Patents by Inventor Clayton H. Bair

Clayton H. Bair has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Birefringent filter design
    Patent number: 5062694
    Abstract: A birefringent filter is provided for tuning the wavelength of a broad band emission laser. The filter comprises thin plates of a birefringent material having thicknesses which are non-unity, integral multiples of the difference between the thicknesses of the two thinnest plates. The resulting wavelength selectivity is substantially equivalent to the wavelength selectivity of a conventional filter which has a thinnest plate having a thickness equal to this thickness difference. The present invention obtains an acceptable tuning of the wavelength while avoiding a decrease in optical quality associated with conventional filters wherein the respective plate thicknesses are integral multiples of the thinnest plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 5, 1991
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventor: Clayton H. Bair