Title: Laser diode assembly including a cylindrical lens

Abstract

The present invention provides a diffraction limited, high numerical aperture (fast) cylindrical microlens. The method for making the microlens is adaptable to produce a cylindrical lens that has almost any shape on its optical surfaces. The cylindrical lens may have a shape, such as elliptical or hyperbolic, designed to transform some particular given input light distribution into some desired output light distribution. In the method, the desired shape is first formed in a glass preform. Then, the preform is heated to the minimum drawing temperature and a fiber is drawn from it. The cross-sectional shape of the fiber bears a direct relation to the shape of the preform from which it was drawn. During the drawing process, the surfaces become optically smooth due to fire polishing.

Inventors:

Snyder, James J ^[1]; Reichert, Patrick ^[2]

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+ Show Inventor Affiliations

1. San Jose, CA
2. Hayward, CA

Issue Date:

Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1992

Research Org.:

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

OSTI Identifier:

868134

Patent Number(s):

5081639

Assignee:

United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)

Patent Classifications (CPCs):

C - CHEMISTRY C03 - GLASS C03B - MANUFACTURE, SHAPING, OR SUPPLEMENTARY PROCESSES

G - PHYSICS G02 - OPTICS G02B - OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS, OR APPARATUS

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C - CHEMISTRY C03 - GLASS C03B - MANUFACTURE, SHAPING, OR SUPPLEMENTARY PROCESSES

C03B2203/04 - Polygonal outer cross-section, e.g. triangular, square
C03B37/027 - Fibres composed of different sorts of glass, {e.g. glass optical fibres}

G - PHYSICS G02 - OPTICS G02B - OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS, OR APPARATUS

G02B6/32 - having lens focusing means {positioned between opposed fibre ends
G02B6/4206 - {Optical features
G02B6/425 - {Optical features

H - ELECTRICITY H01 - BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS H01S - DEVICES USING THE PROCESS OF LIGHT AMPLIFICATION BY STIMULATED EMISSION OF RADIATION [LASER] TO AMPLIFY OR GENERATE LIGHT

H01S3/005 - {Optical devices external to the laser cavity, specially adapted for lasers, e.g. for homogenisation of the beam or for manipulating laser pulses, e.g. pulse shaping
H01S5/005 - {Optical devices external to the laser cavity, specially adapted therefor, e.g. for homogenisation or merging of the beams or for manipulating laser pulses, e.g. pulse shaping
H01S5/026 - Monolithically integrated components, e.g. waveguides, monitoring photo-detectors, drivers
H01S5/4025 - {Array arrangements, e.g. constituted by discrete laser diodes or laser bar

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DOE Contract Number:  

W-7405-ENG-48

Resource Type:

Patent

Country of Publication:

United States

Language:

English

Subject:

laser; diode; assembly; including; cylindrical; lens; provides; diffraction; limited; numerical; aperture; fast; microlens; method; adaptable; produce; shape; optical; surfaces; elliptical; hyperbolic; designed; transform; particular; input; light; distribution; desired; output; formed; glass; preform; heated; minimum; drawing; temperature; fiber; drawn; cross-sectional; bears; direct; relation; process; optically; smooth; due; fire; polishing; output light; light distribution; numerical aperture; cylindrical lens; input light; laser diode; desired shape; assembly including; diffraction limited; desired output; cross-sectional shape; optical surfaces; smooth due; optically smooth; minimum drawing; glass preform; drawing process; optical surface; fiber bears; direct relation; cylindrical microlens; drawing temperature; fire polishing; diode assembly; /372/359/