Patents by Inventor William P. Putnam

William P. Putnam 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).

  • Apparatus and method for generating high-intensity optical pulses with an enhancement cavity
    Patent number: 8649086
    Abstract: An enhancement cavity includes a plurality of focusing mirrors, at least one of which defines a central aperture having a diameter greater than 1 mm. The mirrors are configured to form an optical pathway for closed reflection and transmission of the optical pulse within the enhancement cavity. Ring-shaped optical pulses having a peak intensity at a radius greater than 0.5 mm from a central axis are directed into the enhancement cavity. Accordingly, the peak intensity of the optical pulse is distributed so as to circumscribe the central apertures in the apertured mirrors, and the mirrors are structured to focus the pulse about the aperture toward a central spot area where the pulse is focused to a high intensity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Franz X. Kartner, Gilberto Abram, William P. Putnam, Shu-Wei Huang, Edilson L. Falcao-Filho
  • APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR GENERATING HIGH-INTENSITY OPTICAL PULSES WITH AN ENHANCEMENT CAVITY
    Publication number: 20110073784
    Abstract: An enhancement cavity includes a plurality of focusing mirrors, at least one of which defines a central aperture having a diameter greater than 1 mm. The mirrors are configured to form an optical pathway for closed reflection and transmission of the optical pulse within the enhancement cavity. Ring-shaped optical pulses having a peak intensity at a radius greater than 0.5 mm from a central axis are directed into the enhancement cavity. Accordingly, the peak intensity of the optical pulse is distributed so as to circumscribe the central apertures in the apertured mirrors, and the mirrors are structured to focus the pulse about the aperture toward a central spot area where the pulse is focused to a high intensity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Publication date: March 31, 2011
    Applicant: MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Franz X. Kartner, Gilberto Abram, William P. Putnam, Shu-Wei Huang, Edilson L. Falcao-Filho