Coherent light generators – Particular active media – Semiconductor
Patent
1998-05-27
2000-08-08
Arroyo, Teresa M.
Coherent light generators
Particular active media
Semiconductor
372 36, 372 75, H01S 304, H01S 3091
Patent
active
061012068
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The subject of the present invention is semiconductor laser diode laser devices and, in particular, such devices consisting of an array of laser diodes. It also relates to a process for producing such laser devices.
A laser diode device is known, for example from U.S. Pat. No. 5,128,951, which has: a good heat conductor, which have at least approximately coplanar free longitudinal edges bearing films of an electrically conductive material which extend on each side of said edges on both faces of said walls; strip comprising an emitting surface via which the laser diodes of the corresponding strip emit, said semiconductor strips being housed longitudinally in the spaces between said walls and each of said semiconductor strips being fastened to the opposite faces of the two walls between which it is housed, so that said semiconductor strips are electrically connected in series by said films of electrically conductive material and so that the emitting surfaces of said semiconductor strips are at least approximately coplanar with said free longitudinal edges of said walls; and
The known laser devices of this type include a block of material which is a good heat conductor, which is supported by said fluid-circulation cooling means. Parallel grooves are machined, mechanically or chemically, in said block, said grooves forming the housings for said diode strips and defining ribs between them, each of these ribs forming one of said walls to which said diode strips are soldered. On the opposite side from the free longitudinal edges of the ribs, the latter are joined together by a base which corresponds to that part of said block which is not cut into by said grooves and via which said block is connected to said cooling means.
Such known laser devices have many drawbacks.
First of all, the removal of the heat generated by said diodes is not good. This is because, between the diode strips and the cooling fluid, the heat must travel a long path which passes through the soldered joints between the strips and the ribs, along the height of said ribs, through said base and, finally, through the wall of said cooling means which supports said base. Moreover, in order to be able to house said strips in said grooves easily, it is absolutely essential to provide clearances which are compensated for by the solder. Consequently, the soldered joints between the diode strips and the grooves are thicker than would be sufficient to ensure electrical contact, so that the rate of heat transfer is reduced at said soldered joints. This heat transfer rate reduction effect is increased because of the fact that the planarity and rugosity of the side walls of the ribs cannot be optimized when cutting out said grooves. These known laser devices therefore cannot provide a high radiation density because the heat removal is insufficient. If a high radiation density is desired, the laser diodes therefore overheat and are rapidly destroyed.
Moreover, because of the necessary existence of clearances between the diode strips and the ribs and the impossibility of applying satisfactory pressure between said strips and said ribs during soldering, the continuity of the electrical contact between said diode strips may be defective, despite--or because of--the relatively large thickness of said soldered joints.
Furthermore, the machining of said grooves and the fitting and soldering of said strips in them require a very high precision, not very compatible with industrial manufacture and reasonable manufacturing costs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to remedy these drawbacks. It relates to a laser device of the abovementioned type, in which heat removal is improved so that the homogeneity and radiation density of said laser device may be high and the lifetime of the latter may be long, the structure of said laser device improved in accordance with the present invention making it possible, in addition, to guarantee excellent electrical continuity between the diode strips and to allow low-cost
REFERENCES:
patent: 5099488 (1992-03-01), Ahrabi et al.
patent: 5128951 (1992-07-01), Karpinski
patent: 5495490 (1996-02-01), Rice et al.
Beach et al., "Modular Microchannel Cooled Heatsinks for High Average Power Laser Diode Arrays", IEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics, vol. 28, No. 4, Apr. 1, 1992, pp. 966-976.
Patent Abstracts of Japan, vol. 015, No. 054 (E-1031), Feb. 8, 1991 and JP 02 281781 A (Matsushita Electric Ind. Co. Ltd.), Nov. 19, 1990.
Apollonov Viktor Viktorovitch
Babaiants Guennadi Ivanovitch
Cornillault Jean
Derjavine Serguei Igorevitch
Foucher Thierry Jean Daniel Xavier
Arroyo Teresa M.
Compagnie Industrielle des Lasers Cilas
Leung Quyen P.
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