Patents Examined by Minsun Oh
  • Patent number: 7508852
    Abstract: To provide an optical clock signal extracting device with a simple configuration, by which an optical clock signal may be extracted without depending on the polarization direction of an input optical signal. A current is injected to a gain region 30 through an n-type common electrode 12 and a p-type electrode 24 in the gain region 30 by a constant current source 28. A reverse-bias voltage is applied by a constant voltage source 26 to a saturable absorption region 32 through the p-type electrode 12 and the n-type common electrode 72 in the saturable absorption region 32. An optical waveguide 16 in the gain region is formed with bulk crystal or a quantum well structure into which extension strain is introduced, and an optical waveguide 18 in the saturable absorption region is formed with a quantum well structure into which extension strain is introduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2009
    Assignee: Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shin Arahira
  • Patent number: 7496118
    Abstract: A collimator lens converts light beams emitted from a low reflectance facet of a semiconductor laser into parallel light beams. A diffraction grating receives and diffracts the light beams at a predetermined incident position and a predetermined angle of a diffraction face. A turnable mirror has a mirror surface which is positioned opposite the diffractance facet of the diffraction grating, makes the diffracted light beams incident in a reverse optical path to the diffraction face, and returns the incident light beams to the laser. A stationary mirror makes the light beams from the collimator lens incident from a predetermined direction to a predetermined position of the diffraction grating at the side of the mirror surface of a virtual plane extending from the mirror surface of the mirror and at the side of the diffraction face of a virtual plane extending from the diffraction face of the diffraction grating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2009
    Assignee: Anritsu Corporation
    Inventor: Kenichi Nakamura
  • Patent number: 7415055
    Abstract: Vertical cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSELs) and methods of making the same are described. The VCSELs include reliability-enhancing layers that perform specific functions at one or more critical locations within a VCSEL structure to reduce or prevent defect formation and migration that otherwise might degrade VCSEL performance, for example, by increasing optical absorption in the mirror stacks or by degrading the electro-optic properties of the active region. In particular, the reliability-enhancing layers are configured to perform one or more of the following functions within the VCSEL structure: gettering (i.e., removing defects or impurities from critical regions), strain balancing (i.e., compensating the lattice mismatch in the structure to minimize strain), and defect suppression (i.e., creating alloys that reduce the formation of defects during growth or post-growth activities).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2008
    Assignee: Avago Technologies Fiber IP Pte Ltd
    Inventors: Qing Deng, John Herniman
  • Patent number: 7388894
    Abstract: A waveguide to waveguide coupled hybrid master oscillator power amplifier (MOPA) includes a wavelength locked laser master oscillator (MO) first chip including a semiconductor substrate, a waveguide region having a gain section, one side of the MO including an integrated wavelength selective feedback element and the other side of the MO including an integrated reflective or coupling element on one side the waveguide and an emitting surface opposite the integrated reflective or coupling element for emitting light. A power amplifier (PA) second chip is stacked above or below the MO. The PA includes a semiconductor substrate including a waveguide region having a gain section, an integrated reflective or coupling element on a side of the PA aligned with light emitted from the emitting surface of the MO and a coupling grating or turning mirror and integrated lens on an opposite side of the PA for emitting an output beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2008
    Inventors: Jason Kirk O'Daniel, Eric Gordan Johnson, Oleg Smolski, Pradeep Srinivasan
  • Patent number: 7388889
    Abstract: A method and device for producing subsurface markings in a transparent material body by focusing a pulsed laser beam in the interior of the material body so that the laser beam exceeds the destruction threshold of the material body to produce a permanent marking. Individual markings form a freely selectable internal engraving as a result of a relative movement between the laser beam and the material body. The laser pulse is varied with respect to its pulse energy (P) by means of a discharge pulse (E) that has an adjustable time delay from an excitation pulse (A). Markings that have varying optical properties depending on the pulse energy (P) are produced in this fashion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2008
    Assignee: Vitro Laser GmbH
    Inventor: Rémy Renaud
  • Patent number: 7388892
    Abstract: Both a system and method for optically powering a network component, such as the transponder of a picocell, is provided. The system includes a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) for processing an input signal, a remotely-located optical power source, and an optical fiber for conducting optical power from the source to the VCSEL. The VCSEL may be electrically biased from current generated by an optical-electro converter coupled to the fiber, or directly optically biased from light from the optical power source. A bias tee is connected between an input signal and an input of the VCSEL such that the VCSEL generates a modulated optical signal. The system may be the transponder of a picocell system where the VCSEL generates an optical uplink signal conducted to a head-end circuit via the same or a separate optical fiber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2008
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Nobuhiko Nishiyama, Michael Sauer, Chung-En Zah
  • Patent number: 7389028
    Abstract: An external resonator which includes a multiple resonator with parameters which allow stable wavelength control, and a variable-wavelength light source includes such an external resonator are provided. The external resonator is a multiple resonator which is made up of first to third ring-shaped resonators, each having different light path length, and connected in series via optical coupling means. The parameters of the multiple resonator are characterized in that all the following Expressions <1>, <2> and <3> hold: L1={M1/(M1?1)}L0 <1> L2={M2/(M2?1)}L0 <2> M2?1=(M1?1)2 <3> where L0 is the light path length of the first resonator, L1 is the light path length of the second resonator and L2 is the light path length of the third resonator, and M1 and M2 are integers of 3 or greater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2008
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Kouichi Suzuki, Hiroyuki Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 7386016
    Abstract: An electrically-pumped terahertz (THz) frequency radiation source (or detector), including an optical gain (or absorption) material with two electrodes electrically coupled to the optical gain material. The optical gain (or absorption) material is formed substantially of at least one group IV element and doped with at least one dopant, which has an intra-center transition frequency in a range of about 0.3 THz to 30 THz. Also, a method of manufacturing electrically-pumped THz frequency radiation sources (or detectors).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2008
    Assignee: University of Delaware
    Inventors: James Kolodzey, Samit Kumar Ray, Thomas N. Adam, Pengcheng Lv, Ralph Thomas Troeger, Miron S. Kagan, Irina N. Yassievich, Maxim A. Odnoblyudov
  • Patent number: 7386205
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a device for reflecting a select polarization of at least one transmission having a given wavelength impinging upon the device. The device includes a substrate and a layer of nanostructures. The nanostructures form a resonant pattern on the substrate adapted to define a plurality of high contrast refractive index interfaces suitable for reflecting the select polarization of the at least one transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2008
    Inventors: Jian Wang, Xuegong Deng
  • Patent number: 7386019
    Abstract: An apparatus for generating electromagnetic radiation pulses comprises a mode-locked laser oscillator with an oscillator cavity defining an oscillator beam path, a first gain element, first pumping means for pumping said first gain element, and a mode locker, and being operable to produce a train of seed electromagnetic radiation pulses. Further an optical switch is placed outside of the oscillator beam path and is arranged in a beam path of radiation coupled out from the oscillator, the optical switch operable to couple radiation from a switch input into a switch output during a certain time period or certain time periods. A radiation amplifier is arranged in a beam path of radiation radiated from the switch output. The amplifier includes a second gain element and second pumping means, the second pumping means comprising a continuous-wave pump radiation source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2008
    Assignee: Time-Bandwidth Products AG
    Inventors: Igor Klimov, Hubert Ammann
  • Patent number: 7382806
    Abstract: A semiconductor laser comprises an active region (12) which, in response to a pumping energy applied thereto, can produce a stimulated emission of radiation with a central wavelength (?) in the far infrared region, and a confinement region (16, 18, 22) suitable for confining the radiation in the active region (12), and comprising at least one interface (16a, 16b, 22a) between adjacent layers that is capable of supporting surface plasmon modes generated by an interaction of the interface with the radiation. The confinement region (16, 18, 22) comprises a wave-guide layer (16) which is delimited on opposite sides by a first interface and by a second interface (16a, 16b).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2008
    Assignee: INFM Istituto Nazionale per La Fisica Della Materia
    Inventors: Alessandro Tredicucci, Fabio Beltram, Harvey Edward Beere, Alexander Giles Davies, Ruedeger Koehler, Edmund Harold Linfield
  • Patent number: 7382812
    Abstract: The transmittance of an etalon relative to an oscillating line having the wavelength of 1061.6 to 1062.2 nm by an Nd:YAG laser medium 3 is set to 0.9 or lower (the maximum value of the transmittance is 1.0). The oscillating line of the wavelength of 1061.6 to 1062.6 nm is damped by the etalon so that a peak corresponding thereto does not substantially appear in an outputted laser beam. Accordingly, a longitudinal mode can be preferably changed to a single mode and an output can be stabilized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2008
    Assignee: Shimadzu Corporation
    Inventor: Satoshi Irikuchi
  • Patent number: 7382003
    Abstract: A solid-state image pick-up unit comprises: a semiconductor substrate comprising an area in which a photoelectric converting portion is formed; and an electric charge transfer portion that transfers an electric charge formed by the photoelectric converting portion, wherein the electric charge transfer portion comprises: an electric charge transfer electrode including a first layer electrode and a second layer electrode; and a gate oxide film, the gate oxide film comprises a second gate oxide film formed under the second layer electrode, the second gate oxide film comprising an ONO film which comprises a SiO film, a SiN film and a SiO film in this order, and the second gate oxide film is continuously formed to cover whole of a region between the first layer electrode and the second layer electrode and a region under the second layer electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2008
    Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventor: Ryoichi Homma
  • Patent number: 7379486
    Abstract: Systems and methods for optically pumping alkali-metal atoms using Coherence Population Trapping (CPT) resonances are disclosed. An illustrative push-pull optical pumping system for inducing CPT resonances in a resonance cell containing an admixture of alkali-metal atoms and one or more buffer gasses may include a laser assembly adapted to produce alternating orthogonally polarized light, and at least one DC current source adapted to output a constant-intensity carrier current signal for inducing laser emission from the laser assembly at a carrier wavelength of the alkali-metal atoms. An RF modulated signal outputted from an RF modulation source can be rectified, split, and phase-shifted for inducing a time-dependent polarization of the laser light that can be used to enhance CPT resonances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2008
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Lisa M. Lust, Douglas R. Carlson, Daniel W. Youngner
  • Patent number: 7379488
    Abstract: The number and type of quantum wells in a multi-layer gain structure of an external cavity surface emitting laser (VECSEL) are controlled to provide output light of more than one coherent wavelength. The number and type of layers in a multiplayer mirror provides a dual wavelength reflector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2008
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Taek Kim
  • Patent number: 7379487
    Abstract: A two phase reactor includes a source of liquid reactant and a source of gas reactant. A chamber has an inlet coupled to the source of gas reactant and a flat jet nozzle coupled to the source of the liquid reactant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2008
    Assignee: Neumann Information Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: William Edward McDermott, David Kurt Neumann, Thomas Lee Henshaw
  • Patent number: 7376163
    Abstract: Methods for producing surface-emitting semi-conductor lasers with tunable waveguiding are disclosed. The laser comprises an active zone containing a pn-transition, surrounded by a first n-doped semiconductor layer and at least one p-doped semiconductor layer. In addition to a tunnel junction on the p-side of the active zone, the tunnel junction borders a second n-doped semi-conductor layer with the exception of an area forming an aperture. An n-doped layer is provided between the layer provided for the tunnel junction and the at least one p-doped semiconductor layer. The tunnel junction may be arranged in a maximum or minimum of the vertical intensity distribution of the electric field strength. This enables surface-emitting laser diodes to be produced in high yields with stabilization of the lateral single-mode operation, high performance and wave guiding properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Vertilas GmbH
    Inventor: Markus Christian Amann
  • Patent number: 7376166
    Abstract: A blue-violet emission point, an infrared emission point, and a red emission point in a semiconductor laser apparatus are arranged so as to be arranged in this order on a substantially straight line along a first direction. A blue-violet laser beam emitted from the blue-violet emission point and a red laser beam emitted from the red emission point are incident on an optical disk by an optical system comprising a polarizing beam splitter, a collimator lens, a beam expander, a ?/4 plate, an objective lens, a cylindrical lens, and an optical disk, is returned from the optical disk, and is introduced into an photodetector. The infrared laser beam emitted from the infrared emission point is incident on the optical disk by the optical system, is returned from the optical disk, and is introduced into the photodetector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masayuki Hata, Yasuyuki Bessho, Yasuhiko Nomura, Masayuki Shono, Seiji Kajiyama, Yoichi Tsuchiya
  • Patent number: 7376168
    Abstract: The invention relates to a semiconductor laser device, including a semiconductor laser element, or a number of individual lasers mounted parallel to each other, with a number of output surfaces, from which laser light can escape, having a treater divergence in a first direction (Y) than in a second direction parallel to the above and at least one reflecting means, at a distance from the output surfaces, outside the semiconductor laser element or the individual laser, with at least one reflective surface which reflects at least a part of the laser light escaping from the semiconductor laser element or the individual lasers through the output surfaces back into the semiconductor laser element or the individual lasers, such that the mode spectrum of the semiconductor laser element or the individual lasers is influenced. The at least one reflective surface of the reflecting means has a concave curve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Hentze-Lissotschenko Patentverwaltungs GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Aleksei Mikhailov, Wieland Hill
  • Patent number: RE41642
    Abstract: Continuously tunable and precisely wavelength-switchable fiber lasers combine fiber Bragg gratings and the transmissive filtering properties of high finesse fiber Fabry-Perot filters. This laser arrangement adapts to multiple wavelength ranges based on the selections of fiber Bragg grating and gain medium and their arrangement to create a wavelength-modulatable and simultaneously rapidly wavelength-switchable narrow linewidth all-fiber laser design. This laser arrangement further results in narrow-linewidth outputs with fast switching speeds between the selected wavelengths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Inventors: Nathaniel C. Libatique, Ravinder Jain