Abstract: The techniques disclosed herein may be utilized to detect, measure, and/or compensate for misalignments of a display that may occur after manufacturing. A Talbot sensor is described that includes a diffraction device and an image sensor. Captured images from the image sensor include pixel data values that include bright and dark spots that represent a diffraction pattern associated with the Talbot sensor. A demodulator multiplies the pixel data values with sine and cosine reference images to generate averaged in-phase and quadrature values, which can be used to determine a phase angle for incident light on the Talbot sensor. Phase angle changes over time indicate changes in the alignment of the display, which may be corrected by display parameter manipulation. The resulting devices, systems and methods provide for portable solutions, with reduced cost of manufacturing, reduced part costs, and reduced complexity.

Abstract: An on-line thickness gauge (OLTG) and method are described herein that are capable of measuring a thickness of a moving glass substrate. In the preferred embodiment, the OLTG includes a Y-guide and a stabilizing unit that respectively captures and stabilizes the moving glass substrate. The OLTG also includes a laser instrument which contains a laser source and a detector. The laser source emits a beam at the front surface of the moving glass substrate. And, the detector receives two beams one of which was reflected by the front surface of the moving glass substrate and the other beam which was reflected by the back surface of the moving glass substrate. The OLTG further includes a processor that analyzes the two beams received by the detector to determine a distance between the two beams which is then used to determine the thickness of the moving glass substrate.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of manufacturing optical waveguides that comprises non-optically measuring the average temperature of a moving optical waveguide fiber as it exits a heated draw furnace using a temperature device. The device comprises an enclosed chamber that has a plurality of differential thermopiles secured to the inside surface, and a cooling system that substantially maintains a reference surface temperature of one end of each of the thermopiles. Each of the thermopiles are serially interconnected, whereby, in response to a maximum amount of radiant energy absorbed, the thermopiles generate an output signal. The output signal is substantially proportional to the maximum amount of radiant energy absorbed by the thermopiles, which in turn is substantially proportional to the fourth power of the average temperature of the moving optical waveguide fiber within the chamber.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of manufacturing optical waveguides that comprises non-optically measuring the average temperature of a moving optical waveguide fiber as it exits a heated draw furnace using a temperature device. The device comprises an enclosed chamber that has a plurality of differential thermopiles secured to the inside surface, and a cooling system that substantially maintains a reference surface temperature of one end of each of the thermopiles. Each of the thermopiles are serially interconnected, whereby, in response to a maximum amount of radiant energy absorbed, the thermopiles generate an output signal. The output signal is substantially proportional to the maximum amount of radiant energy absorbed by the thermopiles, which in turn is substantially proportional to the fourth power of the average temperature of the moving optical waveguide fiber within the chamber.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus and precursors for producing substantially water-free silica soot, preforms and glass. The methods and apparatus make substantially water-free fused silica preforms or glass by removing water as a reaction product, removing water from the atmosphere, removing water from the transport process, or combinations thereof. In a first embodiment, substantially water-free soot, preforms or glass are achieved by using a hydrogen-free fuel, such as carbon monoxide, in the deposition process. In another embodiment, a soot producing burner has parameters that enable operation on a substantially hydrogen-free fuel. End burners, which minimize water production, are also described. Such water-free methods are useful in depositing fluorine-doped soot because of the low water present and the efficiency in which fluorine is incorporated. In another embodiment, glassy barrier layer methods and apparatus are described for minimizing dopant migration, especially fluorine.

Abstract: A thin sensor for heat flux and temperature, designed for adhesive attachment to a surface, is manufactured on a flexible insulated metallic substrate, using conductive and dielectric inks. The sensor exhibits a combination of high sensitivity for heat flux and low resistance to the flow of heat. These characteristics enable it to measure heat flux at surface boundaries with improved accuracy over conventional heat flux transducers (HFT's) because the temperature drop produced by the sensor is very small. The high sensitivity of the sensor makes it ideal for measuring heat flow through insulating materials, and well adapted to instrumenting heat flow in buildings, detecting fires at an early stage, or remotely measuring the temperature of string and web products in industrial processing.