Laser systems and methods
View Patent ↗An architecture comprising laser sub-modules may be used to reach the optical output powers desired for projection display for 2D and 3D viewing. Monitoring and control of the laser sub-modules within the architecture may be performed to achieve desired performance metrics.
1. A laser system operable to provide illuminating light, comprising:
laser modules having different wavelength bands, the laser modules each comprising sub-modules each comprising a plurality of laser emitters, and wherein the laser modules are operable to output light combinable to form illuminating light; and
a controller module in communication with the sub-modules in the laser modules;
wherein at least some sub-modules in at least one of the laser modules have a plurality of operating conditions that are adjustable; and
wherein the controller module is operable to make an adjustment to the plurality of operating conditions of the at least some sub-modules in the at least one of the laser modules; and
wherein the sub-modules within a laser module are emitting a substantially similar color wherein the substantially similar color is one of blue, green, and red, further wherein at least one individual laser within each of the sub-modules may be individually temperature tuned.
2. The laser system of claim 1 , further comprising a projector operable to receive the illuminating light from the laser modules.
3. The laser system of claim 1 , wherein the at least some sub-modules in the at least one of the laser modules each comprise an independent cooling mechanism and an independent electronic drive mechanism.
4. The laser system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of operating parameters comprise:
power, temperature, wavelength, air flow, and current.
5. The laser system of claim 1 , wherein the sub-modules in one of the laser modules are combined by at least one of the following: a mirror, a polarization beam splitter, or a fiber combiner.
6. The laser system of claim 1 , wherein each laser module has a power rating of at least 20 watts.
7. The laser system of claim 1 , wherein the at least some sub-modules in the at least one of the laser modules each comprise at least one sensing device operable to determine a measurement of at least one of the plurality of operating conditions of a respective sub-module.
8. The laser system of claim 7 , wherein the adjustment is based on the measurement of at least one of the plurality of operating conditions of the respective sub-module.
9. The laser system of claim 1 , wherein the wavelength bands of the laser modules comprise substantially red, green, and blue wavelength bands.
10. The laser system of claim 1 , wherein the laser emitters of the sub-modules in one of the laser modules are categorized into bins according to a wavelength of each laser emitter.
11. The laser system of claim 10 , wherein at least one bin of laser emitters has a wavelength distribution about 1 to 3 nm wide.
12. The laser system of claim 1 , wherein the laser emitters of the sub-modules in one of the laser modules have a wavelength spread of 10 to 15 nm.
13. The laser system of claim 1 , wherein two of the sub-modules in one of the laser modules comprise a different number of laser emitters.
14. The laser system of claim 1 , wherein a sub-module in one of the laser modules comprises 2 to 1000 laser emitters.
15. The laser system of claim 1 , wherein the laser emitters of the sub-modules in one of the laser modules have more bandwidth at a first color than a second color.
16. A method of providing illumination light, comprising:
providing laser modules having different wavelength bands, the laser modules each comprising sub-modules each comprising a plurality of laser emitters, wherein at least some sub-modules in at least one of the laser modules have a plurality of operating conditions that are adjustable;
outputting light from the laser modules;
combining light from the laser modules to form illuminating light; and
adjusting the plurality of operating conditions of the at least some sub-modules in the at least one of the laser modules, wherein the sub-modules within a laser module are emitting a substantially similar color, wherein the substantially similar color is one of blue, green, and red, further wherein at least one individual laser emitter within each of the sub-modules may be individually temperature tuned.
17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the at least some sub-modules in the at least one of the laser modules each comprise at least one sensing device operable to determine a measurement of at least one of the plurality of operating conditions of a respective sub-module, and wherein adjusting the plurality of operating conditions is based on the measurement of at least one of the plurality of operating conditions of the respective sub-module.
18. A laser system operable to provide illuminating light, comprising:
laser modules having different wavelength bands, the laser modules each comprising sub-modules each comprising a plurality of laser emitters, and wherein the laser modules are operable to output light combinable to form illuminating light; and
a controller module in communication with the sub-modules in the laser modules;
wherein the sub-modules of the laser modules each have a plurality of operating conditions that are adjustable;
wherein the controller module is operable to adjust the plurality of operating conditions of the sub-modules to optimize power spectrum uniformity; and
wherein the sub-modules within a laser module are emitting a substantially similar color, wherein the substantially similar color is one of blue, green, and red, further wherein at least one individual laser emitter within each of the sub-modules may be individually temperature tuned.
19. The laser system of claim 18 , wherein the controller module is operable to drive two of the sub-modules in one of the laser modules to different temperatures.
20. The laser system of claim 18 , wherein the controller module is operable to drive two of the sub-modules in one of the laser modules with different drive currents.