# US 12,014,918 B2 · Laser-driven light source with electrodeless ignition

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- Number: US 12,014,918 B2
- Document ID: US12014918B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/465,022
- Filed: 2023-09-11
- Published: 2023-12-28
- Granted: 2024-06-18
- Earliest claimed: 2021-05-24
- Assignees: Hamamatsu Photonics K.K.; Energetiq Technology, Inc.
- Applicants: Hamamatsu Photonics K.K.; Energetiq Technology, Inc.
- Inventors: Matthew Partlow; Donald K. Smith; Matthew Besen; Akinori Asai
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12014918B2

## CPC

- H01J 61/54: Igniting arrangements, e.g. promoting ionisation for starting
- H01S 3/2383: {Parallel arrangements}
- H01J 61/16: having helium, argon, neon, krypton, or xenon as the principle constituent
- H01J 65/00: Lamps without any electrode inside the vessel; Lamps with at least one main electrode outside the vessel
- H01J 65/04: Lamps in which a gas filling is excited to luminesce by an external electromagnetic field or by external corpuscular radiation, e.g. for indicating {plasma display panels}
- H01S 3/0014: {Monitoring arrangements not otherwise provided for (photometry G01J1/00, e.g. G01J1/4257; radiation pyrometry G01J5/00; measuring coherence of light G01J9/00; measuring wavelength of light G01J9/00, e.g. G01J9/0246; measuring optical pulses G01J11/00; calorimetrically measuring power of laser beams G01K17/003)}
- H01S 3/0092: {Nonlinear frequency conversion, e.g. second harmonic generation [SHG] or sum- or difference-frequency generation outside the laser cavity (nonlinear frequency conversion per se G02F1/35)}
- H01S 3/0602: {Crystal lasers or glass lasers (H01S3/063 takes precedence)}
- H01S 3/0621: {Coatings on the end-faces, e.g. input/output surfaces of the laser light}
- H01S 3/0912: {Electronics or drivers for the pump source, i.e. details of drivers or circuitry specific for laser pumping (laser diode drivers H01S5/042)}
- H01S 3/094038: {End pumping}
- H01S 3/10038: {Amplitude control}
- H01S 3/1115: using intracavity saturable absorbers
- H01S 3/1312: {by controlling the optical pumping}
- H01S 3/1623: {chromium, e.g. Alexandrite}
- H01S 3/1643: {YAG}
- H01S 3/0612: {Non-homogeneous structure (H01S3/07 takes precedence)}
- H01S 3/0627: {the resonator being monolithic, e.g. microlaser}
- H01S 3/1022: {by controlling the optical pumping}
- H01S 3/113: using intracavity saturable absorbers
- H01S 3/1305: {Feedback control systems}
- H01S 3/1618: {ytterbium}
- Y02B 20/00: Energy efficient lighting technologies, e.g. halogen lamps or gas discharge lamps
- H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H)
- H01S: DEVICES USING THE PROCESS OF LIGHT AMPLIFICATION BY STIMULATED EMISSION OF RADIATION [LASER] TO AMPLIFY OR GENERATE LIGHT; DEVICES USING STIMULATED EMISSION OF ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION IN WAVE RANGES OTHER THAN OPTICAL
- Y02B: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS

## Abstract

A method of generating light with a laser-driven light source includes generating a CW sustaining light and propagating the CW sustaining light to a gas filled bulb comprising an ionizing gas. A pump light is generated. A Q-switched laser crystal is irradiated with the generated pump light, thereby generating pulsed laser light. The pulsed laser light is propagated to the gas filled bulb comprising the ionizing gas so as to generate a CW plasma that emits light. The light generated by the CW plasma in the gas filled bulb is detected. The pump light is controlled so as to extinguish the pulsed laser light after the light generated by the CW plasma is detected.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of generating light with a laser-driven light source, the method comprising:
a) generating a continuous wave (CW) sustaining light;
b) propagating the CW sustaining light to a gas filled bulb comprising an ionizing gas;
c) generating pump light;
d) irradiating a Q-switched laser crystal with the generated pump light, thereby generating pulsed laser light;
e) propagating the generated pulsed laser light to the gas filled bulb comprising the ionizing gas, thereby generating a CW plasma that emits light;
f) detecting light generated by the CW plasma in the gas filled bulb comprising the ionizing gas; and
g) controlling the pump light so as to extinguish the pulsed laser light after the light generated by the CW plasma is detected.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein a pulse repetition rate of the pulsed laser light is in a range of 1 kHz to 20 kHz.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein a pulse repetition rate of the pulsed laser light is less than or equal to 1 kHz.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein a pulse energy of the pulsed laser light is in a range of 50 μJoules to 500 μJoules.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein a pulse energy of the pulsed laser light is in a range of 500 μJoules to 5 mJoules.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein a pulse duration of the pulsed laser light is in a range of 0.1 ns to 10 ns.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein a power of the CW sustaining light is in a range of 5 W to 50 W.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein a power of the CW sustaining light is in a range of 5 W to 1500 W.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the generating pulsed laser light by irradiating the Q-switched laser crystal comprises providing optical gain.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the generating pulsed laser light by irradiating the Q-switched laser crystal comprises providing saturable absorption.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the generating pulsed laser light by irradiating the Q-switched laser crystal further comprises narrow-band filtering.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11 further comprising reflecting at least some of the plasma light.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11 wherein the narrow-band filter blocks wavelengths in a spectrum generated by the gas in the gas-filed bulb.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein a pressure in the gas-filled bulb comprises a pressure in a range of 20 atm to 50 atm.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the controlling the pump light so as to extinguish the pulsed laser light is performed within a time delay after the light generated by the CW plasma is detected.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the controlling the pump light so as to extinguish the pulsed laser light comprises extinguishing the pump light.