US 12,014,918 B2
Laser-driven light source with electrodeless ignition
Matthew Partlow, Townsend, WA (US); Donald K. Smith, Newton, MA (US); Matthew Besen, Andover, MA (US); and Akinori Asai, Hamamatsu (JP)
Assigned to Hamamatsu Photonics K.K., Shizuoka (JP); and Energetiq Technology, Inc., Wilmington, MA (US)
Filed by Hamamatsu Photonics K.K., Shizuoka (JP); and Energetiq Technology, Inc., Wilmington, MA (US)
Filed on Sep. 11, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/465,022.
Application 18/465,022 is a continuation of application No. 18/161,282, filed on Jan. 30, 2023, granted, now 11,784,037.
Application 18/161,282 is a continuation of application No. 17/328,433, filed on May 24, 2021, granted, now 11,587,781, issued on Feb. 21, 2023.
Prior Publication US 2023/0420242 A1, Dec. 28, 2023
Int. Cl. H01J 61/54 (2006.01); H01J 61/16 (2006.01); H01J 65/00 (2006.01); H01J 65/04 (2006.01); H01S 3/06 (2006.01); H01S 3/091 (2006.01); H01S 3/094 (2006.01); H01S 3/1115 (2023.01); H01S 3/16 (2006.01); H01S 3/13 (2006.01)
CPC H01J 61/54 (2013.01) [H01J 61/16 (2013.01); H01J 65/00 (2013.01); H01J 65/04 (2013.01); H01S 3/0602 (2013.01); H01S 3/0621 (2013.01); H01S 3/0912 (2013.01); H01S 3/094038 (2013.01); H01S 3/1115 (2013.01); H01S 3/1623 (2013.01); H01S 3/1643 (2013.01); H01S 3/1305 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
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.