JP2011137594A - Laser distribution device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a laser distribution device for achieving a light wave device that is compact and has low power consumption. <P>SOLUTION: The laser distribution device includes: a laser generator 11 for emitting laser beam; an acousto-optic device 19 for distributing and emitting the laser beam generated by the laser generator 11; a driver 20 for controlling the acousto-optic device 19 to distribute and emit the laser beam by supplying voltage to the acousto-optic device 19; and a bundle fiber 13. The bundle fiber 13 comprises a plurality of optical fibers 21-1 and 21-2 comprising: cores 21-1A and 21-2A, respectively; and claddings, respectively. The cores 21-1A and 21-2A transmits light, and the claddings surround the respective cores 21-1A and 21-2A. The bundle fiber 13 is arranged so that the laser beam emitted from the acousto-optic device 19 is incident on any of the plurality of cores 21-1A and 21-2A which the optical fibers 21-1 and 21-2 comprise. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a laser distribution device that distributes laser light emitted from a laser generator.

  Some recent flying objects are equipped with a light wave sensor for sensing signals such as infrared rays. The flying object on which the light wave sensor is mounted receives a guidance signal for guiding the flying object to the target by the light wave sensor, and is guided toward the target based on the received guidance signal. On the other hand, there is a technology that misguides a flying object equipped with a light wave sensor by irradiating the light wave sensor with a signal having a pulse peak value that saturates the output of the light wave sensor from the other flying object side. Are known.

  A conventional lightwave device mounted on a flying object is a laser generator that generates light waves such as infrared rays (hereinafter referred to as laser light) and emits laser light generated by the laser generator to a target with high accuracy. And a turret. A normal lightwave device has a plurality of turrets, and these turrets are mounted on, for example, both sides of the flying object. The laser light emitted from each turret needs a pulse peak value that saturates the output of the light wave sensor as described above. Therefore, the flying object is equipped with one laser generator for each turret (see Patent Document 1). This light wave device is a device that can emit laser light having a desired peak value because the laser light emitted from each turret is emitted from each laser generator corresponding to each turret.

JP 2006-71596 A

  However, the conventional lightwave device needs to mount a plurality of laser generators corresponding to the number of turrets in the flying object. Therefore, there is a problem that the lightwave device becomes larger as the number of turrets increases. Furthermore, since it is necessary to drive a plurality of laser generators, there is a problem that the power consumption of the lightwave device increases as the number of turrets increases.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and an object thereof is to provide a laser distribution device for realizing a small-sized and low power consumption light wave device.

  A laser distribution device according to the present invention includes a laser generator that emits laser light, an optical switch that distributes and emits the laser light generated by the laser generator, and supplies a voltage to the optical switch. The optical switch is configured by a driver that controls the laser light to be distributed and emitted, and a plurality of optical fibers each including a core that propagates the light and a clad that covers the periphery of the core. A bundle fiber arranged so that a laser beam emitted from the optical switch is incident on any one of the plurality of cores constituting the fiber.

  According to the present invention, a single laser generator is used, and laser light generated by this single laser generator is distributed by an optical switch, so that laser light can be selectively applied to a plurality of turrets. Can be supplied. As described above, since only one laser generator is used for a plurality of turrets, it is possible to provide a laser distribution device for realizing a small-sized and low power consumption lightwave device.

1 is a block diagram schematically showing a laser distribution device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. It is a block diagram which shows an example of the laser generator used for the laser distribution apparatus of FIG. It is sectional drawing which shows the bundle fiber used for the laser distribution apparatus of FIG. 1 along the dashed-dotted line AA 'of FIG. It is a wave form diagram which compares and compares the waveform of the laser beam radiate | emitted from the laser generator of FIG. 2, the voltage waveform supplied to an optical switch, and the waveform of the laser beam supplied to each turret. It is a block diagram which shows typically the laser distribution apparatus which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the bundle fiber used for the laser distribution apparatus of FIG. 5 along the dashed-dotted line BB 'of FIG.

  Hereinafter, a laser distribution device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

(First embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically showing a laser distribution apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The laser distribution device shown in FIG. 1 is an example that distributes laser light emitted from a laser generator 11 into two systems. This laser distribution device includes a laser generator 11 that generates laser light, an optical switch 12 that distributes laser light emitted from the laser generator 11 into two systems, and the switched laser light to each turret (not shown). And bundle fiber 13 to be supplied. In the present application, the distribution of the laser light means switching the laser light.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the laser generator 11. This laser generator 11 emits a pulse-shaped laser beam, and a laser solvent 15 and a first acoustooptic element 16 (hereinafter, acoustooptic element is referred to as AOM) are arranged to face each other. This is a configuration arranged between the mirrors 17. Note that a first AOM 16 driver 18 for driving the first AOM 16 is connected to the first AOM 16.

  The laser generator 11 operates as follows. That is, when a driving voltage is not applied to the first AOM 16, the laser light generated by the laser solvent 15 is amplified by the laser solvent 15 while resonating between the opposing mirrors 17. The amplified laser light is emitted from the laser generator 11.

  However, when a driving voltage is applied to the first AOM 16 by the first AOM 16 driver 18, an angle different from the laser light emitted from the first AOM 16 when the driving voltage is not applied to the first AOM 16. A laser beam is emitted. As a result, the laser beam does not resonate between the mirrors 17 and the laser beam is not emitted from the laser generator 11.

  As described above, the laser generator 11 of FIG. 2 emits laser light when no driving voltage is applied to the first AOM 16, and does not emit laser light when the driving voltage is applied. Therefore, by appropriately adjusting the drive voltage applied to the first AOM 16 by the first AOM 16 driver 18, pulse-shaped laser light can be emitted.

  2 does not always apply a drive voltage to the first AOM 16, laser light having a constant peak value, that is, continuous light (hereinafter referred to as CW (Continuous Wave) laser light). It is also possible to emit light.

  Laser light emitted from the laser generator 11 enters the optical switch 12. The optical switch 12 includes, for example, a second AOM 19. The operation principle of the second AOM 19 is the same as that of the first AOM 16, and when the drive voltage supplied from the second AOM driver 20 connected to the second AOM 19 is applied, the drive voltage is applied. The laser beam is emitted at different angles depending on whether or not it is performed. Therefore, by appropriately adjusting the drive voltage applied to the second AOM 19 by the second AOM 19 driver 20, the laser light incident on the second AOM 19 can be emitted in different directions according to the drive voltage. it can. Thereby, the laser beam incident on the optical switch 12 can be distributed to two systems.

  The laser light distributed to the two systems by the optical switch 12 is incident on the bundle fiber 13. The bundle fiber 13 has a configuration in which one ends of the two optical fibers 21-1 and 21-2 are bundled. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing one end of the bundle fiber 13 shown in FIG. 1 along the one-dot chain line AA ′ of FIG. As shown in FIG. 3, one optical fiber 21-1 constituting the bundle fiber 13 includes a core 21-1A through which laser light is propagated and a clad 21-1B covering the periphery of the core 21-1A. Similarly, the other optical fiber 21-2 constituting the bundle fiber 13 includes a core 21-2A through which laser light is propagated and a clad 21-2B covering the periphery of the core 21-2A.

  One end of one optical fiber 21-1 constituting the bundle fiber 13 is arranged so that laser light emitted from the second AOM 19 to which a drive voltage is applied is incident on the core 21-1 </ b> A. A first turret (not shown) is connected to the other end of the one optical fiber 21-1. Also, one end of the other optical fiber 21-2 constituting the bundle fiber 13 is arranged so that the laser light emitted from the second AOM 19 to which no drive voltage is applied is incident on the core 21-2A, and the other A second turret (not shown) is connected to the other end of the optical fiber 21-2.

  That is, when a driving voltage is applied to the second AOM 19, laser light is supplied to the first turret via one optical fiber 21-1 constituting the bundle fiber 13, and the driving voltage is applied to the second AOM 19. When is not applied, laser light is supplied to the second turret via the other optical fiber 21-2 constituting the bundle fiber 13.

  4 shows the waveform of the laser beam emitted from the laser generator 11, the waveform of the voltage output from the second AOM 19 driver 20, the waveform of the laser beam supplied to the first turret, and the second turret. It is a wave form diagram which shows the relationship of the waveform of the laser beam supplied. As shown in FIG. 4, the pulsed laser light emitted from the laser generator 11 is either the first turret or the second turret depending on the voltage V output from the second AOM 19 driver 20. Supplied to At this time, if the peak value of the pulsed laser light emitted from the laser generator 11 is α, the peak value of the laser light supplied to either the first turret or the second turret is also α. . That is, the laser light emitted from the laser generator 11 is supplied to either the first turret or the second turret while maintaining the peak value α.

  As described above, according to the laser distribution device according to the present embodiment, the laser beam emitted from one laser generator 11 is appropriately distributed by the optical switch 12, so that the first turret or the second turret is distributed. A laser beam can be selectively supplied to the turret. As described above, since only one laser generator 11 is used for a plurality of turrets, it is possible to provide a laser distribution device for realizing a small-sized and low power consumption light wave device.

(Second Embodiment)
FIG. 5 is a block diagram schematically showing a laser distribution apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The laser distribution device shown in FIG. 5 is an example of distributing to four systems. In the description of the laser distribution device, only portions different from the laser distribution device according to the first embodiment will be described.

  Compared with the laser distribution device according to the first embodiment, the laser distribution device according to the second embodiment has an optical switch 22 for distributing the laser light emitted from the laser generator 11 connected in series. The difference is that the four AOMs 22-1, 22-2, 22-3, and 22-4 are configured. Each of these is an AOM capable of distributing incident laser light to one of up, down, left and right.

  More specifically, with respect to the configuration of the optical switch 22, from the laser generator 11 side, for example, the AOM 22-1, which distributes upward, the AOM 22-2 which distributes downward, the AOM 22-3 which distributes right, and the left direction Are connected in series in the order of AOMs 22-4 distributed to each other. Each AOM 22-1, 22-2, 22-3, 22-4 has an AOM driver 23-1, 23-23 for driving each AOM 22-1, 22-2, 22-3, 22-4. 2, 23-3, 23-4 are connected. The up, down, left, and right directions mean the up, down, left, and right directions in FIG.

  Further, the laser distribution device according to the second embodiment differs from the laser distribution device according to the first embodiment in the shape of the bundle fiber 24, and the four optical fibers 25-1, 25- 2, 25-3 and 25-4 are bundled at one end. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing one end of the bundle fiber 24 shown in FIG. 5 along the alternate long and short dash line BB ′ of FIG. As shown in FIG. 6, the first optical fiber 25-1 constituting the bundle fiber 24 includes a core 25-1A through which laser light is propagated and a clad 25-1B covering the periphery of the core 25-1A. Similarly, the second to fourth optical fibers 25-2, 25-3, and 25-4 constituting the bundle fiber 24 are respectively cores 25-2A, 25-3A, and 25-4A through which laser light is propagated. The clad 25-2B, 25-3B, and 25-4B cover the periphery of each of the cores 25-2A, 25-3A, and 25-4A.

  The first to fourth optical fibers 25-1, 25-2, 25-3, and 25-4 constituting the bundle fiber 24 have cores 25-1A, 25-2A, 25-3A, and 25- at their one ends. 4A is arranged so that any of the laser beams distributed to the four systems by the optical switch 22 is incident thereon. The first to fourth turrets (not shown) are connected to the other ends of the first to fourth optical fibers 25-1, 25-2, 25-3, and 25-4. ing.

  In such a laser distribution apparatus according to the second embodiment, the laser light emitted from the laser generator 11 is converted into, for example, the core 25-1A (the upper left core of the first optical fiber 25-1 shown in FIG. ), The optical switch 22 may be driven as follows. That is, the drive voltage is applied to the AOM 22-1 distributed in the upward direction and the AOM 22-4 distributed in the left direction, and the drive voltage is applied to the AOM 22-2 distributed in the downward direction and the AOM 22-3 distributed in the right direction. If not. Thus, the laser light emitted from the laser generator 11 is incident on the core 25-1A (upper left core) of the first optical fiber 25-1 while maintaining the peak value by the optical switch 22. Distributed.

  Similarly to this, by driving each AOM 22-1, 22-2, 22-3, 22-4 as appropriate, the laser light emitted from the laser generator 11 is changed to the second to second shown in FIG. The optical fiber can be made incident on any one of the cores 25-2A, 25-3A, and 25-4A of the optical fiber 4 while maintaining the peak value.

  As described above, even in the laser distribution device according to the present embodiment, the first to the fourth are obtained by appropriately distributing the laser light emitted from one laser generator 11 by the optical switch 22. Laser light can be selectively supplied to the turret. As described above, since only one laser generator 11 is used for a plurality of turrets, it is possible to provide a laser distribution device for realizing a small-sized and low power consumption light wave device.

  The laser distribution apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention has been described above. However, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments. For example, in each of the above-described embodiments, the laser light generated from one laser generator 11 is distributed to two systems or four systems, but may be distributed to two or more systems. For example, when distributing to three systems, the laser light emitted from the laser generator 11 may be distributed using three AOMs connected in series. At this time, needless to say, the bundle fiber has a configuration in which three optical fibers are bundled.

  Further, in each of the above-described embodiments, the laser generator 11 shown in FIG. 2 is applied. However, the laser generator is not limited to the laser generator 11 shown in FIG. 2 as long as it can output pulsed laser light. Therefore, the laser generator may be constituted by, for example, a semiconductor laser and an optical modulator. The laser beam output from the laser generator may be a modulated pulsed laser beam.

  In each of the above-described embodiments, the laser beam output from the laser generator is a pulsed laser beam. However, the laser beam is not necessarily pulsed. Therefore, a laser generator that emits CW laser light by removing the first AOM 18 from the configuration of FIG. 2 may be applied, or a semiconductor laser or the like that emits CW laser light may be applied as the laser generator. May be.

  In each of the above-described embodiments, the optical switches 12 and 22 have a configuration using at least one AOM. However, the optical switches 12 and 22 may be any switches that can distribute the input laser light to two or more systems. Therefore, depending on the wavelength of the laser light, for example, a Mach-Zehnder optical interference type optical switch using a semiconductor optical amplifier may be applied.

  In each of the above-described embodiments, the number of laser light distributions by the optical switches 12 and 22 and the number of optical fibers constituting the bundle fibers 13 and 24 are configured to be equal. However, the bundle fiber may be configured by at least an optical fiber equal to or greater than the number of laser light distribution by the optical switch.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 ... Laser generator 12, 22 ... Optical switch 13, 24 ... Bundle fiber 15 ... Laser solvent 16 ... 1st acoustooptic device (1st AOM)
17 ... Mirror 18 ... First AOM driver 19 ... Second AOM
20 ... 2nd AOM driver 21-1, 21-2 ... Optical fiber 21-1A, 21-2A ... Core 21-1B, 21-2B ... Cladding 22-1, ... AOM to distribute upward
22-2 ... AOM distributed downward
22-3 ... AOM distributed rightward
22-4 ... AOM distributed to the left
23-1 ... AOM driver 23-2 to distribute upward 23-2 ... AOM driver 23-3 to distribute downward 23 AOM driver 23-4 to distribute right 23 AOM driver 25-1 to be distributed to the first optical fiber 25-2 ... second optical fiber 25-3 ... third optical fiber 25-4 ... fourth optical fiber 25-1A, 25-2A, 25-3A, 25-4A,... First to fourth optical fiber cores 25-1B, 25-2B, 25-3B, 25-4B,. 4 optical fiber cladding

Claims (3)

A laser generator for emitting laser light;
An optical switch that distributes and emits the laser light generated by the laser generator;
A driver that controls the optical switch to distribute and emit the laser light by supplying a voltage to the optical switch;
Each of the plurality of optical fibers includes a core that propagates light and a clad that covers the periphery of the core, and is emitted from the optical switch to any of the plurality of cores that form the optical fibers. A bundle fiber arranged so that laser light is incident thereon;
A laser distribution apparatus comprising:   The laser distribution device according to claim 1, wherein the optical switch includes an acousto-optic element.   The laser distribution device according to claim 2, wherein the optical switch is configured by connecting a plurality of acousto-optic elements in series.

Images