Semiconductor laser array beam transformer/equalizer
An optical system that improves and equalizes the beam quality of a semiconductor laser array. The semiconductor lasers are arranged along a first axis, and the second axis has a higher beam quality than the first axis. The system includes a high-efficiency optical device that transforms light beams emitted from the lasers into any desired re-arranged shapes, such as a column along a second axis, or a circular arrangement.
1 . An optical system, comprising:
an array of semiconductor lasers that each emit a beam of light, said semiconductor lasers being arranged along a first axis; and,
an optical device that transforms said beams of light into at least one column along a second axis.
2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein said optical device includes a plurality of first diffraction gratings that diffract said beams of light into said column.
3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein said light beams are shaped as a slit.
4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein said second axis has a higher beam quality than said first axis.
5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein said optical device includes a collimator.
6 . The system of claim 2 , wherein said optical device includes a plurality of second gratings that straighten a path of each beam of light.
7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein said array of semiconductor lasers is a two dimensional array.
8 . An optical system, comprising:
an array of semiconductor lasers that each emit a beam of light, said semiconductor lasers being arranged along a first axis; and,
optical transformation means for transforming said beams of light into at least one column along a second axis.
9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein said optical transformation means includes gratings to diffract said beams of light.
10 . The system of claim 8 , wherein said light beams are shaped as a slit.
11 . The system of claim 8 , wherein said second axis has a higher beam quality than said first axis.
12 . The system of claim 8 , wherein said optical device includes a collimator.
13 . The system of claim 8 , wherein said array of semiconductor lasers is a two dimensional array.
14 . A method for operating an array of semiconductor lasers, comprising:
emitting a plurality of light beams from an array of semiconductor lasers arranged along a first axis; and,
transforming the laser beams into a column along a second axis.
15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the light beams are transformed by a plurality of first diffraction gratings of an optical device.
16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the light beams are further diffracted by a plurality of second diffraction gratings.
17 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the light beams are each shaped as a slit.
18 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the second axis has a higher beam quality than the first axis.