Coating process for laser heat sinks

1. A method of preparing a plurality of heat sinks each configured to be separately placed in thermal contact with a different laser beam emitter for thermal management thereof, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of heat sinks each defining a different aperture fluidly connected to one or more hollow cooling channels defined within the heat sink, each cooling channel having an internal surface;

providing a bottom manifold having an internal passage fluidly connected to (i) a gas inlet, (ii) a gas outlet, and (iii) a plurality of different openings each different from the gas inlet and the gas outlet;

sealing a first surface of each heat sink against the bottom manifold such that the aperture of each heat sink is aligned with a different one of the openings;

flowing two or more gaseous precursors (a) through the gas inlet, (b) into each of the heat sinks through the aperture thereof, (c) back out of each of the heat sinks through the aperture thereof, and (d) out of the gas outlet to thereby form a coating on the internal surface of the one or more cooling channels of each heat sink; and

separating each heat sink from the bottom manifold after formation of the coating.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the bottom manifold defines or comprises therewithin one or more baffles configured to direct gas flowing within the internal passage of the bottom manifold.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the one or more baffles comprises one or more different baffles associated with each of the openings in the bottom manifold.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, after separating each heat sink from the bottom manifold, placing each heat sink in thermal contact with a different laser beam emitter.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising, after formation of the coating:

supplying power to one of the laser beam emitters, whereby the laser beam emitter emits one or more laser beams; and

flowing a cooling fluid into the one or more cooling channels defined within the heat sink in thermal contact with the laser beam emitter, whereby the coating retards or substantially prevents corrosion and/or erosion of the heat sink.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the laser beam emitter comprises a diode bar configured to emit a plurality of laser beams.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the coating comprises at least one of TiO 2 , SiO 2 , or Al 2 O 3 .

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the aperture of each of the heat sinks extends through the entire thickness of the heat sink, and further comprising, before flowing the precursors, sealing a second surface of each heat sink, opposite the first surface, with one or more top manifolds, and

further comprising removing the one or more top manifolds from all of the heat sinks after formation of the coating.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the one or more top manifolds is a single top manifold sealed to a plurality of heat sinks.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein (i) the one or more top manifolds comprises a plurality of top manifolds, and (ii) a different, discrete top manifold is sealed to each of the heat sinks.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the gaseous precursors are flowed sequentially.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein sealing the first surface of each heat sink against the bottom manifold comprises disposing at least one of an o-ring or a gasket therebetween.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

sensing a flow parameter proximate the gas outlet; and

controlling a deposition parameter based at least on the sensed deposition parameter.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the flow parameter comprises at least one of a flow rate or a composition of at least one of the precursors.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the deposition parameter comprises at least one of (i) initiation of flow of at least one precursor, (ii) termination of flow of at least one precursor, (iii) flow rate of at least one precursor, or (iv) temperature applied to the heat sinks.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein each heat sink is formed of multiple discrete layers cooperatively defining the hollow cooling channels within the heat sink.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein a portion of each of the gaseous precursors flows through the gas inlet, through the bottom manifold, and out of the gas outlet without entering any of the heat sinks.