Fiber laser packaging
Packaging for a fiber laser includes a conduit surrounding the fiber laser and a thermally conductive compound filling a gap between the fiber laser and the conduit setting the fiber laser within the conduit. The fiber laser may have a substantially circular first cross section having a first diameter and the conduit may have a substantially circular second cross section having a second diameter larger than the first diameter of the fiber laser. The conduit may have a splice window cut out from a wall of the conduit and optical potting compound may fix a portion of the fiber laser under the splice window.
1. An apparatus, comprising:
a fiber laser;
a conduit surrounding the fiber laser;
at least one splice window cut out from a wall of the conduit; and
an optical potting compound filling a gap between the fiber laser and the conduit setting the fiber laser within the conduit; wherein the fiber laser has a power density of greater than 10 kW/mm 2 ; wherein a portion of the optical potting compound is used to fix a portion of the fiber laser in the splice window.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 ,
wherein the fiber laser comprises a substantially circular first cross section having a first diameter; and
wherein the conduit comprises a substantially circular second cross section having a second diameter larger than the first diameter of the fiber laser.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 ,
wherein the conduit comprises aluminum, copper, or steel.
4. The apparatus of claim 2 ,
wherein the conduit dissipates heat from the fiber laser during operation.
5. A method of packaging a laser fiber for a high power fiber laser application, the method comprising:
cutting a window into a length of tubing;
installing a length of the fiber laser within the tubing such that the tubing substantially surrounds the length of fiber laser where the fiber laser is visible through the window;
applying a thermally conductive compound to a gap between the length of fiber laser and the tubing; and
covering a portion of the fiber laser that that is visible through the window with a portion of the thermally conductive compound.
6. The method of claim 5 ,
wherein the fiber laser comprises a first diameter; and
wherein the tubing comprises a second diameter larger than the first diameter of the fiber laser.
7. The method of claim 5 ,
wherein the fiber laser has an operating power density greater than 10 kW/mm 2 .
8. The method of claim 5 ,
wherein the tubing comprises aluminum, copper, or steel.
9. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
dissipating heat from the fiber laser through the tubing and the thermally conductive compound during operation of the fiber laser.
10. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
coiling the tubing on a plurality of coiled grooves of a circular plate.
11. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
winding the tubing around a spool.
12. A packaging system, comprising:
a laser fiber;
a hollow tubular conduit substantially surrounding the laser fiber; and
a conductive thermal compound thermally coupling the hollow tubular conduit to the laser fiber; wherein the fiber laser has a power density of greater than 10 kW/mm 2 .
13. The packaging system of claim 12 ,
wherein the laser fiber comprises a substantially circular first cross-section having a first diameter.
14. The packaging system of claim 13 ,
wherein the hollow tubular conduit comprises a substantially circular second cross-section having a second diameter larger than the first diameter.
15. The packaging system of claim 14 ,
wherein the conductive thermal compound fills a gap between the hollow tubular conduit and the laser fiber.
16. The packaging system of claim 12 ,
wherein the hollow tubular conduit comprises aluminum, copper, or steel.
17. The packaging system of claim 12 ,
wherein the hollow tubular conduit comprises an outer surface having a window to the laser fiber.