Abstract: A method and apparatus utilizing an exothermic reaction to generate a heated gas that warms a baby bottle, providing a baby bottle warmer that is portable, convenient to use, simple, and lightweight. In one embodiment, a heating vessel holds the baby bottle and a vessel top removably attaches to an upper section of the heating vessel. A solution release mechanism situated in a lower section of said heating vessel includes a solution container having an activating liquid disposed therein, and a device for puncturing the solution container responsive to pressure supplied by insertion of the baby bottle. A heating element situated below the solution release mechanism includes a material for exothermically reacting with the activating liquid to generate the heated gas. In one embodiment, when a baby bottle is inserted into the bottle warmer, an upper and lower unit are pressured together to release a saline solution onto a magnesium wafer.

Abstract: A laser assembly including a silicon base and method are provided for assembling lasers on a platform in a reliable, low cost process that is suitable for high volume production. The platform can be a monolithic silicon base which has high thermal conductivity, a low coefficient of thermal expansion, and whose features can be formed with close tolerances in a low cost, reliable manner. Materials with similar coefficients of thermal expansion are used in order to maintain alignment during unexpected heating and cooling. Furthermore, a method is described that substantially eliminates the need for adhesives to bond laser components to a platform. The resultant laser can be very robust, stable, and can provide reliable operation over extended time periods.

Abstract: A display system includes blue, green, and red laser light sources and light shaping devices which receive the laser light from the laser light sources and shapes the light into a number of approximately identical beamlets. The beamlets are modulated individually and the modulated beamlets are combined. The combining results in an output of beamlets, each of which comprises three input beamlets of each of the colors red, green, and blue. The resultant beamlets can then be scanned onto a display screen.

Abstract: An optically-pumped laser comprises a laser cavity, a solid-state gain medium and an optically transparent heat sink (OTH) situated within the laser cavity. The gain medium and OTH are thermally coupled and at least one of the solid-state gain medium and the OTH has an etalon structure thereby improving laser efficiency. The OTH advantageously provides effective heat transfer and permits higher average power operation, particularly for thin solid-state laser materials. A metallic heat sink may be thermally coupled to the OTH to improve heat transfer. In some embodiments, the laser is end-pumped with optical pump radiation through the OTH. A second intracavity OTH may be thermally coupled to the gain medium opposite the first OTH to provide longitudinal heat transfer in both directions. A frequency-converted laser may be provided by using a nonlinear material longitudinally cooled on each end by intracavity OTHs, at least one of which comprises an etalon structure.

Abstract: A dual wavelength continuous wave (cw) solid state microlaser device that provides simultaneous laser action at a first and a second wavelength. The laser comprises a solid state gain material including a rare earth element having a first gain transition at the first wavelength and a second gain transition at the second wavelength. The gain material defines a block having a first face and a second, opposite face. A first reflective surface that is substantially reflective at both the first and second wavelengths is closely coupled to the first face. An output coupler provides a second reflective surface that is partially reflective at both the first and the second wavelengths, which is oriented with respect to the first reflective face to define an optical cavity through the first and second faces of the solid state gain material. An optical pump source is provided to end pump the solid state gain material with continuous pump radiation at a pump wavelength that is highly absorptive by the gain material.

Abstract: The present invention provides a photodetector having an advantageous combination of sensitivity and speed; it has a high sensitivity while retaining high speed. In a preferred embodiment, visible light is detected, but in some embodiments, x-rays can be detected, and in other embodiments infrared can be detected. The present invention comprises a photodetector having an active layer, and a recombination layer. The active layer has a surface exposed to light to be detected, and comprises a semiconductor, having a bandgap graded so that carriers formed due to interaction of the active layer with the incident radiation tend to be swept away from the exposed surface. The graded semiconductor material in the active layer preferably comprises Al.sub.1-x Ga.sub.x As. An additional sub-layer of graded In.sub.1-y Ga.sub.y As may be included between the Al.sub.1-x Ga.sub.x As layer and the recombination layer.

Abstract: An apparatus and method is disclosed for accurate, real time monitoring of the wavefront curvature of a coherent laser beam. Knowing the curvature, it can be quickly determined whether the laser beam is collimated, or focusing (converging), or de-focusing (diverging). The apparatus includes a lateral interferometer for forming an interference pattern of the laser beam to be diagnosed. The interference pattern is imaged to a spatial light modulator (SLM), whose output is a coherent laser beam having an image of the interference pattern impressed on it. The SLM output is focused to obtain the far-field diffraction pattern. A video camera, such as CCD, monitors the far-field diffraction pattern, and provides an electrical output indicative of the shape of the far-field pattern. Specifically, the far-field pattern comprises a central lobe and side lobes, whose relative positions are indicative of the radius of curvature of the beam.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed that provides a laser output beam having a broad bandwidth and an intensity smooth over time. The bandwidth of the laser output can be varied easily by varying the intensity of a broadband source. The present invention includes an optical modulation apparatus comprising a narrowband laser that outputs a horizontally polarized beam (a "signal beam") and a broadband laser that outputs a vertically polarized beam (a "pump beam") whose intensity varies rapidly. The two beam are coupled into a birefringent laser material so that the respective polarizations coincide with the principal axes of the material. As the two beams travel through the material, the polarization preserving properties of the birefringent material maintain the respective polarizations of the two beam; however there is coupling between the two beams as a result of cross phase modulations, which induces a bandwidth change of the signal beam.