Abstract: A GMR stack has at least two ferromagnetic layers (e.g.,CoFe) spaced from each other by a nonferromagnetic layer (e.g., Cu). A layer of a phase-breaking material (such as Ta or a Ta-base alloy) between the nonferromagnetic layer and at least one of the two ferromagnetic layers prevents the undesirable growth of large-grained structures in the ferromagnetic layers.

Abstract: A system for remote optical communications includes a base station and a remote station. The remote station includes a retroreflector, a multiple quantum well modulator (MQW), and drive circuitry that drives the MQW. A base station transmitter sends an interrogating light beam to the MQW, which modulates the light beam based on the information in the electrical signal from the drive circuitry. The retroreflector reflects the modulated light beam to the base station for detection by a receiver.

Abstract: A volume hologram is created by exposing a volume holographic optical storage medium comprising a doped optically transparent glass matrix having a scattering coefficient of less than 10.sup.-5 cm.sup.-1 to an interference pattern created by intersecting a spatially modulated object beam with a reference beam, the object beam and the reference beam each having a wavelength of less than about 300 nm. The glass matrix may be doped with any of the following: (1) nanocrystalline semiconductor particles and an activator, (2) an alkaline earth sulfide, Sm ions, and an additional dopant selected from the group consisting of Eu ions and Ce ions, (3) ZnS and an additional dopant selected from the group consisting of Pb ions, Cu ions, and Mn ions and (4) Cu or Ce ions.

Abstract: A waveguide-based sensing system includes a plurality of waveguides secured within a waveguide holder. Each waveguide has a sensing surface with athed analyte recognition elements. The end faces of the sensing surfaces are perpendicular (or at least approximately perpendicular) to the sensing surfaces. The sensing surfaces are directly excited by light directed normal thereto and emit optical signals responsive to the presence of an analyte. These optical signals are coupled into the waveguides. The optical signals travel along the length of the waveguides to the end surfaces, which integrate the optical signals over the length of the waveguides. The integrated optical signals emitted from the end surfaces of the fibers are then detected and analyzed.

Abstract: A robust, nontoxic, antifouling coating and bulk material and process for king the same are disclosed. The antifouling coating comprises a basecoat formed typically from a polyol and a poiyiisocyanate wherein a molar excess of poiyiisocyanate is typically used. A topcoat is formed on the basecoat by reacting the basecoat with aliphatic branched or unbranched mono-alcohol or polyol.

Abstract: Biological toxins are indirectly detected by using polymerase chain reaction to amplify unique nucleic acid sequences coding for the toxins or enzymes unique to toxin synthesis. Buffer, primers coding for the unique nucleic acid sequences and an amplifying enzyme are added to a sample suspected of containing the toxin. The mixture is then cycled thermally to exponentially amplify any of these unique nucleic acid sequences present in the sample. The amplified sequences can be detected by various means, including fluorescence. Detection of the amplified sequences is indicative of the presence of toxin in the original sample. By using more than one set of labeled primers, the method can be used to simultaneously detect several toxins in a sample.