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LaserHead: Development of solutions for manufacturing a miniaturized, compact and eye-safe IR solid-state laser by means of hot embossing for use in remote sensing devices

[Translate to English:] BLAU Optoelektronik GmbH
[Translate to English:] JenControl GmbH
[Translate to English:] Raab-Photonik GmbH
[Translate to English:] Technische Hochschule Deggendorf

A Cooperation under the roof of the German Ministery of Education and Science (BMBF) with the following partners

Project goals

Within the project LaserHead the goal is to develop a laser source for short pulses which does not pose a risk for the human eye and which can thus be employed for mobile applications in connection to range-finding. A novel approach to an efficient focussing of the pump radiation into the microchip-resonator is planned as is a close investigation of the assembly technology. Part of the project is also to create a light source for industrial applications which takes into account both aspects of production as well as supply-chain requirements throughout Europe.

The main feature of this novel concept is its large potential for miniaturization, its energy-efficiency and its constituting an easy-to-assemble building block. For achieving these goals constructive aspects for establishing microchip-lasers will be evaluated. A fully functional demonstrator with a high level of technology readiness will result.

Participants

BLAU Optoelektronik functions als system-integrator who transfers the individual components into a market-ready product and as such develops the necessary alignment and assembly techniques.

JenControl develops the electronic drivers for the pump laser and the detection side for the very weak scattered signal. A synchronization with the ns-pulse respecting the round-trip time and noise-signals will be implemented.

Raab-Photonik will perform the simulations regarding the fundamental aspects of the Q-switch laser. On this behalf FEM-models for the pump radiation and the laser crystals will be created to optimize both the thermal lensing and the pulse-shape.

The Technische Hochschule Deggendorf (Highschool of applied sciences) functions as a hub for systematic investigations of the experimental setups, the doping levels, the pump powers, the thermal lensing etc.  The THD is also in charge of fundamental technologies for high integration such as thermal bonding of laser crystals with their saturable absorbers.

Pump profile
The profile of the absorbed power of the incident laser which in turn leads to a corresponding gain profile (and thus indirectly a thermal profile).
Temperature profile
The thermal profile which results from the incident radiation and which in turn is responsible for the thermal lens.

Project results

  • Development of an FEM ("Finite Element Method") to determine the pump profiles and thermal profiles that lead to thermal lensing and crystal expansion and thereby ensure the stability of the resulting laser mode.

Publicatios

as of now: nothing disclosed

Project funding

This project is partly funded by the German Ministery of Education and Science (BMBF)

13N16777 (LaserHead)