Shaping laser beam launches into optical fibers to yield specific output effects
View Patent ↗Certain embodiments may include a laser system configured to emit collimated laser light, a beam diverging element configured to diverge the laser light to yield a range of propagation angles with a maximum angle greater than zero, and fiber coupling optics configured to direct the diverged laser light towards a spot of a cross-section of a fiber core of an optical fiber. As another example, certain embodiments may include a laser system configured to emit collimated laser light, a beam shaping element configured to shape the laser light into a beam with an elliptical cross-section, and fiber coupling optics configured to direct the diverged laser light towards a spot of a cross-section of a fiber core of an optical fiber, where the spot's center point is located at a distance from the cross-section's center point.
1. A system comprising:
a laser system configured to emit collimated laser light;
a beam shaping element configured to shape the laser light to yield an elliptical cross-section;
a beam diverging element configured to diverge the laser light to yield a range of propagation angles with a maximum angle greater than zero; and
one or more fiber coupling optics configured to direct the diverged laser light towards a spot of a cross-section of a fiber core of an optical fiber, a center point of the spot located at a distance away from a center point of the cross-section such that an edge of the spot is near to or at an edge of the cross-section, the maximum angle being equivalent to an angle corresponding to the numerical aperture of the optical fiber, a maximum diameter of the elliptical cross-section being longer than a diameter of the fiber core, and a minimum diameter of the elliptical cross-section being shorter than the diameter of the fiber core.
2. The system of claim 1 , the beam diverging element located substantially at a front focal point of the fiber coupling optics.
3. The system of claim 1 , the beam diverging element comprising a diffuser configured to diffuse the laser light.
4. The system of claim 1 , the beam diverging element comprising a diffractive optical element configured to diffract a plurality of rays of the laser light to yield the rays travelling in different directions.
5. The system of claim 1 , the beam diverging element comprising a holographic optical element configured to split and diffract the laser light.
6. The system of claim 1 , the maximum angle approximately equivalent to arctan(r spot /f optics ), r spot representing a radius of the spot, f optics representing a focal length of the fiber coupling optics.
7. A method comprising:
receiving, by a beam diverging element, collimated laser light from a laser system;
shaping, by a beam shaping element, the laser light to yield an elliptical cross-section;
diverging, by the beam diverging element, the laser light to yield a range of propagation angles with a maximum angle greater than zero; and
directing, by one or more fiber coupling optics, the laser light towards a spot of a fiber core of an optical fiber, a center point of the spot located at a distance away from a center point of the cross-section such that an edge of the spot is near to or at an edge of the cross-section, the maximum angle being equivalent to an angle corresponding to the numerical aperture of the optical fiber, a maximum diameter of the elliptical cross-section being longer than a diameter of the fiber core, and a minimum diameter of the elliptical cross-section being shorter than the diameter of the fiber core.
8. The method of claim 7 , the diverging the laser light further comprising:
diffusing the laser light.
9. The method of claim 7 , the diverging the laser light further comprising:
diffracting a plurality of rays of the laser light to yield the rays travelling in different directions.
10. The method of claim 7 , the diverging the laser light further comprising:
splitting and diffracting the laser light.
11. The method of claim 7 , the maximum angle approximately equivalent to arctan(r spot /f optics ), r spot representing a radius of the spot, f optics representing a focal length of the fiber coupling optics.