Patents by Inventor Eric Betzig

Eric Betzig 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).

  • Patent number: 8730573
    Abstract: Microscopy techniques in which a rear pupil of an optical system is segmented and the segments are individually controlled with a wavefront modulating device to control the direction and phase of individual beamlets of an excitation or emission beam in the optical system, thereby providing an adaptive optics correction to sample and system induced aberrations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Howard Hughes Medical Institute
    Inventors: Eric Betzig, Na Ji
  • Patent number: 8718106
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a pulsed laser source that produces a pulsed laser beam at an input repetition rate and an input pulse power; a passive pulse splitter that receives the pulsed laser beam and outputs a signal including a plurality of sub-pulses for each input pulse of the pulsed laser beam, where the sub-pulses have a repetition rate that is greater than the input repetition rate and at least two of the sub-pulses have power less than the input pulse power; a sample accommodating structure configured to accommodate a sample placed in the path of a sample beam that is formed from the beam that exits the pulse splitter; and a detector that receives a signal of interest emitted from a sample accommodated by the sample accommodating structure based on the incident sample beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Howard Hughes Medical Institute
    Inventors: Na Ji, Eric Betzig
  • Patent number: 8629413
    Abstract: A method of manipulating a focused light beam includes focusing a beam of excitation light with a lens to a focal spot within a sample, where a cross-section of the beam includes individual beamlets. Directions and/or relative phases of the individual beamlets of the excitation beam at a rear pupil of the lens are individually varied with a wavefront modulating element, and emission light emitted from the focal spot is detected while the directions or relative phases of individual beamlets are varied. The directions of individual beamlets are controlled to either maximize or minimize the emission light from the focal spot, and the relative phases of individual beamlets are controlled to increase the emission light from the focal spot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: Howard Hughes Medical Institute
    Inventors: Eric Betzig, Na Ji
  • Publication number: 20130181143
    Abstract: A method of manipulating a focused light beam includes focusing a beam of excitation light with a lens to a focal spot within a sample, where a cross-section of the beam includes individual beamlets. Directions and/or relative phases of the individual beamlets of the excitation beam at a rear pupil of the lens are individually varied with a wavefront modulating element, and emission light emitted from the focal spot is detected while the directions or relative phases of individual beamlets are varied. The directions of individual beamlets are controlled to either maximize or minimize the emission light from the focal spot, and the relative phases of individual beamlets are controlled to increase the emission light from the focal spot.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2012
    Publication date: July 18, 2013
    Applicant: HOWARD HUGHES MEDICAL INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Eric Betzig, Na Ji
  • Publication number: 20110206075
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a pulsed laser source that produces a pulsed laser beam at an input repetition rate and an input pulse power; a passive pulse splitter that receives the pulsed laser beam and outputs a signal including a plurality of sub-pulses for each input pulse of the pulsed laser beam, where the sub-pulses have a repetition rate that is greater than the input repetition rate and at least two of the sub-pulses have power less than the input pulse power; a sample accommodating structure configured to accommodate a sample placed in the path of a sample beam that is formed from the beam that exits the pulse splitter; and a detector that receives a signal of interest emitted from a sample accommodated by the sample accommodating structure based on the incident sample beam.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2011
    Publication date: August 25, 2011
    Applicant: HOWARD HUGHES MEDICAL INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Na Ji, Eric Betzig
  • Patent number: 7961764
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a pulsed laser source that produces a pulsed laser beam at an input repetition rate and an input pulse power, a passive pulse splitter that receives the pulsed laser beam and outputs a signal including a plurality of sub-pulses for each input pulse of the pulsed laser beam, a sample, and a detector. The output signal has a repetition rate that is greater than the input repetition rate and the powers of each of the sub-pulses are less than the input pulse power. The sample is placed in the path of a sample beam that is formed from the beam that exits the pulse splitter. The detector receives a signal of interest emitted from the sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Howard Hughes Medical Institute
    Inventors: Na Ji, Eric Betzig
  • Publication number: 20110006231
    Abstract: Microscopy techniques in which a rear pupil of an optical system is segmented and the segments are individually controlled with a wavefront modulating device to control the direction and phase of individual beamlets of an excitation or emission beam in the optical system, thereby providing an adaptive optics correction to sample and system induced aberrations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2010
    Publication date: January 13, 2011
    Applicant: HOWARD HUGHES MEDICAL INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Eric Betzig, Na Ji
  • Publication number: 20090067458
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a pulsed laser source that produces a pulsed laser beam at an input repetition rate and an input pulse power, a passive pulse splitter that receives the pulsed laser beam and outputs a signal including a plurality of sub-pulses for each input pulse of the pulsed laser beam, a sample, and a detector. The output signal has a repetition rate that is greater than the input repetition rate and the powers of each of the sub-pulses are less than the input pulse power. The sample is placed in the path of a sample beam that is formed from the beam that exits the pulse splitter. The detector receives a signal of interest emitted from the sample.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2008
    Publication date: March 12, 2009
    Inventors: Na Ji, Eric Betzig