US 9,425,580 B1Granted

Modular laser system

AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy

InventorGerald C. Manke, II

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Abstract

Methods and related modular laser systems, e.g., distributed aperture, ultra short pulsed laser, are provided on a host platform having multiple compartments and groups of components where each group has a different environmental sensitivity such as temperature, humidity, vibration, etc or other installation constraints. Each component group is placed in different compartments of the host platform based on constraints comprising equipment, size, available installation footprint, equipment interconnection, and location constraints. For example, one group with one temperature sensitivity falling within environments provided for aircraft passengers or crews can be placed in the crew or passenger compartments. Other components having a greater temperature tolerance might be placed in an equipment bay having a different temperature range than a crew/passenger cabin. Other components might be placed in an area without any environmental controls or even pressurization (e.g., a cargo bay). Components can be located based on single, multiple, or combinations of constraints.

Claims22

Dependent claims

A multiple compartment platform with a laser system comprising

a first host platform comprising a first, second, and third compartment;
an environmental control system configured to couple with said first and second compartments and maintain a first environment comprising a first temperature range in said first compartment and a second environment comprising a second temperature range in said second compartment, wherein first and second environments are different;
a laser system comprising a plurality of components, said plurality of components comprising a first group, a second group, and a third group, wherein said first group is located within said first compartment, said second group is located within said second compartment, and said third group is located within said third compartment;
wherein said first group comprises diodes and has a first environmental sensitivity comprising a first temperature threshold at which said first group has an increased failure rate, wherein said first temperature threshold is outside of said first temperature range;
wherein said second group comprises at least some electronic items that are in said second environment that have a second environmental sensitivity comprising a second temperature threshold at which said second group has an increased failure rate, wherein said second temperature threshold is outside said second temperature range;
wherein said third group comprises at least some fiber optic components having a third environmental sensitivity comprising a third temperature threshold, wherein said third temperature threshold is not within said first or second temperature range.

3 more elements

A design and manufacturing process comprising:

providing a laser system comprising a plurality of components;
determining a temperature failure threshold for each of said plurality of components based on a manufacturer specification;
identifying a platform to install said laser system on where the platform includes multiple compartments and one or more environmental control systems configured to maintain a different temperature range in at least two of the different compartments, wherein said different temperature range comprises a first and second temperature range;
identifying one or more of said plurality of components having said failure threshold lower than said first temperature range's highest temperature and grouping said identified one or more components associated with this step element into a first component group;
identifying one or more remaining ungrouped components of said plurality of components not included in said first component group having a respective said failure threshold lower than said second temperature range's highest temperature and grouping said identified one or more ungrouped components associated with this step element into a second component group;
identifying one or more remaining ungrouped components of said plurality of components not included in said first or second component group having a respective said failure threshold higher than said second temperature range and grouping them into a third component group;
and
installing said first component group components into said first compartment, installing said second group components into said second compartment, and installing said third group components into said third group compartment;
interconnecting said plurality of components in first, second, and third component;
wherein the first group comprises laser diodes, the second group includes at least some of the laser system's electronics, the third group includes at least some fiber optics components.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 14/720,196Filed 22 May 2015 · us provisional application
Priority: 11 May 2015
Granted: 23 Aug 2016
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

H01S 3/04
Constructional details: arrangements for thermal management
H01S 3/0071
Optical devices external to the laser cavity, specially adapted for lasers, e.g. for homogenisation of the beam or for manipulating laser…
H01S 3/0941
By coherent light: of a laser diode
H01S 3/2316
Amplifier arrangements, e.g. MOPA: cascaded amplifiers