Lightmachinery Inc.

John H Hunter

Ian J Miller

Edward S Williams

Hubert Jean-Ruel

Jesse Dean

Gregg Senechal

John Reid

Vaz Zastera

Adam Donaldson

Tekai Akuetteh

John Nilson

Shane Boisclair

Jeff Wimperis

Zhi Huang

Chris Wimperis

Graham Malcove

The invention relates to a multi-pass etalon-based optical filter in which input light once reflected from the etalon is returned back to the etalon for a second reflection to enhance etalon contrast. The external mirror may be tilted relative to the etalon so that two planes of incidence are orthogonal. The multi-pass etalon-based optical filter may be used to clean scattered light from an excitation wavelength in Raman and Brillouin spectroscopy.

Multi-pass etalon filter

Conventional etalon based spectrometers have either a limited range of evaluation wavelengths or require continuous scanning of the etalon. Conventional etalon based spectrometers also have limited contrast between the peak transmission of a frequency on resonance and the minimum transmission of a frequency off resonance. An improved optical spectrometer includes a cylindrical lens configured to converge the input beam of light in only one direction, whereby the input beam of light is focused along a focal line. Accordingly, a first etalon receives the input beam of light, and transmits a series of sub-beams, each sub-beam transmitted at a different angle from the normal, and each sub-beam including multiple frequencies based on the FSR, whereby a secondary dispersive element receives each sub-beam, and disperses each sub-beam into individual frequencies. Ideally, a second etalon receives and transmits the sub-beams with increased contrast, and a second thickness of the second etalon is substantially identical to the first thickness of the first etalon.

Etalon based optical spectrometer

A conventional spatial heterodyne spectrometer (SHS) comprises a beam splitter and a pair of diffraction gratings, one in each arm of the SHS. The beam splitter separates an input beam of light into first and second sub-beams for transmission to a respective diffraction grating, and then recombines the diffracted sub-beams for focusing onto a camera. A field widened SHS enables much larger range of input angles of the original beam to be focused onto the camera, so that a broader range of wavelengths may be collected. Increasing the range of wavelengths may be provided by one or more of the following: combining the beam splitter with a field widening prism, making one diffraction grating farther from the beam splitter than the other, and placing a plurality of diffraction gratings in each arm of the SHS.

Spatial heterodyne spectrometer

The invention relates to a multi-resolution optical spectrometer that employs two output lenses of different focal length to provide a broad wavelength range, coarse resolution spectral measurement and a high resolution, lower range spectral measurement. Light dispersed by a virtual image phase array followed by a diffraction grating in two different dispersion orders may be separately focused by the two lenses upon to 2D detector array to provide the two measurements.

Multi-resolution optical spectrometer

A virtual image phase array (VIPA) includes two parallel surfaces, a first highly-reflective surface with a highly-reflective coating, and a second partially-reflective surface. The first highly-reflective surface also requires an input zone with an anti-reflection coating, which abuts the highly-reflective coating, with a transition zone therebetween. Light enters the VIPA through the input zone, and reflects back and forth between the highly and partially reflective surfaces, gradually leaking out through the partially reflective surface. To minimize the transition zone and thereby minimize the input angle of incidence and maximize the number of reflections per unit of length, the substrate coated with the highly-reflective coating is subsequently polished at an acute angle resulting in the transition zone having the same sharp angle.

Virtual image phase array

The disclosure relates to the removal of hydrogen fluoride (HF) from an excimer laser either in operation or in standby using a metal halide salt reactor. Removal of HF is desirable because the contaminant not only absorbs laser emission, thus reducing laser power, but it is also chemically reactive, and degrades the lifetime of internal laser components. The metal halide salt reactor may be provided either in the laser vessel or in an external conduit loop.

Excimer gas purification

An excimer laser system in which the expensive noble gases are reclaimed, while the halogen gas is sacrificed, and the impurities developed during operation of the excimer laser are removed. In the approach disclosed a multi-stage gas purifier is used with a single, premix gas bottle containing a halogen-rich laser gas mixture comprising noble, buffer and halogen gas, to maintain the optimum halogen content of the laser, while also maintaining a consistent ratio of noble, buffer and halogen gases without complicated control apparatus.

Excimer laser with gas purification

A beamsplitter includes a bifurcated frame, which rotates about a vertical axis, enabling the transmissive properties of an optical element, e.g. etalon, mounted on one arm of the frame, to be tuned as the angle of the optical element is rotated relative to an incoming optical beam. A mirror is mounted on the other arm of the frame intersecting light reflected from the optical element and redirecting the reflected light along a path, which is constant relative to the incoming optical beam.

Angular adjustable variable beamsplitter

Fluid jet polishing (FJP) is a method of contouring and polishing a surface of a component by aiming a jet of a slurry of working fluid from a nozzle at the component and eroding the surface to create a desired shape. During erosion, the end of the nozzle and the component are submerged within the working fluid, whereby air is not introduced into the closed loop of working fluid slurry. Any bubbles that are present in the system simply bubble to an air pocket at the top of the erosion chamber and are not re-circulated, thereby producing surfaces with very smooth surface finishes.

Submerged fluid jet polishing

The invention relates to fluid jet polishing machine including a pump that maintains a constant pressure in the polishing fluid during each pass of a nozzle over a component. Fluid actuated diaphragms expand and contract the volume of a pair of pump chambers, thereby eliminating the need for high-speed shafts or components in contact with the abrasive slurry.

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Almonte, Canada

John H Hunter