pulse from the oscillator and amplify the laser light pulse; and

a control system comprising

an input configured to receive an interlock signal,

an integrated circuit configured to select a shutdown state from a plurality of alternative shutdown states based on the interlock signal, and

an output configured to place the system in the selected shutdown state.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein one shutdown state includes shutting down the amplifier but not the oscillator.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein one shutdown state includes shutting down an external component.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the control system is configured to control a plurality of oscillators.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the control system is configured to control a plurality of amplifiers.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the control system is configured to store a snapshot of a system state.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the control system is configured to communicate with an external computer system.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein a duration of the laser light pulse is less than 1 nanosecond.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein a duration of the laser light pulse is less than 3 picoseconds.

10. A system comprising:

a light source configured to generate a laser light pulse; and

a control system comprising

a hardwired interlock module configured to shutdown a first part of the light source, and

an intelligent interlock module configured to shutdown a second part of the light source by executing computing instructions.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the first part of the light source is an amplifier.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein the intelligent interlock module is programmable by the user.

13. The system of claim 10 wherein the intelligent interlock module and the hardwired interlock module are configured to operate in parallel.

14. The system of claim 10 wherein the hardwired interlock module includes at least one hardwired interlock trigger and at least one shutdown activator configured to shutdown at least one set of system components upon activation of the hardwired interlock trigger.

15. The system of claim 10 wherein the intelligent interlock module includes at least one intelligent interlock trigger comprising an integrated circuit, and at least one shutdown activator, the at least one intelligent interlock trigger being configured to activate at least one shutdown activator.

16. The system of claim 10 wherein the hardwired interlock module is configured to send an interlock trigger to the intelligent interlock module.

17. A method comprising:

receiving an interlock signal;

shutting down a laser system to a first shutdown state responsive to the interlock signal, the first shutdown state being an intermediate shutdown state;

analyzing the interlock signal; and

shutting down the laser system to a second shutdown state based on the analysis of the interlock signal.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein shutting down the laser system comprises shutting down one or more system components in a sequence from a downstream component to an upstream component.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising storing a snapshot of a system state.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein shutting down the laser system to the first shutdown state includes halting the amplification of pulses, and shutting down the laser system to a second shutdown state includes halting the generation of laser pulses.