Patents Assigned to Coherent, Inc.
  • POLARIZATION MAINTAINING MULTI-PASS IMAGING SYSTEM FOR THIN-DISK AMPLIFIERS AND OSCILLATORS
    Publication number: 20110249698
    Abstract: Multi-pass optical imaging apparatus includes a concave mirror in combination with two retro-reflecting mirror pairs and at least one reflective surface. The mirror, the retro-reflecting minor pairs and the reflecting surface are arranged such that a light-ray input into the apparatus parallel to and spaced apart from the optical axis of the concave mirror and incident on the concave mirror is caused to be incident on the thin-disk gain-medium at least four times, with each of the four incidences on the gain-medium being from a different direction. If the input ray is plane-polarized, the arrangement provides that the polarization orientation of the ray on each incidence on the gain-medium is in the same orientation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2010
    Publication date: October 13, 2011
    Applicant: Coherent, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael HERTWIG, Norman Hodgson
  • Traveling-wave laser having a resonator including a direction-sensitive interferometer for establishing unidirectional circulation
    Patent number: 8000372
    Abstract: A laser includes a traveling-wave ring-resonator in which one resonator mirror is a mirror of an interferometer arranged such that, when the interferometer is operated in an anti-resonant condition, the mirror has a greater effective reflectivity for clockwise circulation of light in the resonator than for anticlockwise circulation of light in the resonator. There is a difference between the clockwise and anticlockwise effective-reflectivity sufficient that lasing in the resonator is possible only in the clockwise direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Coherent, Inc.
    Inventors: R. Russel Austin, Andrea Caprara
  • ARRANGEMENT FOR RF POWER DELIVERY TO A GAS DISCHARGE LASER WITH CASCADED TRANSMISSION LINE SECTIONS
    Publication number: 20110194581
    Abstract: RF power is transmitted to a CO2 gas discharge laser form a source of RF power via a series combination of transmission line sections. The lengths and characteristic impedances of the transmission line sections are selected to transform the impedance of the RF power source to the operating impedance of the laser.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2011
    Publication date: August 11, 2011
    Applicant: Coherent, Inc.
    Inventors: Frederick W. Hauer, Patrick T. Tracy, R. Russel Austin
  • TWO FREQUENCY RESONANTLY EXCITED MEMS MIRROR FOR DIODE-LASER MARKER
    Publication number: 20110188103
    Abstract: Apparatus for marking a bitmap image on tape includes a scanning mirror which is incorporated in a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS). The MEMS is torsionally resonant at two frequencies one being about three time the other. The MEMS is excited to resonance by applying an AC signal to the actuators, causing the mirror to oscillate. The AC signal has components at the two frequencies. The magnitude and phase-relationship of the components can be selected such that the mirror oscillates in an approximation of a triangle-wave.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2011
    Publication date: August 4, 2011
    Applicant: Coherent, Inc.
    Inventor: John H. Jerman
  • Intracavity frequency-converted optically-pumped semiconductor laser with red-light output
    Patent number: 7991026
    Abstract: In a branched resonator OPS-laser arrangement, a combination of intra-cavity optical parametric generation and intra-cavity sum-frequency mixing provides output radiation in a range between about 550 nanometers about 700 nanometers from an OPS fundamental wavelength in a range between about 900 nm and about 1100 nm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Coherent, Inc.
    Inventor: Andrea Caprara
  • CO2 LASER OUTPUT POWER CONTROL DURING WARM-UP
    Publication number: 20110182319
    Abstract: A CO2 gas discharge laser includes a housing enclosing spaced-apart electrodes and a lasing gas. A laser resonator extends between the spaced-apart electrodes. An RF power supply provides RF power for creating a discharge in the lasing gas, causing laser radiation to be delivered by the laser resonator. The power of the output radiation is directly dependent on the RF power provided to the electrodes and inversely dependent of the temperature of the gas discharge. A signal representative of the discharge-temperature is used to adjust the RF power supplied to the electrodes such that the power of the output radiation is about constant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2010
    Publication date: July 28, 2011
    Applicant: Coherent, Inc.
    Inventors: Gongxue HUA, Lanny Laughman
  • DIODE-LASER MARKER WITH ONE-AXIS SCANNING MIRROR MOUNTED ON A TRANSLATABLE CARRIAGE
    Publication number: 20110164104
    Abstract: Apparatus for marking a bitmap image on tape includes a source of a modulatable laser-beam. The beam is directed to an oscillating mirror on a carriage translatable across the width direction of the tape. The oscillating mirror directs the beam to a focusing lens mounted on the carriage. The focusing lens is arranged to focus the beam to a focal-spot on the tape. As the carriage is translated, the focal-spot is swept reciprocally in a wave-like path across the tape. Modulation of the beam is arranged such that pixels of a plurality of rows of the bitmap image are printed in one traverse of the carriage. The tape is advanced incrementally and repeated traverses of the carriage are made to complete printing of the bitmap image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2011
    Publication date: July 7, 2011
    Applicant: Coherent, Inc.
    Inventors: Sergei V. GOVORKOV, John H. Jerman
  • Slab laser with stand-off for ceramic spacers
    Patent number: 7970038
    Abstract: An RF excited gas discharge laser is disclosed including a housing holding the lasing gas. An electrode assembly is mounted within the housing. The electrode assembly includes a pair of elongated planar electrodes mounted in face to face relationship with a narrow gap therebetween. A pair of planar dielectric plates are positioned along the side edges of the gap to seal the discharge region. The plates extend part of the way into the gap from both sides edges of the electrodes. The inner surfaces of the electrodes are provided with an opposed trench in the region surrounding the inner edges of the plates. In this way, the exposure of the inner edges of the plates to the discharge is minimized improving performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: Coherent, Inc.
    Inventors: Christian J. Shackleton, Raul Martin Wong Gutierrez
  • Arrangement for RF power delivery to a gas discharge laser with cascaded transmission line sections
    Patent number: 7970037
    Abstract: RF power is transmitted to a CO2 gas discharge laser form a source of RF power via a series combination of transmission line sections. The lengths and characteristic impedances of the transmission line sections are selected to transform the impedance of the RF power source to the operating impedance of the laser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: Coherent, Inc.
    Inventors: Frederick W. Hauer, Patrick T. Tracy, R. Russel Austin
  • RESONANT PUMPING OF THIN-DISK LASER WITH AN OPTICALLY PUMPED EXTERNAL-CAVITY SURFACE-EMITTING SEMICONDUCTOR LASER
    Publication number: 20110150013
    Abstract: Laser apparatus comprises a solid-state laser-resonator including a thin-disk solid-state gain-medium. The thin-disk gain medium is optically pumped using radiation circulating in an OPS-laser resonator. The solid-state laser-resonator can be a passively mode-locked or actively Q-switched laser-resonator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2009
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Applicant: Coherent, Inc.
    Inventors: Luis A. Spinelli, Andrea Caprara
  • Thermal distortion compensation for laser mirrors
    Patent number: 7965757
    Abstract: A laser mirror assembly is disclosed with improved pointing stability. An elongated mirror includes a concave reflecting portion. A pair of elongated planar portions extend parallel to the concave reflecting portion on either side thereof. The planar portions are stepped down from the reflecting portion. The mirror is formed from copper. A pair of stainless steel strips are connected to planar portions. The bimetallic effect between the copper mirror and the stainless steel strips operates to counteract the warping of the mirror due to differential heating effects which arise during operation. In an alternate embodiment, a pair of aluminum strips are mounted on the rear surface of the mirror.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Assignee: Coherent, Inc.
    Inventors: Leon A. Newman, Vernon A. Seguin, Lanny Laughman, Adrian Papanide
  • Two frequency resonantly excited MEMS mirror for diode-laser marker
    Patent number: 7961370
    Abstract: Apparatus for marking a bitmap image on tape includes a scanning mirror which is incorporated in a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS). The MEMS is torsionally resonant at two frequencies one being about three time the other. The MEMS is excited to resonance by applying an AC signal to the actuators, causing the mirror to oscillate. The AC signal has components at the two frequencies. The magnitude and phase-relationship of the components can be selected such that the mirror oscillates in an approximation of a triangle-wave.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Coherent, Inc.
    Inventor: John H. Jerman
  • BEAM STEERING USING A THERMALLY ANISOTROPIC MEDIUM
    Publication number: 20110128609
    Abstract: Apparatus for steering a beam of radiation includes a thermally anisotropic element configured such that the shape of the optical element can be varied by varying the temperature of the element. The beam is reflected from or transmitted through the element in a manner such that the direction of the beam on leaving the element can be varied by the change of shape resulting from the temperature variation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2009
    Publication date: June 2, 2011
    Applicant: Coherent, Inc.
    Inventors: Christian KANNENGIESSER, Ruediger VON ELM
  • Multicolor diode-laser module
    Patent number: 7952806
    Abstract: A multi-laser module includes two compartments arranged one above the other. The lower compartment includes four lasers and four corresponding beam-steering mirrors arranged to direct corresponding laser beams into the upper compartment. The upper compartment includes a regular pentagonal prism and four other beam-steering mirrors each arranged to receive one of the laser beams and direct that beam to the prism. The beam prism has three dichroic-coated surfaces and two antireflection-coated surfaces. Each of three of the beams enter the prism via a corresponding one of the dichroic-coated surfaces. The fourth beam enters the prism via one of the antireflection coated surfaces, and all of the beams exit the prism via the other antireflection coated surface along a common path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: Coherent, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Warren Callen, R. Russel Austin
  • Diode-laser marker with one-axis scanning mirror mounted on a translatable carriage
    Patent number: 7952603
    Abstract: Apparatus for marking a bitmap image on tape includes a source of a modulatable laser-beam. The beam is directed to an oscillating mirror on a carriage translatable across the width direction of the tape. The oscillating mirror directs the beam to a focusing lens mounted on the carriage. The focusing lens is arranged to focus the beam to a focal-spot on the tape. As the carriage is translated, the focal-spot is swept reciprocally in a wave-like path across the tape. Modulation of the beam is arranged such that pixels of a plurality of rows of the bitmap image are printed in one traverse of the carriage. The tape is advanced incrementally and repeated traverses of the carriage are made to complete printing of the bitmap image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: Coherent, Inc.
    Inventors: Sergei V. Govorkov, John H. Jerman
  • Wide field diode-laser marker with swinging projection-optics
    Patent number: 7952602
    Abstract: Apparatus for laser-marking on tape includes a laser arranged to emit a modulated beam of laser-radiation. Projection-optics are arranged to focus a beam to a spot on the tape. The tape is driven under the focal spot for scanning the beam in the length direction of the tape. The projection-optics are rotated reciprocally to scan the focal spot over the tape in a direction transverse to the length direction of the tape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: Coherent, Inc.
    Inventors: Sergei V. Govorkov, John H. Jerman
  • ACOUSTO-OPTICALLY Q-SWITCHED CO2 LASER
    Publication number: 20110122897
    Abstract: A pulsed CO2 laser is Q-switched by an intracavity acousto-optic (AO) Q-switch including an AO material transparent at a fundamental wavelength of the laser. In one example the AO material is germanium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2011
    Publication date: May 26, 2011
    Applicant: Coherent, Inc.
    Inventors: Vernon A. Seguin, Peter P. Chenausky
  • RF pre-amplifiers and power amplifiers
    Patent number: 7944305
    Abstract: An RF amplifier circuit includes a MOSFET connected to an RF output of the circuit via an impedance matching network including an inductor and a tuning capacitor connected in parallel with the inductor and the MOSFET. DC voltage is applied to the MOSFET via a series path through a radio frequency choke and the inductor of the impedance matching network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: Coherent, Inc.
    Inventors: Howard L. Knickerbocker, Patrick T. Tracy
  • DIGITAL PULSE-WIDTH-MODULATION CONTROL OF A RADIO FREQUENCY POWER SUPPLY FOR PULSED LASER
    Publication number: 20110085575
    Abstract: A pulse width modulation method for controlling the output power of a pulsed gas discharge laser powered by a pulsed RF power supply comprises delivering a train of digital pulses to the RF power supply. Each pulse in the train has an incrementally variable duration. The power supply is arranged to deliver a train of RF pulses corresponding in number and duration to the train of digital pulses received. The average power in the RF-pulse train can be varied by incrementally varying the duration of one or more of the digital pulses in the digital pulse train. The train of RF pulses is used to power a gas discharge laser. The gas discharge laser outputs a pulse train corresponding to the RF pulse train.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2010
    Publication date: April 14, 2011
    Applicant: Coherent, Inc.
    Inventor: David John ALLIE
  • System and method for amplifying an optical pulse and pumping laser therefor
    Patent number: RE42499
    Abstract: An efficient, powerful and reliable system for amplifying optical pulses. Seed-pulses are generated by a seed-pulse source and are transmitted to an optical amplifier for amplification. The power for the amplification is provided by a Q-switched, diode-pumped, intracavity-doubled pump laser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: Coherent, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeremy Weston, William Eugene White, Leigh John Bromley, Frank Godwin Patterson