Patents Assigned to Thorlabs, Inc.
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Publication number: 20140028997Abstract: An agile optical imaging system for optical coherence tomography imaging using a tunable source comprising a wavelength tunable VCL laser is disclosed. The tunable source has long coherence length and is capable of high sweep repetition rate, as well as changing the sweep trajectory, sweep speed, sweep repetition rate, sweep linearity, and emission wavelength range on the fly to support multiple modes of OCT imaging. The imaging system also offers new enhanced dynamic range imaging capability for accommodating bright reflections. Multiscale imaging capability allows measurement over orders of magnitude dimensional scales. The imaging system and methods for generating the waveforms to drive the tunable laser in flexible and agile modes of operation are also described.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 26, 2013Publication date: January 30, 2014Applicants: Praevium Research, Inc., Thorlabs, Inc.Inventors: Alex Ezra Cable, Vijaysekhar Jayaraman, Benjamin Michael Potsaid, Peter Heim, Scott Barry, James Yi Jiang, Anjul Davis
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Publication number: 20130293952Abstract: An autofocus apparatus includes, in one embodiment, a light source; a splitter; a fiber optic circulator; an optical collimator; a balance detector; and a microprocessor. The fiber optic circulator couples one of the split light signals at a first port, to the optical collimator at a second port, and to the balance detector at the third port. The optical collimator directs the light beam from the fiber optic circulator onto a sample through a Dichroic mirror and a microscope objective. The balance detector uses another one of the split light signals as an input, and converts a light signal, reflected off of a substrate the sample is placed on, into an analog voltage signal. The microprocessor processes the output of the balance detector and position feedbacks from an adjustable microscopy stage to generate a command for moving the position of the adjustable microscopy stage to achieve a desired focus.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 3, 2013Publication date: November 7, 2013Applicant: Thorlabs, Inc.Inventor: Jeffrey S. Brooker
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Patent number: 8575792Abstract: A stage comprising a first translation platform having a first axis of motion, and a second translation platform having a second axis of motion, a first linear drive motor for driving the first translation platform in the first axis of motion, and a second linear drive motor for driving the second translation platform in the second axis of motion, wherein each linear drive motor further comprises a coil assembly enclosing a rod stator, and wherein the coil assembly is fixed and the rod stator is movable within the coil assembly.Type: GrantFiled: October 16, 2010Date of Patent: November 5, 2013Assignee: Thorlabs, Inc.Inventors: Jeffrey S. Brooker, Paulo Chaves, Keith Dhese, Robin Eddington
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Patent number: 8492693Abstract: An autofocus apparatus includes, in one embodiment, a light source; a splitter; a fiber optic circulator; an optical collimator; a balance detector; and a microprocessor. The fiber optic circulator couples one of the split light signals at a first port, to the optical collimator at a second port, and to the balance detector at the third port. The optical collimator directs the light beam from the fiber optic circulator onto a sample through a Dichroic mirror and a microscope objective. The balance detector uses another one of the split light signals as an input, and converts a light signal, reflected off of a substrate the sample is placed on, into an analog voltage signal. The microprocessor processes the output of the balance detector and position feedbacks from an adjustable microscopy stage to generate a command for moving the position of the adjustable microscopy stage to achieve a desired focus.Type: GrantFiled: October 16, 2010Date of Patent: July 23, 2013Assignee: Thorlabs, Inc.Inventor: Jeffrey S. Brooker
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Patent number: 8484859Abstract: A mechanical device for maintaining parallelism includes first, second, third and fourth bars. The first side surface of the first bar and the first side surface of the second bar are bridged by a first flexure, leaving a gap between the bottom surface of the first bar and the upper surface of the second bar; the second side surface of the second bar and the second side surface of the third bar are bridged by a second flexure, leaving a gap between the bottom surface of the second bar and the upper surface of the third bar; and the first side surface of the third bar and the first side surface of the fourth bar are bridged by a third flexure, leaving a gap between the bottom surface of the third bar and the upper surface of the fourth bar.Type: GrantFiled: October 21, 2011Date of Patent: July 16, 2013Assignee: Thorlabs, Inc.Inventors: Keith Dhese, Alin Ristea
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Patent number: 8351474Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, a compact laser system with nearly continuous wavelength scanning is presented. In some embodiments, the compact laser system can be scanned over a broad range. In some embodiments, the compact laser system can be scanned at high scan rates. In some embodiments, the compact laser system can have a variable coherence length. In particular, embodiments with wavelength scanning over 140 nm with continuously variable scan rates of up to about 1 nm/?s, and discrete increase in scan rates up to about 10 nm/?s, and variable coherence lengths of from 1 mm to about 30 mm can be achieved.Type: GrantFiled: October 21, 2010Date of Patent: January 8, 2013Assignee: Thorlabs, Inc.Inventors: Alex Ezra Cable, Johan Michael Larsson, Lars Goran Sandstrom, Bengt Kleman
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Patent number: 8289504Abstract: A Shack Hartmann (“SH”) wavefront sensor comprising an optical device, such as a wave front dissector including a lenslet array, for transmitting, dissecting and focusing an incoming optical wave, an optical system, including, for example, an optical sensor, for receiving the transmitted incoming optical wave, and a removable kinematic mount for repeatable precision mounting of the optical device to the optical system.Type: GrantFiled: July 20, 2010Date of Patent: October 16, 2012Assignee: Thorlabs, Inc.Inventors: Alex E. Cable, Egbert Krause, John Taranto
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Publication number: 20120096974Abstract: A mechanical device for maintaining parallelism includes first, second, third and fourth bars. The first side surface of the first bar and the first side surface of the second bar are bridged by a first flexure, leaving a gap between the bottom surface of the first bar and the upper surface of the second bar; the second side surface of the second bar and the second side surface of the third bar are bridged by a second flexure, leaving a gap between the bottom surface of the second bar and the upper surface of the third bar; and the first side surface of the third bar and the first side surface of the fourth bar are bridged by a third flexure, leaving a gap between the bottom surface of the third bar and the upper surface of the fourth bar.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 21, 2011Publication date: April 26, 2012Applicant: THORLABS, INC.Inventors: Keith DHESE, Alin RISTEA
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Publication number: 20110255095Abstract: An optical imaging system includes an optical radiation source (410, 510), a frequency clock module outputting frequency clock signals (420), an optical interferometer (430), a data acquisition (DAQ) device (440) triggered by the frequency clock signals, and a computer (450) to perform multi-dimensional optical imaging of the samples. The frequency clock signals are processed by software or hardware to produce a record containing frequency-time relationship of the optical radiation source (410, 510) to externally clock the sampling process of the DAQ device (440). The system may employ over-sampling and various digital signal processing methods to improve image quality. The system further includes multiple stages of routers (1418, 1425) connecting the light source (1410) with a plurality of interferometers (1420a-1420n) and a DAQ system (1450) externally clocked by frequency clock signals to perform high-speed multi-channel optical imaging of samples.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 22, 2011Publication date: October 20, 2011Applicant: THORLABS, INC.Inventors: James Y. Jiang, Scott Barry, Alex E. Cable
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Patent number: 7936462Abstract: An optical imaging system includes an optical radiation source (410, 510), a frequency clock module outputting frequency clock signals (420), an optical interferometer (430), a data acquisition (DAQ) device (440) triggered by the frequency clock signals, and a computer (450) to perform multi-dimensional optical imaging of the samples. The frequency clock signals are processed by software or hardware to produce a record containing frequency-time relationship of the optical radiation source (410, 510) to trigger the sampling process of the DAQ device (440). The system may employ over-sampling and various digital signal processing methods to improve image quality. The system further includes multiple stages of routers (1418, 1425) connecting the light source (1410) with a plurality of interferometers (1420a-1420n) and a DAQ system (1450) triggered by frequency clock signals to perform high-speed multi-channel optical imaging of samples.Type: GrantFiled: January 18, 2008Date of Patent: May 3, 2011Assignee: Thorlabs, Inc.Inventors: James Y. Jiang, Scott Barry, Alex E. Cable
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Publication number: 20110090562Abstract: An autofocus apparatus includes, in one embodiment, a light source; a splitter; a fiber optic circulator; an optical collimator; a balance detector; and a microprocessor. The fiber optic circulator couples one of the split light signals at a first port, to the optical collimator at a second port, and to the balance detector at the third port. The optical collimator directs the light beam from the fiber optic circulator onto a sample through a Dichroic mirror and a microscope objective. The balance detector uses another one of the split light signals as an input, and converts a light signal, reflected off of a substrate the sample is placed on, into an analog voltage signal. The microprocessor processes the output of the balance detector and position feedbacks from an adjustable microscopy stage to generate a command for moving the position of the adjustable microscopy stage to achieve a desired focus.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 16, 2010Publication date: April 21, 2011Applicant: THORLABS, INC.Inventor: Jeffrey S. Brooker
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Publication number: 20110089771Abstract: A stage comprising a first translation platform having a first axis of motion, and a second translation platform having a second axis of motion, a first linear drive motor for driving the first translation platform in the first axis of motion, and a second linear drive motor for driving the second translation platform in the second axis of motion, wherein each linear drive motor further comprises a coil assembly enclosing a rod stator, and wherein the coil assembly is fixed and the rod stator is movable within the coil assembly.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 16, 2010Publication date: April 21, 2011Applicant: THORLABS, INC.Inventors: Jeffrey S. Brooker, Paulo Chaves, Keith Dhese, Robin Eddington
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Publication number: 20110032957Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, a compact laser system with nearly continuous wavelength scanning is presented. In some embodiments, the compact laser system can be scanned over a broad range. In some embodiments, the compact laser system can be scanned at high scan rates. In some embodiments, the compact laser system can have a variable coherence length. In particular, embodiments with wavelength scanning over 140 nm with continuously variable scan rates of up to about 1 nm/?s, and discrete increase in scan rates up to about 10 nm/?s, and variable coherence lengths of from 1 mm to about 30 mm can be achieved.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 21, 2010Publication date: February 10, 2011Applicant: THORLABS, INC.Inventors: Alex Ezra Cable, Johan Michael Larsson, Lars Goran Sandstrom, Bengt Kleman
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Publication number: 20110013178Abstract: A Shack Hartmann (“SH”) wavefront sensor comprising an optical device, such as a wave front dissector including a lenslet array, for transmitting, dissecting and focusing an incoming optical wave, an optical system, including, for example, an optical sensor, for receiving the transmitted incoming optical wave, and a removable kinematic mount for repeatable precision mounting of the optical device to the optical system.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 20, 2010Publication date: January 20, 2011Applicant: THORLABS, INC.Inventors: Alex E. Cable, Egbert Krause, John Taranto
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Patent number: 7843976Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, a compact laser system with nearly continuous wavelength scanning is presented. In some embodiments, the compact laser system can be scanned over a broad range. In some embodiments, the compact laser system can be scanned at high scan rates. In some embodiments, the compact laser system can have a variable coherence length. In particular, embodiments with wavelength scanning over 140 nm with continuously variable scan rates of up to about 1 nm/?s, and discrete increase in scan rates up to about 10 nm/?s, and variable coherence lengths of from 1 mm to about 30 mm can be achieved.Type: GrantFiled: January 24, 2006Date of Patent: November 30, 2010Assignee: Thorlabs, Inc.Inventors: Alex Ezra Cable, Johan Michael Larsson, Lars Goran Sandstrom, Bengt Kleman
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Patent number: 7652409Abstract: A positioner (2) for moving a sample platform (6) relative to a base (4) is described. The positioner is driven by a piezoelectric arranged to expand and contract along a drive axis, the piezoelectric element has an input end coupled to the base and an output end coupled to first (14) and second (16) output levers extending away from the drive axis of the piezoelectric element in opposing directions. The output levers each have an inner arm arranged to be acted on by the piezoelectric element as it expands and an outer arm to which the sample platform is mounted via platform supports (26, 28). The output levers are mounted such that the piezoelectric element acts on the inner arms of the output levers to cause the outer arms to move in a plane containing the drive axis. This motion of the output levers is communicated via the platform supports to the sample platform, so moving it relative to the base along a direction parallel to the drive axis.Type: GrantFiled: January 31, 2005Date of Patent: January 26, 2010Assignee: Thorlabs, Inc.Inventors: Michael John Dixon, Terence James Herbert
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Patent number: 7421918Abstract: A differential adjuster that utilizes a tool interface for affecting either a coarse adjustment or a fine adjustment is presented. The differential adjuster includes an intermediate actuator sleeve with a tool interface to accommodate a tool for performing adjustments. The intermediate actuator sleeve includes a first threaded surface operatively engaging a housing to adjust the position of the intermediate actuator sleeve relative to the housing, and a second threaded surface operatively engaging a push rod to adjust the position of the intermediate actuator sleeve relative to the push rod. The first threaded surface contains threads that are a different pitch than the second threaded surface.Type: GrantFiled: September 26, 2003Date of Patent: September 9, 2008Assignee: Thorlabs, Inc.Inventors: Alex Ezra Cable, Jason Matthew Mills
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Publication number: 20080175465Abstract: An optical imaging system includes an optical radiation source (410, 510), a frequency clock module outputting frequency clock signals (420), an optical interferometer (430), a data acquisition (DAQ) device (440) triggered by the frequency clock signals, and a computer (450) to perform multi-dimensional optical imaging of the samples. The frequency clock signals are processed by software or hardware to produce a record containing frequency-time relationship of the optical radiation source (410, 510) to trigger the sampling process of the DAQ device (440). The system may employ over-sampling and various digital signal processing methods to improve image quality. The system further includes multiple stages of routers (1418, 1425) connecting the light source (1410) with a plurality of interferometers (1420a-1420n) and a DAQ system (1450) triggered by frequency clock signals to perform high-speed multi-channel optical imaging of samples.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 18, 2008Publication date: July 24, 2008Applicant: THORLABS, INC.Inventors: James Y. Jiang, Scott Barry, Alex E. Cable
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Patent number: 7061621Abstract: It is possible to improve the manner in which the chromatic dispersion of a sample (4) is determined. To this end, the sample (4) is irradiated in an interferometer (10), with the light of a radiation source (1). A downstream polarimeter (50) measures both the power changes and the polarization changes of the interference radiation. In the downstream evaluation unit (7) the wavelength-dependent chromatic dispersion can be determined.Type: GrantFiled: February 20, 2004Date of Patent: June 13, 2006Assignee: Thorlabs, Inc.Inventor: Egbert Krause
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Patent number: D653274Type: GrantFiled: October 15, 2010Date of Patent: January 31, 2012Assignee: Thorlabs, Inc.Inventors: Jeffrey S. Brooker, Paulo Chaves, Keith Dhese, Robin Eddington