Patents by Inventor Haohua Tu

Haohua Tu has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20220228987
    Abstract: A method is provided for characterizing a biological sample having a plurality of fluorophores, including a red fluorophore and a blue fluorophore, comprises exciting the red fluorophore via absorption of a photon order of n by a single wavelength band of light that has longer wavelengths than a typical wavelength band of light known to excite the red fluorophore would have. The method further comprises exciting the blue fluorophore substantially via absorption of a photon order of n+1 by the single wavelength band of light. The method also comprises simultaneously detecting light emitted by the red fluorophore and the blue fluorophore. The method further comprises creating an image or a temporal series for sensing from the light detected in the plurality of orthogonal colors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2020
    Publication date: July 21, 2022
    Inventors: Stephen A. Boppart, Haohua Tu, Sixian You
  • Patent number: 10445880
    Abstract: Methods for label-free characterization of untagged molecules within a biological sample in-situ. The untagged molecules may be constituent of extracellular vesicles, and are excited in the biological sample with at least one wavelength band of light derived from a single stream of optical pulses. Light emitted by the untagged molecules by SHG, THG, 2PAF and 3PAF processes is detected. Separate measures of the biological sample corresponding to light emitted by the untagged molecules in each of the SHG, THG, 2PAF and 3PAF processes are derived. On that basis, normal extracellular vesicles may be differentiated from extracellular vesicles associated with a tumor on the basis of a specified signature of characteristics of images of SHG, THG, 2PAF and 3PAF processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
    Inventors: Stephen A. Boppart, Haohua Tu, Sixian You, Yuan Liu
  • Publication number: 20180286044
    Abstract: Methods for label-free characterization of untagged molecules within a biological sample in-situ. The untagged molecules may be constituent of extracellular vesicles, and are excited in the biological sample with at least one wavelength band of light derived from a single stream of optical pulses. Light emitted by the untagged molecules by SHG, THG, 2PAF and 3PAF processes is detected. Separate measures of the biological sample corresponding to light emitted by the untagged molecules in each of the SHG, THG, 2PAF and 3PAF processes are derived. On that basis, normal extracellular vesicles may be differentiated from extracellular vesicles associated with a tumor on the basis of a specified signature of characteristics of images of SHG, THG, 2PAF and 3PAF processes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2018
    Publication date: October 4, 2018
    Inventors: Stephen A. Boppart, Haohua Tu, Sixian You, Yuan Liu
  • Patent number: 9300107
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for generating ultrashort optical pulses. Pulses of an infrared source are launched into an optical fiber characterized by a zero-dispersion wavelength (ZDW), where the wavelength of the infrared source exceeds the ZDW of the optical fiber by at least 100 nm. A resonant dispersion wave (RDW) is generated in the optical fiber that has a central wavelength blue-shifted by more than 500 nm relative to the pump wavelength, and, in some cases, by more than 700 nm. The optical fiber has a core of a diameter exceeding the central wavelength of the RDW by at least a factor of five. In a preferred embodiment, the infrared source includes a master-oscillator-power-amplifier, embodied entirely in optical fiber, and may include an Erbium:fiber oscillator, in particular.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
    Inventors: Haohua Tu, Stephen A. Boppart
  • Publication number: 20160028204
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for generating ultrashort optical pulses. Pulses of an infrared source are launched into an optical fiber characterized by a zero-dispersion wavelength (ZDW), where the wavelength of the infrared source exceeds the ZDW of the optical fiber by at least 100 nm. A resonant dispersion wave (RDW) is generated in the optical fiber that has a central wavelength blue-shifted by more than 500 nm relative to the pump wavelength, and, in some cases, by more than 700 nm. The optical fiber has a core of a diameter exceeding the central wavelength of the RDW by at least a factor of five. In a preferred embodiment, the infrared source includes a master-oscillator-power-amplifier, embodied entirely in optical fiber, and may include an Erbium:fiber oscillator, in particular.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2014
    Publication date: January 28, 2016
    Inventors: Haohua Tu, Stephen A. Boppart
  • Patent number: 8526772
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for generating ultrashort optical pulses. Polarized pulses of a near-infrared source are launched substantially along a principle axis of a birefringent photonic crystal fiber characterized by normal dispersion at all wavelengths of transmission of the photonic crystal fiber. Supercontinuum pulses are generated from the photonic crystal fiber and compressed to form compressed pulses. Highly polarized supercontinuum pulses provide for transform-limited compressed pulse durations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
    Inventors: Haohua Tu, Stephen A. Boppart
  • Patent number: 8305682
    Abstract: An apparatus and methods for generating a substantially supercontinuum-free widely-tunable multimilliwatt source of radiation characterized by a narrowband line profile. The apparatus and methods employ nonlinear optical mechanisms in a nonlinear photonic crystal fiber (PCF) by detuning the wavelength of a pump laser to a significant extent relative to the zero-dispersion wavelength (ZDW) of the PCF. Optical phenomena employed for the selective up-conversion in the PCF include, but are not limited to, four-wave mixing and Cherenkov radiation. Tunability is achieved by varying pump wavelength and power and by substituting different types of PCFs characterized by specified dispersion properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
    Inventors: Haohua Tu, Stephen A. Boppart
  • Publication number: 20120049092
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for generating ultrashort optical pulses. Polarized pulses of a near-infrared source are launched substantially along a principle axis of a birefringent photonic crystal fiber characterized by normal dispersion at all wavelengths of transmission of the photonic crystal fiber. Supercontinuum pulses are generated from the photonic crystal fiber and compressed to form compressed pulses. Highly polarized supercontinuum pulses provide for transform-limited compressed pulse durations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2011
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Applicant: The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
    Inventors: Haohua Tu, Stephen A. Boppart
  • Publication number: 20110063718
    Abstract: An apparatus and methods for generating a substantially supercontinuum-free widely-tunable multimilliwatt source of radiation characterized by a narrowband line profile. The apparatus and methods employ nonlinear optical mechanisms in a nonlinear photonic crystal fiber (PCF) by detuning the wavelength of a pump laser to a significant extent relative to the zero-dispersion wavelength (ZDW) of the PCF. Optical phenomena employed for the selective up-conversion in the PCF include, but are not limited to, four-wave mixing and Cherenkov radiation. Tunability is achieved by varying pump wavelength and power and by substituting different types of PCFs characterized by specified dispersion properties.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2010
    Publication date: March 17, 2011
    Applicant: The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
    Inventors: Haohua Tu, Stephen A. Boppart