Splicing asymmetric reflective array for combining high power laser beams
US6266359A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 2, 1999 |
| Grant date | Jul 24, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 2, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01S3/2383
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A splicing asymmetric reflective array (10) for combining at least two input beams (12, 14) into a combined output (16). The arrays include a plurality of substantially reflecting, adjacently positioned layers (20). Each layer (20) has substantially the same width (24) and substantially the same thickness (22) while having a different height dimension (26). A collective entry portion (40) is formed by the adjacent layers' width and thickness dimensions, wherein at least two input beams are directed into and received therein. A collective exit portion (42) is formed by the adjacent layers' height dimensions, wherein the height dimensions are monotonically increasing. A cascade array (60) incorporating the array 10 and reduced size arrays (64, 66, 68, and 70) may be used to combine more than two input beams into one. A three-dimensional array (80), which alters the slope of each layer's height dimension, can be used to combine four input beams (82) into one output beam (84).
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.