Enclosure for controlling the environment of optical crystals
AssigneeKLA-Tencor Technologies Corporation
InventorJ. Joseph Armstrong
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An enclosure that maintains the environment of one or more optical crystals and allows efficient frequency conversion for light at wavelengths at or below 400 nm with minimal stress being placed on the crystals in the presence of varying temperatures. Efficient conversion may include multiple crystals of the same or different materials. Multiple frequency conversion steps may also be employed within a single enclosure. Materials that have been processed specifically to provide increased lifetimes, stability, and damage thresholds over designs previously available are employed. The enclosure allows pre-exposure processing of the crystal(s) such as baking at high temperatures and allowing real time measurement of crystal properties.
Claims31
An environmentally controlled enclosure comprising a crystal, comprising:
- securing hardware configured to secure the crystal within the enclosure comprising a spring element and a multiple surface cap configured to receive the spring element and maintain the crystal against at least one inner enclosure surface;
- a window configured to permit light to enter the enclosure and contact the crystal;
- and
- a seal formed between the window and the enclosure.
An environmentally controlled enclosure configured to house a crystal, comprising:
- means for securing the crystal within the enclosure comprising a spring element and a multiple surface cap configured to receive the spring element and maintain the crystal against at least one inner enclosure surface;
- and
- a window configured to permit light to enter the enclosure and contact the crystal.
The enclosure of claim 22, wherein the crystal is formed from one from a group of materials consisting of CLBO, LBO, BBO, KBBF, CBO, KDP, KTP, KD*P, and BIBO.
An enclosure configured to control an environment comprising a plurality of crystals, comprising:
- hardware configured to secure the plurality of crystals within the enclosure comprising at least one spring element and a multiple surface cap configured to receive the at least one spring element and maintain each crystal against at least one inner enclosure surface as the temperature varies;
- and
- at least one window configured to enable light to enter and exit the enclosure.
An enclosure configured to control an environment comprising a plurality of crystals, comprising:
- a metal frame;
- and
- a removable crystal holder comprising at least one spring element and at least one multiple surface cap configured to receive one spring element and maintain one crystal against at least one inner enclosure surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.