Abstract: A holder for an electrical or electronic component includes a body formed of electrically non-conductive material. The body is generally U-shaped having a pair of laterally spaced arms bridged by a bight. Conductive tracing on the arms establishes an electrical connection between the component and a printed circuit board when the holder is electrically connected to the printed circuit board and the terminals of a component contact the arms.

Abstract: A all-plastic ZIF (zero insertion force) electrical connector offers the advantages of low cost and ease of manufacturing inherent to plastic. According to a first embodiment of the invention, an all-plastic ZIF electrical connector has a bias means connected to a first half of the connector for providing a bias force to force the first half of the connector against a PCB (printed circuit board) or other circuitry inserted between the first half and a second half of the connector. According to a second embodiment of the present invention, the all-plastic ZIF electrical connector is attached to a flexible printed circuit which allows a first half of the ZIF electrical connector to be flexed slightly to increase the space between the contact fingers to accommodate insertion of the PCB without the need to force the PCB between the contact-making fingers of the connector when the PCB is inserted into the connector.

Abstract: A pad-to-pad connection arrangement between adjacent electrical connectors, such as "bump-to-bump", "bump-to-hollow", or "bump-to-flat" pad arrangements, is achieved. Pads on the surface of an electrical connector may be selectively connected to conductive traces also on the surface of the electrical connector. When two adjacent electrical connectors are joined together in a side-by-side, adjacent relationship, the electrical pads along the side surfaces of the electrical connectors mate, thereby resulting in electrical connections being formed between mated pads of the electrical connectors. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a flexible circuit containing the conductive traces and surface pads is formed about an electrical connector.

Abstract: A highly efficient motor driver circuit of an electronic controller for linear cryogenic coolers operates directly from a variable power supply, such as a battery, without the need for the voltage regulator control circuit of the prior art. Elimination of the prior art voltage regulator ensures a higher efficiency motor driver circuit of the electronic controller. Both open-loop and closed-loop controllers electronically control the motor driver circuit. The open-loop controller protects against temperature sensor failure, and will limit maximum motor power as a function of system ambient temperature. The closed-loop controller regulates the temperature of the cold finger accurately to a preset value, using feedback from a temperature sensor along with a novel pulse-width modulation concept for modifying motor drive waveforms.

Abstract: An optical velocity measuring device includes a pair of V/H sensors effectively located at two different distances from a moving object. Each sensor is used to determine an image velocity and a corresponding angular velocity of the object. The angular velocity measurements and the difference in distance or optical path length of the individual sensors are used to determine the absolute linear tangential speed of the object without determining the absolute distance to the object.

Abstract: A gas analysis apparatus using multiple orifices of preselected sizes to attain a calculated gas mixing ratio for diluting an oxygen sample to a concentration less than 95% prior to application to a limiting current oxygen sensor. The apparatus comprises a regulator for regulating the pressures of incoming flows of air and oxygen sample to be measured, a valve for allowing the concentration of the air sample to oxygen sample to be measured, and a system for calculating the air sample/oxygen sample mixing ratio based on the known air sample concentration and then, based on the known air concentration and calculated mixing ratio, calculating the unknown sample concentration from the output of the oxygen sensor.

Abstract: A power connector, comprising first and second connector portions for connection to respective power conductors, a bayonet locking mechanism for locking the connector portions upon rotation of the first and second connector portions in a first direction relative to each other and unlocking the connector portions upon rotation of the first and second connector portions in an opposite direction relative to each other, and a secondary locking mechanism for preventing rotation of the first and second connector portions in the opposite direction relative to each other, thereby preventing accidental disconnection of the first and second connector portions.

Abstract: A mass terminated connector is provided for conducting electrical current. The connector preferably comprises a plurality of U-shaped conductive assemblies and a conductive contact or terminal having a plurality of slots for receiving the conductive assemblies. According to the preferred embodiment, each assembly is manufactured from flat metal stock which is folded into a "U" shape and which includes a series of barbs for penetrating the insulation on the multiple wires of a power cable. The folded metal stock assemblies with connnected wires are received within the associated U-shaped slots in the contact or terminal.

Abstract: An optical tracking system and method are disclosed. The optical tracking system includes a scanning mirror which scans and receives images within a field of view scannable by the mirror. An optical system receives images from the scanning mirror and directs the images upon a charge coupled device (CCD) camera. An Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) beam serves as a fixed reference point from which the position of the scanning mirror is determined and is directed upon the CCD camera. A dispersive element provides and directs a pattern of light consisting of a grid of diffracted orders upon the CCD camera. The movement of the scanning mirror provides a corresponding movement of the diffracted orders. The position of the center of any diffracted order can be determined in relation to the IMU beam by centroiding. The position of the scanning mirror is determined by correlating the position of the diffracted orders to the position of the scanning mirror.

Abstract: A light transparent window is fabricated to absorb a band of radio frequency (RF) energy with minimal RF transmission and reflection. The window is formed from a series of parallel electrically conductive sheets separated by absorbing cavities. The conductive sheets are formed by depositing a layer of doped semiconductor material onto a thin layer of sapphire. The absorbing cavities are formed by an air-filled space between the conductive sheets. Radio frequency reflection can be further attenuated by an antireflection coating, which is preferably realized by a non-conducting sapphire sheet separated from the series of conductive sheets by an air-filled space. Depending on the number of cavities, reflection and transmission attenuation of over 25 dB can be obtained for radio frequency energy in the 2 to 18 GHz band.

Abstract: A cable strain relief device is described comprised of a pair of disks each having an opening therein sized to allow a cable to be passed therethrough; and an arrangement to maintain the disks in a position relative to one another such that the openings are proximate and offset whereby cable passed through the openings is kinked and retained therebetween. The disks may be identical, the opening in each disk being offset from the disk center. The disks are positioned relative to one another to offset the openings therein. The preferred arrangement to maintain the disks in position relative to one another is a backshell and backnut assembly. The cable strain relief device, when used with a plurality of electrically conductive sheathed cables, provides, where electrically conductive disks are used, an electrically conductive pathway between the plurality of cables to ground.

Abstract: A deformable mirror system comprises a reflective face sheet, substrate, positioned behind the face sheet, having actuator bore holes extending entirely through the substrate. Actuator assemblies for deforming the face sheet are positioned in a different ones of the actuator bore holes and are bonded to both a back surface of the face sheet and to the substrate. The actuator assemblies each comprise a tile bonded to a back surface of the substrate to close a distal end of the actuator bore hole and an actuator bonded to the tiles, extending through the bore hole, and bonded to the face sheet near a proximal end of the bore hole. These assemblies can then be individually removed by destroying the adhesive quality of these bonds.

Abstract: A single-pole electrical connector adapted for carrying high electrical current comprises a conductive receptacle member adapted to be coupled to an electrical cable; a conductive plug member adapted to be coupled to an electrical cable; said receptacle member incorporating a pin contact portion; said pin contact portion comprising a rod-like member; said plug member incorporating a socket contact portion; said receptacle member and said plug member being adapted for sliding mechanical engagement along a common longitudinal axis; said rod-like member having an external diameter slightly larger than the diameter of said socket contact portion being provided with at least one pair of resilient finger members formed by fabricating at least one diametrically extending slot thereacross; each of said finger members extends radially outwardly with respect to the longitudinal axis of said pin contact portion as a result of the formation of said slot, whereby the external diameter of a pair of opposite finger members

Abstract: An optical system and a method for separating overlapping spectra from a diffraction grating and an imaging spectrometer with increased free spectral range are disclosed. The light from a diffraction grating consists of multiple spectra overlapping each other and displaced along a spectral axis. The invention directs the light from the grating to a refractive element such, as a prism. The prism further disperses the light along the same spectral axis. The individual spectra are sufficiently displaced such that they no longer interfere with each other.

Abstract: A combination of hindle shell and hindle sphere test bodies are employed to test optical surface quality or optical figure of a test optic having a convex hyperboloid reflective surface. A hindle sphere or array of hindle spheres is used to test an outer portion of the reflective surface. A subaperture hindle shell is used simultaneously with the hindle spheres to test the central portion of the reflective surface that is untested by the hindle spheres alone. The test optic may be coupled to a rotator to facilitate testing of the outer portion of the reflective surface where the hindle sphere is a segment of a full hindle sphere. A single hindle shell can test the reflective surface without the aid of a hindle sphere by employing a translator. The translator is used to decenter the test optic from the hindle shell. The translation results in non-null test results, which are analytically predictable and correctable by testing apparatus.

Abstract: A method is described for adjusting magnetic properties of iron-containing magnetic films. The coercivity of magneto-optic films such as bismuth garnet films is adjusted by an annealing method which comprises reduction with a reducing agent such as H.sub.2 followed by oxidation using an oxidizing agent such as O.sub.2 and/or O.sub.3 to adjust to required coercivity levels with the sequence of reduction followed by oxidation repeated one or more times to obtain required coercivity. It is also an aspect of the invention to precede the first reducing treatment with an oxygen annealing step to enhance uniformity of the switching field.

Abstract: A laser writing apparatus includes a laser light source which directs an expanded beam of laser light onto a two-dimensional phase grating. The phase grating splits the beam into a two-dimensional array of individual bundles of collimated light or beamlets. Each individual row of beamlets is reflected by a single strip mirror toward the surface on which a pattern is to be written. By moving the surface under the beams at a selected angle, multiple parallel lines can be written simultaneously on the surface.

Abstract: A cooled stray light baffle for use in an imaging system such as an infrared camera is disclosed. The baffle includes a tapered shroud portion which is shaped to just enclose the envelope of light rays which pass through the baffle. That is, space between the envelope of light rays and the inner surface of the baffle is minimized. This results in minimization of the overall surface area and mass of the baffle, which in turn results in a minimization of the refrigeration load of the system. The lower refrigeration load requires a smaller refrigerator which results in reduced system size, power consumption, vibration, cool-down time and cost of operation. The outer surface of the baffle is covered with a reflective material to reflect light photons. The inner surface is roughened and blackened to absorb stray light photons which enter the baffle.

Abstract: A bistable single crystal magneto-optic film of preselected coercivity is described. The film is readily switchable and is characterized by a substantially square shaped hysteresis loop. The film properties are attributed to controlled introduction in the film of defects of predetermined size and distribution. Defects of from about 0.4 .mu.m to about 4.0 .mu.m present in numbers per cm.sup.2 of from about 10 to about 10.sup.6, with optimal distribution falling in the range of from about 100 to about 1000, are described. Also described are methods of achieving the required defect size and distribution utilizing procedures such as ion bombardment, particle abrasion/deposition, laser ablation or annealing of the film or substrate upon which the film is supported. Devices in which the films can be used to advantage, such as flaw detecting, imaging and microwave processing, are described.