JP4080608B2 - Semiconductor laser light source device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a semiconductor laser light source device that collimates and collects light from a semiconductor laser array and outputs the collimated light through an optical fiber.
[0002]
[Prior art]
An optical fiber is used to efficiently output and transmit laser light emitted from a semiconductor laser. At this time, the coupling efficiency between the semiconductor laser and the optical fiber becomes a problem. Generally, since the emission parameter of a semiconductor laser is different from the incident parameter of an optical fiber, a method such as installing a lens system between the semiconductor laser and the optical fiber is used to increase the coupling efficiency. ing.
[0003]
In particular, when a semiconductor laser is used as an excitation light source for a solid-state laser, for example, it is indispensable to increase the output of laser light used for excitation. However, the output of a semiconductor laser with a single emission point (striped active layer, etc.) There is a limit to the intensity, and in order to achieve higher output, a semiconductor laser array composed of a plurality of light emitting points and laser light emitted from each light emitting point of such a semiconductor laser array are efficiently transmitted to an optical fiber. It is necessary to realize an incident lens array.
[0004]
A lens array that can be applied to such a semiconductor laser array is, for example, a lens array disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-284401. This lens array, for example, does not use a spherical lens for a single semiconductor laser, but uses three cylindrical lenses that are sequentially arranged so that the directions of adjacent cylindrical lenses are perpendicular to each other. Convergence of light is performed. In particular, when a semiconductor laser array is used, it is difficult to efficiently form a spherical lens. On the other hand, a lens system using a cylindrical lens having such a configuration has three cylindrical lenses each of which is a semiconductor. By adopting a three-layer cylindrical lens array composed of a plurality of cylindrical lenses with the vertical and horizontal directions of the light emitting point arrangement of the laser array as the arrangement direction, it can be applied as in the case of a single semiconductor laser.
[0005]
Further, there is a lens array used in a solid-state laser device disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-104516. In this apparatus, a distributed refractive index lens array for collimating laser beams emitted from individual light emitting points with respect to an integrated array type semiconductor laser in which a plurality of light emitting points by multi stripes are arranged one-dimensionally. And a condensing lens for condensing laser beams from a plurality of collimated light emitting points on the end face of the solid-state laser element. Also described is a method in which a single optical fiber is interposed as an optical transmission means between the lens array and the solid-state laser element.
[0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In order to further increase the output of a semiconductor laser and expand its use and application range, a two-dimensionally arranged semiconductor laser array, that is, a plurality of semiconductor lasers or a plurality of array type semiconductor lasers, and so on A lens array capable of efficiently collimating and condensing laser beams emitted from a plurality of light emitting points of a two-dimensional array of semiconductor laser arrays and making them incident on an optical fiber is indispensable.
[0007]
However, in the lens array disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-284401, the structure of the cylindrical lens array individually corresponds to the structure of the light emitting points of the semiconductor laser array, and therefore, collimation is performed for each light emitting point. And incident on the same number of optical fibers as the light emitting points of the semiconductor laser array installed for each of them, and has a function of condensing the laser light from a plurality of light emitting points onto one optical fiber. Absent. Furthermore, the number of cylindrical lenses used is large, and there are problems in terms of the assembly process and assembly accuracy.
[0008]
In addition, the lens array disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-104516 condenses and enters laser light from all light emitting points into a single optical fiber in a one-dimensionally arranged semiconductor laser array. However, when a two-dimensional semiconductor laser array is used, it is extremely difficult to efficiently condense and enter the laser light from all of the light emitting points into a single optical fiber, and the lens array is also complicated. Become.
[0009]
The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and efficiently collimates and condenses laser light from a semiconductor laser array having a plurality of light emitting points arranged two-dimensionally and enters the optical fiber. An object of the present invention is to provide a high-power semiconductor laser light source device that can output to the outside.
[0010]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve such an object, a semiconductor laser light source device according to the present invention includes a semiconductor laser array having a plurality of light emitting points, and laser light emitted from each light emitting point of the semiconductor laser array is incident to the outside. A semiconductor laser light source device comprising: an optical fiber array comprising output optical fibers; and a lens array for collimating or condensing laser light at an incident end of the optical fiber of the optical fiber array, wherein the semiconductor laser array includes a plurality of semiconductor laser arrays. The array type semiconductor lasers are stacked and arranged in the vertical direction, N0 rows (N0 is an integer of 2 or more) in the vertical direction, M0 columns in the horizontal direction (M0 is an integer of 2 or more) ) Stacked semiconductor laser having a plurality of light emitting points of a maximum of N0 × M0 two-dimensionally arranged in a matrix having a light emitting point sequence of The optical fiber array is composed of a plurality of optical fibers having a number smaller than a plurality of light emitting points, and an incident portion in which respective incident ends are arranged, and a bundle portion in which a plurality of optical fibers are bundled. And N <N0 and M <M0, N rows in the vertical direction (N is an integer of 1 or more), M columns in the horizontal direction (M is an integer of 1 or more, provided that at least N or M One of which is an integer of 2 or more), each of which has a plurality of N × M optical fibers arranged one-dimensionally or two-dimensionally at the incident portion. The array is a two-dimensional array of multiple light emitting points in the vertical direction only A collimating lens array configured to collimate laser light, and a collection configured to collect laser light in both the vertical and horizontal directions of a two-dimensional array of a plurality of light emitting points. An optical lens array, and the collimating lens array includes a plurality of collimating lenses that collimate the laser beams from the light emitting points included in the N0 light emitting point rows arranged in the vertical direction in the vertical direction. The condensing lens array includes a plurality of light emitting points of a maximum of N0 × M0 of the stacked semiconductor laser array, N light emitting area rows in the vertical direction, and M columns in the horizontal direction. Dividing into N × M light emitting areas arranged two-dimensionally in a matrix having light emitting area columns, and laser light from the light emitting points included in each light emitting area, Laser light from the light emitting points included in the N light emitting region rows arranged in the vertical direction so as to be condensed at the incident end of the corresponding optical fiber among the N × M optical fibers is N rows. A vertical condenser lens array composed of a single condenser lens or a plurality of condenser lenses that respectively collect light at the incident end rows of the laser beam, and laser light from the light emitting points included in the M light emitting area columns arranged in the horizontal direction. And a horizontal condenser lens array composed of a single condenser lens or a plurality of condenser lenses for condensing light at the incident end rows of the array, and the lens array is directed from the stack type semiconductor laser array side to the optical fiber array side. The lenses are arranged in the order of a vertical collimating lens array, a vertical condenser lens array, and a horizontal condenser lens array.
[0012]
A stacked semiconductor laser array formed by stacking a plurality of semiconductor lasers having a single light emitting point or an array type semiconductor laser having a plurality of light emitting points and two-dimensionally arranging the semiconductor laser, and the stacked semiconductor laser Using an optical fiber array consisting of fewer optical fibers than the number of light emitting points of the laser array, the collimating lens array and the condensing raise array each collimate and condense the laser light toward the incident part of the optical fiber array. Thus, a high-power semiconductor laser light source device capable of efficiently outputting laser light from a light emitting point in a two-dimensional array can be obtained by bundling optical fibers on which laser light is incident in a bundle portion.
[0013]
In particular, the light is collected from the two-dimensional arrangement of the light emitting points of the stacked semiconductor laser array to the one-dimensional or two-dimensional arrangement of the optical fiber array by the condenser lens array in both the vertical direction and the horizontal direction. It is possible to increase the light efficiency and reduce the number of components such as the lens and optical fiber of the light source device, thereby facilitating the manufacture thereof. Here, focusing means that laser beams from a plurality of light emitting points are converged to one point.
[0014]
In such a light source device, for example, each light emitting point of a stack type semiconductor laser array and an incident end of each optical fiber of an optical fiber array are arranged in a matrix form, and a condensing lens array is configured corresponding to the arrangement. This can be realized.
[0015]
The stacked semiconductor laser array having a plurality of light emitting points in the form of a matrix used in the apparatus as described above is, for example, an array type semiconductor laser having M0 light emitting points in the horizontal direction and N0 stacks in the vertical direction. An arrangement is preferable. Also, a semiconductor laser or array type semiconductor having N1 × M1 light emitting points two-dimensionally arranged in N1 rows (N1 is an integer of 1 or more) in the vertical direction and M1 columns (M1 is an integer of 1 or more) in the horizontal direction N2 lasers with N1 × N2 = N0 in the vertical direction (N2 is an integer of 1 or more) and M2 lasers with M1 × M2 = M0 in the horizontal direction (M2 is an integer of 1 or more, provided that at least N2 or M2 One is an integer greater than or equal to 2).
[0016]
The condensing lens array is, for example, a single condensing lens or a plurality of condensing lenses for condensing laser beams from light emitting points included in N light emitting region rows arranged in the vertical direction on N incident end rows, respectively. And a single or a plurality of condensing beams for condensing the laser beams from the light emitting points included in the M light emitting region rows arranged in the horizontal direction on the M light incident end rows, respectively. It can be configured to have two arrays, a horizontal condenser lens array consisting of lenses. Further, the laser beams from the light emitting points included in the N light emitting region rows arranged in the vertical direction are respectively focused on the N incident end rows, and the M column light emitting regions arranged in the horizontal direction. The laser beam from the light emitting point included in the column may be configured to have one array of a two-way condensing lens array composed of a plurality of condensing lenses that respectively condense the light beams to the M incident end columns. .
[0017]
As described above, by forming the condensing lens array by the vertical condensing lens array and the horizontal condensing lens array, or the bi-directional condensing lens array, the condensing in both directions as described above can be realized.
[0018]
The collimating lens array has a vertical collimating lens array composed of a plurality of collimating lenses that collimate the laser beams from the light emitting points included in the N0 light emitting point rows arranged in the vertical direction in the vertical direction. Can be configured.
[0019]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of a semiconductor laser light source device according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the description of the drawings, the same reference numerals are given to the same elements, and duplicate descriptions are omitted. Further, the dimensional ratios in the drawings do not necessarily match those described.
[0020]
In the coordinate system in the light source device shown below, the vertical direction, which is the direction in which the laser light is emitted, is defined as the z-axis / z-direction, and for the other two directions, the vertical direction is the x-axis / x-direction, horizontal The direction is the y-axis / y-direction. Here, in the embodiment described below, the vertical direction and the horizontal direction in the coordinate system relating to the light source device and the vertical direction and the parallel direction with respect to the bonding surface in the stripe, which is each light emitting point of the semiconductor laser, respectively match. .
[0021]
As for the rows and columns in a two-dimensional array such as light-emitting points, the vertical direction is divided and the horizontal direction is the longitudinal direction, and the horizontal direction is divided and the vertical direction is divided as in the normal matrix definition. Is the column.
[0022]
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of each element in an embodiment of a semiconductor laser light source device according to the present invention. In this figure, all the elements installed close to each other are also shown at a distance. In the present embodiment, the stacked semiconductor laser array 1 that is a light source from which laser light is emitted has N0 light emitting point rows V in the vertical direction. ₁ ~ V _N0 , And M0 light emission point sequence H in the horizontal direction ₁ ~ H _M0 The optical fiber array 2 is configured to have N0 × M0 light emitting points that are two-dimensionally arranged and output to the outside upon receiving laser light. The optical fiber is configured to have M optical fibers having incident ends arranged.
[0023]
The stack type semiconductor laser array 1 includes N0 array type semiconductor lasers 11. ₁ ~ 11 _N0 Are stacked and arranged in the vertical direction. Each array type semiconductor laser 11 _i (I = 1 to N0) includes M0 light emitting points 110 arranged at equal intervals in the horizontal direction. _{i, 1} ~ 110 _{i, M0} Is formed. Array type semiconductor laser 11 ₁ ~ 11 _N0 Are light emitting points 110 corresponding to the vertical directions, respectively. _{1, j} ~ 110 _{N0, j} Are arranged so that their horizontal positions coincide with each other, whereby the stacked semiconductor laser array 1 has M0 light emitting points 110 in the vertical direction. _{i, 1} ~ 110 _{i, M0} N0 light-emitting spot row V having _i (I = 1 to N0), N0 light emitting points 110 in the horizontal direction _{1, j} ~ 110 _{N0, j} M0 light emitting point sequence H having _j N0 × M0 light emitting points 110 arranged in a matrix composed of (j = 1 to M0). _1,1 ~ 110 _{N0, M0} It is comprised.
[0024]
The optical fiber array 2 includes 1 × M optical fibers 210 (M <M0). _1,1 ~ 210 _{1, M} The M optical fibers and the incident portion 21 in which the incident ends thereof are respectively arranged, and the bundle portion 22 in which the M optical fibers are bundled. In the incident part 21 of the present embodiment, the incident end row in the vertical direction is one row (that is, N = 1), the incident end row in the horizontal direction is M columns, and the M optical fibers 210. _1,1 ~ 210 _{1, M} Are arranged one-dimensionally in the horizontal direction.
[0025]
N0 × M0 light emitting points 110 of the stacked semiconductor laser array 1 _1,1 ~ 110 _{N0, M0} 1 × M optical fibers 210 of the optical fiber array 2 are used as laser beams respectively emitted from the optical fiber array 2. _1,1 ~ 210 _{1, M} In order to make the light incident on the lens array, a lens array including a collimating lens array 3 and a condenser lens array 4 is provided.
[0026]
The collimating lens array 3 has a function of collimating the laser light emitted from each light emitting point of the stacked semiconductor laser array 1 and reducing its diffusion angle, that is, the tilt angle with respect to the z direction. Is done.
[0027]
Here, in the semiconductor laser, the diffusion angle generally differs in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction. The diffusion angle θ in the vertical direction (x direction) _x Is large and about 40 °. On the other hand, the diffusion angle θ in the horizontal direction (y direction) _y Is small, about 5 to 12 °.
[0028]
Further, in the configuration of the stack type semiconductor laser array 1 as in the present embodiment, the light emitting point rows V that are arranged with the vertical direction divided and the horizontal direction set as the longitudinal direction. _i Luminous point 110 of _{i, 1} ~ 110 _{i, M0} The vertical position of each is the same array type semiconductor laser 11 _i Therefore, they are matched with high accuracy. On the other hand, the light emission point sequence H divided in the horizontal direction and arranged in the vertical direction as the longitudinal direction. _j Luminous point 110 of _{1, j} ~ 110 _{N0, j} Each of the horizontal positions of the array type semiconductor laser 11 ₁ ~ 11 _N0 Because it depends on the accuracy of stacking and arraying, the accuracy is relatively low.
[0029]
For this reason, the collimating lens array 3 in this embodiment has a vertical diffusion angle θ. _x Only a collimating lens array 31 that performs collimation only, and no collimation is performed in the horizontal direction. However, if necessary, the horizontal diffusion angle θ _y It is good also as a structure which further installs the horizontal collimating lens array which collimates about.
[0030]
The vertical collimating lens array 31 has N0 cylindrical lenses 310 whose longitudinal direction is the horizontal direction and whose cross section is a circle. ₁ ~ 310 _N0 It is composed of The position of the central axis of each cylindrical lens is set corresponding to the position of the light emitting point. That is, the cylindrical lens 310 _i The vertical position of the central axis of the light emitting point 110 is _{i, 1} ~ 110 _{i, M0} The corresponding luminous spot row V _i Are installed so as to coincide with the vertical position of each. Thus, N0 cylindrical lenses 310 _i Is M0 luminous points 110 _{i, 1} ~ 110 _{i, M0} Diffusion angle θ in the vertical direction with respect to the laser light emitted from _x Do the collimation. Diffusion angle θ after collimation _x Is about 1 °.
[0031]
The condensing lens array 4 is configured and installed with a function of condensing the laser light collimated by the collimating lens array 3 at the incident end of each optical fiber of the optical fiber array 2. Here, focusing means that laser beams from a plurality of light emitting points are converged to one point.
[0032]
The condensing lens array 4 in the present embodiment includes a vertical condensing lens array 41 that condenses light in the vertical direction and a horizontal condensing lens array 42 that condenses light in the horizontal direction. Here, the stacked semiconductor laser array 1 has N0 × M0 light emitting points 110. _1,1 ~ 110 _{N0, M0} On the other hand, the optical fiber array 2 is composed of N × M optical fibers (where N = 1 in the present embodiment). The N0 × M0 light emitting points 110 _1,1 ~ 110 _{N0, M0} The laser light emitted from the laser beam is divided into N × M light emitting regions each having N light emitting region rows in the vertical direction and M light emitting region columns in the horizontal direction, and each of the light emitting regions is divided into the light emitting regions. The laser beam from the included light emitting point is configured and installed so as to be incident on the corresponding optical fiber.
[0033]
That is, in the vertical direction, since the incident end row of the optical fiber array 2 in this embodiment is one row (N = 1), N0 light emission point rows V _i The vertical condensing lens array 41 is configured so as to condense the laser light from the light onto one incident end row. On the other hand, since the incident end row of the optical fiber array 2 is M rows in the horizontal direction, the light emitting point row H in the M0 row is used. _j The horizontal condensing lens array 42 is configured to divide and condense the laser beam from the light into the M rows of incident end rows.
[0034]
The vertical condenser lens array 41 is composed of a single cylindrical lens 410 whose longitudinal direction is the horizontal direction and whose section is an ellipse. The position of the central axis of the cylindrical lens 410 is the light emitting point 110. _1,1 ~ 110 _{N0, M0} It is installed so as to coincide with the center position in the vertical direction.
[0035]
The horizontal condenser lens array 42 includes M cylindrical lenses 420 whose longitudinal direction is the longitudinal direction and whose cross section is a circle. ₁ ~ 420 _M It is composed of The position of the central axis of each cylindrical lens is set corresponding to the position of the light emitting area. That is, the cylindrical lens 420 _j The horizontal positions of the central axes of the light-emitting elements are respectively set so as to coincide with the horizontal center positions of the corresponding j-th light emitting region columns.
[0036]
The collimation and condensing of laser light in the lens array according to the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 2 is a side view of the semiconductor laser light source device shown in FIG. 1, that is, a view seen from the y direction. Collimation and condensing of laser light in the x direction (vertical direction) are illustrated by dotted lines. FIG. 3 is a top view of the semiconductor laser light source device shown in FIG. 1, that is, a view seen from the x direction, and the condensing of the laser beam in the y direction (horizontal direction) is shown by a dotted line.
[0037]
For the vertical direction, the diffusion angle θ _x Is as large as about 40 °, the laser beam is collimated by the vertical collimating lens array 31 to be a laser beam having a small diffusion angle (about 1 °), and the vertical condenser lens array 41 is used to enter the incident portion 21 of the optical fiber array 2. Are condensed at the corresponding optical fiber incident end. For the horizontal direction, the diffusion angle θ _y Is as small as about 5 to 12 °, collimation is not performed, and the light is condensed at the corresponding optical fiber incident end of the incident portion 21 of the optical fiber array 2 by the horizontal condenser lens array 42.
[0038]
It should be noted that the focal lengths and the like of the respective lenses constituting these lens arrays are all selected so as to realize the collimation and condensing shown in FIGS.
[0039]
In particular, the distance from the vertical condenser lens array 41 to the optical fiber incident end (the focal distance of the lenses of the vertical condenser lens array 41) is expressed as f. _x , The distance from the horizontal condenser lens array 42 to the optical fiber incident end (focal length of each lens of the horizontal condenser lens array 42) is f _y Then, the light collection width d in the x and y directions at the incident end of the optical fiber _x And d _y Is approximately d _x = F _x × θ _x , D _y = F _y × θ _y It becomes. Here, the diffusion angle θ after passing through the collimating lens array 3 _x And θ _y Is θ as described above. _x Therefore, in order to efficiently collect and enter the optical fiber, the focal length of each of the optical fibers is determined by the width d of the light collection. _x And d _y Is the same size f _x > F _y The vertical condenser lens array 41 and the horizontal condenser lens array 42 are respectively installed so as to have a predetermined value. In addition, in order to make the incident efficiency in the x direction and the y direction about the same for an optical fiber having a certain numerical aperture, the width of each lens constituting the vertical condenser lens array 41 and the horizontal condenser lens array 42 It is desirable that the horizontal condenser lens array 42 is configured to be smaller. It should be noted that depending on conditions such as the size of the optical fiber incident end and the size of light collection, a configuration that does not satisfy these conditions regarding the focal length, the lens width, and the like may be adopted.
[0040]
1, 2, and 3 are specifically constructed as configurations satisfying the above conditions of N0 = 8, M0 = 12, N = 1, and M = 6. The selection of the number is merely an example, and other configurations may be used. In particular, N may be configured such that optical fibers are two-dimensionally arranged as an integer of 2 or more. In this case, the vertical condenser lens array 41 can be configured by, for example, N cylindrical lenses.
[0041]
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the semiconductor laser light source device according to the present invention, developed in the same manner as in FIG. 1 and showing the configuration of each element. In the present embodiment, the configuration of the stacked semiconductor laser array 1 which is a light source from which laser light is emitted is the same as that of the embodiment shown in FIG.
[0042]
The optical fiber array 2 includes 2 × M optical fibers 210 (M <M0). _1,1 ~ 210 _{2, M} And 2 × M optical fibers, an incident portion 21 where the incident ends thereof are arranged, and a bundle portion 22 in which 2 × M optical fibers are bundled. In the incident portion 21 of the present embodiment, the incident end rows in the vertical direction are two rows (that is, N = 2), the incident end rows in the horizontal direction are M columns, and 2 × M optical fibers 210. _1,1 ~ 210 _{2, M} Are arranged in two dimensions.
[0043]
N0 × M0 light emitting points 110 of the stacked semiconductor laser array 1 _1,1 ~ 110 _{N0, M0} 2 × M optical fibers 210 of the optical fiber array 2 are used as laser light emitted from the optical fiber array 2. _1,1 ~ 210 _{2, M} In order to make the light incident on the lens array, a lens array including a collimating lens array 3 and a condenser lens array 4 is provided. The configuration of the vertical collimating lens array 31 of the collimating lens array 3 is the same as that of the embodiment shown in FIG.
[0044]
The condensing lens array 4 in the present embodiment is composed of a two-way condensing lens array 40 that condenses light in two directions, the vertical direction and the horizontal direction. The two-way condensing lens array 40 has 2 × M optical fibers 210 each having a center position. _1,1 ~ 210 _{2, M} And 2 × M rectangular spherical lenses 400 installed corresponding to the positions of the light emitting areas corresponding thereto. _1,1 ~ 400 _{2, M} It is composed of As a result, the laser light from the light emitting points included in each divided light emitting region is incident on the corresponding optical fiber.
[0045]
The collimation and condensing of laser light in the lens array according to the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 5 is a side view of the semiconductor laser light source device shown in FIG. 4, that is, a view seen from the y direction. Collimation and condensing of laser light in the x direction (vertical direction) are illustrated by dotted lines. FIG. 6 is a top view of the semiconductor laser light source device shown in FIG. 4, that is, a view seen from the x direction, and the condensing of the laser light in the y direction (horizontal direction) is shown by a dotted line.
[0046]
The laser light collimated by the vertical collimating lens array 31 in the vertical direction is applied to the corresponding optical fiber incident end of the incident portion 21 of the optical fiber array 2 in both the vertical direction and the horizontal direction by the two-way condenser lens array 40. Focused.
[0047]
Note that the focal lengths and the like of the respective lenses constituting these lens arrays are all selected so as to realize the collimation and condensing shown in FIGS. 4, FIG. 5, and FIG. 6 are specifically plotted as N0 = 8, M0 = 12, N = 2, and M = 6.
[0048]
The semiconductor laser light source device according to the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be various forms. For example, with respect to the light source portion, as shown in FIG. 7, both the vertical direction and the horizontal direction are divided into an array type semiconductor laser, and in FIG. _1,1 ~ 11 _2,2 , May be stacked and arranged to form a stacked semiconductor laser array 1. Instead of the array type semiconductor laser, it is also possible to form a stacked type semiconductor laser array by stacking and arranging semiconductor lasers having a single light emitting point in a matrix. Further, the same lens array is applied to the case where the arrangement of the light emitting points is not a complete matrix as shown in FIG. 1, for example, the light emitting points are alternately arranged as shown in FIG. It can be configured to do so.
[0049]
Further, as shown in FIG. 9, a plurality of stacked semiconductor laser arrays may be used. In the apparatus shown in FIG. 9, the stack type semiconductor laser arrays 1a and 1b are arranged so that the vertical positions of the respective light emitting points are alternated, and the striped optical plate 1c includes a stack type semiconductor laser. A light transmitting film is formed at a position corresponding to the light emitting point of the array 1a, and a light reflecting film is formed at a position corresponding to the light emitting point of the stacked semiconductor laser array 1b with the horizontal direction as the longitudinal direction. As a result, all the laser beams from the two stacked semiconductor laser arrays 1a and 1b are made incident on the respective optical fibers of the optical fiber array 2 to obtain a light source device with further increased intensity.
[0050]
In addition, as for the shape and configuration of each lens used in the lens array, other shapes and configurations may be used as necessary as long as they have a collimating or condensing function. It is also possible to use a distributed refractive index lens or the like.
[0051]
【The invention's effect】
As described in detail above, the semiconductor laser light source device according to the present invention has the following effects. That is, the laser light emitted from the stack type semiconductor laser array having the light emitting points arranged in a matrix of N0 × M0 is collimated in a necessary direction by the collimating lens array, and further, the vertical direction and The light is condensed in both horizontal directions, and is condensed and incident on the incident ends arranged in a matrix of an optical fiber array having N × M optical fibers where N <N0 and M <M0. By making the fiber into a bundle, a high-power semiconductor laser light source device that efficiently captures the laser light can be obtained.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a developed perspective view of an embodiment of a semiconductor laser light source device according to the present invention.
2 is a side view of the semiconductor laser light source device shown in FIG. 1. FIG.
3 is a top view of the semiconductor laser light source device shown in FIG. 1. FIG.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of the semiconductor laser light source device according to the present invention.
5 is a side view of the semiconductor laser light source device shown in FIG. 4. FIG.
6 is a top view of the semiconductor laser light source device shown in FIG. 4. FIG.
FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of a stacked semiconductor laser array.
FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of a stacked semiconductor laser array.
FIG. 9 is a top view showing another embodiment of the semiconductor laser light source device according to the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1, 1a, 1b ... Stack type semiconductor laser array, 1c ... Striped optical plate, 11 ₁ ~ 11 _N0 , 11 _1,1 ~ 11 _2,2 ... Array type semiconductor laser, 110 _1,1 ~ 110 _{N0, M0} ... light emission point,
2 ... Optical fiber array, 21 ... Incident part, 22 ... Bundle part, 210 _1,1 ~ 210 _{2, M} ... optical fiber,
3 ... collimating lens array, 31 ... vertical collimating lens array, 310 ₁ ~ 310 _N0 ... Cylindrical lenses,
4 ... Condensing lens array, 40 ... Bidirectional condensing lens array, 400 _1,1 ~ 400 _{2, M} ... rectangular spherical lens, 41 ... vertical condenser lens array, 410 ... cylindrical lens, 42 ... horizontal condenser lens array, 420 ₁ ~ 420 _M … Cylindrical lens.

Claims (3)

A semiconductor laser array having a plurality of light emitting points; an optical fiber array comprising optical fibers that receive laser light emitted from each of the light emitting points of the semiconductor laser array and output the light to the outside; and A semiconductor laser light source device comprising: a lens array that collimates or condenses on an incident end of the optical fiber of a fiber array;
The semiconductor laser array is constituted by stacking and arranging a plurality of array type semiconductor lasers in the vertical direction, N0 rows in the vertical direction (N0 is an integer of 2 or more), M0 columns in the horizontal direction. (M0 is an integer greater than or equal to 2), and a stack type semiconductor laser array having a maximum of N0 × M0 light emitting points arranged in a two-dimensional array in a matrix having light emitting point sequences,
The optical fiber array includes a plurality of optical fibers having a number smaller than the plurality of light emitting points, and includes an incident portion in which respective incident ends are arrayed and a bundle portion in which the plurality of optical fibers are bundled. N <N0 and M <M0, N rows (N is an integer of 1 or more) in the vertical direction and M columns (M is an integer of 1 or more, but at least one of N or M) in the horizontal direction Is formed of a plurality of N × M optical fibers in which the incident ends are arranged one-dimensionally or two-dimensionally in the incident portion. ,
The lens array is
A collimating lens array configured to collimate the laser beam only in the vertical direction of the two-dimensional array of the plurality of light emitting points;
A condensing lens array configured to condense the laser beam in both a vertical direction and a horizontal direction of the two-dimensional array of the plurality of light emitting points;
The collimating lens array is
A vertical collimating lens array comprising a plurality of collimating lenses for collimating the laser beams from the light emitting points included in the N0 light emitting point rows arranged in the vertical direction in the vertical direction;
The condenser lens array is
A plurality of N0 × M0 light emitting points of the stacked semiconductor laser array are two-dimensionally arranged in a matrix having N light emitting area rows in the vertical direction and M light emitting area columns in the horizontal direction. The laser beam from the light emitting point included in each of the light emitting regions is divided into × M light emitting regions, and the incident end of the corresponding optical fiber among the plurality of N × M optical fibers. To concentrate on
A vertical collector comprising a single or a plurality of condensing lenses for condensing the laser light from the light emitting points included in the N light emitting region rows arranged in the vertical direction onto the incident end rows of the N rows, respectively. An optical lens array;
A horizontal light collection comprising a single or a plurality of condensing lenses for condensing the laser light from the light emitting points included in the M light emitting region rows arranged in the horizontal direction on the M light incident end rows, respectively. An optical lens array,
The lenses are arranged in the order of the vertical collimating lens array, the vertical condenser lens array, and the horizontal condenser lens array from the stack type semiconductor laser array side to the optical fiber array side. A semiconductor laser light source device.   The stacked semiconductor laser array has a plurality of N0 × M0 light emitting points, in which N0 array type semiconductor lasers having M0 light emitting points in the horizontal direction are stacked and arranged in the vertical direction. 2. The semiconductor laser light source device according to claim 1, wherein the semiconductor laser light source device is configured as follows.   The condenser lens array is configured such that the width of the condenser lens constituting the horizontal condenser lens array is smaller than the width of the condenser lens constituting the vertical condenser lens array. The semiconductor laser light source device according to claim 1 or 2.

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