公开(公告)号：US20240418949A1

公开(公告)日：2024-12-19

申请号：US18590336

申请日：2024-02-28

Applicant: nLIGHT, Inc.

Inventor： C. Geoffrey FANNING ,  Reese R. SIEGEL ,  Aaron Ludwig HODGES

IPC: G02B6/42

Abstract: A fiber connector bulkhead adapter for coupling a fiber connector to bulkhead optics is configured to inhibit back reflections from damaging a laser system. The adapter includes a bore sized to receive a fiber ferrule of a fiber connector, a mounting base having a centrally located shroud, and an aperture between the end of the bore and the shroud.

公开(公告)号：US20240393604A1

公开(公告)日：2024-11-28

申请号：US18672866

申请日：2024-05-23

Applicant: nLIGHT, Inc.

Inventor： Brian M. VICTOR

IPC: G02B27/09 ,  B23K26/06 ,  G02B19/00

Abstract: A laser processing system has a laser source and a divergence-tuning beam characteristic conditioner configured to, in response to a control input, repetitively change a variable divergence laser beam between a first divergence and a second divergence that is different from the first divergence. The system also includes a process head having a collimating lens and a focusing lens. And the system includes a delivery fiber coupled to the divergence-tuning beam characteristic conditioner for guiding the variable divergence laser beam and launching it to the process head. The collimating lens is configured to receive the variable divergence laser beam and direct it as an intermediate beam to the focusing lens to focus the intermediate beam toward the workpiece at a first depth corresponding to the first divergence and at a second depth corresponding to the second divergence.

公开(公告)号：US20240393580A1

公开(公告)日：2024-11-28

申请号：US18671882

申请日：2024-05-22

Applicant: nLIGHT, Inc.

Inventor： Brendan G. O'DEA ,  Roger L. Farrow ,  Juan Carlos LUGO ,  Brian M. VICTOR ,  Dahv A.V. Kliner

IPC: G02B26/08 ,  G02B27/09

Abstract: A fused fiber combiner combines outputs from multiple, separately controllable input fibers. At least one of the input fibers includes a portion to vary a transverse spatial intensity distribution in response to controllable perturbation, a portion to convert position to angle, and a portion to preserve the divergence distribution. An output of the combiner is coupled to a divergence-preserving fiber, which preserves a combined divergence distribution guided by the divergence-preserving fiber. An output GRIN lens maps the combined divergence distribution to an output transverse spatial intensity distribution defining a composite beam shape of an output beam, the output transverse spatial intensity distribution representing a superposition of individual channel output beams.

公开(公告)号：US12078788B2

公开(公告)日：2024-09-03

申请号：US17634914

申请日：2020-08-14

Applicant: nLIGHT, Inc.

Inventor： Jay Small ,  Zhigang Chen ,  Manoj Kanskar

IPC: G02B19/00 ,  G02B6/42 ,  G02B27/09 ,  G02B27/30 ,  H01S5/02315 ,  H01S5/40

CPC classification number: G02B19/0014 ,  G02B6/4206 ,  G02B19/0057 ,  G02B27/0905 ,  G02B27/30 ,  H01S5/02315 ,  H01S5/4012 ,  H01S5/4025

Abstract: Apparatus include a transmissive optical substrate configured to receive a plurality of laser beams propagating along respective parallel beam axes at respective initial beam displacements with respect to an optical axis of the transmissive optical substrate, and configured to produce laser output beams having reduced displacements, wherein the transmissive optical substrate includes first and second surfaces with respective first and second curvatures defined to increase an output beam magnification and to nonlinearly increase an output beam displacement from the optical axis for a linearly increasing input beam displacement from the optical axis.

公开(公告)号：US12066546B2

公开(公告)日：2024-08-20

申请号：US17275453

申请日：2019-09-11

Applicant: nLIGHT, Inc.

Inventor： Christopher Allen Ebbers ,  Paul S. Banks ,  Charles S. Tuvey

IPC: G01S17/894 ,  G01D5/353 ,  G02B30/10

CPC classification number: G01S17/894 ,  G01D5/35312 ,  G02B30/10

Abstract: Apparatuses, systems and methods for modulating returned light for acquisition of 3D data from a scene are described. A 3D imaging system includes a Fabry-Perot cavity having a first partially-reflective surface for receiving incident light and a second partially-reflective surface from which light exits. An electro-optic material is located within the Fabry-Perot cavity between the first and second partially-reflective surfaces. Transparent longitudinal electrodes or transverse electrodes produce an electric field within the electro-optic material. A voltage driver is configured to modulate, as a function of time, the electric field within the electro-optic material so that the incident light passing through the electro-optic material is modulated according to a modulation waveform. A light sensor receives modulated light that exits the second partially-reflective surface of the Fabry-Perot cavity and converts the light into electronic signals. Three-dimensional (3D) information regarding a scene-of-interest may be obtained from the electronic signals.

公开(公告)号：US11982835B2

公开(公告)日：2024-05-14

申请号：US16881560

申请日：2020-05-22

Applicant: NLIGHT, INC.

Inventor： Manoj Kanskar ,  Shuang Li ,  Eric Martin ,  Jay Small ,  Jiamin Zhang

IPC: G02B6/02 ,  C03B37/012

CPC classification number: G02B6/02395 ,  C03B37/01211 ,  C03B37/01225

Abstract: An apparatus for scattering light may include: an optical fiber having a first length; and a sleeve, having a second length shorter than the first length, around the optical fiber. The optical fiber may include: a core; and cladding around the core. The sleeve may include fiber-optic material. The fiber-optic material may be substantially polymer-free. An outer surface of the sleeve may be roughened to scatter the light out of the sleeve through the roughened surface. A method of forming an apparatus for scattering light may include: providing a sleeve having a first length, the sleeve having inner and outer surfaces; providing an optical fiber having a second length longer than the first length; passing the sleeve around the optical fiber or threading the optical fiber through the sleeve; and roughening at least a portion of the outer surface of the sleeve.

公开(公告)号：US11979002B2

公开(公告)日：2024-05-07

申请号：US17093111

申请日：2020-11-09

Applicant: nLIGHT, Inc.

Inventor： Zhigang Chen ,  Manoj Kanskar ,  Shuang Li ,  Jim Zhang ,  Mark DeFranza ,  David Martin Hemenway ,  Eric Martin ,  Jay Small

IPC: H01S5/40 ,  G02B6/42 ,  H01S5/02251

CPC classification number: H01S5/4075 ,  G02B6/4296 ,  H01S5/02251

Abstract: Apparatus include a first laser diode situated to emit a beam from an exit facet along an optical axis, the beam as emitted having perpendicular fast and slow axes perpendicular to the optical axis, a first fast axis collimator (FAC) optically coupled to the beam as emitted from the exit facet and configured to direct the beam along a redirected beam axis having a non-zero angle with respect to the optical axis of the first laser diode, a second laser diode situated to emit a beam from an exit facet of the second laser diode along an optical axis parallel to the optical axis of the first laser diode and with a slow axis in a common plane with the slow axis of the first laser diode, and a second fast axis collimator (FAC) optically coupled to the beam as emitted from the exit facet of the second laser diode and configured to direct the beam along a redirected beam axis having a non-zero angle with respect to the optical axis of the second laser diode.

公开(公告)号：US20230344197A1

公开(公告)日：2023-10-26

申请号：US17640646

申请日：2021-11-11

Applicant: NLIGHT, INC.

Inventor： Manoj KANSKAR

IPC: H01S5/12 ,  H01S5/028 ,  H01S5/32

CPC classification number: H01S5/1203 ,  H01S5/0287 ,  H01S5/3211

Abstract: Some embodiments may include a semiconductor laser device comprising: an active layer to generate light; a front facet positioned at a first end of said active layer, with an AR coating or PR coating; a rear facet positioned on a second opposite end of said active layer thereby forming a resonator between said front facet and said rear facet; and a first order diffraction grating positioned within said resonator along only a portion of the length of said active layer, wherein the semiconductor laser device is arranged to emit light from both ends, and the diffraction grating has two non-contiguous segments each extending to one of the facets; or a single end, wherein the rear facet is a rear light reflecting facet with an HR-coating. Other embodiments may be disclosed and/or claimed.

公开(公告)号：US11794282B2

公开(公告)日：2023-10-24

申请号：US17745669

申请日：2022-05-16

Applicant: nLIGHT, Inc.

Inventor： Robert J. Martinsen ,  Qi Wang

IPC: B23K26/342 ,  B33Y30/00 ,  B33Y50/02 ,  B22F10/28 ,  B22F12/44 ,  B22F12/49 ,  B22F10/36 ,  B22F10/366 ,  B33Y10/00 ,  B23K26/082 ,  G02B26/08 ,  G02B26/10 ,  B29C64/153 ,  B22F12/41 ,  B22F12/90 ,  H01S3/067 ,  H01S3/16 ,  H01S3/17

CPC classification number: B23K26/342 ,  B22F10/28 ,  B22F10/36 ,  B22F10/366 ,  B22F12/44 ,  B22F12/49 ,  B23K26/082 ,  B33Y10/00 ,  B33Y30/00 ,  B33Y50/02 ,  G02B26/0875 ,  G02B26/10 ,  B22F12/41 ,  B22F12/90 ,  B29C64/153 ,  H01S3/067 ,  H01S3/1603 ,  H01S3/17 ,  Y02P10/25

Abstract: Methods include directing a laser beam to a target along a scan path at a variable scan velocity and adjusting a digital modulation during movement of the laser beam along the scan path and in relation to the variable scan velocity so as to provide a fluence at the target within a predetermined fluence range along the scan path. Some methods include adjusting a width of the laser beam with a zoom beam expander. Apparatus include a laser source situated to emit a laser beam, a 3D scanner situated to receive the laser beam and to direct the laser beam along a scan path in a scanning plane at the target, and a laser source digital modulator coupled to the laser source so as to produce a fluence at the scanning plane along the scan path that is in a predetermined fluence range as the laser beam scan speed changes along the scan path.

公开(公告)号：US20230291171A1

公开(公告)日：2023-09-14

申请号：US18139100

申请日：2023-04-25

Applicant: nLIGHT, Inc.

Inventor： Tyson Lowder

IPC: H01S3/30 ,  H01S3/067 ,  H01S3/094

CPC classification number: H01S3/302 ,  H01S3/06712 ,  H01S3/06737 ,  H01S3/094003

Abstract: Fiber laser amplification systems and methods are disclosed for use with a chirally coupled core (3C) optical fiber enabling the generation of a high-power output beam having a controlled stable polarization state. Vector modulation instabilities which typically induce undesirable sidebands in 3C fiber optics are greatly reduced even at high peak powers, enabling operation of the up to power levels limited mainly by stimulated Raman scattering (SRS). Polarization extinction ratios (PER) demonstrate long-term stability and minimal degradation due to changes in system temperature. Delays in reaching stable operation during start-up are also greatly reduced.