High-energy laser apparatus for thin film temperture sensing

A high-energy laser (HEL) element, comprising:

• a non-conductive substrate layer assembly;
• a reflector layer assembly adjacent to the non-conductive substrate layer assembly and comprising multiple broadband high-reflector layers;
• and
• a thermally conductive carbon layer at least partially interposed between first and second ones of the multiple broadband high-reflector layers,
• wherein:
• the thermally conductive carbon layer comprises a planar layer portion with a circular major surface,
• the reflector layer assembly is formed with an aperture that exposes a circular chordal segment section of the circular major surface, and
• the HEL element further comprises a thermal sensor coupled to and entirely encompassed within the circular chordal segment section of the circular major surface.

A high-energy laser (HEL) element, comprising:

• a non-conductive substrate layer assembly, which is non-conductive of thermal energy;
• a reflector layer assembly;
• a thermally conductive carbon layer at least partially interposed between the non-conductive substrate layer assembly and the reflector layer assembly;
• and
• a thermal sensor coupled to the thermally conductive carbon layer,
• wherein the thermally conductive carbon layer comprises a planar layer portion axially interposed between the non-conductive substrate layer assembly with a circular major surface and the reflector layer assembly and sidewalls extend continuously around an entire circumference of an outer periphery of the non-conductive substrate layer assembly along an axial portion of the non-conductive substrate layer assembly,
• wherein the reflector layer assembly is formed with an aperture that exposes a circular chordal segment section of the circular major surface and the thermal sensor comprises:
• a first thermistor coupled to and entirely encompassed within the circular chordal segment section of the circular major surface of the thermally conductive carbon layer;
• and
• a second thermistor coupled to a second surface of the thermally conductive carbon layer, which is perpendicular to the circular major surface of the thermally conductive carbon layer.

A method of assembling a high-energy laser (HEL) element, the method comprising:

• forming a non-conductive substrate layer assembly;
• growing a thermally conductive carbon layer with a circular major surface of a planar layer portion on the non-conductive substrate layer assembly;
• masking a portion of a surface of the thermally conductive carbon layer facing away from the non-conductive substrate layer assembly;
• attaching a reflector layer assembly to an unmasked portion of the surface, wherein the thermally conductive carbon layer comprises the circular major surface of the planar layer axially interposed between the non-conductive substrate layer assembly and the reflector layer assembly and sidewalls extending around a portion of the non-conductive substrate layer assembly, the reflector layer assembly being formed with an aperture that exposes a circular chordal segment section of the circular major surface;
• and
• coupling a thermal sensor to the portion of the surface following an unmasking of the portion of the surface such that the thermal sensor is coupled to and entirely encompassed within the circular chordal segment section of the circular major surface.