Abstract: An apparatus and method for fabricating directional fiber optic taps having a variety of output angles. The taps can be used to monitor losses due to misalignment of the fiber or losses due to bending and straining of the fiber. The apparatus and method can also be used to fabricate taps which filter out higher order modes in a fiber. The apparatus and method can also be used to produce taps which can be used in a position or refractive index measuring system.

Abstract: An integrated x-ray detection system includes an x-ray detector fabricated on a wafer with a housing for containing a gas. The detector has a plurality of microstrip anodes and the housing passes x-rays which partially ionize the gas thereby producing a pulse at one of the anodes. The same wafer also has a plurality of integrated active signal processing circuits which are respectively coupled to the anodes. Each active signal processing circuit receives and processes pulses from respective ones of the anodes and outputs a digital signal indicating the location and energy of x-rays detected by the detector. An isolation layer separates the x-ray detector from the active signal processing circuits.

Abstract: An optical sensing system for sensing the temperature at a first location, including: electro-optical unit for producing a modulated optical signal and a light guide unit for receiving and transmitting the modulated optical signal along an optical path. The optical system further includes temperature sensing fiber which receives and guides the modulated optical signal along a temperature sensing optical path. One portion of the modulated optical signal serves as a reference optical signal and another portion of the modulated optical signal serves as a target optical signal. The optical sensor system also has a transducing unit, which receives the reference optical signal, the target optical signal having first and second time delays with respect to a chirped rf signal from the electro-optical unit. The transducing unit produces a multi-frequency electrical signal which includes a first frequency corresponding to the first time delay a second frequency corresponding to the second time delay.

Abstract: An optical sensing system with a rotation sensor head for sensing the rotation of a rotatable object while simultaneously sensing the position of a displaceable object with a position sensor head. An electro-optical unit outputs a modulated optical signal and a chirped rf signal. The envelope of the modulated optical signal has a phase that has a known relation to the phase of the chirped rf signal. The electro-optical unit is coupled to a light guide element and receives and transmits the modulated optical signal along an optical path for reflection off a disk secured to the rotatable object in order to provide a rotation sensing optical signal. A transducing unit receives the rf signal at one input and has another input optically coupled to receive the rotation sensing optical signal while simultaneously receiving position sensing optical signals from the position sensor heads.

Abstract: A new ternary sulfide alloy exhibits a metal-semiconductor phase transition with hysteresis as a function of temperature. One embodiment of the bistable material includes barium, cobalt, nickel and sulfur in amounts in accordance with the formula Ba(Co.sub.1-x Ni.sub.x)S.sub.2-y, and x is between 0 and 1 and y varies from 0 to 2.

Abstract: A device for generating and guiding an electric discharge current including a first electrode, second electrode and a material arranged between the first and second electrode. The device uses a laser for generating photons having energies equal to the energy between two excited electronic states of the material. The photons fill a region of the material from the first electrode through the material to the second electrode ionizing the region of the material between the first and second electrodes. A voltage generating unit connected to the first and second electrodes applies a voltage between the first and second electrodes thereby generating the electric discharge which follows an ionized path in the region between the first and second electrodes.

Abstract: A device and method for generating and guiding an electric discharge current including a first electrode, a second electrode and a material arranged between the first and second electrodes. The device and method involve the use of a laser for generating photons having energies equal to the energy between two excited electronic states of the material. The photons fill a region of the material from the first electrode through the material to the second electrode, ionizing the region of the material between the first and second electrodes. A voltage generating unit connected to the first and second electrodes applies a voltage between the first and second electrodes thereby generating the electric discharge which follows an ionized path in the region between the first and second electrodes. A solenoid is arranged around the housing so that the magnetic field which it produces is oriented approximately along the ionized path, thereby providing improved confinement of the electric discharge.

Abstract: A new ternary sulfide alloy exhibits a metal-semiconductor phase transition with hysteresis as a function of temperature. One embodiment of the bistable material includes barium, cobalt, nickel and sulfur in amounts in accordance with the formula Ba(Co.sub.1-x Ni.sub.x)S.sub.2-y, and x is between 0 and 1 and y varies from 0 to 2.