Patent ID: 6055346
Filing Date: 2000-04-25
Classification: B23K,G02B

Abstract:
An optical device for optically treating an entrance laser beam comprising:a matrix of m.times.n contiguous convergent front lenses disposed in m rows and n columns on a plane perpendicular to a direction of propagation of the entrance laser beam, and suitable for dividing the entrance laser beam into m.times.n elementary laser beams each having an elementary transverse section of chosen geometric shape, and a spatial distribution of the light intensity which is substantially homogenous in the elementary transverse section;at least one convergent collection lens disposed on a plane perpendicular to the direction of propagation of the entrance laser beam, downstream of the contiguous convergent front lenses in the direction of propagation of the entrance laser beam, the at least one convergent collection lens being suitable for collecting, in a chosen plane, the elementary laser beams coming from the contiguous convergent front lenses to obtain an exit beam having a desired distribution of an energy density per unit surface in cross section;a plurality of optical fibres, each of the plurality of optical fibres comprising a first end and a second end opposite to the first end, the first optical fibre ends being disposed in a first matrix-type arrangement of i rows and j columns ina first intermediate plane, consisting of a focal plane of the contiguous convergent front lenses, with each of the first optical fibre ends situated substantially at a focusing point of a respective front lens, whilst the second optical fibre ends being disposed in a second bidimensional arrangement of chosen distribution ina second intermediate plane situated downstream of the focal plane of the contiguous convergent front lenses, the first and second optical fibre ends constituting respectively entrance pupils and exit pupils and the focusing lens, disposed downstream of the second intermediate plane, being able to collect the elementary laser beams coming from the plurality of exit pupils.