Abstract: An electro-optic modulator (300) comprises a multiple quantum well core layer (320) in which the band gap and refractive index are adjusted to make the core layer (320) transparent to light at a selected wavelength and a voltage tunable, multiple quantum well cladding layer (330) in which an exciton absorption provides the cladding layer (330) with a first refractive index that is less than the core refractive index when a first voltage is applied and a second refractive index that approaches or exceeds the core refractive index when a second voltage is applied. The exciton absorption also provides the voltage tunable cladding layer (330) with a substantially greater absorption coefficient at the selected wavelength than that of the core layer (320).

Abstract: A closed-loop heat transfer system comprises a heat pipe (10) and an external liquid-phase pump (11). The heat pipe (10) includes an evaporator (12) and a condenser (13) connected by a conduit (14). The evaporator (12) is a hollow structure having an interior surface defining an evaporation region in which a working field in liquid phase absorbs heat from a heat source by evaporation. A capillary pumping structure, e.g., capillary channels (30) or a fine-mesh screen (41), is provided on or adjacent the interior wall of the evaporator (12). Evaporated working fluid laden with heat is thermodynamically driven substantially adiabatically via the conduit (14) from the evaporator (12) to the condenser (13), wherein the working fluid rejects heat to a heat sink by condensation. Condensed working fluid is thereupon returned from the condenser (13) to the evaporator (12) via external conduits (22, 15) by means of the liquid-phase pump (11).

Abstract: The disclosed heterodyne measurement apparatus utilizes a single coherent light source to simultaneously measure the location of a number of points on a surface. The coherent light is split into two parts by a Bragg Cell. One part, after being spatially split into a plurality of beams by a second Bragg Cell, fed to a plurality of reflectors on the surface, and recombined by the second Bragg Cell, is heterodyned with the second part. The heterodyned signal is fed to a photodetector and further processed to produce a signal representative to the distance to the points of interest on the surface.