Raman Laser Patents (Class 372/3)
  • Patent number: 11387620
    Abstract: An apparatus includes at least one Raman medium configured to receive a pump beam and shift at least a portion of the pump beam into a Stokes-shifted output beam. The apparatus also includes a first lens configured to receive and focus the pump beam into the at least one Raman medium. The apparatus further includes first and second retro-lens assemblies, each including at least one prism configured to reflect beams from the at least one Raman medium back into the at least one Raman medium and multiple second lenses configured to control optical propagation of the beams entering and exiting the at least one Raman medium. Multiple pairs of lenses form multiple confocal arrangements of lenses. The pairs of lenses include the first lens and the second lenses of the retro-lens assemblies. The at least one Raman medium is optically positioned between the lenses in the confocal arrangements of lenses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventor: David A. Rockwell
  • Patent number: 11378741
    Abstract: Devices and systems for opto-acoustic signal processing are described herein. In one embodiment, the device may include a structure configured to laterally confine travelling acoustic phonons (hypersound) throughout, a first multimode optical waveguide embedded within the structure, and an acoustic phonon emitter within the structure, where the first multimode optical waveguide is selected to couple to the acoustic phonons (hypersound) confined within the structure. In one embodiment, the system may include a first light source optically coupled to a proximal end of the first multimode optical waveguide, the first light source emitting a probe wave having a frequency ?p(1), and a driver configured to drive the acoustic phonon emitter to emit acoustic phonons (hypersound).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: YALE UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Eric Kittlaus, Nils Otterstrom, Prashanta Kharel, Shai Gertler, Peter Rakich
  • Patent number: 11316317
    Abstract: A multi-wavelength laser device equipped with a linear cavity along which a first direction and a second direction opposite to the first direction are defined is disclosed. The apparatus includes, along the first direction, a first optical component, a gain and Raman medium, a sum frequency generation crystal, a first second-harmonic generation crystal and a second optical component. The first optical component allows a pumping light to transmit therethrough and be incident in the first direction. The gain and Raman medium receives the pumping light from the first optical component and generates a first infrared base laser light having a first wavelength and a second infrared base laser light having a second wavelength. The first and second optical components form a laser cavity for oscillation of these two infrared base laser lights. The sum frequency generation crystal receives the first and second infrared base laser lights and generates a first visible laser light having a third wavelength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: Lightmed Corporation
    Inventors: Yung-Fu Chen, Hsing-Chih Liang, Chia-Han Tsou
  • Patent number: 10957541
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: nLIGHT, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert J. Martinsen, Scott R. Karlsen, Ken Gross
  • Patent number: 10656328
    Abstract: Fiber laser having a monolithic laser resonator having laser affected zones for providing laser beams having wavelengths below 800 nm and from between 400 nm to 800 nm. Methods of using femtosecond lasers to form fiber Bragg gratings, volume Bragg gratings, space gratings, and laser beam delivery patterns for changing the index of refraction within optical fibers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: Nuburu, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark S. Zediker, Matthew Silva Sa, Robert Stegeman, James Tucker, Donald A. Millick
  • Patent number: 10386247
    Abstract: Embodiments are directed to a distributed temperature sensing system. The system includes a first fiber optic cable and a second fiber optic cable. A first coupler is coupled to the first fiber optic cable. A second coupler is coupled to the second fiber optic cable. An optical isolator coupled between the first coupler and the second coupler to remove a Stokes signal in order to increase the range of the distributed temperature sensing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: OFS FITEL, LLC
    Inventor: Xiaoguang Sun
  • Patent number: 10374385
    Abstract: Hybrid silicon lasers and amplifiers having resonator cavities within a silicon substrate and a two-dimensional material film on the substrate as an optical gain medium are described. The two-dimensional material film may be formed of one or more atomic layers of phosphorene (BP). The number of phosphorene layers may be adjusted to tune the emission wavelength of the hybrid devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignees: UCHICAGO ARGONNE, LLC, NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Chad Husko, Jeff Guest, Mark Hersam, Joohoon Kang, Joshua Wood, Xavier Checoury
  • Patent number: 10276999
    Abstract: An optically pumped, flowing gas, alkali metal laser includes a gas passageway transporting an alkali metal vapor and a hydrocarbon buffer gas, and a laser propagation passageway intersects the gas passageway and forms a main cell at the intersection. A pump laser is directed into the main cell and produces a main laser beam in the laser propagation passageway. The flowing hydrocarbon buffer gas is disposed in the main cell with a density to induce spin-orbit relaxation in the alkali metal vapor. At least one window is disposed in the laser propagation passageway, and the window is protected from deposits of alkali metal or carbon by a heated leading edge in the laser propagation passageway that re-vaporizes alkali metal and returns it to the gas passageway via a convective gas flow. The window is further protected by a cold block that liquefies alkali metal and by a colder block that solidifies alkali metal in the laser propagation passageway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
    Inventors: Matthew D. Rotondaro, Randal J. Knize, Boris Zhdanov
  • Patent number: 10216063
    Abstract: Systems and methods for spectrally broadening seed pulses with a single pass laser amplifier are disclosed. A bulk TM:II-VI polycrystalline material with combined gain and nonlinear characteristic provides passive (cold) spectral broadening of high power seed pulses. Continuous pumping provides more significant spectral broadening. In particular, pulsed pumping of TM:II-VI polycrystalline material (e.g. Cr2+:ZnS, Cr2+:ZnSe, and Cr2+:CdSe) is shown to provide significant spectral broadening to the super continuum generation SCG level. Pulse picking, pump sources, master oscillators and various optical components are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: IPG PHOTONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sergey Vasilyev, Igor Moskalev, Michael Mirov, Valentin Gapontsev
  • Patent number: 9983550
    Abstract: An optical atomic clock utilizing two different laser light sources is described. A source laser is locked to a first optical resonator, which supports a whispering gallery mode for the source laser and generates optical hyperparametric sidebands from the source laser output by multi-wave mixing. A reference laser is locked to an atomic reference via a second optical resonator, and the first optical resonator is locked to the reference laser. Optical parametric sidebands, which are locked to an atomic reference but are generated from a wavelength unrelated to the clock transition of the atomic reference, are coupled out of the first optical resonator to generate an RF signal useful in atomic timekeeping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: OEwaves, Inc.
    Inventors: Wei Liang, Andrey B. Matsko, Lute Maleki, Danny Eliyahu, Vladimir S. Ilchenko, Anatoliy A. Savchenkov
  • Patent number: 9979153
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an optical fiber laser device including a seed unit for providing at least two seed lights having different wavelengths; and an amplifying unit for amplifying the at least two seed lights. The amplifying unit includes: a preamplifying unit for amplifying the at least two seed lights by using excitation light of which the wavelength is shorter than the wavelengths of the seed lights; and a final amplifying unit to which no separate excitation light source is provided. The final amplifying unit amplifies the seed light having the longest wavelength by using the other seed light as excitation light with respect to the seed light having the longest wavelength among the at least two seed light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: GWANGJU INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Bong Ahn Yu, Young Chul Noh, Woo Jin Shin, Chang soo Jung, Yeung Lak Lee
  • Patent number: 9905989
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a high-power fiber laser by forming a first assembly of fiber optic components on a common first fiber; forming a second assembly of other fiber optic components on a common second fiber; forming a further fiber optic component on a third optical fiber; connecting the first fiber to the third optical fiber by a first splice to fix the first assembly of fiber optic components to the further fiber optic component; and connecting the third optical fiber to the second fiber by a second splice to fix the second assembly of fiber optic components to the further fiber optic component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.
    Inventor: Benjamin R. Johnson
  • Patent number: 9632247
    Abstract: The THz-wave device comprises: a 2D-PC slab; lattice points periodically arranged in the 2D-PC slab, the lattice points for diffracting the THz waves in PBG frequencies of photonic band structure of the 2D-PC slab in order to prohibit existence in a plane of the 2D-PC; a 2D-PC waveguide disposed in the 2D-PC slab and formed with a line defect of the lattice points; and an RTD device disposed on the 2D-PC waveguide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignees: ROHM CO., LTD., OSAKA UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Masayuki Fujita, Tadao Nagatsuma, Kazuisao Tsuruda, Dai Onishi
  • Patent number: 9583524
    Abstract: An optical imaging system (e.g., hyperspectral imaging system) is described herein which includes imaging optics, an uni-axial homogenizer (including a rectangular cross-section light pipe and an astigmatic paraxial optic), and a detector. The uni-axial homogenizer is configured to preserve imaging along one axis while homogenizing (removing all image information) along a second perpendicular axis. In one embodiment, the uni-axial homogenizer is utilized in a spectrograph of a hyperspectral imaging system where the rectangular cross-section light pipe replaces the entrance slit of the spectrograph and the astigmatic paraxial optic is built into the design of the spectrometer's optics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Lovell Elgin Comstock, II, Richard Lynton Wiggins
  • Patent number: 9554101
    Abstract: A Gaussian-distributed excitation light beam of an excitation spectrum emitted from an excitation light source enters a light pipe and is there converted to a top-hat spatially distributed excitation beam. The top-hat distributed excitation beam is focused on a phosphor-coated or reflective portion of a surface of an optical wavelength conversion element. Fluoresced and reflected beams travel outward from the wavelength conversion element and re-enter the light pipe to be homogenized during transit through the light pipe. A homogenized fluoresced or reflected beam is relayed to an output as one of a sequence of colors of homogenized light. The functions of Gaussian to top-hat conversion of the excitation beams directed toward the optical conversion element and homogenization of beams directed outward from the optical conversion element are both efficiently performed using a single, shared light pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Vikrant R. Bhakta
  • Patent number: 9551664
    Abstract: There is provided a laser scanning microscope system including a mode-locked laser unit configured to radiate a laser beam with a predetermined frequency, an intermittent light-emitting unit configured to intermittently emit the laser beam radiated from the mode-locked laser unit in a predetermined intermittent light-emission period, a detector configured to convert a fluorescent substance into an electric signal, the fluorescent substance receiving the intermittently emitted laser beam and then being excited from an object, and an A/D conversion unit configured to sample the electric signal in a sampling period synchronized with the intermittent light-emission period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Goro Fujita, Masaaki Hara
  • Patent number: 9450374
    Abstract: There is provided a system for remote pumping of a Raman fiber amplifier comprising a pump laser located remotely from the Raman fiber amplifier and a laserhead and one or more optical fibers to optically couple the high power pump light from the remote pump laser to the Raman fiber amplifier where a seed laser light is amplified wherein the pump laser for producing a high power laser light of a predetermined pump wavelength comprises a first fiber laser emitting light at the predetermined pump wavelength and one (second) or two (third) laser emitting light at a wavelength lower than the predetermined pump wavelength and multiplexed with light from the first laser into an optical fiber providing Raman gain at the predetermined pump wavelength to convert the second (and optionally also the third) laser light to light at the predetermined pump wavelength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: MPB COMMUNICATIONS INC.
    Inventors: Vladimir Karpov, Daoping Wei, Wallace R. L. Clements
  • Patent number: 9414887
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus are provided for producing SuperContinuum (SC) light for medical and biological applications is provided. Pulses are focused from a laser system into at least one of a pressurized cell and one or more fibers. A pump pulse is converted into the SC light at a specified rate of repetition. The SC light is applied at the specified rate of repetition to tissue for medical and biological applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Inventor: Robert R. Alfano
  • Patent number: 9341783
    Abstract: Exemplary apparatus and method can be availed for providing at least one electromagnetic radiation. For example, it is possible to provide at least one first electromagnetic radiation having a frequency that changes over time with a first characteristic period. Further, with at least one hardware arrangement, it is possible to receive and modify the first electromagnetic radiation(s) into at least one second electromagnetic radiation having a frequency that changes over time with a second characteristic period. The second characteristic period can be smaller than the first characteristic period. The hardware arrangement(s) can include a resonant cavity having a round-trip propagation time for the first electromagnetic radiation(s) that can be approximately the same as the first characteristic period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: The General Hospital Corporation
    Inventors: Eman Namati, Guillermo J. Tearney, Brett E. Bouma, Ben Vakoc
  • Patent number: 9337605
    Abstract: An optical amplification component 1 includes a heat dissipation plate 10 and an amplification optical fiber 20 arranged on the heat dissipation plate 10. A first fiber portion 20A extending from a reference position RP between a first end E1 and a second end E2 of the amplification optical fiber 20 toward the first end E1 and a second fiber portion 20B extending from the reference position RP toward the second end E2 are wound in a spiral around the reference position RP so as to be along each other as well as not to overlap with each other, and the distance between the first fiber portion 20A and the second fiber portion 20B increases toward the ends thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: FUJIKURA LTD.
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Taya
  • Patent number: 9293887
    Abstract: A highly-coherent chip-based laser generating system includes a disk resonator incorporating a wedge structure fabricated from a silicon dioxide layer of a chip. The disk resonator is operable to generate a highly-coherent laser from a low-coherence optical pump input provided at an optical power level as low as 60 ?W. The disk resonator is fabricated with sub-micron cavity size control that allows generation of a highly-coherent laser using a controllable Stimulated Brillouin Scattering process that includes matching of a cavity free-spectral-range to a Brillouin shift frequency in silica. While providing several advantages due to fabrication on a chip, the highly-coherent laser produced by the disk resonator may feature a Schawlow-Townes noise level as low as 0.06 Hz2/Hz (measured with the coherent laser at a power level of about 400 ?W) and a technical noise that is at least 30 dB lower than the low-coherence optical pump input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Jiang Li, Hansuek Lee, Tong Chen, Kerry Vahala
  • Patent number: 9207517
    Abstract: An optical isolator for optically isolating an optical system, the optical system outputting electromagnetic radiation at predetermined ranges of frequencies, the optical isolator including a filter, and a Raman shifter, the filter is optically coupled with the output of the optical system and allows electromagnetic radiation of at least the predetermined ranges of frequencies to pass therethrough, the Raman shifter is optically coupled with the output of the filter for shifting the frequencies of the electromagnetic radiation through Raman scattering, the filter filtering back reflected portions of the shifted frequencies electromagnetic radiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: V-Gen Ltd.
    Inventor: Eran Inbar
  • Patent number: 9153938
    Abstract: A laser diode assembly includes a mode-locked laser diode device, where a light output spectrum shows long-wavelength shift by self-phase modulation, an external resonator, and a wavelength selective element. A long wavelength component of a pulsed laser beam emitted through the external resonator from the mode-locked laser diode device is extracted by the wavelength selective element, and output to the outside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Tohoku University
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Yokoyama, Shunsuke Kono, Masaru Kuramoto
  • Patent number: 9124067
    Abstract: Provided is a pulse laser apparatus for generating laser light. The apparatus includes a first mirror and a second mirror which are disposed at both ends of a resonator and configured to reflect the laser light, a gain medium disposed between the first and second mirrors and configured to amplify and output light incident from an outside, an etalon configured to adjust a pulse width of the laser light, and an acousto-optic modulator disposed between the first and second mirrors and configured to form a mode-locked and Q-switched signal from the laser light, in which some of the laser light is output through either the first or second mirror to outside the resonator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: KOREA INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Young Min Jhon, Joon Mo Ahn, Jae Hun Kim, Seok Lee, Min Chul Park, Deok Ha Woo, Young Tae Byun, Taik Jin Lee, Sun Ho Kim
  • Patent number: 9110292
    Abstract: A photon conversion assembly. A first filter assembly is configured to transmit photons in at least one received band in a downstream direction of an optical pathway and to reflect photons in at least one converted band that are moving in an upstream direction of the optical pathway. A photon conversion material has a first side and a second side. The first side is downstream of the first filter assembly, and the second side is upstream of a second filter assembly. The photon conversion material is configured to convert photons in at least one received band to photons in at least one converted band. A second filter assembly is configured to transmit photons in the at least one converted band in a downstream direction of the optical pathway and to reflect photons in the at least one received band that are moving in the downstream direction of the optical pathway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventors: David R. Twede, Bryan C. Gundrum
  • Patent number: 9106345
    Abstract: An apparatus for optical communication and optical communication method are provided, the method comprising the steps of generating an optical signal for transmitting the sequence of information data, transmitting the sequence of information data as a sequence of transmit matrices, S(k) being the k-th transmit matrix and k being a positive integer, and wherein the sequence of transmit matrices is transmitted through an optical channel characterized by a unitary channel matrix H, receiving a sequence of receive matrices, the k-th receive matrix R(k) being expressed as: R(k)=H·S(k)+N(k) wherein k is a positive integer and N(k) is a complex matrix of noise samples and providing a sequence of decision matrices, the k-th decision matrix D(k) being expressed as: D(k)=RH(k?1)R(k).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: Xieon Networks S.a.r.l.
    Inventors: Stefano Calabro, Bernhard Spinnler
  • Patent number: 9097847
    Abstract: A Raman scattered light enhancement device including a waveguide provided in a photonic crystal (20) made of a semiconductor substrate in which holes (20a) are formed. The waveguide has resonant modes with respect to incident light at a plurality of frequencies. A difference in frequency between one resonant mode and another resonant mode is equal to a Raman shift frequency of the semiconductor substrate. A waveguide forming direction with respect to a crystal plane orientation of the semiconductor substrate is set so as to maximize a Raman transition probability which is represented by electromagnetic field distribution of the two resonant modes and a Raman tensor of the semiconductor substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: Japan Science and Technology Agency
    Inventors: Yasushi Takahashi, Yoshitaka Inui, Takashi Asano, Susumu Noda, Masahiro Chihara
  • Publication number: 20150117473
    Abstract: According to an embodiment of the disclosure, a system for producing a higher power laser beam is provided. The system includes an optical fiber having a length. The optical fiber is configured to receive inputs from multiple laser pumps and an input from a Stokes seed laser pump. The optical fiber has a core that is doped. The core, when viewed from a cross-section of the optical fiber, has a higher concentration of doping at a location near an axis of the optical fiber than a location further from the axis of the optical fiber. The optical fiber is also configured to convert pump power to Stokes power along the length of the optical fiber when subjected to a Stimulated Raman Scattering (SRS) process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2013
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Applicant: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: David A. Rockwell, Vladimir V. Shkunov
  • Patent number: 9005261
    Abstract: A therapeutic laser with a source of pulsed electromagnetic radiation, a control device for controlling the intensity and/or the duration of the therapeutic laser applied to the tissue, and a detection device for detecting optoacoustic signals triggered by irradiating the living tissue with the pulsed electromagnetic radiation. The therapeutic laser is characterized by an evaluation device that acts on the control device and is used for calculating a degree of quality B(t) from the optoacoustic signals detected by the detection device for individual laser pulses applied to a predetermined laser spot and determining a fit function f(t) at a predetermined point in time ?t1, the fit function f(t) approximating the mean curve of B(t) for 0?t??t1. The intensity and/or the irradiation time of the therapeutic laser is defined by the parameters for the predetermined laser spot, the parameters being determined for the fit function f(t).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Medizinisches Laserzentrum Luebech GmbH
    Inventor: Ralf Brinkmann
  • Patent number: 9008132
    Abstract: A pulsed laser system may include a Raman fiber that is configured to act as multiple wavelength Raman laser. The fiber is configured to receive a pulsed input beam from an input source and convert the input beam to an output beam having narrow band outputs at first and second frequencies v1 and v2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: IPG Photonics Corporation
    Inventors: Gregory L. Keaton, Manuel J. Leonardo, Mark W. Byer, Kiyomi Monro
  • Patent number: 8969752
    Abstract: The present invention provides a laser processing method comprising the steps of attaching a protective tape 25 to a front face 3 of a wafer 1a, irradiating a substrate 15 with laser light L while employing a rear face of the wafer 1a as a laser light entrance surface and locating a light-converging point P within the substrate 15 so as to form a molten processed region 13 due to multiphoton absorption, causing the molten processed region 13 to form a cutting start region 8 inside by a predetermined distance from the laser light entrance surface along a line 5 along which the object is intended to be cut in the wafer 1a, attaching an expandable tape 23 to the rear face 21 of the wafer 1a, and expanding the expandable tape 23 so as to separate a plurality of chip parts 24 produced upon cutting the wafer 1a from the cutting start region 8 acting as a start point from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Hamamatsu Photonics K.K.
    Inventors: Kenshi Fukumitsu, Fumitsugu Fukuyo, Naoki Uchiyama
  • Patent number: 8942265
    Abstract: In one embodiment, the instant invention provides a method that includes: outputting a first laser beam having: a beam quality factor (M2) between 1 and 5, and a spectral width of less than 0.15 nm, where the outputting is performed by a laser generating component that includes a alexandrite laser oscillator; converting the first laser beam through a first Raman cell to produce a second laser beam, where the first Raman cell is filled with a first gas; and converting the second laser beam through a second Raman cell to produce a final laser beam, where the second Raman cell is filled with a second gas and is operationally positioned after the first Raman cell, where the first gas and the second gas are different gasses, and where the final laser beam having: a second energy of at least 1 mJ, and at least one wavelength longer than 2.5 micron.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Light Age, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald F. Heller, Marc Klosner, Brian A. Pryor, Thangavel Thevar, Bruce Boczar
  • Publication number: 20140376573
    Abstract: In one embodiment, the instant invention provides a method that includes: outputting a first laser beam having: a beam quality factor (M2) between 1 and 5, and a spectral width of less than 0.15 nm, where the outputting is performed by a laser generating component that includes a alexandrite laser oscillator; converting the first laser beam through a first Raman cell to produce a second laser beam, where the first Raman cell is filled with a first gas; and converting the second laser beam through a second Raman cell to produce a final laser beam, where the second Raman cell is filled with a second gas and is operationally positioned after the first Raman cell, where the first gas and the second gas are different gasses, and where the final laser beam having: a second energy of at least 1 mJ, and at least one wavelength longer than 2.5 micron.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2013
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Applicant: Light Age, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald F. Heller, Marc Klosner, Brian A. Pryor, Thangavel Thevar, Bruce Boczar
  • Publication number: 20140355630
    Abstract: A Raman scattered light enhancement device including a waveguide provided in a photonic crystal (20) made of a semiconductor substrate in which holes (20a) are formed. The waveguide has resonant modes with respect to incident light at a plurality of frequencies. A difference in frequency between one resonant mode and another resonant mode is equal to a Raman shift frequency of the semiconductor substrate. A waveguide forming direction with respect to a crystal plane orientation of the semiconductor substrate is set so as to maximize a Raman transition probability which is represented by electromagnetic field distribution of the two resonant modes and a Raman tensor of the semiconductor substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2013
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Applicant: JAPAN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AGENCY
    Inventors: Yasushi Takahashi, Yoshitaka Inui, Takashi Asano, Susumu Noda, Masahiro Chihara
  • Patent number: 8848748
    Abstract: Methods and systems for delivery of high peak power optical pulses through optical fiber are disclosed. Raman soliton generation is utilized to maintain the properties of the pulses in the delivery fiber. The apparatus can comprise any high peak power pulse source and delivery fiber supporting Raman soliton generation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: IMRA America, Inc.
    Inventors: Gyu Cho, Jingzhou Xu
  • Publication number: 20140269786
    Abstract: A laser comprises a master oscillator, a modulator, a controller, and an amplifier. The master oscillator has an optical cavity and provides a signal, which may be continuous or pulsed. The modulator resides outside of the optical cavity, receives the signal, and modulates the signal to create a new train of pulses, where the pulses of the train of pulses include a pulse width. The controller, coupled to the modulator, instructs the modulator to control the pulse width of the pulses of the pulse train. The amplifier, optically coupled to the master oscillator, amplifies the train of pulses provided by the modulator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: SPECTRAL ENERGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Sukesh Roy, Mikhail N. Slipchenko
  • Publication number: 20140269787
    Abstract: A tunable lasing device including a vertical external cavity surface emitting laser, adapted to generate a fundamental laser beam in response to pumping from a pump source, said fundamental laser beam having a fundamental wavelength and a fundamental linewidth; a fundamental resonator cavity adapted to resonate the fundamental beam therein; a first optical element located within the fundamental resonator cavity for control of the fundamental linewidth of the fundamental beam; a Raman resonator located at least partially in said fundamental resonator adapted to receive the fundamental beam and comprising therein, a solid state Raman active medium located therein for generating at least a first Stokes beam from the fundamental beam wherein said Raman resonator cavity is adapted to resonate said Stokes beam therein and further adapted to emit an output beam; and further comprising a nonlinear medium located within the Raman resonator cavity for nonlinear frequency conversion of at least one of the beams present
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2012
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: Macquarie University
    Inventors: Jipeng Lin, Helen M. Pask, David James Spence, Craig J. Hamilton, Graeme P. Malcolm
  • Publication number: 20140254614
    Abstract: In a Raman system, a primary laser source emits laser light at an initial wavelength, and a seed source emits a multi-wavelength seed laser light. The seed wavelengths correspond to a respective Stokes orders of the primary laser light. The primary laser light and the seed laser light are combined and fed into a Raman gain medium. Stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) causes the primary laser light to be converted into laser light at a selected target wavelength. The seeding of the primary light mediates the conversion process, so as to reduce spontaneous Raman scattering.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2012
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Inventors: Jeffrey W. Nicholson, Supradeepa V.S. Ramakrishna
  • Patent number: 8794010
    Abstract: A laser cooling system includes a substrate, an REO layer of single crystal rare earth oxide including at least one rare earth element positioned on the surface of the substrate, and an active layer of single crystal semiconductor material positioned on the REO layer to form a semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) device. Light guiding structure is at least partially formed by the REO layer so as to introduce energy elements into the REO layer and produce cooling by anti-Stokes fluorescence. The active layer of single crystal semiconductor material is positioned on the REO layer in proximity to the light guiding structure so as to receive the cooling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Translucent, Inc.
    Inventors: David L. Williams, Andrew Clark, Michael Lebby
  • Patent number: 8761210
    Abstract: A broad linewidth, zeroth Stokes order 1069 nm pump and a narrow linewidth second Stokes order 1178 nm seed propagate through a wavelength division multiplexer and then through a rare-earth-doped amplifier. After passing through a 1121 nm long period or tilted Bragg grating, the amplified 1069 nm Stokes signal and the 1178 Stokes signal are injected into a 1121 nm resonator Raman cavity, which includes a pair of highly reflective Bragg gratings having a center wavelength of 1121 nm. The amplified 1069 nm Stokes signal is Raman converted to high power levels of 1121 nm which then, in turn, amplifies the 1178 nm Stokes seed as it traverses the cavity. The linewidth of the amplified 1178 nm Stokes signal can be controlled by offsetting, through heating, the reflectivity bandwidth of the Bragg grating located near the output end of the Raman cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
    Inventors: Leanne J. Henry, Thomas M. Shay, Gerald T. Moore, Jacob R. Grosek
  • Publication number: 20140160442
    Abstract: An apparatus and method that reduces speckle from continuous-wave lasers by using stimulated Raman scattering in an optical fiber. The fiber core diameter and length are selected to achieve a desired output color and level of despeckling. Single-mode fiber may be utilized to achieve a sufficiently high power density to generate stimulated Raman scattering.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2014
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Inventors: Ian Lee, Barret Lippey
  • Publication number: 20140112357
    Abstract: A Raman distributed feedback (DFB) fiber laser is disclosed. It includes a pump source and a Raman gain fiber of a length smaller than 20 cm containing a distributed feedback (DFB) grating with a discrete phase structure located within no more than 10% off the center of the grating and wherein the Raman DFB fiber laser generates a laser signal with an optical spectrum, which has an optical bandwidth at half maximum optical intensity of less than 1 gigahertz (GHz) (wherein a maximum intensity frequency is different from the frequency of the pump laser). The Raman laser includes compensation for the nonlinear phase change due to Kerr effect and thermal effect resulting from absorption of the optical field, thus enhancing the conversion efficiency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2012
    Publication date: April 24, 2014
    Inventors: Kazi S. Abedin, Tristan Kremp, Jeffrey W. Nicholson, Jerom C. Porque, Paul S. Westbrook
  • Patent number: 8675694
    Abstract: A system includes a laser configured to generate a pump beam at a pump wavelength. The system also includes a multi-media Raman resonator configured to receive the pump beam and generate an output beam. The multi-media Raman resonator includes multiple mirrors and multiple Raman media optically located between the minors. Output power in the output beam is spectrally concentrated around a single dominant wavelength that is longer than a pump wavelength. The longer wavelength of the output beam is associated with a combination of at least one Stokes shift associated with each of the individual Raman media. A filter could be configured to absorb light at a wavelength that is absorbed by one of the Raman media or to redirect light at the wavelength absorbed by one of the Raman media away from that Raman medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Vladimir V. Shkunov, David A. Rockwell
  • Publication number: 20140023098
    Abstract: A fiber gain medium provided by a rare-earth doped fiber (10) is contained in a first resonant cavity by end reflectors (12, 18). The reflector (12) is wavelength selective to limit the frequency band of the first resonant cavity. The first resonant cavity also contains a second resonant enhancement cavity (16) with multiple transmission bands lying within the first resonant cavity's frequency band. Multiple standing wave modes of the first resonant cavity lie within both the frequency band of the first resonant cavity and the transmission bands of the second resonant cavity, and it is these standing wave modes that support laser action when the rare-earth doped fiber is suitably pumped by pump lasers (40).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2011
    Publication date: January 23, 2014
    Inventors: William Clarkson, Rafal Cieslak
  • Publication number: 20140016655
    Abstract: A laser system for semiconductor inspection includes a fiber-based fundamental light source for generating fundamental light that is then converted/mixed by a frequency conversion module to generate UV-DUV laser light. The fundamental light source includes a nonlinear chirp element (e.g., a Bragg grating or an electro-optic modulator) that adds a nonlinear chirp to the seed light laser system prior to amplification by the fiber amplifier(s) (e.g., doped fiber or Raman amplifiers). The nonlinear chirp includes an x2 or higher nonlinearity and is configured to compensate for the Self Phase Modulation (SPM) characteristics of the fiber-based amplifiers such that fundamental light is generated that has a spectral E95 bandwidth within five times that of the seed light. When multiple series-connected amplifiers are used, either a single nonlinear chirp element is provided before the amplifier string, or chirp elements are included before each amplifier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2013
    Publication date: January 16, 2014
    Inventor: J. Joseph Armstrong
  • Publication number: 20130329755
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for despeckling that includes a pulsed green laser, a green laser diode assembly, and stimulated Raman scattering light formed in an optical fiber. The stimulated Raman scattering light is divided into green light and red light. The green light from the stimulated Raman scattering is combined with the green laser diode assembly to form a green primary light. The red light from the stimulated Raman scattering light forms a red primary light. The green primary light and the red primary light are used to project a digital image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2013
    Publication date: December 12, 2013
    Applicant: Laser Light Engines, Inc.
    Inventors: John Arntsen, Barret Lippey
  • Patent number: 8588261
    Abstract: A composition of matter is provided having the general chemical formula K(H,D)2P(16Ox,18Oy)4, where x<0.998 or y>0.002, and x+y?1. Additionally, a method of fabricating an optical material by growth from solution is provided. The method includes providing a solution including a predetermined percentage of (H,D)216O and a predetermined percentage of (H,D)218O, providing a seed crystal, and supporting the seed crystal on a platform. The method also includes immersing the seed crystal in the solution and forming the optical material. The optical material has the general chemical formula K(H,D)2P(16Ox,18Oy)4, where x<0.998 or y>0.002, and x+y?1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Inventors: John A. Caird, Andrew J. Bayramian, Christopher A. Ebbers
  • Publication number: 20130299474
    Abstract: A fiber laser apparatus that generates invisible laser light using an amplification optical fiber having a single-mode core and outputs the invisible laser light via an output optical fiber is provided. The fiber laser apparatus includes a visible laser light source that generates visible laser light, an introducing section that introduces the visible laser light generated by the visible laser light source into a core of one of the amplification optical fiber and the output optical fiber, and a drive unit that drives, in a case of performing alignment of an irradiation position of the invisible laser light with respect to a workpiece, the visible laser light source and emits the visible laser light via the core of the output optical fiber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2013
    Publication date: November 14, 2013
    Inventors: Kosuke KASHIWAGI, Akira FUJISAKI, Yoshihiro EMORI
  • Patent number: 8553732
    Abstract: A method for generating an image of a sample that is informative of the disease state of a cell in the sample. A sample including the cell is irradiated with monochromatic light. The Raman scattered light is assessed. A digital brightfield image of the Raman scattered light is generated and combined with the Raman scattered light emitted by the cell whereby the Raman scattered light is informative of the disease state of the cell in the sample. The method can also be used to determine the metabolic activity of the cell, the inflammatory status of the cell and/or the infected status of the cell in the sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: ChemImage Corporation
    Inventors: John Maier, Joseph Demuth, Jeffrey Cohen, Shona Stewart, Lindy McClelland
  • Patent number: 8548013
    Abstract: This fiber laser is provided with: a signal light source that outputs a signal light; a rare earth-doped fiber that amplifies and outputs the signal light from the signal light source; a Raman amplifying fiber that is routed as a portion of an optical transmission path in order to output the output light from the rare earth-doped fiber to an outside thereof; and a wavelength selecting element that is provided in the optical transmission path from the Raman amplifying fiber to the signal light source and does not allow transmission of a Stokes light that is generated in the Raman amplifying fiber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Fujikara Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomoharu Kitabayashi, Tetsuya Sakai, Michihiro Nakai