Anthony S Demaria

US Patent:

7260134, Aug 21, 2007

Filed:

Jun 17, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/869964

Inventors:

Christian J. Shackleton - Los Gatos CA, US
Phillip J. Gardner - West Hartford CT, US
Anthony J. DeMaria - West Suffield CT, US
Vernon Seguin - Windsor CT, US
John T. Kennedy - Granby CT, US

Assignee:

Coherent, Inc. - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

H01S 3/22
H01S 3/097

US Classification:

372 87, 372 55, 372 58

Abstract:

An slab CO2 laser includes spaced-apart elongated slab electrodes. A lasing gas fills a discharge gap between the electrodes. An RF power supply is connected across the electrodes and sustains an electrical discharge in the lasing gas in the discharge gap. Either one or two ceramic inserts occupy a portion of width of the electrodes and in contact with the electrodes. A discharge gap is formed between the portions of the width of the electrodes not occupied by the insert or inserts. Provision of the ceramic insert or inserts increases the resistance-capacitance (RC) time constant of the electrode impedance by increasing the capacitive component of the time constant. This hinders the formation of arcs in the discharge, which, in turn enables the inventive laser to operate with higher excitation power or higher lasing-gas pressure than would be possible without the dielectric insert. The ceramic insert also decreases the difference in impedance of the electrodes with and without a discharge. This leads to a better-behaved discharge, and a discharge that is easier to light.

US Patent:

7263116, Aug 28, 2007

Filed:

Aug 5, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/912507

Inventors:

Christian J. Shackleton - Los Gatos CA, US
Phillip J. Gardner - West Hartford CT, US
Anthony J. DeMaria - West Hartford CT, US
Vernon Seguin - Windsor CT, US
John T. Kennedy - Granby CT, US

Assignee:

Coherent, Inc. - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

H01S 3/03
H01S 3/223
H01S 3/097

US Classification:

372 64, 372 55, 372 61, 372 87

Abstract:

A slab laser includes two elongated electrodes arranged spaced apart and face-to-face. Either one or two slabs of a solid dielectric material extend along the length of the electrodes between the electrodes. A discharge gap is formed either between one of the electrodes and one dielectric slab, or between two dielectric slabs. The discharge gap is filled with lasing gas. A pair of mirrors is configured and arranged to define a laser resonator extending through the gap. An RF potential is applied across the electrodes creating a gas discharge in the gap, and causing laser radiation to circulate in the resonator. Inserting dielectric material between the electrodes increases the resistance-capacitance (RC) time constant of the discharge structure compared with the RC time constant in the absence of dielectric material. This hinders the formation of arcs in the discharge, which enables the laser to operate with higher excitation power, higher lasing gas pressure, and higher output power than would be possible without the dielectric inserts.

US Patent:

20080144675, Jun 19, 2008

Filed:

Dec 13, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/638645

Inventors:

Luis A. Spinelli - Sunnyvale CA, US
Anthony J. DeMaria - W. Suffield CT, US
Vernon Seguin - Windsor CT, US

International Classification:

H01S 3/123

US Classification:

372 15

Abstract:

A COlaser has a resonator mirror that oscillates about an axis perpendicular to the resonator axis through an angular range of oscillation sufficient that the resonator is only able to deliver radiation for a fraction of an oscillation period of the mirror. In one example of the laser, the oscillating mirror is an end-mirror of the resonator. In another example, the oscillating mirror is a fold mirror of the resonator.