Patents Assigned to Thorlabs, Inc.
  • Patent number: 11843302
    Abstract: A linear translator device, including: a first body; a second body; and a plurality of actuators; wherein each actuator includes a first part first part mounted to the first body and a second part is mounted to the second body, the first part includes a front end and a back end, the second part is configured to extend and retract parallel to the direction of motion; wherein the plurality of actuators are arranged so that the extending or retracting direction of the second part of one of the plurality of actuators is offset, parallel and opposite to that of another one of the plurality of actuators; and wherein at least a portion of the first part of the one of the plurality of actuators overlaps with a portion of the first part of the other one of the plurality of actuators in the direction of motion space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Thorlabs, Inc.
    Inventors: Tyler Morgus, Brian Mitchell, John Cherny
  • Patent number: 11815782
    Abstract: A mid-infrared broadband laser including: a femtosecond laser configured to generate a near-infrared light; nonlinear waveguide configured to broaden and/or shift a spectrum of the light from the femtosecond laser; and a nonlinear medium configured to generate a broadband light by mixing spectral components of the output from the non-linear waveguide. Optionally, at least one dispersion compensation element may be placed between the femtosecond laser and the nonlinear waveguide and/or between the nonlinear waveguide and the nonlinear medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: Thorlabs, Inc.
    Inventors: Reza Salem, Peter Fendel, Sterling Backus, Dongfeng Liu, Chenchen Wan
  • Patent number: 11809133
    Abstract: An optical image generation system including: a spatial light modulator (SLM) configured to receive an input collimated laser beam and modulate the wavefront of the laser beam; one or more optical elements configured to project the modulated laser beam onto a focal plane; a first mirror and a second mirror situated at the focal plane, an edge of the first mirror being adjacent to an edge of the second mirror, the first mirror reflects a first portion of the modulated laser beam in a first direction, the second mirror reflects a second portion of the modulated laser beam in a second direction; and an objective lens projects the first and second portions into a combined image; wherein the zeroth order diffraction is block or suppressed at the center of the focal plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Thorlabs, Inc.
    Inventors: Hongzhou Ma, Jeffery S. Brooker
  • Patent number: 11757244
    Abstract: A method of pulse shaping using spectral filtering, positive chirp, and self-phase modulation to control the accumulated higher-order phase terms of the spectral phase. This pulse shaping method has particular advantage in fiber chirped pulse amplification (FCPA) systems, where there are two effects: (1) an offsetting of the fourth order phase via nonlinear phase accumulation, allowing for a higher Strehl ratio (i.e., a cleaner pulse), higher peak power pulse and (2) enabling power scaling to higher pulse energies without the increased nonlinear phase accumulation leading to pulse breakup. This technique can be used both in a passive system with no amplification to clean up an existing pulse, and in an amplifier system to enable higher performance operation (shorter pulses, cleaner pulses, higher energy pulses).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: Thorlabs, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott R. Domingue, Matthew S. Kirchner, Laura Wooldridge
  • Patent number: 11721953
    Abstract: Disclosed is an electrically pumped vertical cavity laser structure operating in the mid-infrared region, which has demonstrated room-temperature continuous wave operation. This structure uses an interband cascade gain region, two distributed mirrors, and a low-loss refractive index waveguide. A preferred embodiment includes at least one wafer bonded GaAs-based mirror.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignees: Thorlabs, Inc., Praevium Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Vijaysekhar Jayaraman, Stephen Segal, Kevin Lascola
  • Patent number: 11611190
    Abstract: A method of optimizing the coupling to an optical fiber, including: generating a femtosecond laser pulse; directing a focus of the laser pulse to a longitudinal depth in the region beneath the endface of the optical fiber to generate microvoids; adjusting the intensity of the laser pulse at different depths, such that a refractive index profile is created in the region beneath the endface of the optical fiber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: Thorlabs, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert M Pafchek
  • Patent number: 11606045
    Abstract: Disclosed is a piezoelectric inertial drive stage including a piezoelectric inertial driver, a slider and a holder. The driver includes a mounting portion for the mounting on the holder, a friction portion coupling to the slider, a flexure portion between the mounting portion and friction portion, a piezoelectric element with a first end bonded to the mounting portion and a second end bonded to a movement portion, the movement portion transferring the motion of the piezoelectric element to the friction portion to drive the slider.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: Thorlabs, Inc.
    Inventors: Renlong Gao, Guocheng Xu, Guobiao Wu
  • Patent number: 11499597
    Abstract: A braking device including: a piezoelectric element; and a braking portion. The braking portion is configured to be fixed to a member when the piezoelectric element is in a first state, and to be slidable along the member when the piezoelectric element is in a second state. The piezoelectric element changes from one state to another state when a voltage is applied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: Thorlabs, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey S. Brooker, Shane Patton, Munkhtsooj Saikhanchimeg
  • Patent number: 11502474
    Abstract: An optical material including: a silica host; and a Praseodymium dopant; wherein the Praseodymium atoms are configured to form nanoclusters in the silica host. In addition, the optical material may include an Ytterbium co-dopant. The nanoclusters include Ge, Te, Ta, Lu and/or F, Cl to minimize multi-phonon quenching. Moreover, the nanoclusters may be encapsulated in a low phonon energy shell to minimize energy transfer to the host matrix.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: Thorlabs, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert M. Pafchek
  • Patent number: 11365492
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing substrate-transferred optical coatings, comprising: a) providing a first optical coating on a first host substrate as a base coating structure; b) providing a second optical coating on a second host substrate; c) bonding the optical coating of the base coating structure to the second optical coating, thereby obtaining one combined coating; d) detaching one of the first and the second host substrates from the combined coating; determining if the combined coating fulfills a predetermined condition; e) if the result of the determining step is negative, taking the combined coating together with the remaining host substrate as the base coating structure to be processed next and continuing with step b); f) if the result of the determining step is positive, providing an optical substrate and bonding the optical substrate to the combined coating; g) removing the other one of the first and the second host substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: Thorlabs, Inc.
    Inventors: Garrett Cole, Christoph Deutsch
  • Patent number: 11353773
    Abstract: Disclosed are ideas to produce an add-on device which turns widely used high repetition rate lasers used for 2-photon microscopy into a light source which can be used for 3-photon microscopy. The add-on encompasses a device to reduce the pulse repetition rate of the high repetition rate (>50 MHz) laser source (laser or OPO) to less than 10 MHz which allows for higher pulse energies while maintaining reasonable average powers. If the high repetition sources operate below 1250 nm the add-on shifts or broadens the seed light to cover 1.3 ?m to 1.8 ?m before amplification. If the high repetition rate source operates at or around 1.3 ?m the add-on only needs to amplify the pulse after downshifting the repetition rate. In another implementation the add-on shifts or broadens the 1.3 ?m light to cover the spectral range out to 1.8 ?m before amplification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: Thorlabs, Inc.
    Inventor: Peter Fendel
  • Patent number: 11353318
    Abstract: Disclosed is an optical probe system that is capable of high speed, high precision, and high resolution 3D digitalization of engineered objects. The 3D dimensional data of the engineered object is measured using a swept source optical coherence tomography system with improved speed, spatial resolutions, and depth range. Also disclosed is a type of coordinate measurement machine (CMM) that is capable of performing high speed, high resolution, and non-contact measurement of engineered objects. The mechanic stylus in the touch-trigger probe of a conventional CMM is replaced with an optical stylus with reconfigurable diameter and length. The distance from the center of the optical stylus to the measurement probe is optically adjusted to match the height of the object to be measured quickly, which eliminates one dimensional movement of the probe and greatly improves the productivity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: Thorlabs, Inc.
    Inventors: James Jiang, Alex Cable
  • Patent number: 11320621
    Abstract: An optical mount including a first frame and a second frame; wherein the first frame includes a drive adjuster configured to move along a first direction and the drive adjuster is in contact with a ramp on a pusher piston, such that a movement of the drive adjuster causes the pusher piston to move along a second direction; wherein the pusher piston is configured to push kinematic contacts on the second frame resulting in a controlled movement of the second frame by the drive adjuster.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Thorlabs, Inc.
    Inventor: Brett D'Alessio
  • Patent number: 11289876
    Abstract: Disclosed is an optically pumped vertical cavity laser structure operating in the mid-infrared region, which has demonstrated room-temperature continuous wave operation. This structure uses a periodic gain active region with type I quantum wells comprised of InGaAsSb, and barrier/cladding regions which provide strong hole confinement and substantial pump absorption. A preferred embodiment includes at least one wafer bonded GaAs-based mirror. Several preferred embodiments also include means for wavelength tuning of mid-IR VCLs as disclosed, including a MEMS-tuning element. This document also includes systems for optical spectroscopy using the VCL as disclosed, including systems for detection concentrations of industrial and environmentally important gases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignees: Thorlabs, Inc., Praevium Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Vijaysekhar Jayaraman, Kevin Lascola, Stephen Segal, Fredrick Towner, Alex Cable
  • Patent number: 11266231
    Abstract: An actuated, height adjustable optical table or workstation for use in microscopy, optical research laboratories and similar environments includes fixed and moving parts which combine to create a rigid, height adjustable table structure on which to mount an optical breadboard or similar platforms via optional passive or active vibration isolation mounts. The height adjustment is performed by multiple compact actuators with associated control hardware and software, and allows the user or an application system to perform activities with the table at any heights.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: Thorlabs, Inc.
    Inventors: Keith Dhese, Dave Grimwade, Poobalan Subramani, Lina Arauz
  • Patent number: 11218090
    Abstract: Disclosed is a piezoelectric inertial drive stage including a piezoelectric inertial driver, a slider and a holder. The driver includes a mounting portion for the mounting on the holder, a friction portion coupling to the slider, a flexure portion between the mounting portion and friction portion, a piezoelectric element with a first end bonded to the mounting portion and a second end bonded to a movement portion, the movement portion transferring the motion of the piezoelectric element to the friction portion to drive the slider.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: Thorlabs, Inc.
    Inventors: Renlong Gao, Guocheng Xu, Guobiao Wu
  • Patent number: 11183812
    Abstract: A tunable source includes a short-cavity laser optimized for performance and reliability in SSOCT imaging systems, spectroscopic detection systems, and other types of detection and sensing systems. The short cavity laser has a large free spectral range cavity, fast tuning response and single transverse, longitudinal and polarization mode operation, and includes embodiments for fast and wide tuning, and optimized spectral shaping. Disclosed are both electrical and optical pumping in a MEMS-VCSEL geometry with mirror and gain regions optimized for wide tuning, high output power, and a variety of preferred wavelength ranges; and a semiconductor optical amplifier, combined with the short-cavity laser to produce high-power, spectrally shaped operation. Several preferred imaging and detection systems make use of this tunable source for optimized operation are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignees: Thorlabs, Inc., Praevium Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Alex Ezra Cable, Vijaysekhar Jayaraman, Benjamin Michael Potsaid
  • Patent number: 11150439
    Abstract: An optomechanical device having an interface that is mounted to another interface wherein the two interfaces are made of materials having the same or similar coefficients of thermal expansion and within the optomechanical device is an interface that is designed to compensate for the second mechanical component that is made of materials having the same or similar coefficients of thermal expansion as the optic or photonic device or instrument being held or controlled altogether with a fully constrained set of slip planes making for an optical mechanical device consisting of two or more materials that have coefficients of thermal expansion that are suitably matched to the materials it is being mounted to and the materials it is holding or controlling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Thorlabs, Inc.
    Inventor: Brett D'Alessio
  • Patent number: 11101615
    Abstract: Apparatus for modelocking a fiber laser cavity includes two variable retarder assemblies and a polarizing element. The variable retarder assemblies each have two electronically addressable elements and one fixed element. The first variable retarder assembly prepares a polarization state suitable for NPE modelocking to be launched into the fiber, and the second variable retarder assembly controls the polarization state after exiting the fiber, before being incident on the polarizing element. A control system controls the electronically addressable phase retarders in order to create and modify conditions for modelocking the fiber laser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: Thorlabs, Inc.
    Inventors: David Winters, Matthew S. Kirchner, Sterling J. Backus
  • Patent number: 11070020
    Abstract: An ultrafast mode-locked laser comprising circuitry configured to drive an electro-optic modulator (EOM) in the mode-locked laser with a drive waveform, the drive waveform being a phase-coherent sinusoidal waveform at a frequency equal to a repetition rate of the mode-locked laser, a phase-coherent pulsed waveform at a frequency equal to the repetition rate of the mode-locked laser, or a phase-coherent sinusoidal waveform at a frequency equal to half of the repetition rate of the mode-locked laser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: Thorlabs, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey S. Brooker, William Radtke, Hongzhou Ma, Eric Lieser