Patents by Inventor Jason D. Henrie
Jason D. Henrie 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: 9214781Abstract: Apparatus and method for suppressing modal instabilities (MI) in fiber-amplifier systems. In some embodiments, thermal effects drive the MI process, and in some such embodiments, the present invention provides a plurality of options for mitigating these thermal effects. In some embodiments, the present invention provides a hybrid fiber with a smaller core in the initial length where the thermal loads are highest, followed by a larger-core fiber. In some embodiments the length of the smaller-core section is chosen to keep the core heat-per-unit-length of the second section below a critical value for the onset of MI. In some embodiments, the hybrid fiber of the present invention avoids modal instabilities while yielding almost the same performance as compared to conventional fibers with regard to minimizing fiber nonlinearities such as Stimulated Brillouin Scattering (SBS). In some embodiments, the hybrid fiber outputs a signal beam with at least 1 kW of power.Type: GrantFiled: November 21, 2013Date of Patent: December 15, 2015Assignee: Lockheed Martin CorporationInventors: Eric C. Honea, Matthias P. Savage-Leuchs, Sean M. Courtney, Khushvinder S. Brar, Jason D. Henrie, Christian D. Dilley
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Publication number: 20150138630Abstract: Apparatus and method for suppressing modal instabilities (MI) in fiber-amplifier systems. In some embodiments, thermal effects drive the MI process, and in some such embodiments, the present invention provides a plurality of options for mitigating these thermal effects. In some embodiments, the present invention provides a hybrid fiber with a smaller core in the initial length where the thermal loads are highest, followed by a larger-core fiber. In some embodiments the length of the smaller-core section is chosen to keep the core heat-per-unit-length of the second section below a critical value for the onset of MI. In some embodiments, the hybrid fiber of the present invention avoids modal instabilities while yielding almost the same performance as compared to conventional fibers with regard to minimizing fiber nonlinearities such as Stimulated Brillouin Scattering (SBS). In some embodiments, the hybrid fiber outputs a signal beam with at least 1 kW of power.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 21, 2013Publication date: May 21, 2015Inventors: Eric C. Honea, Matthias P. Savage-Leuchs, Sean M. Courtney, Khushvinder S. Brar, Jason D. Henrie, Christian D. Dilley
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Patent number: 8588263Abstract: Apparatus and method for generating controlled-linewidth laser-seed-signals for high-powered fiber-laser amplifier systems. In some embodiments, the natural chirp (frequency change of laser light over a short start-up time) of a DBR laser diode when driven by pulsed current is used to broaden the linewidth of the laser output, while adjusting the peak current and/or the pulse duration to obtain the desired linewidth.Type: GrantFiled: August 28, 2012Date of Patent: November 19, 2013Assignee: Lockheed Martin CorporationInventors: Eric C. Honea, Jason D. Henrie, Matthias P. Savage-Leuchs, Lawrence A. Borschowa, Anping Liu
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Patent number: 8254419Abstract: Apparatus and method for generating controlled-linewidth laser-seed-signals for high-powered fiber-laser amplifier systems. In some embodiments, the natural chirp (frequency change of laser light over a short start-up time) of a DBR laser diode when driven by pulsed current is used to broaden the linewidth of the laser output, while adjusting the peak current and/or the pulse duration to obtain the desired linewidth.Type: GrantFiled: August 2, 2011Date of Patent: August 28, 2012Assignee: Lockheed Martin CorporationInventors: Matthias P. Savage-Leuchs, Lawrence A. Borschowa, Eric C. Honea, Jason D. Henrie
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Patent number: 7835608Abstract: Apparatus and method for distributed absorption of pump light over a length of delivery fiber that is, for example in some embodiments, fusion spliced to an end of a multiply clad gain fiber that has significant unused pump light at the end of the gain fiber. In some embodiments, this includes coupling a fiber amplifier to a passive-core delivery fiber that includes a distributed pump dump. In some embodiments, at an output end of the amplifying fiber there is still a significant amount of pump power. If all this pump power is dumped in one small place (e.g., at a splice between the amplifying fiber and a passive delivery fiber) a hot spot will result, leading to unreliable devices that fail (have catastrophic changes in operating performance). The present invention provides a distributed pump dump built into a delivery fiber that is passive to the signal in its core.Type: GrantFiled: March 20, 2007Date of Patent: November 16, 2010Assignee: Lockheed Martin CorporationInventors: John D. Minelly, Jason D. Henrie
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Patent number: 7539231Abstract: Apparatus and method for generating controlled-linewidth laser-seed-signals for high-powered fiber-laser amplifier systems. In some embodiments, the natural chirp (frequency change of laser light over a short start-up time) of a DBR laser diode when driven by pulsed current is used to broaden the linewidth of the laser output, while adjusting the peak current and/or the pulse duration to obtain the desired linewidth.Type: GrantFiled: July 17, 2006Date of Patent: May 26, 2009Assignee: Lockheed Martin CorporationInventors: Eric C. Honea, Jason D. Henrie, Matthias P. Savage-Leuchs, Lawrence A. Borschowa, Anping Liu
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Patent number: 7400807Abstract: A method and apparatus is described that use an index-of-refraction profile having a significant central dip in refractive index (or another tailored index profile) within the core of a gain fiber or a gain waveguide on a substrate. The benefits of this central dip (more power with a given mode structure) are apparent when an input beam is akin to that of a Gaussian mode. In some embodiments, the invention provides a fiber or a substrate waveguide having an index profile with a central dip, but wherein the device has no doping. Some embodiments use a central dip surrounded by a higher-index ring in the index of refraction of the core of the fiber, while other embodiments use a trench between an intermediate-index central core portion and the ring, or use a plurality of rings and/or trenches. Some embodiments use an absorber in at least one core ring.Type: GrantFiled: November 3, 2006Date of Patent: July 15, 2008Assignee: Aculight CorporationInventors: John D. Minelly, Matthias P. Savage-Leuchs, Barton J. Jenson, Jason D. Henrie, Eric C. Eisenberg
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Patent number: 6970493Abstract: An optically pumped laser has a gain medium positioned inside of an optical resonator cavity and disposed about a resonator optical axis. An optical pumping source is positioned outside of the optical resonator cavity. A reflective coupler with a coupler body, and an interior volume passing therethrough is positioned proximal to the optical pumping source. Light from the pumping source passes into an entrance aperture of the reflective coupler to an exit aperture of the reflective coupler positioned distal to the optical pumping source. The interior volume of the reflective coupler is bounded by a reflective surface, an entrance aperture and the exit aperture, and is substantially transparent to radiation from the optical pumping source. The reflective surface has a high reflectivity matched to radiation from the optical pumping source.Type: GrantFiled: December 16, 2003Date of Patent: November 29, 2005Assignee: Spectra Physics, Inc.Inventors: Jason D. Henrie, William L. Nighan, Jr.
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Patent number: 6825973Abstract: An optical amplifier includes at least one amplification stage having a saturation recovery time of less than one (1) millisecond. The amplification stage includes a gain medium operable to receive at least one pump signal and to receive from a multiple span communication link an optical signal comprising a leading edge. The at least one pump signal and the optical signal travel in the same direction at approximately the same speed through at least a portion of the gain medium. In one particular embodiment the leading edge of the optical signal after passing through a plurality of amplifiers when received by a receiver coupled to the communication link comprises a peak power that is no more than ten times the average power of the optical signal at the receiver.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2002Date of Patent: November 30, 2004Assignee: Xtera Communications, Inc.Inventors: Andrej B. Puc, Michel W. Chbat, Jason D. Henrie, Sergey P. Burtsev, Frederic L. Barthelemy, Ned A. Weaver
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Publication number: 20040170206Abstract: An optically pumped laser has a gain medium positioned inside of an optical resonator cavity and disposed about a resonator optical axis. An optical pumping source is positioned outside of the optical resonator cavity. A reflective coupler with a coupler body, and an interior volume passing therethrough is positioned proximal to the optical pumping source. Light from the pumping source passes into an entrance aperture of the reflective coupler to an exit aperture of the reflective coupler positioned distal to the optical pumping source. The interior volume of the reflective coupler is bounded by a reflective surface, an entrance aperture and the exit aperture, and is substantially transparent to radiation from the optical pumping source. The reflective surface has a high reflectivity matched to radiation from the optical pumping source.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 16, 2003Publication date: September 2, 2004Inventors: Jason D. Henrie, William L. Nighan
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Patent number: 6665328Abstract: An optically pumped laser has a gain medium positioned inside of an optical resonator cavity and disposed about a resonator optical axis. An optical pumping source is positioned outside of the optical resonator cavity. A reflective coupler with a coupler body, and an interior volume passing therethrough is positioned proximal to the optical pumping source. Light from the pumping source passes into an entrance aperture of the reflective coupler to an exit aperture of the reflective coupler positioned distal to the optical pumping source. The interior volume of the reflective coupler is bounded by a reflective surface, an entrance aperture and the exit aperture, and is substantially transparent to radiation from the optical pumping source. The reflective surface has a high reflectivity matched to radiation from the optical pumping source.Type: GrantFiled: September 22, 1999Date of Patent: December 16, 2003Assignee: Spectra Physics, Inc.Inventors: Jason D. Henrie, William L. Nighan, Jr.
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Publication number: 20030206570Abstract: An optically pumped laser has a gain medium positioned inside of an optical resonator cavity and disposed about a resonator optical axis. An optical pumping source is positioned outside of the optical resonator cavity. A reflective coupler with a coupler body, and an interior volume passing therethrough is positioned proximal to the optical pumping source. Light from the pumping source passes into an entrance aperture of the reflective coupler to an exit aperture of the reflective coupler positioned distal to the optical pumping source. The interior volume of the reflective coupler is bounded by a reflective surface, an entrance aperture and the exit aperture, and is substantially transparent to radiation from the optical pumping source. The reflective surface has a high reflectivity matched to radiation from the optical pumping source.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 14, 2003Publication date: November 6, 2003Inventors: Jason D. Henrie, William L. Nighan
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Patent number: 6417955Abstract: An amplifier uses a two-dimensional array of cw diodes to produce a pump beam. A coupler is positioned to receive the pump beam. The coupler reduces a cross-sectional dimension of the pump beam and creates a modified pump beam. A vanadate gain medium is positioned adjacent to the coupler. The vanadate gain medium absorbs at least a portion of the modified pump beam and is positioned to receive an input beam from an input beam source and produce an amplified output beam.Type: GrantFiled: December 14, 1999Date of Patent: July 9, 2002Assignee: Spectra Physics Lasers, Inc.Inventors: James D. Kafka, James B. Clark, Jason D. Henrie
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Patent number: 5850407Abstract: A third-harmonic crystal has a Brewster-cut dispersive output surface for separating the p-polarized fundamental and third-harmonic beams without introducing losses into the beams. The output surface of the third-harmonic crystal is optically uncoated, and thus insensitive to potential ultraviolet (UV)-induced damage. Frequency doubling and tripling lithium triborate (LBO) crystals are used with a Brewster-cut Nd-YAG active medium in a resonant cavity to generate UV light at 355 nm from infrared (IR) light at 1064 nm. Except for the tripling crystal output surface, the doubling and tripling crystal optical surfaces are normal-cut and anti-reflection (AR) coated.Type: GrantFiled: November 25, 1997Date of Patent: December 15, 1998Assignee: Lightwave Electronics CorporationInventors: William M. Grossman, Jason D. Henrie