Eric C Honea

US Patent:

6347109, Feb 12, 2002

Filed:

Jan 25, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/237142

Inventors:

Raymond J. Beach - Livermore CA
Eric C. Honea - Sunol CA
Camille Bibeau - Dublin CA
Stephen A. Payne - Castro Valley CA
Howard Powell - Livermore CA
William F. Krupke - Pleasanton CA
Steven B. Sutton - Manteca CA

Assignee:

The Regents of the University of California - Oakland CA

International Classification:

H01S 03933

US Classification:

372 75, 372 36, 372 67

Abstract:

Using a thin disk laser gain element with an undoped cap layer enables the scaling of lasers to extremely high average output power values. Ordinarily, the power scaling of such thin disk lasers is limited by the deleterious effects of amplified spontaneous emission. By using an undoped cap layer diffusion bonded to the thin disk, the onset of amplified spontaneous emission does not occur as readily as if no cap layer is used, and much larger transverse thin disks can be effectively used as laser gain elements. This invention can be used as a high average power laser for material processing applications as well as for weapon and air defense applications.

US Patent:

6640040, Oct 28, 2003

Filed:

Mar 15, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/098264

Inventors:

Andy J. Bayramian - Manteca CA
Raymond J. Beach - Livermore CA
Eric Honea - Seattle WA
James E. Murray - Livermore CA
Stephen A. Payne - Castro Valley CA

Assignee:

The Regents of the University of California - Oakland CA

International Classification:

G02B 610

US Classification:

385131, 3593411, 359345, 438 22, 438 31, 385129, 385126

Abstract:

A low-cost, high performance cladding-pumped planar waveguide amplifier and fabrication method, for deployment in metro and access networks. The waveguide amplifier has a compact monolithic slab architecture preferably formed by first sandwich bonding an erbium-doped core glass slab between two cladding glass slabs to form a multi-layer planar construction, and then slicing the construction into multiple unit constructions. Using lithographic techniques, a silver stripe is deposited and formed at a top or bottom surface of each unit construction and over a cross section of the bonds. By heating the unit construction in an oven and applying an electric field, the silver stripe is then ion diffused to increase the refractive indices of the core and cladding regions, with the diffusion region of the core forming a single mode waveguide, and the silver diffusion cladding region forming a second larger waveguide amenable to cladding pumping with broad area diodes.

US Patent:

6763050, Jul 13, 2004

Filed:

Jan 26, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/771393

Inventors:

Luis E. Zapata - Livermore CA
Raymond J. Beach - Livermore CA
Eric C. Honea - Sunol CA
Stephen A. Payne - Castro Valley CA

Assignee:

The Regents of the University of California - Oakland CA

International Classification:

H01S 3091

US Classification:

372 70, 372 75, 372 49, 372 99

Abstract:

A thin, planar laser material is bonded to a light guide of an index-matched material forming a composite disk. Diode array or other pump light is introduced into the composite disk through the edges of the disk. Pump light trapped within the composite disk depletes as it multi-passes the laser medium before reaching an opposing edge of the disk. The resulting compound optical structure efficiently delivers concentrated pump light and to a laser medium of minimum thickness. The external face of the laser medium is used for cooling. A high performance cooler attached to the external face of the laser medium rejects heat. Laser beam extraction is parallel to the heat flux to minimize optical distortions.

US Patent:

6904069, Jun 7, 2005

Filed:

Dec 29, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/752848

Inventors:

Eric C. Honea - Sunol CA, US
Raymond J. Beach - Livermore CA, US

Assignee:

The Regents of the University of California - Oakland CA

International Classification:

H01S003/13

US Classification:

372 31, 372 33, 372 39, 372 40

Abstract:

A laser gain medium having a layered coating on at least certain surfaces of the laser gain medium. The layered coating having a reflective inner material and an absorptive scattering outside material.

US Patent:

6937636, Aug 30, 2005

Filed:

Aug 29, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/651658

Inventors:

Raymond J. Beach - Livermore CA, US
Eric C. Honea - Sunol CA, US
Stephen A. Payne - Castro Valley CA, US
Ian Mercer - London, GB
Michael D. Perry - Poway CA, US

Assignee:

The Regents of the University of California - Oakland CA

International Classification:

H01S003/06

US Classification:

372 66, 372 71, 372 72, 372101

Abstract:

By tapering the diameter of a flanged barrel laser rod over its length, the maximum trapped path length of a barrel mode can be dramatically reduced, thereby reducing the ability of the trapped spontaneous emission to negatively impact laser performance through amplified spontaneous emission (ASE). Laser rods with polished barrels and flanged end caps have found increasing application in diode array end-pumped laser systems. The polished barrel of the rod serves to confine diode array pump light within the rod. In systems utilizing an end-pumping geometry and such polished barrel laser rods, the pump light that is introduced into one or both ends of the laser rod, is ducted down the length of the rod via the total internal reflections (TIRs) that occur when the light strikes the rod's barrel. A disadvantage of using polished barrel laser rods is that such rods are very susceptible to barrel mode paths that can trap spontaneous emission over long path lengths. This trapped spontaneous emission can then be amplified through stimulated emission resulting in a situation where the stored energy available to the desired lasing mode is effectively depleted, which then negatively impacts the laser's performance, a result that is effectively reduced by introducing a taper onto the laser rod.

US Patent:

7199924, Apr 3, 2007

Filed:

Jan 26, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/342336

Inventors:

Andrew J. W. Brown - Brier WA, US
Eric C. Honea - Seattle WA, US
Thomas H. Loftus - Seattle WA, US
Roy D. Mead - Edmonds WA, US
Charles E. Hamilton - Kenmore WA, US
Anping Liu - Big Flats NY, US
Charles A. Lemaire - Apple Valley MN, US

Assignee:

Aculight Corporation - Bothell WA

International Classification:

H04J 14/02
G02B 27/64

US Classification:

359556, 398 87

Abstract:

Apparatus and method for spectral-beam combining light from a plurality of high-power fiber lasers that, in some embodiments, use two substantially identical diffraction gratings in a parallel, mutually compensating configuration to combine a plurality of separate parallel input beams each having a slightly different successively higher wavelength into a single output beam of high quality. In other embodiments, a single diffraction grating is used to combine a plurality of different wavelengths, wherein the input laser beams are obtained from very narrow linewidth sources to reduce chromatic dispersion. In some embodiments, diagnostics and adjustments of wavelengths and/or positions and angles are made dynamically in real time to maintain the combination of the plurality input beams into a single high-quality output beam.

US Patent:

7233442, Jun 19, 2007

Filed:

Jan 26, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/342337

Inventors:

Andrew J. W. Brown - Brier WA, US
Eric C. Honea - Seattle WA, US
Thomas H. Loftus - Seattle WA, US
Roy D. Mead - Edmonds WA, US
Charles E. Hamilton - Kenmore WA, US
Anping Liu - Big Flats NY, US
Charles A. Lemaire - Apple Valley MN, US

Assignee:

Aculight Corporation - Bothell WA

International Classification:

G02B 27/64

US Classification:

359556

Abstract:

Apparatus and method for spectral-beam combining light from a plurality of high-power fiber lasers that, in some embodiments, use two substantially identical diffraction gratings in a parallel, mutually compensating configuration to combine a plurality of separate parallel input beams each having a slightly different successively higher wavelength into a single output beam of high quality. In other embodiments, a single diffraction grating is used to combine a plurality of different wavelengths, wherein the input laser beams are obtained from very narrow linewidth sources to reduce chromatic dispersion. In some embodiments, diagnostics and adjustments of wavelengths and/or positions and angles are made dynamically in real time to maintain the combination of the plurality input beams into a single high-quality output beam.

US Patent:

7535631, May 19, 2009

Filed:

May 22, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/751637

Inventors:

Andrew J. W. Brown - Brier WA, US
Eric C. Honea - Seattle WA, US
Thomas H. Loftus - Seattle WA, US
Roy D. Mead - Edmonds WA, US
Charles E. Hamilton - Kenmore WA, US
Anping Liu - Big Flats NY, US
Charles A. Lemaire - Apple Valley MN, US

Assignee:

Lockheed Martin Corporation - Bethesda MD

International Classification:

H04B 10/17
H01S 3/00

US Classification:

3593411, 372 6, 372102, 372108

Abstract:

Apparatus and method for spectral-beam combining light from a plurality of high-power fiber lasers that, in some embodiments, use two substantially identical diffraction gratings in a parallel, mutually compensating configuration to combine a plurality of separate parallel input beams each having a slightly different successively higher wavelength into a single output beam of high quality. In other embodiments, a single diffraction grating is used to combine a plurality of different wavelengths, wherein the input laser beams are obtained from very narrow linewidth sources to reduce chromatic dispersion. In some embodiments, diagnostics and adjustments of wavelengths and/or positions and angles are made dynamically in real time to maintain the combination of the plurality input beams into a single high-quality output beam.