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US 9,851,571 B1Granted
Apparatus for generating a line-beam from a diode-laser array
AssigneeCoherent, Inc.
InventorsRui Zhang, Andrea Caprara
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatus for generating a line-beam includes a diode-laser bar, a linear micro-lens array, and a plurality of lenses spaced apart and arranged along an optical axis. The linear micro-lens array and the lenses shape laser-radiation emitted by the diode-laser bar to form a uniform line-beam in an illumination plane. The lenses project a far-field image of the diode-laser bar onto an image plane proximate to the illumination plane. The diode-laser bar is rotated from parallel alignment with the linear micro-lens array for providing uniform line-beam illumination over a range of locations along the optical axis.
Claims29
An apparatus for generating a line-beam, comprising:
- a diode-laser bar emitting laser-radiation in an emission direction, the diode-laser bar having perpendicular slow-axis and fast-axis directions;
- a collimating lens arranged to intercept the laser-radiation and collimate the laser-radiation in the fast-axis direction;
- a focusing lens;
- a linear micro-lens array having a plurality of cylindrical micro-lenses arranged in an elongated array thereof, the linear micro-lens array having a first direction parallel with the elongated array of cylindrical micro-lenses and a second direction perpendicular to the elongated array of cylindrical micro-lenses;
- a first cylindrical lens and a second cylindrical lens;
- wherein the collimating lens, the focusing lens, the linear micro-lens array, the first cylindrical lens, and the second cylindrical lens located in recited order along an optical axis in the emission direction, and arranged to form the line-beam from the laser-radiation emitted by the diode-laser bar;
- and
- wherein, the slow-axis and fast-axis directions are rotated from parallel alignment with the first and second directions by a fixed angle of at least 2°.
5 more elements
An apparatus for generating a line-beam, comprising:
- a diode-laser bar emitting laser-radiation in an emission direction, the diode-laser bar having perpendicular slow-axis and fast-axis directions;
- a fast-axis collimating lens arranged to intercept the laser-radiation and collimate the laser-radiation in the fast-axis direction;
- a first linear micro-lens array having a plurality of first cylindrical micro-lenses arranged in an elongated array thereof, the first linear micro-lens array having a first direction parallel with the elongated array of first cylindrical micro-lenses and a second direction perpendicular to the elongated array of first cylindrical micro-lenses;
- a focusing lens;
- a second linear micro-lens array having a plurality of second cylindrical micro-lenses arranged in an elongated array thereof, the second linear micro-lens array having a third direction parallel with the elongated array of second cylindrical micro-lenses and a fourth direction perpendicular to the elongated array of second cylindrical micro-lenses;
- a cylindrical lens;
- wherein the fast-axis collimating lens, the first linear micro-lens array, the focusing lens, the second linear micro-lens array, and the cylindrical lens located in recited order along an optical axis in the emission direction, and arranged to form the line-beam from the laser-radiation emitted by the diode-laser bar;
- and
- wherein, the first and second directions are rotated from parallel alignment with the third and fourth directions by a fixed angle of at least 2°.
6 more elements
An apparatus for generating a line-beam, comprising:
- a diode-laser bar emitting laser-radiation in an emission direction, the diode-laser bar having perpendicular slow-axis and fast-axis directions;
- a collimating lens arranged to intercept the laser-radiation and collimate the laser-radiation in the fast-axis direction;
- a focusing lens;
- a linear micro-lens array having a plurality of cylindrical micro-lenses arranged in an elongated array thereof, the linear micro-lens array having a first direction parallel with the elongated array of cylindrical micro-lenses and a second direction perpendicular to the elongated array of cylindrical micro-lenses, the slow-axis and fast-axis directions rotated from parallel alignment with the first and second directions by a fixed angle of at least 2°, the focusing lens and the linear micro-lens array arranged for uniform illumination of the linear micro-lens array by the laser-radiation;
- a cylindrical lens, the collimating lens, the focusing lens, the linear micro-lens array and the cylindrical lens located in recited order along an optical axis in the emission direction, and arranged to form the line-beam in a first illumination plane from the laser-radiation emitted by the diode-laser bar;
- an aperture located in a second illumination plane, the aperture arranged to partially block the line-beam in the first direction;
- and
- a spherical lens, the spherical lens located on the optical axis and arranged to project an image of the partially-blocked line-beam in the second illumination plane to a third illumination plane.
5 more elements
An apparatus for generating a line-beam, comprising:
- a diode-laser bar emitting laser-radiation in an emission direction, the diode-laser bar having perpendicular slow-axis and fast-axis directions;
- a fast-axis collimating lens arranged to intercept the laser-radiation and collimate the laser-radiation in the fast-axis direction;
- a first linear micro-lens array having a plurality of first cylindrical micro-lenses arranged in an elongated array thereof, the first linear micro-lens array having a first direction parallel with the elongated array of first cylindrical micro-lenses and a second direction perpendicular to the elongated array of first cylindrical micro-lenses;
- a focusing lens;
- a second linear micro-lens array having a plurality of second cylindrical micro-lenses arranged in an elongated array thereof, the second linear micro-lens array having a third direction parallel with the elongated array of second cylindrical micro-lenses and a fourth direction perpendicular to the elongated array of second cylindrical micro-lenses, the first and second directions rotated from parallel alignment with the third and fourth directions by a fixed angle of at least 2°, the focusing lens and the second linear micro-lens array arranged for uniform illumination of the second linear micro-lens array by the laser-radiation;
- a cylindrical lens, the fast-axis collimating lens, the first linear micro-lens array, the focusing lens, the second linear micro-lens array, and the cylindrical lens located in recited order along an optical axis in the emission direction, and arranged to form the line-beam in a first illumination plane from the laser-radiation emitted by the diode-laser bar;
- an aperture located in a second illumination plane, the aperture arranged to partially block the line-beam in the third direction;
- and
- a spherical lens, the spherical lens located on the optical axis and arranged to project an image of the partially-blocked line-beam in the second illumination plane to a third illumination plane.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.