Patents Assigned to nLIGHT, Inc.
  • Publication number: 20240072504
    Abstract: Some embodiments may include an optical assembly usable to process light output from a laser source. The apparatus may include a housing to receive a distal end of an optical fiber that outputs the laser light; one or more actively cooled or passively cooled beam traps contained within the housing or coupled to the housing; and one or more optical apertures located inside the housing, at least one of the optical apertures to define a numerical aperture (NA) of a first portion of the laser light based on a radial dimension of the at least one optical aperture, the at least one optical aperture arranged to pass the first portion of the light and redirect a second different portion of the laser light to the one or more actively cooled or passively cooled beam traps. Other embodiments may be disclosed and/or claimed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2022
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Applicant: NLIGHT, INC.
    Inventors: Aaron Brown, Jay SMALL, Kevin Michael CARBONE, Stefano ORIGLIA, Francesco PESCARMONA
  • Publication number: 20240053554
    Abstract: Various embodiments provide apparatuses, systems, and methods related to a dual-sided optical package. The package may include a base plate with a first side and a second side opposite the first side. The base plate may have a coolant channel positioned between the first side and the second side. A first set of optics may be coupled with the first side of the base plate, and a second set of optics may be coupled with the second side of the base plate. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2023
    Publication date: February 15, 2024
    Applicant: NLIGHT, INC.
    Inventors: Bryce TOKMAKIAN, Mark J. DEFRANZA, Eric MARTIN, Manoj Kanskar
  • Patent number: 11902494
    Abstract: Systems and methods for reducing the deleterious effects of specular reflections (e.g., glint) on active illumination systems are disclosed. An example system includes an illuminator or light source configured to illuminate a scene with electromagnetic radiation having a defined polarization orientation. The system also includes a receiver for receiving portions of the electromagnetic radiation reflected or scatter from the scene. Included in the receiver is a polarizer having a polarization axis crossed with the polarization orientation of the emitted electromagnetic radiation. By crossing the polarizer with the polarization of the emitted electromagnetic radiation, the polarizer may filter out glint or specular reflections in the electromagnetic radiation returned from the scene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: nLIGHT, Inc.
    Inventors: Bodo Schmidt, Paul S. Banks, Charles Stewart Tuvey
  • Patent number: 11886052
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods, apparatus, and systems for providing an optical beam delivery system, comprising an optical fiber including a first length of fiber comprising a first RIP formed to enable, at least in part, modification of one or more beam characteristics of an optical beam by a perturbation assembly arranged to modify the one or more beam characteristics, the perturbation assembly coupled to the first length of fiber or integral with the first length of fiber, or a combination thereof and a second length of fiber coupled to the first length of fiber and having a second RIP formed to preserve at least a portion of the one or more beam characteristics of the optical beam modified by the perturbation assembly within one or more first confinement regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: nLIGHT, Inc
    Inventors: Dahv A. V. Kliner, Roger Farrow
  • Patent number: 11886053
    Abstract: A method of processing by controlling one or more beam characteristics of an optical beam may include: launching the optical beam into a first length of fiber having a first refractive-index profile (RIP); coupling the optical beam from the first length of fiber into a second length of fiber having a second RIP and one or more confinement regions; modifying the one or more beam characteristics of the optical beam in the first length of fiber, in the second length of fiber, or in the first and second lengths of fiber; confining the modified one or more beam characteristics of the optical beam within the one or more confinement regions of the second length of fiber; and/or generating an output beam, having the modified one or more beam characteristics of the optical beam, from the second length of fiber. The first RIP may differ from the second RIP.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: NLIGHT, INC.
    Inventors: Ken Gross, Brian Victor, Robert J. Martinsen, Dahv A. V. Kliner, Roger Farrow
  • Patent number: 11888084
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are laser scanning systems and methods of their use. In some embodiments, laser scanning systems can be used to ablatively or non-ablatively scan a surface of a material. Some embodiments include methods of scanning a multi-layer structure. Some embodiments include translating a focus-adjust optical system so as to vary laser beam diameter. Some embodiments make use of a 20-bit laser scanning system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: nLIGHT, Inc.
    Inventor: Ken Gross
  • Patent number: 11858842
    Abstract: Fiber bending mechanisms vary beam characteristics by deflecting or bending one or more fibers, by urging portions of one or more fibers toward a fiber shaping surface having a selectable curvature, or by selecting a fiber length that is to be urged toward the fiber shaping surface. In some examples, a fiber is secured to a flexible plate to conform to a variable curvature of the flexible plate. In other examples, a variable length of a fiber is pulled or pushed toward a fiber shaping surface, and the length of the fiber or a curvature of the flexible plate provide modification of fiber beam characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: NLIGHT, INC.
    Inventors: Aaron Brown, Aaron Ludwig Hodges, Dahv A. V. Kliner
  • Patent number: 11831121
    Abstract: Some embodiments may include a fiber laser including two or more input fibers and an output fiber to deliver a beam to a workpiece, the fiber laser comprising. The fiber laser may include a combiner having ends and a length, wherein the combiner is arranged to release, from its length, a portion of back-reflected light received from the output fiber at an output end of the ends from the combiner, the combiner including: a capillary tube to enclose part of the two or more input fibers at an input end of the ends of the combiner, the capillary tube having ends and a length located between the ends of the capillary tube; and a cladding light stripper (CLS) defined by part of the length of the capillary tube, wherein the CLS provides the release of the portion of the back-reflected light. Other embodiments may be disclosed and/or claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: NLIGHT, INC.
    Inventors: Juan Carlos Lugo, Teemu Kokki, Roger Farrow, Dahv A. V. Kliner
  • Patent number: 11824323
    Abstract: The disclosed diode laser packages include a carrier having an optics-mounting surface to which first and second sets of collimating and turning optics are mounted. The carrier includes a heatsink receptacle medially located between the first and second sets. A cooling plenum has a diode-mounting surface and includes heatsink material disposed in the heatsink receptacle. The cooling plenum further has an inlet, an outlet, and a coolant passageway defined between the inlet and the outlet. The coolant passageway is sized to receive the heatsink material disposed in heatsink receptacle. Multiple semiconductor laser diode devices are each mounted atop the diode-mounting surface and positioned for bidirectional emission toward the first and second sets of collimating and turning optics. The multiple semiconductor laser diode devices are thermally coupled to the heatsink material through which coolant is deliverable by the coolant passageway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: nLIGHT, Inc.
    Inventor: Manoj Kanskar
  • Publication number: 20230359051
    Abstract: Angularly homogenizing gradient index optical fiber having a refractive index profile that is non-quadratic to a degree sufficient to enhance precession of light as it is propagated through the fiber. Deviation from the quadratic may be limited to avoid profoundly changing the radial boundary within the fiber. Beam asymmetry, for example, associated with small aperture sources launched into a fiber off axis, may be made more symmetric as the beam is propagated through the homogenizing gradient index optical fiber. A refractive index profile may be manufactured to avoid a pure quadratic profile, or a fiber having a refractive index profile that is quadratic in only some orientations about the fiber axis may be twisted during draw to induce a refractive index profile path that enhances propagation precession.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2020
    Publication date: November 9, 2023
    Applicant: NLIGHT, INC.
    Inventors: Jay SMALL, Shuang LI, Dahv A.V. KLINER
  • Patent number: 11808973
    Abstract: Spliced multi-clad optical fibers with a cladding light stripper (CLS) encapsulating the splice. The splice may facilitate conversion between two optical fibers having different architectures, such as different core and/or cladding dimensions. The CLS may comprise a first length of fiber on a first side of the splice, and a second length of fiber on a second side of the splice, encapsulating the splice within the lengths of the CLS. The splice may abut one or more of the lengths of the CLS, or may be separated from one or more lengths of the CLS by an intermediate length of a first and/or second fiber joined by the splice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: nLIGHT, Inc.
    Inventors: Ryan Hawke, Teemu Kokki, Shaun Hampton, Chris Luetjen
  • Patent number: 11811186
    Abstract: An apparatus includes an optical gain fiber having a core, a cladding surrounding the core, the core and cladding defining an optical gain fiber numerical aperture, and a multimode fiber having a core with a larger radius than a radius of the optical gain fiber core, a cladding surrounding the core, the core and cladding of the multimode fiber defining a multimode fiber stable numerical aperture that is larger than the optical gain fiber numerical aperture, the multimode fiber being optically coupled to the optical gain fiber so as to receive an optical beam propagating in the optical gain fiber and to stably propagate the received optical beam in the multimode fiber core with low optical loss associated with the optical coupling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: NLIGHT, INC.
    Inventors: Roger L. Farrow, Dahv A. V. Kliner
  • Publication number: 20230349754
    Abstract: Some embodiments may include a power monitor to measure power of laser light propagating in a core of an optical fiber; the power monitor to generate a sensor signal using an optical sensor having a light sensitive section with no line of sight to part of the optical fiber; wherein the sensor signal is derived from light emerging laterally from the part of the optical fiber. Other embodiments may be disclosed and/or claimed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2023
    Publication date: November 2, 2023
    Applicant: NLIGHT, INC.
    Inventors: Scott R. Karlsen, David R. Balsley, Nicolas Trent Meacham, Austin Hagarty, Dahv A.V. Kliner
  • Publication number: 20230344197
    Abstract: Some embodiments may include a semiconductor laser device comprising: an active layer to generate light; a front facet positioned at a first end of said active layer, with an AR coating or PR coating; a rear facet positioned on a second opposite end of said active layer thereby forming a resonator between said front facet and said rear facet; and a first order diffraction grating positioned within said resonator along only a portion of the length of said active layer, wherein the semiconductor laser device is arranged to emit light from both ends, and the diffraction grating has two non-contiguous segments each extending to one of the facets; or a single end, wherein the rear facet is a rear light reflecting facet with an HR-coating. Other embodiments may be disclosed and/or claimed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2021
    Publication date: October 26, 2023
    Applicant: NLIGHT, INC.
    Inventor: Manoj KANSKAR
  • Patent number: 11794282
    Abstract: Methods include directing a laser beam to a target along a scan path at a variable scan velocity and adjusting a digital modulation during movement of the laser beam along the scan path and in relation to the variable scan velocity so as to provide a fluence at the target within a predetermined fluence range along the scan path. Some methods include adjusting a width of the laser beam with a zoom beam expander. Apparatus include a laser source situated to emit a laser beam, a 3D scanner situated to receive the laser beam and to direct the laser beam along a scan path in a scanning plane at the target, and a laser source digital modulator coupled to the laser source so as to produce a fluence at the scanning plane along the scan path that is in a predetermined fluence range as the laser beam scan speed changes along the scan path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: nLIGHT, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert J. Martinsen, Qi Wang
  • Patent number: 11792383
    Abstract: Systems and methods for reducing or eliminating undesired effects of retro-reflections in imaging are disclosed. A system for reducing the undesired effects of retro-reflections may include an illuminator and an optical receiver. The illuminator is configured to emit an illumination signal for illuminating a scene. The optical receiver is configured to receive returned portions of the illumination signal scattered or reflected from the scene. Return signals from retroreflectors present in the scene may oversaturate or otherwise negatively affect sensors in the optical receiver. To limit return signals from retroreflectors that may be present in the scene, the illuminator and optical receiver are physically separated from each other by an offset distance that limits or prevents retro-reflections from the retroreflectors from being received by the optical receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: nLIGHT, Inc.
    Inventors: Bodo Schmidt, Steve Herman
  • Publication number: 20230304750
    Abstract: Various embodiments provide apparatuses, systems, and methods related to a heat sink with one or more removable inserts. Respective inserts may include one or more fins that define one or more channels for flow of cooling fluid. The fins may be formed of a composite material that is different than a material of the heat sink body. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2023
    Publication date: September 28, 2023
    Applicant: NLIGHT, INC.
    Inventors: Mark J. DEFRANZA, Bryce TOKMAKIAN, Eric MARTIN, Manoj Kanskar
  • Publication number: 20230291171
    Abstract: Fiber laser amplification systems and methods are disclosed for use with a chirally coupled core (3C) optical fiber enabling the generation of a high-power output beam having a controlled stable polarization state. Vector modulation instabilities which typically induce undesirable sidebands in 3C fiber optics are greatly reduced even at high peak powers, enabling operation of the up to power levels limited mainly by stimulated Raman scattering (SRS). Polarization extinction ratios (PER) demonstrate long-term stability and minimal degradation due to changes in system temperature. Delays in reaching stable operation during start-up are also greatly reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2023
    Publication date: September 14, 2023
    Applicant: nLIGHT, Inc.
    Inventor: Tyson Lowder
  • Patent number: 11719948
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a laser system that includes a first fiber having an output end and situated to propagate a first laser beam with a first beam parameter product (bpp) and a second fiber having an input end spliced to the output end of the first fiber at a fiber splice so as to receive the first laser beam and to form a second laser beam having a second bpp that is greater than the first bpp, wherein the output end of the first fiber and the input end of the second fiber are spliced at a tilt angle so as to increase the first bpp to the second bpp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: nLIGHT, Inc.
    Inventors: David Logan, Ryan Hawke, David R. Balsley, Ron Stevens
  • Patent number: 11670905
    Abstract: Fiber laser amplification systems and methods are disclosed for use with a chirally coupled core (3C) optical fiber enabling the generation of a high-power output beam having a controlled stable polarization state. Vector modulation instabilities which typically induce undesirable sidebands in 3C fiber optics are greatly reduced even at high peak powers, enabling operation of the up to power levels limited mainly by stimulated Raman scattering (SRS). Polarization extinction ratios (PER) demonstrate long-term stability and minimal degradation due to changes in system temperature. Delays in reaching stable operation during start-up are also greatly reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: nLIGHT, Inc.
    Inventor: Tyson Lowder