Abstract: A light source-optical fiber coupler constituted by: a light source (such as a semiconductor laser chip 10); and a gradient index rod lens 14 for coupling diffuse luminous flux emitted from the light source to an end surface of an optical fiber (such as a single mode optical fiber 16). The gradient index rod lens has a light source side end surface shaped like a convex spherical surface, and an optical fiber side end surface shaped like a flat surface. The gradient index rod lens is retained by the housing in the condition that the light source (laser chip) and the gradient index rod lens are disposed close to each other. The distance between a surface of the laser chip and an end surface of the gradient index rod lens is preferably selected to be not larger than 0.3 mm and more preferably in a range of from about 0.2 mm to about 0.25 mm.

Abstract: There is provided an illumination system for light having wavelengths ?193 nm. The system includes (a) a first raster element for receiving a first diverging portion of the light and directing a first beam of the light, (b) a second raster element for receiving a second diverging portion of the light and directing a second beam of the light, where the first raster element is oriented at an angle with respect to the second raster element to cause a center ray of the first beam to intersect with a center ray of the second beam at an image plane, and (c) an optical element for imaging secondary sources of the light in an exit pupil, where the optical element is situated in a path of the light after the first and second raster elements and before the image plane.

Abstract: A multi-scanner frame in accordance with the principles of the present invention includes a base and a plurality of stands. Each stand supports a tomography gantry. The plurality of scanners supported by the gantries may represent a plurality of tomography modalities. A linear guide allows for the ready movement of at least one of the gantries relative to one or more remaining gantries.

Abstract: An improved total-reflection x-ray fluorescence (TXRF) apparatus using a doubly-curved optic is presented for use in detecting foreign matter on surfaces, for example, semiconductor wafers. The apparatus includes an x-ray source, a doubly-curved x-ray optic for diffracting and focusing the x-rays, a surface onto which at least some of the diffracted x-rays are directed, and an x-ray detector for detecting resultant x-ray fluorescence emitted by any foreign matter present on the surface One or more apertures may be provided for limiting the dispersion angle of the x-rays. The crystal or multi-layer doubly-curved optic typically adheres to Bragg's law of x-ray diffraction may be curved to a toroidal, ellipsoidal, spherical, parabolic, hyperbolic, or other doubly-curved shape. An apparatus for diffracting x-rays is also presented.

Abstract: Disclosed is a fiber optic cable for a wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) optical transmission system including a plurality of connected optical fibers, wherein each of the connected optical fibers is formed of a plurality of optical fibers respectively exhibiting different dispersion values and different dispersion slopes in a predetermined operating wavelength range while having different lengths and different effective areas, the optical fibers being connected to one another in an optional order.

Abstract: Numerous novel structures and methods are presented for their ability to correct angular and offset alignment errors caused by thermal distortion of a device formed out of dissimilar materials, such as a movable platform and waveguide coupled to a fixed platform and another waveguide. A flexure connected between two platforms corrects offset alignment errors along the centerline axis of the flexure. Thermal distortion is corrected also by varying the relative size of the two platforms and the addition of slots and/or extraneous waveguides. A waveguide may be sandwiched between two matching materials, with or without an extra thermal compensation layer portion. A method uses simple processes to build a substrate with matching waveguides on each side of the substrate. Another simple method creates a suspended structure by using simple semiconductor processes.

Abstract: An x-ray tube (10) includes an evacuated envelope (14), a cathode assembly (20) located in the evacuated envelope and a disk shaped anode assembly (18) located in the evacuated envelope in operative relationship with the cathode assembly for generating x-rays (40). The anode assembly includes an axis of rotation (26) and a target substrate (28) facing the cathode assembly. A heat pipe (33) is located within the anode assembly (18). The heat pipe is comprised of an evacuated shell (60) and is vacuum sealed at a first end (70) of the shell and at a second end (72). A material (80, 82) within the shell is a working fluid for the heat pipe at x-ray tube operating conditions. A porous wick (62) is located within the shell and the wick has a length extending from the first end (70) of the shell to the second end (72) of the shell. A shield (64) is attached to the wick to reduce working fluid loss out of the wick during x-ray tube operation.

Abstract: A fusion splicer and fusion splicing method for optical fibers is disclosed including a TV camera 32 which obtains transmitted light images passing through side areas of respective optical fibers 10, 20, an image processing unit 33 which calculates mode field diameters of the respective optical fibers from brightness distributions of the images in terms of directions traverse to the optical fibers to calculate a diametric difference between the mode field diameters, a movable base 57 to move abutted portions between the optical fibers relative to an electric discharge beam position, a drive unit 35 which implements additional electric discharge heating after applying electric discharge fusion splicing heating to the abutted portions while moving the electric discharge beam position toward one of the optical fibers, of which mode field diameter is regarded to be small, and a control unit 34 which controls an electric discharge power supply 36.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a satisfactory image at a desired imaging timing by implementing grid movement control according to the time response characteristics of the radiation generation function and a decrease in time delay from an imaging request to actual irradiation. In order to achieve this object, a control device controls the actual irradiation instruction timing for an irradiation device on the basis of a pre-irradiation delay time as a time between an instruction and irradiation of actual irradiation of the irradiation device.

Abstract: A detector for time-resolved small-angle x-ray scattering includes a nearly constant diameter, evacuated linear tube having an end plate detector with a first fluorescent screen and concentric rings of first fiber optic bundles for low angle scattering detection and an annular detector having a second fluorescent screen and second fiber optic bundles concentrically disposed about the tube for higher angle scattering detection. With the scattering source, i.e., the specimen under investigation, located outside of the evacuated tube on the tube's longitudinal axis, scattered x-rays are detected by the fiber optic bundles, to each of which is coupled a respective photodetector, to provide a measurement resolution, i.e., dq/q, where q is the momentum transferred from an incident x-ray to an x-ray scattering specimen, of 2% over two (2) orders of magnitude in reciprocal space, i.e., qmax/qmin≅100.

Abstract: An adaptive polarization mode dispersion compensator including a polarization controller and a differential polarization delay unit. The polarization controller converts incoming light of an arbitrary polarization to a controller output signal having a desired state of polarization. The differential polarization delay unit is optically coupled to receive the controller output signal from the polarization controller. The differential polarization delay unit includes a polarization beam splitter element and a first and a second birefringent optical waveguide. At least one tuning mechanism is coupled to at least one of the gratings, wherein the tuning mechanism variably adjusts one of the reference reflection points with respect to the other reference reflection point. A combiner element recombines the two reflected orthogonal polarization signals into a delay line output.

Abstract: Fiber tap monitors formed on side-polished fiber coupling ports based on evanescent coupling.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for use in a fiber optic system that may be a communication system, a sensing system or other system using guided-wave optical components. Reducing the number of lenses required to couple the waveguides and the free-space paths in the device offers the dual advantages of a reduced component count and simplified alignment. In an exemplary device having a first and second waveguides, a birefringent optical system defines bi-directional, polarization-dependent free-space paths. One of the bidirectional, polarization-dependent, free-space paths couples at least the first waveguide to the second waveguide. The birefringent optical system includes at least one prism for bending one of the polarization-dependent paths in a clockwise direction and one of the polarization-dependent paths in a counterclockwise direction.

Abstract: An active control system and method for controlling the position and/or properties of optical components in an optical switch of an optical communications network is provided. The active control system utilizes a power-sharing scheme to provide an array of supervisory signals, which are directed through the switch to monitor and control the optical components. The supervisory signals are produced by combining the light signals emitted by an array of external light sources, and subsequently splitting the combined signal equally to form the supervisory signals.

Abstract: An arrayed waveguide grating optical multiplexer/demultiplexer includes first and second slab waveguides. At least one of the first and a second slab waveguides includes first and second portions which are separated along an intersecting face intersecting an optical path in the first or second slab waveguides. A slider is fixed at a temperature shifted from a predetermined temperature to compensate a center wavelength difference between a target center wavelength of optical transmission of the arrayed waveguide grating optical multiplexer/demultiplexer at the predetermined temperature and the measured center wavelength of optical transmission of the arrayed waveguide grating optical multiplexer/demultiplexer at the predetermined temperature. The slider is configured to cause a relative motion between the first and second portions along the intersecting face according to a temperature change.

Abstract: An endoscope cable for use in an endoscope viewing apparatus for viewing an objective has an image viewing cable end portion for association with an image viewing device, a distal, image forming end portion including image forming means for forming an image of the objective, an image transmission means for transmitting the image from the image forming means to the image viewing cable end and a plurality of illumination light conducting fibers extending from an illumination light receiving end at the image viewing cable end to an illumination light emitting end at the image forming end of the cable. A first set of the illumination light conducting fibers has an illumination light emitting end portion axis parallel to the cable image forming end portion axis. A second set of the illumination light conducting fibers has an illumination light emitting end portion axis at a first acute angle to the cable image forming end portion axis.

Abstract: A fiber Bragg grating (1) includes an optical fiber (2) having an optical fiber core (20) made of a material whose index of refraction varies with temperature, a thermal electric cooler (3) mounted on the optical fiber for maintaining “cold spots”, and a resistor (4) including a plurality of micro heating elements (40) arranged on the optical fiber for forming periodic “hot spots”. A temperature of the “hot spots” varies with a current flowing through the resistor, thereby controlling an index of refraction of narrow cross sections of the optical fiber core. Therefore, a state of reflection of the fiber Bragg grating can be tuned over a continuous range.

Abstract: An eccentric optical fiber connector ferrule according to the present invention comprises an optical fiber in which a coating at an end thereof is removed to expose the end of the fiber, a metallic coating bonded to a part of a side face at the end of the optical fiber in an axial direction, and a ferrule receiving the end of the optical fiber, to which the metallic coating is bonded, in a central hole, for supporting it while applying a specified eccentricity. By recessing the optical fiber end face of the eccentric optical fiber connector ferrule from the ferrule end face by 0.2 to 2.0 &mgr;m, the damage at the end of the optical fiber can be prevented.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for registering a patient data set obtained by an imaging process in camera navigation-supported surgical operations, comprising the following steps: producing a patient data set by means of a tomographic scan or an imaging process for the body of the patient or a part thereof, applying at least one marker array, identifiable and trackable in the navigation system, to at least one solid body structure, preferably a bone structure, after the patient has been brought into an operating room and during treatment, in particular after the area to be treated has been exposed, producing one or more x-ray images of the area to be treated by means of an x-ray unit, the spatial position of said images in the navigation system being determined, updating, by means of a computer-assisted assignment, the register of the patient data set with the positional data obtained from the x-ray image, and detecting and re-registering movements or relative movements in the area to be treated by t

Abstract: Method and apparatus for examination of a breast, in which a contrast medium is injected in the breast to be examined, an X-ray beam is emitted in the direction of the breast; a plurality of digital images of the X-ray beam is taken after it has crossed the breast, and a representative image of the contrast produced in the tissues of the breast is calculated from the digital images.