Mark D Mcdonald

US Patent:

6540397, Apr 1, 2003

Filed:

Apr 5, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/828693

Inventors:

Jiro Yoshinari - Tokyo, JP
Takuya Tsukagoshi - Tokyo, JP
Hideki Hirata - Tokyo, JP
Naoki Hayashida - Tokyo, JP
Tokuyuki Honda - Mountain View CA
Mark E. McDonald - Milpitas CA
Michael V. Morelli - San Jose CA
Andrew J. Daiber - Palo Alto CA
Sanjoy Ghose - Scotts Valley CA
Lambertus Hesselink - Atherton CA
Shunichi Nishimura - Milpitas CA
Sergei Sochava - Sunnyvale CA

Assignee:

Siro Technologies, Inc. - San Jose CA
TDK Corporation - Tokyo

International Classification:

G04B 3700

US Classification:

368286, 3692753, 369284

Abstract:

An optical information medium comprising at least two data layers for bearing recorded information, and a servo layer for bearing tracking servo, information which is independently formed from the data layers; wherein the medium is used with a recording or reading system wherein a data beam for recording or reading the data in the data layer and a servo beam for reading the tracking servo information in the servo layer are used, and the servo layer is read by the servo beam that had passed through the data layer; and a filter layer is disposed between the data layer and the servo layer, and the filter layer exhibits higher absorption to the data beam than to the servo beam.

US Patent:

6563779, May 13, 2003

Filed:

Jun 15, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/595433

Inventors:

Mark E. McDonald - Mountain View CA
Robert R. McLeod - Morgan Hill CA
Andrew J. Daiber - Palo Alto CA

Assignee:

Siros Technologies, Inc. - Davis CA

International Classification:

G11B 700

US Classification:

369103, 369118

Abstract:

A tracking error signal generation apparatus and method which utilizes confocal detection with a split detector and a differencing circuit for generation of tracking error signals. A first lens is positioned in the path of a light beam returning from an optical medium. A pinhole is positioned in the path of the light beam after the first lens and proximate to the focal plane of the first lens. A second lens is positioned in the path of the light beam after the pinhole, and a split detector, having equal halves is positioned in the path of the light beam after the second lens. A differencing circuit is operatively coupled to each of the halves of the split detector. In operation, a light beam is focused by an optical head onto a track in the optical medium, and the reflection of the beam from the optical medium is directed through the first lens, through the pinhole, through the second lens, and onto the split detector. When the focus of the light beam is centered on the track, the reflected light reaching the split detector is evenly distributed on the two halves of the detector, such that the differencing circuit will generate a tracking error signal (TES) having nominally a zero value. When the focus of the light beam is off-center with respect to the track, the reflected light received by detector is unevenly distributed on the two halves of the detector such that the differencing circuit generates a non-zero tracking error signal, which will be of positive or negative value depending upon the direction off-center of the light beam focus spot.

US Patent:

6574174, Jun 3, 2003

Filed:

Apr 15, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/549075

Inventors:

James R. Amble - Redwood City CA
Mark E. McDonald - Milpitas CA
Michael V. Morelli - San Jose CA
Andrew J. Daiber - Palo Alto CA
Herman A. Ferrier - Scotts Valley CA
Sanjoy Ghose - Scotts Valley CA
Thomas A. Kridl - Los Altos CA
Matthew Lipson - Sunnyvale CA
Shunichi Nishimura - Tokyo, JP
Sergei Sochava - Sunnyvale CA
LeRoy A. Volz - San Jose CA

Assignee:

Siros Technologies, Inc. - Davis CA

International Classification:

G11B 700

US Classification:

369 4426, 369 4437, 369 94

Abstract:

An optical information storage system using optical storage media including multiple data layers or stacks wherein each of the multiple data stacks has a storage density comparable to a conventional single layer optical disk. The optical data storage system comprises an optical medium having a single dedicated servo layer and multiple data stacks which each contain an embedded servo format, a servo laser beam positioned to maintain a first focus point on the dedicated servo reference layer, a read-write laser beam positioned to maintain a second focus point on one of the data stacks, a first, dedicated servo system which provides focus and tracking error correction according to error signals generated from the dedicated servo layer, and a second, embedded servo system which provides focus and tracking error correction according to error signals generated from the data stacks. The dedicated servo layer, in different embodiments of the invention, may be positioned either below or above the data stacks in the optical medium, or interposed between data stacks. The data stacks may comprise discrete physical data layers or âvirtualâ data layers defined by a format hologram.

US Patent:

6658031, Dec 2, 2003

Filed:

Jul 6, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/900443

Inventors:

Alexander V. Tuganov - Redwood City CA
Mark S. Rice - San Jose CA
Mark McDonald - Milpitas CA
Brad V. Johnson - Santa Clara CA
Paul Chi-Hwa Lin - San Jose CA

Assignee:

Intel Corporation - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

H01S 304

US Classification:

372 34, 372 20, 372 33, 372 99

Abstract:

A laser apparatus and method that uses active thermalization of a reflective element to minimize losses and provide wavelength stability. The laser comprises first and second reflectors defining an external cavity, and a compensating member coupled to at least one of the reflectors and configured to thermally position one reflector with respect to the other reflector. The compensating member may be coupled directly to the first reflector and configured to position first reflector with respect to said second reflector. The thermal positioning may be carried out by a thermoelectric controller operatively coupled to the compensating member and configured to thermally adjust the compensating member by heating or cooling thereof. The laser apparatus may comprise a gain medium having first and second output facets and emitting a coherent beam from the first output facet along an optical path. The first reflector is positioned in the optical path, with the second output facet and first reflector defining an external cavity.

US Patent:

6717965, Apr 6, 2004

Filed:

Jul 6, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/900412

Inventors:

Nathan Lee Shou - San Francisco CA
Mark McDonald - Milpitas CA

Assignee:

Intel Corporation - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

H01S 310

US Classification:

372 20

Abstract:

A laser employing a tapered, thin film interference filter as a tuning element. Tapered, thin film interference filters employing dielectric layers are disclosed for use in tuning lasers. Methods of tuning a laser by adjustably positioning a tapered thin film interference filter are disclosed. Also included are a method for tuning a laser to account for thermal wavelength drift, a method of mounting an etalon in a substantially stress free manner, and a mount therefor.

US Patent:

6763047, Jul 13, 2004

Filed:

Jun 15, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/173355

Inventors:

Andy Daiber - Palo Alto CA
Mark McDonald - Milpitas CA

Assignee:

Intel Corporation - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

H01S 304

US Classification:

372 34, 372 20

Abstract:

Laser apparatus and methods that use active thermal adjustment of an external laser cavity to minimize losses and provide wavelength stability and provide wavelength tuning. The apparatus comprise a thermally conductive platform, a gain medium thermally coupled to the platform, the gain medium having a first facet emitting a first light beam from the first facet, and a reflective element positioned in the first light beam and coupled to the platform, the reflective element and the second facet defining an external laser cavity. The reflective element is mounted on the platform and may be thermally coupled to the platform. Selective thermal control of the external cavity optical path length during laser operation is provided by heating and cooling of the thermally conductive platform.

US Patent:

6798586, Sep 28, 2004

Filed:

Oct 30, 2001

Appl. No.:

10/001354

Inventors:

Richard F. Lyon - Los Altos CA
Mark E. McDonald - Milpitas CA
Timothy F. Slagle - Menlo Park CA

Assignee:

Foveon, Inc. - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

G02B 204

US Classification:

359793, 359795, 348337, 396 71

Abstract:

A corrector optic is provided, for use in a camera system that includes a thick prism in front of the focal plane. The corrector optic includes preferably two lenses to be aligned on the optical axis of the camera system. When coupled within the camera system, the corrector optic is disposed between the objective lens and the prism. A preferred corrector optic includes a positive lens having a convex surface facing the objective lens and a negative lens having a concave surface facing the prism, such that the lenses together reduce spherical and coma aberrations caused by imaging through the prism. Chromatic aberration is also reduced by choosing the negative lens material to have a higher index of refraction and higher dispersion than those of the positive lens material.

US Patent:

6804278, Oct 12, 2004

Filed:

Jul 6, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/900426

Inventors:

Andrew Daiber - Palo Alto CA
Hua Li - San Jose CA
William B. Chapman - Sunnyvale CA
Mark McDonald - Milpitas CA

Assignee:

Intel Corporation - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

H01S 300

US Classification:

372 3801, 372 2901

Abstract:

Systems and methods for probing or evaluating optical loss characteristics associated with lasers by monitoring voltage across a laser gain medium, and a laser and method of laser operation wherein intra-cavity losses are determined by monitoring voltage across a gain medium and wherein the cavity loss profile is adjusted according to the voltage across the gain medium.