Abstract: Apparatus for streaking a beam of light employing a crystal in which an electromagnetic wave pulse induces a synthesized traveling lens. Surfaces on opposite sides of the crystal act as light reflectors to create multiple cross-reflections of the beam relative to the crystal, thus to enhance the lensing effect of the crystal. Production of the electromagnetic wave pulse is coordinated with impingement of a beam of light, and the geometry of parts is arranged whereby each coherent wave front in the beam, as it passes multiple times through the crystal, on each such passing encounters the same substantially constant lens condition which has been induced in the crystal.

Abstract: A field ionization source includes a <110> oriented iridium emitter, the tip of which is initially built up in the <110> direction. A negative voltage is applied to the emitter after the emitter has been heated to approximately 2000.degree. C; thereafter, the emitter is cooled to approximately 1200.degree. C. Crystalline buildup of the pointed iridium tip occurs in the <110> direction. After buildup has occurred, the emitter is cooled sufficiently to "freeze" the tip in the built up configuration. The negative voltage is then removed. A gas containing molecules to be ionized is differentially pumped at relatively high pressure through a tube into a region immediately around the emitter tip enclosed by a cathode cap having an aperture through which the ion beam is accelerated. The iridium emitter is mounted in thermal contact with a liquid nitrogen reservoir, which maintains the emitter at near-cryogenic temperatures.

Abstract: A method for obtaining efficient production of short-wavelength, continuously-tunable ultraviolet light by parametric mixing of optical frequency radiation in a nonlinear crystal. The method involves mixing the second harmonic of a tunable, visible-wavelength laser, an organic dye laser, for example, with the fixed-wavelength output of a near-infrared laser, e.g., a Nd:YAG laser, in a conventional nonlinear crystalline material such as ADP or KDP.

Abstract: A system for measuring a lineal dimension of a light reflective object. Sequentially generated light markers forming a raster are projected toward the object to be measured, with the markers traveling along individual, parallel paths which are uniformly spaced-apart along the dimension being measured. Markers intercepted and reflected back by the object are photoelectrically detected and counted to determine the size of the object along the measured dimension.

Abstract: Improved, more reliable activation of a thin wire emitter for field ionization and field desorption mass spectrometry is provided by controlled preroughening of the emitter wire prior to growing semiconducting microneedles on the wire surface.