Pyrophotonics Lasers Inc.

Esi-pyrophotonics Lasers, Inc.

Electro Scientific Industries, Inc.

Richard Murison

Tullio Panarello

Benoit Reid

Reynald Boula-Picard

Yves Taillon

Pascal Deladurantaye

Robert Larose

Francois Brunet

Mathew Noel Rekow

Matthew Noel Rekow

Corey M Dunsky

Stephane Caplette

Guillaume Blanchette

A method of operating an optical amplifier includes determining a gain of the optical amplifier and providing a modulator drive signal to an optical signal source. The modulator drive signal is a function of the gain of the optical amplifier. The method also includes producing an input optical signal using the optical signal source. The input optical signal includes a first plurality of pulses, each of the first plurality of pulses having an amplitude related to the modulator drive signal. The method further includes coupling the input optical signal to the optical amplifier and amplifying the input optical signal using the optical amplifier to produce an output optical signal including a second plurality of pulses.

Methods and systems for a pulsed laser source emitting a predetermined output pulse profile

A method of laser scribing a CdTe solar cell structure includes providing a laser operable to produce an optical pulse. The optical pulse is characterized by a temporal profile having a first power level during a first portion of the optical pulse and a second power level less than the first power level during a second portion of the optical pulse. The method also includes directing the optical pulse to impinge on the CdTe solar cell structure. The CdTe solar cell structure includes a substrate, a transmission spectrum control layer adjacent the substrate; a barrier layer adjacent the transmission spectrum control layer, and a conductive layer adjacent the barrier layer. The method further includes initiating a removal process for the conductive layer and terminating the removal process prior to removing the barrier layer.

Method and apparatus to scribe thin film layers of cadmium telluride solar cells

A series of laser pulses in a pulse train, each pulse with a beneficial temporal power shape instead of the conventional laser temporal power shape, scribes a line in a thin film of material on a substrate. The beneficial temporal pulse shape has a spike/plateau chair shape or a square pulse shape. Scribing a line in the thin film is achieved by placing the series of laser pulse spots on the line to be scribed such that there is an overlapping area between adjacent laser pulse spots along the line. The use of a series of laser pulses with beneficial pulse shape to scribe a line in the thin film results in a better quality and cleaner scribing process compared to that achieved with the conventional pulse shape.

Method and apparatus to scribe a line in a thin film material using a burst of laser pulses with beneficial pulse shape

A method of operating a fiber amplifier characterized by a spectral gain curve includes providing an input signal at a signal wavelength. The signal wavelength lies within an in-band portion of the spectral gain curve extending from a first in-band wavelength to a second in-band wavelength, the in-band portion being characterized by a first amplitude range. The method also includes providing pump radiation at a pump wavelength. The pump wavelength is less than the signal wavelength. The method further includes coupling the pump radiation to the fiber amplifier and amplifying the input signal to generate an output signal. All portions of the spectral gain curve at wavelengths less than the first in-band wavelength and greater than the pump wavelength are characterized by a second amplitude less than or equal to 10 dB greater than the first amplitude range.

Fiber amplifiers and fiber lasers with reduced out-of-band gain

A series of laser pulses, each pulse characterized by one or more predetermined pulse characteristics including wavelength, pulse energy, inter-pulse time interval, pulse width or pulse shape, is provided to drill a hole in a material. Drilling the hole in the material is achieved by placing the series of laser pulse spots at the location wherein the hole is to be drilled. One or more characteristics of one or more laser pulses in the series is changed in order to optimize the drilling process for the hole. The ability to change the characteristics of one or more laser pulses in the series of pulses to optimize the drilling process results in holes with desired attributes and a high drilling rate.

Method and apparatus for drilling using a series of laser pulses

A laser amplifier includes a pump source and an optically active fiber having an input portion configured to receive a signal source and an output portion. The pump source is optically coupled to the optically active fiber. The laser amplifier also includes an output fiber optically coupled to the output portion of the optically active fiber. The output fiber includes a rare-earth element. The laser amplifier further includes a beam expansion section joined to the output fiber.

Laser systems with doped fiber components

A tunable pulsed laser source comprising a seed source adapted to generate a seed signal and an optical circulator. The optical circulator includes a first port coupled to the seed source, a second port, and a third port. The laser source also includes an amplitude modulator characterized by a first side and a second side. The first side is coupled to the second port of the optical circulator. The laser source further includes a first optical amplifier characterized by an input end and a reflective end including a spectral-domain reflectance filter. The input end is coupled to the second side of the amplitude modulator. Moreover, the laser source includes a second optical amplifier coupled to the third port of the optical circulator.

Method and system for tunable pulsed laser source

A series of laser pulses in a pulse train, each pulse with a predetermined temporal power shape, scribes a line in a thin film of material on a substrate. The predetermined temporal pulse shape has a fast risetime and fast falltime and a pulse length between 10% power points of less than 10 ns. Scribing a line in the thin film is achieved by placing the series of laser pulse spots on the line to be scribed such that there is some overlapping area between adjacent laser pulse spots along the line. The use of a series of laser pulses with the predetermined pulse shape to scribe a line in the thin film results in a better quality and cleaner scribing process compared to that achieved with a conventional pulse shape.

Method and apparatus for scribing a line in a thin film using a series of laser pulses

A tunable pulsed laser includes a seed source and an optical circulator. The optical circulator includes at least a first port coupled to the seed source, a second port, and a third port. The laser also includes an amplitude modulator characterized by a first optical side and a second optical side. The first optical side is coupled to the second port of the optical circulator. The laser further includes a first optical amplifier characterized by an input end and a reflective end. The input end is optically coupled to the second side of the amplitude modulator. The laser additionally includes a tap coupler optically coupled to the amplitude modulator and characterized by a pre-determined split ratio. Moreover, the laser includes a first photo-detector optically coupled to the tap coupler and adapted to receive a portion of the seed signal transmitted through the amplitude modulator and to generate an output signal.

A tunable pulsed laser source includes a seed source adapted to generate a seed signal and an optical circulator having a first port coupled to the seed source, a second port, and a third port. The tunable pulsed laser source also includes a modulator driver adapted to produce a shaped electrical waveform and an amplitude modulator coupled to the modulator driver and adapted to receive the shaped electrical waveform. The amplitude modulator is characterized by a first side coupled to the second port of the optical circulator and a second side. The tunable pulsed laser source further includes a first optical amplifier characterized by an input end and a reflective end. The input end is coupled to the second side of the amplitude modulator. Moreover, the tunable pulsed laser source includes a second optical amplifier coupled to the third port of the optical circulator.

Method and system for a pulsed laser source emitting shaped optical waveforms

Methods and systems are provided to reduce stimulated Brillouin scattering in high power optical fiber amplifiers. In an embodiment, a seed source includes a narrow linewidth semiconductor laser driven with a current ramp that simultaneously sweeps the optical power and the lasing frequency at a rate fast enough to reduce stimulated Brillouin scattering.

Seed source for high power optical fiber amplifier

A laser system for processing a workpiece includes a tunable pulsed laser source having an output comprising a set of optical pulses. The tunable pulsed laser source includes a seed source, an optical circulator having a first port coupled to the seed source, a second port, and a third port, a modulator driver, and an amplitude modulator coupled to the modulator driver. The tunable pulsed laser source also includes a first optical amplifier characterized by an input end and a reflective end and a second optical amplifier coupled to the third port of the optical circulator. The laser system also includes a controller configured to adjust laser parameters of the tunable pulsed laser source, a supporting member configured to support the workpiece, and an optical system configured to adjust laser beams from the tunable pulsed laser source and direct them towards the workpiece.

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St-Lazare, Canada

Richard Murison