Abstract: An installation for the supply of electricity to a subordinate network area is disclosed having a first connection to a superordinate network area which can be selectively established and disconnected by a disconnecting switch, a second connection to the subordinate network area, a high-voltage storage battery with charging electronics, a first conditioning device with an inverter for conditioning electrical energy from the high-voltage storage battery, a high-voltage distributor which is conductively connected to the high-voltage storage battery and the first conditioning device for the exchange of electrical energy, a synchronization controller coupled to a measuring probe in the superordinate network area for receiving measuring signals, and a controller for controlling at least the disconnecting switch, the high-voltage distributor and the first processing device. The first conditioning device can be controlled on the basis of the measurement signals received from the measuring probe.

Abstract: An external cavity semiconductor laser light source comprises includes a semiconductor gain device operable to provide light amplification; a wavelength selection element including a diffraction grating; and light re-directors. The gain device, light re-directors and grating are arranged so that an optical resonator is established for light portions emitted by the gain device and diffracted by the diffraction grating. The resonator is an external cavity laser resonator. The light source is capable of varying an angle of incidence of radiation circulating in the resonator onto wavelength selection element to select a resonator radiation wavelength dependent on the angle of incidence.

Abstract: An external cavity semiconductor laser light source comprises includes a semiconductor gain device operable to provide light amplification; a wavelength selection element including a diffraction grating; and light re-directors. The gain device, light re-directors and grating are arranged so that an optical resonator is established for light portions emitted by the gain device and diffracted by the diffraction grating. The resonator is an external cavity laser resonator. The light source is capable of varying an angle of incidence of radiation circulating in the resonator onto wavelength selection element to select a resonator radiation wavelength dependent on the angle of incidence.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method combining achromatic complex FDOCT signal reconstruction with a common path and dual beam configuration. The complex signal reconstruction allows resolving the complex ambiguity of the Fourier transform and to enhance the achievable depth range by a factor of two. The dual beam configuration shares the property of high phase stability with common path FDOCT. This is of importance for a proper complex signal reconstruction and is in particular useful in combination with handheld probes such as in endoscopy and catheter applications. The advantages of the present invention are in particular the flexibility to choose arbitrarily positioned interfaces in the sample arm as reference together with the possibility to compensate for dispersion.

Abstract: The invention concerns an optical imaging apparatus comprising (o) a light source (1), (p) sample holding means, (q) an interferometer, (r) reference means, (s) an objective (8) which is adapted to have its sample side focal plane crossing a sample held in said sample holding means, (t) optical or electro-optical means (2, 3, 5, 16) adapted to produce a ring shaped or multi-spot light source in the front focal plane (17) or any conjugated plane (17?) of said objective (8), at least one detector. The invention also includes a method for using said apparatus where the sample is illuminated by an interference pattern and the depth information is obtained by using optical Coherence Tomography.

Abstract: Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) is an imaging technique with high axial resolution in the micro-meter-scale range combined with a high sensitivity allowing for example to probe weakly back-scattering structures beneath the surface of biological tissues up to several millimeters. A major improvement of this conventional technique represents Fourier Domain OCT with a further decrease in image acquisition time and additional sensitivity. The apparatus including appropriate signal processing reconstructs the depth profile from the spectrally resolved light signal generated by a broadband source and an interferometric imaging system. By frequency shifting the light fields with frequency shifting means in the reference and sample arm a phase resolved signal at high speed can be registered. Therefore the reference arm does not rely on arm length changes or delays. The beating signal generated in this way shows high phase stability.