Abstract: There is disclosed a liquid crystal image projector which is suitable for use as an image source in an aircraft head-up display system. In this application, the projector provides extremely bright and high contrast symbology for the aircraft pilot. More generally, the projector has application wherever a television-type raster and/or calligraphic symbology display is needed. The increase in brightness and contrast ratio is achieved by using a reflector to concentrate light from a light source onto the liquid crystal display cell from whence it is reflected through an optical aperture stop in the reflector to the projecting lens and thence to a viewing surface.

Abstract: There is disclosed a dielectric reflector for selective wavelength reflection which comprises an alternately deposited series of thin films of silicon and silicon dioxide layers respectively arranged in an alternating sequence of at least one layer of each type of material. This reflector is suitable for use on the reflecting electrode of a liquid crystal video display panel fabricated on a semiconductor substrate. The use of the dielectric reflector in place of other types of reflectors increases the available reflectivity and permits a preselected color or wavelength to be preferentially reflected. The polysilicon layer of the dielectric reflector is doped with p-type or n-type impurities such as boron or phosphorus to make this layer electrically conductive.

Abstract: There is disclosed a sighting device or system, such as a periscope having a gimballed objective lens, which includes means for relaying an optical image off of a gimballed portion of the sighting system to a fixed position eyepiece without incurring an image rotation about the line of sight as the objective is moved. The system includes a prism or V mirror assembly which is pivoted through its apex and which has its pivot axis aligned with but independent of the gimbal axis thereby permitting the gimbal axis to be located in the middle of two optical paths without interferring with either path. The mirror or prism assembly, forms a 90.degree. V cross-section reflector having its axis of rotation aligned with the gimbal axis and perpendicular to the apex line formed by the intersection of its two plane reflecting surfaces. Each mirror preferably makes a 45.degree. angle with the gimbal axis to which the two optical axes are parallel.

Abstract: There is disclosed a miniaturized mechanically actuated magnetocrystalline counter comprising a shift register formed in a known manner on a crystal platelet of uniaxially anisotropic material. The device is suitable for use in counting a series of mechanical events such as the rotation or reciprocation of a mechanical member. Particular examples include the rotation of the unit counter of a utility meter or the reciprocation inherent in the recoil of a discharged weapon. Direct actuation of the counter by the occurrence of the mechanical event is achieved by using a permanent magnet as a transducer. The magnet is mounted to be moved with respect to the platelet responsively to the mechanical event to be counted in such a fashion that it generates a cyclically moving magnetic field to propagate at least one movable magnetic domain through the serial shift register formed in the platelet forming a bit stream which digitally accumulates data representative of the series of mechanical events.

Abstract: There is disclosed a monolithic dual mode emitter-detector terminal for optical waveguide transmission lines such as optical data busses or links which terminal serves in one mode to introduce an optical signal onto the line for transmission from one point and in its other mode to read a signal off of the line at the same point. The line includes a plurality of such terminals each of which is a monolithic device having the dual functions or dual modes of sending and receiving. Each terminal comprises a P-N junction diode positioned in optical signal transmissive relationship to the waveguide element. Associated with the diode are switching means to selectively D-C bias the diode in the forward direction for the emitter mode of operation and in the reverse direction for the detector mode of operation.

Abstract: There is disclosed an integrated optical detector comprising a semiconductor substrate having an optical waveguide formed integrally therewith and a photodetector made from the same semiconductor material as the waveguide and integrally coupled to it. The detector region is sensitive to light of the same wavelengths that can be transmitted through the waveguide region of the semiconductor without excessive absorption therein by virtue of the fact that after the waveguide is formed proton bombardment of the detector portion thereof is used to create optically active defect centers thereby shifting the effective absorption edge in the detector region. Where gallium arsenide is used as the semiconductor defect levels induced by implantation of high energy protons give rise to optical absorption between 6 micron and 0.9 micron. This results in detector action in the presence of a Schottkey barrier depletion layer.