Abstract: The invention describes a cooling device (100) for cooling a laser arrangement and a laser system comprising at least two of such cooling devices (100). The invention further describes a method of manufacturing the cooling device (100) and the laser system. The cooling device (100) comprises a mounting area for the laser arrangement, a cooling volume (140) comprising cooling channels being arranged to cool the mounting area (105), a coolant inlet and a coolant outlet (150,145) being connected to the cooling channels of the cooling volume (140), a first coolant supply through hole (110) being connected to the coolant inlet (150), a second coolant supply through hole (111) being connected to the coolant outlet (145).

Abstract: The invention describes a mounting layer (200) for mounting at least two light emitting semiconductor devices. The mounting layer (200) comprises corner protrusion (205) and edge protrusion (210) for aligning the mounting layer (200) to the cooling structure (100). The mounting layer (200) further comprises aligning holes (215) defining mounting areas (270) for mounting the light emitting semiconductor devices. The mounting layer (200) enables, for example, manufacturing of a ?-channel cooler with mounting areas (270) by means of one direct bonding process. Tolerances may thus be reduced. The invention further describes a cooling structure (100) like a ?-channel cooler comprising such a mounting layer (200) and a light emitting structure comprising such a cooling structure (100). Furthermore, methods of manufacturing such a mounting layer (200), cooling structure (100) and light emitting structure are described.

Abstract: The invention describes a mounting layer (200) for mounting at least two light emitting semiconductor devices. The mounting layer (200) comprises corner protrusion (205) and edge protrusion (210) for aligning the mounting layer (200) to the cooling structure (100). The mounting layer (200) further comprises aligning holes (215) defining mounting areas (270) for mounting the light emitting semiconductor devices. The mounting layer (200) enables, for example, manufacturing of a ?-channel cooler with mounting areas (270) by means of one direct bonding process. Tolerances may thus be reduced. The invention further describes a cooling structure (100) like a ?-channel cooler comprising such a mounting layer (200) and a light emitting structure comprising such a cooling structure (100). Furthermore, methods of manufacturing such a mounting layer (200), cooling structure (100) and light emitting structure are described.

Abstract: The invention describes a cooling device (100) for cooling a laser arrangement and a laser system comprising at least two of such cooling devices (100). The invention further describes a method of manufacturing the cooling device (100) and the laser system. The cooling device (100) comprises a mounting area for the laser arrangement, a cooling volume (140) comprising cooling channels being arranged to cool the mounting area (105), a coolant inlet and a coolant outlet (150,145) being connected to the cooling channels of the cooling volume (140), a first coolant supply through hole (110) being connected to the coolant inlet (150), a second coolant supply through hole (111) being connected to the coolant outlet (145).

Abstract: The invention describes a heating system (10) for heating a preform (20) and a corresponding method. The preform has a neck (22), at least one sidewall (24) and a bottom (26). The heating system (10) comprises a transporting system comprising a holding device (70) to hold at least one preform (20) preferably at the neck (22) of the preform (20), the transporting system being adapted to transport the preform (20) within the heating system (10). The heating system further comprises a light providing arrangement, with at least one laser radiation generation unit (30) for heating the sidewalls of the preform (24), and a lighting equipment for directly heating the bottom of the preform (26). The heating system(10) enables an improved heating of the bottom of the preform (26) enhancing the flexibility of PET bottle blowing.

Abstract: A solid-state light source includes laser diodes that emit a laser beam with a first wavelength, a rotatable support that is arranged in a beam path of the laser beam and a reflector that is arranged between the laser diodes and the rotatable support. The rotatable support is formed of a ring or of an optically transparent disc. Further, the rotatable support is mounted to be rotatable around a rotation axis such that the laser beam impinges on a ring-shaped area of the rotatable support during rotation. Segments of the ring-shaped area include wavelength converting material that emits radiation of a second wavelength upon impingement of the laser beam. The rotatable support is mounted in a bearing that is arranged distant from the rotation axis to allow unhindered passage of the radiation directed by the reflector to the emission direction.

Abstract: The invention describes a heating system (13) for heating a body (1) of a preform having a material thickness bounded by a first surface (2) and a second surface (4). The heating system (13) comprises at least a light source arrangement (12) which is arranged to emit a number of directed light beams (17) and a coupling arrangement (15, 21) realized to deliberately couple light from the light source arrangement (12) in a specific direction into the body (1) during at least a certain minimum period such that the light is essentially guided along a longer path (19) between the first (2) and second surface (4). Furthermore, the invention concerns a method of heating a body (1) of a preform.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a laser module comprising several sub-modules (1) arranged side by side along a first axis (10) on a common carrier. Each of said sub-modules (1) comprises a laser area (8) formed of one or several arrays of semiconductor lasers arranged on a surface of the sub-module (1). Laser radiation emitted by each of said semiconductor lasers (2) forms an intensity distribution in a working plane facing said surface of the sub-modules (1). The sub-modules (1) and laser areas (8) are designed and arranged such that the laser areas (8) of adjacent sub-modules (1) partly overlap in a direction perpendicular to said first axis (10). With such a laser module a thin laser line focus can be generated having a homogeneous intensity distribution along the length of the laser line independent on the distance between the module and the working plane. The individual semiconductor lasers (2) may be VCSEL with a rectangularly shaped emission.

Abstract: The invention describes a method of heating a preform (1) characterized by a radius (R), a material thickness (t), and a material absorption spectrum, which method comprises the steps of selecting, depending on a desired temperature profile, a desired effective absorption coefficient for the preform (1) on the basis of the preform radius (R) and material thickness (t); generating a laser radiation beam (L) comprising radiation with a wavelength spectrum compiled on the basis of absorption coefficients of the absorption spectrum to satisfy the effective absorption coefficient and directing the laser radiation beam (L) at the preform (1) to heat the preform (1). The invention further describes a driving arrangement (7) for controlling a laser radiation generating unit (9) of a preform heating system (10), a preform heating system (10), and a computer program.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a laser module comprising several sub-modules (1) arranged side by side along a first axis (10) on a common carrier. Each of said sub-modules (1) comprises a laser area (8) formed of one or several arrays of semiconductor lasers arranged on a surface of the sub-module (1). Laser radiation emitted by each of said semiconductor lasers (2) forms an intensity distribution in a working plane facing said surface of the sub-modules (1). The sub-modules (1) and laser areas (8) are designed and arranged such that the laser areas (8) of adjacent sub-modules (1) partly overlap in a direction perpendicular to said first axis (10). With such a laser module a thin laser line focus can be generated having a homogeneous intensity distribution along the length of the laser line independent on the distance between the module and the working plane. The individual semiconductor lasers (2) may be VCSEL with a rectangularly shaped emission.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a solid-state light source comprising one or several laser diodes (1) emitting a laser beam with a first wavelength, a rotatable support (6) arranged in a beam path of the laser beam and a reflector (4) arranged between the laser diodes (1) and the rotatable support (6). The rotatable support (6) is formed of a ring or of an optically transparent disc mounted to be rotatable around a rotation axis (9) such that the laser beam impinges on a ring-shaped area (7) of the rotatable support (6) during rotation. One or several segments of the ring-shaped area (7) comprise at least one wavelength converting material (8) emitting radiation of a second wavelength upon impingement of the laser beam. The reflector (4) allows the passage of the laser beam through a central portion of the reflector (4), collects the radiation emitted from a location of impingement of the laser beam on the ring-shaped area (7) and directs the collected radiation to an emission direction.

Abstract: The invention describes a method of driving a gas-discharge lamp (1) wherein, at any one time, the lamp (1) is driven according to one of a plurality of different driving schemes (DS1, DS2) and the lamp power is controlled according to one of a plurality of different power control strategies (PCS, PCf, and wherein the lamp (1) is driven according to a first driving scheme (DS1) prior to a trigger event (tsw) and, upon occurrence of the trigger event (tsw), a driving scheme switchover is effected so that the lamp (1) is subsequently driven according to a second driving scheme (DS2), and wherein, in temporal dependence on the trigger event (tsw), a power controls strategy switch over is effected from a first power control strategy (PCs) to a second power control strategy (PCf) such that the lamp power is subsequently controlled according to the second power control strategy(PCf) for a time interval (tm, tf).

Abstract: The invention describes a heating system (13) for heating a body (1) of a preform having a material thickness bounded by a first surface (2) and a second surface (4). The heating system (13) comprises at least a light source arrangement (12) which is arranged to emit a number of directed light beams (17) and a coupling arrangement (15, 21) realized to deliberately couple light from the light source arrangement (12) in a specific direction into the body (1) during at least a certain minimum period such that the light is essentially guided along a longer path (19) between the first (2) and second surface (4). Furthermore, the invention concerns a method of heating a body (1) of a preform.

Abstract: In this method an arc-length control value, indicating the current length of a discharge arc of the gas-discharge lamp (1), is monitored and the lamp (1) is driven in a first operation mode (OMP) with a first current wave-shape when the arc-length control value indicates that the arc-length is higher than a switching threshold, which first current wave-shape is selected to result in a tip (31) growing on an electrode (30) of the lamp (1), and the lamp (1) is driven in a second operation mode (OMn) with a second current wave-shape when the arc-length control value indicates that the arc-length is lower than a switching threshold, which second current wave-shape is selected such that the tip (31) on the electrode (30) is at least partly melted back.

Abstract: The invention describes a method of heating a preform (1) characterized by a radius (R), a material thickness (t), and a material absorption spectrum, which method comprises the steps of selecting, depending on a desired temperature profile, a desired effective absorption coefficient for the preform (1) on the basis of the preform radius (R) and material thickness (t); generating a laser radiation beam (L) comprising radiation with a wavelength spectrum compiled on the basis of absorption coefficients of the absorption spectrum to satisfy the effective absorption coefficient and directing the laser radiation beam (L) at the preform (1) to heat the preform (1). The invention further describes a driving arrangement (7) for controlling a laser radiation generating unit (9) of a preform heating system (10), a preform heating system (10), and a computer program.

Abstract: The invention describes a method of driving a gas-discharge lamp (1), wherein the lamp (1) is driven at any one time using one of a plurality of operating modules (M1, M2, M3, M4) and wherein a first operating mode (M1) and a second operating mode (M2) are applied successively during a lamp operating cycle, and the lamp (1) is driven according to the first operating mode (M1) for a first fraction (f1) of the cycle time (T) of the operating cycle and the lamp (1) is driven according to the second operating mode (M2) for a second fraction (f2) of the cycle time (T) of the operating cycle, and whereby the size of the first fraction (f1) and the size of the second fraction (f2) are calculated using a mixing ratio (r), which mixing ratio (r) is determined on the basis of a relationship between a cycle operating voltage value (U1, U2) and a target voltage (UT).

Abstract: The invention describes a method of driving a gas-discharge lamp (1), wherein the lamp (1) is driven at any one time using one of a number of driving schemes, and wherein the lamp (1) is driven at a nominal operating power (Pnom) or at a reduced operating power (Pdim). When the lamp is being driven at the nominal operating power (Pnom), a driving scheme switch-over occurs according to a relationship between a first target voltage (VT1) and the operating voltage of the lamp (1), and, when the lamp is being driven at the reduced operating power (Pdim), a driving scheme switch-over occurs according to a relationship between a second target voltage (VT2) and the operating voltage of the lamp (1), which second target voltage (VT2) is determined on the basis of the reduced operating power (Pdim). The invention further describes a driving unit (10) for driving a gas-discharge lamp (1) according to this method.

Abstract: The invention describes a method of driving a gas-discharge lamp (1), wherein the lamp (1) is driven at any one time using one of a number of driving schemes and wherein the operating voltage of the lamp (1) is monitored to obtain a number of operation data values (D) during operation of the lamp (1), a target voltage (VT) is determined on the basis of at least one of the number of operation data values (D), and a driving scheme switch-over occurs according to a relationship between the target voltage (VT) and the operating voltage of the lamp (1).

Abstract: Methods of driving a gas discharge lamp (1). In a first method, a value of voltage (Ul) across the gas discharge lamp (1) is determined, then a correction function (Kd) representing the dependency of light flux on a discharge arc length (d) is applied to calculate a required lamp power value (Pr) for a target light flux value (Ul). Finally, the gas discharge lamp (1) is operated according to the required lamp power value (Pr). In a second method, a value of voltage (Ul) across the gas discharge lamp (1) and a value of pressure (pl) inside the gas discharge lamp (1) are determined, then a correction function (Kp) representing the dependency of light flux on a discharge arc length (d) is applied to calculate a required lamp pressure value (pr) for a target light flux value by using the lamp voltage value (Ul) and the lamp pressure value (pl). Finally, the gas discharge lamp (1) is operated according to the required lamp pressure value (pr).

Abstract: A lighting assembly, a driver circuit, and a method of operating a discharge lamp are described. A discharge lamp (10) comprises a discharge vessel (14) with at least two electrodes (16) arranged at a distance d for generating an arc between the electrode (16). Driver electronics (32) operate the lamp (10) with electrical power. In order to reduce electrode burn-back, the driver electronics operate the lamp according to a switch-off sequence, which includes a power ramp interval (24) where the lamp (10) is operated with increasing electrical power over time, and subsequently the lamp (10) is switched-off.