Apparatus and method for passive heat pipe cooling of solid state laser heads
US5253260A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 20, 1991 |
| Grant date | Oct 12, 1993 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 20, 2011 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01S5/4025
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
In a solid state laser assembly (12), arrays (60) of pumping laser diode bars (62), placed on opposed sides of a laser rod (36), are maintained at an optimal operating temperature by a pair of heat pipes (16) physically and thermally coupled at their respective evaporator sections (18) to both the diode bars and the laser rod. The laser assembly includes a pump cavity (34) configured as an I-beam having two pairs of terminal interfaces (58) respectively bounding a pair of elongated U-shaped channels (48). Heat from laser rod (36) is conducted through pump cavity (34) to the heat pipe evaporator sections (18). A mounting block (64) physically and thermally supports each of the diode array assemblies for spreading heat therefrom also to the evaporator sections.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.