Abstract: An optically-pumped laser having a gain medium configured to provide a low loss, three-dimensional integrated optical pump cavity that substantially confines optical pump radiation within the lasing volume, which is particularly useful for efficiently pumping solid state gain media that has low pump dopant concentration. The integrated pump cavity includes a plurality of boundaries contiguous with the gain medium. An optical pump source such as a laser diode array supplies optical pump radiation that is input into the gain medium through one or more pump cavity windows with a propagation direction transverse to a laser axis defined through the gain medium. In some embodiments, an optical surface is situated opposite the window to approximately recollimate the input pump radiation. The optical pump cavity may be designed to concentrate the optical pump radiation and approximately uniformly pump the entire volume of the lasing medium.

Abstract: An arrangement (10) for efficiently generating tunable pulsed laser output at 8-12 microns. The arrangement (10) includes a laser (12), a first optical parametric oscillator (14) of unique design, and a second optical parametric oscillator (22). The first oscillator (14) is constructed with an energy shifting crystal (20) and first and second reflective elements (16) and (18) disposed on either side thereof. Energy from the laser (12) at a first wavelength is shifted by the crystal and output at a second wavelength. The second wavelength results from a secondary process induced by a primary emission of energy at a third wavelength, the third wavelength resulting from a primary process generated from the first wavelength in the crystal. Mirror coatings are applied on the reflective elements (16 and/or 18) for containing the primary emission and enhancing the secondary process.

Abstract: An arrangement (10) for efficiently shifting energy received at a first wavelength and outputting the shifted energy at a second wavelength. The arrangement (10) includes a laser (12) and an optical parametric oscillator (14) of unique design. The oscillator (14) is constructed with an energy shifting crystal (20) and first and second reflective elements (16) and (18) disposed on either side thereof. Light from the laser (12) at a fundamental frequency is shifted by the crystal and output at a second wavelength. The second wavelength is a secondary emission of energy induced by a primary emission generated by the first wavelength in the crystal. A novel feature of the invention is a coating applied on the reflective elements (16 and/or 18) for containing the primary emission and enhancing the secondary emission. This constrains the energy to be output by the arrangement (10) at the wavelength of the desired secondary emission.

Abstract: A hybrid microelectronic array structure is fabricated from a readout integrated circuit array of microelectronic integrated circuits and a supported array of supported islands. The supported islands include one or more supported elements, with a respective supported element for each of the readout integrated circuits. The supported array is made by depositing the first semiconductor region onto a supported substrate and depositing the second semiconductor region onto the first semiconductor region, and defining supported islands as electrically isolated segments. On each supported element, a first interconnect is formed to the first semiconductor region and a second interconnect is formed to the second semiconductor region.

Abstract: A sensor chip assembly time delay integration circuit useful with image sensing arrays uses a duplex bucket brigade circuit (120) with two or more charge transfer paths, a number of capacitors (130, 133, 136) common to the charge transfer paths, and a number of capacitors (131, 132, 134, 135) specific to each of the charge transfer paths. Each of the charge transfer paths has a number of MOSFET transfer gates (122, 124, 126, 128; 123, 125, 127, 129) connected in series, and the common capacitors and the path-specific capacitors are alternately connected to the paths. Each of the common capacitors is controllably connected (112, 115, 118) either to a unit cell input circuit (113, 116, 119). a reset node (111, 114, 117), or an open circuit. The circuit operates by storing accumulated image sensor charges from alternate sensor lines on the path-specific capacitors. The common capacitors are reset and then connected to the unit cell input circuits to acquire a first set of image sensor charges.

Abstract: A thin film hydrogen getter and EMI shielding are provided for protecting GaAs circuitry sealed in an hermetic package. The thin film getter comprises a multilayer metal film that is deposited by vacuum evaporation techniques onto a conductive metal, such as aluminum or copper, that serves as the EMI shielding. The conductive layer is first formed on an interior surface. The multilayer hydrogen getter film comprises (1) a titanium film and (2) a palladium film that is deposited on the titanium film. Both the titanium and the palladium are deposited during the same coating process run, thereby preventing the titanium from being oxidized. The palladium continues to prevent the titanium from being oxidized once the getter is exposed to the atmosphere. However, hydrogen is easily able to diffuse through the palladium into the titanium where it is chemically bound up, since palladium is highly permeable to hydrogen.

Abstract: A mechanical device includes a female component having a right-circular cylindrical internal surface and a cylindrical axis, and a first helical recess in the internal surface of the female component. A male component having a right-circular cylindrical external surface is sized to be slidably received within the right-circular cylindrical internal surface of the female component and has a second helical recess in its external surface. The second helical recess has a helical pitch which is the same as that of the first helical recess, so that the second helical recess is in facing relationship along its length to the first helical recess when the male component is assembled to the female component. A retainer is received within the first helical recess and the facing second helical recess when the male component is assembled to the female component. The retainer has an organic plastic retainer outer surface, preferably a polytetrafluoroethylene retainer outer surface.

Abstract: An optical system includes a shutter assembly with a stationary support, a shutter pivotably mounted upon and movable with respect to the support; and a shutter drive mechanism. The shutter drive mechanism includes a permanent first magnet affixed to the shutter, and a first electromagnet structure affixed to the support facing a first side of the shutter and including a first-structure first electromagnet. The permanent first magnet and the first-structure first electromagnet are positioned such that activation of the first-structure first electromagnet causes the permanent first magnet to move relative to the first-structure first electromagnet. The shutter drive mechanism further includes a second electromagnet structure affixed to the support facing a second side of the shutter and including a second-structure first electromagnet.

Abstract: Two components are bonded together in a bonding apparatus using a bonding medium of malleable metallic spheres and a curable adhesive. The two components are bonded by positioning the components in a facing-but-spaced-apart relation in the bonding apparatus with the spheres and the adhesive between the first component and the second component. The bonding apparatus forces the first component toward the second component with sufficient force to bond the spheres to the first component and to the second component, while monitoring at least one measured bonding reaction of the first component and the second component, and controlling the bonding apparatus responsive to the step of monitoring. The adhesive is thereafter cured, optionally with the bonding pressure released and the assembly removed from the bonding apparatus.

Abstract: A photodetector (10) includes a substrate (12) having a surface; a first layer (14) of semiconductor material that is disposed above the surface, the first layer containing a first dopant at a first concentration for having a first type of electrical conductivity; and a second layer (16) of semiconductor material overlying the first layer. The second layer contains a second dopant at a second concentration for having a second type of electrical conductivity and forms a first p-n junction (15) with the first layer. The second layer is compositionally graded through at least a portion of a thickness thereof from wider bandgap semiconductor material to narrower bandgap in a direction away from the p-n junction. The compositional grading can be done in a substantially linear fashion, or in a substantially non-linear fashion, e.g., in a stepped manner.

Abstract: An illuminated target structure for viewing a scene includes a transparent medium having a transparent-medium peripheral rim and a light-reflective target within a transparent-medium central region. A circumferentially uniform ring illumination source is in contact with the transparent-medium peripheral rim. The ring illumination source projects a substantially uniform illumination into the transparent-medium peripheral rim and thence onto the light-reflective target. The ring illumination source preferably is a modified optical fiber structure having a modified lateral surface in facing relation to the transparent-medium peripheral rim and having a light leakage through the modified lateral surface. An image intensifier may be positioned in facing relation to a transparent-medium front face.

Abstract: A liquid-level sensor is used to sense th level of a liquid. The sensor has at least two solid optical conductors, wherein each solid optical conductor includes an outer surface having at least one reflective surface discontinuity of sufficient size to interfere with a total internal reflection of the solid optical conductor when the reflective surface discontinuity does not contact the liquid. A support positions the reflective surface discontinuities at a different height above the boom of the volume. A light source introduces light into a first end of each of the solid optical conductors. A light detector structure receives light that has been introduced into each of the solid optical conductors and has traveled through the respective solid optical conductor at least as far as at least one of the reflective surface discontinuities of the respective solid optical conductor.

Abstract: An optical component measurement system including a holding fixture adapted to hold a plurality of optical components in an array; and an optical detector movably connected to the holding fixture. The detector is movable between a front side of the holding fixture and an opposite rear side of the holding fixture for taking measurements from more than one side of the optical components in the array.

Abstract: A system and method for processing digital video. The invention allows for manual level and gain adjustment of the video similar to that used in a histogram based automatic level and gain control system using a cumulative distribution function. Level changes are made by an offset to the existing automatic level and gain. Level changes are first made by applying an offset L and the midscale gray intensity bin on the histogram is located. Gain changes are made by changing the relative gain multiplier (G) which acts on the automatic level and gain algorithm causing the gain to change equally about midscale gray (i.e., midscale gray is maintained). In accordance with the invention, as part of the histogram based manual level and gain algorithm, the local gain is clipped to a predetermined maximum in order to prevent an overly noisy picture when too much gain is applied. The inventive method determines how to prevent a shift in the level when increasing the gain (i.e., G>1) even when clipping is applied.

Abstract: A laser beam pointing and positioning system includes first and second rotatable diffraction gratings. Each grating deviates a laser beam by a predetermined angle of deviation. The relative rotational position of the gratings is controlled to change the beam steering angle and direction of a laser beam. A maximum beam steering angle of twice the angle of deviation may be achieved in any direction. The diffraction gratings may be etched on transmissive substrates of optical glass, sapphire, silicon (Si), Zinc Selenide (ZnSe), Zinc Sulfide (ZnS), or Germanium (Ge). The substrates may be positioned within rotary elements coupled respectively to electromechanical positional control elements to rotate the gratings.

Abstract: A system (10, 12, 34) for calibrating an apparatus (10) for aligning components (20) relative to a desired line of sight. The system includes a first mechanism (70) for generating a command designed to move a line-of-sight of one of the components (20) to a first position, the line-of-sight moving to a second position in response thereto. A second mechanism (36, 38, 74, 78) automatically compensates for a variation between the first position and the second position via a scale factor (78).

Abstract: A secure circuit is protected from reverse engineering by sensing radiation to which the circuit is normally not exposed, but which is present in its analysis. The circuit is modified in response to such radiation so that it is not compromised by subsequent analysis. The secure circuit can be implemented as a volatile memory having a power supply circuit that is interrupted in response to radiation exposure. Alternately, a circuit used to burn out the secure circuit, or to reprogram the circuit in the case of a programmable memory, could be actuated by the radiation exposure. Reprogramming mechanisms include an operational amplifier with its input state controlled by a photodiode, a random access memory cell with inherently photosensitive transistors, and a photosensitive transistor switch connecting a multi-vibrator to a memory address line.

Abstract: A position sensor includes a light-source-and-light-emitting structure that emits light from each of an emitter plurality of light emitters. Light from the light emitters is received by light collectors in the lateral surfaces of two light collecting optical fibers or other light-collector structures, each in a parallel but spaced-apart relation to the light-source-and-light-emitting structure and axially spaced apart from each other. The light emitting structure and the light collectors are preferably optical fibers. An opaque light shield lies between and moves parallel relative to the light-source-and-light-emitting structure and the light collectors. A sensor readout receives the light outputs from each of the light collectors, and provides a responsive sensor output indicative of the position of the light shield.

Abstract: An optical system comprises a three-mirror anastigmat including a primary mirror, a secondary mirror, and a tertiary mirror positioned to reflect a beam path. An intermediate image is formed on the beam path at an intermediate-image location between the secondary mirror and the tertiary mirror. A negative-optical-power field mirror is positioned in the beam path at a field-mirror location subsequent to the intermediate-image location along the beam path. The field mirror reflects the intermediate image to the tertiary mirror.

Abstract: A small,compact optical scanning system with small aperture size requirements, wide field-of-regard and minimal color dispersion characteristics. The inventive scanning system and method provides for optical beam steering over a broad spectral band and over a wide field-of-regard. The inventive system includes a novel device for receiving an input wavefront of electromagnetic energy along a first axis and refracting the wavefront as an output wavefront along a second axis. The device is a unique form of a liquid crystal array which can be electrically manipulated to change the effective refractive index of each pixel. The index of refraction of the device varies in response to an applied voltage. The voltage is supplied by a microprocessor and/or a servo-control system. By changing the index, the incident phase front can be steered at an angle with respect to the first axis and otherwise manipulated according to the index variant pattern induced in the array.