Patents by Inventor Yang Pang
Yang Pang 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: 20090080084Abstract: A beam terminator for a high-power laser beam comprises a thermally conductive body including a beam-trapping chamber. A tapered spiral channel extends into the conductive body for guiding the beam. The beam is partially absorbed while propagating along the channel to the trapping chamber. What remains of the beam is absorbed in the trapping chamber.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 24, 2007Publication date: March 26, 2009Inventors: H. Yang Pang, Donald E. Harryman, William Clayton Brand
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Patent number: 7505491Abstract: A frequency-tripled laser-resonator has three resonator-branches. The branches are optically connected with each other by one or more polarization-selective devices. Unpolarized fundamental radiation is generated by optically pumping a gain-element in one branch of the resonator. The polarization-selective device provides that radiation in the other branches is plane-polarized, with the polarization planes of radiation entering the branches perpendicular to each other. Two optically nonlinear crystals are located in one of the branches of the resonator in which the fundamental radiation is plane-polarized and arranged to generate third-harmonic radiation. Three-branch resonators including two gain-elements having a optical relay therebetween, and a three-branch ring-laser-resonator are also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: August 29, 2007Date of Patent: March 17, 2009Assignee: Coherent, Inc.Inventors: Gary Y. Wang, Norman Hodgson, H. Yang Pang, R. Russel Austin
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Publication number: 20090059974Abstract: A frequency-tripled laser-resonator has three resonator-branches. The branches are optically connected with each other by one or more polarization-selective devices. Unpolarized fundamental radiation is generated by optically pumping a gain-element in one branch of the resonator. The polarization-selective device provides that radiation in the other branches is plane-polarized, with the polarization planes of radiation entering the branches perpendicular to each other. Two optically nonlinear crystals are located in one of the branches of the resonator in which the fundamental radiation is plane-polarized and arranged to generate third-harmonic radiation. Three-branch resonators including two gain-elements having a optical relay therebetween, and a three-branch ring-laser-resonator are also disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 29, 2007Publication date: March 5, 2009Inventors: Gary Y. Wang, Norman Hodgson, H. Yang Pang, R. Russel Austin
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Publication number: 20090003402Abstract: A laser includes a Ti:sapphire gain-element that is optically pumped by radiation from a semiconductor laser device. In one example the semiconductor laser device is an InGaN diode-laser array and the gain-element is optically pumped by radiation emitted by that array. In another example, the semiconductor laser device is an optically pumped semiconductor laser (OPS-laser) optically pumped by radiation from an InGaN diode-laser array. In a further example the semiconductor device is an intracavity frequency-doubled OPS laser.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 29, 2007Publication date: January 1, 2009Inventors: Joris Van Nunen, Hailong Zhou, H. Yang Pang
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Patent number: 7400794Abstract: An optical fiber assembly includes a clad optical fiber having an end-cap thereon. Radiation is focused into the optical fiber via the end-cap. A roughened portion of the fiber cladding behind the end-cap allows any radiation focused into the fiber and propagating in the cladding to escape the optical fiber. A concave reflector surrounding the optical fiber reflects the escaped radiation away from the fiber assembly. A connector for connecting the optical fiber to a laser includes an air-cooled beam-dump for receiving the radiation reflected away from the optical fiber.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2007Date of Patent: July 15, 2008Assignee: Coherent, Inc.Inventors: H. Yang Pang, John Rusty Harris, R. Ian Edmond, John Brekke, Kelly Child
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Patent number: 7327518Abstract: A method for attenuating an unpolarized laser beam includes separating the laser beam into two plane-polarized beams. The plane-polarized beams are polarization rotated. Each of the polarization-rotated beams is separated into two plane-polarized portions. One of the portions of one polarization-rotated beam is combined with one of the portions of the other polarization-rotated beam to provide an attenuated output-beam.Type: GrantFiled: May 14, 2007Date of Patent: February 5, 2008Assignee: Coherent, Inc.Inventors: Norman Hodgson, H. Yang Pang
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Publication number: 20070286247Abstract: An intracavity frequency-doubled includes a laser resonator including at least one gain element and two optically nonlinear crystals. The two optically nonlinear crystals independently double the frequency of fundamental radiation in the resonator. In one example the crystals are arranged to generate two frequency-doubled beams that are orthogonally plane-polarized with respect to each other. The beams can be combined by a polarization-selective combiner to form a common output.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 24, 2007Publication date: December 13, 2007Inventors: H. Yang Pang, David Dudley, Jean-Marc Heritier, Norman Hodgson
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Publication number: 20070217012Abstract: A method for attenuating an unpolarized laser beam includes separating the laser beam into two plane-polarized beams. The plane-polarized beams are polarization rotated. Each of the polarization-rotated beams is separated into two plane-polarized portions. One of the portions of one polarization-rotated beam is combined with one of the portions of the other polarization-rotated beam to provide an attenuated output-beam.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 14, 2007Publication date: September 20, 2007Inventors: Norman Hodgson, H. Yang Pang
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Patent number: 7259914Abstract: A method for attenuating an unpolarized laser beam includes separating the laser beam into two plane-polarized beams. The plane-polarized beams are polarization rotated. Each of the polarization-rotated beams is separated into two plane-polarized portions. One of the portions of one polarization-rotated beam is combined with one of the portions of the other polarization-rotated beam to provide an attenuated output-beam.Type: GrantFiled: August 30, 2005Date of Patent: August 21, 2007Assignee: Coherent, Inc.Inventors: Norman Hodgson, H. Yang Pang
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Patent number: 7239656Abstract: A method of minimizing contamination of optical components of a laser resonator is disclosed. The resonator components are located in an enclosure, which may contain contaminants including water vapor and organic favor released by the optical components, mounts of the optical components, or the enclosure itself. The enclosure may also contain suspended particulate matter. In order to reduce the level of these contaminants, a purging system extracts gas from the enclosure and passes the gas through a desiccant, an organic vapor trapping material, and a particulate matter filter then returns the extracted gas to the enclosure. The purging system is particularly useful for ultrafast lasers and ultraviolet lasers where the power of the laser radiation increases the probability of destabilizing reactions between laser radiation and contaminants.Type: GrantFiled: August 12, 2004Date of Patent: July 3, 2007Assignee: Coherent, Inc.Inventors: Yang Pang, Matthew Perry Philpott
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Patent number: 7038781Abstract: Time-correlation methods for determining pulse characteristics from a modelocked ultrafast laser include a cross-correlation method and an auto-correlation method. In the cross-correlation method, pulses from the laser and pulses from another modelocked laser are incident on a two-photon detector that responds when the pulses overlap in time. The lasers are synchronized to the same frequency and the phase difference between pulses from the two lasers is varied to vary the temporal pulse overlap while recording the detector response. Pulse characteristics are determined from recorded data representing the detector response as a function of phase difference. In the auto-correlation method, pulses from one laser are divided into two components. One component follows a fixed delay path before being temporally overlapped at the detector with another component that has not been delayed. The temporal overlap is varied by varying the pulse repetition frequency.Type: GrantFiled: October 1, 2003Date of Patent: May 2, 2006Assignee: Coherent, Inc.Inventors: H. Yang Pang, R. Russel Austin
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Publication number: 20050013329Abstract: A method of minimizing contamination of optical components of a laser resonator is disclosed. The resonator components are located in an enclosure, which may contain contaminants including water vapor and organic favor released by the optical components, mounts of the optical components, or the enclosure itself. The enclosure may also contain suspended particulate matter. In order to reduce the level of these contaminants, a purging system extracts gas from the enclosure and passes the gas through a desiccant, an organic vapor trapping material, and a particulate matter filter then returns the extracted gas to the enclosure. The purging system is particularly useful for ultrafast lasers and ultraviolet lasers where the power of the laser radiation increases the probability of destabilizing reactions between laser radiation and contaminants.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 12, 2004Publication date: January 20, 2005Inventors: Yang Pang, Matthew Philpott
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Patent number: 6798813Abstract: A method of minimizing contamination of optical components of a laser resonator is disclosed. The resonator components are located in an enclosure, which may contain contaminants including water vapor and organic favor released by the optical components, mounts of the optical components, or the enclosure itself. The enclosure may also contain suspended particulate matter. In order to reduce the level of these contaminants, a purging system extracts gas from the enclosure and passes the gas through a desiccant, an organic vapor trapping material, and a particulate matter filter then returns the extracted gas to the enclosure. The purging system is particularly useful for ultrafast lasers and ultraviolet lasers where the power of the laser radiation increases the probability of destabilizing reactions between laser radiation and contaminants.Type: GrantFiled: July 9, 2001Date of Patent: September 28, 2004Assignee: Coherent, Inc.Inventors: Yang Pang, Matthew Perry Philpott
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Patent number: 6671303Abstract: A method of operating a laser is disclosed. Components of the laser are located in an enclosure, which may contain contaminants including water vapor and organic vapor released by the optical components, mounts of the optical components, or the enclosure itself. The enclosure may also contain suspended particulate matter and ozone. In order to reduce the level of these contaminants, a purging system extracts gas from the enclosure and passes the gas through a catalyst to decompose the ozone, a desiccant, an organic vapor trapping material, and a particulate matter filter, then returns the extracted gas to the enclosure. Decomposing ozone is particularly important if the laser generates radiation at a wavelength less than 250 nm.Type: GrantFiled: June 10, 2002Date of Patent: December 30, 2003Assignee: Coherent, Inc.Inventor: Yang Pang
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Publication number: 20030227957Abstract: A method of operating a laser is disclosed. Components of the laser are located in an enclosure, which may contain contaminants including water vapor and organic vapor released by the optical components, mounts of the optical components, or the enclosure itself. The enclosure may also contain suspended particulate matter and ozone. In order to reduce the level of these contaminants, a purging system extracts gas from the enclosure and passes the gas through a catalyst to decompose the ozone, a desiccant, an organic vapor trapping material, and a particulate matter filter, then returns the extracted gas to the enclosure. Decomposing ozone is particularly important if the laser generates radiation at a wavelength less than 250 nm.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 10, 2002Publication date: December 11, 2003Inventor: Yang Pang
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Publication number: 20030193975Abstract: A laser system includes a laser for generating seed pulses, and a regenerative amplifier for amplifying seed pulses generated by the seed pulse laser. The regenerative amplifier includes a gain-element pumped by optical pump pulses delivered by a pump laser, and an optical switch controlled synchronously with the delivery of pump-pulses such that amplified seed pulses can be delivered in a desired sequence different from but related to a constant rate at which optical pump pulses are delivered to the regenerative amplifier.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 12, 2002Publication date: October 16, 2003Inventor: Yang Pang
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Patent number: 6603600Abstract: A method of delivering a seed-pulse to a regenerative amplifier includes generating an ultrashort optical pulse. The ultrashort optical pulse is delivered to a single-mode optical fiber configured to generate a continuum. A portion of the continuum generated by the optical fiber is selected by a pulse stretcher and converted into the seed pulse. The pulse stretcher can be tuned to provide seed pulses of selectively variable wavelength.Type: GrantFiled: November 21, 2001Date of Patent: August 5, 2003Assignee: Coherent, Inc.Inventor: Yang Pang
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Patent number: 6594301Abstract: An automatically-tunable, ultrafast laser delivers ultrashort pulses having a duration a few picoseconds or less. The laser has a laser resonator including an optically-pumped gain-medium providing optical gain over a gain-bandwidth characteristic of the gain-medium. The resonator includes one or more groups of group-delay-dispersion compensating prisms. One or more prisms in each group is moveable with respect to one or more others. A stop is arranged, cooperative with the group of prisms, to select a pulse wavelength within the gain-bandwidth. Tuning of the selected pulse-wavelength is accomplished by moving the moveable prism or prisms cooperative with the stop. The prism motion and the spatial relationship of the prisms with the stop is arranged such that the optical path length in the prisms for all selected lasing wavelengths is about the same. This provides that changes in characteristics of the output-pulses are minimized as the pulse wavelength is varied.Type: GrantFiled: March 21, 2001Date of Patent: July 15, 2003Assignee: Coherent, Inc.Inventor: Yang Pang
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Publication number: 20030095320Abstract: A method of delivering a seed-pulse to a regenerative amplifier includes generating an ultrashort optical pulse. The ultrashort optical pulse is delivered to a single-mode optical fiber configured to generate a continuum. A portion of the continuum generated by the optical fiber is selected by a pulse stretcher and converted into the seed pulse. The pulse stretcher can be tuned to provide seed pulses of selectively variable wavelength.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 21, 2001Publication date: May 22, 2003Inventor: Yang Pang
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Publication number: 20030007537Abstract: A method of minimizing contamination of optical components of a laser resonator is disclosed. The resonator components are located in an enclosure, which may contain contaminants including water vapor and organic favor released by the optical components, mounts of the optical components, or the enclosure itself. The enclosure may also contain suspended particulate matter. In order to reduce the level of these contaminants, a purging system extracts gas from the enclosure and passes the gas through a desiccant, an organic vapor trapping material, and a particulate matter filter then returns the extracted gas to the enclosure. The purging system is particularly useful for ultrafast lasers and ultraviolet lasers where the power of the laser radiation increases the probability of destabilizing reactions between laser radiation and contaminants.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 9, 2001Publication date: January 9, 2003Inventors: Yang Pang, Matthew Perry Philpott