Abstract: The present invention discloses a method of aligning scintillator crystalline structures for computed tomography imaging and a system of use. Crystal seeds are deposited inside a glass melt and are then grown to form a plurality of layer crystallites. While growing the crystallites, a field is applied to align each crystallite structure in a uniform orientation. As a result, the crystallites are configured to reduce light scattering and improve the overall efficiency of the CT system. A CT system is disclosed implementing a scintillator array having a plurality of scintillators, each scintillator being formed of a plurality of uniformly aligned crystallites. Each crystallite includes a receiving surface and an exiting surface configured perpendicular to an x-ray beam. Further, the receiving surface and the exiting surface are connected by a plurality of surface walls arranged parallel to the x-ray beam.

Abstract: An opto-electronic chip package having a rigid L-shaped chassis to which a flexible circuit board is attached. A first region of the flexible circuit board receives an opto-electronic chip. An optical fiber sub-assembly places at least one optical fiber in optical communication with at least one surface normal opto-electronic device on the opto-electronic chip. The opto-electronic chip package further includes a housing that receives the chassis, the circuit board and the optical fiber sub-assembly. Before placing the chassis, circuit board and optical fiber sub-assembly in the housing, a second region of the circuit board is attached to the chassis. As the chassis and circuit board are placed in the housing, the first region of the circuit board engages a lip of the housing. The lip forces the first region of the circuit board against the chassis such that the first region is perpendicular to the second region of the circuit board.

Abstract: A method for equalizing optical signal power in a group of optical signals transmitted through an optical switch in an optical transmission system. In one embodiment a group of optical signals is input into an optical switch having at least one movable mirror array with a plurality of reflectors formed thereon, the optical beam being directed onto a selected at least one reflector and wherein attenuating the optical beam is accomplished by controllably detuning at least one of the selected at least one reflector to attenuate the optical beam.

Abstract: A mode transformer that enables low-loss coupling between optical modes of two waveguides with different index difference. The mode size and the effective index are gradually changed between two waveguides to gradually transform the mode shape, size, and speed with minimum power loss. The mode transformer is useful for coupling the mode of an optical fiber waveguide with low index difference to the mode of a planar high index difference waveguide, and vice versa.

Abstract: The present invention generally provides an optical wavelength router that includes at least one dendritic taper region. The dendritic taper region includes at least one dendritic taper which has a trunk and at least one branch optically coupled to the trunk. In addition to the dendritic taper region, the optical wavelength router includes at least one input waveguide, a input slab waveguide, an arrayed waveguide grating, an output slab waveguide, and at least one output waveguide. The improved optical wavelength router provides a wide passband width without a substantial effect on insertion loss.

Abstract: An optical device comprises a body of ferroelectric material exhibiting an effective electro-optic coefficient (reff) and an optical loss (&agr;), with the body being adapted for the propagation of optical radiation at a wavelength &lgr;o through it, and means for applying an electric field to the body in order to alter the refractive index therein, characterized in that the body is polycrystalline and has an average grain size such that reff is relatively high and &agr; is relatively low, both at &lgr;o. In a preferred embodiment the body has an average grain size that is less than about &lgr;o/10, preferably in the range of approximately 8-20 nm, which is especially well suited for devices operating at near infrared wavelengths in the range of about 1000-1600 nm. Illustratively, the ferroelectric body is a perovskite material such as barium titanate or lithium niobate.

Abstract: An optical switching element has a movable optically transmissive microstructure to change the optical paths of the optical signals. The movable microstructure is “optically transmissive” because it includes structures such as waveguides and waveguide networks which transmit optical signals. The apparatus uses MEMS and micromachining technology to build an optical switch having an optically transmissive microstructure which moves from one position to another position in a direction (e.g., laterally, vertically, rotationally) such that incoming optical signals align over a small air gap with different waveguides, or with different inputs to the waveguides, depending on the position of the movable microstructure. As a result, the optical signals travel different optical paths (e.g., straight pass through or cross over) depending on the position of the movable microstructure.

Abstract: A planar dispersion compensator for an optical signal is provided. The compensator decomposes an inputted optical signal into N component signals separated by a fractional wavelength &dgr;&lgr;. Each component signal has its path-length adjusted to induce a sufficient phase shift between input and output to change the group delay of the optical signal when recombined from each of the component signals. In this manner, pulse broadening can be compensated by selectively varying the induced phase shifts to produce the desired level of opposite group delay. Portions of the substrate of the planar waveguide are removed to improve thermal responsiveness of the path-length adjustment means.

Abstract: A system of assembling a WDM filter assembly including a filter assembly and a collimator includes a holding means for accepting and holding one of the filter assembly and the collimator, a pivotal means for pivotally moving one which of the filter assembly and the collimator is not held, a detecting means for detecting a signal going through the WDM filter assembly, and a control means for applying a driving signal to drive the pivotal apparatus by using a pin to offset the interfence between materials until the detected siganl is within a predetermined process tollerance, whereby the filter assembly is aligned with the collimator.

Abstract: A method of imaging an object by generating laser pulses with a short-pulse, high-power laser. When the laser pulse strikes a conductive target, bremsstrahlung radiation is generated such that hard ballistic high-energy electrons are formed to penetrate an object. A detector on the opposite side of the object detects these electrons. Since laser pulses are used to form the hard x-rays, multiple pulses can be used to image an object in motion, such as an exploding or compressing object, by using time gated detectors. Furthermore, the laser pulses can be directed down different tubes using mirrors and filters so that each laser pulse will image a different portion of the object.

Abstract: A multifunctional infrared spectrometer system has an interferometer which receives the infrared beam from a source and provides a modulated output beam on beam paths to multiple spatially separated infrared detectors. A multi-position mirror element mounted at a junction position receives the beam on a main beam path and directs it on branch beam paths to sample positions, with the beam then being directed on the branch beam path to one of the detectors. One of the branch beam paths may include a sample holder at the sample position which can index between a position at which a sample is analyzed, to a reference material position, to a pass-through position for calibration purposes.

Abstract: The present invention provides an improved gain slope equalizer which provides variable optical attenuation. The gain slope equalizer includes a transmission diffraction grating with a first side and a second side; a first lens optically coupled to the second side of the transmission diffraction grating; and at least one reflective surface optically coupled to the first lens at a side opposite to the transmission diffraction grating. The gain slope equalizer in accordance with the present invention can also be used with a Virtually Imaged Phased Array (VIPA) to provide a chromatic dispersion slope and chromatic dispersion compensation as well as variable optical attenuation. The present invention provides the heretofore unavailable capability of simultaneous tunable gain slope equalization and chromatic dispersion compensation utilizing a single apparatus.

Abstract: The system can include one or more optical switching devices. Each optical switching device can achieve relatively high switching speeds such as between thirty (30) nano-seconds to fifty (50) nano-seconds with precise angular movement. The switching speed can be defined as the movement of an optical element from a first switching position to a second switching position. The relatively high switching speeds and precise angular movement of the optical element can be attributed to utilizing a combination of electrodes and membrane supports made from predefined materials that react to the electrodes. The optical switching device can be a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device that can be fabricated by the adding or etching layers of materials such as in photolithography manufacturing techniques. The optical element can include a mirror made from reflective materials such as a layer of gold.

Abstract: An optical switching system that switches the path of an optical signal by moving a microstructure onto which a light-guiding structure is mounted. The microstructure is formed by a MEMs and semiconductor process to be integral to the substrate. The light-guiding structure may include waveguides. The microstructure moves from one position to another position (e.g., laterally, vertically, rotationally) such that incoming optical signals align over a small air gap to different optical paths, depending on the position of the movable microstructure. As a result, the optical signal propagate along different optical paths (e.g., straight pass through or cross over) depending on the position of the movable microstructure. The optical paths have a large radii of curvature so as to change the direction of the optical signal gradually, thereby reducing insertion losses.

Abstract: Each of optical fibers 1 includes on the outer peripheral portion thereof a plate member 2 which is used when assembling the optical fiber arrangement portion, and an optical fiber arrangement portion 29 includes an optical fiber array in which the plate members 2 of the optical fibers 1 are superimposed on top of each other in such a manner that they are arranged in parallel to each other.

Abstract: A temperature control device for controlling temperature variable devices disposed near a grating of a variable dispersion equalizer including an optical waveguide having the grating. The temperature variable devices control temperatures independently of each other. The temperature control device includes a controller for controlling the temperature variable units, and a storage device which stores temperature control patterns including combinations of control signals for the respective temperature variable units. The controller controls the temperature variable devices with a control signal of at least one of the temperature control patterns selected from the storage device.

Abstract: First and second optical fibers are opposed to each other, between which first and second lenses constituting a lens system having an optical axis coincident with those of the optical fibers are arranged with a gap therebetween in the direction of the optical axis. The actuators, ect are used to move the first and second lenses with electrostatic forces, in opposite directions along the optical axes of the optical fibers by the same amount at the same time. Thereby, the spot size of the light incident on the optical fiber on the reception side is changed while maintaining the light propagating between the first optical fiber and the second optical fiber point-symmetric in mode field shape. This changes the coupling efficiency between the first optical fiber and the second optical fiber, allowing an adjustment in light power.

Abstract: A planar dispersion compensator for an optical signal is provided. The compensator decomposes an inputted optical signal into N component signals separated by a fractional wavelength &dgr;&lgr;. Each component signal has its path-length adjusted to induce a sufficient phase shift between input and output to change the group delay of the optical signal when recombined from each of the component signals. In this manner, pulse broadening can be compensated by selectively varying the induced phase shifts to produce the desired level of opposite group delay.

Abstract: A variable optical attenuator having a multiple quantum well structure (MQWS), a feedback system that provides a feedback signal, and a current control that utilizes the feedback signal to regulate the attenuation of the MQWS. In one embodiment, the MQWS is part of a photo intrinsic diode, and in another embodiment it is part of a self-electro-optic effect device (SEED). Preferably, there are a plurality of MQWSs, which may be arranged in a serial stack or may be arranged in a plane parallel to the MQWS layers, with light passed from one MQWS to the next via prisms. Preferably, the beam is separated into component wavelengths by a demultiplexer, each wavelength is attenuated by one or more MQWSs designed to attenuate that wavelength, and the beam is then recombined with an optical multiplexer. In another embodiment, the attenuator is combined with an erbium-doped fiber amplifier (EDFA) to provide an amplifier having an essentially flat gain as a function of wavelength.

Abstract: A density profiler for measuring a density profile of a medium including at least two liquids and gaseous phases includes an axially distributed source array providing at least 10 collimated ionising radiation beams; an axially distributed radiation detector array, each detector associated in use with one of the beams and producing an output signal in response to incident radiation; and an analysor for the detector output signals to determine the density of the medium traversed by the beams of radiation.