Abstract: An apparatus and method for fabricating a one or two-dimensional microassays with a matrix of sites favorably disposed for screening substances such as biomolecules, chemicals or cells as described. The method includes drilling a matrix of wells or through-holes in a glass or similar material using a laser. The drilling creates a region favorably disposed towards binding a molecule or cell. A microassay plate includes a substrate and at least one hole in the substrate containing an immobilized reactant bound to an interior surface of the hole. An array of holes having chemically different immobilized reactants is provided. Holes may be drilled using one or more pulses of light of extremely short duration to create a surface in a localized area that preferentially binds to material.

Abstract: Ultrafast pulse beams of light are used to direct-write three-dimensional index profiles in materials using the unique material changing capabilities of ultra-short (i.e. <10 picosecond) laser pulses. An existing waveguide or waveguide circuit fabricated by some technique (for example but not limited to photolithography, flame hydrolysis deposition, modified chemical vapor deposition, or ultra-fast laser pulse direct writing) is modified by altering the index of refraction (index trimming) in a localized region or different local regions of the waveguide structure. Index trimming is accomplished through the action of a focused laser beam (or multiple focused beams) consisting of one or more ultra-short laser pulses and is generally performed at a wavelength in which the material is transparent or weakly absorbing, to the fundamental wavelength of the beam of light. The trimmed index pattern is generated by, but not limited to, moving the focal position of the beam or by moving the sample (i.e.

Abstract: An apparatus for maintaining an electromagnetic beam, namely a laser beam, aimed at a particular point in space and aligned with a unique propagation path. The apparatus includes one or more adjustable beam steerers located in the propagation path, and first and second spaced apart beam position detectors arranged in the beam path. The beam steerer(s) are preferably adjustable along at least two orthogonal axes of rotation for controlling the propagation direction of the beam. Error signals from the position sensors are fed into a beam steerer controller connected to the beam steerer(s) for electro-mechanically adjusting the beam steerer. The method of the invention involves fixing the propagation path on an angularly adjustable beam steering surface so that the propagation path at a different unique point in space, such as a target, can be controlled by adjusting the angular orientation of that beam steerer.

Abstract: An apparatus for maintaining an electromagnetic beam, namely a laser beam, aimed at a particular point in space and aligned with a unique propagation path. The apparatus includes one or more adjustable beam steerers located in the propagation path, and first and second spaced apart beam position detectors arranged in the beam path. The beam steerer(s) are preferably adjustable along at least two orthogonal axes of rotation for controlling the propagation direction of the beam. Error signals from the position sensors are fed into a beam steerer controller connected to the beam steerer(s) for electro-mechanically adjusting the beam steerer. The method of the invention involves fixing the propagation path on an angularly adjustable beam steering surface so that the propagation path at a different unique point in space, such as a target, can be controlled by adjusting the angular orientation of that beam steerer.

Abstract: An ultrashort optical pulse amplifier that incorporates a gain medium preferentially cooled along a crystalline axis for partially ameliorating the thermally induced distortions and losses created by cylindrically symmetric cooled designs. The ultrashort pulse amplifier can be pumped with higher pump powers without degradation of the output spatial mode structure and the overall efficiency of extraction of energy from the gain medium is improved. The gain medium preferably has a rectangular cross section and cooling means are provided in thermal contact with only selected opposing surfaces of the gain medium so that thermal gradients lie approximately along a crystalline axis to reduce thermally-induced birefringence.

Abstract: A high voltage switch for discharging a storage capacitor to increase the voltage across a pockels cell includes a plurality of semi-conductor devices conducted in series with the pockels cell and the capacitor, each of the semiconductor devices having a control input; a plurality of fast, light responsive devices connected to the control input of each semiconductor device of the plurality of semiconductive devices respectively for switching the respective device from a non-conducting state to a conducting state; and a controlled, fast rise time light source optically coupled to all of the fast light responsive devices for simultaneously triggering all of the semi-conductor devices.

Abstract: A regenerative amplifier includes a resonant cavity having a gain medium and a spectral filter located in the cavity. A source is provided to pump the gain medium and thereby raise it to an excited state. Elements are also provided for creating laser seed pulses which are then injected into the resonant cavity, these elements preferably include in part a mode-locked oscillator having a wavelength substantially the same as that at which the gain medium can support amplification of the energy of the injected pulse. In a preferred embodiment the gain medium is Ti:Sapphire for both the amplifier and oscillator. Also, in the preferred embodiment the seed pulse from the oscillator is stretched in time by multiplicative factors sufficient to ensure that upon amplification, the seed pulse power density remains below the self-focusing threshold of the material through which the pulse is passed.

Abstract: A regenerative amplifier includes a resonant cavity having a gain medium and a spectral filter located in the cavity. A source is provided to pump the gain medium and thereby-raise it to an excited state. Elements are also provided for creating laser seed pulses which are then injected into the resonant cavity, these elements preferably include in part a mode-locked oscillator having a wavelength substantially the same as that at which the gain medium can support amplification of the energy of the injected pulse. In a preferred embodiment the gain medium is Ti:Sapphire for both the amplifier and oscillator. Also, in the preferred embodiment the seed pulse from the oscillator is stretched in time by multiplicative factors sufficient to ensure that upon amplification, the seed pulse power density remains below the self-focusing threshold of the material through which the pulse is passed.

Abstract: An apparatus for stretching or compressing an ultrashort pulse in time that is free of non-linear and spatial distortion (temporal or spatial frequency chirp) comprises a first diffraction grating G, a concave spherically curved mirror [CCM] with a radius of curvature R.sub.1, a convex spherically curved mirror [CXM] with a radius of curvature R.sub.2, and a flat reflector, [PM]. As a result of propagation of the ultrashort input pulse through this system, the output pulse is either stretched (or compressed) in time so that it now has a duration many times longer (or many times shorter) than its input pulse duration, is spatially uniform (i.e. has no spatial chirp,) and collimated. It can be separated from the input pulse by passage through a Faraday isolator.

Abstract: An apparatus for seeding a solid-state, ultrashort optical pulse amplifier system comprises an excitation source that pumps a gain medium which is restricted to the core of an optical fiber. The gain medium is disposed in a resonant cavity with components arranged to produce ultrashort pulses of light at a fundamental wavelength. Such systems are well known to those skilled in the art. These ultrashort pulses are then frequency-doubled in a non-linear crystal to produce a seed pulse whose doubled frequency substantially matches that of the amplifier gain medium. These seed pulses are then injected into the amplifier wherein they are amplified.