Fiber-coupled laser with time varying beam characteristics
US10673198B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 28, 2018 |
| Grant date | Jun 2, 2020 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 28, 2038 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01S3/0085
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Methods, apparatus, and systems comprising a fiber-coupled laser and time-varying beam characteristics. A laser may generate an optical beam that is launched into one or more lengths of fiber, at least one of which comprises a confinement region that is optically coupled to an output. A perturbation device may modulate, through action upon the one or more lengths of fiber, a beam characteristic over a time period during which the laser is energized. A controller may cause the perturbation device to act upon the one or more lengths of fiber to impart a time-averaged beam characteristic and/or to induce a continuous variation in one or more beam characteristics during system use. A process monitor may sense a metric external to the optical system, and a feedback signal from the process monitor may be coupled into the controller. Dynamic beam characteristics may be modulated based on the feedback signal.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.