Patents Assigned to Coherent, Inc.
  • OPTICAL PUMPING OF A SOLID-STATE GAIN-MEDIUM USING A DIODE-LASER BAR STACK WITH INDIVIDUALLY ADDRESSABLE BARS
    Publication number: 20130148679
    Abstract: A diode-laser bar stack includes a plurality of diode-laser bars having different temperature dependent peak-emission wavelengths. The stack is arranged such that the bars can be separately powered. This allows one or more of the bars to be “on” while others are “off”. A switching arrangement is described for selectively turning bars on or off, responsive to a signal representative of the temperature of the diode-laser bar stack, for providing a desired total emission spectrum.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2013
    Publication date: June 13, 2013
    Applicant: COHERENT, INC.
    Inventor: Coherent, Inc.
  • Carrier envelope phase stabilization of an optical amplifier
    Patent number: 8462427
    Abstract: A laser and amplifier combination delivers a sequence of optical pulses. Pulses from the laser are temporally stretched by a pulse stretcher before amplification and temporally compressed by a pulse compressed after amplification. The pulse stretcher includes a diffraction grating on which pulses being compressed are incident. An arrangement is provided for measuring the carrier-envelope phase of the pulses and adjusting the incidence angle of pulses on the grating cooperative with the measurement such that the carrier envelope phase of the pulses in the sequence is about constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Coherent, Inc.
    Inventor: Chengquan Li
  • BEAM-COMBINER FOR FIBER-DELIVERED LASER-BEAMS OF DIFFERENT WAVELENGTHS
    Publication number: 20130128365
    Abstract: A beam combiner for combining laser-beams of different colors along a common path includes a directing-prism for each of the laser-beams and one combining-prism. The directing-prisms are arranged to transmit the laser-beams to the combining-prism. The directing-prisms and the combining-prism are configured and arranged with respect to each other such that the directing-prism transmits the beams along the common path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2011
    Publication date: May 23, 2013
    Applicant: Coherent, Inc.
    Inventors: Rüdiger Von Elm, Chantal Marois
  • Broad-area edge-emitting semiconductor laser with limited thermal contact
    Patent number: 8446926
    Abstract: A diode-laser having an elongated diode-laser emitter is mounted on a relatively massive heat-sink. Two parallel grooves are machined into the heat-sink to leave a relatively narrow elongated ridge of the heat-sink between the grooves. The ridge has a width about equal to or narrower that the width of the emitter. The diode-laser is mounted on the heat-sink such that thermal communication between the emitter and heat-sink is essentially limited to thermal communication with the ridge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Coherent, Inc.
    Inventors: David Schleuning, Kenneth D. Scholz
  • METHODS AND APPARATUS RELATED TO A SIDE-FIRE MEMBER HAVING A DOPED SILICA COMPONENT
    Publication number: 20130121640
    Abstract: In one embodiment, an apparatus may include an optical fiber that may have a surface non-normal to a longitudinal axis of a distal end portion of the optical fiber. The surface may define a portion of an interface configured to redirect electromagnetic radiation propagated from within the optical fiber and incident on the interface to a direction offset from the longitudinal axis. The apparatus may also include a doped silica cap that may be fused to the optical fiber such that the surface of the optical fiber may be disposed within a cavity defined by the doped silica cap.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2012
    Publication date: May 16, 2013
    Applicants: Coherent, Inc., Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey W. Zerfas, Richard P. Tumminelli
  • Pulsed fiber-MOPA with widely-variable pulse-duration
    Patent number: 8411352
    Abstract: Master oscillator power amplifier (MOPA) apparatus includes two seed-pulse sources coupled to a single fiber amplifier including one or more stages of amplification. One of the seed-pulse sources is a single-mode source generating pulses having a duration selectively variable between about 0.1 ns and 10 ns. The other seed-pulse source is a multi-mode source generating pulses having a duration selectively variable between about 1 ns and 10 ?s. Selectively operating one or the other of the seed-pulse sources provides that the apparatus can deliver pulses selectively variable in a range between about 0.1 ns and 10 ?s.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Coherent, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrei Starodoumov, Norman Hodgson
  • Carrier-envelope-phase stabilization of a master oscillator optical amplifier system
    Patent number: 8411354
    Abstract: A laser and amplifier combination delivers a sequence of optical pulses at a predetermined pulse-repetition frequency PRF. An interferometer generates a signal representative of the carrier-envelope phase (CEP) of the pulses at intervals corresponding to the PRF. The signal includes frequency components from DC to the PRF. The signal is divided into high and low frequency ranges. The high and low frequency ranges are sent to independent high frequency and low frequency control electronics, which drive respectively a high-frequency CEP controller and a low frequency controller for stabilizing the CEP of pulses in the sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Coherent, Inc.
    Inventors: Alexander W. Schill, Chengquan Li, Philippe Féru
  • Gas laser discharge pre-ionization using a simmer-discharge
    Patent number: 8391329
    Abstract: A gas discharge laser including a lasing gas between discharge electrodes and has a power supply for generating RF pulses to be delivered to the electrodes of the laser for energizing the lasing gas. A sequence of RF simmer pulses is delivered to the electrodes. The simmer pulses create sufficient free electrons in the lasing gas to facilitate subsequent ignition of the discharge while not causing laser action. RF lasing pulses having a longer duration than the simmer pulses are delivered to the electrodes to ignite the discharge and provide corresponding laser output pulses. Delivery of the simmer pulses is suspended during delivery of the lasing pulses to avoid amplitude or pulse-width modulation of the laser output pulses by the simmer pulses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Coherent, Inc.
    Inventor: Joel Fontanella
  • Optical pumping of a solid-state gain-medium using a diode-laser bar stack with individually addressable bars
    Patent number: 8391328
    Abstract: A diode-laser bar stack includes a plurality of diode-laser bars having different temperature dependent peak-emission wavelengths. The stack is arranged such that the bars can be separately powered. This allows one or more of the bars to be “on” while others are “off”. A switching arrangement is described for selectively turning bars on or off, responsive to a signal representative of the temperature of the diode-laser bar stack, for providing a desired total emission spectrum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Coherent, Inc.
    Inventors: David Schleuning, Mark M. Gitin, R. Russel Austin
  • APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR BALANCING COMBINED RF POWER- SUPPLIES FOR DRIVING A CO2 GAS-DISCHARGE LASER
    Publication number: 20130051416
    Abstract: Radio-frequency (RF) power supply apparatus for supplying RF power to discharge electrodes of a gas-discharge laser includes a plurality of amplifier modules each having an RF output. A power combining arrangement is provided for combining the amplifier module RF-outputs into a single combined RF-output connected to the discharge electrodes. A DC power supply is connectable to or disconnectable from each of the transistor amplifier modules, separately, to allow current drawn by any of the amplifier modules to be monitored by a single current sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2011
    Publication date: February 28, 2013
    Applicant: Coherent, Inc.
    Inventors: David P. Schmelzer, Frederick W. Hauer
  • Frequency-tripled fiber MOPA
    Patent number: 8373924
    Abstract: Fundamental-wavelength pulses from a fiber a laser are divided into three or more pulse portions and the three or more portions are separately amplified. Two or more of the amplified fundamental-wavelength pulse-portions are combined and frequency-doubled. The frequency doubled portion is sum-frequency mixed with one or more of the other amplified fundamental wavelength pulse-portions to provide third-harmonic radiation pulses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Coherent, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrei Starodoumov, Norman Hodgson, Dmitri Simanovski
  • CARRIER-ENVELOPE-PHASE STABILIZATION OF A MASTER OSCILLATOR OPTICAL AMPLIFIER SYSTEM
    Publication number: 20130034114
    Abstract: A laser and amplifier combination delivers a sequence of optical pulses at a predetermined pulse-repetition frequency PRF. An interferometer generates a signal representative of the carrier-envelope phase (CEP) of the pulses at intervals corresponding to the PRF. The signal includes frequency components from DC to the PRF. The signal is divided into high and low frequency ranges. The high and low frequency ranges are sent to independent high frequency and low frequency control electronics, which drive respectively a high-frequency CEP controller and a low frequency controller for stabilizing the CEP of pulses in the sequence.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2011
    Publication date: February 7, 2013
    Applicant: Coherent, Inc.
    Inventors: Alexander W. SCHILL, Chengquan LI, Philippe FÉRU
  • Pre-ionization method for COgas-discharge laser
    Patent number: 8369373
    Abstract: An RF powered CO2 gas-discharge laser includes discharge electrodes and a lasing gas mixture between the electrode. The lasing gas mixture is ionized when the RF power is applied to the electrodes and laser action is initiated when the RF power has been applied for a duration sufficient to ignite a discharge in the lasing gas mixture. The gas mixture is pre-ionized by periodically applying the RF power to the electrodes for a predetermined period during which ignition of a discharge is not expected to occur. RF power reflected back from the electrodes is monitored. If the monitored power falls below a predetermined level indicative of the imminent onset of laser action before the predetermined duration has elapsed, application of the RF power to the electrodes is terminated to prevent the laser action from occurring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Coherent, Inc.
    Inventors: David John Allie, Joel Fontanella
  • HIGH-POWER CW FIBER-LASER
    Publication number: 20130028276
    Abstract: A CW ytterbium-doped fiber-laser includes a gain-fiber having a reflector proximity-coupled to one end, with the other end left uncoated. A laser resonator is defined by the reflector and the uncoated end of the gain-fiber. Pump-radiation from fast-axis diode-laser bar-stacks emitting at 915 nm and 976 nm is combined and focused into the uncoated end of the gain-fiber for energizing the fiber. Laser radiation resulting from the energizing is delivered from the uncoated end of the gain-fiber and separated from the pump-radiation by a dichroic minor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2012
    Publication date: January 31, 2013
    Applicant: COHERENT, INC.
    Inventor: COHERENT, INC.
  • Method and apparatus related to a side-fire member having a doped silica component
    Patent number: 8358890
    Abstract: In one embodiment, an apparatus may include an optical fiber that may have a surface non-normal to a longitudinal axis of a distal end portion of the optical fiber. The surface may define a portion of an interface configured to redirect electromagnetic radiation propagated from within the optical fiber and incident on the interface to a direction offset from the longitudinal axis. The apparatus may also include a doped silica cap that may be fused to the optical fiber such that the surface of the optical fiber may be disposed within a cavity defined by the doped silica cap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignees: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc., Coherent, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey W. Zerfas, Richard P. Tumminelli
  • Laser engraving apparatus
    Patent number: 8354611
    Abstract: In laser engraving apparatus for engraving a gray-scale image on a plastic ID-card, the laser is a modulatable optically pumped semiconductor laser. Focusing optics focus a beam from the laser into a focal spot about 10 micrometers in diameter. The ID-card is mounted on a turntable which is rotated such that the focal spot sweeps over the ID card. The turntable is translated in a direction transverse to the rotation direction and the laser is modulated such that the engraved gray-scale image is formed by a matrix of parallel black lines of various length and spacing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: Coherent, Inc.
    Inventors: Sergei V. Govorkov, Luis A. Spinelli
  • Impedance-matching transformers for RF driven COgas discharge lasers
    Patent number: 8354893
    Abstract: In a CO2 gas discharge laser energized by a radio frequency (RF) power source a transformer having selectively variable output impedance is used to match output impedance of the power source to the impedance of discharge electrodes of the laser. A similar transformer can be used to impose a selective variable phase-shift on the RF power from the source. The variable impedance transformer can also be used for impedance matching between amplifier stages in the power source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: Coherent, Inc.
    Inventors: Frederick W. Hauer, Patrick T. Tracy
  • Digital pulse-width-modulation control of a radio frequency power supply for pulsed laser
    Patent number: 8351480
    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: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Coherent, Inc.
    Inventor: David John Allie
  • MODE-LOCKED OPTICALLY PUMPED SEMICONDUCTOR LASER
    Publication number: 20130003761
    Abstract: A laser includes an optically pumped semiconductor OPS gain-structure. The apparatus has a laser-resonator which includes a mode-locking device for causing the laser to deliver mode-locked pulses. The resonator has a total length selected such that the mode-locked pulses are delivered at a pulse repetition frequency of about 100 MHz. An optical arrangement within the resonator provides that radiation circulating in the resonator makes a plurality of incidences on the OPS gain-structure with a time less than the excited-state lifetime of the gain-structure between successive incidences.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2011
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Applicant: Coherent, Inc.
    Inventors: Ian MACGILLIVRAY, Andrea CAPRARA, Sergei GOVORKOV
  • FIBER-MOPA APPARATUS FOR DELIVERING PULSES ON DEMAND
    Publication number: 20120320450
    Abstract: A fiber-MOPA includes a seed-pulse source followed by fiber amplifier stages. The seed pulse source delivers signal pulses for performing a laser operation and delivers radiation between the seed pulses to maintain the collective average of the seed pulse power and intermediate radiation power constant. Keeping this average power constant keeps the instantaneous available gain of the fiber amplifier stages constant. This provides that the seed pulse delivery can be changed from one regime to a next without a period of instability between the regimes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2011
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Applicant: Coherent, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrei STARODOUMOV, Ronald LAMBERT, Michael SNADDEN, Andreas DIENING