Abstract: A deformable mirror assembly is provided employing a pressure differential across the mirror element to flex the mirror into a configuration. The configuration is determined by an array of positioning members, each having a fixed back end and a movable front end. The invention employs long-stroke electromagnet actuators with built-in position sensing.

Abstract: A device and process for the permanent removal of unwanted human hair. Hair on a section of skin is contaminated with a substance having high absorption of a frequency band of light. The skin is illuminated with light at this frequency band at sufficient intensity and duration to kill the follicles or the skin tissue feeding of the hair. Specific embodiments to produce death of the follicles or the skin tissues feeding the hair by heating and by photochemical reaction.

Abstract: An optical hazard detection system for aircraft based on a dynamic parallax mechanism to alert the pilot of an object in the flight path by a selected amount of time in advance.

Abstract: A high resolution actuator is provided which can be used in extreme environments, e.g., at extremely low temperatures. The actuator uses electromagnetic forces to actuate levers which then cause rotation of a lead screw. The actuator uses very small gaps in the magnetic circuit to achieve a high force with a small input power.

Abstract: A thin diamond electron beam amplifier. The illumination side of a thin diamond is illuminated by a seed electron beam creating electron-hole pairs in the diamond. A voltage potential provides an electric field between the illumination side of the diamond and an acceleration grid opposite the emission side of the diamond. Electrons released in the diamond are accelerated through the emission side of the diamond toward the acceleration grid creating an amplified electron beam. Preferred embodiments of the present invention are useful to provide flat panel displays and replacements for thermionic cathodes.

Abstract: A scintillation based microscope. One surface of a single crystal salt crystal scintillator is supported on an optically transparent support plate. The opposite surface, an illumination surface, of the crystal is coated with an optically reflecting material which is transparent to high energy photons (such as x-ray and/or high energy ultraviolet photons) in order to provide a scintillation sandwich having an optical mirror at the illumination surface of the crystal. These high energy photons are directed through a target to create a shadow image of the target on the illumination surface of the scintillator salt crystal. A portion or all of the shadow image is viewed with an optical device such as an eye piece to provide a very high resolution image of the target or portions of the target. In a preferred embodiment an adjustable pin hole unit is described to produce a very small x-ray spot source for producing high resolution geometric magnification of the shadow image of the target.

Abstract: A thin diamond electron beam amplifier. The illumination side of a thin diamond is illuminated by a seed electron beam creating electron-hole pairs in the diamond. A voltage potential provides an electric field between the illumination side of the diamond and an acceleration grid opposite the emission side of the diamond. Electrons released in the diamond are accelerated through the emission side of the diamond toward the acceleration grid creating an amplified electron beam. Preferred embodiments of the present invention are useful to provide flat panel displays and replacements for thermionic cathodes.

Abstract: A projectile tracking system for acquiring and precisely tracking a projectile in flight in order to reveal the source from which the projectile was fired. The source is revealed by the back projection of a 3-dimensional track file. The system is particularly suited for tracking a bullet fired by a sniper and identifying the location of the sniper. Projectiles of interest typically become hot due to aerodynamic heating. A telescope focuses infrared light from a relatively large field of view on to an infrared focal plane array. In a detection mode, the system searches for the infrared signature of the projectile. The telescope's field of view is steered in the azimuth by a step and stare mirror which is driven by an azimuth drive motor mounted on the frame. When a projectile is detected, the system switches to a tracking mode and the mirror is steered by the azimuth drive motor and a pivot motor to track the projectile.

Abstract: An "inch worm" type linear actuator in which high resolution is achieved by directly moving an actuator armature in small steps using thermal, piezoelectric, electromagnetic, or magnetostrictive armature translators. Sequential operation of paired electromagnet clamp assemblies and the armature translator provides a step-wise linear motion. When power is removed, the inventive mechanism prevents further motion of the armature. The preferred embodiment meets these requirements in a compact size having a relative long stroke that is suitable for cryogenic applications, such as moving a segment of a space telescope mirror.

Abstract: A low cost microwave antenna. Microwaves are radiated from or collected by a thin layer radiating-collecting microwave guide section in which a dielectric slab is sandwiched between a metallic bottom plate and a metallic radiating-collecting cover plate. The cover plate contains a large number of slots spaced to produce outgoing or define incoming microwaves beams having directions determined: (1) by the directions of propagation of microwave radiation within the radiating-collecting microwave section and (2) by the frequency of the radiation. In a collection mode, a microwave lens focuses microwave radiation propagating in the waveguide section at focal locations which are dependent on the direction of propagation of the radiation in the waveguide. Alternatively, in a radiation mode, the lens converts microwave energy broadcast from said focal locations into parallel beams propagating in the radiating-collecting microwave guide section.

Abstract: A thin diamond electron beam amplifier. The illumination side of a thin diamond is illuminated by a seed electron beam creating electron-hole pairs in the diamond. A voltage potential provides an electric field between the illumination side of the diamond and an acceleration grid opposite the emission side of the diamond. Electrons released in the diamond are accelerated through the emission side of the diamond toward the acceleration grid creating an amplified electron beam. Preferred embodiments of the present invention are useful to provide flat panel displays and replacements for thermionic cathodes, cathode ray tubes, fast photodetectors and image intensifiers.

Abstract: A semiconductor imaging device comprising MOS or CMOS pixel circuits having pixel pads separated by insulating material and having a conductive migration blocking layer applied over the pixel pads. The conductive migration blocking layer comprises an electrically conductive material that is inert with respect to selected photoelectric conversion layer materials, and may be formed as individual contacts, or formed as a deposited layer and etched to form distinct pixels covering the underlying pixel pad material. Thereafter, a photoelectric conversion layer is applied over the migration blocking layer material. The basic device is completed by applying a field electrode layer over the photoelectric conversion layer.

Abstract: A laser communication device for transmitting and receiving information imposed on laser beams. A transmitting unit and a receiving unit are implemented based on atomic line filters. The transmitting unit includes a compact tunable laser locked to a selected atomic transition line. Information may be imposed on a laser beam by modulating the frequency thereof while maintaining its output power substantially unchanged.

Abstract: An imaging device for producing images from electron-hole producing radiation. Electron-hole pairs are produced in a radiation absorbing layer comprised of a photoconductive material. This layer covers an array of metal oxide semiconductor pixel circuits which are incorporated into and on a crystalline semiconductor substrate. Each pixel circuit has a charge collecting pixel electrode, a capacitor connected to the electrode to store the charges and a charge measuring transistor circuit. A voltage source provides an electric field across the radiation absorbing layer between the pixel electrodes and a radiation transparent surface electrode covering the radiation absorbing layer. A data acquisition system acquires and stores data derived from charge measurements and in a preferred embodiment a computer computes images from the data. The image may be displayed on a monitor or printed out on a printer. Preferred embodiments provide images from x-ray, ultraviolet and visible light.

Abstract: A microwave incinerator is configured to incinerate waste material. The waste material is installed within a microwave absorbing shroud located in a microwave chamber. The combination of low microwave heat input and a vacuum drawn on the chamber vaporizes the water in the garbage. During this first phase there is no combustion because of the relatively low temperature and the lack of oxygen. Once the material is dry, intense microwave energy is applied to the chamber heating the silicon carbide shroud to an elevated temperature in the range of about 500 to 1000 degrees C. Concurrent with the rapid rise in temperature, air containing oxygen is pumped into the chamber. The hot shroud ignites the material, after which heat is provided is a combination of combustion heat and microwave energy. The temperature is monitored and the microwave energy input is controlled to assure a controlled burn of the waste material.

Abstract: The present invention provides a projectile tracking system for acquiring and precisely tracking a projectile in flight in order to reveal the source from which the projectile was fired. The source is revealed by the back projection of a 3-dimensional track file. The system is particularly suited for tracking a bullet fired by a sniper and identifying the location of the sniper. Projectiles of interest are typically traveling at a substantial fraction of the speed of sound or even faster than the speed of sound and therefore become hot due to aerodynamic heating. A telescope focuses infrared light from a relatively large field of view on to an infrared focal plane array. In a projectile detection mode, the system searches for the infrared signature of the fast moving projectile. The telescope's field of view is steered in the azimuth by a step and stare mirror which is driven by an azimuth drive motor mounted on the frame.

Abstract: For transmitting information via laser beams to and from other similar laser communication transceivers. Each transceiver comprises a wavelength locked beacon laser providing a beacon beam. The transceivers determine the precise location of other transceivers by detecting these beacon beams with beacon receive units comprising atomic line filters matched to the beacon wavelength. Signals are transmitted by imposing an electronic signal on laser beams produced by one or more signal laser devices. These signals are directed with precision at other transceivers, and the signal beams are detected with very narrow field of view signal receive units. In a preferred embodiment, these transceivers are installed on 66 satellites in low earth orbit and on selected mountain tops on earth to provide a global communication system.

Abstract: A Voigt optical filter. Crossed polarizers are provided at the entrance and exit of a vapor cell continuing an alkali metal vapor. A magnet provides a magnetic field at 90.degree. with the axis of the cell and 45.degree. with each polarizer direction. The only light which passes through the filter is light within a narrow frequency band near the atomic transitions (absorption peaks) of the alkali metal vapor.

Abstract: Air cross grids, for absorbing scattered secondary radiation and improving X-ray imaging in general radiography and in mammography, are provided with a large plurality of open air passages extending through each grid panel. These passages are defined by two large pluralities of substantially parallel partition walls, respectively extending transverse to each other. Each grid panel is made by laminating a plurality of thin metal foil sheets photo-etched to create through openings defined by partition segments. The etched sheets are aligned and bonded to form the laminated grid panel, which is moved edgewise during the X-ray exposure to pass primary radiation through the air passages while absorbing scattered secondary radiation arriving along slanted paths.

Abstract: An x-ray imaging device. One surface of a flat single crystal CsI crystal is supported on an optically transparent support plate. The opposite surface, i.e. an x-ray illumination surface of the crystal is coated with an x-ray transparent optical reflector to provide an x-ray scintillation sandwich having an optical mirror at the x-ray illumination surface of the CsI crystal. An optical camera is preferably focused on the illumination surface of the CsI crystal. In a preferred embodiment an index of refraction matched optical adhesive is used at the x-ray illumination surface to attach the reflector and to reduce Fresnel reflections.