阅读说明：本技术 一种光纤阵列模块及具有其的激光器 (Optical fiber array module and laser with same ) 是由 华大成 于 2020-06-02 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明提供了一种光纤阵列模块及具有其的激光器,所述光纤阵列模块包括若干光纤、盖板以及设置有固定槽的基板,所述若干光纤固定于盖板与固定槽之间,所述光纤与固定槽以及盖板之间填充有第一折射率胶以实现固定,所述光纤外侧具有第二折射率层或者高反射层,所述第一折射率N<Sub>1</Sub>取值范围为N<Sub>1</Sub>＞1.45,第二折射率N<Sub>2</Sub>的取值范围为1.3≤N<Sub>2</Sub>≤1.47,本发明解决了光纤胶层发热及烧毁问题,该光纤阵列模块可应用于高功率光纤激光器的激光传输。(The invention provides an optical fiber array module and a laser with the same, wherein the optical fiber array module comprises a plurality of optical fibers, a cover plate and a substrate provided with a fixing groove, the optical fibers are fixed between the cover plate and the fixing groove, first refractive index glue is filled between the optical fibers and the fixing groove as well as between the optical fibers and the cover plate to realize fixation, a second refractive index layer or a high reflection layer is arranged on the outer side of each optical fiber, and the first refractive index N is 1 Value range of N 1 Greater than 1.45, second refractive index N 2 Has a value range of not less than 1.3N 2 The invention solves the problems of heating and burning of the optical fiber glue layer, and the optical fiber array module can be applied to the laser transmission of a high-power optical fiber laser.)

1. The utility model provides an optical fiber array module, includes a plurality of optic fibre, apron and is provided with the base plate of fixed slot, a plurality of optic fibre are fixed in between apron and the fixed slot, its characterized in that, it has first refractive index to glue in order to realize fixing to fill between optic fibre and fixed slot and the apron, the optic fibre outside has second refractive index layer or high reflection stratum, first refractive index N₁Value range of N₁Greater than 1.45, second refractive index N₂Has a value range of not less than 1.3N₂≤1.47。

2. The fiber array module of claim 1, wherein the second refractive index layer outside the optical fibers is specifically: the optical fiber is coated with glue with a second refractive index on the outer side of the optical fiber, and/or is coated with a cladding with the second refractive index for the optical fiber body, and/or is coated with a film layer with the second refractive index on the outer side of the optical fiber.

3. The fiber array module of claim 2, wherein the optical fibers comprise at least two claddings, the outermost cladding of which has the second refractive index, in particular 1.4 < N₂＜1.47。

4. The fiber array module of claim 3, wherein the optical fibers are, in order from the inside to the outside, a core, a first cladding,the diameters of the second cladding layer and the coating layer are respectively: first cladding diameter D₁In the range of 14um or less D₁Less than or equal to 130um, diameter D of the second layer cladding₂D is within the range of 50um₂Less than or equal to 250um, diameter D of coating layer₃D is within the range of 130um₃≤600um。

5. The fiber array module of claim 2, wherein the film layer having the second refractive index is a multi-layer dielectric film; the high-reflection layer is specifically a high-reflection film, and comprises one or more of a gold film, a silver film, an aluminum film or a multilayer dielectric film.

6. The fiber array module of any of claims 1-5, wherein the fixation grooves on the substrate are periodically arranged to match the fibers, and the fixation grooves are shaped as V-grooves or circular grooves.

7. The fiber array module of claim 6, wherein a secondary V-groove is disposed between the V-grooves for receiving the optical fibers for guiding the first index glue.

8. The fiber array module of claim 6, wherein a silicon wafer is disposed above the cover plate for balancing the stress on the upper and lower sides of the optical fiber.

9. The fiber array module of claim 6, further comprising a metal housing for receiving a combination of the optical fiber, the cover plate, and the substrate having the fixing groove.

10. A laser comprising the fiber array module of claims 1-9, wherein: and the optical fiber laser is used for generating laser, and the optical fiber output of the optical fiber laser is used as the input of the optical fiber array module.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to an optical fiber array module and a laser including the same, and more particularly, to an optical fiber array module having a low refractive index layer and a fiber laser including the same.

Background

The optical fiber array module is as the adapting unit of fiber laser and work target, and its input is connected with fiber laser, and the output shines on the work target after optical lens system plastic, and the major structure of present common optical fiber array module is: and placing the optical fiber on a periodic glass or V-shaped groove substrate, pressing the cover plate, and curing the pouring sealant. In general, to ensure the subsequent end face polishing effect, the potting adhesive is usually selected from a glue with strong adhesive force and high hardness, and the glue with high hardness is generally a glue with high refractive index (for example, the refractive index is 1.57). Because the potting adhesive is an optically dense medium relative to the optical fiber cladding, the optical fiber cladding laser can leak to the potting adhesive and be absorbed, and then the temperature rise and even burn occurs, so the application of the optical fiber array module in high-power occasions is limited, and only the optical fiber array module with single-channel transmission laser power of milliwatt or watt level exists at present. In addition, in the application of high-power laser, as the power is higher, the more laser power is leaked by the cladding, and the temperature of the first refractive index glue is higher; because high temperature can generate thermal stress around the optical fiber, after the optical fiber core is extruded by the stress, the change of the refractive index of the fiber core can cause more fiber core laser to leak to the cladding, and the temperature is continuously increased; such vicious cycling continues until catastrophic results occur, even the fiber array burns out.

Chinese patent CN 202929240U discloses a metallized packaged optical fiber close-packed module, which fixes the optical fiber on a V-shaped groove after metallization, and this method solves the high temperature problem caused by laser leakage, but the metallized packaged structure has high operation difficulty and high cost, and the inconsistent thickness uniformity of the metal layer can affect the position accuracy of the optical fiber.

Disclosure of Invention

In order to solve the above problems, a primary objective of the present invention is to provide an optical fiber array module, which can solve the problems of heating and burning of an optical fiber glue layer, and is applied to laser transmission of a high-power optical fiber laser.

The technical scheme of the invention is as follows:

an optical fiber array module comprises a plurality of optical fibers, a cover plate and a base provided with a fixing grooveThe optical fiber fixing device comprises a plate, a plurality of optical fibers are fixed between a cover plate and a fixing groove, first refractive index glue is filled between the optical fibers and the fixing groove and between the optical fibers and the cover plate to realize fixation, a second refractive index layer or a high reflection layer is arranged on the outer side of each optical fiber, and the first refractive index N₁Value range of N₁Greater than 1.45, second refractive index N₂Has a value range of not less than 1.3N₂≤1.47。

The second refractive index layer on the outer side of the optical fiber is specifically as follows: the optical fiber is coated with glue with a second refractive index on the outer side of the optical fiber, and/or is coated with a cladding with the second refractive index for the optical fiber body, and/or is coated with a film layer with the second refractive index on the outer side of the optical fiber.

The optical fiber comprises at least two layers of claddings, wherein the outermost cladding layer has the second refractive index, and the second refractive index is more than 1.4 and less than N₂＜1.47。

The optical fiber is sequentially provided with a fiber core, a first cladding, a second cladding and a coating layer from inside to outside, and the diameters of the optical fiber are respectively taken as follows: the diameter D1 of the first cladding is within 14um ≤ D₁Less than or equal to 130um, diameter D of the second layer cladding₂D is within the range of 50um₂Less than or equal to 250um, diameter D of coating layer₃D is within the range of 130um₃≤600um。

The film layer with the second refractive index is specifically a multilayer dielectric film; the high-reflection layer is specifically a high-reflection film, and comprises one or more of a gold film, a silver film, an aluminum film or a multilayer dielectric film.

The fixing grooves on the substrate are periodically arranged in a manner of being matched with the optical fibers, and the fixing grooves are V-shaped grooves or circular grooves. And a secondary V-shaped groove is arranged between the V-shaped fixing grooves for accommodating the optical fibers and used for guiding in the first refractive index glue.

And a silicon wafer is arranged above the cover plate and used for balancing the stress on the upper side and the lower side of the optical fiber.

The optical fiber array module further comprises a metal shell used for accommodating a combination of the optical fiber, the cover plate and the substrate provided with the fixing groove.

A laser comprises the optical fiber array module and a fiber laser for generating laser, wherein the fiber output of the fiber laser is used as the input of the optical fiber array module.

The invention has the following advantages: the optical fiber array module designed by the invention is additionally provided with the second refractive index layer or the high-reflection film outside the optical fiber, so that the residual laser of the outer cladding layer of the optical fiber is prevented from leaking into the high-refractive index glue, the sensitivity to the laser power is reduced, the laser power which can be transmitted by a single-path optical fiber is improved, the application in tens of thousands of even tens of thousands of watts of laser power is realized, and the high position precision (less than or equal to 0.5 um) of the optical fiber is ensured.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a fiber array module according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a side view and a light path transmission principle of the fiber array module according to the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a schematic of an optical fiber configuration.

Fig. 4 is one embodiment of a fiber array module.

Fig. 5 is one embodiment of a fiber array module.

The reference numbers illustrate: 1-optical fiber, 2-cover plate, 3-substrate, 4-fixing groove, 5-first refractive index glue, 6-second refractive index layer, 601-low refractive index glue, 7-optical fiber cladding, 701-first cladding, 702-second cladding, 8-fiber core, 9-coating layer, 10-high reflection film, 11-secondary V-shaped groove, 12-buffer sheet and 13-metal shell.

Detailed Description

In order to make the technical solutions of the present invention better understood, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention, and it is obvious that the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of the embodiments. All other embodiments, which can be derived by a person skilled in the art from the embodiments given herein without making any creative effort, shall fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

The optical fiber array module provided by the invention comprises a plurality of optical fibers 1, a cover plate 2 and a substrate 3 provided with a fixing groove, wherein the optical fibers are fixedBetween the cover plate and the fixing groove, a first refractive index glue 5 is filled between the optical fiber and the fixing groove and between the optical fiber and the cover plate to realize fixation, a second refractive index layer 6 is arranged on the outer side of the optical fiber, and the first refractive index N₁Value range of N₁Greater than 1.45, second refractive index N₂The value range is as follows: 1.3. ltoreq. N₂Less than or equal to 1.47. Preferably, the second refractive index N₂Has a value range of 1.33 to N₂≤1.45 。

The first refractive index glue is used as pouring glue and used for fixing the optical fiber and the fixing groove.

The second refractive index layer on the outer side of the optical fiber specifically comprises the following optional embodiments:

1) the second refractive index layer is glue with a second refractive index and coated on the outer side of the optical fiber;

2) the optical fiber body is provided with a cladding with a second refractive index;

3) a film layer having a second refractive index outside the optical fiber.

The above embodiments are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings:

as shown in fig. 1, the optical fiber 1 is fixed between the cover plate 2 and the fixing groove 4 of the substrate 3, and a second refractive index layer 6 is provided on the outer side of the optical fiber 1, and optionally, the second refractive index layer 6 is glue with a second refractive index coated on the outer side of the optical fiber cladding. In order to fix the optical fiber, the cover plate and the fixing groove, first refractive index glue is poured into the front end face and the rear end face of the fixing groove. Since the first refractive index glue has a higher refractive index than the glue having the second refractive index layer, the first refractive index glue is defined herein as a high refractive index glue and the glue having the second refractive index layer is defined as a low refractive index glue. Optionally, the low-refractive-index glue is preferably an optical fiber coating glue which can resist the temperature of more than 200 ℃, and the refractive index of the low-refractive-index glue (i.e. the second refractive index using the low-refractive-index glue as the embodiment) is preferably 1.33 ≤ N₂Less than or equal to 1.43, and further, the refractive index of the low-refractive-index glue is preferably less than or equal to 1.36 and less than or equal to N₂Less than or equal to 1.4; furthermore, the refractive index of the low-refractive-index glue is preferably 1.36-N₂Less than or equal to 1.38; furthermore, the refractive index of the low-refractive-index glue is preferably 1.36-N₂≤1.37。

For clearly explaining the position relationship among the optical fibers, the high refractive index glue and the low refractive index glue, as shown in the side view of the optical fiber array module shown in fig. 2, the low refractive index glue 601 is uniformly coated on the outer side of the optical fiber cladding, and the high refractive index glue (i.e., the first refractive index glue 5) is filled between the cover plate 2 and the optical fibers 1, and between the substrate 3 with the fixing grooves and the optical fibers 1. Because the low refractive index glue 601 is arranged around the optical fiber 1, the residual laser on the outer cladding of the optical fiber is prevented from leaking into the high refractive index glue, the sensitivity to the laser power is reduced, the laser power which can be transmitted by a single optical fiber is improved, and the arrow direction in fig. 2 is the indication of the propagation path of the laser in the optical fiber. In addition, the scheme still adopts the high-refractive-index glue as the pouring sealant, and can also ensure the subsequent grinding effect of the optical fiber end face.

It should be noted that fig. 2 does not show the shape of the fixing groove due to the side view.

Preferably, the thickness d of the low-refractive-index glue 601 is 150um or more and d or less than 400um, further, the value of the thickness d is 200um or more and d or less than 300um, further, the value of the thickness d is 230um or more and d or less than 270um, the temperature is high due to the fact that the low-refractive-index glue is too thin and light leakage is easy to occur, the low-refractive-index glue is too thick and the pouring sealant is reduced, the optical fiber cannot be fixed firmly in the grinding process, and the problem of damage or crack is easy to occur. The coating thickness and uniformity of the low refractive index paste 601 has a direct effect on the performance of the fiber array module of the present invention.

Optionally, the second refractive index layer on the outer side of the optical fiber is specifically a cladding layer with the second refractive index on the outermost side of the optical fiber. Preferably, the optical fiber has a circular cross section and at least two cladding layers, the outermost cladding layer has the second refractive index, and the second refractive index is preferably 1.4 < N₁Less than 1.47, and further, the second refractive index is preferably 1.42-N₂Less than or equal to 1.46; further, the second refractive index is preferably 1.43N or less₂≤1.45。

It should be noted that, in general, the optical fiber structure includes a core, a cladding and a coating layer in sequence from inside to outside, the coating layer is also regarded as a cladding in the broad sense in the art, and the "outermost cladding" referred to in the present invention is the cladding structure of the optical fiber in the narrow sense, and does not include the coating layer.

In the embodiment shown in fig. 3, the optical fiber 1 is a double-clad optical fiber, which comprises, from inside to outside: a core 8, a first cladding 701, and a second cladding 702 having said second refractive index. Optionally, the second cladding layer further comprises a coating layer 9, the refractive index value range of the coating layer is 1.3-1.4, and specifically, the coating layer is made of a fluorine-containing acrylate material.

Optionally, the first cladding is a pure quartz material; the second cladding is a multi-component glass material having a second index of refraction.

The diameters of the cladding layers of the optical fiber are respectively as follows: the first cladding 701 has a diameter of 14um<D₁<130um, the cladding diameter of the second cladding 702 is 50um<D₂<250um, coating 9 diameter of 130um<D₃<600..um，

Preferably, the first cladding 701 is 100um in diameter<D₁<110um, second cladding 702 diameter 125um<D₂<135um, coating 9 diameter 240um<D₃<250um。

It should be noted that, when the thickness of the second cladding is too thin, laser light leakage is likely to occur, which results in high temperature of the potting adhesive, and when the thickness of the second cladding is too thick, the amount of the potting adhesive is reduced, which makes the optical fiber not be fixed firmly during the grinding process, and is likely to cause damage or crack.

Optionally, the second refractive index layer outside the optical fiber is specifically a film layer with a second refractive index. The optical fiber comprises at least one layer of cladding 7, and the optical fiber sequentially comprises from inside to outside: the optical waveguide comprises a core layer 8, a cladding layer 7 and a film layer with a second refractive index, wherein the film layer with the second refractive index is a multilayer dielectric film.

The following is an embodiment of an optical fiber array module provided by the present invention, including a plurality of optical fibers 1, a cover plate 2, and a substrate 3 provided with a fixing groove, where the plurality of optical fibers are fixed between the cover plate and the fixing groove, and a first refractive index glue is filled between the optical fibers and the fixing groove and between the cover plate and the fixing groove to realize fixing, and the outer sides of the optical fibers have a high reflection layer, where the high reflection layer is specifically a high reflection film plated outside an optical fiber cladding layer.

Specifically, as shown in fig. 4, the optical fiber includes at least one cladding 7, and the optical fiber includes, from inside to outside: the multilayer film comprises a core layer 8, a cladding layer 7 and a high-reflection film 10, wherein the high-reflection film comprises one or more of a gold film, a silver film, an aluminum film or a multilayer dielectric film.

In this embodiment, the optical fiber may be a common single clad plus clad optical fiber, after the coating is stripped, the optical fiber is placed in a coating machine, and the optical fiber is rotated to ensure that a multi-layer dielectric film layer or a high-reflection film is coated around the optical fiber. Because the coating film is formed by sputtering molecules onto the target material, the thickness of the film layer can be monitored in real time in the coating machine, and the thickness precision of the film layer can be ensured within 1nm, so that the position precision of the optical fiber can be completely ensured within +/-2 um by the coating thickness.

Specifically, as shown in fig. 1, the fixing grooves on the substrate are periodically arranged to match with the optical fibers, and the fixing grooves are specifically V-shaped grooves or circular grooves.

Preferably, as shown in fig. 5, a secondary V-groove 11 is provided between the adjacent V-shaped fixing grooves 4 for receiving the optical fiber for guiding the first refractive index glue, and this embodiment facilitates the guiding of the first refractive index glue while increasing the adhesion force. Optionally, a V-shaped included angle of the secondary V-shaped groove 11 is smaller than that of the V-shaped fixing grooves 4, and a single secondary V-shaped groove 11 may be arranged between adjacent V-shaped fixing grooves 4, or a plurality of secondary V-shaped groove groups arranged in parallel may be provided.

Optionally, the cover plate 2 is made of glass, and the substrate 3 having the fixing groove 4 is made of silicon.

Preferably, a buffer sheet 12 is arranged above the cover plate 2 and used for balancing the stress on the upper side and the lower side of the optical fiber, and specifically, the buffer sheet is a silicon wafer.

The optical fiber array module further includes a metal housing 13 for accommodating a combination of the optical fiber, the cover plate and the substrate provided with the fixing groove. The metal shell is preferably made of materials with high thermal conductivity and high hardness, specifically chromium copper, stainless steel, brass and the like, so as to ensure long-term deformation stability.

A laser comprises the fiber array module and a fiber laser for generating laser, wherein the fiber output of the fiber laser is used as the input of the fiber array module.

The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. Various modifications and alterations to this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art. Any modification, equivalent replacement, or improvement made within the spirit and principle of the present invention should be included in the protection scope of the present invention.