Light emitting assembly and method thereof
AssigneeBAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.
InventorsDavid B. Belley, Erik J. Spahr
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A mount connects a light emitting device, such as a laser diode assembly, to an optical bench. The mount may include a thermoelectrical module coupled to a sub-element of a heat exchanger extending through an opening formed in the optical bench. The thermoelectrical module acts as a heat sink to draw heat outwardly from the laser diode and cool the same. The heat sink enables the laser diode to transmit heat thereto such that substantially all of the heat generated by the laser diode sinks to the heat exchanger. As such, the laser diode transfers virtually no heat to the optical bench so the optical bench is free of deflections or distortions resultant from the heat generated during generation of the laser beam.
Claims20
A light emitting assembly comprising:
- a light emitting device having a first end and a second end defining a first direction therebetween, a first side and a second side defining a second direction therebetween, and a top opposite a bottom defining a vertical direction therebetween;
- an optical bench supporting the light emitting device;
- and
- a thermal isolator to reduce an amount of energy from being transferred from the light emitting device to the optical bench during operation of the light emitting device to reduce a likelihood of the optical bench distorting due to temperature gradients thus allowing for a stable output beam of light while maintaining the light emitting device at an operating temperature.
A method comprising:
- generating a beam of light in a light emitting device mounted to an optical bench;
- transmitting electrical current through a thermoelectric module coupled to the light emitting device;
- transferring heat from the light emitting device via the thermoelectric module;
- transferring heat into a heat exchanger;
- and
- maintaining the optical bench in a stable position for stable light beam parameters while temperature changes occur to the optical bench and external environment.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.