# US 10,374,378 B2 · Light trap for high power fiber laser connector > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,374,378 B2 - Document ID: US10374378B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/158,135 - Filed: 2018-10-11 - Published: 2019-04-25 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2016-05-16 - Assignees: nLIGHT, Inc. - Applicants: NLIGHT, Inc. - Inventors: Scott R. Karlsen; Walter R. Sanders - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10374378B2 ## CPC - H01S 3/06704: {Housings; Packages} - B23K 26/00: Working by laser beam, e.g. welding, cutting or boring - G02B 5/003: {Light absorbing elements} - G02B 6/24: Coupling light guides - G02B 6/4296: {coupling with sources of high radiant energy, e.g. high power lasers, high temperature light sources} - H01S 3/0621: {Coatings on the end-faces, e.g. input/output surfaces of the laser light} - G02B 6/4293: {hybrid electrical and optical connections for transmitting electrical and optical signals} - H01S 3/0407: {Liquid cooling, e.g. by water} - H01S 3/0941: of a laser diode - H01S: DEVICES USING THE PROCESS OF LIGHT AMPLIFICATION BY STIMULATED EMISSION OF RADIATION [LASER] TO AMPLIFY OR GENERATE LIGHT; DEVICES USING STIMULATED EMISSION OF ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION IN WAVE RANGES OTHER THAN OPTICAL - B23K: SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS ## Abstract A fiber laser system includes a fiber laser connector having a housing to terminate a fiber that generates a laser beam. A chamber extends internally along a length of the housing. A light trap includes a plurality of threads formed along a wall of the chamber to trap light reflected back to the fiber laser connector in response to an application of the laser beam to a workpiece. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system, comprising: a fiber connector including a housing, the housing including a first section to terminate a fiber to generate a laser beam and a second different section to encase at least a portion of the fiber; a chamber extending internally along a length of the second section of the housing, wherein a wall of the chamber is optically non-transmissive; and a light trap including plurality of threads formed along the wall of the chamber to trap light reflected back to the fiber connector in response to an application of the laser beam to a workpiece. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the chamber has a substantially cylindrical cross-section. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of threads are helically shaped around the wall of the chamber. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of threads are formed to have a substantially uniform pitch between adjacent ones of the plurality of threads. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of threads are formed to have a substantially non-uniform pitch between adjacent ones of the plurality of threads. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of threads are formed to have a substantially triangle sawtooth contour. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising: a reflective plating or coating formed on the plurality of threads formed along the wall of the chamber. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The system of claim 7, wherein the reflective plating or coating comprises a partial reflector. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the reflective plating or coating comprises nickel, chromium, platinum or a combination thereof. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the first section of the housing comprises an end cap. ### Claim 11 A fiber laser assembly to couple to a lasing device, the fiber laser assembly comprising: a pump source; a fiber having a first end coupled to the pump source, wherein a portion of the fiber is configured to generate a laser beam from pump light of the pump source; a fiber connector to receive a second end of the fiber, the fiber connector to mate with a receptacle of the lasing device, the fiber connector including: a housing including a section to enclose at least a portion of the second end of the fiber; a chamber extending internally along a length of the section of the housing, wherein a wall of the chamber is optically non-transmissive; and a plurality of threads formed along the wall of the chamber to trap light reflected back to the fiber connector in response to delivery of the laser beam. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The fiber laser assembly of claim 11, wherein the section of the housing comprises a first section of the housing, and wherein the housing includes a second different section, the second section comprising an end cap. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The fiber laser assembly of claim 11, wherein the chamber has a substantially cylindrical cross-section; and wherein the plurality of threads are helically shaped around the wall of the chamber. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The fiber laser assembly of claim 11, wherein the plurality of threads are formed to have a substantially uniform pitch between adjacent ones of the plurality of threads; and wherein the plurality of threads are formed to have a substantially triangle sawtooth contour. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The fiber laser assembly of claim 11, wherein the plurality of threads are formed to have a substantially non-uniform pitch between adjacent ones of the plurality of threads. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The fiber laser assembly of claim 11, further comprising: a reflective plating or coating formed on the plurality of threads formed along the wall of the chamber; and wherein the reflective plating or coating comprises nickel, chromium, platinum, or a combination thereof. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The fiber laser assembly of claim 16, wherein at least some of the plurality of threads reflect each ray at least twice. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The fiber connector of claim 11, further comprising: a reflective plating or coating formed on the plurality of threads formed along the wall of the chamber; and wherein the reflective plating or coating comprises reflective materials having a reflection in the range of about 50% to 90%. ### Claim 19 A method, comprising: forming a plurality of threads along an optically non-transmissive wall of a chamber in a housing of a fiber laser connector; generating a laser beam with a fiber laser terminated by the fiber laser connector; receiving, at the fiber laser connector, light rays reflected back from application of the laser beam to a workpiece; and trapping each of the light rays multiple times within the chamber using at least some of the plurality of threads. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, further comprising: at least partially plating the plurality of threads with a reflective coating comprising nickel, chromium, platinum, or a combination thereof.