Automated laser tuning

• US 9,130,344 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2009
• Issued: 09/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rayd LLC
• Original Assignee: Raydiance, Inc. (Coherent Corp.)
• Inventors: Stadler, Andrew D., Goldman, David, Farley, Mark, Mielke, Michael M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zhang, Yuanda
• Application Number:
  US12/363,646
• Publication Number:
  US 20090213879A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,412 Days
• Field of Search: 372/20, 372/25
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 laser system comprising:

a) a network laser system having;

i) a controller to control performing actions of a laser platform that generates an optical pulse, wherein the laser platform comprises an optical source that generates a seed optical pulse, an optical amplifier that amplifies the seed optical pulse, a pulse picker that selectively blocks or passes one or more of the amplified stretched seed pulses, and a compressor that temporally compresses the amplified optical pulse;

ii) monitor circuitry that monitors one or more performance aspects of the laser platform;

iii) a logic controller that automatically controls the one or more performance aspects of the laser platform in response to at least the monitored one or more performance aspects, wherein the one or more performance aspects include one or more of an average power output, a peak power output, an output pulse repetition rate, an output pulse energy, an output noise level, and an output pulse signal-to-noise ratio, such that an optimized system is maintained; and

b) a laser application control system including a processor configured to execute instructions to remotely command the network laser system, wherein the laser application control system is configured to receive an actual performing data of the one or more performance aspects from the monitor circuitry in real time to maintain the laser platform performance within a predetermined tolerance.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the logic further communicates data with at least one remote computing device.

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

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the logic further controls the monitored one or more performance aspects from exceeding designated ranges regardless of the data received from the at least one remote computing device.

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

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

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

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

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the logic further controls and automatically tunes a laser wavelength.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the logic further controls and automatically tunes a laser wavelength over a range between 1030 nm and 1100 nm.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the logic further controls and automatically tunes a laser pulse duration.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the logic further controls and automatically tunes a laser pulse duration over a range between 0.5 Ps and 20 Ps.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the logic further controls and automatically tunes a laser pulse energy.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the logic further controls and automatically tunes a laser pulse repetition rate.

31. The system of claim 1 wherein the optimized system is maintained by compensating an amount of dispersion.

10. The system of 1, wherein the logic further controls and automatically tunes a laser wavelength over a range between 1530 nm and 1580 nm.

16. A method comprising:

a) determining a desired value for a performance aspect of an ultra short pulse network laser system that generates an optical pulse, wherein the ultra short pulse network laser system comprises a controller to control performing actions of a laser platform comprising an optical source that generates a seed optical pulse, an optical amplifier that amplifies the seed optical pulse, a pulse picker that selectively blocks or passes one or more of the amplified stretched seed pulses, and a compressor that temporally compresses the amplified optical pulse;

b) monitoring an actual value of the performance aspect of the ultra short pulse network laser system;

c) automatically controlling a controllable parameter of the ultra short pulse network laser system in response to the monitored actual value of the performance aspect, wherein the one or more performance aspects include one or more of an average power output, a peak power output, an output pulse repetition rate, an output pulse energy, an output noise level, and an output pulse signal-to-noise ratio, such that an optimized system is maintained; and

d) remotely commanding the ultra short pulse network laser system using a laser application control system including a processor configured to execute instructions, wherein the laser application control system is configured to receive an actual performing data of the one or more performance from the monitor circuitry in real time to maintain the laser platform performance within a predetermined tolerance.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the controllable parameter includes a temperature of a temperature controller.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the performance aspect includes an output pulse duration.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the performance aspect includes an output wavelength.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the performance aspect includes an output pulse repetition rate.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein controlling the controllable parameter of the ultra short pulse network laser system is further in response to a monitored actual value of a performance aspect of another ultra short pulse network laser system.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein controlling the controllable parameter of the ultra short pulse network laser system is further in response to a communication received from a remote computing system.

32. The system of claim 16 wherein the optimized system is maintained by compensating an amount of dispersion.

23. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored thereon a program executable by a processor to perform a method comprising:

a) determining a desired value for a performance aspect of a network laser platform that generates an optical pulse, wherein the network laser platform performs actions controlled by a controller in a network laser system comprises an optical source that generates a seed optical pulse, an optical amplifier that amplifies the seed optical pulse, a pulse picker that selectively blocks or passes one or more of the amplified stretched seed pulses, and a compressor that temporally compresses the amplified optical pulse;

b) monitoring an actual value of the performance aspect of the network laser platform, and automatically controlling a controllable parameter of the network laser platform in response to the monitored actual value of the performance aspect, wherein the one or more performance aspects include one or more of an average power output, a peak power output, an output pulse repetition rate, an output pulse energy, an output noise level, and an output pulse signal-to-noise ratio, such that an optimized system is maintained; and

c) remotely commanding the network laser platform using a laser application control system including a processor configured to execute instructions, wherein the laser application control system is configured to receive an actual performing data of the one or more performance aspects from the monitor circuitry in real time to maintain the laser platform performance within a predetermined tolerance.

24. The computer readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein controlling the controllable parameter of the network laser platform is further in response to a monitored actual value of a performance aspect of another laser platform.

25. The computer readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein controlling the controllable parameter of the network laser platform is further in response to a communication received from a remote computing system.

26. The computer readable storage medium of claim 23, 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

I) an output pulse polarization.

27. The computer readable storage medium of claim 23, 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,

l) 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.

28. The computer readable storage medium of claim 23, 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.

29. The computer readable storage medium of claim 23, 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,

l) 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 23, wherein the method further comprises:

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

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

transmitting information to the network 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 network laser platform,

c) data for performing maintenance of the network laser platform,

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

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

33. The system of claim 23 wherein the optimized system is maintained by compensating an amount of dispersion.