Abstract: The construction of the dielectric layer of a panel used in making a gas panel display by an E-gun evaporation process in the same evacuated chamber that deposits an electron-emissive layer on the panel so as to obtain increased efficiency in the fabrication and improved operating characteristics of the gas panel. Stress free dielectric layers are obtained by E-gun evaporating borosilicate glass from a molten pool of borosilicate having an area of at least 2cm.sup.2 up to about 10cm.sup.2 with the substrate for the layers being maintained at from 200.degree. C to 300.degree. C and the evaporation rate being 40 to 80 A/sec. at approximately 10 inches from the molten pool.

Abstract: .beta."-Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 is a highly desirable material for serving the double function of solid electrolyte and separator in a rechargeable battery that employs sodium, Na, as the anode and sulfur, S, as the cathode. But conventional means for manufacturing the .beta."-Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 require temperatures between 1400.degree. and 1600.degree. C. By reacting .theta.-Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 with Na.sub.2 O, or a compound that yields Na.sub.2 O on decomposition, the desired .beta."-Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 is obtained at temperatures as low as 950.degree. C.

Abstract: An efficient converter of photon energy to heat has been devised comprising a dense array of metal whiskers grown with spacings between the whiskers of a few wavelengths of visible light. The material selected, and tungsten is exemplary of such materials, has low emissivity, but achieves significant optical absorption by trapping the light impinging on the dense array by a geometric maze effect. The characteristics of the surface are excellent for the conversion of solar energy to heat.

Abstract: An injection laser, whose sides are chemically etched to produce facing 45.degree. mirrors, can be made to emit lasing light in the same direction as current going through the p-n junction. A two dimensional array of lasers is produced wherein the location of each laser is uniformly spaced from an adjacent laser.

Abstract: An injection laser, which is chemically etched to provide mirror-like surfaces, also is provided with a chirped diffraction grating. The latter grating, which is etched in the injection laser, combines with the chemically etched sides to provide laser emission in a direction substantially parallel to the current flowing through the laser. As an alternative to the chirped diffraction grating, waveguides are included in the resulting folded cavity laser. Either of the above structures relaxes the fabrication tolerance in the inclined surfaces etched in the laser relative to known folded cavity lasing structures.

Abstract: A dye laser, pumped by a nitrogen laser, has been made to operate in both the TE.sub.01 and TM.sub.01 rotationally symmetric modes, regardless of the variation in laser wavelength. By changing the spacing of lenses within the optical cavity, the single laser can be made to switch from the TE.sub.01 mode to the TM.sub.01 mode and back again to the TE.sub.01 mode.

Abstract: A method for improving the current confinement capacity of a double heterojunction laser by using a high energy implantation of oxygen in the regions of an injection laser surrounding the active region of such laser so as to make such regions semi-insulating.