High-power external-cavity optically-pumped semiconductor lasers
Granted: August 1, 2000
Patent Number:
6097742
External-cavity optically-pumped semiconductor lasers (OPS-lasers) including an OPS-structure having a mirror-structure surmounted by a surface-emitting, semiconductor multilayer (periodic) gain-structure are disclosed. The gain-structure is pumped by light from diode-lasers. The OPS-lasers can provide fundamental laser output-power of about two Watts (2.0 W) or greater. Intracavity frequency-converted arrangements of the OPS-lasers can provide harmonic laser output-power of about…
Multiple coupled Gires-Tournois interferometers for group-delay-dispersion control
Granted: June 27, 2000
Patent Number:
6081379
Negative group-delay-dispersion mirror (NGDD-mirror) multilayered structures are formed by two interferentially coupled Gires-Tournois interferometer cavities on a common, highly-reflective mirror in a single monolithic multilayered structure.
Arrangement for monitoring power of diode-laser-radiation laterally coupled into an optical-fiber
Granted: June 27, 2000
Patent Number:
6081637
A method of monitoring power of laser-radiation laterally coupled from a diode-laser into an optical-fiber is disclosed. An input-end of the optical-fiber has a polished surface inclined at an angle to a longitudinal axis of the fiber. The input-end of the optical-fiber is arranged proximate an output-facet of the diode-laser such that radiation emitted from the facet is transmitted laterally into the optical-fiber and is incident internally on the polished surface. A…
Portable laser power measuring apparatus
Granted: June 6, 2000
Patent Number:
6072573
Apparatus for measuring power in a laser-beam includes a transmissive diffuser for diffusely expanding the laser-beam and a photon detector for receiving the diffusely-expanded laser-beam and generating an electrical signal in response thereto. Electronic circuitry including a microprocessor is provided for interpreting the electrical signal as a measure of power in the laser-beam. A display device is provided for displaying the interpreted signal.
Laser diode integrating enclosure and detector
Granted: May 9, 2000
Patent Number:
6061374
A sealed integrating reflective enclosure contains a laser diode, coupling optic, and input ends of transport fibers. A detector is positioned to capture stray scattered radiation emanating from the laser diode emitters and rear facets, coupling optic and transport fiber input ends. The detector is positioned such that stray radiation undergoes at least one reflection within the enclosure before being detected by the detector. The detector can be positioned inside the integrating…
Effusion cell and method of use in molecular beam epitaxy
Granted: April 25, 2000
Patent Number:
6053981
An effusion cell (22) including a crucible (28) is configured such that when attached to the MBE apparatus at a predetermined distance from a rotatable substrate holder (24), a longitudinal axis (32) of the crucible is directed toward the substrate holder at an angle to the rotation axis (26) of the substrate holder. The crucible is heatable for melting a material (36) placed therein, the molten material forming a melt surface (38) from which molecules of the material are evaporated. The…
Ultrafast laser with multiply-folded resonant cavity
Granted: April 25, 2000
Patent Number:
6055261
An ultrafast laser providing short output pulses having a pulse length in the femtosecond range includes a resonant cavity including a plurality folding mirrors for folding the resonant cavity to shorten its overall length. The fold-mirrors each include a plurality of layers deposited by ion-beam sputtering onto a substrate having a surface roughness of less than about 0.5 nanometers RMS. One or more of the folding mirrors may have a negative-group-velocity-dispersion mirror for allowing…
Pulsed-laser with first-pulse control
Granted: March 14, 2000
Patent Number:
6038241
A pulsed-laser includes a pump-light source, a gain-medium and a Q-switch. The Q-switch has an on-mode in which it is substantially transparent, and an off-mode in which it is normally substantially opaque. A gate-signal switches the laser between a ready-mode in which no pulses are delivered and a pulse-drive mode in which pulses are delivered. A first-pulse controller is provided for controlling the energy in the first of a series of pulses to be delivered by the laser. The first-pulse…
Diode-laser to optical fiber coupling system with biaxial optical power
Granted: February 29, 2000
Patent Number:
6031953
A coupling system for enhanced light coupling between a laser diode and an optical fiber that includes a laser diode having an emitting surface for generating an asymmetric beam with a fast axis that is more divergent than an orthogonal slow axis thereof, an optical fiber having an input end and a delivery end, a first microlens mounted on the input side surface of the fiber, and a second microlens disposed between the laser diode and the first microlens. The input end of the optical…
Composite laser diode enclosure and method for making the same
Granted: February 22, 2000
Patent Number:
6027256
A composite laser diode enclosure, and a method of making the same, having a first enclosure sealed within a second enclosure. Each enclosure having a thermally conductive base plate, a side wall band attached to the base plate, and a lid attached to the side wall band to hermetically seal each enclosure. The materials forming the side wall band and lids are selected so that high quality metallurgical bonds are formed between the base plates and the side wall bands, and between the side…
Method and apparatus for transurethral resection of the prostate
Granted: February 15, 2000
Patent Number:
6024751
A method and apparatus for transurethral resection of the prostate, which includes inserting a transurethral incisional device through the patient's urethra, incising off at least one piece of targeted prostatic tissue using the incisional device, inserting a morcellation probe through the patient's urethra, morcellating the excised piece of targeted prostatic tissue with the morcellation probe, and aspirating the morcellated prostatic tissue through the morcellation probe and out of the…
Delivery system for high power multi-wavelength laser systems
Granted: February 15, 2000
Patent Number:
6026112
A laser beam delivery system that uses total internal reflection inside prisms to redirect the high powered broadband output laser power from a laser beam source to the intended target. An articulated arm having straight segments connected end to end by rotatable joints attaches to a laser source that produces a laser output beam having at least two wavelengths. A prism is located at each joint wherein the laser output beam travelling down each of the segments is re-directed down the…
Apparatus for combining laser beams
Granted: December 7, 1999
Patent Number:
5999555
A pulsed solid state laser system is disclosed which utilizes a plurality of individual laser rods which are sequentially pumped and whose beans are combined into a single interleaved output bean. The individual laser rods are pumped at an average power level which is below that for maximum output power from each rod, thereby obviating the need for refrigeration cooling. A compact optical system is disclosed which permits a constant beam size even at different pump levels and other…
Three-dimensional masking method for control of coating thickness
Granted: November 30, 1999
Patent Number:
5993904
A method of vacuum depositing a layer or layers on a substrate includes controlling thickness distribution of the layer or layers over the substrate by a three-dimensional mask (64) located between the substrate 48 and a vapor source (56). A plurality of conduits (52) extends through the mask from one side to the other for allowing passage of gaseous coating material from a source to the substrate. The length of the conduits is inversely related to the throughput of the conduits for…
Intracavity frequency-converted optically-pumped semiconductor laser
Granted: November 23, 1999
Patent Number:
5991318
An intracavity, frequency-doubled, external-cavity, optically-pumped semiconductor laser in accordance with the present invention includes a monolithic surface-emitting semiconductor layer structure including a Bragg mirror portion and a gain portion. An external mirror and the Bragg-mirror portion define a laser resonant-cavity including the gain-portion of the semiconductor layer structure. A birefringent filter is located in the resonant-cavity for selecting a frequency of the…
Laser blocking filter with neutral transmission color
Granted: October 12, 1999
Patent Number:
5966240
A filter system for reflectively blocking laser radiation in the visible spectrum includes a multilayer interference structure arranged for reflectively blocking a continuous band of wavelengths including the laser radiation and transmitting other wavelengths in the visible spectrum. The filter system is arranged to control transmission of the other wavelengths of the visible spectrum such that the filter system has an essentially neutral transmission color and maximum photopic…
Ultrasonic transducer
Granted: October 5, 1999
Patent Number:
5962952
An ultrasonic transducer having a unique design that can withstand changes in temperature and pressure and will operate in corrosive environments. The transducer is used to detect the distance to an object being measured. The device includes a diaphragm capsule from which is emitted a focused ultrasonic wave. The diaphragm capsule is machined from a single piece of metal and does not use adhesives or welded joints. The capsule is also filled with silicone oil and provided with a flexible…
Hand-held laser scanner
Granted: September 28, 1999
Patent Number:
5957915
A surgical laser scanner having optics that scans a pulsed laser beam onto a target tissue is disclosed. The laser scanner has a lens and a scanning mirror or mirrors located upstream of the lens at a distance substantially equal to the focal length of the lens. The laser beam hits the scanning mirror and is reflected onto the lens in a pattern defined by sequential positions of the scanning mirror. The laser beam is projected onto the target tissue by the lens in a direction parallel to…
Assembly for focusing and coupling the radiation produced by a semiconductor laser into optical fibers
Granted: September 7, 1999
Patent Number:
5949932
An assembly for focusing and coupling radiation produced by a semiconductor laser into an optical fiber, in particular a multimode optical fiber, including a radiation-focusing element in the form of cylinder lens disposed in the area between the radiating surface of the semiconductor laser and light entrance side of the optical fiber, the length of the cylinder lens being at least equal to a width of a beam exit window defining the radiation surface of the semiconductor laser, and the…
Fluence monitoring method for laser treatment of biological tissue
Granted: July 27, 1999
Patent Number:
5928221
Fluence monitoring apparatus is disclosed for a system for modifying curvature of a cornea by selective laser photoablation of corneal tissue by means of a succession of pulses of laser radiation delivered to the cornea in an overlapping pattern corresponding to a desired pattern of photoablation. The system includes a scanning arrangement for directing the pulses to form the overlapping pattern. The fluence monitoring apparatus includes a beamsplitter located between the scanning…
