Abstract: A dental imaging system may include an X-ray source, a first optical alignment device, and a dental image collection device. The dental image collection device may include a mouthpiece, at least one electronic X-ray sensor carried by the mouthpiece, and a second optical alignment device carried by the mouthpiece and cooperating with the first optical alignment device to facilitate optically aligning the mouthpiece with the X-ray source. The system may also include a dental image processing device coupled to the at least one electronic X-ray sensor.

Abstract: A dental imaging system may include an X-ray source, a first optical alignment device, and a dental image collection device. The dental image collection device may include a mouthpiece, at least one electronic X-ray sensor carried by the mouthpiece, and a second optical alignment device carried by the mouthpiece and cooperating with the first optical alignment device to facilitate optically aligning the mouthpiece with the X-ray source. The system may also include a dental image processing device coupled to the at least one electronic X-ray sensor.

Abstract: Digital data system disposed on a substrate includes a digital data device and at least one digital data interconnect disposed on the substrate. The digital data interconnect is comprised of a plurality of material layers stacked to form a three-dimensional structure. The material layers form a conductive shield, a plurality of straps which are periodically spaced along an interior length of the shield, and a core which includes one or more conductors. The conductors extends along the length of the tubular form parallel to the opposing walls and are suspended on the straps, separated from the conductive shield by an air gap. First and second conductors of the core can facilitate a differential signaling mode.

Abstract: Digital data system disposed on a substrate includes a digital data device and at least one digital data interconnect disposed on the substrate. The digital data interconnect is comprised of a plurality of material layers stacked to form a three-dimensional structure. The material layers form a conductive shield, a plurality of straps which are periodically spaced along an interior length of the shield, and a core which includes one or more conductors. The conductors extends along the length of the tubular form parallel to the opposing walls and are suspended on the straps, separated from the conductive shield by an air gap. First and second conductors of the core can facilitate a differential signaling mode.

Abstract: Systems (100) and methods (900) for providing a compliant micro-coaxial interconnect with an integrated circuit or other electronic device. The methods comprise: forming a well (108) in a first substrate (102) having a first Coefficient of Thermal Expansion (“CTE”); forming at least one three-dimensional micro-coaxial interconnect (100) on the first substrate so as to have a cantilevered end portion (110) disposed over the well; and using a first coupler (606) to electrically couple the cantilevered end portion to a second substrate (604) having a second CTE different from the first CTE. The cantilevered end portion has an angled joint (302) so that at least one of a pushing force and a pulling force applied thereby to the first coupler is minimized when mismatching movements of the first and second substrates occur.

Abstract: Methods for fabrication of electronic systems and systems therefrom are provided. An electronic system includes a first substrate (202) having a first surface (202a) and a second substrate (208) having a second surface (208a) facing the first surface. The system also includes a plurality of battery cell layers (106-112) disposed on a plurality of laterally spaced areas on the first and second surfaces (203, 209). In the system, portions of the battery cell layers on the first surface are in physical contact with portions of the battery cell layers on the second surface and the battery cell layers on the first surface and the second surface form a plurality of electrically interconnected battery cells (206, 212) on the first and the second surfaces that are laterally spaced apart and that define one or more batteries.

Abstract: Methods for fabrication of electronic systems and systems therefrom are provided. An electronic system includes a first substrate (202) having a first surface (202a) and a second substrate (208) having a second surface (208a) facing the first surface. The system also includes a plurality of battery cell layers (106-112) disposed on a plurality of laterally spaced areas on the first and second surfaces (203, 209).

Abstract: Methods for fabrication of electronic systems and systems therefrom are provided. An electronic system includes a first substrate (202) having a first surface (202a) and a second substrate (208) having a second surface (208a) facing the first surface. The system also includes a plurality of battery cell layers (106-112) disposed on a plurality of laterally spaced areas on the first and second surfaces (203, 209). In the system, portions of the battery cell layers on the first surface are in physical contact with portions of the battery cell layers on the second surface and the battery cell layers on the first surface and the second surface form a plurality of electrically interconnected battery cells (206, 212) on the first and the second surfaces that are laterally spaced apart and that define one or more batteries (200).

Abstract: A method for forming a circuit board is provided. The method includes forming a circuit board substrate (112) from a circuit board material. The method also includes positioning the circuit board substrate on a rigid structure (114) having a three dimensional contoured surface (300). The method further includes applying heat and applying pressure to the circuit board substrate to at least partially conform the circuit board substrate to the three dimensional contoured surface. If the circuit board substrate (112) is a clad circuit board substrate, then a circuit pattern is formed on the circuit board substrate prior to the steps of applying heat and applying pressure. However, if the circuit board substrate (112) is an unclad circuit board substrate, then a circuit pattern is disposed on the circuit board substrate after the steps of applying heat and applying pressure.

Abstract: Methods for fabrication of electronic systems and systems therefrom are provided. An electronic system includes a first substrate (202) having a first surface (202a) and a second substrate (208) having a second surface (208a) facing the first surface. The system also includes a plurality of battery cell layers (106-112) disposed on a plurality of laterally spaced areas on the first and second surfaces (203, 209). In the system, portions of the battery cell layers on the first surface are in physical contact with portions of the battery cell layers on the second surface and the battery cell layers on the first surface and the second surface form a plurality of electrically interconnected battery cells (206, 212) on the first and the second surfaces that are laterally spaced apart and that define one or more batteries (200).

Abstract: A method for forming a circuit board is provided. The method includes forming a circuit board substrate (112) from a circuit board material. The method also includes positioning the circuit board substrate on a rigid structure (114) having a three dimensional contoured surface (300). The method further includes applying heat and applying pressure to the circuit board substrate to at least partially conform the circuit board substrate to the three dimensional contoured surface. If the circuit board substrate (112) is a clad circuit board substrate, then a circuit pattern is formed on the circuit board substrate prior to the steps of applying heat and applying pressure. However, if the circuit board substrate (112) is an unclad circuit board substrate, then a circuit pattern is disposed on the circuit board substrate after the steps of applying heat and applying pressure.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process a process for forming single-mode, organic waveguides employing organic polymeric materials. The process reduces dissolved and gaseous oxygen content to very low quantities, resulting in production of waveguides having superior properties and manufacturability. Also provided is a process for preventing loss of light due to cores having flared ends. A waveguide is produced by sequentially a layer of a liquid, photosensitive buffer and clad composition to a surface of a substrate; deoxygenating under vacuum; overall exposing under an inert gas actinic radiation to partially polymerize the compositions below a full curing.

Abstract: A light emitting device (e.g., organic light emitting diode (OLED)) and a method for manufacturing the OLED are described herein. Basically, the OLED includes a substrate, a first conductive electrode, at least one organic layer, a second conductive electrode, an encapsulant substrate and a microstructure. The microstructure has internal refractive index variations or internal or surface physical variations that function to perturb the propagation of internal waveguide modes within the OLED and as a result allows more light to be emitted from the OLED. Several different embodiments of the microstructure that can be incorporated within an OLED are described herein.

Abstract: A hitless wavelength selective optical device includes a first thermo-optic switch (TOS), a second TOS, a first waveguide, a second waveguide, a third waveguide, a heating element and a control unit. The first TOS includes receives a wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) signal at a first port of the first TOS. The second TOS provides at least one channel of the WDM signal at a first port of the second TOS. The first waveguide is coupled between second ports of the first and second TOS. The second waveguide includes a tunable filter that reflects a selected channel from the received WDM signal and coupled between the third ports of the first and second TOS.

Abstract: A wavelength selective optical device for locking to a selected wavelength in an ITU grid includes a first waveguide, a second waveguide, a heating element and a control unit. The first waveguide includes a tunable filter formed in the first waveguide and the second waveguide includes a reference filter formed in the second waveguide. The heating element is in thermal contact with the tunable filter and the reference filter and the control unit is coupled to the heating element and the reference filter. The control unit varies a temperature of the heating element responsive to an indication signal provided by the reference filter to adjust the selected channel of the tunable filter.

Abstract: A fluorinated polymerizable compound useful for fabricating planar optical devices includes at least one fluorinated alkylene or alkylene ether moiety and at least two terminal acrylate moieties, each terminal acrylate moiety being connected to one of the fluorinated alkylene or fluorinated alklene ether moieties by an ester linking group. The fluorinated polymerizable compounds, or macromers, of this invention are useful for forming optical components exhibiting a refractive index comparable to that of glass fiber waveguides, while also exhibiting very low absorption losses. Polymerizable compositions suitable for preparing optical components can be prepared by combining the macromers of the invention with a photoinitiator. Conventional optical monomers may also be employed, if desired.

Abstract: A wavelength selective optical device for locking to a selected wavelength in an ITU grid includes a first waveguide, a second waveguide, a heating element and a control unit. The first waveguide includes a tunable filter formed in the first waveguide and the second waveguide includes a reference filter formed in the second waveguide. The heating element is in thermal contact with the tunable filter and the reference filter and the control unit is coupled to the heating element and the reference filter. The control unit varies a temperature of the heating element responsive to an indication signal provided by the reference filter to adjust the selected channel of the tunable filter.

Abstract: A fluorinated polymerizable compound useful for fabricating planar optical devices includes at least one fluorinated alkylene or alkylene ether moiety and at least two terminal acrylate moieties, each terminal acrylate moiety being connected to one of the fluorinated alkylene or fluorinated alklene ether moieties by an ester linking group. The fluorinated polymerizable compounds, or macromers, of this invention are useful for forming optical components exhibiting a refractive index comparable to that of glass fiber waveguides, while also exhibiting very low absorption losses. Polymerizable compositions suitable for preparing optical components can be prepared by combining the macromers of the invention with a photoinitiator. Conventional optical monomers may also be employed, if desired.

Abstract: The invention provides organic optical waveguide devices which are lithographically formed and employ polymeric materials having low optical loss, good long term and short term stability, good flexibility and reduced stress or crack induced scattering loss. An optical element has a substrate; a patterned, light transmissive core composition on the surface of the substrate; and a light reflecting cladding composition on the pattern of the core. The core composition has a glass transition temperature of about 80° C. or less and the cladding composition has a glass transition temperature of about 60° C. or less.

Abstract: The invention provides organic optical waveguide devices which are lithographically formed and employ polymeric materials having low propagation loss. An optical waveguide has a substrate; a polymeric buffer layer on a surface of the substrate; a thin, polymeric undercladding layer on a surface of the buffer layer; a pattern of a light-transmissive, polymeric core on the surface of the undercladding layer; and a polymeric overcladding layer on a top surface of the core and on sidewalls of the core and on a portion of the undercladding layer; the undercladding layer having a thickness of from about 10 percent to about 50 percent a thickness of the core. The core has an index of refraction nc which is greater than an index of refraction of the overcladding layer no and also greater than an index of refraction of the undercladding layer nu; wherein &Dgr;n=nc−no, and wherein the difference between nc and the index of refraction of the buffer nb is at least about 1.5 times &Dgr;n.