Thermal marking systems and methods of control
View Patent ↗A target marking system includes a light source emitting a thermal beam and an optics assembly directing the thermal beam to impact a target, the target directing radiation to the optics assembly in response to the impact. The target marking system further includes a detector, and an optics assembly optically connected to the detector.
1. A target marking system, comprising:
a plurality of light sources, each light source of the plurality of light sources configured to generate a respective beam of thermal radiation; and
an optics assembly configured to form an emitted beam from the respective beams and to direct the emitted beam toward the target wherein the emitted beam comprises each of the respective beams of thermal radiation arranged noncolinearly and overlapping upon impinging the target.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the light sources comprise quantum cascade lasers.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the respective beams of thermal radiation have a different wavelength.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the respective beams of thermal radiation have a different polarization.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the emitted beam comprises each of the respective beams of thermal radiation aligned collinearly.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the optics assembly comprises a wavelength beam combiner arranged optically downstream from a collimating lens and a mirror.
7. A target marking system, comprising:
a plurality of light sources, each light source of the plurality of light sources configured to generate a respective beam of thermal radiation; and
an optics assembly configured to form an emitted beam from the respective beams and to direct the emitted beam toward the target wherein the optics assembly comprises a first polarization beam combiner optically downstream from a first collimating lens.
8. The system of claim 7 , further comprising a second polarization beam combiner optically downstream from a second collimating lens; the first polarization beam combiner directing an output beam to the second polarization beam combiner.
9. A target marking system, comprising:
a plurality of light sources, each light source of the plurality of light sources configured to generate a respective beam of thermal radiation; and
an optics assembly configured to form an emitted beam from the respective beams and to direct the emitted beam toward the target wherein the optics assembly comprises a diffraction grating optically downstream from a plurality of collimating lens, the diffraction grating combining the respective beam of thermal radiation to form the emitted beam.
10. A target marking system, comprising:
a plurality of light sources, each light source of the plurality of light sources configured to generate a respective beam of thermal radiation; and
an optics assembly configured to form an emitted beam from the respective beams and to direct the emitted beam toward the target wherein the emitted beam comprises two beams of radiation generated by the same light source.
11. A target marking system, comprising:
a plurality of light sources, each light source of the plurality of light sources configured to generate a respective beam of thermal radiation; and
an optics assembly configured to form an emitted beam from the respective beams and to direct the emitted beam toward the target,
the optics assembly comprising a plurality of adjustment windows, wherein the emitted beam comprises each of the respective beams of thermal radiation arranged noncolinearly and overlapping upon impinging the target and wherein each adjustment window of the plurality of adjustment windows enables manual alignment of one of the respective beams of thermal radiation relative to each other.