Abstract: A method for fragmenting and/or weakening material by high-voltage pulses is provided. The material and a processing fluid are arranged in a processing zone formed between two electrodes such that the entire processing zone is flooded with processing fluid, and high-voltage pulses are applied to the electrodes such that high-voltage breakdowns occur between the two electrodes and/or such that predischarge channels are formed without breakdowns. An electrode with a metallic conductor is chosen for at least one of the two electrodes, the conductor being provided partially or completely with an insulator or insulating coating at the working end of the electrode that is in contact with the processing fluid, the permittivity of the insulator/insulating coating being at least 75% of the permittivity of the processing fluid.

Abstract: A method of fragmenting and/or weakening of material is provided that utilizes high voltage discharges. The material is together with a process liquid introduced into a process area, in which two electrodes face each other at a distance, and is arranged therein in such a manner that the area between the two electrodes is filled with the material and process liquid. Between the two electrodes high voltage discharges are generated for fragmenting or weakening of the material. During the fragmenting or weakening, respectively, of the material, process liquid is discharged from the process area and process liquid is fed into the process area. The process liquid which is fed has a lower electrical conductivity than the process liquid which is discharged.

Abstract: The invention relates to an electrode arrangement for an electrodynamic fragmentation plant having a passage opening (1) for fragmentation material (3) and having several electrode pairs (4a, 5a; 4a, 5b; 4b, 5c; 4b, 5d; 4c, 5e; 4c, 5f; 4d, 5g; 4d, 5h) by means of which, by charging the electrodes (4a-4d, 5a-5h) thereof with high-voltage pulses, in each case high-voltage discharges can be generated within the passage opening (1), for fragmentation of the fragmentation material (3). The passage opening (1) is formed in such a way and the electrodes (4a-4d, 5a-5h) of the electrode pairs are arranged therein in such a way that for each electrode pair (4a, 5a; 4a, 5b; 4b, 5c; 4b, 5d; 4c, 5e; 4c, 5f; 4d, 5g; 4d, 5h) in the area of a shortest connecting line (L) between the electrodes of the respective electrode pair, a ball (K) can pass through the passage opening (1), the diameter of which is bigger than the length of this respective shortest connecting line (L).

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for fragmenting and/or weakening material by means of high-voltage pulses, the material and a processing fluid being arranged in a processing zone formed between two electrodes such that the entire processing zone is flooded with processing fluid, and high-voltage pulses being applied to the electrodes such that high-voltage breakdowns occur between the two electrodes and/or such that predischarge channels are formed without breakdowns. An electrode with a metallic conductor is chosen for at least one of the two electrodes, the conductor being provided partially or completely with an insulator or insulating coating at the working end of the electrode that is in contact with the processing fluid, the permittivity of the insulator/insulating coating being at least 75% of the permittivity of the processing fluid.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method of fragmenting and/or weakening of material by means of high voltage discharges. The material is together with a process liquid introduced into a process area, in which two electrodes face each other at a distance, and is arranged therein in such a manner that the area between the two electrodes is filled with material and process liquid. Between the two electrodes high voltage discharges are generated for fragmenting or weakening, respectively, of the material. According to the invention, during the fragmenting or weakening, respectively, of the material, process liquid is discharged from the process area and process liquid is fed into the process area. The process liquid which is fed has a lower electrical conductivity than the process liquid which is discharged.

Abstract: The invention relates to an electrode arrangement for an electrodynamic fragmentation plant having a passage opening (1) for fragmentation material (3) and having several electrode pairs (4a, 5a; 4a, 5b; 4b, 5c; 4b, 5d; 4c, 5e; 4c, 5f; 4d, 5g; 4d, 5h) by means of which, by charging the electrodes (4a-4d, 5a-5h) thereof with high-voltage pulses, in each case high-voltage discharges can be generated within the passage opening (1), for fragmentation of the fragmentation material (3). The passage opening (1) is formed in such a way and the electrodes (4a-4d, 5a-5h) of the electrode pairs are arranged therein in such a way that for each electrode pair (4a, 5a; 4a, 5b; 4b, 5c; 4b, 5d; 4c, 5e; 4c, 5f; 4d, 5g; 4d, 5h) in the area of a shortest connecting line (L) between the electrodes of the respective electrode pair, a ball (K) can pass through the passage opening (1), the diameter of which is bigger than the length of this respective shortest connecting line (L).

Abstract: The laser device (22) is formed by a stack of laser diodes (4) arranged on plates (6) formed of a material that is electrically conductive and a good heat conductor. In order to obtain a high level of heat evacuation efficiency towards the cooling body (10) and to prevent electric short-circuiting problems, each plate has at the bottom end (24) thereof, an electrically insulating layer deposited on the surface thereof prior to being fixed to the cooling body by a securing material (26) that is preferably a good heat conductor, formed in particular by a braze layer. According to the invention, the insulating layer covers the end face of each plate and also goes up along the lateral faces of the latter over a certain height. The securing material is arranged under the end of the plate and also partially covers the insulating layer along the lateral faces of the plate.

Abstract: The laser device (22) is formed by a stack of laser diodes (4) arranged on plates (6) formed of a material that is electrically conductive and a good heat conductor. In order to obtain a high level of heat evacuation efficiency towards the cooling body (10) and to prevent electric short-circuiting problems, each plate has at the bottom end (24) thereof, an electrically insulating layer deposited on the surface thereof prior to being fixed to the cooling body by a securing material (26) that is preferably a good heat conductor, formed in particular by a braze layer. According to the invention, the insulating layer covers the end face of each plate and also goes up along the lateral faces of the latter over a certain height. The securing material is arranged under the end of the plate and also partially covers the insulating layer along the lateral faces of the plate.

Abstract: A method is disclosed in which the principle of phase-coupling is used to stabilize the polarization of laser radiation emitted by a plurality of phase-coupled vertical cavity surface emitting laser elements. Due to a suitable coupling strength between adjacent VCSEL elements, the probability of polarization flips of VCSEL devices operated in the single mode region is zero or at least drastically reduced. Moreover, a VCSEL device is disclosed, comprising a polarization adjusting means for controlling the polarization direction of an arrangement of a plurality of phase-coupled VCSEL elements, wherein the polarization direction of each VCSEL element is substantially kept constant.

Abstract: A vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser device (VCSEL) comprises a plurality of VCSEL elements arranged on a common substrate, each VCSEL element comprising first mirror means and second mirror means, each having a predefined reflectivity at a predetermined wavelength, for forming an optical resonator for said wavelength, and a laser active region disposed between said first and second mirror means. In addition, the VCSEL device comprises a grid layer having a plurality of openings corresponding to the respective VCSEL elements and a contact layer having a predetermined thickness, said contact layer being interposed between each of said first mirror means and said grid layer, wherein an optical thickness of said contact layer and a reflectivity and an absorption of said grid layer is selected so as to provide an effective reflectivity of each of said first mirror means depending on said grid layer and being different for areas covered by the grid and areas corresponding to said grid openings.

Abstract: A vertical-surface-emitting laser comprises: a first reflector and a second reflector arranged to define a laser resonator extending along a longitudinal direction and along transverse directions, a laser active region located between the first and second reflectors, a metal layer at the first or second reflectors and patterned to form a radiation emission window, and a phase matching layer arranged within the resonator and having an optical thickness adapted to transversely pattern a reflectivity of the first and/or second reflectors. The VCSEL device may further comprise an aperture formed between the first and second reflectors. The mode selectivity of the VCSEL is substantially determined by a reflectivity difference defined by the transverse dimensions of the radiation emission window. Moreover, one linear polarization state is stabilized by breaking the cylindrical symmetry of the VCSEL.

Abstract: A method is disclosed in which the principle of phase-coupling is used to stabilize the polarization of laser radiation emitted by a plurality of phase-coupled vertical cavity surface emitting laser elements Due to a suitable coupling strength between adjacent VCSEL elements, the probability of polarization flips of VCSEL devices operated in the single mode region is zero or at least drastically reduced. Moreover, a VCSEL device is disclosed, comprising a polarization adjusting means for controlling the polarization direction of an arrangement of a plurality of phase-coupled VCSEL elements, wherein the polarization direction of each VCSEL element is substantially kept constant.