Patents by Inventor John A. Trail

John A. Trail 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).

  • Optical system for improving the symmetry of the beam emitted from a broad area laser diode
    Patent number: 5636069
    Abstract: An optical system is disclosed for improving the brightness symmetry of a beam emitted from a laser diode where the beam has a large width and a narrow height. The optical system includes a tilt plate for displacing one half of the width of the beam downwardly. A first beam steering prism functions to tilt the remaining, second half of the beam width in a plane parallel to the width dimension so that the second half travels towards the first half. A second beam steering prism is provided to tilt the second half of the beam so that its propagation axis is parallel to the propagation axis of the first half and wherein the second half is stacked above the first half. The optical system functions to improve the brightness symmetry of the beam by a factor of about five. The corrected beam can be used to improve the performance of a solid state laser which is end pumped by a broad area laser diode or a laser diode bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 3, 1997
    Assignee: Coherent, Inc.
    Inventors: John L. Nightingale, John A. Trail, John K. Johnson
  • Optical system for improving the symmetry of the beam emitted from a broad area laser diode
    Patent number: 5557475
    Abstract: An optical system is disclosed for improving the brightness symmetry of a beam emitted from a laser diode where the beam has a large width and a narrow height. The optical system includes a tilt plate for displacing one half of the width of the beam downwardly. A first beam steering prism functions to tilt the remaining, second half of the beam width in a plane parallel to the width dimension so that the second half travels towards the first half. A second beam steering prism is provided to tilt the second half of the beam so that its propagation axis is parallel to the propagation axis of the first half and wherein the second half is stacked above the first half. The optical system functions to improve the brightness symmetry of the beam by a factor of about five. The corrected beam can be used to improve the performance of a solid state laser which is end pumped by a broad area laser diode or a laser diode bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 17, 1996
    Assignee: Coherent, Inc.
    Inventors: John L. Nightingale, John A. Trail, John K. Johnson