REMOVING UNWANTED LIGHT FROM HIGH-POWER OPTICAL SYSTEMS

摘要

The present disclosure is directed to removing unabsorbed cladding light in high-power optical systems. Some embodiments comprise a glass block with a refractive index that is greater than a refractive index of a fiber cladding, and a metal housing that is located external to the glass block. The glass block and the metal housing, in combination, removes excess light.

主权项

1. An apparatus for removing unwanted cladding light from a high-power optical system, the optical system comprising an optical fiber, the optical fiber comprising a fiber cladding, the fiber cladding having a refractive index of n1, the apparatus comprising:
a fluid to surround the fiber, the fluid having a refractive index of n2 such that n2≧n1, the fluid having an internal transmittance of τfluid such that τfluid≧0.999 over a distance of approximately 100 micrometers (μm); a glass block comprising a channel for the optical fiber, the fluid being interposed between the glass block and the fiber cladding, the glass block having a refractive index of n3 such that n3≧n2, the glass block having a transmittance of τglass such that τglass≧0.999 over a distance of approximately 1 centimeter (cm); a thermal compound in contact with the glass block, the thermal compound to absorb light, a heat flux at the thermal compound being less than approximately 200 Watts per square inch (W/in2); and a cold plate to remove heat from the apparatus, the cold plate exhibiting a thermal resistance that is less than approximately 0.15° C.-in2/W.