Method bonding an optical element within an enclosure

Details Method bonding an optical element within an enclosure Method bonding an optical element within an enclosure

2000-02-09

2001-11-27

Copenheaver, Blaine (Department: 1771)

Stock material or miscellaneous articles

Web or sheet containing structurally defined element or...

Composite having voids in a component

C385S039000, C385S052000, C385S102000, C156S077000, C156S291000, C156S294000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06322884

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method of bonding an optical element within an enclosure, as well as to an optical system.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The need to achieve adequate thermal distribution within an optical element such as a laser rod, necessitates encompassing the laser rod with a thermally conductive material, such as ceramic or sapphire. The thermally conductive material may be of cylindrical geometry, completely encompassing the rod or in the form of a hemisphere, where only half the rod is encompassed. The thermally conductive material is bonded to the rod by an optical adhesive which provides optical matching between the thermally conductive material and the rod. The adhesive also serves to thermally connect the rod and the thermally conductive material.
A problem arises, however, when the rod assembly undergoes variations in temperature; such variations cause the dissimilar materials of the optical element, thermally conductive material and optical adhesive to expand at different rates. When the temperature rises, high stresses are produced in the assembly which can cause the adhesive to fail, resulting in air pockets between the rod and the thermally conductive material. The air pockets result in an optical interference between the rod and the pump source. Moreover, the air pockets cause an increase in thermal resistance between the rod and the thermally conductive material, causing increased rod temperature. In addition, the stresses produced may result in the development of birefringence in the optical element, causing a change in the polarization vector of the beam. Furthermore, the stresses may be high enough to cause the eventual fracture of the optical element or thermally conductive material.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore a broad object of the present invention to ameliorate the above-described problems and to provide a method of binding an optical element to an enclosure so as to assure minimal stresses in the element when its temperature changes.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an optical system assuring minimal stresses in the element when its temperature changes.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a method of bonding an optical element within an enclosure, said method comprising providing an optical element within an enclosure having interior walls configured and sized to surround the exterior walls of said optical element with clearance, so as to form a space therebetween; introducing into said space members having a cross-section substantially the same as the cross-section of said space at the locations of said members; filling said space with adhesive which does not adhere to said members, and removing said members, forming air-filled voids which cause the reduction of stress in said optical element when its temperature changes.
The invention further provides an optical system, comprising an optical element at least partly surrounded by a thermally conductive enclosure bonded thereto by an adhesive, characterized in that said adhesive is formed with air voids distributed about the element, to ensure minimal stresses in the element during use when its temperature changes.


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