Patents by Inventor Graeme Peter Alexander Malcolm
Graeme Peter Alexander Malcolm 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).
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Patent number: 9941657Abstract: A passively mode-locking laser and corresponding method is described. The laser comprises a resonator (2) terminated by first (3) and second (4) mirrors and folded by a third (5) and fourth (6) mirror. The third mirror comprises a reflector (14) surmounted by a multilayer semiconductor gain medium (15) including at least one quantum well layer while the second mirror (4) comprises an intensity saturable mirror. The resonator is configured to provide a cross sectional area of an intra cavity resonating field on the intensity saturable mirror that is greater than or equal to a cross sectional area of the intra cavity resonating field on the multilayer semiconductor gain medium. This arrangement provides a passively mode-locking laser that exhibits increased stability when compared to those systems known in the art.Type: GrantFiled: April 20, 2015Date of Patent: April 10, 2018Assignee: SOLUS TECHNOLOGIES LIMITEDInventors: Craig James Hamilton, Graeme Peter Alexander Malcolm
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Publication number: 20170187162Abstract: A passively mode-locking laser and corresponding method is described. The laser comprises a resonator (2) terminated by first (3) and second (4) mirrors and folded by a third (5) and fourth (6) mirror. The third mirror comprises a reflector (14) surmounted by a multilayer semiconductor gain medium (15) including at least one quantum well layer while the second mirror (4) comprises an intensity saturable mirror. The resonator is configured to provide a cross sectional area of an intra cavity resonating field on the intensity saturable mirror that is greater than or equal to a cross sectional area of the intra cavity resonating field on the multilayer semiconductor gain medium. This arrangement provides a passively mode-locking laser that exhibits increased stability when compared to those systems known in the art.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 20, 2015Publication date: June 29, 2017Inventors: Craig James HAMILTON, Graeme Peter Alexander MALCOLM
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Patent number: 9620932Abstract: The present invention describes a self mode locking laser and a method for self mode locking a laser. The laser (1) comprises a resonator terminated by first (3) and second (4) mirrors and folded by a third mirror (5). The third mirror comprises a single distributed Bragg reflector (17) upon which is mounted a multilayer semiconductor gain medium (18) and which includes at least one quantum well layer and an optical Kerr lensing layer (22). Self mode locking may be achieved by configuring the laser resonator such that the lensing effect of the Kerr lensing layer acts to reduce an astigmatism deliberately introduced to the cavity mode. The self mode locking of the laser may be further enhanced by selecting the length of the resonator such that a round trip time of a cavity mode is matched with an upper-state lifetime of one or more semiconductor carriers located within the gain medium.Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 2013Date of Patent: April 11, 2017Assignee: SOLUS TECHNOLOGIES LIMITEDInventors: Craig James Hamilton, Graeme Peter Alexander Malcolm, Lukasz Kornaszewski
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Publication number: 20170047707Abstract: An optical amplifier is described. The optical amplifier (1) comprises a semiconductor disk gain medium (2) including at least one quantum well layer (9) and a pump field source (17) for generating an optical pump field (3) for the semiconductor disk gain medium. The optical amplifier acts to generate an output optical field (5) from an input optical field (4) received by the optical amplifier and arranged to be incident upon the semiconductor disk gain medium. Employing a semiconductor disk gain medium within the optical amplifier allows it to be optically pumped and thus provided for increased stability and beam quality of the output optical field while allowing for the design of optical amplifiers which can operate across a broad range of wavelengths. The optical amplifier may be employed with continuous wave or pulsed input optical fields.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 28, 2015Publication date: February 16, 2017Inventors: Craig James HAMILTON, Graeme Peter Alexander MALCOLM
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Publication number: 20160322786Abstract: A self mode locking laser and corresponding method is described. The laser comprises a resonator (2) terminated by first (3) and second (4) mirrors and folded by a third mirror (5). The third mirror comprises a reflector (15) surmounted by a multilayer semiconductor gain medium (16) that includes at least one quantum well layer and an optical Kerr lensing layer (20). A perturbator is also included that provides a means to induce a perturbation on an intensity of one or more cavity modes of the resonator. The pertubator is employed to induce a small perturbation on the intensity of the cavity modes of the resonator which is sufficient for the optical Kerr lensing layer to induce mode locking on the output field. The second mirror (4) comprises an intensity saturable mirror that provides a means for reducing the pulse widths of the generated output field e.g. to around 100 fs.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 10, 2014Publication date: November 3, 2016Applicant: SOLUS TECHNOLOGIES LIMITEDInventors: Graeme Peter Alexander MALCOLM, Craig James HAMILTON
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Patent number: 9461434Abstract: The present invention describes a self mode locking laser and a method for self mode locking a laser. The laser (1) comprises a resonator terminated by first (3) and second (4) mirrors and folded by a third mirror (5). The third mirror comprises a single distributed Bragg reflector (17) upon which is mounted a multilayer semiconductor gain medium (18) and which includes at least one quantum well layer and an optical Kerr lensing layer (22). Self mode locking may be achieved by configuring the laser resonator such that the lensing effect of the Kerr lensing layer acts to reduce an astigmatism deliberately introduced to the cavity mode. The self mode locking of the laser may be further enhanced by selecting the length of the resonator such that a round trip time of a cavity mode is matched with an upper-state lifetime of one or more semiconductor carriers located within the gain medium.Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 2013Date of Patent: October 4, 2016Assignee: SOLUS TECHNOLOGIES LIMITEDInventors: Craig James Hamilton, Graeme Peter Alexander Malcolm, Lukasz Kornaszewski
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Publication number: 20160254645Abstract: The present invention describes a mode locking semiconductor disk laser (SDL). The laser comprises a resonator terminated by first and second mirrors (6,7) and folded by a third mirror. The third mirror or comprising a semiconductor disk laser (8) suitable for generating a resonator field comprising a predetermined central wavelength A0 while the second mirror comprising an intensity saturable mirror (7) suitable for mode locking the resonator field at the predetermined wavelength. The reflectivity of the of the resonator at the central wavelength A0 is reduced by shifting the reflectivity profiles of the first and or second mirrors to wavelength shorter than the predetermined wavelength so as to suppress gain at wavelengths longer than the central wavelength A0. By mismatching the reflectivity profile (32) of the second mirror (7) to that of the desired output wavelength (3) provides a stable mode locked laser with significantly reduced noise.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 29, 2014Publication date: September 1, 2016Inventors: Craig James HAMILTON, Graeme Peter Alexander MALCOLM
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Publication number: 20160097695Abstract: The invention provides an apparatus and a method to monitor fluid loss from one or more casks (2) during a maturation process. The apparatus (1) comprises a multi-pass absorption cell (4) arranged in fluid communication with one or more fluid conduits (5) and a pump (8), and a monitoring system (12). The pump (8) and fluid conduits (5) provide a means for transporting a fluid sample (e.g. a vapour sample) to the multi-pass absorption cell (4). The monitoring system (12) provides a means for detecting and identifying fluid within the multi-pass absorption cell (4).Type: ApplicationFiled: May 21, 2014Publication date: April 7, 2016Inventors: Gareth Thomas MAKER, Graeme Peter Alexander MALCOLM, John NICHOLLS
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Publication number: 20160070083Abstract: A method and apparatus for mounting optical components is described. The apparatus (1) is suitable for mounting multiple optical components (2) and comprises a baseplate (3) having opposing first (4) and second (5) surfaces. Recesses or apertures (7) are formed within the baseplate and are located upon the first or second surfaces so as to define thermally activated optic mounting areas. Pillars (13) are then located within the thermally activated optic mounting areas and these provide a means for attaching the optical component to the baseplate (3). The employment of the recesses or apertures act to significantly reduce the thermal conduction throughout the baseplate. As a result preferential heating can be provided to the one or more thermally activated optic mounting areas while maintaining the baseplate with a desired mechanical strength. The optical mounting apparatus exhibits a high thermal stability thus making the apparatus ideally suited for use within commercial optical system.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 9, 2014Publication date: March 10, 2016Inventors: Gareth Thomas MAKER, Graeme Peter Alexander MALCOLM, Simon MUNRO
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Publication number: 20150063389Abstract: The present invention describes a self mode locking laser and a method for self mode locking a laser. The laser (1) comprises a resonator terminated by first (3) and second (4) mirrors and folded by a third mirror (5). The third mirror comprises a single distributed Bragg reflector (17) upon which is mounted a multilayer semiconductor gain medium (18) and which includes at least one quantum well layer and an optical Kerr lensing layer (22). Self mode locking may be achieved by configuring the laser resonator such that the lensing effect of the Kerr lensing layer acts to reduce an astigmatism deliberately introduced to the cavity mode. The self mode locking of the laser may be further enhanced by selecting the length of the resonator such that a round trip time of a cavity mode is matched with an upper-state lifetime of one or more semiconductor carriers located within the gain medium.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 27, 2013Publication date: March 5, 2015Applicant: SOLUS TECHNOLOGIES LIMITEDInventors: Craig James Hamilton, Graeme Peter Alexander Malcolm, Lukasz Kornaszeski
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Publication number: 20150063390Abstract: The present invention describes a self mode locking laser and a method for self mode locking a laser. The laser (1) comprises a resonator terminated by first (3) and second (4) mirrors and folded by a third mirror (5). The third mirror comprises a single distributed Bragg reflector (17) upon which is mounted a multilayer semiconductor gain medium (18) and which includes at least one quantum well layer and an optical Kerr lensing layer (22). Self mode locking may be achieved by configuring the laser resonator such that the lensing effect of the Kerr lensing layer acts to reduce an astigmatism deliberately introduced to the cavity mode. The self mode locking of the laser may be further enhanced by selecting the length of the resonator such that a round trip time of a cavity mode is matched with an upper-state lifetime of one or more semiconductor carriers located within the gain medium.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 27, 2013Publication date: March 5, 2015Inventors: Craig James Hamilton, Graeme Peter Alexander Malcolm, Lukasz Kornaszewski
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Publication number: 20140160465Abstract: The invention provides an apparatus and a method that reduces fluid loss from a cask during a maturation process by sealably enclosing the cask in a vessel that provides an expansion volume to receive fluid vapour from the cask, a monitoring system and a method that monitors fluid loss from a cask during a maturation process using a light source and a detector to determine the presence of fluid vapour in the vicinity of the cask, a corresponding system for controlling a maturation process in which environmental conditions are controlled, and a cask leak testing system and method making use of the above.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 10, 2012Publication date: June 12, 2014Applicant: M SQUARED LASERS LIMITEDInventors: Graeme Peter Alexander Malcolm, Gareth T. Maker, Gordon Robertson