Patents by Inventor Jeffrey S. Pilgrim
Jeffrey S. Pilgrim 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: 7245642Abstract: An external cavity laser and a method of generating laser light via an external cavity laser comprising emitting laser light from a source, collimating light output by the source, receiving collimated light with a diffraction grating, reflecting light received from the diffraction grating back to the diffraction grating with a cavity feedback mirror, wherein at least a portion of the mirror is curved, and tuning the external cavity laser to a set of wavelengths.Type: GrantFiled: February 19, 2004Date of Patent: July 17, 2007Assignee: Southwest Sciences IncorporatedInventors: Jeffrey S. Pilgrim, Daniel J. Kane
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Patent number: 6914917Abstract: An external cavity laser (and method of generating laser light) comprising: a laser light source; means for collimating light output by the laser light source; a diffraction grating receiving collimated light; a cavity feedback mirror reflecting light received from the diffraction grating back to the diffraction grating; and means for reliably tuning the external cavity laser to discrete wavelengths.Type: GrantFiled: January 8, 2003Date of Patent: July 5, 2005Assignee: Southwest Sciences IncorporatedInventors: Jeffrey S. Pilgrim, Joel A. Silver
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Patent number: 6683895Abstract: An external cavity diode laser and method of generating laser light comprising: generating light from a Fabry-Perot diode laser source; collimating light from the source with an intracavity optical element; reflecting light via a feedback mirror; and employing a diffraction grating to receive light from the optical element, diffract received light to the mirror in a non-zero order, receive reflected light from the mirror, and direct reflected light back towards the optical element and Fabry-Perot diode laser to complete an external cavity, the diffraction grating additionally directing a portion of the received light from the optical element toward a target.Type: GrantFiled: July 24, 2001Date of Patent: January 27, 2004Assignee: Southwest Sciences IncorporatedInventors: Jeffrey S. Pilgrim, Daniel B. Oh
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Publication number: 20030179789Abstract: An external cavity laser (and method of generating laser light) comprising: a laser light source; means for collimating light output by the laser light source; a diffraction grating receiving collimated light; a cavity feedback mirror reflecting light received from the diffraction grating back to the diffraction grating; and means for reliably tuning the external cavity laser to discrete wavelengths.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 8, 2003Publication date: September 25, 2003Inventors: Jeffrey S. Pilgrim, Joel A. Silver
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Patent number: 6618148Abstract: A photoacoustic spectroscopy method and apparatus for maintaining an acoustic source frequency on a sample cell resonance frequency comprising: providing an acoustic source to the sample cell, the acoustic source having a source frequency; repeatedly and continuously sweeping the source frequency across the resonance frequency at a sweep rate; and employing an odd-harmonic of the source frequency sweep rate to maintain the source frequency sweep centered on the resonance frequency.Type: GrantFiled: February 12, 2001Date of Patent: September 9, 2003Assignee: Southwest Sciences IncorporatedInventors: Jeffrey S. Pilgrim, David S. Bomse, Joel A. Silver
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Patent number: 6608683Abstract: A photoacoustic spectroscopy method and apparatus for maintaining an acoustic source frequency on a sample cell resonance frequency comprising: providing an acoustic source to the sample cell to generate a photoacoustic signal, the acoustic source having a source frequency; continuously measuring detection phase of the photoacoustic signal with respect to source frequency or a harmonic thereof; and employing the measured detection phase to provide magnitude and direction for correcting the source frequency to the resonance frequency.Type: GrantFiled: February 12, 2001Date of Patent: August 19, 2003Assignee: Southwest Sciences IncorporatedInventors: Jeffrey S. Pilgrim, David S. Bomse, Joel A. Silver
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Patent number: 6552792Abstract: A wavelength modulated photoacoustic spectrometry system and method comprising: generating light from a light source; passing the light through a sample area; sampling sound produced by the light passing through the sample area with an acoustic detector; and controlling wavelength of the light with a wavelength controller, wherein the wavelength controller modulates the wavelength according to a waveform comprising square components.Type: GrantFiled: October 13, 2000Date of Patent: April 22, 2003Assignee: Southwest Sciences IncorporatedInventors: Jeffrey S. Pilgrim, David S. Bomse
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Publication number: 20020015427Abstract: An external cavity diode laser and method of generating laser light comprising: generating light from a Fabry-Perot diode laser source; collimating light from the source with an intracavity optical element; reflecting light via a feedback mirror; and employing a diffraction grating to receive light from the optical element, diffract received light to the mirror in a non-zero order, receive reflected light from the mirror, and direct reflected light back towards the optical element and Fabry-Perot diode laser to complete an external cavity, the diffraction grating additionally directing a portion of the received light from the optical element toward a target.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 24, 2001Publication date: February 7, 2002Inventors: Jeffrey S. Pilgrim, Daniel B. Oh
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Patent number: 6275288Abstract: A gas cell is provided for detection of trace gases via intracavity laser spectroscopy. The gas cell comprises a gas cell body having a long body axis, an interior hollow portion along the long body axis, and two end portions, each end portion having two opposed surfaces, one surface of each the end portion cut to an angle with respect to the long body axis and including a laser-transparent window on each face defining ends of the interior hollow portion. The angle is dependent on operating wavelength of the spectrometer and refractive index of the window material at the operating wavelength. Each end portion is provided with a gas line connection in the proximity of the opposed surface, one gas line for introducing a sample gas into the interior hollow portion and the other gas line for exhausting the sample gas from the interior portion. Further, a gas cell holder is provided for supporting and positioning the gas cell.Type: GrantFiled: April 14, 1999Date of Patent: August 14, 2001Assignee: Innovative Lasers Corp.Inventors: George H. Atkinson, Markus A. Wolperdinger, Jeffrey S. Pilgrim
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Patent number: 6075252Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting the presence of a specific concentration of gaseous species within a calibrated range in a gas sample are disclosed. The ILS gas detection system of the present invention simply comprises an ILS laser and an optical detector. However, the spectral bandwidth of the ILS laser is preferably entirely included within one of the absorption bands or regions assigned to the intracavity gaseous species being monitored. Thus, within the calibrated range, the presence of the gaseous species changes the temporal characteristics of the ILS laser. Consequently, only a temporal characteristic of the output of the ILS laser need be monitored in order to quantitatively determine the concentration of the absorbing gaseous species when using the ILS method of the present invention.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 1998Date of Patent: June 13, 2000Assignee: Innovative Lasers CorporationInventors: George H. Atkinson, Jeffrey S. Pilgrim
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Patent number: 6028310Abstract: Contaminants are detected optically at concentrations below 100 part-per-million (ppm) and extending to a level approaching 1 part-per-trillion (ppt) by using intracavity laser spectroscopy (ILS) techniques. An optically-pumped solid-state laser (the ILS laser) is employed as a detector. The ILS laser comprises an ion-doped crystal medium contained in a linear laser cavity. A gas sample containing gaseous contaminant species is placed inside the laser cavity and on one side of the ion-doped crystal. The output signal from the ILS laser is detected and analyzed to identify the gaseous species (via its spectral signature). The concentration of the gaseous species can be determined from the spectral signature as well. One preferred embodiment of the present invention employs a linear cavity formed between two mirrors separated from the ion-doped crystal laser medium, wherein both ends of the ion-doped crystal are cut at Brewster's angle.Type: GrantFiled: November 17, 1997Date of Patent: February 22, 2000Assignee: Innovative Lasers CorporationInventors: George H. Atkinson, Esmail Mehdizadeh, Jeffrey S. Pilgrim
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Patent number: 5999259Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting the presence of a specific concentration of gaseous species within a calibrated range in a gas sample is disclosed. The ILS gas detection system of the present invention simply comprises an ILS laser, a wavelength-selective optical element, and an optical detector. However, the potential or operational wavelength bandwidth of the ILS laser is preferably entirely included within one of the absorption bands or regions assigned to the intracavity gaseous species being monitored. Thus, within the calibrated range, the presence of the gaseous species changes the output laser wavelength or output intensity at a specific wavelength of the ILS laser. Consequently, only the wavelength of the output or the output intensity at the specific wavelength of the ILS laser need be monitored in order to quantitatively determine the concentration of the absorbing gaseous species within a calibrated range when using the ILS method of the present invention.Type: GrantFiled: October 2, 1998Date of Patent: December 7, 1999Assignee: Innovative Lasers CorporationInventors: George H. Atkinson, Jeffrey S. Pilgrim
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Patent number: 5991032Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting the presence of a specific concentration of gaseous species within a calibrated range in a gas sample are disclosed. The ILS gas detection system of the present invention simply comprises an ILS laser and an optical detector. However, the potential or operational wavelength bandwidth of the ILS laser is preferably entirely included within one of the absorption bands or regions assigned to the intracavity gaseous species being monitored. Thus, within the calibrated range, the presence of the gaseous species changes the output laser intensity of the ILS laser. Consequently, only the intensity of the output of the ILS laser need be monitored in order to quantitatively determine the concentration of the absorbing gaseous species when using the ILS method of the present invention.Type: GrantFiled: October 2, 1998Date of Patent: November 23, 1999Assignee: Innovative Lasers CorporationInventors: George H. Atkinson, Jeffrey S. Pilgrim
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Patent number: 5917188Abstract: Contaminants are detected optically at concentrations below 100 part-per-million (ppm) and extending to a level approaching 1 part-per-trillion (ppt) by using intracavity laser spectroscopy (ILS) techniques. A diode laser-pumped solid-state laser (the ILS laser) is employed as a detector. The ILS laser comprises an ion-doped crystal medium contained in a laser cavity optically pumped by a diode laser pump laser. A gas sample containing gaseous contaminant species is placed inside the laser cavity and on one side of the ion-doped crystal. The output signal from the ILS laser is detected and analyzed to identify the gaseous species (via its spectral signature). The concentration of the gaseous species can be determined from the spectral signature as well.Type: GrantFiled: April 17, 1998Date of Patent: June 29, 1999Assignee: Innovative Lasers CorporationInventors: George H. Atkinson, Esmail Mehdizadeh, Jeffrey S. Pilgrim
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Patent number: 5907407Abstract: On-board ILS ethyl alcohol sensors based on intracavity laser spectroscopy (ILS) are provided for detecting the presence of ethyl alcohol vapors in a vehicle. The sensor comprises: (a) a laser comprising a gain medium having two opposed facets within a laser resonator and functioning as an intracavity spectroscopic device having a first end and a second end, the first end operatively associated with a partially reflecting (i.e., partially transmitting) surface; (b) a reflective or dispersive optical element (e.g.Type: GrantFiled: August 10, 1998Date of Patent: May 25, 1999Assignee: Innovative Lasers CorporationInventors: George H. Atkinson, Markus A. Wolperdinger, Jeffrey S. Pilgrim