Method and system for cooling a fiber laser or amplifier

摘要

A system (10) and method for cooling an optical fiber (12) includes a flexible heat sink member (14), a heat pipe evaporator (16), and a thermal storage medium (18). The flexible heat sink member is in thermal contact with the optical fiber. The heat pipe evaporator is configured to dissipate heat from the optical fiber. The thermal storage medium is in thermal contact with the flexible heat sink member and the heat pipe evaporator. The flexible heat sink member is configured to compensate for any mismatch in coefficient of thermal expansion between material of the optical fiber and material of the flexible heat sink member so as to provide radial compliance and to maintain direct thermal contact between the optical fiber and the flexible heat sink member.