Abstract: A chemical and biological sensor system (200) includes at least one micro-cantilever sensing element (202) and a mechanism for collecting aerosol, liquid, and solid particles, and depositing the particles as a film layer (146) on a stack (140) formed with the cantilever. The deposited particles include chemical or biological species to be analyzed. A polarized light (242) illuminates the stack (140) at a grazing incidence angle to a specific wavelength of light. The light is polarized in a plane parallel to the stack (140). The polarized light (242) heats the cantilever with different wavelengths of the light spectrum. Readout electronics detect movement of the cantilever (202) as a result of heat transfer from the light and provide spectral data signals corresponding to the detected movement. A spectral analyzer (840) analyzes the spectral data signals, compares spectral images of the materials present to spectral images of known materials, and identifies one or more chemical or biological species present.

Abstract: A chemical and biological sensor system (200) includes at least one micro-cantilever sensing element (202) and a mechanism for collecting aerosol, liquid, and solid particles, and depositing the particles as a film layer (146) on a stack (140) formed with the cantilever. The deposited particles include chemical or biological species to be analyzed. A polarized light (242) illuminates the stack (140) at a grazing incidence angle to a specific wavelength of light. The light is polarized in a plane parallel to the stack (140). The polarized light (242) heats the cantilever with different wavelengths of the light spectrum. Readout electronics detect movement of the cantilever (202) as a result of heat transfer from the light and provide spectral data signals corresponding to the detected movement. A spectral analyzer (840) analyzes the spectral data signals, compares spectral images of the materials present to spectral images of known materials, and identifies one or more chemical or biological species present.

Abstract: An anti-reflective structure is formed on a surface to transmit incident light with minimal losses. The anti-reflective surface has a plurality of protrusions having a feature size smaller than the wavelength of incident light. The protrusions increase in height in either a sloped linear manner or in a curvilinear manner, and the protrusions repeat across the surface in at least one dimension to transmit the incident light. Gray scale lithography may be used to produce these patterns of protrusions in photoresist layers. High fidelity transfer of the protrusion patterns into the surfaces is accomplished by utilizing, for example, an electron cyclotron resonance plasma. Transmission values at such patterned surfaces maybe as high as 99.3%.

Abstract: A mold apparatus is arranged to produce molded optical elements. The apparatus includes a first mold unit for defining mold cavities and flow passageways, and a second mold unit having a patterned surface for sealing against the first unit. The patterned mold surface may be formed with a plurality of optical patterns, and mold pins may be used to complete the mold cavities. The patterned surface may be formed on a flat metal puck. The puck may be replaced by another puck insert so that the apparatus can be used to produce products having different optical characteristics. Other parts of the apparatus may be changed out to produce molded optical elements of various sizes and shapes. A variety of techniques are described for forming micro-refractive, diffractive and/or other patterns in the metal puck surface.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for optical switching is described wherein a first optical input/output port and plurality of second optical input/output ports are coupled using an optical guiding assembly. An optical signal may thereby be movably directed between the first input/output port and a selected one of the second optical input/output ports. The optical guiding assembly includes a optical micro-element assembly and an actuator assembly which moveably directs the microlens assembly to a predetermined position corresponding to the selected one of the input/output ports. The actuator assembly includes a comb drive and the optical micro-element assembly includes an etched lens, a ball lens, a mirror, or the like.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for optical switching is described wherein a first optical input/output port and plurality of second optical input/output ports are coupled using an optical guiding assembly. An optical signal may thereby be movably directed between the first input/output port and a selected one of the second optical input/output ports. The optical guiding assembly includes a optical micro-element assembly and an actuator assembly which moveably directs the microlens assembly to a predetermined position corresponding to the selected one of the input/output ports. The actuator assembly includes a comb drive and the optical micro-element assembly includes an etched lens, a ball lens, a mirror, or the like.

Abstract: An anti-reflective structure is formed on a surface to transmit incident light with minimal losses. The anti-reflective surface has a plurality of protrusions having a feature size smaller than the wavelength of incident light. The protrusions increase in height in either a sloped linear manner or in a curvilinear manner, and the protrusions repeat across the surface in at least one dimension to transmit the incident light. Gray scale lithography may be used to produce these patterns of protrusions in photoresist layers. High fidelity transfer of the protrusion patterns into the surfaces is accomplished by utilizing, for example, an electron cyclotron resonance plasma. Transmission values at such patterned surfaces maybe as high as 99.3%.

Abstract: A deformable mirror includes a vertical comb actuator having a reflective surface attached thereto. The vertical comb drive includes stationary elements interspersed with moving elements. When a potential difference is provided between these elements, the moving elements are pulled downward, thereby deforming the reflective surface. The vertical comb drive typically includes a plurality of actuators, which are individually electrically addressed. Each actuator may be an array of interspersed elements or a cavity and corresponding tooth. Springs support the moving elements and bias the reflective surface in an original position. The vertical comb drive provides a large stroke and substantially linear voltage-versus-displacement curve throughout the stroke.

Abstract: A diffractive having a grating period that exhibits significant polarization selectivity is used as a polarizing beamsplitter for obliquely incident polarized light. The grating is preferably a subwavelength of the illuminating beam and is preferably designed to substantially transmit transverse magnetic mode (TM) polarized light and to substantially reflect transverse electric mode (TE) polarized light at certain wavelengths or angles of incidence. Due to ease of manufacture, the polarizing beamsplitter may be integrated along with other optical elements, such as a subwavelength retarder, to form a polarization beam router, a dichroic beam combiner, a beam splitter on a curved surface, or an optical pickup using an optical beam splitter and router.

Abstract: A deformable mirror includes a vertical comb actuator having a reflective surface attached thereto. The vertical comb drive includes stationary elements interspersed with moving elements. When a potential difference is provided between these elements, the moving elements are pulled downward, thereby deforming the reflective surface. The vertical comb drive typically includes a plurality of actuators, which are individually electrically addressed. Each actuator may be an array of interspersed elements or a cavity and corresponding tooth. Springs support the moving elements and bias the reflective surface in an original position. The vertical comb drive provides a large stroke and substantially linear voltage-versus-displacement curve throughout the stroke.

Abstract: A bistable optical micro-switch controls the routing of an optical beam. The micro-switch has at least one optical micro-element, which is stable through electrical power interrupts, for directing the optical beam. A change in the state of the optical micro-element is effected by a vertical micro-actuator, which is biased by a micro-spring. A micro-latch can be used to keep the tensed micro-spring from un-tensing when electrical power is interrupted. A micro-latch holds the micro-element in at least one mechanically tensed, stable state.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling light includes a non-transparent surface for blocking incident light, an array of first lenses for focusing the incident light upon the non-transparent surface, an array of shutters corresponding to the array of first lenses and positioned on the non-transparent surface for controlling passage of the incident light through the non-transparent surface, and an array of second lenses corresponding to the array of shutters for collimating the incident light passing through the shutters. The shutters are separated from the first lenses by a distance equal to a focal distance of the first lenses such that the incident light is focused by the first lenses onto the shutters. As such, the shutters may be opened and closed to control the intensity of the incident light passing therethrough.

Abstract: A micro-electromagnetic device having a three dimensional structure is formed using laser chemical vapor deposition on a conductive surface. Arrays of electromagnetic devices may be formed. Various techniques for facilitating deposition on the conductive surface may be used. A helical antenna for use in the THz region may be formed in accordance with the laser chemical vapor deposition. The antenna is preferably formed on a bolometer.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling light includes a non-transparent surface for blocking incident light, an array of first lenses for focusing the incident light upon the non-transparent surface, an array of shutters corresponding to the array of first lenses and positioned on the non-transparent surface for controlling passage of the incident light through the non-transparent surface, and an array of second lenses corresponding to the array of shutters for collimating the incident light passing through the shutters. The shutters are separated from the first lenses by a distance equal to a focal distance of the first lenses such that the incident light is focused by the first lenses onto the shutters. As such, the shutters may be opened and closed to control the intensity of the incident light passing therethrough.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling light includes a non-transparent surface for blocking incident light, an array of first lenses for focusing the incident light upon the non-transparent surface, an array of shutters corresponding to the array of first lenses and positioned on the non-transparent surface for controlling passage of the incident light through the non-transparent surface, and an array of second lenses corresponding to the array of shutters for collimating the incident light passing through the shutters. The shutters are separated from the first lenses by a distance equal to a focal distance of the first lenses such that the incident light is focused by the first lenses onto the shutters. As such, the shutters may be opened and closed to control the intensity of the incident light passing therethrough.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for actively enhancing aircraft weapon separation by actively modifying the flowfield characteristics of an open, shallow weapons bay during flight is disclosed. The apparatus includes a source of high pressure gas in fluid communication with an injector located on the aircraft. A control valve controls the introduction of a flow of high pressure gas from the source into the injector. The injector is placed ahead of the nose of the weapon and directs the flow of the high pressure gas externally into the airstream of the aircraft in flight. The injection of the high pressure gas into the airstream initiates a flowfield in the open weapons bay similar to that which occurs in a deep bay, encouraging a flat, even weapons separation.

Abstract: A compact wavefront sensor includes an array of microlenses supported above a microchip. The microchip includes an array of gratings and photodetectors, which correspond to a particular microlens. Light incident on a grating will be diffracted back towards the array of microlenses, where it is focussed onto a corresponding photodetector. The photodetector receives light from gratings adjacent thereto, and detects a resulting interference therebetween. The detected interference is then used to reconstruct the wavefront. The detected interference can also be used to correct wavefronts by controlling a modulating element reflecting the wavefront.

Abstract: An optically addressed spatial light modulator includes a reflective modulation element, a detector for detecting radiation, a micro-lens focusing a write beam on the detector and a read beam on the modulator element, and a circuit receiving a signal output from the detector generated in response to the write beam. The circuit alters the modulation element in accordance with the signal from the photodetector. The read beam is thus modulated in accordance with the amount of alteration of the modulation element. The read and write beams intercept the micro-lens at different angles and may have the same or differing wavelengths. Including multiple photodetectors on a single pixel allows use of a plurality of write beams. An array of the elements may be used to modulate a plurality of read beams.

Abstract: Programming connections convert a partially fabricated six transistor SRAM cell to a ROM cell while avoiding parasitic devices and electrical overstress sensitivity but providing an active pull-up device for the bit line that is to be driven high.

Abstract: A variable weight optical interconnector is disclosed to include a projecting device and an interconnection weighting device remote from the projecting device. The projecting device projects a distribution of interconnecting light beams when illuminated by a spatially-modulated light pattern. The weighting device includes a photosensitive screen provided in optical alignment with the projecting device to independently control the intensity of each projected interconnecting beam to thereby assign an interconnection weight to each such beam. Further in accordance with the present invention, a highly-interconnected optical neural network having learning capability is disclosed as including a spatial light modulator, a detecting device, an interconnector according to the present invention, and a device responsive to detection signals generated by the detecting device to modify the interconnection weights assigned by the photosensitive screen of the interconnector.