Abstract: A fiber carrier and method for using the same are described. A portion on the fiber carrier is activated to enable the fiber carrier to receive a first portion of the fiber, and the fiber carrier is closed. The fiber carrier is moved to a predetermined position. The portion on the fiber carrier is activated to release the fiber.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for photonically sampling an analog signal and encoding the photonically sampled signal. The two interferometer arms of a Mach-Zehnder interferometer section are directly coupled to the dual input ports of a directional coupler switch section. Optical pulses transmitted through the interferometer arms are phase shifted in proportion to an analog signal applied at the electrical input port of the Mach-Zehnder interferometer section. The phase-shifted pulses in each interferometer arm are coupled in the directional coupler switch section and are directed to the dual output ports of the directional switch section based upon the binary code applied to the electrical input port of the directional coupler switch section. The directional switch section has an optical length designed to provide a net phase shift of 3&pgr;/4.

Abstract: An x-ray generation apparatus includes an x-ray reflecting mirror and x-ray generation part. The x-ray reflecting mirror is formed on an inner surface of a concave aspheric surface. The x-ray generation part receives at least one incident energy beam. The x-ray generation part is arranged near a focal point including a focal point of a paraboloid, and the x-ray reflecting mirror has at least one aperture formed in a position except for a part of the concave aspheric surface crossing an axis including the focal point of the concave aspheric surface, and an incident energy beam irradiates the x-ray generation part through the aperture.

Abstract: A reflective lens with at least one curved surface formed of polycrystalline material. In an example embodiment a lens structure includes a substrate having a surface of predetermined curvature and a film formed along a surface of the substrate with multiple individual members each having at least one similar orientation relative to the portion of the substrate surface adjacent the member such that collectively the members provide predictable angles for diffraction of x-rays generated from a common source. A system is also provided for performing an operation with x-rays. In one form of the invention the system includes a source for generating the x-rays and a polycrystalline surface region having crystal spacings suitable for reflecting a plurality of x-rays at the same Bragg angle along the region and transmitting the reflected x-rays to a reference position.

Abstract: A tunable Fabry-Perot filter is provided with two optical fibers each being coated with a high-reflective thin film at its one end, a silicon block for aligning the two optical fibers with each other having a pair of V-shaped grooves formed at both ends thereof, respectively, a resonant cavity medium of silicon or polymeric material having a high coefficient of thermo-optic effect, and a thermal electrode for applying heat to the resonant cavity medium.

Abstract: A variable optical attenuator (10) comprises a base (12), a cover (13), an attenuation device (11), and optical fibers (17, 18). The attenuation device comprises a fixed collimator (111), a movable collimator (112), a holding device (113), and an adjusting device (117). The two collimators are aligned end-to-end. The holding device defines a passage (1131) in which the movable collimator is retained, and a threaded hole (1133). The adjusting device comprises a first screw rod (114), a second screw rod (115), and a rubber ring (116). The first screw rod comprises a thread portion (1141), a gear (1142), and a head (1143). The thread portion of the first screw rod is rotatably engaged in the threaded hole. The second screw rod comprises a thread portion (1151) and an adjusting slot (1153). The thread portion of the second screw rod meshes with the gear of the first screw rod.

Abstract: A novel method of automatically controlling thickness of a metal film during film deposition in a deposition chamber. The method involves producing an X-ray beam directed to the metal film deposited on a wafer in a deposition chamber, and detecting X-ray fluorescence of the metal film. The thickness of the metal film determined based on the detected X-ray fluorescence is compared with a preset value to continue deposition if the determined thickness is less than the preset value. Deposition is stopped when the determined thickness reaches the preset value.

Abstract: A fluoroscopy machine includes an x-ray source and detector mounted in spaced relation to a support arm, an image processor and a display device. The display device includes image optics attached to a head mount wearable by a person, such as a physician or technician. The image displayed by the image optics can be processed by the image processor to present an orientationally accurate image corresponding to the head mount wearer's field of view. For example, the image can be processed to correct for angle of rotation, translation and/or perspective distortion.

Abstract: Articles move on a conveyor mechanism in a first direction past a radiation source for an irradiation of the articles (by e.g., an electron beam, x-rays or gamma rays) by radiation moving in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the fires direction. The distance between the radiation source and the articles on the conveyor mechanism may be adjusted to provide for the irradiation of each position in the articles and to minimize the amount of the radiation which does not pass into the articles.

Abstract: A reflective lens with at least one curved surface formed of polycrystalline material. In one embodiment, a lens structure includes a substrate having a surface of predetermined curvature and a film formed along a surface of the substrate with multiple individual members each having at least one similar orientation relative to the portion of the substrate surface adjacent the member such that collectively the members provide predictable angles for diffraction of x-rays generated from a common source. A system is also provided for performing an operation with x-rays. In one embodiment, a system includes a source for generating the x-rays, a polycrystalline surface region having crystal spacing suitable for reflecting a plurality of x-rays at the same Bragg angle along the region, and transmitting the reflected x-rays to a reference position.

Abstract: An oscilloscope probe with a fiber optic sensor for measuring floating electrical signals, the probe modulating a light energy signal with stable intensity in response to an applied input signal. The modulated signal is sent over a fiber optic cable with the electrical signal by means of a voltage-controlled integrated optical interferometer device, using an electro-optical active crystal. No auxiliary electrical power supply is needed for the sensor head. An analog light signal is produced at the output of the sensor head, and transmitted to a receiver unit over this fiber optic cable. The receiver converts the light into an equivalent electrical signal, and transfers it to an oscilloscope. All components of the sensor head are housed in a sealed metallic, shielded package.

Abstract: An optical fiber selector includes a housing, a rod pivotally mounted inside the housing, a switch controlling the pivotal movement of the rod, a sliding plate connected to a free end of the rod. An in/out port is mounted on a front side of the housing to be connected with a main optical fiber, and multiple connecting ports are also mounted on the front side and adjacent to the in/out port to be respectively connected to multiple branch optical fibers. The sliding plate has a connecting head connected to the in/out port via an internal optical fiber, and the connecting head is able to be selectively connected with one of the connecting ports. Therefore, the user is able to select which branch optical fiber is to be connected with the main optical fiber.

Abstract: A first method for determining the relative wavelength shift of a laser beam away from a known reference line, such as an absorption line of a gas in an opto-galvanic cell or a reference line of reference laser uses a monitor etalon. The FSR of the etalon used to calculate the wavelength shift is determined based on a calculated gap spacing between the etalon plates, or etalon constant. The gap spacing is determined based on a fit to measured values of wavelength deviations of the FSR as a function of the relative wavelength shift. The FSR used to calculate the wavelength shift is also based on the wavelength shift itself. A second method for measuring the absolute bandwidth and spectral purity of a tunable laser beam uses an opto-galvanic or absorption cell. The laser beam is directed to interact with a gas in the cell that undergoes an optical transition within the spectral tuning range of the laser.

Abstract: An optical fiber cable comprising a plurality of buffer tubes, binder wrapped around the buffer tubes, a ripcord disposed between the buffer tubes and the binder, and a protective outer jacket covering the buffer tubes. Upon application of a sufficient outwardly directed pulling force, the ripcord rips both the binder and the jacket thereby providing access the buffer tubes and optical fibers therein. The binder is formed of a material which melts or softens when the jacket is formed by an extrusion process so that the binder is thereby incorporated into the jacket. Alternatively, the binder is formed of a material which will adhere to the jacket when the jacket is formed by an extrusion process and is easily torn when the jacket is ripped by the ripcord.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring the chromatic dispersion profile of an optical fiber using two light sources 1 and 2 at least one of which is tunable in wavelength, in which two light beams of different wavelengths from said two light sources are injected into a optical fiber under test 7 and the four-wave mixing light that is generated by interaction between said light beams of different wavelengths is measured with an optical time domain reflectometer (OTDR) 9, characterized in that an optical bandpass filter 8 having a fixed central frequency is provided at a stage upstream of said optical time domain reflectometer (OTDR).

Abstract: An apparatus for supporting and protecting the optical backplane that permits adequate cooling of electronic components near the optical backplane and maintains optical connectors of the optical backplane in a predetermined and substantially static arrangement is provided. A cartridge for supporting and arranging an optical backplane includes a base. An upper portion couples with the base. The upper portion has one or more optical connector slots for supporting one or more optical connectors of the optical backplane. The optical backplane mounts within the upper portion such that the upper portion together with the base bends the optical backplane to a curvature having a radius of curvature within a predetermined acceptable range.

Abstract: A dynamically reconfigurable optical switching system serves as a node on a fiber optic telecommunication network. The optical switching node utilizes an optical switching fabric, a switching device with multiple input ports and multiple output ports that can be controlled to direct a signal from a particular input port to a particular output port. The switching fabric is connected to optical components such as wavelength demultiplexers, wavelength multiplexers, and optical signal conditioners such as amplifiers, wavelength shifters, and signal correctors. The switching fabric is controlled via a switching node controller that includes an electrical connection to a network management infrastructure. The system architecture allows an incoming optical signal to be directed through any desired combination of optical components via multiple traversals of the switching fabric.

Abstract: An x-ray tube (20) includes an evacuated envelope (26). Mounted within the evacuated envelope are a cathode (23) and a rotatbly supported anode (30). A rotor (70) is included for rotatably driving the anode. The rotor (70) is electrically insulated from the anode (30) by a disk (76) comprised of an insulating material.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for separating a light of a first wavelength &lgr;1 from a second wavelength &lgr;2, where &lgr;1<&lgr;2, in a waveguide such as an optical fiber is described. The apparatus includes a core surrounded by a depressed cladding, which itself is surrounded by a secondary cladding. The core cross-section, the depressed cladding cross-section, the secondary cladding cross-section, and the refractive indices of the core, the depressed cladding and the secondary cladding are selected to produce a fundamental mode cutoff wavelength &lgr;c such that &lgr;1&lgr;c<&lgr;2, and produce a high loss at the secondary wavelength &lgr;2. The apparatus can be used as a filter, an amplifier, a laser, or in a nonlinear optical switch.

Abstract: A planar optical attenuator designed as a MEMS structure has a mirror opposite an input and an output waveguide, and a TAB actuator for lateral displacement of the mirror relative to the input port and/or output port. The effective reflectivity of the mirror is variable as a function of the lateral location on the mirror. The optical attenuation is varied by varying the location on the mirror at which the optical beam is reflected.