Abstract: The optical sensor generally has a frame having a deformable member mounted to the frame, and a sensing optical fiber being fixedly attached to a portion of the deformable member, the sensing optical fiber having at least one ?-phase-shifted fiber Bragg grating inscribed thereon, the at least one ?-phase-shifted fiber Bragg grating of the sensing optical fiber deforming together with the deformable member when the frame is subjected to a force.

Abstract: The optical sensor generally has a frame having a deformable member mounted to the frame, and a sensing optical fiber being fixedly attached to a portion of the deformable member, the sensing optical fiber having at least one ?-phase-shifted fiber Bragg grating inscribed thereon, the at least one ?-phase-shifted fiber Bragg grating of the sensing optical fiber deforming together with the deformable member when the frame is subjected to a force.

Abstract: A fiber-based device and associated method effectively convert a laser beam with an initial intensity distribution of Gaussian shape into a beam with another intensity distribution, which might typically be uniform or ring-shaped although other configurations are possible. The device comprises a single mode fiber with a core in which the beam is guided and a cladding surrounding the core. A component inline with the fiber couples a portion of the guided beam from the core into the cladding for propagation through the cladding toward an output end of the fiber. Interaction between core and cladding propagation modes produces the other intensity distribution at a predetermined distance from the output end of the fiber.

Abstract: A pressure sensor comprising a stable polymer having a backbone containing nitrogen and one or more of sulfur or phosphorous, and including a phosphorescent dye agent.

Abstract: Optical fiber diffusers for emitting light cylindrically along a length of the fiber diffuser with preselected light intensity distributions along the length of the diffuser. The diffuser portion is defined by forming a Bragg grating in a section of the optical fiber core having a modulated index of refraction which acts to couple light radially out of the fiber along the diffuser section. The intensity distribution of light coupled out of the diffuser section of the fiber is controlled by controlling the profile of the modulated index of refraction, namely the coupling coefficient, along the length of the grating. For photodynamic therapy type II strong Bragg gratings are preferred which give higher intensity output over short distances. Multiple Bragg gratings can be written into a multimode fiber for emission of light at several positions along the fiber.

Abstract: The present invention provides a new synchronized optical method for measuring surface pressure on rotating objects such as propellers or other rotating objects. The technique is based on the phenomenon of oxygen quenching of luminescence coatings and synchronized optical imaging. A surface coating, referred to as a pressure sensitive paint (PSP), is formed by mixing photo-luminescence molecules in an oxygen permeable polymer. The luminescence excited by an appropriate light source decreases as the oxygen concentration rises due to quenching. As a result, the luminescence intensity of light emitted from the coating varies as a function of the partial pressure of oxygen. A digital camera measures the luminescence intensity distribution over the object and the pressure distribution can be computed.

Abstract: A method of growing diamond crystals in excess of 10 .mu.m in diameter from industrial diamond "seeds" having mean diameters of approximately 1.5 .mu.m is disclosed. The diamonds are grown by exposing the seed diamonds to C.sub.70 in the presence of reducing agents such as phosphorus or selenium in evacuated cells at moderate temperatures and pressures.