US PATENT SUBCLASS 359 / 333
OPTICAL AMPLIFIER

Current as of: June, 1999
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359 /   HD   OPTICS: SYSTEMS (INCLUDING COMMUNICATION) AND ELEMENTS

333OPTICAL AMPLIFIER {11}
334  DF  .~> Raman or Brillouin process
335  DF  .~> Free electron
336  DF  .~> Bistable
337  DF  .~> Correction of deleterious effects {2}
340  DF  .~> Mode locked
341  DF  .~> Optical fiber
342  DF  .~> Particular active medium (e.g., crystal, plasma, fluid, etc.) {2}
345  DF  .~> Particular pumping type (e.g., electrical, optical, nuclear, magnetic, etc.)
346  DF  .~> Particular resonator cavity (e.g., scanning, confocal or folded mirrors, etc.)
347  DF  .~> Multiple pass {1}
349  DF  .~> Beam combination or separation

DEFINITION

Classification: 359/333

OPTICAL AMPLIFIER:

(under the class definition) Subject matter wherein the amplifying device produces an output light beam which is only changed to increase the magnitude of a light beam applied as input.

(1) Note. This amplification can be produced by applying electrical energy to the device to first cause excitation to

a higher energy level via certain molecular, atomic, or nuclear particles of a substance and later causing the high energy state to be relaxed to a lower state to produce the emission of the particles.

(2) Note. This amplifcation is the optical or quasi-optical wavelength range, which is generally in the range from ultra-violet (100 Angstroms) to far infrared (10 million Angstroms) of the optical spectrum. See (1) Note of subclass 350 for specific IR and UV wavelength units.

(3) Note. This subclass necessitates light input into a medium prior to amplification. Production of a light beam output without an input light beam is classified in Class 372.

(4) Note. This subclass includes details of an optical amplifier wherein amplification is produced within the optical fiber by the interaction of externally applied energy and a unique property of the fiber (e.g., lazing material). The mere nominal recitation of an optical amplifier in combination with an optical waveguide structure is classified in Class 385.

(5) Note. Infrared to Ultraviolet light emitting junction is classified in Class 357, subclass 17, unless a cavity is set forth for Class 372 or amplification is set forth for this subclass.

SEE OR SEARCH THIS CLASS, SUBCLASS: 109+, for optical communication.

237+, for optical modulators external to an optical fiber.

326+, for optical frequency translators.

341, for details of an optical amplier wherein amplification is produced within the fiber optics, wherein the optical fiber has some unique property (i.e., lasing material), to produce the amplification when external energy is applied.

SEE OR SEARCH CLASS

219, Electric Heating,

121.6+, for metal heating by arc using a laser.

250, Radiant Energy,

200+, for photocells, circuits and apparatus, and subclasses 552+ for solid state light emitting source which is detected by a photocell.

257, Active Solid-State Devices (e.g., Transistors, Solid-State Diodes),

80, 85 for incoherent light emitting devices combined with, or also constituting a light responsive device. 313, Electric Lamp and Discharge Devices,

371, for a cathode-ray tube with optics and subclass 372 for a cathode-ray tube with light conducting fiber or rod.

342, Communications: Directive Radio Wave Systems and Devices (e.g., Radar, Radio Navigation),

53, for the combination with an infrared device, and subclass 54 for the combination with a laser.

348, Television,

217, and 300 for camera with image intensifier or amplifier, subclass 707 for television amplifier circuit and subclass 777 for cathode-ray tube image source with intensifier.

351, Optics: Eye Examinating, Vision Testing, and Correcting,

213, including light filter or absorber, subclass 214 including diaphragm or slit, and subclass 215 including light polarizing.

356, Optics: Measuring and Testing,

300+, for dispersed light spectroscopy.

362, Illumination,

32, for light fibers, rods or pipes, subclass 259 for laser type light source (or support therefor) and modifier, and subclasses 317+ for light modifier. 365, Static Information Storage and Retrieval,

108, for liquid crystal memory and subclasses 120+ for information masking using polarization, Bragg cells, diffraction, holograms electron beams, etc.

369, Dynamic Information Storage or Retrieval,

110, where the information is stored or retrieved from the medium by polarized radiant energy subclass 116 where the information is stored or retrieved from the medium by light intensity adjustment or maintenance and subclass 117 where the information is stored or retrieved from the medium by a movable shutter or light gate.

372, Coherent Light Generators, for lasers and optical oscillators wherein a light output beam is generated without the application of a light input beam.

376, Induced Nuclear Reactions: Processes, Systems, and

Elements,

103, for photon beam (e.g., laser) irradiation nuclear fusion, subclass 104 for optics nuclear fusion, and subclass 105 for particle beam irradiation (excluding photons) nuclear fusion.

377, Electrical Pulse Counters, Pulse Dividers, or Shift Registers: Circuits and Systems,

102, for bistable electro - optical devices.

385, Optical Waveguides,

1+, for temporal optical modulation produced within the fiber, and subclasses 4+ for directional modulation produced within the fiber. Class 385 contains patents claiming optical modulation within the fiber but optical amplification (333+) or frequency translation (326+) within the fiber are specifially excluded from Class 385, unless the amplifier or frequency translator are only nominally set forth. 427, Coating Processes,

163.1+, for processes of coating an optical polarizer, windshield, fiber, waveguide, rod, projection screen, or retroreflector.

430, Radiation Imagery Chemistry: Process, Composition, or Product Thereof,

363, for laser or radiation color imaging exposure other than visible light and subclass 945 for laser beam cross-reference art collection.