Patents by Inventor Scott R. Karlsen
Scott R. Karlsen 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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Publication number: 20240113488Abstract: Some embodiments may include an apparatus usable in a laser system. The apparatus may include at least one optical filter to receive a laser beam or laser light along a first axis, the laser beam or laser light generated by the laser system, wherein the at least one optical filter is configured to reflect one of light having a selected wavelength or a remainder of the laser light along a second axis that is non-parallel with the first axis and pass the other of the light having the selected wavelength or the remainder along a third axis that is parallel to the first axis. Other embodiments may be disclosed and/or claimed.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 6, 2021Publication date: April 4, 2024Applicant: NLIGHT, INC.Inventors: Scott R. Karlsen, Aaron BROWN, Jay SMALL, Stefano ORIGLIA, Andrea BRAGLIA
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Publication number: 20230349754Abstract: Some embodiments may include a power monitor to measure power of laser light propagating in a core of an optical fiber; the power monitor to generate a sensor signal using an optical sensor having a light sensitive section with no line of sight to part of the optical fiber; wherein the sensor signal is derived from light emerging laterally from the part of the optical fiber. Other embodiments may be disclosed and/or claimed.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 24, 2023Publication date: November 2, 2023Applicant: NLIGHT, INC.Inventors: Scott R. Karlsen, David R. Balsley, Nicolas Trent Meacham, Austin Hagarty, Dahv A.V. Kliner
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Patent number: 11498155Abstract: A scanned optical beam is divided so as to form a set of scanned subbeams. To compensate for scan errors, a portion of at least one subbeam is detected and a scan error estimated based on the detected portion. A beam scanner is controlled according to the estimated error so as to adjust a propagation direction of some or all of the set of scanned subbeams. The scanned subbeams with adjusted propagation directions are received by an f-theta lens and directed to a work piece. In typical examples, the portion of the at least one subbeam that is detected is obtained from the set of scanned subbeams prior to incidence of the scanned subbeams to the f-theta lens.Type: GrantFiled: January 16, 2020Date of Patent: November 15, 2022Assignee: nLIGHT, Inc.Inventors: Scott R. Karlsen, Robert J. Martinsen
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Patent number: 11256076Abstract: A laser system capable of producing a stable and accurate high-power output beam from one or more input beams of corresponding laser sources comprises one or more optical elements configured to receive the input beams wherein at least one of said one or more optical elements is made of high purity fused silica.Type: GrantFiled: October 2, 2018Date of Patent: February 22, 2022Assignee: nLIGHT, Inc.Inventors: Scott R. Karlsen, Robert J. Martinsen, Keith W. Kennedy
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Patent number: 11022760Abstract: An apparatus includes a camera, a dark field illumination source, and a fiber inspection housing including a fiber connector input situated to receive an optical fiber connector so that an optical fiber output end of the optical fiber connector is removably insertable into an interior region of the fiber inspection housing and securable at a predetermined location in the interior region, a camera input situated to receive and secure the camera so that the camera is in optical communication with the interior region and the optical fiber output end, and a dark field illumination source input situated to receive the dark field illumination source so that light emitted from the dark field illumination source is received by the optical fiber output end at a dark field illumination angle and is scattered by contamination or defects associated with the optical fiber output end so as to be detectable by the camera.Type: GrantFiled: April 29, 2016Date of Patent: June 1, 2021Assignee: nLIGHT, Inc.Inventors: Aaron Brown, Dahv A. V. Kliner, Scott R. Karlsen, Jeremy Young, Ryan Hawke, David R. Balsley, Ron Stevens
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Patent number: 10957541Abstract: Laser pulses from pulsed fiber lasers are directed to an amorphous silicon layer to produce a polysilicon layer comprising a disordered arrangement of crystalline regions by repeated melting and recrystallization. Laser pulse durations of about 0.5 to 5 ns at wavelength range between about 500 nm and 1000 nm, at repetition rates of 10 kHz to 10 MHz can be used. Line beam intensity uniformity can be improved by spectrally broadening the laser pulses by Raman scattering in a multimode fiber or by applying varying phase delays to different portions of a beam formed with the laser pulses to reduce beam coherence.Type: GrantFiled: October 10, 2019Date of Patent: March 23, 2021Assignee: nLIGHT, Inc.Inventors: Robert J. Martinsen, Scott R. Karlsen, Ken Gross
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Patent number: 10725287Abstract: An image compensated multi-beam system includes a beam splitter configured to receive an input light beam and split the input light beam into a plurality of processing light beams, beam scanning optics configured to receive the plurality of processing light beams and to scan the beams at a target, and an image compensation subsystem configured to selectively adjust the rotation of an image of the plurality of processing light beams at the target. A method for compensating a multi-beam image includes splitting an input light beam into a plurality of processing light beams with a beam splitter, scanning the plurality of processing light beams across a target with beam scanning optics, and selectively adjusting the rotation of an image of the plurality of processing light beams at the target.Type: GrantFiled: June 11, 2013Date of Patent: July 28, 2020Assignee: nLIGHT, Inc.Inventor: Scott R. Karlsen
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Patent number: 10670872Abstract: An all-fiber optical beam switch mechanism includes a first length of fiber through which an incident optical beam having beam characteristics propagates along a first propagation path and which has a first refractive index profile (RIP). The first RIP enables, in response to an applied perturbation, modification of the optical beam to form an adjusted optical beam that is movable to propagate along a second propagation path. A second length of fiber is coupled to the first length of fiber and formed with multiple spaced-apart, non-coaxial confinement cores. A selected state of applied perturbation moves the second propagation path of the adjusted optical beam to a position of a selected corresponding one of the multiple confinement cores to confine and thereby direct the adjusted optical beam to a corresponding beam output location at the output of the second length of fiber.Type: GrantFiled: March 24, 2018Date of Patent: June 2, 2020Assignee: nLIGHT, Inc.Inventors: Scott R. Karlsen, Brian M. Victor, Roger L. Farrow
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Publication number: 20200147719Abstract: A scanned optical beam is divided so as to form a set of scanned subbeams. To compensate for scan errors, a portion of at least one subbeam is detected and a scan error estimated based on the detected portion. A beam scanner is controlled according to the estimated error so as to adjust a propagation direction of some or all of the set of scanned subbeams. The scanned subbeams with adjusted propagation directions are received by an f-theta lens and directed to a work piece. In typical examples, the portion of the at least one subbeam that is detected is obtained from the set of scanned subbeams prior to incidence of the scanned subbeams to the f-theta lens.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 16, 2020Publication date: May 14, 2020Applicant: nLIGHT, Inc.Inventors: Scott R. Karlsen, Robert J. Martinsen
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Patent number: 10569357Abstract: A scanned optical beam is divided so as to form a set of scanned subbeams. To compensate for scan errors, a portion of at least one subbeam is detected and a scan error estimated based on the detected portion. A beam scanner is controlled according to the estimated error so as to adjust a propagation direction of some or all of the set of scanned subbeams. The scanned subbeams with adjusted propagation directions are received by an f-theta lens and directed to a work piece. In typical examples, the portion of the at least one subbeam that is detected is obtained from the set of scanned subbeams prior to incidence of the scanned subbeams to the f-theta lens.Type: GrantFiled: August 1, 2014Date of Patent: February 25, 2020Assignee: nLIGHT, Inc.Inventors: Scott R. Karlsen, Robert J. Martinsen
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Publication number: 20200043736Abstract: Laser pulses from pulsed fiber lasers are directed to an amorphous silicon layer to produce a polysilicon layer comprising a disordered arrangement of crystalline regions by repeated melting and recrystallization. Laser pulse durations of about 0.5 to 5 ns at wavelength range between about 500 nm and 1000 nm, at repetition rates of 10 kHz to 10 MHz can be used. Line beam intensity uniformity can be improved by spectrally broadening the laser pulses by Raman scattering in a multimode fiber or by applying varying phase delays to different portions of a beam formed with the laser pulses to reduce beam coherence.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 10, 2019Publication date: February 6, 2020Applicant: nLIGHT, Inc.Inventors: Robert J. Martinsen, Scott R. Karlsen, Ken Gross
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Patent number: 10466494Abstract: An apparatus includes beam shearing optics situated to receive a collimated beam and to shear the collimated beam along a first direction so as to form a plurality of adjacent collimated beam portions, and homogenization optics situated to receive and homogenize the adjacent collimated beam portions along at least the first direction so as to produce a homogenized output beam. A method includes shearing a collimated beam having a beam parameter product (bpp) along an axis so as to form a plurality of sheared collimated beam portions, and arranging the sheared collimated beam portions adjacent to each other so that a line beam having a length and thickness that is formed with the light from the sheared collimated beam portions has a lower bpp associated with the line beam thickness than the bpp of the collimated beam along the axis.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2016Date of Patent: November 5, 2019Assignee: nLIGHT, Inc.Inventors: Scott A. Lerner, R. Kirk Price, Scott R. Karlsen
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Patent number: 10453691Abstract: Laser pulses from pulsed fiber lasers are directed to an amorphous silicon layer to produce a polysilicon layer comprising a disordered arrangement of crystalline regions by repeated melting and recrystallization. Laser pulse durations of about 0.5 to 5 ns at wavelength range between about 500 nm and 1000 nm, at repetition rates of 10 kHz to 10 MHz can be used. Line beam intensity uniformity can be improved by spectrally broadening the laser pulses by Raman scattering in a multimode fiber or by applying varying phase delays to different portions of a beam formed with the laser pulses to reduce beam coherence.Type: GrantFiled: December 30, 2013Date of Patent: October 22, 2019Assignee: nLIGHT, Inc.Inventors: Robert J. Martinsen, Scott R. Karlsen, Ken Gross
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Patent number: 10406630Abstract: A multi-beam laser material processing system for processing a target includes a beam splitting system situated to receive an input beam, the beam splitting system including a beam splitter situated to receive and split the input beam into a plurality of subbeams, a focus lens situated to receive the subbeams and cause the subbeams to converge, a zoom lens system situated to receive the subbeams and adjust the magnification of the subbeams at the target, and a dispersion compensation system situated to receive the subbeams and compensate for dispersion associated with the subbeams, the dispersion compensation system including a negative diffractive lens and a positive diffractive lens.Type: GrantFiled: November 12, 2015Date of Patent: September 10, 2019Assignee: nLIGHT, Inc.Inventor: Scott R. Karlsen
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Patent number: 10374378Abstract: A fiber laser system includes a fiber laser connector having a housing to terminate a fiber that generates a laser beam. A chamber extends internally along a length of the housing. A light trap includes a plurality of threads formed along a wall of the chamber to trap light reflected back to the fiber laser connector in response to an application of the laser beam to a workpiece.Type: GrantFiled: October 11, 2018Date of Patent: August 6, 2019Assignee: NLIGHT, INC.Inventors: Scott R. Karlsen, Walter R. Sanders
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Patent number: 10295405Abstract: A monitoring system for a multi-laser module includes detectors corresponding to each laser and situated to receive a portion of the associated laser beam uncombined with other beams. Laser characteristics are measured and stored, and in operation are used to identify device failures. A comparator receives a reference value and compares the reference value with a current operational value. If the current value is less that the reference value, a possible failure is indicated. Signal cross-coupling among the detectors is also used to identify undesirable scattering that can be associated with surface contamination or device failure.Type: GrantFiled: March 24, 2016Date of Patent: May 21, 2019Assignee: nLIGHT, Inc.Inventors: Scott R. Karlsen, Jay Small, Mitch Stanek, Vito P. Errico, Cary S. Kiest
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Publication number: 20190146200Abstract: A laser system capable of producing a stable and accurate high-power output beam from one or more input beams of corresponding laser sources comprises one or more optical elements configured to receive the input beams wherein at least one of said one or more optical elements is made of high purity fused silica.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 2, 2018Publication date: May 16, 2019Applicant: nLIGHT, Inc.Inventors: Scott R. Karlsen, Robert J. Martinsen, Keith W. Kennedy
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Publication number: 20190123505Abstract: A fiber laser system includes a fiber laser connector having a housing to terminate a fiber that generates a laser beam. A chamber extends internally along a length of the housing. A light trap includes a plurality of threads formed along a wall of the chamber to trap light reflected back to the fiber laser connector in response to an application of the laser beam to a workpiece.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 11, 2018Publication date: April 25, 2019Applicant: NLIGHT, Inc.Inventors: Scott R. Karlsen, Walter R. Sanders
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Patent number: 10226837Abstract: Multi-beam, multi-wavelength processing systems include two or more lasers configured to provide respective beams to a substrate. The beams have wavelengths, pulse durations, beam areas, beam intensities, pulse energies, polarizations, repetition rates, and other beam properties that are independently selectable. Substrate distortion in processes requiring local heating can be reduced by preheating with a large area beam at a first wavelength followed by exposure to a focused beam at a second wavelength so as to heat a local area to a desired process temperature. For some processing, multiple wavelengths are selected to obtain a desired energy deposition within a substrate.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2013Date of Patent: March 12, 2019Assignee: nLIGHT, Inc.Inventors: Scott R. Karlsen, Keith Kennedy, Robert J. Martinsen
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Patent number: 10141707Abstract: A fiber laser system includes a fiber laser connector having a housing to terminate a fiber that generates a laser beam. A chamber extends internally along a length of the housing. A light trap includes a plurality of threads formed along a wall of the chamber to trap light reflected back to the fiber laser connector in response to an application of the laser beam to a workpiece.Type: GrantFiled: May 16, 2017Date of Patent: November 27, 2018Assignee: NLIGHT, Inc.Inventors: Scott R. Karlsen, Walter R. Sanders