Patents by Inventor Nick Schenkel
Nick Schenkel 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: 11655185Abstract: A method is disclosed of making a coated optical fiber. The method may involve drawing a preform through a furnace to create a fiber having a desired diameter and cross sectional shape. The fiber is then drawn through a slurry, wherein the slurry includes elements including at least one of metallic elements, alloy elements or dielectric elements, and the slurry wets an outer surface of the fiber. As the fiber is drawn through the slurry, it is then drawn through a forming die to impart a wet coating having a desired thickness on an outer surface of the fiber. The wet fiber is then drawn through an oven or ovens configured to heat the wet coating sufficiently to produce a consolidated surface coating on the fiber as the fiber exits the oven or ovens.Type: GrantFiled: April 3, 2020Date of Patent: May 23, 2023Assignee: Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLCInventors: Michael Messerly, Nicholas Calta, Selim Elhadj, Andrew Lange, Cody Wren Mart, Robert Mellors, Nick Schenkel, Charles Xiao Yu
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Patent number: 11655183Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for forming a glass, ceramic or composite material. The method may involve initially forming a plurality of tubes and then performing a coating operation to coat the plurality of tubes with materials containing metal or metalloid elements, including inorganic compounds, organometallic compounds, or coordination complexes to form coated tubes. The method may further include performing at least one of a thermal operation or a thermochemical operation on the coated tubes to form a solid glass, ceramic, or composite structure with dimensions representing at least one of a rod or fiber.Type: GrantFiled: June 11, 2020Date of Patent: May 23, 2023Assignee: Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLCInventors: Andrew Lange, Jay W. Dawson, Rebecca Dylla-Spears, Cody Wren Mart, Michael J. Messerly, Koroush Sasan, Nick Schenkel, Tayyab I. Suratwala
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Patent number: 11460639Abstract: An all fiber wavelength selective coupler provides wavelength selective transfer of optical energy between two or more separated waveguides. The coupler includes signal cores that are separated enough that they can be fusion spliced to standard fibers as lead-in and lead-out pigtails. A bridge between the signal cores facilitates transfer of the optical energy through a process of evanescent coupling. In one example, the bridge is formed of a series of graded index cores.Type: GrantFiled: June 18, 2019Date of Patent: October 4, 2022Assignee: Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLCInventors: Graham S. Allen, Diana C. Chen, Matthew J. Cook, Robert P. Crist, Derrek R. Drachenberg, Jay W. Dawson, Victor V. Khitrov, Leily Kiani, Michael J. Messerly, Paul H. Pax, Nick Schenkel
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Patent number: 11340396Abstract: A class of fibers is described that have a non-circular cross section on one or both ends that can by optimized to capture the optical radiation from a laser diode or diode array and deliver the light in the same or different shape on the opposite end of the fiber. A large multimode rectangular waveguide may be provided which can accept the radiation from a high-power diode bar and transform it into a circular cross section on the opposite end, while preserving brightness.Type: GrantFiled: July 5, 2018Date of Patent: May 24, 2022Assignee: LAWRENCE LIVERMORE NATIONAL SECURITY, LLCInventors: Derrek R. Drachenberg, Graham S. Allen, Diana C. Chen, Matthew J. Cook, Robert P. Crist, Jay W. Dawson, Leily Kiani, Michael J. Messerly, Paul H. Pax, Nick Schenkel, Charles X. Yu
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Publication number: 20210387903Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for forming a glass, ceramic or composite material. The method may involve initially forming a plurality of tubes and then performing a coating operation to coat the plurality of tubes with materials containing metal or metalloid elements, including inorganic compounds, organometallic compounds, or coordination complexes to form coated tubes. The method may further include performing at least one of a thermal operation or a thermochemical operation on the coated tubes to form a solid glass, ceramic, or composite structure with dimensions representing at least one of a rod or fiber.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 11, 2020Publication date: December 16, 2021Inventors: Andrew LANGE, Jay W. DAWSON, Rebecca DYLLA-SPEARS, Cody Wren MART, Michael J. MESSERLY, Koroush SASAN, Nick SCHENKEL, Tayyab I. SURATWALA
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Publication number: 20200354269Abstract: A method is disclosed of making a coated optical fiber. The method may involve drawing a preform through a furnace to create a fiber having a desired diameter and cross sectional shape. The fiber is then drawn through a slurry, wherein the slurry includes elements including at least one of metallic elements, alloy elements or dielectric elements, and the slurry wets an outer surface of the fiber. As the fiber is drawn through the slurry, it is then drawn through a forming die to impart a wet coating having a desired thickness on an outer surface of the fiber. The wet fiber is then drawn through an oven or ovens configured to heat the wet coating sufficiently to produce a consolidated surface coating on the fiber as the fiber exits the oven or ovens.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 3, 2020Publication date: November 12, 2020Inventors: Michael MESSERLY, Nicholas CALTA, Selim ELHADJ, Andrew LANGE, Cody Wren MART, Robert MELLORS, Nick SCHENKEL, Charles Xiao YU
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Publication number: 20200132925Abstract: A class of fibers is described that have a non-circular cross section on one or both ends that can by optimized to capture the optical radiation from a laser diode or diode array and deliver the light in the same or different shape on the opposite end of the fiber. A large multimode rectangular waveguide may be provided which can accept the radiation from a high-power diode bar and transform it into a circular cross section on the opposite end, while preserving brightness.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 5, 2018Publication date: April 30, 2020Applicant: Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLCInventors: Derrek R. Drachenberg, Graham S. Alien, Diana C. Chen, Matthew J. Cook, Robert P. Crist, Jay W. Dawson, Leily Kiani, Michael J. Messerly, Paul H. Pax, Nick Schenkel, Charles X. Yu, Victor V. Khitrov
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Publication number: 20190310420Abstract: An all fiber wavelength selective coupler provides wavelength selective transfer of optical energy between two or more separated waveguides. The coupler includes signal cores that are separated enough that they can be fusion spliced to standard fibers as lead-in and lead-out pigtails. A bridge between the signal cores facilitates transfer of the optical energy through a process of evanescent coupling. In one example, the bridge is formed of a series of graded index cores.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 18, 2019Publication date: October 10, 2019Applicant: Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLCInventors: Graham S. Allen, Diana C. Chen, Matthew J. Cook, Robert P. Crist, Derrek R. Drachenberg, Jay W. Dawson, Victor V. Khitrov, Leily Kiani, Michael J. Messerly, Paul H. Pax, Nick Schenkel
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Patent number: 10348050Abstract: An Nd3+ optical fiber laser and amplifier operating in the wavelength range from 1300 to 1450 nm is described. The fiber includes a rare earth doped optical amplifier or laser operating within this wavelength band is based upon an optical fiber that guides light in this wavelength band. The waveguide structure attenuates light in the wavelength range from 850 nm to 950 nm and from 1050 nm to 1150 nm.Type: GrantFiled: October 7, 2016Date of Patent: July 9, 2019Assignee: Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLCInventors: Jay W Dawson, Graham S Allen, Derrek Reginald Drachenberg, Victor V Khitrov, Michael J Messerly, Paul H Pax, Nick Schenkel
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Patent number: 10033148Abstract: Rare earth doped fiber lasers can be robust and efficient sources of high quality light, but are usually limited to the highest gain transitions of the active species. But rare earths typically possess a multitude of potentially useful transitions that might be accessed if the dominant transition can be suppressed. In fiber lasers this suppression is complicated by the very high net gain the dominant transitions exhibit; effective suppression requires some mechanism distributed along the length of the fiber. We have developed a novel waveguide with resonant leakage elements that frustrate guidance at well-defined and selectable wavelengths. Based on this waveguide, we have fabricated a Large Mode Area Neodymium doped fiber with suppression of the four-level transition around 1060 nm, and demonstrated lasing on the three-level transition at 930 nm with good efficiency.Type: GrantFiled: October 7, 2016Date of Patent: July 24, 2018Assignee: Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLCInventors: Paul H Pax, Graham S Allen, Jay W Dawson, Derrek Reginald Drachenberg, Victor V Khitrov, Michael J Messerly, Nick Schenkel
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Publication number: 20170229838Abstract: An Nd3+ optical fiber laser and amplifier operating in the wavelength range from 1300 to 1450 nm is described. The fiber includes a rare earth doped optical amplifier or laser operating within this wavelength band is based upon an optical fiber that guides light in this wavelength band. The waveguide structure attenuates light in the wavelength range from 850 nm to 950 nm and from 1050 nm to 1150 nm.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 7, 2016Publication date: August 10, 2017Applicant: Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLCInventors: Jay W. Dawson, Graham S. Allen, Derrek Reginald Drachenberg, Victor V. Khitrov, Michael J. Messerly, Paul H. Pax, Nick Schenkel
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Publication number: 20170229834Abstract: Rare earth doped fiber lasers can be robust and efficient sources of high quality light, but are usually limited to the highest gain transitions of the active species. But rare earths typically possess a multitude of potentially useful transitions that might be accessed if the dominant transition can be suppressed. In fiber lasers this suppression is complicated by the very high net gain the dominant transitions exhibit; effective suppression requires some mechanism distributed along the length of the fiber. We have developed a novel waveguide with resonant leakage elements that frustrate guidance at well-defined and selectable wavelengths. Based on this waveguide, we have fabricated a Large Mode Area Neodymium doped fiber with suppression of the four-level transition around 1060 nm, and demonstrated lasing on the three-level transition at 930 nm with good efficiency.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 7, 2016Publication date: August 10, 2017Applicant: Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLCInventors: Paul H. Pax, Graham S. Allen, Jay W. Dawson, Derrek Reginald Drachenberg, Victor V. Khitrov, Michael J. Messerly, Nick Schenkel