Abstract: A flow cell is provided for the analysis and/or microscopy of liquid or gas samples on the nanometer to micron scale. The flow cell preferably includes a thin membrane that is transparent to electrons and/or photons, thereby enabling the penetration of electrons or photons into a liquid flowing through the cell. Trenches are provided on either side of the membrane, which advantageously minimize fluidic resistance outside of the window area of the cell and also enable a faster response time in response to changes in external fluidic pressure. This feature enables active feedback using pathlength sensitive probes to stabilize the fluid flow to thin streams from nanometer to micron scale thicknesses with nanometer precision.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to the creation of optical waveguiding devices from standard optical fibers by the creation of zones of permanently altered refractive index characteristics therein. A high intensity femtosecond laser beam is focused at a predetermined target region in the fiber so as to soften the glass material at the target region. After aligning the focal region with the target region in the fiber there will be relative movement between the focal region and the fiber, which has the effect of sweeping the focal region across the fiber in a predetermined path, so as to create a secondary waveguide path. A portion of the light traveling along the core is removed from the core along the secondary waveguide path such that the device can be utilized as an attenuator, an optical tap, or a polarimeter.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to the creation of optical waveguiding devices from standard optical fibers by the creation of zones of permanently altered refractive index characteristics therein. A high intensity femtosecond laser beam is focused at a predetermined target region in the fiber so as to soften the glass material at the target region. After aligning the focal region with the target region in the fiber there will be relative movement between the focal region and the fiber, which has the effect of sweeping the focal region across the fiber in a predetermined path, so as to create a secondary waveguide path. A portion of the light traveling along the core is removed from the core along the secondary waveguide path such that the device can be utilized as an attenuator, an optical tap, or a polarimeter.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to the creation of optical waveguiding devices from standard optical fibers by the creation of zones of permanently altered refractive index characteristics therein. A high intensity femtosecond laser beam is focused at a predetermined target region in the fiber so as to soften the glass material at the target region. After aligning the focal region with the target region in the fiber there will be relative movement between the focal region and the fiber, which has the effect of sweeping the focal region across the fiber in a predetermined path, so as to create a secondary waveguide path. A portion of the light traveling along the core is removed from the core along the secondary waveguide path such that the device can be utilized as an attenuator, an optical tap, or a polarimeter.

Abstract: A device for generating a frequency converted laser beam includes a nonlinear crystal having a first end face and a second end face opposed to the first end face. The nonlinear crystal is configured to receive at least one input laser beam at the first end face and output a frequency converted beam at the second face. A beam waist of the at least one input laser beam is positioned between the first end face and the second end face during a frequency conversion process. The device also includes a second crystal having a first end face bonded to the second end face of the nonlinear crystal and a second end face opposed to the first end face. A beam diameter of the frequency converted beam at the first end face of the second crystal is less than a beam diameter of the frequency converted beam at the second end face of the second crystal.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to the creation of optical waveguiding devices from standard optical fibers by the creation of zones of permanently altered refractive index characteristics therein. A high intensity femtosecond laser beam is focused at a predetermined target region in the fiber so as to soften the glass material at the target region. After aligning the focal region with the target region in the fiber there will be relative movement between the focal region and the fiber, which has the effect of sweeping the focal region across the fiber in a predetermined path, so as to create a secondary waveguide path. A portion of the light traveling along the core is removed from the core along the secondary waveguide path such that the device can be utilized as an attenuator, an optical tap, or a polarimeter.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of laser processing of materials, specifically laser induced ablation processes for laser removal of material particularly important in medical and dental applications in which the laser removal of material should be done in such a way as to not damage any of the surrounding soft or hard biomaterial. The ablation process is achieved by impulsive heat deposition (IHD) by direct and specific excitation of short lived vibrations or phonons of the material in such a way as to not generate highly reactive and damaging ions through multiphoton absorption. The heat deposition and ensuing ablation process under prescribed time and wavelength conditions for laser irradiation is achieved faster than heat transfer to surrounding tissue by either acoustic or thermal expansion or thermal diffusion that otherwise would lead to excess heat related damage.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to the creation of optical waveguiding devices from standard optical fibers by the creation of zones of permanently altered refractive index characteristics therein. A high intensity femtosecond laser beam is focused at a predetermined target region in the fiber so as to soften the glass material at the target region. After aligning the focal region with the target region in the fiber there will be relative movement between the focal region and the fiber, which has the effect of sweeping the focal region across the fiber in a predetermined path. The result is a zone within the fiber in which the refractive index characteristics of the fiber have been permanently altered so as to control amplitude, phase, spatial propagation or polarization states of light within the material.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a laser amplifier with high gain and low thermally induced optical aberrations on the amplified laser beam. The amplifier designs allow simple multipass configurations to optimally extract the gain and reduce thermally induced index of refraction aberrations, making it possible to obtain an amplified laser beam of high quality combined with very high overall gains comparable to those achievable with expensive regenerative amplifiers. The amplifier includes a thin active laser solid to create the population inversion and associated heat generation within the thin laser active solid possible for the desired gain value. The system includes a cooling device in thermal contact with the thin active laser solid to provide good heat transport and high reflectivity coatings at the wavelengths of the pump and laser wavelengths. The pump light sources are laser diodes tuned to the maximum absorption of the laser active material.

Abstract: A laser system capable of efficient production of high energy sub-nanosecond pulses in the 2-15 ?m spectral region is disclosed. Diode pumped solid state lasers are used as pump sources. The system design is simple, reliable and compact allowing for easy integration. The laser system includes a combination of compact solid-state ˜1 micron laser sources, producing high power picosecond pulses, with optical parametric amplification and a quasi-continuous wave laser for seeding the amplification process that enables the efficient conversion of the high power ˜1 micron laser radiation to tuneable mid-infrared sub-ns pulses. New parametric processes are presented for achieving high gains in bulk nonlinear crystals. Furthermore, a method of exceeding the fundamental conversion efficiency limit of direct three wave mixing is presented.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to the creation of zones of permanently altered refractive index characteristics in glass waveguiding devices, including optical fibers and optical waveguides pre-existed in a glass substrate. Such zones in which the refractive index has been permanently altered are created in glass using a very high intensity laser beam which is produced by focusing the light output from an ultrafast pulsed laser at a predetermined target region in the glass. The preferred laser is a Ti:Sapphire amplified, frequency-doubled Erbium-doped fiber laser system, providing light pulses of approximately 100 femtosecond duration, each with an energy of between about 1 nanojoule and 1 millijoule, and preferably at a pulse repetition rate of between 500 Hz and 1 GHz. The repetition rate is chosen to deliver pulses faster than the thermal diffusion time over the dimensions of the volume element being modified.

Abstract: A method and circuit is disclosed for providing a control signal to a laser cavity controller. The cavity has two completely reflective surfaces. A long lived laser medium stores energy within the cavity. A computer generated waveform generated from enough values to appear substantially smooth after being amplified is provided to a control circuit having a Pockels cell or a Bragg cell. By controlling the amplitude of the computer generated waveform, the output pulse of the laser cavity is controlled.

Abstract: A grill, such as for use in barbecues, comprising a flat cooking surface having a multiplicity of openings therethrough and grooves inlaid therein which are juxtaposed so as to effect the flowing of a major portion of the liquids emanating from food being cooked on the cooking surface into the grooves and a minor portion of the liquids into the openings. The minor portion falls into the heat source located underneath the grill. The grooves are of a slope and direction to effect the disposition of the major portion of liquids to a location distant from the heat source.