Abstract: An apparatus includes imaging optics having an objective lens configured to focus electromagnetic radiation to an intermediate image plane and one or more optical devices configured to generate an optical beam from the electromagnetic radiation. The apparatus also includes at least one imaging sensor configured to capture an image from the optical beam. The apparatus further includes a beam generator configured to generate and transmit an HEL beam through the imaging optics. In addition, the apparatus includes an intermediate alignment target configured to be moveably positioned at the intermediate image plane. The intermediate alignment target includes a first-wavelength target configured to reflect a first spectral band of the HEL beam to a first of the at least one imaging sensor (the first imaging sensor configured to capture a first-wavelength infrared image of the first spectral band) and transmit remaining spectral portions of the HEL beam towards the objective lens.

Abstract: A system includes at least one imaging sensor configured to capture images of a target. The system also includes at least one controller configured to generate super-resolution images of the target using the captured images and identify multiple edges of the target using the super-resolution images. The at least one controller is also configured to identify an aimpoint on the target based on the identified edges of the target. In addition, the at least one controller is configured to update the aimpoint on the target as the target moves over time. The system may further include a high-energy laser (HEL) configured to generate an HEL beam that is directed towards the target, and the at least one controller may be configured to adjust one or more optical devices to direct the HEL beam at the identified aimpoint on the target.

Abstract: A flexure including a bipod strut pair extending from a base and a titanium-zirconium-niobium alloy, which includes titanium, about 13.5 to about 14.5 wt. % zirconium, and about 18 to about 19 weight % (wt. %) niobium. The titanium-zirconium-niobium alloy has a congruent melting temperature of about 1750 to about 1800° Celsius (° C.).

Abstract: An apparatus for generating a time-delayed product of two independent signals includes a fixed-wavelength laser. A first optical modulator is optically coupled to the fixed-wavelength laser and configured to modulate a fixed wavelength optical carrier with a first input signal of a set of input signals. The apparatus also includes a tunable laser. A second optical modulator is optically coupled to the tunable laser and configured to modulate a tunable optical carrier with a second input signal of the set of input signals. The apparatus also includes a dispersive element coupled to the second optical modulator, a first optical detector coupled to the dispersive element, a third optical modulator optically coupled to the first optical detector and the first optical modulator, an optical 90-degree hybrid element optically coupled to the third optical modulator, and a plurality of optical detectors optically coupled to the optical 90-degree hybrid element.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensor. The SAW sensor includes a piezoelectric substrate. The SAW sensor also includes first and second interdigitating transistors over the piezoelectric substrate. The first interdigitating transistor is configured to convert an input electrical signal into an acoustic wave. The second interdigitating transistor is configured to convert the acoustic wave into an output electrical signal. The piezoelectric substrate is configured to transport the acoustic wave. The SAW sensor further includes a detection layer over the piezoelectric substrate and positioned at least partially between the first and second interdigitating transistors. The detection layer includes (i) antibodies configured to bind to one or more biological analytes and (ii) a hydrogel layer over the antibodies.

Abstract: A drive mechanism for actuating a control surface of a vehicle that moves through a fluid medium. The mechanism directly translates the rotational motion provided by an input drive to a control surface that is used to direct the vehicle. The mechanism provides both weight and space savings as well as limits, if not eliminates, backlash. The angled drive mechanism may be particularly suited for use in applications such as UAV/UUV, munitions, and other relatively small platforms.

Abstract: A passive vector modulator (PVM) includes a divider that splits an input signal into a first divided signal and a second divided signal 90° apart in phase. The PVM includes a switched transformer phase shifter including primary windings to form first primary windings and second primary windings receiving the first divided signal and the second divided signal respectively. First secondary windings are coupled to the first primary windings, the first secondary windings being center-tapped and outputting first and second phase shifted output signals, phase shifted 180° and 0° respectively. Second secondary windings are coupled to the second primary windings, the second secondary windings being center-tapped and outputting third and fourth phase shifted signals, phase shifted 270° and 90° respectively. The PVM includes a switch configured to receive the phase shifted output signals. The switch selectively outputs one of the phase shifted output signals, or a combination, from the PVM.

Abstract: A system and method for generating and displaying contours. In some embodiments, the method includes: calculating a first threshold, based on a first target point in a first slice; and generating a first contour, the first contour being a boundary of a first region, the first region being a region within which: the elements of the first slice are greater than the first threshold, or the elements of the first slice are less than the first threshold.

Abstract: An electrical device includes a substrate with a compressive layer, a neutral stress buffer layer and a tensile stress compensation layer. The stress buffer layer and the stress compensation layer may each be formed with aluminum nitride using different processing parameters to provide a different intrinsic stress value for each layer. The aluminum nitride tensile layer is configured to counteract stresses from the compressive layer in the device to thereby control an amount of substrate bow in the device. This is useful for protecting fragile materials in the device, such as mercury cadmium telluride. The aluminum nitride stress compensation layer also can compensate for forces, such as due to CTE mismatches, to protect the fragile layer. The device may include temperature-sensitive materials, and the aluminum nitride stress compensation layer or stress buffer layer may be formed at a temperature below the thermal degradation temperature of the temperature-sensitive material.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a photodetector configured to generate an electrical current based on received illumination. The apparatus also includes an integration capacitor configured to integrate the electrical current and generate an integrator voltage. The apparatus further includes an amplifier configured to control a transistor switch coupled in series between the photodetector and the integration capacitor. The apparatus also includes an event detector configured to sense a high-energy event affecting the photodetector. In addition, the apparatus includes a switchable clamp coupled across inputs of the amplifier, where the event detector is configured to close the switchable clamp in response to sensing the high-energy event.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a photonic integrated circuit having an optical phased array, where the optical phased array includes multiple unit cells. Each unit cell includes multiple antenna elements configured to transmit or receive optical signals, where a first subset of the antenna elements is oriented in a first direction and a second subset of the antenna elements is oriented in a second direction opposite the first direction. Each unit cell also includes multiple signal pathways configured to transport the optical signals to or from the antenna elements, where at least some of the signal pathways have an “H” configuration. Each unit cell further includes multiple phase modulators configured to modify phases of the optical signals being transported through the signal pathways.

Abstract: A device includes a substantially planar platform. The device also includes a detector connected to the platform. The device further includes multiple cold fingers including a first cold finger and a second cold finger. Each cold finger has an end portion connected to the platform. Each cold finger is configured to be fluidly coupled to a corresponding cryocooler. Each cold finger is configured to absorb thermal energy generated by the detector. The second cold finger has a flexure region at the end portion.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for updating data in a computer network. An exemplary method includes: receiving input data from at least one device; performing an extraction operation on the input data to extract at least one feature; producing at least one feature vector based on the at least one feature; performing a similarity analysis between the at least one feature vector and a plurality of other feature vectors from a plurality of autoencoders; selecting a first autoencoder from the plurality of autoencoders demonstrating significant similarity with at least one feature vector; determining whether the input data exhibits a recurring drift or a new drift; and training a new autoencoder using at least a portion of the input data.

Abstract: A method includes obtaining a photonic integrated circuit having an optical phased array. The optical phased array includes multiple unit cells, and each unit cell includes (i) an antenna element configured to transmit or receive optical signals and (ii) a modulator configured to modify phases of the optical signals. The method also includes identifying center wavelengths of the modulators in the optical phased array. The method further includes directing ultraviolet illumination onto at least a subset of the unit cells simultaneously in order to change the center wavelengths of at least a subset of the modulators in the optical phased array. In addition, the method includes monitoring changes to the center wavelengths of at least the subset of the modulators in the optical phased array.

Abstract: A method of encoding information in an object that may allow for enhanced tailorability of the encoding during the processing and/or also enhance the amount of information encoded in the object. More particularly, the method of encoding the object enables the magnetic characteristics at different spatial locations of the object to be modified to form a spatial array of the different magnetic characteristics for representing the encoded information. The method can be used to permanently embed a magnetic signature in a non-magnetic object, for example. More specifically, the method allows different portions of the object to exhibit different magnetic characteristics at each spatial location of the object in three dimensions, and more particularly configuring the magnetic vectors of those portions in many possible orientations with a 4n steradian solid angle and/or with different intensities.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a current-based temperature compensation circuit having a reference buffer, a biasing current mirror, and a controller. The reference buffer is configured to receive a biasing reference voltage at a voltage input terminal and replicate the biasing reference voltage to first and second buffer terminals. At least one of the first and second buffer terminals is configured to be electrically connected to at least one gate terminal of an analog complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) physically unclonable function (PUF) cell. The biasing current mirror is configured to receive a reference current at a current input terminal and replicate the reference current to the first buffer terminal. The controller is configured to compensate an output of the CMOS PUF cell for temperature variation based on a weighted sum of a bandgap current, a current proportional to absolute temperature, and a current complementary to absolute temperature.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for context-aware monitoring of the system memory to provide system integrity. An example methodology implementing the techniques includes determining a type of operating system (OS) that is loaded on system memory, examining contents of at least one system memory page, and assigning at least one tag to the at least one system memory page based on the determined type of OS and the examination of the contents of the at least one system memory page. The at least one tag indicates the characteristics of the contents of the at least one system memory page.

Abstract: A method includes obtaining multiple input images of a scene based on image data captured using multiple imaging sensors. The method also includes generating a gain map identifying relative gains of the imaging sensors. The gain map is generated using the input images and translational and rotational offsets between one or more pairs of the input images. Generating the gain map may include using, for each pair of the input images, a rotation matrix based on a rotation angle between the pair of the input images. The method may further include using the gain map to process additional image data captured using the imaging sensors.

Abstract: A scalable independent unit cell device architecture may include a phase-shifting element and a phase shift driver both integrated within the unit cell device. The phase shift driver may be coupled to the phase-shifting element and the phase shift driver may independently control the phase-shifting element to produce an optical beam having a desired phase. The unit cell device may further include an optical antenna that outputs the beam having the desired phase. The unit cell device may be formed as an opto-electronic hybrid optimized to leverage direct bond hybridization (DBH) to attach an electronic integrated circuit wafer to a side of a photonic integrated circuit wafer. The resulting unit cell device (i.e., 24 microns) may tightly integrate individual element-level phase control, which may be implemented within large-scale two-dimensional photonic arrays with hemispherical beam steering.

Abstract: A reflector antenna system includes: a concave primary reflector, the concave primary reflector adapted to be illuminated by a sub-reflector and radiate accordingly an axisymmetric beam; a coherent-phase sub-reflector disposed one in front of the primary reflector; and a feed adapted to operate with the TE01 axisymmetric mode and illuminating the said sub-reflector by employment of such. the aperture of the feed disposed to crowd the sub-reflector.