Abstract: A solid immersion tunneling ellipsometer and methods relating thereto may include a solid immersion apparatus (e.g., a prism or an objective lens in combination with a solid immersion lens) that facilitates optical tunneling and provide information that can be used in the determination of one or more characteristics (e.g., thickness, index of refraction, etc.) of samples (e.g., thin films, ultrathin films, etc.).

Abstract: A solid immersion tunneling ellipsometer and methods relating thereto may include a solid immersion apparatus (e.g., a prism or an objective lens in combination with a solid immersion lens) that facilitates optical tunneling and provide information that can be used in the determination of one or more characteristics (e.g., thickness, index of refraction, etc.) of samples (e.g., thin films, ultrathin films, etc.).

Abstract: An ellipsometer apparatus and method for use in providing an image of at least a portion of a sample includes an objective lens having a focal plane at which a sample plane of a sample is positioned. Linearly polarized light normal to the sample plane incident on the objective lens is provided, and the incident linearly polarized light is focused onto the sample. At least a portion of the focused incident polarized light is reflected by the sample resulting in reflected light. Spatial filtering is used to modify at least a portion of the incident or the reflected light. An analyzer portion is operable to generate polarization information based on the reflected light.

Abstract: An ellipsometer and ellipsometry method uses radial symmetry. For example, circularly polarized light may be focused to a spot on a sample using an objective lens and reflected therefrom. A radially symmetric ellipsometric signal based on the reflected light and representative of at least one characteristic of the sample may be attained using a radially symmetric analyzer apparatus, e.g., a pure Polarization rotator such as two half wave plates and a radially symmetric analyzer such as a birefringent lens.

Abstract: A solid immersion tunneling ellipsometer and methods relating thereto may include a solid immersion apparatus (e.g., a prism or an objective lens in combination with a solid immersion lens) that facilitates optical tunneling and provide information that can be used in the determination of one or more characteristics (e.g., thickness, index of refraction, etc.) of samples (e.g., thin films, ultrathin films, etc.).

Abstract: A lens system for use with a linearly arrayed light beam including a first optical element for receiving and redirecting different portions of the linearly arrayed light beam to different locations on an imaginary plane so as to generate a two-dimensional pattern of light beams on the imaginary plane; and a second optical element located at the imaginary plane and aligned with the two-dimensional pattern of light beams for redirecting each of the light beams of the two-dimensional pattern of light beams to any arbitrary direction.

Abstract: Method for making a custom phase-conjugating diffractive mirror for a laser resonator comprising the steps of: (a) choosing a specified beam mode profile a.sub.1 (x,y) that will suit need of said designer, (b) calculating the mode profile b(x',y') which is a value of the specified beam a.sub.1 (x,y) that is propagated to the reflection surface of the diffractive mirror and (c) calculating mirror reflectance t(x',y') which reflects phase conjugate of b(x',y'). A method for fabricating such a mirror is shown. Another aspect of the invention is the addition of a phase adjusting element into a laser resonator, and compensating for the addition of a phase adjusting element in the design of other phase-adjusting elements such as the mirrors.

Abstract: Method for making a distortion-compensating phase-adjustment element for a laser. One type of distortion to be compensated for is heat distortion. Also described is a method for making a custom phase-conjugating diffractive mirror for a laser resonator comprising the steps of: (a) choosing a specified beam mode profile a.sub.1 (x,y), (b) calculating the mode profile b(x',y') which is a value of the specified beam a.sub.1 (x,y) that is propagated to the reflection surface of the diffractive mirror and (c) calculating mirror reflectance t(x',y') which reflects phase conjugate of b(x',y') and corrects for distortions such as heat. A method for fabricating such a mirror is shown. Another aspect of the invention is the addition of a phase adjusting element into a laser resonator, and compensating for the addition of a phase adjusting element in the design of other phase-adjusting elements such as the mirrors and correcting for distortions such as heat.

Abstract: Method for making a custom phase-conjugating diffractive mirror for a laser resonator comprising the steps of: (a) choosing a specified beam mode profile a.sub.1 (x,y) that will suit need of said designer, (b) calculating the mode profile b(x',y') which is a value of the specified beam a.sub.1 (x,y) that is propagated to the reflection surface of the diffractive mirror and (c) calculating mirror reflectance t(x',y') which reflects phase conjugate of b(x',y'). A method for fabricating such a mirror is shown. Another aspect of the invention is the addition of a phase adjusting element into a laser resonator, and compensating for the addition of a phase adjusting element in the design of other phase-adjusting elements such as the mirrors.

Abstract: A lens system for use with a linearly arrayed light beam including a first optical element for receiving and redirecting different portions of the linearly arrayed light beam to different locations on an imaginary plane so as to generate a two-dimensional pattern of light beams on the imaginary plane; and a second optical element located at the imaginary plane and aligned with the two-dimensional pattern of light beams for redirecting each of the light beams of the two-dimensional pattern of light beams to any arbitrary direction.

Abstract: Method for making a custom phase-conjugating diffractive mirror for a laser resonator comprising the steps of: (a) (a) choosing a specified beam mode profile a.sub.i (x,y) that will suit need of said designer, (b) calculating the mode profile b(x',y') which is a value of the specified a.sub.i (x,y) that is propagated to the reflection surface of the diffractive mirror and (c) calculating mirror reflectance t(x',y') which reflects phase conjugate of b(x',y'). A method for fabricating such a mirror is shown. Another aspect of the invention is the addition of a phase adjusting element into a laser resonator, and compensating for the addition of a phase adjusting element in the design of other phase-adjusting elements such as the mirrors.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for scaling solid-state devices to higher power using multiple sources each of which are separately collimated, followed by focusing of the pump radiation into gain medium colinear to laser mode using a moderated focus. A modularized system is also described.

Abstract: An optical element for converting a uniform beam of light of wavelength .lambda. into an array of illuminated spots, the optical element including a phase plate made of an array of constant phase zones; and an image plane disposed parallel to and at a preselected distance from the phase plate, the preselected distance being selected so that illuminating the phase plate with uniform coherent illumination of wavelength .lambda. produces the array of illuminated spots on the image plane, the spot array having a fill factor in at least one dimension that is less than 1/2.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for scaling solid-state devices to higher power using multiple sources each of which are separately collimated, followed by focusing of the pump radiation into gain medium colinear to laser mode using a moderated focus. A modularized system is also described.

Abstract: An apparatus for generating a coherent combined laser beam including an array of laser elements for generating a Fresnel diffraction pattern in a plane at a distance D from the laser array, the Fresnel diffraction pattern having a non-uniform phase distribution, D being at least as large as the distance at which the beams generated by the laser array begin to substantially overlap; and an array of phase corrector elements located in the plane for reducing the degree of non-uniformity in the phase distribution; and a partially reflecting mirror for forming a resonant cavity for the laser array.

Abstract: An apparatus for coherent beam combining of lasers and for lateral mode control is disclosed, comprising a miniature Talbot cavity having at least a first and second surface. The first surface is to receive light from said lasers, and the second surface contains a reflecting mirror. In one embodiment, the mirror spaced apart from said first surface by a distance Z=nd.sup.2 /.lambda. where n is a nonnegative integer, .lambda. is the laser wavelength, and d is the laser aperture spacing. In this embodiment, the mirror is divided into reflecting and non-reflecting portions, the reflecting portions patterned to reflect only that portion of the light from said lasers having a half-period shift corresponding to a fundamental lateral mode. In another embodiment, the mirror is spaced apart from the first surface by a distance Z, such that nd.sup.2 /.lambda.<Z<(n+1)d.sup.2 /.lambda., where n is a nonnegative integer, .lambda. is the laser wavelength, and d is the laser aperture spacing.

Abstract: A technique for coherent aperture filling by amplitude phase exchange is described which suppresses the far field side lobes of an array of lasers. The power contained in these side lobes is transferred to the central lobe so that it contains greater than 90% of the total array power. This is achieved by a field transformation which generates from the uniform phase and varying amplitude distribution of the input array a varying phase modulation with nearly uniform, i.e., aperture filled, amplitude distribution in the output beam. Far-field grating lobes from the nonuniformity in phase are then suppressed by an additional phase correcting element matched to compensate the phase modulation. In a preferred embodiment, the field transformation element, including a single step binary phase shifter flanked by a pair of lenses in an a focal imaging configuration, is followed by a binary phase grating for phase compensation.

Abstract: A diffractive lenslet array receives light from multiple lasers. The lenslet array is spaced apart from a partially reflecting mirror by a distance Z=nd.sup.2 /.lambda. where n is an integer or half integer, .lambda. is the laser wavelength and d is the spacing of the lenslets in the array. In a preferred embodiment the apparatus is a unitary design in which the lenslets are etched into one surface of a substrate and a parallel surface is coated to form the partially reflecting mirror. The lenslets abut one another to produce a fill factor (percentage of array containing light) close to one and each of the lenslets is a multistep diffractive lens. Diffractive speading over a round trip distance from lasers to mirror and back again causes feedback light from a single lenslet to couple into adjacent lenslets.

Abstract: A binary phase-only optical correlation system incorporating therein a binary phase-only filter. The binary phase-only optical filter is made by mathematically generating preselected phase-only information by a fast Fourier Transform technique. This generated phase-only information is binarized into a function having two values. This binarized function is utilized to produce a mask which in turn is used in conjunction with an appropriate optical substrate to produce the binary phase-only filter. The manufacture of the binary phase-only filter is substantially easier than the production of a phase-only filter yet virtually the same correlation results when the binary phase-only filter when it is used in an optical correlation system.

Abstract: The disclosed apparatus includes a diffraction grating illuminated by a plurality of lasers. Apparatus is provided for summing the plurality of lasers coherently by, (a) phase locking the plurality of lasers and by, (b) diffracting the plurality of beams into a single beam. The diffraction grating has a configuration to generate upon illumination substantially equal intensities of diffraction orders corresponding to the number of lasers while suppressing higher unwanted orders. The phase locking can be accomplished by a single master laser, or by a cavity mirror to generate reference beams. Then, the output beams of the plurality of lasers propagating in the reverse direction are coherently superimposed by that grating. It is preferred that the diffraction grating be binary. Both one and two-dimensional diffraction grating arrays are disclosed.