Abstract: Disclosed is a tunable optical filter which may be used in telecommunications systems. The filter comprises a single mode optical waveguide containing a grating. The resonance wavelength of the filter is changed by changing the boundary condition at the interface between the cladding layer and an additional layer applied to the outer cladding layer surface. This boundary condition is changed by changing the refractive index of the additional layer. Means for changing the refractive index of the additional layer include establishing a structural resonance in the additional layer, or forming the additional layer from electro-optic or piezoelectric materials.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method of rendering fused silica resistant to compaction caused by UV laser beam irradiation. The method of the invention results is a fused silica member that is desensitized to compaction caused by the long-term exposure to UV laser beams. The invention includes a means to pre-compact fused silica members using high energy radiation.

Abstract: A splice closure contains multiple splice trays that can be individually pivoted and accessed so that the splice closure is capable of optimally carrying and providing access to numerous optical fibers and optical fiber splices. The splice closure has a housing defining an internal cavity and at least one opening to the internal cavity. An end cap is capable of occluding the opening of the housing to provide an enclosed configuration. A support frame has opposite front and rear ends, the front end of the support frame is connected to the end cap, and the support frame is capable of being positioned within the internal cavity of the housing during the enclosed configuration. The support frame extends in a longitudinal direction between the front and rear ends, and defines a frame axis that extends in the longitudinal direction.

Abstract: A fluorinated polymerizable compound useful for fabricating planar optical devices includes at least one fluorinated alkylene or alkylene ether moiety and at least two terminal acrylate moieties, each terminal acrylate moiety being connected to one of the fluorinated alkylene or fluorinated alklene ether moieties by an ester linking group. The fluorinated polymerizable compounds, or macromers, of this invention are useful for forming optical components exhibiting a refractive index comparable to that of glass fiber waveguides, while also exhibiting very low absorption losses. Polymerizable compositions suitable for preparing optical components can be prepared by combining the macromers of the invention with a photoinitiator. Conventional optical monomers may also be employed, if desired.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of making a photonic crystal using a combination of extruding and drawing techniques. The method is contemplated as being capable of producing both two and three dimensional crystals due to the maturity and diversity of extruding and drawing technology. The method allows the drawing of relatively large photonic crystals and is flexible enough to provide a periodic array of channels or filaments as the crystal features. After the extruding step or steps and before the step of heating and drawing, a plurality of elongated extruded bodies can be bundled and drawn as a unit.

Abstract: A hip and ridge shingle includes a base sheet having colored granules adhered to the top surface. A chip is adhered to the base at the trailing edge of the base sheet. A sealant bead is provided parallel to and adjacent the leading edge of base sheet.

Abstract: A glass composition well suited for use in optical amplification consists of an erbium-doped borate glass composition comprising at least 30 mole percent of B2O3, not over 30 mole percent of SiO2, preferably not over 5 mole percent of La2O3, a ratio of B2O3 to (&Sgr;X2O+&Sgr;YO) that is at least 3.5, preferably 4.5, where X2O represents monovalent metal oxides(s) and YO represents divalent metal oxides, the glass providing a wide useful bandwidth (50 nm and greater) for optical amplification around the 1545 nm region.

Abstract: The disclosed invention is a coated optical waveguide. The invention includes an optical waveguide and a first coating encompassing the optical waveguide. The first coating has at least one functional group that is a selected from the group consisting of an acidic group or a basic group. The invention also includes a second coating having at least one functional group. The second coating is bonded to the first coating. The functional group of the second coating is a basic group when the first coating functional group is an acidic group. The second coating functional group is an acidic group when the first coating functional group is a basic group. The disclosed invention also includes the method of making the coated optical fiber. The disclosed invention further includes a method of controlling optical waveguide inter coating adhesion. The acid/base character between a plurality of adjacent coating layers is alternated.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a starch ester having short- and long-chain acyl groups wherein hydrogens in reactive hydroxyl groups in the same starch molecule have been replaced by C2-4 short-chain acyl groups and C6-18 long-chain acyl groups. The degree of substitution by the short- and long-chain acyl groups are regulated so as to make the starch ester thermo-plasticized and moldable even in the absence of a plasticizer. Accordingly, the starch ester of the present invention can be used as a biodegradable thermoplastic plastic material which can be thermo-plasticized in the absence of a plasticizer.

Abstract: A single mode optical waveguide fiber having a segmented core designed to provide a large effective area for light transmission. The large effective area reduces waveguide fiber non-linearities. The inventive waveguide is thus suited for transmission of high power signals over long distances. Embodiments of the inventive single mode waveguide including five core segments are given. The large effective area is achieved with essentially no degradation in optical or mechanical performance of the waveguide.

Abstract: A converting assembly and method for creating an in-line closure from a first end cap and a first support frame of a butt-type closure includes a second support frame and a second end cap. An elongate housing defines an internal cavity, a front opening at the front end of the housing, and a rear opening at the rear end of the housing. The front and rear openings are contemporaneously respectively occluded by the first and second end caps while the first end cap is connected to the front end of the first support frame and the second end cap is connected to the rear end of the second support frame. The front end of the second support frame is connected to the rear end of the first support frame so that the first and second support frames are enclosed within the internal cavity defined by the housing.

Abstract: High purity silicon oxyfluoride glass suitable for use as a photomask substrates for photolithography applications in the VUV wavelength region below 190 nm is disclosed. The inventive silicon oxyfluoride glass is transmissive at wavelengths around 157 nm, making it particularly useful as a photomask substrate at the 157 nm wavelength region. The inventive photomask substrate is a “dry,” silicon oxyfluoride glass which exhibits very high transmittance in the vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) wavelength region while maintaining the excellent thermal and physical properties generally associated with high purity fused silica. In addition to containing fluorine and having little or no OH content, the inventive silicon oxyfluoride glass suitable for use as a photomask substrate at 157 nm is also characterized by having less than 1×1017 molecules/cm3 of molecular hydrogen and low chlorine levels.

Abstract: A multi-stage optical cross-connect in which sub-switches within the respective stages are spatially distributed relative to sub-switches of adjacent stages such that each input/output of any given sub-switch is respectively optically coupleable with an output/input of a respective sub-switch of an adjacent stage by direct linear optical propagation or by non-interleaving waveguides, such that simple interconnection between stages is provided. The spatial distribution may be accomplished within a single plane or by layering the sub-switches within a given stage.

Abstract: A catalytic converter for purifying exhaust gases from an internal combustion engine includes a monolithic ceramic substrate having a peripheral surface encircled by a non-intumescent supporting mat material. A metal shell comprising a wider portion which is adjacent to and encloses the mat material and the substrate. The metal shell further comprises a narrower portion which overlaps and is attached to the outer surface of the wider metal shell portion. The wider and narrower metal shell portions combine to exert a compressive force on the wrapped substrate.

Abstract: An optical device which utilizes a photothermal optical effect to achieve switching or attenuation includes a waveguide defined by a waveguide core and a surrounding cladding, wherein the polymer waveguide core includes a region consisting of a photothermally responsive material having an absorption coefficient at a switch wavelength or attenuation wavelength that is higher than an absorption coefficient at a signal wavelength. Switching devices include an optical splitter circuit having a branch that includes the photothermally responsive material, and either a multiplexer for introducing light at the switch wavelength into the optical circuit or a light source focused at the photothermally responsive material. Attenuating devices include a Mach-Zehnder type interferometer having a branch that includes the photothermally responsive material and either a multiplexer for introducing light at the attenuation wavelength into the optical circuit or a light source focused at the photothermally responsive material.

Abstract: A protective device for excess current utilizes a fuse that incorporates a printed circuit board. The printed circuit board has a trace on one side which is of a desired width, length, and thickness of material for opening if excess current for a selected duration of time is reached. The printed circuit board is mounted in an insulated housing. The lower side of the substrate may also have a conductive layer connected to the housing or ground. The printed circuit board and overvoltage protector may be tailored for impedance matching. An excess voltage protector may be incorporated with the printed circuit board for conducting to ground if excessive voltage is encountered. The housing has two terminals which are connected to the printed circuit board and voltage protector. These terminals may be conventional coaxial cable connectors.

Abstract: A system and method for measuring stress exerted on an optical fiber including providing an optical fiber that includes a fiber optic sensor, and exposing the optical fiber and the fiber optic sensor to various stresses associated with the process by moving the optical fiber and the fiber optic sensor through the process to be measured. The system and method further includes transmitting a source light through the optical fiber as the optical fiber and the fiber optic sensor are exposed to various stresses, receiving a return light signal from the fiber optic sensor as the optical fiber and the fiber optic sensor are exposed to various stresses, and comparing the source light signal to the return light signal for determining the stress exerted on the optical fiber.

Abstract: An athermal optical device and a method for producing the device, such as an athermal optical fiber reflective grating (20), are described. The athermal optical fiber reflective grating device (20) comprises a negative expansion substrate (22), an optical fiber (24) mounted on the substrate (22) surface, and a grating (26) defined in the optical fiber (24). The method for producing the athermal optical fiber reflective grating (20) device comprises providing a negative expansion substrate (22), mounting an optical fiber (24) with at least one reflective grating (26) defined therein onto the substrate (20) upper surface, and affixing the optical fiber (24) to the substrate (22) at at least two spaced-apart locations (30, 32).