Patent ID: 8594143

Claim:
A gas detection laser diode structure with a hermetically sealed housing with electrical connections having a bottom and a window, with a laser diode chip and a temperature control system for the laser diode chip being provided in the housing, and with an optical beam shaping element that is arranged in physical contact with the laser diode chip and has a constant temperature condition relative to the laser diode chip and collimates a laser beam emerging from a laser aperture of the laser diode chip prior to its passage through the window being provided between the laser diode chip and the window of the housing, wherein the window of the housing is inclined relative to the center axis of the laser beam in such a way that reflections of the laser beam occurring at the window miss the laser aperture, wherein the beam shaping element is a separate part made from material that is transparent for laser light and is connected to the laser aperture optically and mechanically with at least one of a layer of a glue, a gel or a liquid comprising a material being transmissive for laser light, the material having preferably a refractory index that corresponds to the refractory index of the beam shaping element; or the beam shaping element is formed out of at least one of a polymer, a gel or a liquid directly an the laser aperture, comprising a material being transmissive for laser light; or the beam shaping element is made of a material being transmissive for laser light and is integrally formed with the laser aperture; wherein a numerical aperture of the beam shaping element is at least as great as the laser aperture of the laser diode chip; and wherein the beam shaping element is a convex beam shaping element, and the optical axis of the beam shaping element is offset in relation to the center axis of the laser aperture.