Abstract: The present invention comprises a trailer unit and or a roll-off trailer unit that converts when deployed into a washing and decontamination pad and may include a first section and two or more wings that unfold to provide a platform that is capable of having vehicles and other equipment driven and or wheeled into position on the platform and may also provide a containment system that traps wastewater, contaminates and so forth.

Abstract: A fifth wheel assembly comprises a fifth wheel having a plurality of journal bearings extending generally downward from its underside, and an “I-shaped” transverse beam member for mounting the assembly to a truck frame. The beam member is dimensioned to span across parallel longitudinal truck frame members and it includes mounting flanges extending generally downward from either lateral side where the mounting flanges have a plurality of apertures for receiving suitable fasteners inserted therein for mounting said beam member to the truck frame members. The transverse member also includes a plurality of pivot bearing pairs to receive the journal bearings of the fifth wheel which is coupled thereto by a trunnion.

Abstract: A fifth wheel assembly comprises a fifth wheel having a plurality of journal bearings extending generally downward from its underside, and an “I-shaped” transverse beam member for mounting the assembly to a truck frame. The beam member is dimensioned to span across parallel longitudinal truck frame members and it includes mounting flanges extending generally downward from either lateral side where the mounting flanges have a plurality of apertures for receiving suitable fasteners inserted therein for mounting said beam member to the truck frame members. The transverse member also includes a plurality of pivot bearing pairs to receive the journal bearings of the fifth wheel which is coupled thereto by a trunnion.

Abstract: A fifth wheel with a removable bearing plate includes a load structure comprising frame walls and inner bracing, and including a plurality of flanges, each of said plurality of flanges having an aperture disposed therethrough, said load structure also having at least two pivot bearings; and a bearing plate having a plurality of fasteners extending from an underside of said bearing plate disposed at locations corresponding to the disposition of said apertures configured to permit removable attachment of said bearing plate to said load structure and plurality of ridges disposed upon the underside to form a seat for said frame walls.

Abstract: A fifth wheel assembly comprises a fifth wheel having a plurality of journal bearings extending generally downward from its underside, and a transverse beam member for mounting the assembly to a truck frame. The beam member is dimensioned to span across parallel longitudinal truck frame members and it includes mounting flanges extending generally downward from either lateral side where the mounting flanges have a plurality of apertures for receiving suitable fasteners inserted therein for mounting said beam member to the truck frame members. The transverse member also includes a plurality of pivot bearing pairs to receive the journal bearings of the fifth wheel which is coupled thereto by a trunnion.

Abstract: A fifth wheel mounting bracket is provided. Said mounting bracket allows for the transfer of the load placed on the hitch plate through the mounting pin rather than through its contact surface with the saddle bearing of the hitch plate.

Abstract: A stop block for preventing over travel of an adjustable fifth wheel hitch assemblies comprising a generally rectangular solid member having a double curve disposed in said member such that a long portion of said member is higher in elevation than a short portion of said member.

Abstract: A grating dispersion compensator (GDC), including: a substrate; a dielectric grating layer; a planar waveguide; and a passivation layer. The dielectric grating layer may be formed on the substrate and includes a variation in refractive index. This variation in refractive index defines a grating period. The grating period may vary along the longitudinal axis of the GDC according to a predetermined function. A selected center wavelength and dispersion curve may be created. The chirp of the grating period may be controlled by current, voltage, temperature, or pressure. The planar waveguide is formed on the dielectric grating layer and includes an input/output (I/O) surface normal to the longitudinal axis of the planar waveguide. The passivation layer is formed on the planar waveguide. Alternatively, a GDC may be formed with the dielectric grating layer on top of the planar waveguide rather then beneath it.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a monolithic expanded beam mode electroabsorption modulator including a waveguide layer with a two expansion/contraction sections and an electroabsorption section arranged along a longitudinal axis. At least one patterned growth retarding layer is formed on the top surface of a substrate. The waveguide layer is formed on a portion of the top surface of the substrate by selective area growth and has an index of refraction different from the substrate. An electroabsorption portion of the waveguide layer has a thickness which is greater than thicknesses in its other portions. The semiconductor layer is formed on the waveguide layer and includes an index of refraction different from the waveguide. The waveguide and semiconductor layers are defined and etched to form the expansion/contraction and electroabsorption sections of the waveguide layer. Electrical contacts are formed, one electrically coupled to the substrate and another electrically coupled to the semiconductor layer.

Abstract: A method of tuning an electroabsorption modulator (EAM). A reference average power loss factor for light having a reference peak wavelength that is modulated by the EAM is provided. This loss factor is based on operation of the EAM using a reference bias voltage, a reference temperature, and a reference modulation signal which has a predetermined duty cycle. Input light is coupled into the EAM and modulated using a modulation signal which has the same duty cycle as the reference modulation signal. The input power of the input light and the average output power of light emitted from the EAM are measured. These input and average output powers are used to generate an average power loss factor. The average power loss factor is compared to the reference average power loss factor and the bias voltage and/or the temperature of the EAM are adjusted to reduce differences between these loss factors.

Abstract: A method for improving the reliability of an uncooled long reach optical transmitter operating substantially at a predetermined output power. The uncooled long reach optical transmitter in this method includes a laser, an SOA and a modulator. The laser is operated to produce a reduced power laser beam, thereby improving the laser reliability. The SOA bias current is controlled so that the SOA amplifies the reduced power laser beam to substantially maintain the predetermined output power. The SOA is sufficiently long to provide this amplification, while maintaining a reduced current density within the SOA, thereby improving the SOA reliability. Small signal chirp parameters are measured for two bias voltages of the modulator. A linear function of the modulator bias voltage versus temperature is determined. The modulator bias voltage as a function of temperature is adjusted to maintain a constant dispersion penalty for data transmission.

Abstract: A grating dispersion compensator (GDC), including: a substrate; a dielectric grating layer; a planar waveguide; and a passivation layer; is disclosed. The dielectric grating layer may be formed on the substrate and includes a variation in refractive index. This variation in refractive index defines a grating period. The grating period may vary along the longitudinal axis of the GDC according to a predetermined function. A selected center wavelength and dispersion curve may be created. The chirp of the grating period may be controlled by current, voltage, temperature, or pressure. The planar waveguide is formed on the dielectric grating layer and includes an input/output (I/O) surface normal to the longitudinal axis of the planar waveguide. The passivation layer is formed on the planar waveguide. Alternatively, a GDC may be formed with the dielectric grating layer on top of the planar waveguide rather than beneath it.

Abstract: An exemplary monolithic stabilized monolithic transmissive active optical device, such as an electroabsorption modulator (EAM), a variable optical attenuator (VOA), or a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA), with an output optical tap, is formed from: a substrate; a waveguide layer; a semiconductor layer. The waveguide layer is coupled to the substrate and includes an active medium, which interacts with a predetermined wavelength of light, and is responsive to an electric signal. The electric signal is applied between the substrate and the semiconductor layer. The waveguide layer includes an output optical tap section and an active section adjacent to the output optical tap section. These sections include portions of the active medium. Further embodiments of the present invention incorporate temperature as well as bias control to improve performance of exemplary monolithic transmissive active optical devices.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a monolithic expanded beam mode electroabsorption modulator including a waveguide layer with a two expansion/contraction sections and an electroabsorption section arranged along a longitudinal axis. At least one patterned growth retarding layer is formed on the top surface of a substrate. The waveguide layer is formed on a portion of the top surface of the substrate by selective area growth and has an index of refraction different from the substrate. An electroabsorption portion of the waveguide layer has a thickness which is greater than thicknesses in its other portions. The semiconductor layer is formed on the waveguide layer and includes an index of refraction different from the waveguide. The waveguide and semiconductor layers are defined and etched to form the expansion/contraction and electroabsorption sections of the waveguide layer. Electrical contacts are formed, one electrically coupled to the substrate and another electrically coupled to the semiconductor layer.

Abstract: A grating dispersion compensator (GDC), including: a substrate; a dielectric grating layer; a planar waveguide; and a passivation layer; is disclosed. The dielectric grating layer may be formed on the substrate and includes a variation in refractive index. This variation in refractive index defines a grating period. The grating period may vary along the longitudinal axis of the GDC according to a predetermined function. A selected center wavelength and dispersion curve may be created. The chirp of the grating period may be controlled by current, voltage, temperature, or pressure. The planar waveguide is formed on the dielectric grating layer and includes an input/output (I/O) surface normal to the longitudinal axis of the planar waveguide. The passivation layer is formed on the planar waveguide. Alternatively, a GDC may be formed with the dielectric grating layer on top of the planar waveguide rather than beneath it.

Abstract: A monolithic single pass expanded beam mode active optical device includes: a substrate; a waveguide layer coupled to the top surface of the substrate; a semiconductor layer coupled to the waveguide layer; first and second electrodes for receiving an electric signal coupled to the substrate and the semiconductor layer, respectively. The waveguide layer includes a plurality of sublayers, forming a quantum well structure, which is responsive to the electric signal. The waveguide layer has three sections, two expansion/contraction sections and an active section, which extends between and adjacent to the two expansion/contraction sections. The thickness of at least one of the plurality of sublayers varies within the expansion/contraction portions of the quantum well structure. Possible interactions of the active region with the light include: absorption in the case of an electro-absorptive modulator and optical gain.

Abstract: A system including a laser and a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) and a method of generating a dithered laser light with substantially constant amplitude with this system. The laser drive current is modulated to generate a modulated laser light with optical linewidth dithering. The modulated laser light is coupled into the SOA. The SOA drive current is modulated approximately 180° out of phase with the laser drive current to generate the dithered laser light with substantially constant amplitude.

Abstract: A method of tuning an electroabsorption modulator (EAM). A reference average power loss factor for light having a reference peak wavelength that is modulated by the EAM is provided. This loss factor is based on operation of the EAM using a reference bias voltage, a reference temperature, and a reference modulation signal which has a predetermined duty cycle. Input light is coupled into the EAM and modulated using a modulation signal which has the same duty cycle as the reference modulation signal. The input power of the input light and the average output power of light emitted from the EAM are measured. These input and average output powers are used to generate an average power loss factor. The average power loss factor is compared to the reference average power loss factor and the bias voltage and/or the temperature of the EAM are adjusted to reduce differences between these loss factors.

Abstract: An exemplary monolithic stabilized monolithic transmissive active optical device, such as an electroabsorption modulator (EAM), a variable optical attenuator (VOA), or a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA), with an output optical tap, is formed from: a substrate; a waveguide layer; a semiconductor layer. The waveguide layer is coupled to the substrate and includes an active medium, which interacts with a predetermined wavelength of light, and is responsive to an electric signal. The electric signal is applied between the substrate and the semiconductor layer. The waveguide layer includes an output optical tap section and an active section adjacent to the output optical tap section. These sections include portions of the active medium. Further embodiments of the present invention incorporate temperature as well as bias control to improve performance of exemplary monolithic transmissive active optical devices.

Abstract: An exemplary monolithic stabilized monolithic transmissive active optical device, such as an electroabsorption modulator (EAM), a variable optical attenuator (VOA), or a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA), with an output optical tap, includes: a substrate; a waveguide layer; a semiconductor layer. The waveguide layer is coupled to the substrate and includes an active medium, which interacts with a predetermined wavelength of light, and is responsive to an electric signal. The electric signal is applied between the substrate and the semiconductor layer. The waveguide layer includes an output optical tap section and an active section adjacent to the output optical tap section. These sections include portions of the active medium. Further embodiments of the present invention incorporate temperature as well as bias control to improve performance of exemplary monolithic transmissive active optical devices. Additional embodiments include exemplary methods of manufacture and methods of operation.