Abstract: A hybrid fiber/copper connector assembly which permits repair of damaged fibers or copper conductors carried by a hybrid fiber/copper cable without requiring replacement of the entire connector assembly or the cable is disclosed. The hybrid fiber/copper connector assembly disclosed also allows individual hybrid fiber/copper connectors of the assembly to be converted from one gender to a different gender. The hybrid fiber/copper connector assembly disclosed also allows the individual hybrid fiber/copper connectors of the assembly to be converted from being hybrid fiber/copper connectors to being only fiber connectors or only copper connectors.

Abstract: A thin film transistor array substrate applied to a liquid crystal display device is provided with at least two storage capacitance lines electrically connected with each other. These electrically connected storage capacitance lines, which belong to two adjacent pixels at two sides of a scanning line, are connected with contact holes and conductive layer, and may eliminate the lateral crosstalk of the liquid crystal display device.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for manufacturing an array substrate of a translucent LCD capable of simultaneously forming source and drain metal layers as reflective electrodes while improving both the contact resistance in a transmissive region and the reflectivity properties in a reflective region. The source and drain metal layers have a triple-layered structure of Mo—Al—Mo and, the top Mo is selectively removed from the reflective region. As a result, the screen quality of products improves. In addition, about 5-6 masks are enough to manufacture an array substrate using half-tone exposure technology, in contrast to the prior art which uses 8-11 masks. As the number of masks and processes is reduced in this manner, the manufacturing cost decreases accordingly and the process is simplified.

Abstract: A retarder includes a transparent support substrate, a prism layer including a plurality of microprisms arranged on one of main surfaces of the transparent support substrate, where each of the microprisms has a sloped prism face formed at the same slope angle with respect to the one main surface in the same direction, an optical anisotropic medium layer disposed on the sloped prism face so that an optic axis of the optical anisotropic medium layer is directed in one of a direction of the maximum sloped prism face of the microprisms and a direction perpendicular to the direction of the maximum sloped prism face, and a planarizing layer disposed on the transparent support substrate so as to embed the optical anisotropic medium layer therein. The planarizing layer is formed from a material having an index of refraction that is substantially the same as that of the microprisms.

Abstract: Assemblies and methods for installing and maintaining aerial fiber optic cable are provided. Embodiments include a cable long enough to extend from two elevated support points and to provide enough slack for at least a portion of the cable to extend along the ground. The cable includes a wrapped portion for storing the slack and to elevate the entire cable above the ground. The wrapped portion being releasable in response to a force acting on the cable, such as a falling tree, allowing for at least a portion of the cable to fall to the ground and minimize the likelihood of the tree snapping the cable. Fasteners and frame members may be employed to support the wrapped portion. An embodiment may also include a cut-off apparatus for cutting the cable in response to the cable being pulled further once any slack in the cable has been expended.

Abstract: A planar lightwave circuit including a slab waveguide, with a plurality of different diffraction filtering elements optically coupling a plurality of input and output ports, provides various optical functionalities including multiplexing, demultiplexing, diplexer and triplexer. In the basic configuration one or more output ports are optically coupled to an input port via grating filters etching in the cladding of the slab waveguide, and an additional port is optically coupled to the input port via a diffraction grating etched in an endwall of the slab waveguide. A triplexer platform can be provided by optically coupling photo-detectors to two output ports, which receive wavelength channels demultiplexed from an input signal by two cladding etched filters, and by optically coupling a laser to another input port, which launches an outgoing laser signal at the endwall etched grating filter for coupling into the same fiber that launched the original input signal.

Abstract: The present invention is to provide an optical transceiver that installs a bi-directional optical sub-assembly. The bi-directional sub-assembly is installed within the transceiver and fixed by the holder with a pair of legs put the sub-assembly therebetween. By press-fitting these legs into respective pockets provided in the side of the transceiver, the sub-assembly is to be fixed with the housing. To press-fit the holder completes the fixing and the positioning of the sub-assembly at the same time.

Abstract: A method and arrangement of electrodes for increasing the resolution of a digital phase modulator for a fiber-optic signal transmission or measuring device. A predetermined total number m of electrodes of different lengths are arranged parallel and on both sides with respect to a light guiding path in or on an optical substrate. The electrodes are divided into two groups. A first group n of electrodes represents a coarse modulator with binary and more significant weighted electrodes of length ratio bn+0:bn=2, the longest electrode of which corresponds to the sum of lengths of all the remaining electrodes of the overall modulator. A second, smaller group of n0 non-binary and less significant weighted electrodes represents a fine modulator. The smallest output values are not formed by driving individual electrodes of the fine modulator, but rather by forming the difference, in each case, between two larger electrodes.

Abstract: A medical examination system includes a medical examination device and a control device to operate the medical examination device. The control device transmits signals including control signals accompanied by an identification code. The examination device is provided with a verifier to verify the identification code and is arranged to accept the corresponding control signals when the identification code is correct, and to reject the corresponding control signals when the identification code is not correct. The examination system further automatically communicates the identification code between the control device and the examination device.

Abstract: Methods are disclosed herein for joining a first optical fiber and a second optical fiber, wherein at least one of the first and second optical fibers has an annular glass region, such as a cladding, which is provided with a plurality of holes. The methods are well suited for joining a first microstructured optical fiber, such as a first optical fiber having a plurality of holes having a maximum cross-sectional diameter on the order of 7 microns or less, to another second optical fiber. The second optical fiber could be another microstructured optical fiber or a non-microstructured optical fiber.

Abstract: A polarization-maintaining optical fiber takes the attitude of the rotation angle position establishing the maximum extinction ratio in a condition where the polarization-maintaining optical fiber receives no load. Under this situation, the first characteristic curve is derived to present the values of the extinction ratio for various relative rotation angles between the light source and the polarization-maintaining optical fiber establishing the maximum extinction ratio in response to the application of load. The second characteristic curve is likewise derived to present the values of the extinction ratio for various relative rotation angles between the light source and the polarization-maintaining optical fiber establishing the minimum extinction ratio in response to the application of load. The predetermined rotation angle position is thus defined based on the intersection point between the first and second characteristic curves.

Abstract: An optical unit, a method of manufacturing the same, a backlight assembly having the same and a display device have the same are provided. The optical unit includes a transparent body, a diffusion part and a luminance increasing part. The diffusion part is formed on or in the body to diffuse light. The luminance increasing part includes an embossing pattern formed on the body to increase a luminance of the diffused light when viewed on a plane.

Abstract: An electrically variable optical attenuator and associated methods are disclosed. In one aspect, the attenuator includes at least one sensor that provides a sensor output with respect to a variable that affects attenuation. Methods of characterizing the attenuator include obtaining a set of attenuation/sensed variable data, and generating a relationship (such as a look-up table or mathematical function) relating the sensed variable to the attenuation. Aspects of the invention also include characterizing the control input/attenuation output to be related by a selected mathematical function.

Abstract: A photonic structure has rods arranged with periodicity which is of a non-translational symmetry and defined in a polar coordinate system, which uses a distance in a radial direction and an angle in a circumferential direction, and has a center of the polar coordinate system used as a reference. A heterointerface is provided between adjoining areas of the plurality of areas. The positions of the centers of the polar coordinate systems of the plurality of areas are different. Lines of rods are smoothly connected between adjoining areas of the plurality of areas at the heterointerfaces. Rods are removed in a spiral shape or in a curve whose radius of curvature changes, to form an optical waveguide in the spiral shape or in the curve.

Abstract: An apparatus includes an optical wave guide and a ferrule. The optical wave guide has a prespecified horizontal-positioning surface and a prespecified vertical-positioning surface. The ferrule is to precisely couple with the optical wave guide. The ferrule defines a first datum plane mating with the prespecified vertical-positioning surface of the optical wave guide to precisely mechanically vertically position the optical wave guide within the ferrule. The ferrule defines a second datum plane mating with the prespecified horizontal-positioning surface of the optical wave guide to precisely mechanically horizontally position the optical wave guide within the ferrule.

Abstract: This invention is a resin composition for optical wiring, comprising an inorganic filler with an average particle size of 1 nm to 100 nm and a resin, having a ratio nf/nr (where nf is the refractive index of the inorganic filler and nr is the refractive index of the resin) of 0.8 to 1.2, a thermal expansion coefficient of ?1×10?5 /° C. to 4×10?5/° C., and a true dependency value of its refractive index on the temperature of ?1×10?4/° C. to 1×10?4/° C. in a temperature range from ?20° C. to 90° C., and substantially incapable of absorbing light in a wavelength range from 0.6 to 0.9 ?m or from 1.2 to 1.6 ?m. This invention also provides an optoelectronic circuit board.

Abstract: Duct closures include a first member and a second member. The first and second members are configured to define a cavity therebetween when in a closed position. A hinge on a first end of the first member and the second member pivotally connects the first member and the second member for movement between the closed position and an open position. A duct mating region on a second end of the first and second members, opposite from the first end, is configured to define a duct receiving opening receiving and sealingly engaging an outer surface of a duct having longitudinally extending members extending therefrom. A plurality of openings to the cavity are defined by the first and second members on the first end and sized to receive ones of the longitudinally extending members extending therethrough. A sealant material positioned in the cavity environmentally seals the openings with the ones of the longitudinally extending members extending therethrough.

Abstract: A hybrid waveguide sensor comprises a dielectric layer having one optical signal input section formed in one end thereof and one optical signal output section formed in the other end thereof, the dielectric layer having a predetermined size of thin metal film provided therein; a polymer layer formed on and under the dielectric layer and having an opening formed to expose a portion of the dielectric layer corresponding to the thin metal film, the opening having a larger width than the thin metal film; and a receptor layer formed on a portion of the dielectric layer corresponding to the thin metal film exposed by the opening.

Abstract: A new, neutral gender MT-type connector ferrule and adapter are being disclosed. The ferrule consists of a body with a number of optical fiber channels and two, not removable, guide pins. The ferrule does not have a male/female configuration. In our invention, the guiding pins are fixed to the ferrule body and located in the recessed portion of the body in such a way that they do not protrude beyond the face (contact surface) of the fibers. This design has several advantages over the standard MT-type ferrule. The new ferrule is easier to terminate, easier and less expensive to produce and improves the optical performance of the connection by increasing the positioning accuracy of the mating fibers. Connector systems based on this new ferrule design need a novel mating adapter. The design of this adapter is shown in this invention. The new adapter has V-grooves to hold, under pressure, the guiding pins of the ferrules. This zero-gap design contributes to the higher performance of the system.

Abstract: An optical fiber sensor can be interposed between a bumper reinforcement and a load transmitting plate to extend in the direction of width of a vehicle along with the bumper reinforcement. In this case, when a change does not occur substantially in an immediately previous predetermined period in an output voltage of a light emission amount of the optical fiber sensor, a feedback control is performed in such a way that the change becomes a level of zero of the output voltage of the optical fiber sensor. In contrast, when a change in the output voltage is not substantially zero, the immediately previous state of emission of light is maintained. Accordingly, it is possible to effectively compensate a zero point shift caused by a temperature change or/and an aging degradation of the optical fiber sensor.