Thermal marking systems and methods of control

Abstract

A target marking system includes a light source emitting a thermal beam and an optics assembly directing the thermal beam to impact a target, the target directing radiation to the optics assembly in response to the impact. The target marking system further includes a detector, and an optics assembly optically connected to the detector.

1 . A target marking system, comprising:
 a plurality of light sources, each light source of the plurality of light sources configured to generate a respective beam of thermal radiation; and   an optics assembly configured to form an emitted beam from the respective beams and to direct the emitted beam toward the target.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the light sources comprise quantum cascade lasers. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the respective beams of thermal radiation have a different wavelength. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the respective beams of thermal radiation have a different polarization. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the emitted beam comprises each of the respective beams of thermal radiation aligned collinearly. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the optics assembly comprises a wavelength beam combiner arranged optically downstream from a collimating lens and a mirror. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein emitted beam comprises each of the respective beams of thermal radiation arranged noncollinearly and overlapping upon impinging the target. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the optics assembly comprises a first polarization beam combiner optically downstream from a first collimating lens. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising a second polarization beam combiner optically downstream from a second collimating lens; the first polarization beam combiner directing an output beam to the second polarization beam combiner. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the optics assembly comprises a diffraction grating optically downstream from a plurality of collimating lens, the diffraction grating combining the respective beam of thermal radiation to form the emitted beam. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the emitted beam comprises two beams of radiation generated by the same light source. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the optics assembly comprises a prism optically downstream from a collimating lens, the prism directing a first beam generated by one of the plurality of light sources substantially parallel to a second beam generated by the one of the plurality of light sources. 
     
     
         13 . A target marking system, comprising:
 a light source generating a beam of thermal radiation; and   a cooling element thermally connected to the light source.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the cooling element comprises phase change material thermally connected to the light source. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , further comprising a thermal conductor coupled between the light source and the phase change material. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , further comprising a passive cooling element thermally connected to the thermal conductor. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15 , further comprising a passive cooling element thermally connected to the phase change material. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , further including a second thermal conductor thermally connecting the passive cooling element to the phase change material. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 15 , further comprising an active cooling element thermally connected to the thermal conductor. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the thermal conductor comprises a heat pipe. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 13 , further comprising a power source operably connected to the light source and coupled to a removable component of the cooling element. 
     
     
         22 . A target marking system, comprising:
 a plurality of light sources, each light source of the plurality of light sources configured to generate a respective beam of thermal radiation; and   an optics assembly configured to form an emitted beam from the respective beams and to direct the emitted beam toward the target,
 the optics assembly comprising a plurality of adjustment windows, each adjustment window of the plurality of adjustment windows enabling manual alignment of one of the respective beams of thermal radiation. 
   
     
     
         23 . A method of controlling a target marking system, comprising:
 scanning a target with a detector tuned to detect thermal radiation, the detector comprising a pixel array and scanning sequentially along individual rows of the array;   identifying an area of the target likely to be impinged upon by an emitted beam of the target marking system;   energizing a light source during a time period in which the detector scans along a row of the array corresponding to the identified area; and   de-energizing the light source during a remaining time period in which the detector scans along one or more rows of the array not corresponding to the identified area.   
     
     
         24 . A method of controlling a target marking system, comprising:
 directing power to a quantum cascade laser with one of, a buck converter, a flyback converter, a forward converter, a buck-boost converter, a single ended primary inductor converter, a two switch forward converter, a push-pull converter, a half bridge converter, and a full bridge converter; and   generating a beam of thermal radiation with the quantum cascade laser in response to the power received.