Alan M Braun

US Patent:

6665476, Dec 16, 2003

Filed:

Aug 2, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/920795

Inventors:

Alan Michael Braun - New Brunswick NJ
Joseph Hy Abeles - East Brunswick NJ
Robert Amantea - Manalapan NJ

Assignee:

Sarnoff Corporation - Princeton NJ

International Classification:

G02B 626

US Classification:

385 50, 385 14, 385 24, 385 27, 398 82, 398 42, 398 45, 398 48

Abstract:

One embodiment of the present invention is an exemplary wavelength selective optical coupling device. This exemplary device includes two waveguides, a ring or disc resonator, and resonator coupling elements. The waveguides are disposed on top of a substrate, not in contact with each other. The waveguides may transmit multiple wavelengths of light. The ring or disc resonator includes a dielectric member which extends parallel to the top of the substrate and overlaps, without contacting, the waveguides. The resonator is sized to resonate at a subset of resonant wavelengths. The resonator coupling elements couple the resonator to the substrate. The resonator coupling elements may include a bridge coupled to the top surface of the substrate and electrically coupled to control circuitry within the substrate. A waveguide coupling signal from the control circuitry causes the bridge to deform, translating the resonator up and down, thereby intermittently coupling and decoupling the waveguides.

US Patent:

7164699, Jan 16, 2007

Filed:

Jun 1, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/859553

Inventors:

Alan Michael Braun - Lawrenceville NJ, US
Joseph H. Abeles - East Brunswick NJ, US
Martin H. Kwakernaak - New Brunswick NJ, US
Viktor Borisovitch Khalfin - Hightstown NJ, US

Assignee:

Sarnoff Corporation - Princeton NJ

International Classification:

H01S 3/13

US Classification:

372 29022

Abstract:

A low-jitter optical pulse source including: a monolithic waveguide including a first section substantially perpendicular to a first facet and a second section being curved and substantially non-perpendicular to a second facet; and, an optical circulator coupled to the monolithic waveguide and forming a sigma cavity in combination with the monolithic waveguide, wherein the first facet forms a sole reflector for the sigma cavity.

US Patent:

7400207, Jul 15, 2008

Filed:

Jan 5, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/030009

Inventors:

Steven Alan Lipp - West Windsor NJ, US
Joseph H. Abeles - East Brunswick NJ, US
Alan Michael Braun - Lawrenceville NJ, US
Sterling Eduard McBride - Princeton NJ, US
John P. Riganati - Skillman NJ, US
Peter J. Zanzucchi - Princeton Junction NJ, US

Assignee:

Sarnoff Corporation - Princeton NJ

International Classification:

H01S 1/06

US Classification:

331 941, 331 3

Abstract:

A cell suitable for use with an atomic clock and a method for making the same, the cell including: a silicon wafer having a recess formed therein; at least one amorphous silicate member having an ion mobility and temperature expansion coefficient approximately that of silicon sealing the recess; and, an alkali metal containing component and buffer gas contained in the recess. The method includes: providing a silicon wafer; forming a cavity through the silicon wafer; introducing an alkali metal containing component and buffer gas into the cavity; and, anodically bonding at least one amorphous silicate member having an ion mobility and temperature expansion coefficient approximately that of silicon to the wafer to close the cavity.

US Patent:

7468637, Dec 23, 2008

Filed:

Apr 18, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/736657

Inventors:

Alan Michael Braun - Lawrenceville NJ, US
Joseph Hy Abeles - East Brunswick NJ, US
Winston Kong Chan - Princeton NJ, US
Martin Kwakernaak - New Brunswick NJ, US
Timothy James Davis - Columbus NJ, US

Assignee:

Sarnoff Corporation - Princeton NJ

International Classification:

H01S 1/06
H03L 7/26

US Classification:

331 941, 331 3

Abstract:

A chip scale atomic clock is disclosed that provides a low power atomic time/frequency reference that employs direct RF-interrogation on an end-state transition. The atomic time/frequency reference includes an alkali vapor cell containing alkali atoms, preferably cesium atoms, flex circuits for physically supporting, heating, and thermally isolating the alkali vapor cell, a laser source for pumping alkali atoms within the alkali vapor cell into an end resonance state by applying an optical signal along a first axis, a photodetector for detecting a second optical signal emanating from the alkali vapor cell along the first axis, a pair of RF excitation coils for applying an RF-interrogation signal to the alkali atoms along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis, a pair of bias coils for applying a uniform DC magnetic field along the first axis, and a pair of Zeeman coils for applying a Zeeman interrogation signal to the alkali atoms and oriented and configured to apply a time-varying magnetic field along the second axis through the alkali vapor cell. Another flex circuit is used for physically supporting the laser source, for heating the laser source, and for providing thermal isolation of the laser source. The laser source can be a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VSCEL).

US Patent:

7477670, Jan 13, 2009

Filed:

May 27, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/140602

Inventors:

Joseph H. Abeles - Middlesex NJ, US
Alan M. Braun - Lawrenceville NJ, US
Viktor Borisovitch Khalfin - Hightstown NJ, US
Martin H. Kwakernaak - New Brunswick NJ, US
Ramon U. Martinelli - Hightstown NJ, US
Hooman Mohseni - Wilmette IL, US

Assignee:

Sarnoff Corporation - Princeton NJ

International Classification:

H01S 5/00

US Classification:

372 5012, 372 501, 372 5022

Abstract:

A high power laser system including: a plurality of emitters each including a large area waveguide and a plurality of quantum well regions optically coupled to the large area waveguide, wherein each of the quantum well regions exhibits a low modal overlap with the large area waveguide; a collimator optically coupled to the emitters; a diffraction grating optically coupled through the collimator to the emitters; and, an output coupler optically coupled through the diffraction grating to the emitters.

US Patent:

7852163, Dec 14, 2010

Filed:

Nov 19, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/273852

Inventors:

Alan Michael Braun - Lawrenceville NJ, US
Joseph Hy Abeles - East Brunswick NJ, US
Winston Kong Chan - Princeton NJ, US
Martin Kwakernaak - New Brunswick NJ, US
Timothy James Davis - Columbus NJ, US

Assignee:

Sarnoff Corporation - Princeton NJ

International Classification:

H01S 1/06
H03L 7/26

US Classification:

331 941, 331 3

Abstract:

A chip scale atomic clock is disclosed that provides a low power atomic time/frequency reference that employs direct RF-interrogation on an end-state transition. The atomic time/frequency reference includes an alkali vapor cell containing alkali atoms, preferably cesium atoms, flex circuits for physically supporting, heating, and thermally isolating the alkali vapor cell, a laser source for pumping alkali atoms within the alkali vapor cell into an end resonance state by applying an optical signal along a first axis, a photodetector for detecting a second optical signal emanating from the alkali vapor cell along the first axis, a pair of RF excitation coils for applying an RF-interrogation signal to the alkali atoms along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis, a pair of bias coils for applying a uniform DC magnetic field along the first axis, and a pair of Zeeman coils for applying a Zeeman interrogation signal to the alkali atoms and oriented and configured to apply a time-varying magnetic field along the second axis through the alkali vapor cell. Another flex circuit is used for physically supporting the laser source, for heating the laser source, and for providing thermal isolation of the laser source. The laser source can be a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VSCEL).

US Patent:

7902927, Mar 8, 2011

Filed:

Jun 18, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/487400

Inventors:

Timothy Davis - Columbus NJ, US
Sterling McBride - Princeton NJ, US
Alan Braun - Lawrenceville NJ, US
William Happer - Princeton NJ, US

Assignee:

SRI International - Menlo Park CA

International Classification:

H03L 7/26
H03L 1/02
H03B 17/00

US Classification:

331 3, 331 941, 331176

Abstract:

The present invention provides a system and method for achieving a calibration-free primary atomic clock standard operating at the 0-0 transition free-atom frequency, thus creating a primary frequency standard, with attributes that include scalable to chip-scale dimensions and power consumption.

US Patent:

20050018298, Jan 27, 2005

Filed:

May 14, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/845821

Inventors:

Seth Trotz - Littleton MA, US
David New - Mercerville NJ, US
Alan Braun - Lawrenceville NJ, US

International Classification:

G02B006/04
G02B005/18
G02B027/44

US Classification:

359575000, 359566000

Abstract:

The invention is a method and apparatus for generating terahertz radiation. The terahertz source is a versatile terahertz device that can be configured to transmit a plurality of wavelengths, thereby facilitating the detection of multiple contaminants using a single source device. In one embodiment, the Smith-Purcell radiation effect is exploited by passing an electron beam over a modulated conducting surface, wherein the spacing of the periods of the modulated surface is varied. The variations in the modulated surface enable the source to produce light of varying wavelengths.