William Frank Hug

US Patent:

6347101, Feb 12, 2002

Filed:

Apr 16, 1998

Appl. No.:

09/061797

Inventors:

Xingkun Wu - Valencia CA
Jouni P. Partanen - Los Angeles CA
William F. Hug - Pasadena CA
Hamid Hemmati - Encino CA

Assignee:

3D Systems, Inc. - Valencia CA

International Classification:

H01S 3098

US Classification:

372 18, 372 10, 372 83

Abstract:

A solid state laser includes a high absorption coefficient solid state gain medium such as Nd:YVO that is side pumped with a semiconductor laser diode array. The resonant cavity of the solid state laser is positioned so that the TEM mode is spaced from the face of the laser through which the laser is pumped by a distance sufficient to reduce diffraction losses but sufficiently near to allow coupling of pump light into the gain mode. The gain medium, the doping level of the gain medium, and the operating temperature of the pump laser are selected to efficiently couple pump light into the gain mode. The pump laser is positioned to side pump the gain medium without collimating or focusing optics between the pump laser and the face of the gain medium. A gap between the pump laser and the gain medium is empirically selected to match the angular extent of the pump laser output light to the height of the gain mode at the position of the gain mode fixed to optimize coupling and diffraction losses.

US Patent:

6418153, Jul 9, 2002

Filed:

May 10, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/307738

Inventors:

Johann Engelhardt - Bad Schoenborn, DE
Thomas Zapf - Speyer, DE
William Hug - Pasadena CA

Assignee:

Leica Microsystems Heidelberg GmbH - Heidelberg

International Classification:

H01S 3101

US Classification:

372 24, 359368

Abstract:

In order to extend the life of the laser light source and to reduce the operating costs, a method for operating a laser light source, in particular for scanning in a confocal scanning laser microscope, the laser light source being supplied with electricity via a power pack, is one wherein the laser light source is operated with the requisite power essentially only during the working beam time, preferably during the data acquisition. When a pulsed laser light source is used, the working beam time, in particular the data acquisition, is essentially synchronized with the emission cycle of the laser light source.

US Patent:

6532100, Mar 11, 2003

Filed:

Aug 4, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/368342

Inventors:

Jouni P. Partanen - Los Angeles CA
Xingkun Wu - Painted Post NY
Gary Reynolds - Santa Clarita CA
William F. Hug - Pasadena CA

Assignee:

3D Systems, Inc. - Valencia CA

International Classification:

G02F 135

US Classification:

359326, 372 21

Abstract:

Solid state lasers that use non-linear optical crystals to generate frequency tripled or quadrupled output in the ultraviolet have low lifetimes due to damage to the face of the non-linear crystal through which the ultraviolet signal exits. To prevent this damage, the tripling or quadrupling crystal is provided within a controlled environment that is maintained substantially free from contaminants such as silicon-bearing and organic compounds. The tripling or quadrupling crystal is enclosed within a tubular chamber with windows on the ends of the tube that provide optical access to the entrance and exit faces of the tripling or quadrupling crystal. All heating elements and alignment elements for the crystal are outside of the chamber. Because the crystal is stored within the hermetically sealed chamber, contaminants are not available within the environment of the crystal that could interact with the energetic photons of the ultraviolet output of the frequency multiplied solid state laser. The windows and walls of the chamber are preferably made of materials that can be cleaned effectively, such as sapphire or quartz for the windows and stainless steel for the walls and flanges of the chamber.

US Patent:

6693944, Feb 17, 2004

Filed:

Feb 17, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/251779

Inventors:

William F. Hug - Pasadena CA 91104
Ray D. Reid - Glendora CA 91741

International Classification:

H01S 322

US Classification:

372 88, 372 87, 372 55, 372 56, 372 61, 372 90

Abstract:

Internal mirror sputtering metal ion lasers are disclosed which employ laser mirrors and a resonator internal to and integral with the laser plasma tube. Preferred lasers use silver, copper, gold and other metals individually or in combination as optically active materials and buffer gases of helium, neon, argon and other noble gases. Laser mirrors are utilized to enhance or reject selected combinations of emission wavelengths. Because of the rapid response time of these lasers, they may be employed as quasi-CW devices with laser output pulse widths ranging from a few microseconds to hundreds of microseconds and with very low input power ranging from a few watts to about 500 watts. The disclosed lasers approach the size, weight, power consumption, and cost of a helium-neon laser while providing quasi-continuous output up to hundreds of milliwatts at a wide range of wavelengths from about 200nm in the deep ultraviolet to about 2000nm in the middle infrared. The disclosed lasers employ methods for reduction of arc formation, and use of commutated power supplies which reduce arc formation and extend the lifetime of the lasers. Applications for these lasers include analytical instruments such as Raman spectrometers, high-pressure liquid chromatography systems, and plane or gel electrophoresis systems.

US Patent:

7525653, Apr 28, 2009

Filed:

Oct 5, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/245486

Inventors:

William F. Hug - Covina CA, US
Ray D. Reid - Covina CA, US

Assignee:

Photon Systems - Covina CA

International Classification:

G01J 3/44

US Classification:

356317, 356301, 356417

Abstract:

Spectroscopic chemical analysis methods and apparatus are disclosed which employ deep ultraviolet (e. g. in the 200 nm to 300 nm spectral range) electron beam pumped wide bandgap semiconductor lasers, incoherent wide bandgap semiconductor light emitting devices, and hollow cathode metal ion lasers to perform non-contact, non-invasive detection of unknown chemical analytes. These deep ultraviolet sources enable dramatic size, weight and power consumption reductions of chemical analysis instruments. Chemical analysis instruments employed in some embodiments include capillary and gel plane electrophoresis, capillary electrochromatography, high performance liquid chromatography, flow cytometry, flow cells for liquids and aerosols, and surface detection instruments. In some embodiments, Raman spectroscopic detection methods and apparatus use ultra-narrow-band angle tuning filters, acousto-optic tuning filters, and temperature tuned filters to enable ultra-miniature analyzers for chemical identification. In some embodiments Raman analysis is conducted simultaneously with native fluorescence spectroscopy to provide high levels of sensitivity and specificity in the same instrument.

US Patent:

7590161, Sep 15, 2009

Filed:

Oct 5, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/245418

Inventors:

William F. Hug - Covina CA, US
Ray D. Reid - Covina CA, US

Assignee:

Photon Systems - Covina CA

International Classification:

H01S 3/09

US Classification:

372 74, 372 69, 372 71, 372 72, 372 73

Abstract:

Electron-beam-pumped semiconductor ultra-violet optical sources (ESUVOSs) are disclosed that use ballistic electron pumped wide bandgap semiconductor materials. The sources may produce incoherent radiation and take the form of electron-beam-pumped light emitting triodes (ELETs). The sources may produce coherent radiation and take the form of electron-beam-pumped laser triodes (ELTs). The ELTs may take the form of electron-beam-pumped vertical cavity surface emitting lasers (EVCSEL) or edge emitting electron-beam-pumped lasers (EEELs). The semiconductor medium may take the form of an aluminum gallium nitride alloy that has a mole fraction of aluminum selected to give a desired emission wavelength, diamond, or diamond-like carbon (DLC). The sources may be produced from discrete components that are assembled after their individual formation or they may be produced using batch MEMS-type or semiconductor-type processing techniques to build them up in a whole or partial monolithic manner, or combination thereof.

US Patent:

7800753, Sep 21, 2010

Filed:

Mar 6, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/399743

Inventors:

William F. Hug - Covina CA, US
Ray D. Reid - Covina CA, US

Assignee:

Photon Systems - Covina CA

International Classification:

G01J 3/44

US Classification:

356317, 356301, 356417

Abstract:

Spectroscopic chemical analysis methods and apparatus are disclosed which employ deep ultraviolet (e. g. in the 200 nm to 300 nm spectral range) electron beam pumped wide bandgap semiconductor lasers, incoherent wide bandgap semiconductor light emitting devices, and hollow cathode metal ion lasers to perform non-contact, non-invasive detection of unknown chemical analytes. These deep ultraviolet sources enable dramatic size, weight and power consumption reductions of chemical analysis instruments. Chemical analysis instruments employed in some embodiments include capillary and gel plane electrophoresis, capillary electrochromatography, high performance liquid chromatography, flow cytometry, flow cells for liquids and aerosols, and surface detection instruments. In some embodiments, Raman spectroscopic detection methods and apparatus use ultra-narrow-band angle tuning filters, acousto-optic tuning filters, and temperature tuned filters to enable ultra-miniature analyzers for chemical identification. In some embodiments Raman analysis is conducted simultaneously with native fluorescence spectroscopy to provide high levels of sensitivity and specificity in the same instrument.

US Patent:

8395770, Mar 12, 2013

Filed:

Aug 21, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/545772

Inventors:

William F. Hug - Altadena CA, US
Ray D. Reid - Glendora CA, US
Rohit Bhartia - Pasadena CA, US

Assignee:

Photon Systems - Covina CA

International Classification:

G01J 3/30

US Classification:

356317, 356318, 356326, 356417

Abstract:

Spectroscopic chemical analysis methods and apparatus are disclosed which employ deep ultraviolet (e. g. in the 200 nm to 300 nm spectral range) electron beam pumped wide bandgap semiconductor lasers, incoherent wide bandgap semiconductor light emitting devices, and hollow cathode metal ion lasers to perform non-contact, non-invasive detection of unknown chemical analytes. These deep ultraviolet sources enable dramatic size, weight and power consumption reductions of chemical analysis instruments. Chemical analysis instruments employed in some embodiments include capillary and gel plane electrophoresis, capillary electrochromatography, high performance liquid chromatography, flow cytometry, flow cells for liquids and aerosols, and surface detection instruments. In some embodiments, Raman spectroscopic detection methods and apparatus use ultra-narrow-band angle tuning filters, acousto-optic tuning filters, and temperature tuned filters to enable ultra-miniature analyzers for chemical identification. In some embodiments Raman analysis is conducted along with photoluminescence spectroscopy (i. e.

Author:

William E. Hug

ISBN #:

0835206955

Author:

William E. Hug

ISBN #:

0838902073