Method and apparatus for mounting a semiconductor disk laser (SDL)
The present invention describes a method and apparatus for mounting a semiconductor disc laser (SDL). In particular there is described a cooling apparatus assembly ( 12 ) for mounting the semiconductor disc laser ( 1 ) the cooling apparatus assembly comprising a crystalline heat spreader ( 8 ) made of diamond, sapphire or SiC and optically contacted to the SDL ( 1 ). The apparatus further comprises a heatsink ( 13 ) made of copper and a recess ( 16 ) located on a first surface ( 15 ) of the heatsink. A pliable filler material ( 17 ) which may be In or an In alloy is provided within the recess ( 16 ) such that when a sealing plate ( 19 ) is fastened to the heatsink the SDL ( 1 ) is hermetically sealed within the recess. Hermetically sealing the SDL within the recess is found to significantly increase the lifetime of the device comprising the SDL. The heat sink ( 13 ) may be water cooled with pipes ( 14 ) delivering the water. In case the sealing plate ( 19 ) is made from for example Invar, it has an aperture ( 20 ).
1. A cooling apparatus assembly for mounting a semiconductor disc laser (SDL), the cooling apparatus assembly comprising:
a crystalline heat spreader optically contacted to the SDL;
a heatsink comprising a recess located on a first surface thereof;
the recess filled with a mechanically pliable filler material within which the SDL is submerged; and
a sealing plate fastened to the heatsink to hermetically seal the SDL within the recess.
2. The cooling apparatus assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the heatsink comprises copper.
3. The cooling apparatus assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the heat spreader comprises a diamond, sapphire or silicon carbide material.
4. The cooling apparatus assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the heatsink further comprises a cooling means.
5. The cooling apparatus assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the diameter of the crystalline heat spreader is greater than the diameter of the SDL.
6. The cooling apparatus assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the filler material comprises Indium or an Iridium based alloy.
7. The cooling apparatus assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the heatsink comprises one or more tapped holes located around the perimeter of the recess.
8. The cooling apparatus assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the sealing plate comprises a central aperture.
9. The cooling apparatus assembly as claimed in claim 8 wherein a diameter of the central aperture that locates with the first surface is smaller than the diameter of the crystalline heat spreader.
10. The cooling apparatus assembly as claimed in claim 8 wherein the central aperture is tapered.
11. The cooling apparatus assembly as claimed in claim 8 wherein the sealing plate further comprise one or more apertures located around the perimeter of the central aperture.
12. A method of mounting a semiconductor disc laser (SDL), the method comprising;
bonding by optical contacting a crystalline heat spreader to the SDL;
providing a heatsink comprising a recess located on a first surface thereof;
filling the recess with a mechanically pliable filler material;
submerging the SDL within the mechanically pliable filler material; and
pushing the crystalline heat spreader and the SDL further into the recess by fastening a sealing plate to the heatsink to hermetically seal the SDL within the recess.
13. The method of mounting a semiconductor disc laser as claimed in claim 12 wherein the heat spreader comprises a diamond, sapphire or silicon carbide material.
14. The method of mounting a semiconductor disc laser as claimed in claim 12 wherein the filler material comprises Indium or an Indium based alloy.
15. The method of mounting a semiconductor disc laser as claimed in claim 12 wherein the sealing plate is fastened to the heatsink via one or more screws engaging with the first surface of the heatsink.