Abstract: A mobile, miniature x-ray source includes a low-power consumption cathode element for mobility, and an anode optic creating a field free region to prolong the life of the cathode element. An electric field is applied to an anode and a cathode that are disposed on opposite sides of an evacuated tube. The anode includes a target material to produce x-rays in response to impact of electrons. The cathode includes a cathode element to produce electrons that are accelerated towards the anode in response to the electric field between the anode and the cathode. The tube can have a length less than approximately 3 inches, and a diameter or width less than approximately 1 inch. The cathode element can include a low-power consumption cathode element with a low power consumption less than approximately 1 watt. The power source can include a battery power source. A field-free region can be positioned at the anode to resist positive ion acceleration back towards the cathode element.

Abstract: An image projection system includes one or more wire grid polarizing beam splitters and one or more transmissive arrays. A polarized light beams from a light source and pre-polarizer is directed towards the transmissive array which modulates the polarization of the polarized light beam by selectively altering the polarization of the polarized light beam to encode image information thereon and creating a modulated beam. The modulated beam is directed towards the wire grid polarizing beam splitter which acts as an analyzer to separate the modulated beam into reflected and transmitted beams. A screen is disposed in one of the reflected or transmitted beams to display the encoded image information. The polarizing beam splitter is oriented at an angle with respect to the modulated beam such that the reflected beam is directed away from the transmissive array. A plurality of transmissive arrays can be used for different colors. One or more polarizing beam splitters can act as both analyzers and combiners.

Abstract: A mobile, miniature x-ray source includes a low-power consumption cathode element for mobility, and an anode optic creating a field free region to prolong the life of the cathode element. An electric field is applied to an anode and a cathode that are disposed on opposite sides of an evacuated tube. The anode includes a target material to produce x-rays in response to impact of electrons. The cathode includes a cathode element to produce electrons that are accelerated towards the anode in response to the electric field between the anode and the cathode. The tube can have a length less than approximately 3 inches, and a diameter or width less than approximately 1 inch. The cathode element can include a low-power consumption cathode element with a low power consumption less than approximately 1 watt. The power source can include a battery power source. A field-free region can be positioned at the anode to resist positive ion acceleration back towards the cathode element.

Abstract: A polarizing device has an arrangement of generally parallel elements disposed in an unpolarized source light beam for transmitting polarizations perpendicular to the elements and reflecting polarizations parallel to the elements. The elements may be disposed at substantially any incidence angle and may reflect the reflected beam at substantially any angle. The elements may be disposed on a substrate or embedded in a substrate. The elements may be disposed in a curved layer. The substrate may also have a curved surface. A polarizer apparatus may also have a mirror or the like for redirecting or recapturing the transmitted or reflected beam so they have similar directions or are directed to a common area. The device may also have a wave plate or the like for changing the polarization of the transmitted or reflected beams so they have the same polarization.

Abstract: An optical polarizer device that reflects light of one polarization over a controlled angular range, and improved twisted nematic liquid crystal display devices incorporating the same, is comprised of a grid of conductive elements supported on a textured substrate such that light of one polarization is transmitted through the grid while light of the orthogonal polarization is reflected. The angular distribution of the reflected light is determined by the texture of the substrate. Liquid crystal display embodiments include a configuration intended exclusively for front illumination by ambient light and a configuration which may use either front-illumination or back illumination by an internal light source.

Abstract: An image projection system has a wire grid polarizing beam splitter which functions as both the polarizer and the analyzer in the system. A light source produces a source light beam directed at the beam splitter which reflects one polarization and transmits the other. A liquid crystal array is disposed in either the reflected or transmitted beam. The array modulates the polarization of the beam, encoding image information thereon, and directs the modulated beam back to the beam splitter. The beam splitter again reflects one polarization and transmits the other so that the encoded image is either reflected or transmitted to a screen. The beam splitter can be an embedded wire grid polarizer with an array of parallel, elongated, spaced-apart elements sandwiched between first and second layers. The elements form a plurality of gaps between the elements which provide a refractive index less than the refractive index of the first or second layers.

Abstract: An embedded wire grid polarizer for the visible spectrum includes an array of parallel, elongated, spaced-apart elements sandwiched between first and second layers. The elements form a plurality of gaps between the elements which provide a refractive index less than the refractive index of the first layer. Regions may be formed between the elements and the first and/or second layers which also provide a refractive index which is less than the refractive index of the layers. The regions may be formed by film layers or ribs/grooves formed in the layers.

Abstract: A wire grid polarizing beam splitter has a generally parallel arrangement of thin, elongated elements which interact with electromagnetic waves of a source light beam to generally transmit or pass light of one polarization, and reflect light of the other polarization. The arrangement of elements has a throughput greater than approximately 50%, and an extinction greater than approximately 100. In addition, the arrangement of elements has a period less than approximately 0.21 &mgr;m, and a width to period ratio of between approximately 0.25 to 0.76. The elements have a thickness of between approximately 0.05 to 0.5 &mgr;m.

Abstract: An image projection system has a wire grid polarizing beam splitter which functions as both the polarizer and the analyzer in the system. A light source produces a source light beam directed at the beam splitter which reflects one polarization and transmits the other. A liquid crystal array is disposed in either the reflected or transmitted beam. The array modulates the polarization of the beam, encoding image information thereon, and directs the modulated beam back to the beam splitter. The beam splitter again reflects one polarization and transmits the other so that the encoded image is either reflected or transmitted to a screen. The wire grid polarizing beam splitter is capable of being oriented at various incident angles with respect to the source light beam and modulated beam, and accepts relatively divergent light.

Abstract: A polarizing device has an arrangement of generally parallel elements disposed in an unpolarized source light beam for transmitting polarizations perpendicular to the elements and reflecting polarizations parallel to the elements. The elements may be disposed at substantially any incidence angle and may reflect the reflected beam at substantially any angle. The elements may be disposed on a substrate or embedded in a substrate. The elements may be disposed in a curved layer. The substrate may also have a curved surface. A polarizer apparatus may also have a mirror or the like for redirecting or recapturing the transmitted or reflected beam so they have similar directions or are directed to a common area. The apparatus may also have a wave plate or the like for changing the polarization of the transmitted or reflected beams so they have the same polarization.

Abstract: A polarizing device has an arrangement of generally parallel elements disposed in an unpolarized source light beam for transmitting polarizations perpendicular to the elements and reflecting polarizations parallel to the elements. The elements may be disposed at substantially any incidence angle and may reflect the reflected beam at substantially any angle. The elements may be disposed on a substrate or embedded in a substrate. The elements may be disposed in a curved layer. The substrate may also have a curved surface. A polarizer apparatus may also have a mirror or the like for redirecting or recapturing the transmitted or reflected beam so they have similar directions or are directed to a common area. The device may also have a wave plate or the like for changing the polarization of the transmitted or reflected beams so they have the same polarization.

Abstract: An optical polarizer device that reflects light of one polarization over a controlled angular range, and improved twisted nematic liquid crystal display devices incorporating the same, is comprised of a grid of conductive elements supported on a textured substrate such that light of one polarization is transmitted through the grid while light of the orthogonal polarization is reflected. The angular distribution of the reflected light is determined by the texture of the substrate. Liquid crystal display embodiments include a configuration intended exclusively for front illumination by ambient light and a configuration which may use either front-illumination or back illumination by an internal light source.

Abstract: A dual mode liquid crystal display device has a liquid crystal material disposed between a first polarizer and a second reflective polarizer. A light source is disposed behind the second polarizer and an absorbing means is disposed behind the second polarizer in front of the light source. The reflective polarizer may be a wire grid polarizer and reflects one polarization back towards the front of the display to create a bright image. The other polarization is passed by the reflective polarizer and absorbed by the absorbing means. The absorbing means may be a third polarizer and a wave plate for rotating the polarization passed by the second polarizer before absorbing it so that the second and third polarizers pass the same polarization so that the light produced by the light source may also pass through to the front of the display. The absorbing means may also be a removable sheet of absorbing material.

Abstract: A sample support for holding for samples for use with an analysis instrument. The sample support is particularly beneficial for use with analysis instruments which rely on a beam of radiation or accelerated particles and a method for making the same is disclosed. The holder includes a frame with one or more orifices covered by a support surface, typically in the form of a thin polymer film. The film is divided into hydrophobic and hydrophilic portions to isolate precise positions where samples can be placed to intersect a probe beam during analysis.

Abstract: A holder for micro-samples for use with an analysis instrument relying on a beam of radiation or accelerated particles and a method for making the same is disclosed. The holder includes a frame with one or more orifices covered by a thin polymer film. One or more concave impressions are formed in the thin polymer film at the precise positions where samples can be placed to intersect a probe beam during analysis.

Abstract: X-ray dispersive and reflective structures utilizing special materials which exhibit improved performance in the specific ranges of interest. The structures are formed of alternating thin layers of uranium, uranium compound or uranium alloy and another spacer material consisting of elements or compounds with low absorptance chosen to match the wavelength of interest. These low index of refraction elements or compounds are those best suited for water window microscopy and nitrogen analysis, or are similar elements or compounds best suited for carbon analysis, boron analysis, and x-ray lithography. The structures are constructed using standard thin layer deposition techniques such as evaporation, sputtering, and CVD, or by novel methods which allow thinner and smoother layers to be deposited.

Abstract: X-ray wave diffraction devices are constructed using atomic layer epetaxy. A crystalline substrate is prepared with one or more surface areas on which multiple pairs of layers of material are to be deposited. These layers are then formed by atomic layer epetaxy on the surface areas of the substrate, one on top of another, with the material of each layer of each pair being selected to have a different index of refraction from that of the material of the other layer of each pair. The layers are formed so that the thickness of each layer of a pair is substantially the same as that of the corresponding layer of every other pair and so that x-ray waves impinging on the layers may be reflected therefrom. Layer pairs having a thickness of about 20 angstroms or less are formed on the substrate.