Ram Photonics Industrial, LLC

Xerox Corporation

Eastman-kodak Company

Joseph Lawson

Jordan P Leidner

Per Adamson

Mike Cinquino

Michael E Jones

Carl Thomas Urban

Ngoc-Diep Nguyen

Michael Edward Norkitis

Katie Maria Teslow

Paul Gregory Van Gasse

Christopher P Brophy

Systems and methods for aligning an optical fiber are provided herein. The method may include providing an optical fiber having a first end and a second end, where the first end of the optical fiber has a predefined manufacturing property. For example, the predefined manufacturing property of the first end of the optical fiber may include a predefined cleave angle. The method may also include positioning the optical fiber such that the first end of the optical fiber faces a microlens array (MLA) alignment system. In an example embodiment, the MLA alignment system may include a tilt sensing device and a position sensing device. The method may also include emitting a light beam from the first end of the optical fiber toward the MLA alignment system.

Method and system for aligning and positioning an optical fiber and microlens array

Methods and systems that can be used for aligning and positioning of an optical fiber are provided herein. For example, an optical fiber alignment and positioning system including a vacuum stage may be provided. The vacuum stage may include a vacuum inlet operable to be in fluid communication with a vacuum source and one or more passages extending through the vacuum stage. The vacuum stage may include an optical fiber channel. A plurality of vacuum ports may pass through the optical fiber channel. The optical fiber channel may include a directional friction surface. The directional friction surface may include a first friction factor in a first direction and a second friction factor in a second direction. The directional friction surface may contact a portion of the optical fiber and may allow movement in the second direction but resist movement of the optical fiber in the first direction.

Methods and systems for alignment and positioning of optical fibers

Various embodiments and methods related to an optical fiber alignment system are provided herein. The optical fiber alignment system includes a controller and a rotation stage having a central axis, a first end, and a second end. The central axis extends from the first end to the second end of the rotation stage. The rotation stage includes an optical fiber channel extending from the first end of the rotation stage to the second end of the rotation stage and may be operationally coupled with the controller. The rotation stage is configured to rotate about the central axis of the rotation stage. The optical fiber alignment system includes a light source positioned to emit light onto the optical fiber channel at an oblique angle from the central axis of the rotation stage. The optical fiber alignment system includes an image sensor positioned adjacent to the second end of the rotation stage.

Method and system for rotational alignment of polarization maintaining fibers

A method for profiling a laser beam includes receiving the laser beam at a thermochromic interface of a detector. A temperature set point for the detector can be selected. The temperature set point can correspond to an equilibrium temperature at the thermochromic interface. The method can also include capturing an image of the thermochromic interface and using the image to determine a partial intensity profile corresponding to at least a portion of the beam intensity profile. A reconstructed beam profile can be assembled using the partial intensity profile. If the reconstructed beam profile is not complete, the method can include iterating over additional temperature set points to determine additional partial intensity profiles. The method can also include determining that the reconstructed beam profile is complete and outputting the reconstructed beam profile.

Techniques for laser beam sensing and profiling using temperature-sensitive structures

Various embodiments and methods relating to an optical fiber curvature measurement system are described herein. The optical fiber curvature measurement system includes a controller and a rotation stage. The rotation stage includes a central axis, a first end, and a second end. The central axis extends from the first end to the second end of the rotation stage. The rotation stage includes an optical fiber channel extending from the first end of the rotation stage to the second end of the rotation stage. The rotation stage is operationally coupled with the controller and configured to rotate about the central axis of the rotation stage. An optical fiber may be positioned within the optical fiber channel. The optical fiber curvature measurement system also includes a light source positioned to emit light onto the optical fiber channel at an oblique angle from the central axis of the rotation stage.

Method and system for measurement of fiber curvature

A system for determining the profile of a laser beam includes a detector having a thermochromic liquid crystal film (TLCF) in thermal communication with a heat spreader and a thermoelectric cooler. The liquid crystal film has a thermochromic response such that heating of the film by a received laser beam creates a detectable color response at the film. The system also includes an image sensor and a controller configured to output an operating current for the TEC and receive images from the sensor. The system can selectively vary the temperature set point of the TEC to change the steady state temperature of the TLCF to examine the full intensity profile of the received beam even when the temperature response bandwidth of the TLCF is too narrow to display the full beam profile in a single color spot.

A method for printing a three-dimensional part includes receiving a sequence of part layer patterns together with first and second complementary mask patterns. For each part layer pattern in the sequence of part layer patterns, a mask pattern is selected according to the layer number of the part layer pattern, wherein the first mask pattern is selected for odd layer numbers and the second mask pattern is selected for even layer numbers. A masked part layer is formed by applying the selected mask pattern to the part layer pattern. A developed part layer is formed using an electrophotography engine, and the developed part layer is transfused together to previously-printed part layers to form a printed part layer of the three-dimensional part.

Electrophotography-based 3D printing with improved layer uniformity

In one embodiment, a method of operating a permanent magnet direct current (PMDC) motor in a printer has been developed. The method includes identifying that a temperature of the PMDC motor exceeds an operating temperature of the motor without the use of a direct temperature sensor. The PMDC motor operates at a reduced printing rate to prevent the motor from overheating.

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Rochester, NY, United States of America

Joseph Lawson