Patents Assigned to Coherent, Inc.
  • Methods and apparatus related to a distal end of a side-fire optical fiber having multiple capillary components
    Patent number: 8911433
    Abstract: In one embodiment, an apparatus may include a first capillary component. A second capillary component may be disposed outside of the first capillary component and may have an inner surface, wherein a portion of the inner surface may be heat-fused to an outer surface of the first capillary component. The apparatus may also include a portion of an optical fiber disposed inside of the first capillary component and the portion of the optical fiber can have an outer surface. A portion of the outer surface of the optical fiber may be heat-fused to an inner surface of the first capillary component. The optical fiber may have a distal surface configured to reflect electromagnetic radiation propagated along a longitudinal axis of a distal end portion of the optical fiber in a lateral direction through the inner surface of the first capillary component and the inner surface of the second capillary component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignees: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc., Coherent, Inc.
    Inventors: Jessica Hixon, Christopher Oskin, Richard Tumminelli
  • Transition-metal-doped thin-disk laser
    Patent number: 8908737
    Abstract: A laser includes a Ti:sapphire gain-medium in the form of a thin-disk. The thin-disk gain-medium is optically pumped by pump-radiation pulses having a wavelength in the green region of the electromagnetic spectrum. The pump-radiation pulses have a duration less than twice the excited-state lifetime of the gain-medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Coherent, Inc.
    Inventors: Norman Hodgson, Michael Hertwig, H. Yang Pang
  • LASER-SCRIBING OF CHEMICALLY STRENGTHENED GLASS
    Publication number: 20140352358
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for scribing a contained crack or vent in a chemically strengthened glass sheet. The glass has shallow surface regions under compressive stress, bounding a central region under tensile stress. The vent is formed by rapidly bulk-heating the glass, using radiation from a carbon monoxide laser, to a depth just below a surface compressive region and extending marginally into the tensile stress region then rapidly cooling the heated region with a water mist spray. The glass sheet can be subsequently divided along the vent by application of mechanical or thermal stress.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2013
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Applicant: COHERENT, INC.
    Inventors: John F. WASHKO, JR., Xinghua LI, Walter R. BOSENBERG
  • LASER LABEL-PRINTER
    Publication number: 20140340464
    Abstract: A laser label printer for use with a laser markable medium includes a laser-diode fiber-coupled to an optical train, which includes a focusing lens for focusing the radiation on the medium. The focusing lens is traversed across the medium, with incremental motion of the medium between traverses, for line by line printing of the label. The printer includes a feature for protecting the focusing lens from contamination, and self-diagnostic and adjustment features.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2013
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Applicant: COHERENT, INC.
    Inventors: Sergei GOVORKOV, John H. JERMAN
  • BEAM-COMBINER FOR FIBER-DELIVERED LASER-BEAMS OF DIFFERENT WAVELENGTHS
    Publication number: 20140340761
    Abstract: A beam combiner for combining laser-beams of different colors along a common path includes a directing-prism for each of the laser-beams and one combining-prism. The directing-prisms are arranged to transmit the laser-beams to the combining-prism. The directing-prisms and the combining-prism are configured and arranged with respect to each other such that the directing-prism transmits the beams along the common path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2014
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Applicant: COHERENT, INC.
    Inventors: Rüdiger VON ELM, Chantal MAROIS
  • Multi-chip OPS-laser
    Patent number: 8891563
    Abstract: A two-chip OPS laser includes first and second OPS-chips each emitting the same fundamental wavelength in first and second resonators. The first and second resonators are interferometrically combined on a common path terminated by a common end-mirror. The interferometric combination provides for automatic wavelength-locking of the laser, which can eliminate the need for a separate wavelength selective device in the laser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Coherent, Inc.
    Inventor: Qi-Ze Shu
  • High-gain face-pumped slab-amplifier
    Patent number: 8873136
    Abstract: An optical amplifier for use as a final amplification stage for a fiber-MOPA has a gain-element including a thin wafer or chip of ytterbium-doped YAG. An elongated gain-region is formed in gain-element by multiple incidences of radiation from a diode-laser bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Coherent, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrei Starodoumov, Norman Hodgson
  • Lensed dual-chip fiber-coupler for providing an aiming beam in an infrared radiation delivery apparatus
    Patent number: 8845626
    Abstract: Laser treatment apparatus includes one diode-laser providing infrared radiation for the treatment and another diode-laser for providing visible radiation. A lens launches the infrared and visible radiations from the diode-lasers into the entrance face of the optical fiber for transporting the radiations to a treatment location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Coherent, Inc.
    Inventors: Jason P. Watson, David Schleuning
  • Waveguide COlaser with multiply folded resonator
    Patent number: 8848758
    Abstract: A gas-discharge waveguide CO2 laser has a Z-shaped folded waveguide formed by three ceramic tubes. Ends of the adjacent tubes are shaped and fitted together to form a common aperture. The tubes are held fitted together by spaced-apart parallel discharge electrodes. Four minors are arranged to form a laser-resonator having a longitudinal axis extending through the tubes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Coherent, Inc.
    Inventors: Anthony J. DeMaria, R. Russel Austin
  • Multiple phase-locked loops for high-power RF-power combiners
    Patent number: 8842704
    Abstract: An RF power-supply for driving a carbon dioxide CO2 gas-discharge laser includes a plurality of power-oscillators phase-locked to a common reference oscillator. Outputs of the phase-locked power-oscillators are combined by a power combiner for delivery, via an impedance matching network, to discharge-electrodes of the laser. In one example the powers are analog power-oscillators. In another example, the power-oscillators are digital power-oscillators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Coherent, Inc.
    Inventors: David P. Schmelzer, W. Shef Robotham, Jr., Frederick W. Hauer, Joel Fontanella
  • MODE-LOCKED OPTICALLY PUMPED SEMICONDUCTOR LASER
    Publication number: 20140247842
    Abstract: A laser includes an optically pumped semiconductor OPS gain-structure. The apparatus has a laser-resonator which includes a mode-locking device for causing the laser to deliver mode-locked pulses. The resonator has a total length selected such that the mode-locked pulses are delivered at a pulse repetition frequency less than 150 MHz. An optical arrangement within the resonator provides that radiation circulating in the resonator makes a plurality of incidences on the OPS gain-structure with a time less than the excited-state lifetime of the gain-structure between successive incidences.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2014
    Publication date: September 4, 2014
    Applicant: COHERENT, INC.
    Inventors: Ian MACGILLIVRAY, Andrea CAPRARA, Sergei GOVORKOV
  • Macro channel water-cooled heat-sink for diode-laser bars
    Patent number: 8804781
    Abstract: A diode-laser bar is mounted on water-cooled heat-sink between two ceramic sub-mounts for electrically isolating cooling-water in the heat-sink from the diode-laser bar. Mounting between the two ceramic sub-mounts also provides for balancing stresses due to differences in coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) between the sub-mounts and the diode-laser bar. Both sub-mounts are in thermal communication with the heat-sink for providing two-sided cooling of the diode-laser bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Coherent, Inc.
    Inventors: David Schleuning, Athanasios Chryssis
  • Macro-channel water-cooled heat-sink for diode-laser bars
    Patent number: 8804782
    Abstract: A water-cooled heat-sink for a diode-laser bar includes a copper-cooling-unit having an integral mount thereon for the diode-laser bar. The copper-cooling-unit is attached to a steel base-unit. The base-unit and the cooling-unit are cooperatively configured such that at least one cooling-channel is formed in the cooling-unit by the attachment of the base-unit to the cooling-unit. The cooling-channel is positioned to cool the mount when cooling-water flows through the cooling-channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Coherent, Inc.
    Inventors: David Schleuning, Athanasios Chryssis
  • Cooling apparatus for optically pumped semiconductor laser
    Patent number: 8804783
    Abstract: An OPS-chip is soldered mirror-structure-side down on an upper surface of diamond-heat spreader. A metal frame is also soldered to the upper surface of the heat-spreader. The lower surface of the diamond heat-spreader is either soldered to, or clamped against, a surface of a heat-sink. The dimensions of the frame and the heat spreader are selected such that at a solidification temperature of the solder at the center of the upper surface of the heat-spreader has an effective CTE comparable with that of the OPS-chip. The lower surface of the heat-spreader can be soldered to the heat sink surface or clamped against the heat-sink surface by the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Coherent, Inc.
    Inventors: Qi-Ze Shu, Charles King
  • HIGH-GAIN FACE-PUMPED SLAB-AMPLIFIER
    Publication number: 20140211301
    Abstract: An optical amplifier for use as a final amplification stage for a fiber-MOPA has a gain-element including a thin wafer or chip of ytterbium-doped YAG. An elongated gain-region is formed in gain-element by multiple incidences of radiation from a diode-laser bar.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2013
    Publication date: July 31, 2014
    Applicant: COHERENT, INC.
    Inventors: Andrei STARODOUMOV, Norman HODGSON
  • SHORT-PULSE FIBER-LASER
    Publication number: 20140204964
    Abstract: A mode-locked fiber laser has a resonator including a gain-fiber, a mode-locking element, and a spectrally-selective dispersion compensating device. The resonator can be a standing-wave resonator or a traveling-wave resonator. The dispersion compensating device includes only one diffraction grating combined with a lens and a mirror to provide a spatial spectral spread. The numerical aperture of the gain-fiber selects which portion of the spectral spread can oscillate in the resonator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2014
    Publication date: July 24, 2014
    Applicant: Coherent, Inc.
    Inventors: Dmitri SIMANOVSKI, Andrei STARODOUMOV
  • Athermalized permanent-alignment optical-element mount
    Patent number: 8785818
    Abstract: A mounting fixture for mounting an optical element on a base-plate has spaced-apart parallel legs attachable by brackets to the base-plate and a mounting platform attached to the legs. The platform can be heated by a removable heater. The optical element is held in a mounting tab attached to the platform by a solder-pad. Heating the platform softens the solder-pad allowing the tab and the element to be aligned. Removing the heat allows the pad to harden to complete the attachment and retain the alignment of the element on the mount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Coherent, Inc.
    Inventors: Andreas Diening, Donald E. Harryman, Ezra Allee
  • Mode-locked optically pumped semiconductor laser
    Patent number: 8774238
    Abstract: A laser includes an optically pumped semiconductor OPS gain-structure. The apparatus has a laser-resonator which includes a mode-locking device for causing the laser to deliver mode-locked pulses. The resonator has a total length selected such that the mode-locked pulses are delivered at a pulse repetition frequency of about 100 MHz. An optical arrangement within the resonator provides that radiation circulating in the resonator makes a plurality of incidences on the OPS gain-structure with a time less than the excited-state lifetime of the gain-structure between successive incidences.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Coherent, Inc.
    Inventors: Ian MacGillivray, Andrea Caprara, Sergei Govorkov
  • Compound enclosure for optical apparatus
    Patent number: 8761224
    Abstract: An optically pumped semiconductor laser is assembled in an enclosure comprising a base, a first mounting frame attached to the base, a second mounting frame attached to the first mounting frame and a cover attached to the second mounting frame. The assembly base, frames, and cover forms an undivided enclosure, with the frames contributing to walls of the enclosure. Components of the laser are assembled sequentially on the base and the frames. The frames are irregular in height to permit flexibility in the mounting-height of components. This reduces the extent to which compactness of the enclosure is limited by any one component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Coherent, Inc.
    Inventor: Matthias Roth
  • Carrier-envelope-phase stabilization of a master oscillator optical amplifier system
    Patent number: 8760755
    Abstract: A laser and amplifier combination delivers a sequence of optical pulses at a predetermined pulse-repetition frequency PRF. An interferometer generates a signal representative of the carrier-envelope phase (CEP) of the pulses at intervals corresponding to the PRF. The signal includes frequency components from DC to the PRF. The signal is divided into high and low frequency ranges. The high and low frequency ranges are sent to independent high frequency and low frequency control electronics, which drive respectively a high-frequency CEP controller and a low frequency controller for stabilizing the CEP of pulses in the sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Coherent, Inc.
    Inventors: Alexander W. Schill, Chengquan Li, Philippe Féru