Apparatus and method for cooling lasers using insulator fluid

Abstract

A semiconductor device system includes a chamber, one or more semiconductor devices disposed within the chamber and operable to emit light, and an insulator fluid disposed within the chamber. The insulator fluid may be in contact with the semiconductor devices and operable to decrease the temperature of the semiconductor devices. The insulator fluid may comprise deionized water.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a more complete understanding of the present invention and its features and advantages, reference is now made to the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic of a patient receiving photodynamic therapy with a balloon catheter having a semiconductor laser system cooled using insulator fluid according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic of the balloon catheter illustrating the semiconductor laser system disposed therein;

FIG. 3 is a partial side view of the semiconductor laser system of FIG. 2 illustrating cooling the lasers using insulator fluid according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a cross-section of the semiconductor laser system of FIG. 3 illustrating one embodiment of the cooling system; and

FIG. 5 is a partial elevation view of a semiconductor laser having a pair of light scattering elements according to an embodiment of the invention.

Claims

1. A semiconductor device system, comprising: a chamber;one or more semiconductor devices disposed within the chamber, the one or more semiconductor devices operable to emit light; andan insulator fluid disposed within the chamber, the insulator fluid in contact with the one or more semiconductor devices, the insulator fluid operable to decrease the temperature of the one or more semiconductor devices.

2. The semiconductor device system of claim 1, wherein: the insulator fluid comprises deionized water.

3. The semiconductor device system of claim 1, wherein the chamber comprises: a flexible conduit, the insulator fluid operable to circulate through the flexible conduit.

4. The semiconductor device system of claim 1, wherein the chamber comprises: a first flexible conduit; anda second flexible conduit disposed within the first flexible conduit, the insulator fluid operable to enter the chamber through a flexible conduit of the first and second flexible conduits and to leave the chamber through the other flexible conduit of the first and second flexible conduits.

5. The semiconductor device system of claim 1, further comprising: one or more focusing elements, a focusing element comprising a surface operable to: change shape in response to a pressure change in the insulator fluid; andfocus the light emitted from a semiconductor device of the one or more semiconductor devices.

6. The semiconductor device system of claim 1, further comprising: a cover insertable into a passage, the chamber disposed within the cover.

7. The semiconductor device system of claim 1, further comprising: a heating element disposed within the chamber, the heating element operable to increase the temperature of an area disposed outwardly from the chamber.

8. The semiconductor device system of claim 1, further comprising: an oxygen detector disposed within the chamber, the oxygen detector operable to detect oxygen in an area disposed outwardly from the chamber.

9. The semiconductor device system of claim 1, further comprising: a substrate disposed within the chamber; andone or more submounts coupled to a surface of the substrate, a semiconductor device of the one or more semiconductor devices coupled to a submount of the one or more of submounts.

10. The semiconductor device system of claim 1, wherein a semiconductor device of the one or more semiconductor devices comprises: a light scattering element, the light scattering element operable to scatter light emitted from the semiconductor device.

11. A method of cooling a semiconductor device system having a chamber, comprising: emitting light from one or more semiconductor devices disposed within a chamber; andcirculating an insulator fluid through the chamber, the insulator fluid in direct contact with the one or more semiconductor devices, the insulator fluid operable to decrease the temperature of the one or more semiconductor devices.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein: the insulator fluid comprises deionized water.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein circulating an insulator fluid further comprises: circulating the insulator fluid through a flexible conduit disposed within the chamber.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein circulating an insulator fluid further comprises: directing the insulator fluid to enter the chamber through a flexible conduit of a first and a second flexible conduits, the first flexible conduit disposed within the chamber, the second flexible conduit disposed within the first flexible conduit; anddirecting the insulator fluid to leave the chamber through the other flexible conduit of the first and second flexible conduits.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising: adjusting pressure of the insulator fluid to change shape of a surface of a focusing element, the surface operable to focus the light emitted from a semiconductor device of the one or more semiconductor devices.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the chamber is disposed within a cover insertable into a passage.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising: increasing the temperature of an area disposed outwardly from the chamber with a heating element disposed within the chamber.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising: detecting oxygen in an area disposed outwardly from the chamber with an oxygen detector disposed within the chamber.

19. The method of claim 11, further comprising: detecting oxygen in an area disposed outwardly from the chamber with an oxygen detector; andin response to detecting oxygen, adjusting the light emitted from one of the one or more semiconductor devices.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein a semiconductor device of the one or more semiconductor devices is coupled to a submount, the submount coupled to a surface of a substrate disposed within the chamber.

21. The method of claim 11, further comprising: scattering the light emitted from one of the one or more semiconductor devices with a light scattering element.

22. A system for cooling a semiconductor device system having a chamber, comprising: a means for emitting light from one or more semiconductor devices disposed within a chamber; anda means for circulating an insulator fluid through the chamber, the insulator fluid in direct contact with the one or more semiconductor devices, the insulator fluid operable to decrease the temperature of the one or more semiconductor devices.

23. A semiconductor device system, comprising: a chamber comprising: a first flexible conduit; anda second flexible conduit disposed within the first flexible conduit;one or more semiconductor devices disposed within the chamber, the one or more semiconductor devices operable to emit light;an insulator fluid in contact with the one or more semiconductor devices, the insulator fluid operable to decrease the temperature of the one or more semiconductor devices, the insulator fluid comprising deionized water, the insulator fluid operable to enter the chamber through a flexible conduit of the first and second flexible conduits and to leave the chamber through the other flexible conduit of the first and second flexible conduits;one or more focusing elements, a focusing element comprising a surface operable to: change shape in response to a pressure change in the insulator fluid; andfocus the light emitted from a semiconductor device of the one or more semiconductor devices;a cover insertable into a passage, the chamber disposed within the cover;a heating element disposed within the chamber, the heating element operable to increase the temperature of an area disposed outwardly from the chamber;an oxygen detector disposed within the chamber, the oxygen detector operable to detect oxygen in an area disposed outwardly from the chamber;a substrate disposed within the chamber;one or more submounts coupled to a surface of the substrate, a semiconductor device of the one or more semiconductor devices coupled to a submount of the one or more of submounts; anda light scattering element, the light scattering element operable to scatter light emitted from the semiconductor device.