Laser diode mount

Abstract

A laser diode mount having a thermal coupling for a laser diode heat sink utilizes a shape memory alloy in the maintaining of laser diode arrays within an operational temperature bandwidth. A diode carrier member holds a laser diode array and is movably attached with posts to a heat sink and spaced by a variable air gap from the heat sink thermal pad. The diode carrier member can move on the posts to vary the gap and a shape memory alloy member is shaped as a coil or spring and coupled between the diode carrier member and the heat sink thermal pad for use in varying the gap therebetween. The shape memory alloy member works against a conventional spring. The heat sink thermal pad may be part of a forced convection heat sink. The shape memory alloy allows for a variable thermal impedance by the self-regulation of an air gap thickness between a laser diode array and the heat sink which allows a rapid warm-up of the diodes by providing thermal isolation from the heat sink during warm-up and then control of the heat transfer to the heat sink when the diodes reach their normal operating temperature.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.