Specified Cavity Component Patents (Class 372/98)
  • Publication number: 20070201526
    Abstract: A vertical cavity surface emitting laser includes a cavity formed by a pair of reflectors on a substrate and an active region interposed in the cavity. In the vertical cavity surface emitting laser, at least one of the reflectors that form the cavity has a refractive index periodic structure produced by arranging a first medium and a second medium so as to make the refractive index change periodically in in-plane directions of the substrate and the cross sectional area of the first medium in the in-plane directions changes in the direction of the thickness of the first medium. The vertical cavity surface emitting laser has reflectors having a wide reflection band.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2007
    Publication date: August 30, 2007
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yuichiro Hori
  • Patent number: 7260136
    Abstract: A method of using at least a part of a cavity for a first and at least one second laser includes providing a first laser beam to the part of the cavity, splitting the first beam into a first and a second part, splitting the first part into a third and a fourth part, splitting the second part into a fifth and a sixth part, superimposing the third and the fifth part in a way causing extinguishing interference, superimposing the fourth and the sixth part in a way causing cumulative interference to provide a first resulting beam, and performing the above elements with at least one second laser beam provided to the same part of the cavity to provide a second resulting beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2007
    Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Wolf Steffens, Ulrich Kallmann
  • Patent number: 7254156
    Abstract: A dye-laser includes a resonator formed between two mirrors. The resonator has a longitudinal Z-axis and transverse X- and Y-axes perpendicular to each other and perpendicular to the Z-axis. A beam of laser radiation circulates in the laser resonator generally in a path along the Z-axis. An optical arrangement is provided for expanding the circulating beam in the Y-axis in one circulation direction and correspondingly compressing the expanded beam in the opposite circulation direction. A diffraction grating having rulings parallel to an X-Z plane of the resonator is located in the resonator in the path of the Y-axis expanded beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2007
    Assignee: Coherent, Inc.
    Inventors: Bernd Nikolaus, Ralph Delmdahl, Eckard Zanger, Christoph Eisenhardt
  • Patent number: 7251260
    Abstract: In apparatus for wavelength stabilizing and spectrally narrowing an output beam of a diode-laser, a cylindrical lens is arranged to collimate the beam in the fast axis of the diode laser without reducing divergence in the slow axis of the diode-laser. An optical fiber is arranged to receive the fast-axis collimated beam from the lens. The optical fiber has a multimode core surrounded by a first cladding, the first cladding being surrounded by a second cladding. The core of the optical fiber includes a wavelength selective Bragg grating and has a numerical aperture of about 0.06 or less. The optical fiber has a numerical aperture of about 0.15 or greater. The fast-axis collimated beam and the relatively low numerical aperture of the core provide that the Bragg grating only reflects light that propagates about parallel to the longitudinal axis of the fiber. Light reflected from the grating is fed back to the diode-laser for stabilizing the wavelength and spectrally narrowing the diode-laser output beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2007
    Assignee: Coherent, Inc.
    Inventors: Serguei Anikitchev, Michael Jansen
  • Patent number: 7242698
    Abstract: A laser being tunable in wavelength includes a first reflecting unit and a second reflecting unit, both reflecting units being arranged to at least partially reflect an incident beam of electromagnetic radiation towards each other, an optical path of said beam of electromagnetic radiation within said cavity, which is defined in length by said first and second reflecting unit, a dispersive device, which is arranged, such that a portion of said optical path of said beam of electromagnetic radiation traverses through said dispersive device, wherein said dispersive device comprises a dispersive characteristic representing a functional dependence of an optical path length of said portion with respect to wavelength of said electromagnetic radiation, wherein said optical path length increases with an increasing wavelength of said electromagnetic radiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2007
    Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jochen Schwarz, Wolf Steffens, Ulrich Kallmann, Bernd Nebendahl, Emmerich Mueller
  • Patent number: 7230959
    Abstract: Laser apparatus and methods that permit actuation of a tuning element via a magnetically coupled drive assembly, and which provide for isolation of contamination-sensitive optical surfaces within a hermetically sealed enclosure with a magnetically coupled drive assembly that is external to the enclosure. The apparatus of the invention comprises a tuning element positioned in a light beam, and a drive element magnetically coupled to the tuning element. The apparatus may further comprise a hermetically sealed enclosure, with the tuning element positioned within the hermetically sealed enclosure, and the drive element located outside the hermetically sealed enclosure. The methods comprise positioning a tuning element in a light beam, magnetically coupling a drive element to the tuning element; and actuating the tuning element via magnetic coupling between the tuning element and the drive element. The methods may further comprise enclosing the tuning element in a hermetically sealed container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2007
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: Brad V. Johnson
  • Patent number: 7212560
    Abstract: Provided is a tunable external cavity laser diode using a variable optical deflector wherein the variable optical deflector, in which a refractive index varies according to an electrical signal, is arranged in a triangular shape between a concave diffraction grating and a reflective mirror. Since a resonant frequency is changed using the electrical signal rather than the mechanical movement, the stable operation and continuous high-speed tenability may be enabled. In addition, when the tunable external cavity laser diode according to the present invention is implemented in an InP/InGaAsP/InP slab waveguide, a variable time determined by the carrier lifetime may be reduced to several nanoseconds or less, the miniaturization is enabled, and the manufacturing costs are significantly reduced due to the process simplification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
    Inventors: Kwang Ryong Oh, Oh Kee Kwon, Kang Ho Kim, Jong Hoi Kim, Hyun Soo Kim
  • Patent number: 7209508
    Abstract: A multi-channel light source includes a semiconductor optical amplifier for generating light of a wide wavelength band and outputting the generated light through a first end and a second end. The source further includes a Fabry-Perot (FP) resonator for resonating the light inputted from the semiconductor optical amplifier to generate an FP fringe and outputting the FP fringe to the semiconductor optical amplifier. The semiconductor optical amplifier amplifies the FP fringe inputted from the FP resonator and outputs the amplified FP fringe through the first end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seung-Woo Kim, Jeong-Seok Lee, In-Kuk Yun, Seong-Taek Hwang
  • Patent number: 7195939
    Abstract: Semiconductor devices in an optoelectronic integrated circuit are electrically isolated from each other by using planar lateral oxidation to oxidize a buried semiconductor layer vertically separating the semiconductor devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2007
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher L. Chua, Philip D. Floyd, Thomas L. Paoli, Decai Sun
  • Patent number: 7190705
    Abstract: Various embodiments include modelocked fiber laser resonators that may be coupled with optical amplifiers. An isolator may separate the laser resonator from the amplifier, although certain embodiments exclude such an isolator. A reflective optical element on one end of the resonator having a relatively low reflectivity may be employed to couple light from the laser resonator to the amplifier. Enhanced pulse-width control may be provided with concatenated sections of both polarization-maintaining and non-polarization-maintaining fibers. Apodized fiber Bragg gratings and integrated fiber polarizers may be also be included in the laser cavity to assist in linearly polarizing the output of the cavity. Very short pulses with a large optical bandwidth may be obtained by matching the dispersion value of the fiber Bragg grating to the inverse of the dispersion of the intra-cavity fiber. Frequency comb sources may be constructed from such modelocked fiber oscillators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2007
    Assignee: IMRA America. Inc.
    Inventors: Martin E. Fermann, Donald J. Harter
  • Patent number: 7190872
    Abstract: The present invention provides a polarization dependency-free, gain-saturated high function semiconductor optical amplifier and optical module at industrially low cost. The gist of the present invention is to structurally separate the optical signal propagating waveguide from another optical waveguide which serves as a lasing optical cavity for optical amplification in such a manner that the two optical waveguides are formed in the same plane but not parallel to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2007
    Assignee: OpNext Japan, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Kamiyama, Kenji Uchida, Seiji Sumi
  • Patent number: 7184624
    Abstract: A vertically-coupled whispering gallery mode (WGM) resonator optical waveguide, a method of reducing a group velocity of light, and a method of making a waveguide are provided. The vertically-coupled WGM waveguide comprises a cylindrical rod portion having a round cross-section and an outer surface. First and second ring-shaped resonators are formed on the outer surface of the cylindrical rod portion and are spaced from each other along a longitudinal direction of the cylindrical rod. The first and second ring-shaped resonators are capable of being coupled to each other by way an evanescent field formed in an interior of the cylindrical rod portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2007
    Assignee: The United States of America as Represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: Andrey B. Matsko, Anatoliy A. Savchenkov, Lute Maleki
  • Patent number: 7184628
    Abstract: An optical module comprising a column-shaped mounting member having a through hole extending along the central axis thereof and having a mounting surface formed by incising a part of the mounting member so as to expose the interior surface of the through hole; and an optical fiber inserted in the through hole and secured in a configuration such that the optical fiber protrudes with a specified length onto the mounting surface. The structure, in which a Bragg diffraction grating is formed in such protruding part of the optical fiber on said mounting surface, can prevent the occurrence of a change in reflective characteristic of the Bragg diffraction grating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2007
    Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshiki Kuhara
  • Patent number: 7177339
    Abstract: A semiconductor laser has implantation regions that are effective as mode-selective regions in addition to current diaphragms in the edge region of a mesa. As a result, the inner opening of the current diaphragms can be chosen to be larger than in the prior art. This leads to a low ohmic and thermal resistance and enables a high output power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Assignee: Osram Opto Semiconductors GmbH
    Inventor: Jürgen Müller
  • Patent number: 7172588
    Abstract: A dental laser arrangement switchable between different modes of operation, the arrangement including a laser device operable as a laser oscillator and as a laser amplifier. The laser device includes a laser resonator having a pump unit and an active modelocker as well as an optic loss element that introduces selective losses in the resonator. The laser arrangement further includes a laser beam-out-coupling unit. The modelocker is connected to a control circuit for switching between a CW-mode of operation for coagulating soft tissue, in which the modelocker is switched off, and two short-pulse modes of operation in which high frequency signals of equal frequencies, but different powers are applied by the control circuit to the modelocker so as to generate laser pulses of a pre-determined duration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2007
    Assignee: Femtolasers Produktions GmbH
    Inventors: Andreas Stingl, Ferenc Krausz
  • Patent number: 7173956
    Abstract: An electrically controlled variable reflectance mirror that includes a Pockels cell which enables its retardation or birefringence to be controlled in order to vary the light outcoupled from a laser cavity. Since the retardation is a function of the voltage applied to the Pockels cell, the voltage can be used to control the fraction of the output beam that is outcoupled from the laser cavity. The Pockels cell is formed with a constant reflectivity profile to form an electrically controlled uniform reflectivity electro-optic mirror. In an alternate embodiment of the invention, the Pockels cell is configured with spatially varying retardation to form an electrically controlled graded reflectivity electro-optic mirror. Both embodiments of the invention enable a lasing system, such as a solid state lasing system, to be operated over a relatively wide range of operating parameters utilizing a single set of optics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2007
    Assignee: Northrop Grumman Corporation
    Inventors: Steven P. Palese, Hagop Injeyan
  • Patent number: 7160038
    Abstract: A vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) module includes a substrate provided with an etched region formed on a lower surface thereof, a plurality of layers, for photoproduction, laminated on an upper surface of the substrate, and a VCSEL for emitting the light upwards and downwards, wherein the VCSEL module monitors the output of the VCSEL by detecting the light emitted downwards from the VCSEL.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2007
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kyu-Sub Kwak, Young-Min Lee, June-Hyeon Ahn
  • Patent number: 7145924
    Abstract: A solid laser apparatus has either a combination of a lowpass filter and a highpass filter or a bandpass filter provided in its output control circuit for increasing the gain and adjusting the phase of a signal in the vicinity of the relaxation oscillating frequency. Also, a solid laser apparatus has the phase shift circuit provided in its output control circuit for advancing the phase of a signal in the vicinity of the relaxation oscillating frequency thereof. Moreover, a solid laser apparatus has a pseudo notch filter, which is arranged for the gain to have a local minimum at the relaxation oscillating frequency of the solid laser apparatus, provided in the output control circuit so that the peak of the gain transmission characteristic of the nonlinear optical device or of a combination of the nonlinear optical device and the microchip laser crystal is offset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2006
    Assignee: Shimadzu Corporation
    Inventors: Koji Tojo, Satoshi Irikuchi, Kazuma Watanabe, Tunehiro Sugimoto, Ichiro Fukushi, Naoya Ishigaki, Koji Inoue
  • Patent number: 7142573
    Abstract: A temperature-stable and temperature-tunable composite etalon with an increased field of view is constructed by partially filling the cavity with a transmissive parallel-plate filler. The coefficient of thermal expansion and the index of refraction of the filler material are selected so as to produce the desired rate of change of the optical length of the cavity as a function of temperature. The filler plate is preferably chosen to be significantly thicker than the remaining air gap in the etalon cavity. As a result, the fact that the filler plate occupies a large part of the cavity space increases the acceptance angle of the etalon of the invention in comparison with corresponding conventional air-spaced etalons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2006
    Assignee: Coronado Technology Group, LLC
    Inventors: David Lunt, Yakov Sidorin
  • Patent number: 7133427
    Abstract: A spatial filter adapted to increase the angular spread of non-conjugated energy in a beam and suppress this energy to improve the efficiency of a phase conjugate system. In the illustrative embodiment, the filter includes first and second lenses and an aberrator to increase the angular spread. In the specific embodiment, an opaque plate, with a pinhole aperture therethrough, is sandwiched between the lenses to suppress the non-conjugated energy. The aberrator may be implemented with an amplifier or other suitable mechanism. Likewise, the aperture may be replaced with a highly angle-selective thick Bragg grating or other suitable arrangement. A phase conjugate master oscillator/power amplifier laser architecture is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2006
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Alexander A. Betin, Robin A. Reeder, Robert W. Byren
  • Patent number: 7130320
    Abstract: An external cavity laser has a wavelength of the laser output that is tuned by a rotary tuning element mounted on the axle of a motor. The rotary tuning element includes a variable thickness interference film for wavelength selection, and a variable thickness compensation prism to adjust the cavity length appropriately for the selected wavelength, to stable wavelengths and mode-hop-free tuning ranges as the tuning element is rotated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2006
    Assignee: Mitutoyo Corporation
    Inventors: Joseph D. Tobiason, David W. Sesko
  • Patent number: 7126977
    Abstract: The invention provides surface emitting semiconductor laser where a transverse mode is controllable stably, a method of manufacturing it and a light module and a light transmission device including the surface emitting semiconductor laser are provided. A surface-emitting laser of the present invention can include a resonator formed on a substrate and can emit a laser from a emitting surface installed on the upper surface of a resonator toward the direction vertical to the substrate. This surface emitting semiconductor laser further includes first and second electrodes for injecting an electric current into the resonator. At least a part of the first electrode is formed on the upper surface of the resonator and includes an aperture in the resonator. The emitting surface is installed within the aperture. The reflectivity adjustment layer is formed on the emitting surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2006
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Tsuyoshi Kaneko
  • Patent number: 7113534
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for generating terahertz (THz) radiation comprising a short pulse laser (1) with mode coupling to which a pump beam (3) is supplied, and comprising a semiconductor component equipped with a resonator mirror (M4). This semiconductor component serves to derive the THz radiation based on incident laser pulses. The resonator mirror (M4), preferably a resonator end mirror, is provided with a semiconductor layer (8), which is partially transparent to the laser radiation of the short pulse laser (1), whose absorption edge is lower than the energy of the laser radiation of the short pulse laser (1) and on which the electrodes (9, 10) that can be connected to a bias voltage source are placed in order to generate and radiate the THz radiation in the electric field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2006
    Assignee: Femtolasers Produktions GmbH
    Inventors: Karl Unterrainer, Gottfried Strasser, Juraj Darmo, Andreas Stingl, Tuan Le
  • Patent number: 7110171
    Abstract: A laser system includes an optical path having an intracavity relay telescope with a telescope focal point for imaging an output of the gain medium between an image location at or near the gain medium and an image location at or near an output coupler for the laser system. A kinematic mount is provided within a vacuum chamber, and adapted to secure beam baffles near the telescope focal point. An access port on the vacuum chamber is adapted for allowing insertion and removal of the beam baffles. A first baffle formed using an alignment pinhole aperture is used during alignment of the laser system. A second tapered baffle replaces the alignment aperture during operation and acts as a far-field baffle in which off angle beams strike the baffle a grazing angle of incidence, reducing fluence levels at the impact areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2006
    Assignees: Metal Improvement Company, LLC, The United States of America as represented by the Department of Energy
    Inventors: C. Brent Dane, Lloyd Hackel, Fritz B. Harris
  • Patent number: 7110174
    Abstract: A laser system includes an optical path having an intracavity relay telescope with a telescope focal point for imaging an output of the gain medium between an image location at or near the gain medium and an image location at or near an output coupler for the laser system. A kinematic mount is provided within a vacuum chamber, and adapted to secure beam baffles near the telescope focal point. An access port on the vacuum chamber is adapted for allowing insertion and removal of the beam baffles. A first baffle formed using an alignment pinhole aperture is used during alignment of the laser system. A second tapered baffle replaces the alignment aperture during operation and acts as a far-field baffle in which off angle beams strike the baffle a grazing angle of incidence, reducing fluence levels at the impact areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2006
    Assignees: Metal Improvement Company, LLC, The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventors: C. Brent Dane, Lloyd Hackel, Fritz B. Harris
  • Patent number: 7106778
    Abstract: A tuneable laser having an active section, a phase section and a Bragg reflector comprising a plurality of discrete grating units, at least two of which gratings have a different pitch, wherein current is applicable to at least the grating having a longer pitch, such that the effective wavelength of the grating having a longer pitch can be tuned to the wavelength of the grating having a shorter pitch. A chirp grating can provide the difference in pitch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2006
    Assignee: Bookham Technology, plc
    Inventors: Douglas Charles John Reid, Andrew Cannon Carter
  • Patent number: 7099365
    Abstract: An oscillation method and a device of fluorine molecular laser with narrow spectral line width are provided. For this purpose, the device includes main electrodes (14, 15) for performing main discharge (50) in substantially a same direction as an optical axis of laser light (11) to be oscillated to excite a laser gas containing fluorine, an insulator (12) which is held between the main electrodes and into which the laser gas containing fluorine is injected, and resonators (16, 18) which are placed with the insulator between them, and a space (M(?)) of a vertical mode expressed in wavelength is made larger than full width at half maximum (??) of a gain curve (R) of the laser gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2006
    Assignee: Komatsu, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kiwamu Takehisa, Tatsumi Goto
  • Patent number: 7095776
    Abstract: A wavelength measurement system uses birefringent material waveplate, thereby producing a substantially sinusoidal spectral response. As a result, the responses of multiple birefringent filters can be combined to yield a filter system with a periodic frequency response that has an additive wavelength resolution that is spectrally stable. That is, the wavelength measurement system does not have regions where wavelength resolution is degraded. In one implementation, a waveplate system 112 is used, placed between two blocks of birefringent material 110 and 114. A quadrant detector 116 is used to detect the intensities of the resulting four beams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2006
    Assignee: Axsun Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark E. Kuznetsov, Peter S. Whitney, Dale C. Flanders
  • Patent number: 7092598
    Abstract: A surface emitting semiconductor laser system having an outcoupling aperture on a central waveguide. At either end of the central waveguide are means for reflecting a plurality of different wavelengths of light such that multiple wavelengths are outcoupled through a single outcoupling aperture. Means are provided by which the different wavelengths can be independently modulated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2006
    Assignee: Photodigm, Inc.
    Inventor: Gary A. Evans
  • Patent number: 7088759
    Abstract: A laser system (52A) is illustrated having a laser cavity (54) that generates a laser beam (78). An outcoupling resonator box (62) has a reflective mirror (70) therein. A return resonator box (64) has a reflective mirror (72) therein. A first solid window assembly (66) is disposed between the outcoupling resonator box (62) and the laser cavity (54). A second solid window assembly (68) is disposed between the return resonator box (64) and the laser cavity (54) so that the beam (78) is directed through the solid window assemblies (66), (68) during operation of the laser system, thereby isolating the usually caustic environment of laser cavity (54) from that of mirrors (70), (72) that are housed in said resonator boxes (62), (64), without the use of isolation valves and optical tunnels as in traditional arrangements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2006
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Jean Welhouse Orr, Yan Sau Tam
  • Patent number: 7088745
    Abstract: A diode laser system providing a high-power laser beam with good spatial coherence, which can be focused to a small spot size over long distances and which has a good pointing stability. The laser system comprises a laser diode (301) adapted to emit a first light beam, where the first light beam comprises a plurality of spatial modes, selection means (304) adapted to select a predetermined part of the first light beam, and a reflector (306), where the laser diode and the reflector define a cavity and where the reflector is adapted to reflect the selected part of the first light beam back into the laser diode as a second light beam. The laser system is characterised in that the selection means is adapted to select a part of the first light beam corresponding to a spatial mode with a higher mode number than a spatial mode with maximum gain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2006
    Assignee: Esko-Graphics A/S
    Inventor: Paul Michael Petersen
  • Patent number: 7088756
    Abstract: A modelocked linear fiber laser cavity with enhanced pulse-width control includes concatenated sections of both polarization-maintaining and non-polarization-maintaining fibers. Apodized fiber Bragg gratings and integrated fiber polarizers are included in the cavity to assist in linearly polarizing the output of the cavity. Very short pulses with a large optical bandwidth are obtained by matching the dispersion value of the fiber Bragg grating to the inverse of the dispersion of the intra-cavity fiber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2006
    Assignee: Imra America, Inc.
    Inventors: Martin E. Fermann, Gyu C. Cho
  • Patent number: 7082152
    Abstract: An n-Inp buffer layer, a GRIN-SCH-MQW active layer, and a p-InP spacer layer are laminated on an n-InP substrate. A p-InP blocking layer and an n-InP blocking layer are provided to be adjacent to an upper region of the n-InP buffer layer, the GRIN-SCH-MQW active layer and the p-InP spacer layer. A p-InP cladding layer, a p-GaInAsP contact layer, and a p-side electrode are laminated on the p-InP spacer layer and the n-InP blocking layer, and an n-side electrode is arranged on a rear surface of the n-InP substrate. A diffraction grating that selects light having the number of oscillation longitudinal modes of not less than 10, more preferably not less than 18, oscillation longitudinal modes the difference values of which in optical intensity from the oscillation longitudinal mode having the highest optical intensity are not more than 10 dB, is arranged in the p-InP spacer layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2006
    Assignee: The Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Shimizu, Junji Yoshida, Naoki Tsukiji, Yutaka Ohki
  • Patent number: 7082151
    Abstract: A laser device, comprising a laser beam emitter having an optical resonator, wherein the optical resonator has a resonator and a reflection mirror, and at least one of a length of the resonator or a curvature of the reflection mirror is determined so as to satisfy condition that a parameter M2 of beam quality of a projected laser beam is within a range of 8?M2?22, where M2=?W·?/? (W is a beam waist of a laser beam; ? is a spreading angle; and ? is a wavelength of the laser beam).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2006
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha TOPCON
    Inventors: Masayuki Momiuchi, Taizo Eno, Yoshiaki Goto, Hideo Sagehashi
  • Patent number: 7075965
    Abstract: The present invention is a wavelength conversion laser apparatus for converting wavelength by utilizing a nonlinear optical crystal and capable of safely using it over a long time. For this end, the fundamental wave laser light emitted from the pumping chamber unit 3 which is a solid state laser light source is converted into the second harmonic wave by the first nonlinear optical crystal unit 20. And the second harmonic wave is, then, converted into the third (or fourth) harmonic wave by the second nonlinear optical crystal unit 30. Filled in the container 24, 35 for each of the nonlinear optical crystal units 20, 30 is a dry inert gas. A humidity sensor 51 detects humidity inside the container. The output from the humidity sensor 51 is supplied to the laser control portion 58. When the detected humidity exceeds a predetermined value, the laser oscillation is interrupted, thereby preventing the nonlinear optical crystal from being damaged in case of any defect in the sealing structure of the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2006
    Assignee: ORC Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sonhi Hashimoto, Toshifumi Tone, Satoru Amano
  • Patent number: 7075955
    Abstract: An integrated optical parametric oscillator, having an optical parametric oscillation region to convert a pump source into a signal beam and an idler beam, and a fine-steering region to adjust optical path of the signal beam in order to finely select a required wavelength component of the signal beam. The optical parametric oscillator is contoured with a plurality of exterior planes with specific reflective characteristics to form a resonator of the idler beam while reflecting and diffracting the signal beam with a desired wavelength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2006
    Assignee: Northrop Grumman Corporation
    Inventors: James M. Cicchiello, Ronald K. Meyer, Gerald Griffith
  • Patent number: 7065107
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for improving the beam quality of the emissions from a multimode gain medium such as a broad-stripe laser through the use of SBC techniques is provided. In order to achieve the desired beam quality without a significant reduction in output power, discrete lasing regions are formed across the gain medium using an etalon or similar device located within the SBC cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2006
    Assignee: Aculight Corporation
    Inventors: Charles E. Hamilton, Dennis D Lowenthal, Roy D. Mead
  • Patent number: 7061946
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for compensation of asymmetric mode pulling in external cavity lasers and the like. An apparatus includes a wavelength locker or etalon device to provide an asymmetric power transfer function and generate a transmission peak or peaks of asymmetric shape. The asymmetry of the transmission peak may be in the form of a steeper slope on the long wavelength side of the peak than on the short wavelength side. The asymmetry of the transmission peak or peaks may be structured to compensate or correct for asymmetric mode pulling effects that arise in laser gain media during single mode laser operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2006
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Sergei L. Sochava, William B. Chapman
  • Patent number: 7058095
    Abstract: A resonator structure containing an active layer is subdivided into at least two sections in which mode spacings differ from one another by 7 to 10 percent on account of different length dimensions or as a result of grating structures provided therefor. Photonic crystals are integrated as longitudinal and, if appropriate, as lateral boundaries of the resonator structure. Variation of the currents in the sections enables the laser to be tuned in a wide wavelength range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Sven Mahnkopf, Reinhard März
  • Patent number: 7058102
    Abstract: A device for producing laser radiation, the device comprising: an elongate sample of a quasi-three-level laser material; a source of pumping radiation; and a concentrator configured such that at least some of the pumping radiation emitted by the source of pumping radiation is concentrated by the concentrator and subsequently enters the sample through a side surface thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Assignee: DSO National Laboratories
    Inventors: Poh Boon Phua, Kin Seng Lai, Rui Fen Wu, Yuan Liang Lim, Wei Pin Ernest Lau
  • Patent number: 7050212
    Abstract: Techniques and devices using whispering gallery mode (WGM) optical resonators, where the optical materials of the WGM resonators exhibit an electro-optical effect to perform optical modulation. Examples of actively mode-locked lasers and other devices are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignee: California Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Andrey B. Matsko, Vladimir Ilchenko, Anatoliy Savchenkov, Lutfollah Maleki
  • Patent number: 7045824
    Abstract: A multilayer ceramic carrier for an optical element includes a terraced cavity for retaining a vertically receiving or vertically emitting optical element. The multilayer ceramic carrier includes conductive traces interposed between the ceramic layers and which extend into the terraced cavity along the trenches formed in the cavity. A vertical cavity surface emitting laser or vertically receiving optical element is wire bonded to the conductive traces which extend into the cavity. In one embodiment, the terraced cavity of the multilayer ceramic carrier includes a VCSEL and photodetector therein, the photodetector capable of monitoring the output optical power of the VCSEL. The method for forming the multilayer ceramic carrier includes forming a plurality of layers of ceramic tape, joining the layers, then co-firing the stacked layers. The multilayer ceramic carrier is joined to a plastic optical housing which includes an aperture for securing an optical fiber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2006
    Assignee: Optical Communication Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin Malone, Christine Mollenkopf, Jason Yorks, Lance Thompson, Blake Mynatt, Mark Stiehl, Tess Abidi, William Kit Dean, Robert A. Arnold, Richard J. Adams, George W. Jarriel, Jr., Dale Isaacson
  • Patent number: 7031360
    Abstract: A novel class of semiconductor lasers, or “tilted cavity lasers” includes at least one active element with an active region generating an optical gain by injection of a current and mirrors. The active element is placed into a cavity. The cavity is designed such that the optical path of the resonant optical mode is tilted with respect to both the vertical direction and the lateral plane. Thus, the feedback both in the vertical and in the lateral direction is provided for the resonant optical mode. Depending on the particular embodiment, the laser operates as both a surface emitting laser and an edge-emitting laser. Employing a tilted optical mode allows the use of substantially fewer layers in the bottom and the top interference reflectors than in conventional lasers. This preserves the necessary high reflection coefficients. Also, a wavelength-stabilized laser is realized for edge-emitters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignee: NL Nanosemiconductor GmbH
    Inventors: Nikolai Ledentsov, Vitaly Shchukin
  • Patent number: 7027479
    Abstract: A volume-absorbing laser beam dump encloses a solution comprising a laser-absorbing solute diluted in a solvent that is non-absorbent of the laser energy. The laser beam dump includes a window to admit a laser beam into the solution. As the laser beam travels through the solution, the diluted solute absorbs the laser energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2006
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Alan F. Stewart, Rashmi S. Shah, Gregory M. Yagiela
  • Patent number: 7023896
    Abstract: An active region of a VCSEL at one (i.e., n doped) end having an expanded effectively undoped region, and another (i.e., p doped) end having a significantly doped region up to or even including a portion of the active region. A previous way had heavy doping of the n and p doped regions up to the active region, at least close to it or even partially into it.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Assignee: Finisar Corporation
    Inventor: Ralph H. Johnson
  • Patent number: 7016387
    Abstract: A semiconductor laser element that has window regions at its opposite end faces and an electrode portion superposed on an inner portion of the upper surface thereof to include covering an inner portion of the upper surfaces of the window regions without covering the entire upper surfaces of the window regions, by aligning a photomask for forming electrode pattern segments at a predetermined position over a laser substrate, which includes a plurality of element regions in a matrix pattern and a plurality of window region pattern stripes corresponding to the window regions of the element regions, the electrode pattern segments being used for forming electrodes at predetermined positions between the adjacent window region pattern stripes, wherein the photomask includes: an electrode pattern region for forming the electrode pattern segments; and an auxiliary mask having a scale section for measuring the amount of alignment deviation of the electrode pattern segments with respect to the window region pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masayuki Ohta
  • Patent number: 7016107
    Abstract: A regenerative amplifier system that is optimized for low-gain gain media is provided. The system is configured to include a minimum number of intra-cavity elements while still eliminating the leakage of the seed pulses from the output beam. In addition, the contrast ratio of the amplified pulses is increased even considering the long build-up time that is required in low-gain regenerative amplifiers. This is accomplished using a single Pockels cell between the oscillator and amplifier to select a single seed pulse for the cavity, instead of using a Faraday isolator. This directs the unwanted seed pulses in a separate direction from the output pulse. When the amplified pulse exits the cavity, it is directed in a direction away from the oscillator by the same Pockels cell. Only one additional Pockels cell and one polarizer are required inside the regenerative amplifier cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: Spectra Physics, Inc.
    Inventors: James D. Kafka, Jianping Zhou, Kevin Holsinger
  • Patent number: 7016381
    Abstract: A fast current-controlled polarization switching VCSEL with two independent intra-cavity p-contact electrodes and two independent intra-cavity n-contact electrodes positioned along the four sides of the symmetric aperture such that there are two independent p- and n-contact pairs placed on opposite sides of the aperture in a non-overlapping configuration. The anisotropy resulting from the unidirectional current flow causes the light output to be polarized perpendicular to the direction of current flow. A VCSEL driver circuit switches the polarization state of the output light by using the two orthogonal pairs of non-overlapping intra-cavity contacted electrodes to change the direction of current flow into the VCSEL aperture by 90 degrees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: Ziva, Inc.
    Inventors: Anis Husain, Ashok V. Krishnamoorthy
  • Patent number: 7012940
    Abstract: The present invention has the object of offering a laser resonator capable of maintaining high amplification efficiency even if the thermal lensing effect occurring in the laser medium varies during operation or over repeated operation and suspension of the laser device. The laser resonator comprises at least a pair of reflection portions (planar reflective mirrors 3) provided such as to allow a laser beam to oscillate therebetween; a laser medium provided on the optical path of the laser between the pair of reflection portions; an excitation portion (excitation laser device 5) for exciting the laser medium; an optical system (convex lens 1) provided on the optical path of the laser beam between the laser medium and the pair of reflection portions for changing the state of the laser in the laser medium; and a movement portion for moving the optical system along the optical axis of the laser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2006
    Assignee: Cyber Laser Inc.
    Inventors: Yusuke Tamaki, Hitoshi Sekita, Kazuya Takasago, Taisuke Miura
  • Patent number: 7009215
    Abstract: In a method for producing a resonant cavity light emitting device, a seed gallium nitride crystal (14) and a source material (30) are arranged in a nitrogen-containing superheated fluid (44) disposed in a sealed container (10) disposed in a multiple-zone furnace (50). Gallium nitride material is grown on the seed gallium nitride crystal (14) to produce a single-crystal gallium nitride substrate (106, 106?). Said growing includes applying a temporally varying thermal gradient (100, 100?, 102, 102?) between the seed gallium nitride crystal (14) and the source material (30) to produce an increasing growth rate during at least a portion of the growing. A stack of group III-nitride layers (112) is deposited on the single-crystal gallium nitride substrate (106, 106?), including a first mirror sub-stack (116) and an active region (120) adapted for fabrication into one or more resonant cavity light emitting devices (108, 150, 160, 170, 180).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2006
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Mark Philip D'Evelyn, Xian-An Cao, Anping Zhang, Steven Francis LeBoeuf, Huicong Hong, Dong-Sil Park, Kristi Jean Narang