Patents by Inventor Michael R. Watts
Michael R. Watts 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).
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Patent number: 11939765Abstract: A sound damping wallboard and methods of forming a sound damping wallboard are disclosed. The sound damping wallboard comprises a gypsum layer with a gypsum surface having an encasing layer. The encasing layer is partially removed to expose the gypsum surface and form a gypsum surface portion and a first encasing layer portion on the gypsum layer. A sound damping layer is applied to the gypsum layer to cover at least part of the gypsum surface portion and the encasing layer portion.Type: GrantFiled: December 5, 2022Date of Patent: March 26, 2024Assignee: Gold Bond Building Products, LLCInventors: Michael N. Blades, John M. Watt, John E. Yakowenko, Todd D. Broud, Keith R. O'Leary, Stephen A. Cusa, Mauricio Quiros, Brian G. Randall, Richard P. Weir
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Patent number: 11926830Abstract: The present embodiments provide methods, compounds, and compositions for treating, preventing, or ameliorating a disease associated with dysregulation of the complement alternative pathway by administering a Complement Factor B (CFB) specific inhibitor to a subject.Type: GrantFiled: September 2, 2021Date of Patent: March 12, 2024Assignee: Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.Inventors: Tamar R. Grossman, Michael L McCaleb, Andrew T. Watt, Susan M. Freier
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Patent number: 11372106Abstract: An optical phased array formed of a large number of nanophotonic antenna elements can be used to project complex images into the far field. These nanophotonic phased arrays, including the nanophotonic antenna elements and waveguides, can be formed on a single chip of silicon using complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) processes. Directional couplers evanescently couple light from the waveguides to the nanophotonic antenna elements, which emit the light as beams with phases and amplitudes selected so that the emitted beams interfere in the far field to produce the desired pattern. In some cases, each antenna in the phased array may be optically coupled to a corresponding variable delay line, such as a thermo-optically tuned waveguide or a liquid-filled cell, which can be used to vary the phase of the antenna's output (and the resulting far-field interference pattern).Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 2020Date of Patent: June 28, 2022Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyInventors: Ami Yaacobi, Michael R. Watts
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Patent number: 10809591Abstract: An optical phase shifter may include a waveguide core that has a top surface, and a semiconductor contact that is laterally displaced relative to the waveguide core and is electrically connected to the waveguide core. A top surface of the semiconductor contact is above the top surface of the waveguide core. The waveguide core may include a p-type core region and an n-type core region. A p-type semiconductor region may be in physical contact with the n-type core region of the waveguide core, and an n-type semiconductor region may be in physical contact with the p-type core region of the waveguide core. A phase shifter region and a light-emitting region may be disposed at different depth levels, and the light-emitting region may emit light from a phase shifter region that is in a position adjacent to the light-emitting region.Type: GrantFiled: April 27, 2017Date of Patent: October 20, 2020Assignee: Analog Photonics LLCInventors: Michael R. Watts, Ehsan Shah Hosseini, Christopher Vincent Poulton, Erman Timurdogan
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Publication number: 20200284910Abstract: An optical phased array formed of a large number of nanophotonic antenna elements can be used to project complex images into the far field. These nanophotonic phased arrays, including the nanophotonic antenna elements and waveguides, can be formed on a single chip of silicon using complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) processes. Directional couplers evanescently couple light from the waveguides to the nanophotonic antenna elements, which emit the light as beams with phases and amplitudes selected so that the emitted beams interfere in the far field to produce the desired pattern. In some cases, each antenna in the phased array may be optically coupled to a corresponding variable delay line, such as a thermo-optically tuned waveguide or a liquid-filled cell, which can be used to vary the phase of the antenna's output (and the resulting far-field interference pattern).Type: ApplicationFiled: February 24, 2020Publication date: September 10, 2020Inventors: Ami YAACOBI, Michael R. WATTS
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Patent number: 10627517Abstract: An optical phased array formed of a large number of nanophotonic antenna elements can be used to project complex images into the far field. These nanophotonic phased arrays, including the nanophotonic antenna elements and waveguides, can be formed on a single chip of silicon using complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) processes. Directional couplers evanescently couple light from the waveguides to the nanophotonic antenna elements, which emit the light as beams with phases and amplitudes selected so that the emitted beams interfere in the far field to produce the desired pattern. In some cases, each antenna in the phased array may be optically coupled to a corresponding variable delay line, such as a thermo-optically tuned waveguide or a liquid-filled cell, which can be used to vary the phase of the antenna's output (and the resulting far-field interference pattern).Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2016Date of Patent: April 21, 2020Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyInventors: Ami Yaacobi, Michael R. Watts
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Patent number: 10461489Abstract: Examples of the present invention include integrated erbium-doped waveguide lasers designed for silicon photonic systems. In some examples, these lasers include laser cavities defined by distributed Bragg reflectors (DBRs) formed in silicon nitride-based waveguides. These DBRs may include grating features defined by wafer-scale immersion lithography, with an upper layer of erbium-doped aluminum oxide deposited as the final step in the fabrication process. The resulting inverted ridge-waveguide yields high optical intensity overlap with the active medium for both the 980 nm pump (89%) and 1.5 ?m laser (87%) wavelengths with a pump-laser intensity overlap of over 93%. The output powers can be 5 mW or higher and show lasing at widely-spaced wavelengths within both the C- and L-bands of the erbium gain spectrum (1536, 1561 and 1596 nm).Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2017Date of Patent: October 29, 2019Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyInventors: Purnawirman Purnawirman, Michael R. Watts, Ehsan Shah Hosseini, Jonathan B. Bradley, Jie Sun, Matteo Cherchi
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Display apparatus comprising first and second optical phased arrays and method for augmented reality
Patent number: 10359630Abstract: A display for augmented reality (AR) includes an array of optical phased arrays (OPAs) integrated into a transparent substrate. The array of OPAs emit light encoded with four dimensional (4D) light field including 2D spatial coordinates and 2D directional coordinates to create an image of a virtual object on a retina of a viewer. By adjusting the emission directions of light beam emitted by individual OPAs in the display, the depth perception can be adjusted accordingly. The array of OPAs can also be encoded with holographic information, including intensity and phase distribution, of a virtual object to create the image of the virtual object on the retina. The AR display can further incorporate liquid crystal (LC) into the OPAs for modulating the amplitudes and relative phases of light emitted by the OPAs.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2016Date of Patent: July 23, 2019Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyInventors: Manan Raval, Ami Yaacobi, Michael R. Watts, Jerry Zhou, Jie Sun, Christopher V. Poulton -
Patent number: 10305253Abstract: An artificial saturable absorber uses additive pulse mode-locking to enable pulse operation of an on-chip laser operation. Four different artificial saturable absorbers are disclosed. The first includes an integrated coupler, two arms each containing some implementation of the end-reflector, and a phase bias element in one arm. The second includes an integrated directional coupler, two integrated waveguide arms, and another integrated coupler as an output. The third includes an integrated birefringent element, integrated birefringent-free waveguide, and integrated polarizer. And the fourth includes a multimode waveguide that allows for different modes to propagate in such a way that the difference in the spatial distribution of intensity causes a nonlinear phase difference between the modes.Type: GrantFiled: May 11, 2017Date of Patent: May 28, 2019Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyInventors: Katia Shtyrkova, Erich P. Ippen, Franz X. Kaertner, Patrick T. Callahan, Michael R. Watts
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Patent number: 10133149Abstract: A waveguide includes an array of p-i-n junctions formed by ions implanted into the waveguide. The p-i-n junctions concentrate electric fields applied on the waveguide to convert the third order susceptibility ?(3) into the second order susceptibility ?(2) and induce the DC Kerr effect. The periodic electrical fields concentrated by the p-i-n junctions effectively create a wave vector, which together with the wave vectors of optical beams in the waveguide satisfies phase matching conditions for nonlinear optical effects. The phase matching can significantly enhance the efficiency of the nonlinear optical effects, such as second harmonic generation, sum frequency generation, difference frequency generation, and four-wave mixing. Waveguides with arrays of PIN junctions can also be used in phase modulators, amplitude modulators, and filters.Type: GrantFiled: November 22, 2016Date of Patent: November 20, 2018Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyInventors: Erman Timurdogan, Michael R. Watts
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Patent number: 10101630Abstract: An optical device may include at least two waveguides with different propagation constants. Each waveguide is associated with a grating antenna with a grating period selected to emit light at the same emission angle despite the different propagation constants. Each waveguide may be part of an optical path that includes phase shifters. Additionally, the waveguides may be formed in a waveguide layer that is separate from a perturbation layer in which the grating antennas as formed.Type: GrantFiled: April 27, 2017Date of Patent: October 16, 2018Assignee: ANALOG PHOTONIC LLCInventors: Michael R. Watts, Ehsan Shah Hosseini, Christopher Vincent Poulton, Erman Timurdogan
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Publication number: 20180269653Abstract: An artificial saturable absorber uses additive pulse mode-locking to enable pulse operation of an on-chip laser operation. Four different artificial saturable absorbers are disclosed. The first includes an integrated coupler, two arms each containing some implementation of the end-reflector, and a phase bias element in one arm. The second includes an integrated directional coupler, two integrated waveguide arms, and another integrated coupler as an output. The third includes an integrated birefringent element, integrated birefringent-free waveguide, and integrated polarizer. And the fourth includes a multimode waveguide that allows for different modes to propagate in such a way that the difference in the spatial distribution of intensity causes a nonlinear phase difference between the modes.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 11, 2017Publication date: September 20, 2018Inventors: Katia SHTYRKOVA, Erich P. IPPEN, Franz X. KAERTNER, Patrick T. CALLAHAN, Michael R. WATTS
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Patent number: 10075245Abstract: An optical receiver includes a cascade of optical filtering elements, each of which selects spectral components from incoming optical signals at a wavelengths aligned to filter passbands. The selected spectral components may be optically combined to form k pairs of intermediary signals, where k=log2(M). By comparing the k pairs of intermediary signals, k bits of a digital signal representing the incident signal may be generated. The filtering elements may be configured to perform demultiplexing and demodulation simultaneously, increasing functionality and reducing excess losses.Type: GrantFiled: May 6, 2016Date of Patent: September 11, 2018Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyInventors: David O. Caplan, Michael R. Watts, Zhan Su
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Publication number: 20180131155Abstract: Examples of the present invention include integrated erbium-doped waveguide lasers designed for silicon photonic systems. In some examples, these lasers include laser cavities defined by distributed Bragg reflectors (DBRs) formed in silicon nitride-based waveguides. These DBRs may include grating features defined by wafer-scale immersion lithography, with an upper layer of erbium-doped aluminum oxide deposited as the final step in the fabrication process. The resulting inverted ridge-waveguide yields high optical intensity overlap with the active medium for both the 980 nm pump (89%) and 1.5 ?m laser (87%) wavelengths with a pump-laser intensity overlap of over 93%. The output powers can be 5 mW or higher and show lasing at widely-spaced wavelengths within both the C- and L-bands of the erbium gain spectrum (1536, 1561 and 1596 nm).Type: ApplicationFiled: September 28, 2017Publication date: May 10, 2018Inventors: Purnawirman Purnawirman, Michael R. Watts, Ehsan Shah Hosseini, Jonathan B. Bradley, Jie Sun, Matteo Cherchi
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Patent number: 9939586Abstract: A photodetector includes a germanium layer evanescently coupled to a ring resonator. The ring resonator increases the interaction length between light guided by the ring resonator and the germanium layer without increasing the size of the photodetector, thereby keeping the photodetector's dark current at a low level. The germanium layer absorbs the guided light and converts the absorbed light into electrical signals for detection. The increased interaction length in the resonator allows efficient transfer of light from the resonator to the germanium layer via evanescently coupling. In addition, the internal and external quality factors (Q) of the ring resonator can be matched to achieve (nearly) full absorption of light in the germanium with high quantum efficiency.Type: GrantFiled: January 30, 2017Date of Patent: April 10, 2018Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyInventors: Erman Timurdogan, Michael R. Watts, Zhan Su, Ehsan Shah Hosseini, Jie Sun
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Publication number: 20170315420Abstract: An optical device may include at least two waveguides with different propagation constants. Each waveguide is associated with a grating antenna with a grating period selected to emit light at the same emission angle despite the different propagation constants. Each waveguide may be part of an optical path that includes phase shifters. Additionally, the waveguides may be formed in a waveguide layer that is separate from a perturbation layer in which the grating antennas as formed.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 27, 2017Publication date: November 2, 2017Inventors: Michael R. WATTS, Ehsan SHAH HOSSEINI, Christopher Vincent POULTON, Erman TIMURDOGAN
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Publication number: 20170315387Abstract: An optical phase shifter may include a waveguide core that has a top surface, and a semiconductor contact that is laterally displaced relative to the waveguide core and is electrically connected to the waveguide core. A top surface of the semiconductor contact is above the top surface of the waveguide core. The waveguide core may include a p-type core region and an n-type core region. A p-type semiconductor region may be in physical contact with the n-type core region of the waveguide core, and an n-type semiconductor region may be in physical contact with the p-type core region of the waveguide core. A phase shifter region and a light-emitting region may be disposed at different depth levels, and the light-emitting region may emit light from a phase shifter region that is in a position adjacent to the light-emitting region.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 27, 2017Publication date: November 2, 2017Inventors: Michael R. WATTS, Ehsan SHAH HOSSEINI, Christopher Vincent POULTON, Erman TIMURDOGAN
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Patent number: 9806485Abstract: Examples of the present invention include integrated erbium-doped waveguide lasers designed for silicon photonic systems. In some examples, these lasers include laser cavities defined by distributed Bragg reflectors (DBRs) formed in silicon nitride-based waveguides. These DBRs may include grating features defined by wafer-scale immersion lithography, with an upper layer of erbium-doped aluminum oxide deposited as the final step in the fabrication process. The resulting inverted ridge-waveguide yields high optical intensity overlap with the active medium for both the 980 nm pump (89%) and 1.5 ?m laser (87%) wavelengths with a pump-laser intensity overlap of over 93%. The output powers can be 5 mW or higher and show lasing at widely-spaced wavelengths within both the C- and L-bands of the erbium gain spectrum (1536, 1561 and 1596 nm).Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 2016Date of Patent: October 31, 2017Assignee: MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGYInventors: Purnawirman Purnawirman, Michael R. Watts, Ehsan Shah Hosseini, Jonathan B. Bradley, Jie Sun, Matteo Cherchi
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Publication number: 20170219776Abstract: A photodetector includes a germanium layer evanescently coupled to a ring resonator. The ring resonator increases the interaction length between light guided by the ring resonator and the germanium layer without increasing the size of the photodetector, thereby keeping the photodetector's dark current at a low level. The germanium layer absorbs the guided light and converts the absorbed light into electrical signals for detection. The increased interaction length in the resonator allows efficient transfer of light from the resonator to the germanium layer via evanescently coupling. In addition, the internal and external quality factors (Q) of the ring resonator can be matched to achieve (nearly) full absorption of light in the germanium with high quantum efficiency.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 30, 2017Publication date: August 3, 2017Inventors: Erman Timurdogan, Michael R. Watts, Zhan Su, Ehsan Shah Hosseini, Jie Sun
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Publication number: 20170214472Abstract: An optical receiver includes a cascade of optical filtering elements, each of which selects spectral components from incoming optical signals at a wavelengths aligned to filter passbands. The selected spectral components may be optically combined to form k pairs of intermediary signals, where k=log2(M). By comparing the k pairs of intermediary signals, k bits of a digital signal representing the incident signal may be generated. The filtering elements may be configured to perform demultiplexing and demodulation simultaneously, increasing functionality and reducing excess losses.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 6, 2016Publication date: July 27, 2017Inventors: David O. Caplan, Michael R. Watts, Zhan Su