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05 Nov 2002
The pick of this week's hottest patent applications in the world of photonics.
• Title: Light emitting device
Applicant: Nichia Corporation, Japan
International application number: WO 02/086978
Nichia, the Japanese company well known for making blue and violet-emitting lasers and LEDs, is patenting an LED that it claims has reduced variations in luminescent color throughout the visible spectrum. The device contains an element that emits both UV and visible light. As well as contributing to the output spectrum of the LED itself, this light excites a fluorescent agent in the device. The company says that the fluorescent agent has at least two spectral peaks. The combination results in a broad emission between 400 and 700 nm, with peaks at 460, 520 and 580 nm.
• Title: Post-harvest treatment of fruits and vegetables using ultraviolet irradiation pulses
Applicant: Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas, Spain
International application number: WO 02/085137
The nutritional value of fruits and vegetables could be enhanced by a scheme being patented by spanish researchers. By exposing grapes to pulses of UV-C light, the researchers say the level of resveratrol, an alleged antioxidant and an anti-cancer agent, in the grape's skin increases ten-fold four days after exposure. The team says its simple and low cost scheme could be applied to any fruit or vegetable.
• Title: Method for laser beam-assisted application of metal ions in glass for producing colorless and color pixels
Applicant: Bora Glas, Germany
International application number: WO 02/085807
The tedious task of hand-painting individual panes in a stained-glass window could soon be a thing of the past thanks to an idea being patented by Germany-based Bora Glas. The invention hinges on a thin film containing metal particles, which is applied to the surface of the glass. When a laser is fired at the film, local heating occurs and the glass changes color due to diffusion of metal ions. Colors such as silver yellow and copper ruby can be produced. According to the patent, this method can be used for glass markings, engraving and decoration as well as producing passive optical elements.
• Title: Method and apparatus for probing objects in motion
Applicant: National Research Council of Canada
International application number: WO 02/086539
A non-destructive method to monitor the surface displacements of a moving object is outlined in patent WO 02/086539. After setting the object in motion with an ultrasonic pulse, the output from a single laser is split into two parts. The first portion of the beam is scattered off the object to generate a signal beam. Due to the object's motion, this beam experiences a frequency shift. Measuring this shift and adjusting the frequency of one or both portions of the beam to same value allows the surface displacements to be monitored.
Author
Jacqueline Hewett is news reporter on Optics.org and Opto & Laser Europe magazine.
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