Abstract: This invention is a demultuplexer consisting on a sequential division of the data stream in a series of Sagnac interferometer amplitude modulators (SIAMs), wherein each modulator in the series is driven by a single microwave frequency derived directly from a radio frequency (RF) data rate clock, with the RF phase properly adjusted to extract a channel of interest.

Abstract: A two-dimensional imager for measuring the electric-field amplitude and phase distribution across an extended spatial region for millimeter and microwave electro-magnetic waves. The imager consists of a small active area within a generally passive structure which measures the electric (E)-field amplitude and phase information and impresses this information onto an optical beam. The E-field information is measured by converting the optical signal into and electrical signal and demodulating the E-field information from the electrical signal by processing electronics where the electrical signal is conditioned, stored and the data displayed.

Abstract: The inline coaxial balun fed cornu flared horn antenna is formed by transitioning a coaxial transmission line to a parallel-plate transmission line with a Klopfenstein impedance profile and terminating with a flared horn antenna based on a scaled cornu spiral. The cornu spiral is a mathematical plane curve formed by parametrically plotting the scaled cosine Fresnel integral versus the scaled sine Fresnel integral. The antenna has the property that the curvature of the flare increases linearly in proportion to the arc length of the flare. The Klopfenstein impedance profile of the inline balun ensures a low voltage reflection across a wide bandwidth with a minimum transition length and together with the cornu flare satisfies the requirements for a wideband design.

Abstract: A means for preventing the opening of a chaff muffin upon its entry into air stream of its supersonic-velocity carrier rocket, said means comprising a longitudinal wrapping in addition to the usual circumferential wrapping.

Abstract: A field emitter for producing an electron beam includes at least one cold cathode unit. Each of the cold cathode units includes an emitter cone having an emitter tip and a gate spaced apart from the emitter tip for extracting electrons from the emitter tip in a propagation direction upon application of a positive dc voltage on the gate with respect to the emitter tip. The gate forms a gate cavity for propagation of the extracted electrons therethrough. Each of the cold cathode units further includes at least one lens electrode disposed further in the propagation direction from the emitter tip than the gate, the at least one lens electrode forming at least one lens cavity for propagation of the extracted electrons therethrough. The at least one lens electrode is for focusing the extracted electrons in part of the gate cavity, part of the at least one lens cavity, and part of the region therebetween.

Abstract: An improved countermeasure technique for providing jamming signals against obing radar, especially COSRO (conical scan on receive only) radar. A power spectrum (or comb) is generated having specific spectral line separation over a frequency band of the expected range of scan frequencues. The line spectrum, preferably having a flat topped envelope is then swept as a unit so that all frequencies with in a range of expected scan frequencies are traversed at least once by a spectral line. The swept comb is used to modulate a repeater pulse train transmitting to a lobing radar. The sweep of the comb causes at least one spectral line to beat with the scan frequency of the radar resulting in antenna oscillation and sidelobe lockup by deception of the angle-tracking circuits of the radar.

Abstract: Disclosed is a planar dual mode microstrip filter with the coupling between similar modes on different patches governed by the spacing between the patches rather than by microstrip coupling lines between the patches. The patches are shaped to allow dual mode coupling. The materials used in building this filter were an alumina substrate with gold metalization. The filter is encased in a conducting box made from a conducting material. One advantage of the proximity coupled structure is that it reduces the number of parts, complexity and allows the filter to be realized in a smaller space than in previous dual mode designs. This filter is useful in satellite communications, radar, and cellular communications. High temperature superconductor materials can be used in a planar microstrip form.

Abstract: The wavelength multiplexed, electro-optically controllable, fiber optic multi-tap delay line utilizes a first output signal from a plurality of amplitude adjustable continuous-wave (CW) optical lasers multiplexed to form a combined optical signal onto which a radio frequency signal is imposed thereby shifting the combined optical signal which is then demultiplexed. A second output signal of the plurality of CW lasers is phase adjusted and combined with the demultiplexed combined optical signal to form a RF phase adjusted modulated optical signal. The plurality of phase adjusted modulated optical signals pass through associated optical delay lines and are multiplexed to form a single optical signal containing a plurality of optical channels having different characteristics which is applied to a detector to produce an output electrical signal for transmission to using devices.

Abstract: The sonar array post processor employs an adaptive processing, known as matched beam processing, in the beam domain which takes analog or digital conventional beamforming outputs from a sonar array, multiplies them by a set of adaptive weighting coefficients and produces a new set of beams. The new output beam of highest intensity yields the ideal maximum signal gain and correct target bearing. Continuous target tracking provided by the sonar array post processor in the endfire direction of a horizontal line array minimizes the towing ships maneuvers and for, a bottom mounted surveillance system, a smaller number of arrays are required.

Abstract: A material test specimen design is taught for the determination of critical train and stress states for multiaxial fracture. The objective of the specimen is to increase the amount of data obtained per specimen while retaining simplicity in testing procedure by using standard tension testing machines to generate the primary deformation of the specimen. The specimen, in conjunction with analytical or computational simulation, uses nonuniform deformation fields produced by secondary and tertiary strain concentrations to generate and track these multiaxial strain states to fracture. Typically, the primary deformation is uniaxial tension of a panel, the secondary strain concentration is a circular hole in the panel and the tertiary strain concentrations are areas of reduced thickness within the deformation field of the circular hole. Multiaxial strain ratios from -0.50 to -0.10 and control over fracture initiation sites may be generated by a test specimen design of the type taught by this invention.

Abstract: The interferometric fiber optic accelerometer is viewed as a mass-spring transducer housed in a sensor case. The sensor case is attached to a moving part whose motion is inferred from the relative motion between the mass and the sensor case. A flexural disk is housed in a sensor case which is accelerated in a direction normal to the plate surface. The plate undergoes displacement resulting in strains on the plate surface. A coil of optical fiber, made to be part of an optical interferometer, is attached to the flexural disk, the strain from the disk is transferred to the fiber thus changing the path length of the fiber interferometer. The interferometer output in demodulated providing the acceleration response. The design of the accelerometer housing is such that it is highly immune to extraneous signals, i.e., dynamic and hydrostatic pressure.

Abstract: A solar concentrator having flexible retractable reflector panels of a thin lastic film coated with aluminum or silver configured as a trough along the long edges of the solar panel and tilted so as to direct the reflected sunlight onto the solar panel in such a manner that the ray from the extreme outer edge of a reflector panel will fall on the edge of the opposite side of the solar panel, resulting in an even distribution of reflected sunlight on the solar panel for optimum performance. The flexible reflector panels are stowed during launch by rolling them around the booms or around themselves. For launch, the booms with the reflector panel rolled thereon, are stowed against the long edges of the solar panel. After launch, the booms are extended to a an angular position respective to the solar panel, by a system of pulleys and wires that keep tension on the reflector panels as the reflector panels are deployed as the plurality of sections of the solar panel are extended to a flat position.

Abstract: A railgun having a composite insulator of laminated materials positioned between the rails. The composite insulator is comprised of a series of conducting layers oriented with the edges toward the bore, or barrel, of the railgun and their wide edges away from the bore. The laminate is layed lengthwise along the rails and is comprised of conducting layers of a high heat conductivity metal interleaved with an insulator material. The insulator material allows the composite insulator to stand off the voltages in a plasma armature even under high radiation flux conditions. Below the conducting material's ablation threshold the amount of ablation produced by the composite insulator is reduced by the reduction of insulator surface area exposed to the radiation. This allows better control of armature growth, mass acceleration by the plasma armature, secondary formation, and other factors normally found to retard projectile acceleration.

Abstract: A railgun having a composite insulator of laminated materials positioned between the rails. The composite insulator is comprised of a series of conducting layers oriented with the edges toward the bore, or barrel, of the railgun and their wide edges away from the bore. The laminate is layed lengthwise along the rails and is comprised of conducting layers of a high heat conductivity metal interleaved with an insulator material. The insulator material allows the composite insulator to stand off the voltages in a plasma armature even under high radiation flux conditions. Below the conducting material's ablation threshold the amount of ablation produced by the composite insulator is reduced by the reduction of insulator surface area exposed to the radiation. This allows better control of armature growth, mass acceleration by the plasma armature, secondary formation, and other factors normally found to retard projectile acceleration.

Abstract: This invention is an optimized planar fiber optic sensor utilizing robust design having high acoustic sensitivity and reduced acceleration response over that found in the prior art. A continuous optical fiber sensing arm is wrapped around a plurality of mandrels to reduce acceleration effects. An optical fiber sensing arm is embedded in an epoxy material to effectively eliminate the effects of the acoustic medium on the reference arm. The sensing arm and reference arm, along with input and output couplers, are encapsulated within an elastomer, natural rubber or butyl rubber which is an active element that providing high acoustic sensitivity. The mandrels may be solid compliant mandrels, tubular cylindrical mandrels and combinations thereof.

Abstract: A deciphering unit having input and output matrices connected to a master ift register to permit flexible access to its stages. The output matrix allows selection of four register positions in the master shift register from which data is fed to a correspondence generator where it is partially descrambled. Subsequently, the input matrix allows selection of four input register positions for the partially descrambled data, and one input register position for serial key shift register data. A comparison matrix selects eight bit positions to allow comparison of the descrambled master shift register data with a predetermined eight bit word. Upon favorable comparison a four bit word is transmitted to a base interrogating station for identification. Also, the same apparatus can be used for enciphering by shifting the data in the master shift register in a reverse manner.

Abstract: This invention describes a nanometer scale interband lateral resonant tunneling transistor, and the method for producing the same, with lateral geometry, good fanout properties and suitable for incorporation into large-scale integrated circuits. The transistor is of a single gate design and operation is based on resonant tunneling processes in narrow-gap nanostructures which are highly responsive to quantum phenomena. Such quantum-effect devices can have very high density, operate at much higher temperatures and are capable of driving other devices.

Abstract: The in-situ monitoring of metalorganic precursor delivery in a metalorganic chemical vapor deposition oxide system in high temperature super conductors (HTSC) film growth is accomplished by utilizing the distinct absorbance bands for metalorganic compounds. As an ultraviolet-visible light beam is passed through an effluent metalorganic gas stream the relative change in ultraviolet-visible absorbance of the ultraviolet-visible light beam passing through the effluent metalorganic gas stream is monitored. Stoichiometry control is achieved by feeding back absorbance data to a controlling parameter such as carrier gas mass flow rate, thus stabilizing fluctuations in source concentration in the bubble effluent from a computer or similar monitoring device. Such an apparatus and method improves the stoichiometry control of mixed metal oxide film deposition and increases the manufacturability of thin films.

Abstract: A travelling wave tube which amplifies a signal and includes an electron gun, a D.C. voltage generator, an electron accelerator and delay structure loaded with dielectric material. The electron gun is at approximately ground potential and emits an electron beam. The D.C. voltage generator generates a very high D.C. voltage. The electron accelerator receives the high D.C. voltage from the D.C. voltage generator and accelerates the electrons in the electron beam. The delay structure is at approximately the same high D.C. voltage as the electron accelerator and includes an input port and an output port, the signal being received in the input port, travelling through the delay structure, and being output at the output port. The rf input and output windows are insulated from the high DC potential of the delay structure by dielectric wave guides.

Abstract: The architecture of this invention makes multiple use of switched time-delay circuits to reduce the complexity of both series and parallel feed antenna arrays. Each time-delay circuit can give a delay that can be switched to values between 0 and 2d/c, where d is the inter-element spacing and c is the velocity of light. At the highest frequency of the series feed array, the elements are spaced by .lambda./2 to avoid grating lobes and the maximum delay corresponds to 360.degree. of phaseshift. When the time-delays are set half way (d/c), the various lines feeding the elements of the array at the aperture have bias delays that make them all equal in length, thereby giving a broadside beam, independent of frequency. At the highest frequency, the switchable time delay gives some excess in available delay. If additional excess time-delay is needed it can be obtained by increasing the time delay circuit range. Insertion loss is proportional to the number of bits used.