JP2002314188A - Semiconductor laser device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a semiconductor laser device where the positioning work of a condensing lens with respect to a semiconductor laser array is facilitated. SOLUTION: A spacer 10 protruded to the front face of the semiconductor laser array 3 by prescribed quantity is arranged in the condensing lens 9 applied to the semiconductor laser device 1, and the idle end of the spacer 10 is made to abut on the front 4 of the semiconductor laser array 3. Thus, the distance of the condensing lens 9 against the front 4 of the semiconductor laser array 3 can always be kept constant in accordance with the projection quantity of the spacer 10. Namely, the condensing lens 9 is positioned with the front 4 of the semiconductor layer array 3 where laser radiating points 3a are arranged as the reference of positioning. At the time of assembling the semiconductor laser device 1, the condensing lens 9 can be highly precisely positioned only by making the idle end of the spacer of the condensing lens 9 abut on the front 4 of the semiconductor laser array 3.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a semiconductor laser device used as a light source for excitation of a fixed laser or fine processing.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As shown in FIG. 9, a semiconductor laser device 100 of this type, which has been generally used, has a plurality of laser emission points provided on an emission surface 101a of a semiconductor laser array 101. I have. The semiconductor laser array 101 has its upper and lower surfaces mounted on the submount base 1.
The semiconductor laser array 101 is disposed on the heat sink 104 in this state. Further, in order to collect the laser light from the semiconductor laser array 101, a condensing lens 105 composed of a rod lens is fixed on the heat sink 104 via an adhesive. When the semiconductor laser array 101 having such a sandwich structure is configured as one unit and stacked in the housing 105, a multi-stage semiconductor laser device is configured.

[0003]

However, the above-described conventional semiconductor laser device has the following problems. That is, the distance between the condensing lens 105 adhered and fixed on the heat sink 104 and the semiconductor laser array 101 fixed on the heat sink 104 needs to be strictly controlled, and the position of the condensing lens 105 with respect to the semiconductor laser array 101 is required. The joining workability involved difficulties.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a semiconductor laser device which facilitates the operation of aligning a condenser lens with respect to a semiconductor laser array.

[0005]

A semiconductor laser device according to the present invention has a semiconductor laser array in which a plurality of laser emission points are arranged along the longitudinal direction of the front surface, and is arranged to face the front surface of the semiconductor laser array. A condensing lens extending along the longitudinal direction of the semiconductor laser array, and a spacer portion provided on the condensing lens and projecting from both ends of the condensing lens toward the front surface of the semiconductor laser array. The free end of the portion is brought into contact with the front surface of the semiconductor laser array.

The condenser lens applied to this semiconductor laser device is provided with a spacer portion projecting a predetermined amount toward the front surface of the semiconductor laser array. The free end of this spacer portion is provided on the front surface of the semiconductor laser array. The contact allows the distance of the condenser lens to the front surface of the semiconductor laser array to be always kept constant according to the amount of protrusion of the spacer portion. That is, since the focusing lens is positioned using the front surface of the semiconductor laser array in which the laser emission points are arranged as a reference for positioning, highly accurate alignment of the focusing lens based on the laser emission point can be performed. Further, when assembling the semiconductor laser device, high-precision positioning of the condenser lens is achieved only by abutting the free end of the spacer portion of the condenser lens on the front surface of the semiconductor laser array.
The work of aligning the condenser lens is realized very easily, which improves the productivity of the semiconductor laser device and helps mass production.

It is preferable that a protrusion protruding toward the front surface of the semiconductor laser array be further provided at the free end of the spacer. In such a configuration, when the semiconductor laser array is sandwiched between the upper submount base and the lower submount base, and the front surface of the semiconductor laser array is receded from the front surface of the submount base, the front surface of the semiconductor laser array is This is particularly effective when the free end of the spacer portion is appropriately brought into contact with the spacer.

It is preferable that a heat sink for disposing the condenser lens and the semiconductor laser array is further provided, and the heat sink is provided with an adhesive filling hole penetrating toward the bottom surface of the condenser lens. With such a configuration, the adhesive fixation of the condenser lens to the heat sink can be easily achieved only by filling the adhesive into the adhesive filling hole from the back side of the heat sink. Moreover, for the adhesive,
Even when using an ultraviolet curable resin or the like that has a curing shrinkage property, when the adhesive is shrunk, it only acts to draw the condenser lens toward the heat sink side. Of the condenser lens is extremely small, and the positioning of the condenser lens with respect to the semiconductor laser array is always maintained with high accuracy.

A semiconductor laser device according to the present invention comprises: a semiconductor laser array in which a plurality of laser emission points are arranged along a longitudinal direction of a front surface; and upper and lower submount bases having the semiconductor laser array interposed therebetween. And a condensing lens arranged to face the front surface of the semiconductor laser array and extending along the longitudinal direction of the semiconductor laser array; and a condensing lens provided on the condensing lens. A spacer portion protruding toward the front surface, and the free ends of the spacer portion are brought into contact with the front surfaces of both end portions of the semiconductor laser array protruding from both ends of the upper and lower submount bases. .

The condensing lens applied to the semiconductor laser device is provided with a spacer portion projecting a predetermined amount toward the front surface of the semiconductor laser array, and the free end of the spacer portion is connected to the front surface of the semiconductor laser array. At this time, on the front surface of the semiconductor laser array, the free ends of the spacer portions are brought into contact with both end portions protruding from both ends of the upper and lower submount bases. Thus, the free end of the spacer portion can reliably contact the front surface of the semiconductor laser array without hitting the submount base. With such a configuration of the spacer portion, the protruding portion can be effectively used. Therefore, the distance of the condenser lens from the front surface of the semiconductor laser array can always be kept constant according to the amount of protrusion of the spacer portion. That is, since the focusing lens is positioned using the front surface of the semiconductor laser array in which the laser emission points are arranged as a reference for positioning, highly accurate alignment of the focusing lens based on the laser emission point can be performed. Furthermore, when assembling the semiconductor laser device, high-precision positioning of the condenser lens can be achieved only by abutting the free end of the spacer portion of the condenser lens against the front surface of the semiconductor laser array. The work is realized very easily, which improves the productivity of the semiconductor laser device and helps mass production.

A semiconductor laser device according to the present invention comprises: a semiconductor laser array in which a plurality of laser emission points are arranged along a longitudinal direction of a front surface; and upper and lower submount bases having the semiconductor laser array interposed therebetween. And a condensing lens arranged to face the front surface of the semiconductor laser array and extending along the longitudinal direction of the semiconductor laser array; and a condensing lens provided on the condensing lens. And a spacer portion protruding toward the front surface, wherein the free end of the spacer portion is in contact with one of the front surfaces of the upper and lower submount bases.

The condensing lens applied to this semiconductor laser device is provided with a spacer portion projecting by a predetermined amount toward the front surface of the semiconductor laser array. By contacting any one of the front surfaces of the submount bases, the distance of the condenser lens to the front surface of the submount base can always be kept constant according to the amount of protrusion of the spacer portion. this is,
This is particularly effective when the front surface of the semiconductor laser array is receded from the front surface of the submount base, and highly accurate alignment of the condenser lens using the front surface of the submount base as a positioning reference becomes possible. Furthermore, when assembling the semiconductor laser device, high-precision positioning of the condenser lens can be achieved only by abutting the free end of the spacer portion of the condenser lens against the front surface of the submount base. The work is realized very easily, which improves the productivity of the semiconductor laser device and helps mass production.

It is preferable that a heat sink for disposing the condenser lens and the lower submount base is further provided, and the heat sink is provided with an adhesive filling hole penetrating toward the bottom surface of the condenser lens. is there. With such a configuration, the adhesive fixation of the condenser lens to the heat sink can be easily achieved only by filling the adhesive into the adhesive filling hole from the back side of the heat sink. In addition, even when an adhesive having a curing shrinkage property such as an ultraviolet curable resin is used, the contraction of the adhesive only acts to draw the condenser lens toward the heat sink. The influence on the change in the distance between the array and the condenser lens is extremely reduced, and the positioning of the condenser lens with respect to the semiconductor laser array is always maintained with high accuracy.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of a semiconductor laser device according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. The same or equivalent components are denoted by the same reference numerals.

As shown in FIG. 1, a semiconductor laser device 1
Has a semiconductor laser array 3 in the form of a flat plate. On the front surface 4 of the semiconductor laser array 3, a large number of laser emission points 3a are arranged in a straight line along the longitudinal direction. Each semiconductor laser array 3 is made of a compound semiconductor such as GaAs and has a light emitting region of 100 μm.
It has a laser emission point 3a of about × 2 μm.

On the upper and lower surfaces of one semiconductor laser array 3, an upper sub-mount base (also called "cover plate") 6 and a lower sub-mount base 7 are sandwiched from above and below by soldering, respectively. The semiconductor laser array 3 is mounted on the heat sink 8 in this state. The upper and lower submount bases 6 and 7 are formed of a material having excellent conductivity and heat conductivity such as copper, copper tungsten, and molybdenum, and a water path (not shown) is formed inside the heat sink 8. The cooling efficiency of the semiconductor laser array 3 is increased by circulating the cooling water in the channel. Further, the semiconductor laser array 3 having such a sandwich structure is formed as one unit, and the units are stacked vertically in a housing (not shown), whereby the multi-stage semiconductor laser device 1 is configured.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the light from the emission point 3a of the semiconductor laser array 3 is a diffused light. Is disposed so as to face the front surface 4 of the semiconductor laser array 3. This rod lens 9
It extends along the longitudinal direction of the semiconductor laser array 3 and is fixed on the surface of the heat sink 8 via an adhesive.

Here, at both ends of the rod lens 9, a pair of left and right substantially parallel spacer portions 10 projecting toward the front surface 4 of the semiconductor laser array 3 are integrally formed. FIG.
As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 3, the free end of the spacer portion 10 is in contact with the front surface 4 of the semiconductor laser array 3. By such abutting, the distance between the front surface 4 of the semiconductor laser array 3 and the rod lens 9 can be always kept constant according to the amount of protrusion of the spacer portion 10.

The free end of the spacer portion 10 is brought into contact with the front surface 4 of the semiconductor laser array 3. At this time, the free end of the spacer portion 10 is connected to the upper and lower submount bases in the semiconductor laser array 3. 6 and 7 are brought into contact with the front surface 4 of the portion 3b protruding from both ends. by this,
The free end of the spacer section 10 can reliably contact only the front surface 4 of the semiconductor laser array 3 without touching any of the upper and lower submount bases 6 and 7. Such a protruding portion 3b is conventionally
This is a portion that has been cut away so that the ends of the submount bases 6 and 7 and the end of the semiconductor laser array 3 are aligned.
Therefore, contacting the free end of the spacer portion 10 with the protruding portion 3b aims at effectively utilizing the protruding portion 3b,
This is also effective in increasing the efficiency of the assembling work of the semiconductor laser device 1.

As described above, the positioning of the rod lens 9 is performed using the front surface 4 of the semiconductor laser array 3 in which the laser emission points 3a are arranged as a reference for positioning. The rod lens 9 used as a reference can be positioned with high accuracy. Furthermore, when assembling the semiconductor laser device 1, the rod lens 9 can be positioned with high accuracy only by abutting the free end of the spacer portion 10 of the rod lens 9 against the front surface 4 of the semiconductor laser array 3. 9 can be realized extremely easily, which improves the productivity of the semiconductor laser device and enables mass production.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the heat sink 8 is provided with an adhesive filling hole 11 penetrating toward the bottom surface 9 a of the rod lens 9. Each adhesive filling hole 11
The heat sink 8 extends along the longitudinal direction of the rod lens 9.
(In this case, three). in this case,
With the bottom surface 9a of the rod lens 9 in contact with the surface of the heat sink 8, the adhesive R is filled into the adhesive filling hole 11 from the back side of the heat sink 8 using a syringe needle or the like.

As a result, the adhesive fixing of the rod lens 9 to the heat sink 8 is easily achieved. Moreover,
Even when a material having shrinkage-hardening property such as an ultraviolet curable resin is used as the adhesive R, only the rod lens 9 acts so as to be drawn toward the heat sink 8 when the adhesive R contracts. The influence on the change in the distance between the laser array 3 and the rod lens 9 is extremely reduced, and the positioning of the rod lens 9 with respect to the semiconductor laser array 3 is always maintained with high accuracy.

Next, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, a projecting portion 12 projecting toward the front surface of the semiconductor laser array 3 may be integrally formed at the free end of the spacer portion 10 of the rod lens 9. Good. The use of the projections 12 is such that the front surface 4 of the semiconductor laser array 3 is
This is effective when the free end of the spacer portion 10 is appropriately brought into contact with the front surface 4 of the semiconductor laser array 3 when the front ends 6a and 7a are retracted by a predetermined amount. This is particularly effective when the distance between the front surface 4 of the semiconductor laser array 3 and the front surface 6a of the submount base 6 is different from the distance between the front surface 4 of the semiconductor laser array 3 and the front surface 7a of the submount base 7. Therefore, as shown in FIG.
By contacting the free end of the rod lens 9 with the front surface 4 of the semiconductor laser array 3, reliable positioning of the rod lens 9 using the front surface 4 of the semiconductor laser array 3 as a reference for positioning is achieved.

Further, as shown in FIG.
May be brought into contact with the front surface 7a of the lower submount base 7. In this case, the free end of the spacer 10 is
The lower submount base 7 is brought into contact with the upper submount base 6 and the front surface 7a of the portion 7b protruding from both ends of the semiconductor laser array 3. Thus, the free end of the spacer portion 10 can be reliably brought into contact with only the front surface 7a of the lower submount base 7 without touching either the upper submount base 6 or the semiconductor laser array 3. . Therefore, the rod lens 9 can be positioned with reference to the front surface 7a of the submount base 7. The same applies to the case where the free end of the spacer portion 10 is brought into contact with the front surface 6a of the protruding portion (not shown) of the upper submount base 6.

The semiconductor laser device according to the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above. For example, the rod lens (condensing lens) 9 may be fixed to the surface of the heat sink 8 via an adhesive applied to the bottom surface of the spacer portion 10 without using the adhesive filling hole 11.

[0026]

Since the semiconductor laser device according to the present invention is configured as described above, the following effects can be obtained.
That is, a semiconductor laser array in which a plurality of laser emission points are arranged along the longitudinal direction of the front surface, and a condensing light which is arranged facing the front surface of the semiconductor laser array and extends along the longitudinal direction of the semiconductor laser array. A lens and a spacer provided on the condenser lens and protruding from both ends of the condenser lens toward the front surface of the semiconductor laser array, and the free end of the spacer portion is brought into contact with the front surface of the semiconductor laser array. This facilitates the work of aligning the condenser lens with respect to the semiconductor laser array.

Further, the semiconductor laser device according to the present invention
A semiconductor laser array in which a plurality of laser emission points are arranged along the longitudinal direction of the front surface, and upper and lower sub-mount bases arranged to sandwich the semiconductor laser array,
A condensing lens that is arranged to face the front surface of the semiconductor laser array and extends along the longitudinal direction of the semiconductor laser array. A spacer portion protruding toward the semiconductor laser array by contacting the free ends of the spacer portion with the front surfaces at both end portions of the semiconductor laser array protruding from both ends of the upper and lower submount bases. It facilitates the work of positioning the condenser lens.

Also, the semiconductor laser device according to the present invention
A semiconductor laser array in which a plurality of laser emission points are arranged along the longitudinal direction of the front surface, and upper and lower sub-mount bases arranged to sandwich the semiconductor laser array,
A condensing lens that is arranged to face the front surface of the semiconductor laser array and extends along the longitudinal direction of the semiconductor laser array. A spacer part protruding toward the semiconductor laser array, the free end of the spacer part being brought into contact with the front surface of one of the upper and lower sub-mount bases, thereby aligning the condenser lens with respect to the semiconductor laser array. To facilitate.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a first embodiment of a semiconductor laser device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state after assembly of the semiconductor laser device shown in FIG. 1 is completed.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the semiconductor laser device shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing an adhesive filling hole provided in a heat sink.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of a main part showing a second embodiment of the semiconductor laser device according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a side view showing a state before assembling the condenser lens shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a side view showing a state after the condenser lens shown in FIG. 5 is assembled.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a third embodiment of the semiconductor laser device according to the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a conventional semiconductor laser device.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Semiconductor laser device, 3 ... Semiconductor laser array, 3a
... Laser emission point, 3b ... protruding part, 4 ... front surface of semiconductor laser array, 6 ... upper submount base, 6a
... Front of upper sub-mount base, 7 ... Lower sub-mount base, 7a ... Front of lower sub-mount base, 8 ... Heat sink, 9 ... Rod lens (condensing lens), 9a ... Bottom of condensing lens , 10 spacer part, 1
1 ... adhesive filling hole, 12 ... protrusion, R ... adhesive.

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Hirofumi Miyajima 1126, Nomachi, Ichinomachi, Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka Prefecture Inside (72) Inventor Kazunori Kuroyanagi 1, 1126, Nomachi, Ichinomachi, Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka Prefecture F term in reference (reference) 5F073 AB27 BA09 FA08 FA14 FA15 FA16 FA23 FA26

Claims (6)

[Claims] A semiconductor laser array in which a plurality of laser emission points are arranged along a longitudinal direction of a front surface; and a semiconductor laser array arranged to face the front surface of the semiconductor laser array and along a longitudinal direction of the semiconductor laser array. A condenser lens provided on the condenser lens and extending from both ends of the condenser lens toward the front surface of the semiconductor laser array. A semiconductor laser device contacting the front surface of the semiconductor laser array. 2. The semiconductor laser device according to claim 1, further comprising a projection protruding toward said front surface of said semiconductor laser array at a free end of said spacer portion. 3. A heat sink for disposing the condenser lens and the semiconductor laser array, wherein the heat sink is provided with an adhesive filling hole penetrating toward a bottom surface of the condenser lens. Claim 1.
Or the semiconductor laser device according to 2. 4. A semiconductor laser array in which a plurality of laser emission points are arranged along a longitudinal direction of a front surface, upper and lower sub-mount bases arranged so as to sandwich the semiconductor laser array, and the semiconductor laser array A converging lens disposed opposite to the front surface and extending along the longitudinal direction of the semiconductor laser array; and A spacer portion protruding toward the front surface, and a free end of the spacer portion is brought into contact with the front surface at both end portions of the semiconductor laser array protruding from both ends of the upper and lower submount bases. A semiconductor laser device characterized by the above-mentioned. 5. A semiconductor laser array in which a plurality of laser emission points are arranged along a longitudinal direction of a front surface, upper and lower sub-mount bases arranged so as to sandwich the semiconductor laser array, and the semiconductor laser array. A converging lens disposed opposite to the front surface and extending along the longitudinal direction of the semiconductor laser array; and And a spacer portion protruding toward the front surface, wherein a free end of the spacer portion is in contact with one of the front surfaces of the upper and lower submount bases. 6. A heat sink for disposing the condenser lens and the lower submount base, wherein the heat sink is provided with an adhesive filling hole penetrating toward a bottom surface of the condenser lens. The semiconductor laser device according to claim 4, wherein: