Laser Patents (Class 362/553)
  • Patent number: 11939667
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a wavelength conversion member, includes: providing a wavelength conversion layer having a phosphor-containing portion and a light reflecting portion surrounding the phosphor-containing portion, and the wavelength conversion layer having an upper surface, a bottom surface and at least one side surface; forming a light-blocking film on the upper surface of the wavelength conversion layer; and removing a part of the light-blocking film by laser processing to expose at least a part of the phosphor-containing portion from the light-blocking film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: NICHIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Naoki Eboshi, Hiroaki Yuto, Hiroki Sakata, Toshiaki Yamashita, Akinori Hara
  • Patent number: 11846784
    Abstract: An optical fiber laser coupler, comprising a laser input optical cable, a laser shaping and coupling device, and a multi-beam-mode energy transmission fiber (205). The multi-beam-mode energy transmission fiber (205) comprises a circular fiber core (105) and annular fiber cores (106, 107), and each annular fiber core (106, 107) is coaxial with the circular fiber core (105). A fluorine-doped layer (109) is disposed between the circular fiber core (105) and the annular fiber core (106, 107), and the fluorine-doped layer (109) is also disposed between adjacent annular fiber cores (106, 107). An adjustable collimating lens group (203) and an adjustable focusing lens group (204) of the laser shaping and coupling device can horizontally move along a direction of a laser beam in a housing of the laser shaping and coupling device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: Wuhan Raycus Fiber Laser Technologies Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Xiang Shen, Dapeng Yan, Rong Li, Qixin Zhu, Zhongya Huang, Jianhong Shi, Lilei Tang, Wenli Zhao, Xing Lei, Cheng Li
  • Patent number: 11641091
    Abstract: A segmented VCSEL array having a plurality of individually addressable segments, each segment comprising one or more VCSELs. In some cases, at least two of the plurality of individually addressable segments may be driven in combination. The plurality of individually addressable segments, in some embodiments, may be centered around the same central point. An optical element may be used in conjunction with the segmented VCSEL array, and in some cases may be aligned to the central point. The optical element may be configured such that light passing therethrough may be directed according to which of the plurality of individually addressable segments is activated. In some embodiments, the optical element is a grating or diffractive optical element. The grating or diffractive optical element could be patterned with optical segments that each correspond to at least one the plurality of individually addressable segments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: Vixar, Inc.
    Inventors: William Hogan, Matthew Dummer, Klein Johnson, Mary Brenner
  • Patent number: 11561333
    Abstract: A white light generating device, for generating white light from an excitation light of a laser light having a wavelength of from 280 nm-495 nm, includes a fluorescent body generating a fluorescence having a wavelength longer than a wavelength of the excitation light. The fluorescent body includes an emission-side end surface emitting excitation light and fluorescence, an opposing end surface on an opposite side of the emission-side end surface, and an outer peripheral surface. The emission-side end surface has an area larger than an area of the opposing end surface, and the outer peripheral surface of the fluorescent body includes a part inclined with respect to a central axis of the fluorescent body by from 3.4°-23° over an entire periphery of the fluorescent body. The emission-side end surface has an area of from 0.3 mm2-1.52 mm2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Jungo Kondo, Yuichi Iwata, Tetsuya Ejiri
  • Patent number: 11525950
    Abstract: A white light generating device, for generating white light from an excitation light of a laser light having a wavelength of from 280 nm-495 nm, includes a fluorescent body generating a fluorescence having a wavelength longer than a wavelength of the excitation light. The fluorescent body includes an emission-side end surface emitting excitation light and fluorescence, an opposing end surface on an opposite side of the emission-side end surface, and an outer peripheral surface. The emission-side end surface has an area larger than an area of the opposing end surface, and the outer peripheral surface of the fluorescent body includes a part inclined with respect to a central axis of the fluorescent body by from 3.4°-23° over an entire periphery of the fluorescent body. The emission-side end surface has an area of from 0.3 mm2-1.52 mm2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Jungo Kondo, Yuichi Iwata, Tetsuya Ejiri
  • Patent number: 11499695
    Abstract: An optical member includes: a body portion having a first upper surface, and a second upper surface that is located above the first upper surface and surrounds the first upper surface in a plan view; a phosphor member disposed on the first upper surface; and a hold-down portion configured to secure the phosphor member such that the phosphor member is interposed between the hold-down portion and the body portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: NICHIA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Akinori Hara
  • Patent number: 11454817
    Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods for optical engines and laser projectors that are well-suited for use in wearable heads-up displays (WHUDs) are described. Generally, the optical engines of the present disclosure integrate a plurality of laser diodes (e.g., 3 laser diodes, 4 laser diodes) within a single, hermetically sealed, encapsulated package. Such optical engines may have various advantages over existing designs including, for example, smaller volumes, better manufacturability, faster modulation speed, etc. WHUDs that employ such optical engines and laser projectors are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventors: Jorg Pierer, Rony Jose James, Stefan Mohrdiek, Douglas Raymond Dykaar
  • Patent number: 11253318
    Abstract: An arrangement that prevents carbonization of cladding, coating, or buffer layers of a surgical laser fiber due to thermal radiation reflected back into the fiber from, or emitted by, a target of the laser, includes a thermal radiation blocking, absorbing or diverting structure. The thermal radiation blocking, absorbing or diverting structure surrounds an end portion of the fiber that has been stripped of one or more coating and/or buffer layers, and may be made of a heat resistant material such as PTFE or polyimide to block heat from reaching the coating or buffer layers, an optical ferrule such as fused silica to guide the heat away from the fiber coating or buffer layers, or a high refraction index material such as UV adhesive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: OPTICAL INTEGRITY, INC.
    Inventors: Joe Denton Brown, Daniel Malphurs
  • Patent number: 10901216
    Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods for optical engines and laser projectors that are well-suited for use in wearable heads-up displays (WHUDs) are described. Generally, the optical engines of the present disclosure integrate a plurality of laser diodes (e.g., 3 laser diodes, 4 laser diodes) within a single, hermetically sealed, encapsulated package. Such optical engines may have various advantages over existing designs including, for example, smaller volumes, better manufacturability, faster modulation speed, etc. WHUDs that employ such optical engines and laser projectors are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventors: Jörg Pierer, Rony Jose James, Stefan Mohrdiek, Douglas Raymond Dykaar
  • Patent number: 10845523
    Abstract: A laser-operated light source encompasses a chamber for accommodating an ionizable gas and an ignition source for ionizing the gas in the chamber for generating a plasma. The light source furthermore encompasses a laser for inputting laser energy into the plasma such that, under the impact of the laser radiation, the plasma emits useful light, which forms the output signal of the light source, wherein provision is made for means for coupling the useful light into a transferring optical fiber. In the case of the light source according to the invention, at least one mode scrambler is assigned to the optical fiber or the optical fibers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Ekkehard Brune, Dieter Frerking, Thomas Thöniß, Claus Spruch
  • Patent number: 10677407
    Abstract: An irradiation unit includes a pump radiation source for the emission of pump radiation; and a conversion element for the at least partial conversion of the pump radiation to a conversion radiation. During operation of the irradiation unit, the pump radiation is incident in the form of a beam from the pump radiation source on an incidence surface of the conversion element. A first portion of the pump radiation is incident on the conversion element in a central segment of the beam and a second portion of the pump radiation is incident on the conversion element in an edge segment of the beam surrounding the central segment. The conversion element is provided in such a way that a normalized degree of conversion and/or a normalized degree of scattering is lower for the second portion of the pump radiation than for the first portion of the pump radiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: OSRAM Beteiligungsverwaltung GmbH
    Inventor: Joerg Sorg
  • Patent number: 10520671
    Abstract: A method includes generating a multimode laser beam having an initial beam parameter product (bpp) and directing the multimode laser beam to an input end of a fiber so as to produce an output beam at an output of the fiber with a final bpp that is greater than the initial bpp. Another method includes measuring a base bpp associated with a multimode laser beam generated from a laser source and emitted from an output fiber output end, determining a bpp increase for the multimode laser beam, and selecting a bpp increasing optical fiber having an input end and an output end so that the multimode laser beam with the base bpp coupled to the input end has an output bpp at the output end of the bpp increasing optical fiber corresponding to the determined bpp increase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: nLIGHT, Inc.
    Inventors: Roger L. Farrow, Chris A. Rivera
  • Patent number: 10473294
    Abstract: A lighting apparatus for a vehicle includes a lens and a light source device disposed behind the lens. The lighting apparatus also includes a phosphor assembly configured to convert a wavelength of an incident beam and to emit light having the converted wavelength toward the lens. The phosphor assembly includes a phosphor configured to emit the light having the converted wavelength of the incident beam; and a reflector including a plurality of reflective guide walls configured to reflect the light having the converted wavelength emitted by the phosphor. The reflector that includes the plurality of reflective guide walls defines at least one space through which the light having the converted wavelength emitted by the phosphor is guided by the plurality of reflective guide walls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Jun Park
  • Patent number: 10459139
    Abstract: A lighting apparatus that wavelength-converts laser light guided by an optical fiber to output light having a different wavelength as the laser light, includes: a holder that holds the optical fiber; a wavelength converter that wavelength-converts the laser light emitted from the optical fiber; and a case that holds the wavelength converter and houses the holder. The holder includes a straight groove into which one end of the optical fiber is fitted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shinichi Kitaoka, Hideharu Kawachi, Sachiko Azuma
  • Patent number: 10379284
    Abstract: A light source device includes a first light source configured to emit excitation light having a first wavelength band, a wavelength conversion member having a plurality of surfaces and configured to convert the excitation light made incident from the first light source into converted light having a second wavelength band different from the first wavelength band, and a first light transmissive member provided between the first light source and the wavelength conversion member and configured to transmit the excitation light. The wavelength conversion member includes a first surface on which the excitation light from the first light source is made incident. The first light transmissive member includes, on a surface opposed to the first surface of the wavelength conversion member, a first reflection layer that transmits the excitation light and reflects the converted light. A gap is provided between the first surface and the first reflection layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryuta Koizumi, Toshiaki Hashizume
  • Patent number: 10197229
    Abstract: A light emitting apparatus is provided. The light emitting apparatus includes a light source which emits laser light. A first light guide, which is flexible, extends from the light source for guiding the laser light emitted by the light source. A second light guide, which has a fixed shape, is connected to the first light guide for guiding the laser light emitted by the light source. A body holds the second light guide and sends out, to an outside of the body, light based on the laser light guided by the first light guide and the second light guide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Kitano
  • Patent number: 10147993
    Abstract: The connecting device is composed of a first connecting member having a first housing receiving a connected first waveguide, and a second connecting member having a second housing receiving a connected second waveguide, the first housing having a first mating surface and a first magnet, and the second housing having a second mating surface and a second magnet, and the first connecting member and the second connecting member being displaced relative to each other in a mating direction orthogonal to the axial direction of the first waveguide and the second waveguide, and being positioned relative to each other by the magnetic force of the first magnet and the second magnet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: Molex, LLC
    Inventors: Tomonari Nakata, Naoyoshi Tamura
  • Patent number: 9984865
    Abstract: In a light-emitting sealed body, a metal structure (electron emission structure) containing an easily electron-emitting material is used, so that it is not necessary to perform feeding for discharge between electrodes. Therefore, a feeding member does not need to be connected to the metal structure from the outside of a bulb. In addition, in the light-emitting sealed body, the metal structure is disposed in an internal space S of the bulb and a positioning unit of the metal structure is disposed only in the bulb. Therefore, in the light-emitting sealed body, the metal structure and the positioning unit do not penetrate the bulb and are not buried in the bulb and weakened portions are not formed in the bulb made of glass. Therefore, a sealing state of the bulb can be maintained surely.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.
    Inventors: Akinori Asai, Naoya Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 9939653
    Abstract: An apparatus and method that improves the stability of despeckling using stimulated Raman scattering in an optical fiber. Optical modes in the fiber are scrambled by physical movement of the optical fiber, focusing assembly, or laser beam. The improvement in stability may include a reduction in flicker or reduction in long-term drift.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: Projection Ventures Inc.
    Inventors: Barret Lippey, Ian Lee, John Arntsen, Rick Posch
  • Patent number: 9921369
    Abstract: The invention concerns a multimode optical fiber, with an ct-profile graded-index core with an a-value between 1.96 and 2.05 and a N value defined as N=(R1/?)2(n12?n02) between 7 and 52, where R1 is the multimode core radius, n1 is the maximum index of the multimode core and n0 is the minimum index at the outer edge of the graded index core. According to the invention, a depressed region directly surrounds the graded/index core and satisfies the criteria: ?2.20<Dn2<0, where Dn2 is the index difference of depressed region with external cladding, and 220 Ln(N)?1100<V2<220 Ln(N)?865, where V2 is the volume of the depressed region. Such a multimode fiber shows an increased OFL-bandwidth above 10000 Hz·km at an operating wavelength between 950 nm and 1310 nm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Draka Comteq, B.V.
    Inventors: Marianne Bigot, Denis Molin, Pierre Sillard
  • Patent number: 9857515
    Abstract: A side-emitting optical fiber system and an assembly are disclosed that utilize a side-emitting optical fiber and light-emitting jacket members operably disposed about the outer surface of the side-emitting optical fiber. The light-emitting jacket members receive side-emitted light having an input wavelength. Each light-emitting jacket member receives the side-emitted light and converts it to light having a different wavelength that the input wavelength. This converted light is then emitted from the light-emitting jacket members, thereby providing side-emitted light of different colors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventor: Vineet Tyagi
  • Patent number: 9618700
    Abstract: Herein is disclosed an optical device for orthogonal redirection of electromagnetic radiation. The optical device includes, in one instance, an optical redirection element that includes a lens and an total-internal-reflectance (TIR) bevel, the lens having a principal axis and a lens radius; an optical fiber having a longitudinal axis and having an output surface positioned proximal to the lens, the output surface having an output surface diameter that is less than or equal to the lens radius; where the output surface is eccentric to the principal axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: InnovaQuartz LLC
    Inventor: Stephen E. Griffin
  • Patent number: 9431792
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for active voltage regulation in optical modules utilize a voltage regulator to change the supply voltage provided to laser diode driver and receiver electronics to optimize module performance over temperature. The ambient temperature of the module is monitored. The outputs of the voltage regulator are controlled to provide voltages that are optimized with respect to temperature for the integrated circuits in the optical module. This control is implemented via a temperature sensitive feedback or a control input from a microcontroller with a temperature monitor input. The supply voltage is optimized to minimize the voltage required to achieve acceptable performance at a given temperature. Minimizing the supply voltage lengthens the lifetime of the integrated circuit and the optical module. The voltage regulator provides higher than standard supply voltages to a laser diode driver to compensate for higher laser voltage at low temperatures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: ZEPHYR PHOTONICS INC.
    Inventor: Duane Louderback
  • Patent number: 9106045
    Abstract: A long range laser illuminator is disclosed that is suitable for providing illumination for camera systems at ranges up to approximately 20 km. The illuminator incorporates a diverger that allows for a compact, low F-number optical arrangement that improves eye safety by reducing the power density across a primary optical element, such as a spherical or parabolic mirror. The diverger may be located at an end of an optical fiber feed, or between a pair of optical fibers. The diverger may incorporate a diffuser, such as a “top hat” diffuser. The optical fiber feeds may be highly multi mode, to provide for a more even illumination. The illuminator incorporates means for altering a focus of the output light beam, to allow an illuminated spot size to be altered. The illuminator is particularly suitable for use at night, where it may be used alongside a camera system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: QINETIQ LIMITED
    Inventors: Philip Galbraith, David Caradoc Jones
  • Patent number: 9083136
    Abstract: A semiconductor laser light source includes a semiconductor laser block mounted on a stem which is a support base, the semiconductor laser block which is a block has a plurality of surfaces, and a plurality of semiconductor laser chips emit laser light beams of different wavelengths, respectively. Each of the semiconductor laser chips is mounted on each surface of the semiconductor laser block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Yuki Hasegawa, Mitsuaki Futami, Toru Yoshihara
  • Patent number: 9039249
    Abstract: A backlight module includes a laser light source, a light guiding board located at a side of the laser light source, a first lens and a second lens both located at a light path of light beams emitted from the laser light source. The laser light source includes one laser diode or a plurality of laser diodes. The light guiding board includes a light incident face and a light emerging face. The first lens firstly converges and then diverges the light beams emitted from the laser light source. The second lens changes the light beams passed through the first lens to be parallel light beams. The parallel light beams have a larger width than that of the light beams just emitted from the laser light source. The parallel light beams enter the light guiding board via the light incident face of the light guiding board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Po-Chou Chen
  • Publication number: 20150131306
    Abstract: Light diffusing optical fibers and light emitting apparatuses including light diffusing optical fibers are disclosed. In one embodiment, a light emitting apparatus includes a base, a transparent or translucent enclosure affixed to the base, a light diffusing optical fiber including a coiled filament enclosed within the enclosure, and a light source optically coupled to the light diffusing optical fiber. The coiled filament includes a glass core, an outer surface, and a plurality of light scattering structures situated within the coiled filament for scattering light through the outer surface of the coiled filament. The coiled filament has a loss in a range of 0.5 dB/turn to 10.0 dB/turn at a turn radius of less than 50 mm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2013
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Applicant: CORNING INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Michael Lucien Genier, Vineet Tyagi
  • Patent number: 9022580
    Abstract: This invention realizes an illumination optical system with a small etendue that has a longer lifetime and a high degree of brightness. The invention includes: a laser light source that generates excitation light; a phosphor that generates a fluorescent light by means of the excitation light; a light tunnel that projects the excitation light that is incident at one end towards the phosphor from another end, and projects a fluorescent light generated with the phosphor from the one end; and a dichroic mirror that is provided between the laser light source and the light tunnel, and that allows the fluorescent light or the excitation light to pass through, and reflects the remaining excitation or fluorescent light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: NEC Display Solutions, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Saitou, Atsushi Katou, Motoyasu Utsunomiya, Akihiro Osaka, Masateru Matsubara
  • Patent number: 9010965
    Abstract: A system is provided having a multiplexed laser source which combines the outputs of multiple lasers into multiplexed illumination which is then externally modulated to provide output illumination having reduced or zero speckle. Each of the laser sources are turned ON and OFF (gated) in a timed sequence to provide multiplexed illumination having a time-averaged speckle contrast that is lesser than the speckle contrast of the output of any one of the lasers. The output of one or more lasers may also be wavelength multiplexed, where the lasers operate at different wavelengths, and/or polarization multiplexed. An external modulator receives and modulates the multiplexed output in phase and/or modal power distribution to further reduce the speckle in the output of the system. The multiplexed laser source and external modulator can be used as separate apparatuses for reducing speckle in laser illumination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Clear Align LLC
    Inventors: Venkatapuram Sudarshanam, J. Michael Finlan, Peter D. Olszak
  • Publication number: 20150103554
    Abstract: A light source apparatus includes a light conversion unit converting primary light into secondary light. The light conversion unit includes a light conversion member, a holder and a reflection member. The holder includes an incidence portion through which the primary light enters and an exit portion through which at least part of the secondary light exits in a direction crossing an optical axis of the primary light. The light conversion member is arranged on the optical axis of the primary light. Part of the secondary light allowed to exit from the light conversion member in a direction different from a direction toward the exit portion is reflected by the reflection member and exited from the exit portion. The ratio of reentering to the light conversion member is reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2014
    Publication date: April 16, 2015
    Applicant: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuaki Tamura, Masahiro Nishio, Hiroyuki Kamee
  • Publication number: 20150085518
    Abstract: Provided are a projection device and a projection-type video display device capable of displaying a plurality of videos, allowing speckles to be inconspicuous, and miniaturizing an optical system. A projection device includes an optical element including light diffusion elements capable of diffusing light, an irradiation device configured to irradiate the optical element with illumination light beams, each illumination light beam scanning the corresponding light diffusion element, spatial light modulators, each spatial light modulator being illuminated with illumination light beam which is incident from the irradiation device to each light diffusion element to be diffused, and projection optical systems, each projection optical system projecting modulation image obtained on each spatial light modulator on corresponding screen. The illumination light beam, which is incident to each position of each light diffusion element to be diffused, overlappedly illuminates on corresponding spatial light modulator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2014
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Inventors: Makio KURASHIGE, Kazutoshi ISHIDA, Tomoe TAKANOKURA, Yasuyuki OOYAGI
  • Publication number: 20150085516
    Abstract: A laser-operated light source encompasses a chamber for accommodating an ionizable gas and an ignition source for ionizing the gas in the chamber for generating a plasma. The light source furthermore encompasses a laser for inputting laser energy into the plasma such that, under the impact of the laser radiation, the plasma emits useful light, which forms the output signal of the light source, wherein provision is made for means for coupling the useful light into a transferring optical fiber. In the case of the light source according to the invention, at least one mode scrambler is assigned to the optical fiber or the optical fibers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2014
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Inventors: Ekkehard Brune, Dieter Frerking, Thomas Thöniß, Claus Spruch
  • Publication number: 20150088001
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an illumination system for endoscopic applications comprising at least one substantially monochromatic light source having a predefined central wavelength between 400 and 500 nm or between 500 and 550 nm, an optical transmission path adapted to guide light emanating from the light source to an endoscopic region of examination, and an optical band-rejection filter, wherein the illumination system is adapted to illuminate at least a part of the region of examination by generating autofluorescence in surrounding tissue, and the band-rejection filter is adapted to attenuate at least said light source wavelength to a viewer and wherein said light source is the single light source in the illumination system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2012
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Applicant: Technical University of Denmark
    Inventors: Lars Lindvold, Gregers Hermann
  • Publication number: 20150085517
    Abstract: A laser-operated light source encompasses a chamber for accommodating an ionizable gas and an ignition source for ionizing the gas in the chamber for generating a plasma. The light source encompasses a laser for inputting laser energy into the plasma such that, under the impact of the laser radiation, the plasma emits useful light, which forms the output signal of the light source, wherein provision is made for means for coupling the useful light into a transferring optical fiber. An optical system for imaging the plasma onto the end of the optical fiber, which faces the optical system, is arranged between the chamber and the transferring optical fiber, wherein the optical system is corrected for reducing the chromatic aberration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2014
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Inventors: Björn Görtz, Dieter Frerking, Thomas Thöniss, Claus Spruch
  • Publication number: 20150077972
    Abstract: A light emitting device includes a semiconductor laser element configured to emit laser light having a peak wavelength of 460 nm or less; a base body having a through-hole through which the laser light passes from a bottom to a top of the base body; a fluorescent member disposed so as to close the through-hole; and a filter configured to reflect fluorescence from the fluorescent member, the filter being disposed below the fluorescent member at a position above and spaced apart from a plane including a lower end of the through-hole. At least in a portion lower than the filter, an inner surface of the base body defining the through-hole includes an inclination surface that is inclined such that the through-hole expands from a lower part of the through-hole toward an upper part of the through-hole. A reflection layer containing aluminum is formed on the inclination surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2014
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Inventors: Takafumi Sugiyama, Eiichiro Okahisa, Kazutaka Tsukayama, Chiaki Masutomi
  • Patent number: 8982333
    Abstract: An aerial platform comprising a kite providing a level of directional stability when elevated by the wind, and an inflated balloon attached above the kite with a cord. The payload is attached to the kite. The physical separation of the balloon from the kite isolates the payload from shocks generated by the balloon. Additional isolation is provided by use of an elastic attachment cord. Electric power is supplied to the aerial platform by means of an optical fiber receiving optical power from a ground-based source, and conversion of the optical power to electrical power on board the platform. In order to provide a strong tether line, the optical fiber is plaited with a jacket braided from high tensile strength fibers. An aerial laser transmitter is described using a ground based laser source transmitting laser power through an optical fiber to an aerial platform for transmission from the platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Shilat Optronics Ltd.
    Inventors: Avishay Guetta, Yuval Guetta, Rafael Ambar
  • Patent number: 8979338
    Abstract: Embodiments comprise laser emitter devices that generate a collimated beam of light the intensity or amplitude of which may be varied so as to carry data signals at a high rate of efficiency, and that is less sensitive to alignment of the detector, and detector systems for detecting the same collimated beam and reading the data carried in the beam of light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: TriLumina Corp.
    Inventor: John R. Joseph
  • Publication number: 20150062954
    Abstract: A luminary fabric, useful for a variety of applications including signage, has at least one light-diffusing optical fiber woven, knitted, crocheted or otherwise integrated into the fabric. The light-diffusing optical fiber is coupled to at least one light source such as a laser or a light emitting diode. At least one coating is applied over at least a section of the outer surface of the optical fiber along its length. The coating contains at least one luminophore that absorbs energy from the light source and luminesces at a different higher wavelength. Multiple coatings containing one or more luminophores, one or more pigments, and/or one or more dyes may be employed to provide a variety of interesting visual effects.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2013
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Applicant: CORNING INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Carl Edgar Crossland, Vineet Tyagi
  • Publication number: 20150062955
    Abstract: In various embodiments, a lighting device includes at least one laser light source and a light wavelength conversion element. The light wavelength conversion element includes phosphor which is arranged on a surface region of a substrate and is used for wavelength conversion of the light emitted by the at least one laser light source. The light wavelength conversion element has a greater thickness at the edge of the surface region, provided with phosphor, of the substrate than at the surface centroid of the surface region, provided with phosphor, of the substrate. The thickness is respectively measured perpendicularly to the surface region, provided with phosphor, of the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2014
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Inventors: Joerg Sorg, Florian Boesl, Dennis Sprenger
  • Patent number: 8950900
    Abstract: A device and method for providing a laser system utilizing high efficiency lasers emitters and optionally the high quality beam characteristics of a crystal gain medium single mode laser for emitting beamlets and utilizing an optical and mechanical method of forming the beam and directing it to the desired target using both a concave and a partially reflective convex mirror to reflect the beamlets, with the convex mirror transmitting a portion of the beamlets to a transmission medium for emitting the beamlets as a laser beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Inventor: Martin A. Stuart
  • Publication number: 20150036107
    Abstract: Provided is a light source unit that includes: one or more kinds of phosphor; a substrate, on which the one or more kinds of phosphor is applied; a plurality of semiconductor laser elements arrayed at a predetermined interval in a package, wherein each of the semiconductor laser elements emits a laser light beam through a light emission region; and a first optical system that comprises a first lens system, a multiplexing optical member having a light entering surface and a light exiting surface, and a second lens system, wherein the first optical system directs the laser light beams emitted from the respective semiconductor laser elements toward the substrate, the first lens system receives the laser light beams emitted from the respective semiconductor laser elements directly without substantial parallelization of the respective received laser light beams, and condenses the received laser light beams on the light entering surface of the multiplexing optical member, the multiplexing optical member multiplexes
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2014
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Inventors: Seiji NAGAHARA, Takashi Sasamuro, Eiichiro Okahisa
  • Publication number: 20150023048
    Abstract: An apparatus for reducing laser speckle cooperates with a laser light source and comprises a light guide tube and a vibration element coupled on the light guide tube. The light guide tube includes an input member corresponding to the laser light source, an output member far away from the laser light source, and a chamber allowing a laser beam which is emitted by the laser light source to perform total reflection inside. The vibration element is arranged at a region between the input member and the output member to drive the light guide tube to vibrate reciprocally along a direction not parallel to the axis of the light guide tube. The vibration element controls the light guide tube to perform swift, reciprocal and high-frequency vibration to destroy coherence of the laser beam. Thus the laser beam can be output uniformly to avoid laser speckles caused by light interference.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2013
    Publication date: January 22, 2015
    Applicant: NATIONAL YUNLIN UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Chien-Yue CHEN, Qing-Long DENG, Kuan-Yao CHIU
  • Publication number: 20150016140
    Abstract: An illumination device for irradiating objects with electromagnetic radiation is provided. The illumination device includes at least one light guide and a radiation source that emits electromagnetic radiation in the spectral region from 320 nm to 420 nm into the light guide. The light guide is formed of a glass that has a spectral transmittance of at least 70% at 350 nm and is selected from the system of lead-free silicate-tin glasses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2014
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Applicant: Schott AG
    Inventors: Thomas Weingaertner, Lothar Willmes, Bernd Schultheis
  • Publication number: 20150009703
    Abstract: The light emitting device according to the present invention comprises a laser diode; a wavelength converting member which is configured to convert a wavelength of a light emitted from the laser diode; and a support member which is configured to support the wavelength converting member so that the light passes through two surfaces of the wavelength converting member. The wavelength converting member comprises a fluorescent material and a binder. At least one light transmissive member is disposed on at least one of these two surfaces of the wavelength converting member. The binder has a melting point higher than a melting point of the light transmissive member. The light transmissive member is fixed to the support member by fusion bonding.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2014
    Publication date: January 8, 2015
    Inventors: Naoto MORIZUMI, Yukihiro HAYASHI
  • Patent number: 8915602
    Abstract: An optical module includes a casing, a first light output unit that is fixed to the casing and generates a first light signal, a second light output unit that is fixed to the casing while an angle thereof is set to be different from that of the first light output unit and generates a second light signal having a wavelength different from that of the first light signal, a first branching filter that refracts at least any one of the first light signal and the second light signal so that optical axes of the first light signal and the second light signal are partially overlapped, and one isolator that is located at a portion where optical axes of the first light signal and the second light signal are overlapped and performs isolation on the first light signal and the second light signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Atsushi Sugitatsu
  • Publication number: 20140369064
    Abstract: A light-emitting device includes a light-emitting portion that emits fluorescence in response to excitation light incident on a surface of the light-emitting portion, and a reflector that defines a light-emitting region on the surface of the light-emitting portion, the fluorescence being emitted from the light-emitting region. The excitation light has a top-hat energy intensity distribution on the surface of the light-emitting portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2014
    Publication date: December 18, 2014
    Applicant: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomohiro SAKAUE, Koji TAKAHASHI, Yoshiyuki TAKAHIRA, Yosuke MAEMURA
  • Publication number: 20140369065
    Abstract: In a head lamp 1, relative positions of a laser light guide path in a tapered light guide section 20 and a parabolic mirror 5 are fixed. An optical fiber 10 and the tapered light guide section 20 are each provided so as to have a receiving end part where laser light is received and an emitting end part where laser light is emitted. The emitting end part of the optical fiber 10 is located near the receiving end part of the tapered light guide section 20.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2014
    Publication date: December 18, 2014
    Inventors: Kensei TOYOTA, Hiroshi KIJIMA, Koji TAKAHASHI
  • Patent number: 8911113
    Abstract: A laser pointer suitable for a touch display panel is provided. The laser pointer includes a main body, a laser diode and a wave plate. The main body has a containing space. The laser diode is disposed in the containing space and has a light emitting end. The wave plate is disposed on the light emitting end, wherein the laser diode is suitable for emitting a laser beam having linear polarization from the light emitting end, and the wave plate is suitable for transforming the laser beam having linear polarization into a laser beam having circular polarization, such that the laser beam is suitable for being an input signal for the touch display panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Intergrated Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Yang-Hui Chang, Shen-Tai Liaw, Nae-Jye Hwang
  • Patent number: 8911128
    Abstract: A light projection unit is provided that can reduce the production of a portion where the light density is excessively increased on a fluorescent member. This light projection unit includes: a light collection member that includes a light entrance surface and a light emission surface which has an area smaller than that of the light entrance surface; a fluorescent member that includes an application surface to which the laser light emitted from the light collection member is applied and that mainly emits fluorescent light from the application surface; and a light projection member that projects the fluorescent light. The light emission surface of the light collection member is arranged a predetermined distance from the application surface of the fluorescent member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koji Takahashi, Yoshiyuki Takahira, Yosuke Maemura
  • Patent number: 8911093
    Abstract: A light emitting device includes a first layer that generates light by an injection current, the first layer is provided with a first optical waveguide extending from a first light emitting section disposed on a first side surface to a first light reflecting section disposed on a second side surface, a second optical waveguide extending from the first light reflecting section to a second light reflecting section disposed on a third side surface, and a third optical waveguide extending from the second light reflecting section to a second light emitting section disposed on the first side surface, an element of the group II or the group XII is diffused in the first light reflecting section and the second light reflecting section, and a first light emitted from the first light emitting section and a second light emitted from the second light emitting section are emitted in the same direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Masamitsu Mochizuki