Automated Laser Tuning

• US 20090213879A1
• Filed: 01/30/2009
• Published: 08/27/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rayd LLC
• Original Assignee: Rayd LLC
• Inventors: Farley, Mark, Mielke, Michael M., Stadler, Andrew D., Goldman, David
• Granted Patent: US 9,130,344 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 372/20
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/0057 Temporal shaping, e.g. pulse compression, frequency chirping soliton generation and propagation G02F1/3513, H01S3/063 and H01S3/108
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/0085 Modulating the output, i.e. the laser beam is modulated outside the laser cavity
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/10015 by monitoring or controlling, e.g. attenuating, the input signal
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/1301 in optical amplifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/2316 Cascaded amplifiers

Abstract

In exemplary embodiments, an ultra short pulse system comprises a laser platform which includes an optical source configured to generate an optical pulse, an optical amplifier configured to amplify the optical pulse, and a compressor configured to temporally compress the amplified optical pulse. The ultra short pulse system further comprises monitor circuitry configured to monitor one or more performance aspects of the laser platform. Additionally, the ultra short pulse system may comprise logic configured to control the one or more performance aspects of the laser platform in response to at least the monitored one or more performance aspects.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a laser platform configured to generate an optical pulse;

monitor circuitry configured to monitor one or more performance aspects of the laser platform; and

logic configured to control the one or more performance aspects of the laser platform in response to at least the monitored one or more performance aspects.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the laser platform comprises an optical source configured to generate a seed optical pulse, an optical amplifier configured to amplify the seed optical pulse, and a compressor configured to temporally compress the amplified optical pulse.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the logic is further configured to communicate data with at least one remote computing device.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the logic is further configured to control the one or more performance aspects in response to data received from at the least one remote computing device.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the logic is further configured to prevent the monitored one or more performance aspects from exceeding designated ranges regardless of the data received from the at least one remote computing device.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein a pulse width of the optical pulse is less than 25 ps.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein a pulse width of the optical pulse is less than 10 ps.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein a pulse width of the optical pulse is less than 3 ps.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein a pulse width of the optical pulse is less than 900 fs.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the logic is further configured to control and automatically tune a laser wavelength.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the logic is further configured to control and automatically tune a laser wavelength over a range between 1530 nm and 1580 nm.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the logic is further configured to control and automatically tune a laser wavelength over a range between 1030 nm and 1100 nm.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the logic is further configured to control and automatically tune a laser pulse duration.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the logic is further configured to control and automatically tune a laser pulse duration over a range between 0.5 ps and 20 ps.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the logic is further configured to control and automatically tune a laser pulse energy.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the logic is further configured to control and automatically tune a laser pulse repetition rate.

17. A method comprising:

determining a desired value for a performance aspect of an ultra short pulse system configured to generate an optical pulse;

monitoring an actual value of the performance aspect of the ultra short pulse system; and

controlling a controllable parameter of the ultra short pulse system in response to the monitored actual value of the performance aspect.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the ultra short pulse system comprises an optical pulse generator, an optical amplifier, and an optical compressor.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the controllable parameter includes a temperature of a temperature controller.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the performance aspect includes an output pulse duration.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the performance aspect includes an output wavelength.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein the performance aspect includes an output pulse repetition rate.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein controlling the controllable parameter of the ultra short pulse system is further in response to a monitored actual value of a performance aspect of another ultra short pulse system.

24. The method of claim 17, wherein controlling the controllable parameter of the ultra short pulse system is further in response to a communication received from a remote computing system.

25. A computer readable storage medium having stored thereon a program executable by a processor to perform a method comprising:

determining a desired value for a performance aspect of a laser platform configured to generate an optical pulse;

monitoring an actual value of the performance aspect of the laser platform, and

controlling a controllable parameter of the laser platform in response to the monitored actual value of the performance aspect.

26. The computer readable storage medium of claim 25, wherein controlling the controllable parameter of the laser platform is further in response to a monitored actual value of a performance aspect of another laser platform.

27. The computer readable storage medium of claim 25, wherein controlling the controllable parameter of the laser platform is further in response to a communication received from a remote computing system.

28. The computer readable storage medium of claim 25, wherein the laser platform comprises an optical source configured to generate an optical pulse, an optical amplifier configured to amplify the optical pulse, and a compressor configured to temporally compress the amplified optical pulse.

29. The computer readable storage medium of claim 25, wherein the performance aspect includes an average power output and controlling a controllable parameter includes control-system controlling at least one of

a) a power output from a stretcher,

b) a power output from a power amplifier,

c) a power output from a pulse picker,

d) a pulse picker output pulse repetition rate,

e) an output pulse shape,

f) an output pulse width,

g) a temperature of a stretcher,

h) a temperature of a compressor,

i) a dispersion of the stretcher,

j) a dispersion of the compressor,

k) mechanical positioning of components of the compressor, and

l) an output pulse polarization.

30. The computer readable storage medium of claim 25, wherein the performance aspect includes an output pulse repetition rate and controlling a controllable parameter includes control-system controlling at least one of

a) a power output from a stretcher,

b) a power output from a power amplifier,

c) a power output from a pulse picker,

d) a pulse picker output pulse repetition rate,

e) an output pulse shape,

f) an output pulse width,

g) a temperature of a stretcher,

h) a temperature of a compressor,

i) a dispersion of the stretcher,

j) a dispersion of the compressor,

k) mechanical positioning of components of the compressor, and

l) an output pulse polarization.

31. The computer readable storage medium of claim 25, wherein the performance aspect includes an output pulse energy and controlling a controllable parameter includes control-system controlling at least one of

a) a power output from a stretcher,

b) a power output from a power amplifier,

c) a power output from a pulse picker,

d) a pulse picker output pulse repetition rate,

e) an output pulse shape,

f) an output pulse width,

g) a temperature of a stretcher,

h) a temperature of a compressor,

i) a dispersion of the stretcher,

j) a dispersion of the compressor,

k) mechanical positioning of components of the compressor, and

l) an output pulse polarization.

32. The computer readable storage medium of claim 25, wherein the performance aspect includes an output pulse signal to noise ratio and controlling a controllable parameter includes control-system controlling at least one of

a) a power output from a stretcher,

b) a power output from a power amplifier,

c) a power output from a pulse picker,

d) a pulse picker output pulse repetition rate,

e) an output pulse shape,

f) an output pulse width,

g) a temperature of a stretcher,

h) a temperature of a compressor,

i) a dispersion of the stretcher,

j) a dispersion of the compressor,

k) mechanical positioning of components of the compressor, and

l) an output pulse polarization.

33. The computer readable storage medium of claim 25, wherein the method further comprises:

remotely accessing a control system of the laser platform from a remotely located command station;

receiving status information from the laser platform at the command station; and

transmitting information to the laser platform, the transmitted information including at least one of;

a) a software update for the control system,

b) data for improving operations of an application of the laser platform,

c) data for performing maintenance of the laser platform,

d) data for control of an application of the laser platform, and

e) data for performing a test of the laser platform.