Short Wavelength Laser Patents (Class 372/5)
  • Patent number: 11940715
    Abstract: A nonlinear wave mixing system with grating assisted phase matching is provided. The system includes a pump laser and a nonlinear waveguide. The pump laser is used to generate pump light at a select wavelength. The nonlinear waveguide is configured to generate produced light from the pump light that is directed into the nonlinear waveguide. The nonlinear waveguide includes at least one backward grating that is configured to diffract the produced light in a backward direction relative to a direction the produced light travels in the nonlinear waveguide to reach the backward grating. The backward grating having a grating momentum that generates counter-propagating phase matching in the produced light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Wade Puckett, Chad Fertig, Matthew Robbins, Jad Salman
  • Patent number: 11829048
    Abstract: A laser beam output apparatus includes a pulsed laser output section, an optical path determining section, a wavelength changing section, and a multiplexer. The pulsed laser output section outputs a laser beam having a predetermined wavelength as first pulses. The optical path determining section receives the first pulses and determines one among a plurality of optical paths for each of the first pulses for output. The wavelength changing section receives light beams traveling, respectively, through the plurality of optical paths and changes the light beams to have their respective different wavelengths for output. The multiplexer multiplexes outputs from the wavelength changing section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: ADVANTEST CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takao Sakurai, Shin Masuda, Tomoki Joichi, Masao Fujino
  • Patent number: 11650508
    Abstract: A system for controlling plasma position in extreme ultraviolet lithography light sources may include a vacuum chamber, a droplet generator to dispense a stream of droplets into the vacuum chamber, wherein the droplets are formed from a metal material, a laser light source to fire a plurality of laser pulses, including at least a first pulse and a second pulse, into the vacuum chamber, a sensor to detect an observed plasma position within the chamber, wherein the observed plasma position comprises a position at which the plurality of laser pulses vaporizes a droplet of the stream of droplets to produce a plasma that emits extreme ultraviolet radiation, and a first feedback loop connecting the sensor to the laser light source, wherein the first feedback loop adjusts a time delay between the first and second pulses to minimize a difference between the observed plasma position and a target plasma position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ssu-Yu Chen, Hsin-Feng Chen, Chi Yang, Li-Jui Chen
  • Patent number: 11504803
    Abstract: A laser processing apparatus includes a light source which outputs a laser light, and a waveform control unit which controls a pulse waveform of the laser light irradiating the workpiece, in which the pulse waveform of the laser light controlled by the waveform control unit includes a main pulse and a foot pulse temporally preceding the main pulse, and a peak intensity of the foot pulse is smaller than a peak intensity of the main pulse, and a peak position of the main pulse is positioned in a retention time period of plasma generated due to an incidence of the foot pulse on the workpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K
    Inventors: Yoshio Mizuta, Takashi Kurita, Takeshi Watari, Yuki Kabeya, Norio Kurita, Toshiyuki Kawashima
  • Patent number: 11397149
    Abstract: A laser radar system apparatus for the multi-wavelength measurement of the atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration and a vertical aerosol profile, including: a laser transmitting unit; a dual-pulse laser capable of simultaneously transmitting laser having three wavelengths, i.e., 1572 nm, 1064 nm, and 532 nm; a transmitting beam expander; a receiving telescope system; a visual axis monitoring module; a photoelectric detection unit; and a data acquisition and processing unit. The laser that simultaneously outputs laser having three wavelengths is used in a laser radar system, and an optical differential absorption method and a high spectral resolution detection method are used, such that the atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration and the vertical aerosol profile can be measured simultaneously and high-precision aerosol monitoring is implemented during the high-precision obtaining of the concentration of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: SHANGHAI INSTITUTE OF OPTICS AND FINE MECHANICS, CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
    Inventors: Weibiao Chen, Yadan Zhu, Jiqiao Liu, Xia Hou, Xiaolei Zhu, Xiuhua Ma, Huaguo Zang, Rui Li
  • Patent number: 11351393
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus (1) for use in irradiation therapy, comprising an ionization module (2) adapted to emit ionization irradiation, and a power source (4) and a control unit (5) to provide a user interface. The apparatus is characterized in that the apparatus comprises an UV module (3) adapted to emit UVA, UVB and/or UVC irradiation (9), whereby the ionization module and the UV module emit irradiation simultaneously or alternately, and the ionization module emits irradiation (8) at a wave length at least below 100 nm. The invention also relates to a use of the apparatus for radiating an object (7) and use of the apparatus and method for treatment of a mammal (7). A detector may measure and/or create an image of the irradiation (6).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Inventor: Gustav Nicolas Feldreich
  • Patent number: 11340158
    Abstract: A system is provided for detecting non-metallic, non-aqueous substances in an aqueous sample, comprising a transmitter section, which emits electromagnetic radiation in the terahertz range towards the sample, a receiver section, which detects radiation components of said electromagnetic radiation which are modified by the sample and/or the substances therein and an evaluation section, which evaluates radiation components which are detected by the receiver section in order to establish whether non-metallic, non-aqueous substances are present or not in the aqueous sample, a transition of the aqueous sample from the liquid aggregate state into the solid aggregate state or vice versa taking place, radiation components which are modified respectively, for a plurality of different states of the aqueous sample, during this transition being detected by means of the receiver section, and the radiation components thus detected being evaluated by means of the evaluation section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: FRAUNHOFER-GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FÖRDERUNG DER ANGEWANDTEN FORSCHUNG E.V.
    Inventors: Johannes Meyer, Robin Gruna, Dirk Nüssler, Thomas Längle
  • Patent number: 11333620
    Abstract: A high-pass x-ray filter device is disclosed that includes a substrate defining an elongated opening. A reflecting membrane is positioned across the opening and supported, along all sides, by the substrate. The reflecting membrane is configured to transmit, from an incident x-ray beam, x-ray photons having an energy above about a threshold energy level and reflects, from the incident x-ray beam, x-ray photons having an energy below about the threshold energy level. The elongated opening of the substrate defines an exit path for the transmitted x-ray beam. A high-pass x-ray filter system including the high-pass filter device and a method of fabrication of the high-pass filter device are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: CORNELL UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: David N. Agyeman-Budu, Joel D. Brock, Arthur R. Woll
  • Patent number: 11226536
    Abstract: A wavelength conversion system including: A. a first nonlinear optical crystal to which first pulsed laser light having a first polarization state and a first wavelength and second pulsed laser light having a second polarization state and a second wavelength are inputted and which is configured to output in response to the input the second pulsed laser light and first sum frequency light having the second polarization state and a third wavelength produced by sum frequency mixing of the first wavelength with the second wavelength; and B. a second nonlinear optical crystal to which the first sum frequency light and the second pulsed laser light outputted from the first nonlinear optical crystal are inputted and which is configured to output in response to the input third pulsed laser light having a fourth wavelength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignees: Gigaphoton Inc., The University of Tokyo
    Inventors: Chen Qu, Yohei Kobayashi, Zhigang Zhao, Hironori Igarashi
  • Patent number: 10983003
    Abstract: We disclose an on-chip photonic spectroscopy system capable of dramatically improving the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), dynamic range, and reconstruction quality of Fourier transform spectrometers. Secondly, we disclose a system of components that makes up a complete on-chip RF spectrum analyzer with low-cost and high-performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Derek Kita, Carlos Andres Rios Ocampo, Juejun Hu
  • Patent number: 10818467
    Abstract: According to some aspects, a monochromatic x-ray source is provided. The monochromatic x-ray source comprises an electron source configured to generate electrons, a primary target arranged to receive electrons from the electron source to produce broadband x-ray radiation in response to electrons impinging on the primary target, and a secondary target comprising at least one layer of material capable of producing monochromatic x-ray radiation in response to incident broadband x-ray radiation emitted by the primary target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: Imagine Scientific, Inc.
    Inventor: Eric H. Silver
  • Patent number: 10714327
    Abstract: A system for pumping laser sustained plasma and enhancing one or more selected wavelengths of output illumination generated by the laser sustained plasma is disclosed. In embodiments, the system includes one or more pump modules configured to generate pump illumination for the laser sustained plasma and one or more enhancing illumination sources configured to generate enhancing illumination at one or more selected wavelengths. The pump illumination may be directed along one or more pump illumination paths that are non-collinear to an output illumination path of the output illumination. The enhancing illumination may be directed along an illumination path that is collinear to the output illumination path of the output illumination so that the enhancing illumination is combined with the output illumination, thereby enhancing the output illumination at the one or more selected wavelengths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: KLA-Tencor Corporation
    Inventors: Ilya Bezel, Anatoly Shchemelinin, Eugene Shifrin, Matthew Derstine
  • Patent number: 10630037
    Abstract: Disclosed is a high harmonic generation (HHG) radiation source which may be used to generate measurement radiation for an inspection apparatus. In such a radiation source, a pump radiation source is operable to emit pump radiation at a high harmonic generation gas medium thereby exciting the high harmonic generation gas medium within a pump radiation interaction region so as to generate the high harmonic radiation and an ionization radiation source is operable to emit ionization radiation at the high harmonic generation gas medium to ionize a gas at an ionization region between the pump radiation interaction region and an optical output of the illumination source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Sudhir Srivastava, Sander Bas Roobol, Simon Gijsbert Josephus Mathijssen, Nan Lin, Sjoerd Nicolaas Lambertus Donders, Krijn Frederik Bustraan, Petrus Wilhelmus Smorenburg, Gerrit Jacobus Hendrik Brussaard
  • Patent number: 10607829
    Abstract: Transition radiation from nanotubes, nanosheets, and nanoparticles and in particular, boron nitride nanomaterials, can be utilized for the generation of light. Wavelengths of light of interest for microchip lithography, including 13.5 nm (91.8 eV) and 6.7 nm (185 eV), can be generated at useful intensities, by transition radiation light sources. Light useful for monitoring relativistic charged particle beam characteristics such as spatial distribution and intensity can be generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: BNNT, LLC
    Inventors: Kevin C. Jordan, Thomas G. Dushatinski, Michael W. Smith, Jonathan C. Stevens, R. Roy Whitney
  • Patent number: 10079469
    Abstract: A controllable laser amplifier apparatus includes a gain medium and a seed laser emitter configured to generate a seed laser beam, the seed laser emitter directed toward the gain medium. The apparatus has at least two pump laser emitters configured to generate respective pump laser beams, wherein the pump laser emitters are adjustable such that respective intensities of the pump laser beams are adjustable relative to one another and/or relative to the seed laser pump, wherein the pump laser emitters are arranged such that at least one of the pump laser beams is laterally offset relative to the seed laser beam, and wherein the pump laser beams are configured to effect a gain profile in the gain medium. An output laser beam from the gain medium is a function of at least the gain profile and the seed laser beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Assignee: CSIR
    Inventors: Ihar Anatolievich Litvin, Gary Rees King
  • Patent number: 9952454
    Abstract: Optical devices that include one or more structures fabricated from polar-dielectric materials that exhibit surface phonon polaritons (SPhPs), where the SPhPs alter the optical properties of the structure. The optical properties lent to these structures by the SPhPs are altered by introducing charge carriers directly into the structures. The carriers can be introduced into these structures, and the carrier concentration thereby controlled, through optical pumping or the application of an appropriate electrical bias.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: James Peter Long, Joshua D. Caldwell, Jeffrey C. Owrutsky, Orest J. Glembocki
  • Patent number: 9690165
    Abstract: According to a first aspect, the invention relates to a generator of at least three coherent laser beams at least one beam of which is in the infrared domain and at least one beam of which is in the visible domain, comprising: an elementary source for emitting a first continuous-wave laser beam, at a first given infrared wavelength; a nonlinear crystal frequency doubler, allowing, from a first beam sampled from the first laser beam at the first wavelength, a second laser beam to be generated at a second wavelength; and a nonlinear crystal sum frequency generator, allowing, from a second beam sampled from the first laser beam at the first wavelength and from the second laser beam at the second wavelength, a third laser beam to be generated at a third wavelength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignees: CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE-CNRS, Observatoire De Paris
    Inventors: Mohand Ouali Acef, Frédéric Du Burck, Noël Dimarcq
  • Patent number: 9644826
    Abstract: A lighting device for a gun, which is preferably a small revolver having a total length of less than 6?, is positioned in a grip (or handle portion) of the gun and includes a mirror to redirect the light beam along the side or top of the gun and preferably parallel to the axis of the gun barrel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Inventor: Larry E. Moore
  • Patent number: 9632419
    Abstract: A radiation source having a fuel stream generator (110) that generates and directs a fuel stream (102) along a trajectory towards a plasma formation location (104). A pre-pulse laser radiation assembly directs a first beam of laser radiation (100) at the fuel stream at the plasma formation location to generate a modified fuel target (106). A main pulse laser radiation assembly directs a second beam of laser radiation (108) at the modified fuel target at the plasma formation location to generate a radiation generating plasma (117). A collector (122) collects the radiation and directs it along an optical axis (105) of the radiation source. The first beam of laser radiation being directed toward the fuel stream substantially along the optical axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Jan Bernard Plechelmus Van Schoot, Vadim Yevgenyevich Banine, Olav Waldemar Vladimir Frijns, Hermanus Kreuwel, Johannes Hubertus Josephina Moors, Uwe Bruno Heini Stamm, Gerardus Hubertus Petrus Maria Swinkels, Ivo Vanderhallen, Andrei Mikhailovich Yakunin
  • Patent number: 9634459
    Abstract: A laser system including a laser cavity, a gain medium disposed in the laser cavity, a pump configured to excite an atom of the gain medium to an excited state, an optical device configured to couple a ground state of the atom of the gain medium to the excited state by applying an optical field to the gain medium, and a microwave device configured to couple the ground state of the atom of the gain medium to a different ground state by applying a microwave field to the gain medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: COMSATS Institute of Information Technology
    Inventor: Fazal Ghafoor
  • Patent number: 9318869
    Abstract: A laser for generating an output wavelength of approximately 193.4 nm includes a fundamental laser, an optical parametric generator, a fourth harmonic generator, and a frequency mixing module. The optical parametric generator, which is coupled to the fundamental laser, can generate a down-converted signal. The fourth harmonic generator, which may be coupled to the optical parametric generator or the fundamental laser, can generate a fourth harmonic. The frequency mixing module, which is coupled to the optical parametric generator and the fourth harmonic generator, can generate a laser output at a frequency equal to a sum of the fourth harmonic and twice a frequency of the down-converted signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: KLA-Tencor Corporation
    Inventors: Yung-Ho Chuang, J. Joseph Armstrong, Vladimir Dribinski, Yujun Deng, John Fielden
  • Patent number: 9268151
    Abstract: Extremely ultrashort and short-wave light pulses are generated with the aid of the traveling-wave Thomson scattering process. Dispersive elements are arranged between an electron, particle, or radiation source, which is synchronized with a laser system, and an optical element that focuses in a direction. The device is used to superpose a pulse-front tilted light pulse of high power with an ultrashort pulse of relativistic electrons in a laser-line focus. By varying the laser pulse-front tilt, narrow-band radiation pulses in a wide wavelength range from EUV to X-ray wavelengths and having a high number of protons are obtained, and the bandwidth and coherence properties can also be modified. The system can be used, among other things, in EUV lithography, in the planning and optimal design of laser systems and electron sources, in material analysis by phase contrast imaging, and in superconductor research. The assembly is smaller and cheaper than current comparables.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf e.V.
    Inventors: Alexander Debus, Michael Bussmann
  • Patent number: 9232621
    Abstract: A light source device irradiates a material with a first beam, and directs a second beam toward a first position on the material, which is irradiated with the first beam. An alignment mechanism includes an optical unit to allow the first beam to pass therethrough, and to reflect the second beam and direct the second beam in a same direction as the first beam. The alignment mechanism also includes a mirror to reflect the second beam, a beam detecting unit, and a branching unit to receive the first beam which has passed the optical unit and the second beam which is reflected by the optical unit. The mirror adjusts an incident position of the second beam on the optical unit. The branching unit adjusts the first position of the first beam on the material and a second position of the second beam on the material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: USHIO DENKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yuta Taniguchi
  • Patent number: 9189744
    Abstract: The present invention provides devices, methods, and systems for coupling a rational agent to a quantum process. In particular, the present invention provides rational agents configured to influence a quantum process, or to derive information from a quantum process, and methods and uses thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: Mind Over Matter AI, LLC.
    Inventor: Michael Levin
  • Patent number: 9093754
    Abstract: An antenna includes a radiator and a reflector and has a radiation pattern that is based at least in part on a separation distance between the radiator and the reflector. The antenna includes a linkage configured to adjust the separation distance based at least in part on the altitude of the antenna. The resulting radiation pattern can be dynamically adjusted based on altitude of the antenna such that, while the antenna is aloft and the antenna is ground-facing, variations in geographic boundaries and intensity of the radiation received at ground level are at least partially compensated for by the dynamic adjustments to the radiation pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Cyrus Behroozi, Eric Teller, Richard Wayne DeVaul
  • Patent number: 9048000
    Abstract: An apparatus for producing light includes a chamber and an ignition source that ionizes a gas within the chamber. The apparatus also includes at least one laser that provides energy to the ionized gas within the chamber to produce a high brightness light. The laser can provide a substantially continuous amount of energy to the ionized gas to generate a substantially continuous high brightness light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: Energetiq Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Donald K. Smith
  • Patent number: 9025624
    Abstract: A beam generator for an aerial image generating apparatus includes a laser source for emitting a laser beam and a short wavelength beam source for generating a short wavelength beam by processing the laser beam such that the short wavelength beam is coherent with and has a wavelength shorter than that of the laser beam. A spectral unit includes a quartz plate and a spectral layer coated on a surface of the quartz plate. The spectral layer has a Brewster's angle greater than 70° with respect to the laser beam such that the short wavelength beam is reflected from the spectral unit without the laser beam, increasing the reflectivity of the shortwave beam while decreasing the reflectivity and absorptivity of the laser beam in the spectral unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Dong-Gun Lee, Seong-Sue Kim, Hwan-Seok Seo
  • Publication number: 20150071313
    Abstract: Disclosed is a laser wavelength conversion apparatus. The apparatus includes a focusing lens formed of birefringent material and configured to have same refractive index for an infrared laser beam and a green laser beam having different polarization direction and focus the infrared laser beam and the green laser beam without chromatic aberration, and a sum frequency generator configured to combine the infrared laser beam and the green laser beams focused by the focusing lens to generate an ultraviolet laser beam. The apparatus of the present invention can solve a problem due to chromatic aberration of the focusing lens, thereby improving wavelength conversion efficiency and beam quality.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2014
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Inventors: Changsoo JUNG, Young-Chul NOH, Bong-Ahn YU, Woo Jin SHIN, Yeung Lak LEE
  • Patent number: 8969752
    Abstract: The present invention provides a laser processing method comprising the steps of attaching a protective tape 25 to a front face 3 of a wafer 1a, irradiating a substrate 15 with laser light L while employing a rear face of the wafer 1a as a laser light entrance surface and locating a light-converging point P within the substrate 15 so as to form a molten processed region 13 due to multiphoton absorption, causing the molten processed region 13 to form a cutting start region 8 inside by a predetermined distance from the laser light entrance surface along a line 5 along which the object is intended to be cut in the wafer 1a, attaching an expandable tape 23 to the rear face 21 of the wafer 1a, and expanding the expandable tape 23 so as to separate a plurality of chip parts 24 produced upon cutting the wafer 1a from the cutting start region 8 acting as a start point from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Hamamatsu Photonics K.K.
    Inventors: Kenshi Fukumitsu, Fumitsugu Fukuyo, Naoki Uchiyama
  • Patent number: 8964796
    Abstract: A semiconductor light emitting device includes a light guiding structure, a light emitting layer disposed within the light guiding structure, and a structure for discharging excess electric charge within the device. The device may be excited by an electron beam, as opposed to an optical beam, to create electron-hole pairs. The light emitting layer is configured for light generation without requiring a p-n junction, and is therefore not embedded within nor part of a p-n junction. Doping with p-type species is obviated, reducing device loss and permitting operation at a short wavelengths, such as below 300 nm. Various structures, such as a top-side cladding layer, are disclosed for discharging beam-induced charge. A single device may be operated with multiple electron beam pumps, either to enable a relatively thick active layer or to drive multiple separate active layers. Cooperatively curved end facets accommodate for possible off-axis resonance within the active region(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated
    Inventors: Thomas Wunderer, John E. Northrup, Mark R. Teepe, Zhihong Yang, Christopher L. Chua, Noble M. Johnson
  • Patent number: 8929406
    Abstract: A laser for generating an output wavelength of approximately 193.4 nm includes a fundamental laser, an optical parametric generator, a fourth harmonic generator, and a frequency mixing module. The optical parametric generator, which is coupled to the fundamental laser, can generate a down-converted signal. The fourth harmonic generator, which may be coupled to the optical parametric generator or the fundamental laser, can generate a fourth harmonic. The frequency mixing module, which is coupled to the optical parametric generator and the fourth harmonic generator, can generate a laser output at a frequency equal to a sum of the fourth harmonic and twice a frequency of the down-converted signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: KLA-Tencor Corporation
    Inventors: Yung-Ho Chuang, J. Joseph Armstrong, Vladimir Dribinski, Yujun Deng, John Fielden
  • Patent number: 8929410
    Abstract: An ultraviolet laser device comprises a laser beam output unit that outputs infra-red laser beams, and a wavelength conversion unit that wavelength converts the infra-red laser beams. The laser beam output unit comprises a first laser beam output unit that outputs a first infra-red laser beam whose wavelength is 1900-2000 nm, and a second laser beam output unit that outputs a second infra-red laser beam whose wavelength is 1000-1100 nm. The wavelength conversion unit comprises a first element series that the first infra-red light beam is incident upon and propagated through, and a second element series that the laser light propagated through the first element series and the second infra-red laser beam are incident upon, combined in, and propagated through, and constructed so that ultraviolet laser light is outputted, due to the first and second infra-red laser beams being wavelength converted by optical wavelength conversion elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshinori Oshita, Akira Tokuhisa
  • Publication number: 20140369367
    Abstract: A semiconductor light emitting device includes a light guiding structure, a light emitting layer disposed within the light guiding structure, and a structure for discharging excess electric charge within the device. The device may be excited by an electron beam, as opposed to an optical beam, to create electron-hole pairs. The light emitting layer is configured for light generation without requiring a p-n junction, and is therefore not embedded within nor part of a p-n junction. Doping with p-type species is obviated, reducing device loss and permitting operation at a short wavelengths, such as below 300 nm. Various structures, such as a top-side cladding layer, are disclosed for discharging beam-induced charge. A single device may be operated with multiple electron beam pumps, either to enable a relatively thick active layer or to drive multiple separate active layers. Cooperatively curved end facets accommodate for possible off-axis resonance within the active region(s).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2013
    Publication date: December 18, 2014
    Applicant: PALO ALTO RESEARCH CENTER INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Thomas Wunderer, John E. Northrup, Mark R. Teepe, Zhihong Yang, Christopher L. Chua, Noble M. Johnson
  • Patent number: 8817827
    Abstract: Laser master oscillator-power amplifier system for generating high pulse energy, high average power laser pulses in the ultraviolet 191.25-201.25 nm and 243-246.25 nm spectral ranges, and in the visible 450-537.5 nm spectral range with controllable pulse duration and pulse repetition rate employ a master oscillator seed laser operating in the infra-red spectral range, and a single series connected chain of hybrid fiber-bulk optical amplifiers coupled to a non-linear frequency conversion unit to convert the laser pulses to the ultraviolet and visible spectral ranges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Veralas, Inc.
    Inventor: Valeri V. Ter-Mikirtychev
  • Patent number: 8792522
    Abstract: The invention can be used for setting up high energy and high average power soft x-ray laser equipments. The apparatus of the present invention is provided with a capillary discharge, wherein the spark gap (3) is disposed in water and breakdown of the spark gap (3) is triggered and synchronized by a laser source (16). In order to complete the synchronizing step the apparatus comprises a transformer (12) for monitoring and controlling the decrease of the charging current of the generator, preferably a Marx generator (7), and a triggering circuit (14). The time dependent control of the laser source (16) generating the breakdown of the spark gap (3) is achieved by the triggering circuit (14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Pécsi Tudományegyetem
    Inventors: Gábor Almási, Mátyás Kiss, Szergej Kuhlevszkij, Imre Sánta, Sándor Szatmári, János Szász
  • Publication number: 20140204963
    Abstract: A laser for generating an output wavelength of approximately 193.4 nm includes a fundamental laser, an optical parametric generator, a fourth harmonic generator, and a frequency mixing module. The optical parametric generator, which is coupled to the fundamental laser, can generate a down-converted signal. The fourth harmonic generator, which may be coupled to the optical parametric generator or the fundamental laser, can generate a fourth harmonic. The frequency mixing module, which is coupled to the optical parametric generator and the fourth harmonic generator, can generate a laser output at a frequency equal to a sum of the fourth harmonic and twice a frequency of the down-converted signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2014
    Publication date: July 24, 2014
    Applicant: KLA-Tencor Corporation
    Inventors: Yung-Ho Chuang, J. Joseph Armstrong, Vladimir Dribinski, Yujun Deng, John Fielden
  • Patent number: 8774236
    Abstract: Laser master oscillator—power amplifier system for generating high pulse energy, high average power laser pulses in the ultraviolet 191.25-201.25 nm and 243-246.25 nm spectral ranges, and in the visible 450-537.5 nm spectral range with controllable pulse duration and pulse repetition rate employ a master oscillator seed laser operating in the infra-red spectral range, and a single series connected chain of hybrid fiber—bulk crystalline amplifiers coupled to a non-linear frequency conversion unit to convert the laser pulses to the ultraviolet and visible spectral ranges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Veralas, Inc.
    Inventor: Valeri V. Ter-Mikirtychev
  • Patent number: 8665923
    Abstract: A laser pulse from an ultrashort pulse laser (USPL) is fired into the atmosphere. The USPL pulse is configured to generate a plasma filament at a predefined target in the atmosphere, in which free, or “seed,” electrons are generated by multi-photon or tunneling ionization of the air molecules in the filament. A second pulse is fired into the atmosphere to form a heater beam that impinges on the plasma filament and thermalizes the seed electrons within the plasma filament, leading to the collisional excitation of the electrons in the filament. The excited electrons collisionally excite various electronic and vibrational states of the air molecules in the filament, causing population inversions and lasing, e.g., exciting the C3?u?B3?g(v=0?0) transition of the N2 in the atmosphere to cause lasing at 337 nm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Phillip A. Sprangle, Joseph R. Penano, Marlan O. Scully, Daniel F. Gordon, Bahman Hafizi
  • Patent number: 8649086
    Abstract: An enhancement cavity includes a plurality of focusing mirrors, at least one of which defines a central aperture having a diameter greater than 1 mm. The mirrors are configured to form an optical pathway for closed reflection and transmission of the optical pulse within the enhancement cavity. Ring-shaped optical pulses having a peak intensity at a radius greater than 0.5 mm from a central axis are directed into the enhancement cavity. Accordingly, the peak intensity of the optical pulse is distributed so as to circumscribe the central apertures in the apertured mirrors, and the mirrors are structured to focus the pulse about the aperture toward a central spot area where the pulse is focused to a high intensity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Franz X. Kartner, Gilberto Abram, William P. Putnam, Shu-Wei Huang, Edilson L. Falcao-Filho
  • Publication number: 20140010245
    Abstract: A light generation and emission system and method is disclosed. A light generator generates light from a diode at a wavelength between 300 nm and 490 nm. A light beam forming subsystem forms the light to a directional light beam, and a controller that controls and directs the directional light beam to a target. The light generator can be suitably used for aiming, target acquisition, communication, identification, scanning, surveying, tracking, ignition and weapons operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2013
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Inventors: Jonathan Kiva Flaster, Adam Daniel Flaster
  • Publication number: 20130343410
    Abstract: An ultraviolet laser device comprises a laser beam output unit that outputs infra-red laser beams, and a wavelength conversion unit that wavelength converts the infra-red laser beams. The laser beam output unit comprises a first laser beam output unit that outputs a first infra-red laser beam whose wavelength is 1900-2000 nm, and a second laser beam output unit that outputs a second infra-red laser beam whose wavelength is 1000-1100 nm. The wavelength conversion unit comprises a first element series that the first infra-red light beam is incident upon and propagated through, and a second element series that the laser light propagated through the first element series and the second infra-red laser beam are incident upon, combined in, and propagated through, and constructed so that ultraviolet laser light is outputted, due to the first and second infra-red laser beams being wavelength converted by optical wavelength conversion elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2012
    Publication date: December 26, 2013
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshinori Oshita, Akira Tokuhisa
  • Patent number: 8592236
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing an optically pumped surface-emitting semiconductor laser device, wherein a surface-emitting semiconductor laser layer sequence having a quantum confinement structure is applied onto a common substrate. The surface-emitting semiconductor laser layer sequence outside an intended laser region is removed and a region is exposed. An edge-emitting semiconductor layer sequence is applied onto the exposed region over the common substrate, wherein the exposed region is exposed via the removing step, and the exposed region is suitable for transmitting pump radiation into the quantum confinement structure. A current injection path is then formed in the edge-emitting semiconductor layer sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: OSRAM GmbH
    Inventors: Tony Albrecht, Norbert Linder, Johann Luft
  • Publication number: 20130301662
    Abstract: An economical slab laser for high power applications. The laser is a lamp driven slab design with face-to-face beam propagation and an end reflection that redirects the amplified radiation back out the input surface. Also presented is a side-to-side larger amplifier configuration, permitting very high average and peak powers due to the electrical efficiency of converting and getting energy into the crystal, optical extraction efficiency, and scalability of device architecture. Cavity filters adjacent to pump lamps convert the unusable UV portion of the pump lamp spectrum into light in the absorption band of the slab laser thereby increasing the overall pump efficiency. The angle of the end reflecting surface is changed to cause the exit beam to be at a different angle than the inlet beam, thereby eliminating the need to separate the beams external to the laser with the subsequent loss of power.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2012
    Publication date: November 14, 2013
    Inventors: Martin A. Stuart, Stephen L. Cunningham
  • Publication number: 20130279526
    Abstract: A laser apparatus may include a first laser light source configured to emit light with a first wavelength, a second laser light source including a titanium-sapphire laser device and a plurality of wavelength conversion elements and being configured to emit light with a second wavelength being one-fourth of a wavelength of light emitted from the titanium-sapphire laser device, and a wavelength conversion element configured in such a manner that the light with the first wavelength and the light with the second wavelength are incident thereon to emit light with a wavelength of about 193 nm corresponding to a sub frequency of the light with the first wavelength and the light with the second wavelength.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2013
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Applicant: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Kouji KAKIZAKI, Takashi Onose, Shinji Ito
  • Publication number: 20130215913
    Abstract: The invention can be used for setting up high energy and high average power soft x-ray laser equipments. The apparatus of the present invention is provided with a capillary discharge, wherein the spark gap (3) is disposed in water and breakdown of the spark gap (3) is triggered and synchronized by a laser source (16). In order to complete the synchronizing step the apparatus comprises a transformer (12) for monitoring and controlling the decrease of the charging current of the generator, preferably a Marx generator (7), and a triggering circuit (14). The time dependent control of the laser source (16) generating the breakdown of the spark gap (3) is achieved by the triggering circuit (14).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2011
    Publication date: August 22, 2013
    Inventors: Gábor Almási, Mátyás Kiss, Szergej Kuhlevszkij, Imre Sánta, Sándor Szatmári, János Szász
  • Patent number: 8488639
    Abstract: Apparatus, systems, and methods having a frequency comb of large spacing can be used in a variety of applications. In various embodiments, a frequency comb is generated from a slave laser by injecting an optical output from a drive laser into the slave laser. One or more parameters of the drive laser and/or the slave laser can be adjusted such that a frequency comb can be generated at a multiple of the repetition rate of the drive laser. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: STC.UNM
    Inventors: Jean-Claude Diels, Ladan Arissian
  • Publication number: 20130170508
    Abstract: the wavelength detector includes a diffusion element that diffuses the laser beam; a light collection optical system provided downstream from the diffusion element; a member, including an aperture, provided downstream from the light collection optical system; a discharge tube that is provided downstream from the member and that includes a cylindrical anode and a cylindrical cathode that each have a through-hole formed therein, and that is configured so that an electrical property between the anode and the cathode changes due to an opto-galvanic effect when a laser beam having a predetermined wavelength passes through the through-hole of the cathode in a state in which a DC voltage is applied to the anode; and a high-voltage DC power source. The discharge tube is disposed so that the laser beam that passes through the aperture passes through the through-hole of the cathode of the discharge tube without directly irradiating the cathode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2012
    Publication date: July 4, 2013
    Applicant: Gigaphoton Inc
    Inventors: Toru SUZUKI, Shinichi Matsumoto
  • Publication number: 20130170509
    Abstract: An ultraviolet laser device equips a laser beam output unit that includes first, second and third amplifiers that output first through third infrared laser beams, and first through third optical systems into which the first through third infrared laser beams through which the first through third infrared laser beams are propagated. A wavelength conversion unit includes a fourth optical system into which the combined first through third laser beams are incident through which they are propagated. The first optical system wavelength converts and generates the first infrared laser beam to a predetermined harmonic wave as the first laser beam, the fourth optical system includes a first wavelength conversion element that generates an earlier stage ultraviolet laser beam between the predetermined harmonic wave and the second laser beam, and the second wavelength conversion element generates an ultraviolet laser beam between the earlier stage ultraviolet laser beam and the third laser beam.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2011
    Publication date: July 4, 2013
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Akira Tokuhisa
  • Publication number: 20130077086
    Abstract: An improved solid-state laser for generating 193 nm light is described. This laser uses the 6th harmonic of a fundamental wavelength near 1160 nm to generate the 193 nm light. The laser mixes the 1160 nm fundamental wavelength with the 5th harmonic, which is at a wavelength of approximately 232 nm. By proper selection of non-linear media, such mixing can be achieved by nearly non-critical phase matching. This mixing results in high conversion efficiency, good stability, and high reliability.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2012
    Publication date: March 28, 2013
    Applicant: KLA-Tencor Corporation
    Inventors: Yung-Ho Chuang, Vladimir Dribinski, J. Joseph Armstrong
  • Publication number: 20130051515
    Abstract: A craser device, imaging system utilizing a craser device, and a method of imaging. The craser device includes a gain medium with excited gain medium atoms that emit x-ray and/or gamma-ray photons, a transmission medium abutting the gain medium, and a reflecting mirror comprising one or more lower refractive index layers and abutting the transmission medium. The transmission medium has a higher refractive index than the gain medium and at least one of the materials in the reflecting mirror. The x-ray and/or gamma-ray photons are confined to the transmission medium via total internal reflection and interact multiple times with the excited gain medium atoms through evanescent waves producing amplified stimulated emission leading to formation of a high intensity incoherent or coherent x-ray and/or gamma-ray beam.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2011
    Publication date: February 28, 2013
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventor: Susanne Madeline Lee