Abstract: A method for controlled fabrication of a waveguide region in a crystalline member, such as lithium niobate. The crystalline member is placed within a crucible which gives off the same metal component as the crystalline member at a predetermined temperature. Both the crystalline member and the crucible are heated in a controlled highly oxidizing atmosphere. During fabrication of the waveguide region, this atmosphere enhances oxidation of optical damage inducing impurities in the crystalline member. Waveguides so fabricated resist the development of laser induced optical damage.

Abstract: A single-piece, injection molded rack for holding test tubes or similar articles and a mold for producing the same. In a preferred three-tiered form, the intermediate tier is a lattice defined by the intersection of two superposed sets of parallel bars. These two sets of bars are formed by two pairs of correspondingly channeled slides that cooperatively engage to form a portion of the mold cavity corresponding to the lattice. The channels in each set of slides are aligned with the path of movement of the slides to permit their sliding, uniaxial movement relative to the molded bars. To further enable this sliding movement between mold segments and the molded rack, the connecting supports between the top tier and the intermediate tier are provided on the sides of the rack, while the connecting supports between the intermediate tier and the bottom tier are provided on the front and rear of the rack.

Abstract: A single-piece, injection molded rack for holding test tubes or similar articles and a mold for producing the same. In a preferred three-tiered form, the intermediate tier is a lattice defined by the intersection of two superposed sets of parallel bars. These two sets of bars are formed by two pairs of correspondingly channeled slides that cooperatively engage to form a portion of the mold cavity corresponding to the lattice. The channels in each set of slides are aligned with the path of movement of the slides to permit their sliding, uniaxial movement relative to the molded bars. To further enable this sliding movement between mold segments and the molded rack, the connecting supports between the top tier and the intermediate tier are provided on the sides of the rack, while the connecting supports between the intermediate tier and the bottom tier are provided on the front and rear of the rack.

Abstract: A power regulating device which maintains a constant rms voltage across a load by periodically interrupting the application of voltage to the load for a predetermined number of cycles. To accomplish this, a functional solution to the equation which describes the relationship between the rms line voltage developed across the load and the rms voltage of a desired control set point is continuously provided. The solution of this equation is obtained by squaring a sampling of the applied load voltage, subtracting the square of the desired control voltage, and then integrating over time the difference therebetween. When the resultant time integral reaches a predetermined constant value, the voltage applied to the load is interrupted for a predetermined number of half or full cycles.

Abstract: In a radiant energy beam scanning system, a detector, positioned at a predetermined position along the path scanned by the beam, for sensing the center position of the power distribution within the beam and generating a signal indicative thereof. When utilized in an information recording system, the detector is positioned adjacent the start position of the scan path so that the generated indicator signal provides a reference for system timing and synchronization. In such a recording environment, synchronization of the system relative to the center position of power distribution within the beam compensates for variations in beam power level and focus, assuring proper alignment of information recorded on consecutive scan lines. In a preferred form, a diode detector, partially masked in a cross-scan direction, is employed to provide an output signal when irradiated by the scanning beam.

Abstract: In the formation of a thin film device, integrity of the semiconductor-insulator and semiconductor-conductor interfaces is preserved by depositing layers of insulator, semiconductor, and conductor in successive sequence under continuous vacuum. In a preferred embodiment, the method minimizes contamination exposure of the critical interfaces between semiconductor and gate insulator and semiconductor and source-drain contacts of a thin film transistor.

Abstract: Drawers for storage units such as dental cabinets are provided with a sealing system that eliminates the need for seal mounting partitions between vertically stacked drawers. Flexible seal members are attached to upper drawer handles, and these flexible sealing members contact the top of the next lower drawer handle when the drawers are closed, thus sealing the space between the drawers.

Abstract: A high performance video clamp and self-balancing inverter circuit for providing the DC coupling of a video signal together with substantially perfect inversion of any portion of a composite television signal. Under the control of synchronously timed pulses, two switches are alternately turned on and off to selectively apply the video signal to either the inverting or non-inverting input terminal of a video amplifier, thus separating signal portions selected to be inverted from those portions selected to remain non-inverted. To ensure perfect balance between inverted and non-inverted output signals, prior to processing, at least two reference pedestals are added to each field of the composite video signal to raise selected blanking level portions thereof to a level equal to 50% of the reference white level.