High fluence diode laser device and method for the fabrication and use thereof
AssigneeStar Medical Technologies, Inc.
InventorsRobert E. Grove, James Z. Holtz
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A high fluence diode laser device is provided which achieves high fluence by carefully designing the mount for the diode bars so as to permit high power and long pulse operation with little temperature rise in the diode lasers; providing a microlens array in front of the diode array to improve brightness; and utilizing a non-imaging (i.e., without lenses) optical condenser between the microlens array and the target to efficiently transmit light energy from the diode array to a smaller target area.
Claims19
A high fluence diode laser device comprising:
- at least one diode laser array, each array having a plurality of diode laser bars, which bars are separated by spacers formed of a material having both high thermal conductivity and high thermal capacity, said bars being spaced by the spacers by an amount adequate to avoid significant thermal interaction between bars;
- an optical array mounted to receive light energy from the diode bars and to reduce the divergence of light energy outputted therefrom;
- and
- a non-imaging condenser mounted to receive light energy passing through the optical array and to channel such energy to a smaller area for increased fluence.
A device as claimed in 11 wherein the microlens fibers have radial reflective index gradients to further reduce divergence of light outputted therefrom.
A method for forming a high fluence diode laser device comprising the steps of:
- providing a plurality of diode laser bars mounted in at least one diode laser array having spacers between bars formed of a material having both high thermal conductivity and high thermal capacity, said bars being spaced by the spacers by an amount adequate to avoid significant thermal interactions between bars;
- mounting an optical array to receive light energy from the diode bars and to reduce the divergence of light energy outputted therefrom;
- and
- mounting a non-imaging condenser to receive light energy passing through the microlens array and to channel such energy to a smaller area for increased fluence.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.