Abstract: A thin layer of ionic crystal is grown on a substrate. The crystal could be any type of ionic crystal, such as sodium chloride or potassium chloride. The crystal is a pure form of the chosen compound and may contain contaminants which would shift the wavelength of created color centers. On top of the first crystal layer, a second thin layer of a different type of crystal is deposited, such as lithium fluoride or sodium fluoride. When these two layers are radiated with gamma rays, they will each form color centers at the spots radiated. Because of the difference in crystalline properties of the two different ionic crystal centers, their color centers would be at different wavelengths. Each of the two separate ionic crystals will emit light at different characteristic wavelengths when illuminated at their unique absorption frequencies. Each layer can be made to lase separately.

Abstract: This invention generally relates to nanotechnology and nanoelectronics as well as associated methods and devices. In particular, the invention relates to nanoscale optical components such as electroluminescence devices (e.g., LEDs), amplified stimulated emission devices (e.g., lasers), waveguides, and optical cavities (e.g., resonators). Articles and devices of a size greater than the nanoscale are also included. Such devices can be formed from nanoscale wires such as nanowires or nanotubes. In some cases, the nanoscale wire is a single crystal. In one embodiment, the nanoscale laser is constructed as a Fabry-Perot cavity, and is driven by electrical injection. Any electrical injection source may be used. For example, electrical injection may be accomplished through a crossed wire configuration, an electrode or distributed electrode configuration, or a core/shell configuration. The output wavelength can be controlled, for example, by varying the types of materials used to fabricate the device.

Abstract: A surface-emission laser diode includes a distributed Bragg reflector tuned to wavelength of 1.1 ?m or longer, wherein the distributed Bragg reflector includes an alternate repetition of a low-refractive index layer and a high-refractive index layer, with a heterospike buffer layer having an intermediate refractive index interposed therebetween with a thickness in the range of 5–50 nm.

Abstract: An edge-emitting semiconductor laser includes a resonator structure having an active layer. A low reflection three-layer film is provided on in emitting edge face of the resonator structure and a high reflection multi-layer film is provided on a rear edge face of the resonator structure. The low reflection three-layer film is formed in an exemplary embodiment by sequentially stacking a first Al2O3 layer having a thickness of 10 nm, an Si3N4 film having a thickness of 190 nm, and a second Al2O3 layer having a thickness of 10 nm.

Abstract: Laser apparatus and methods that permit actuation of a tuning element via a magnetically coupled drive assembly, and which provide for isolation of contamination-sensitive optical surfaces within a hermetically sealed enclosure with a magnetically coupled drive assembly that is external to the enclosure. The apparatus of the invention comprises a tuning element positioned in a light beam, and a drive element magnetically coupled to the tuning element. The apparatus may further comprise a hermetically sealed enclosure, with the tuning element positioned within the hermetically sealed enclosure, and the drive element located outside the hermetically sealed enclosure. The methods comprise positioning a tuning element in a light beam, magnetically coupling a drive element to the tuning element; and actuating the tuning element via magnetic coupling between the tuning element and the drive element. The methods may further comprise enclosing the tuning element in a hermetically sealed container.

Abstract: There is provided a semiconductor laser device which allows a stem body and a heat radiation block to be integrally fabricated even in small-size packages and which is low in price. Portions of leads 3A, 3B protruding on a reference surface side are placed on one side surface side of the heat radiation block 2 on which the semiconductor laser chip is mounted. Further, a cover 6 made of resin which is opened on the beam-output side of the semiconductor laser chip 4 is fixed to the heat radiation block 2 so as to surround the semiconductor laser chip 4 and the portions of the leads 3A, 3B protruding on the reference-surface side in conjunction with the heat radiation block 2.

Abstract: An optically pumped semiconductor laser apparatus having a vertical emitter (2) and having one pump laser (5) for optically pumping the vertical emitter (2), with the vertical emitter (2) and the pump laser (5) being monolithically integrated. The pump laser (5) and the vertical emitter (2) each have a radiation-emitting zone (3, 6). During operation, the temperature of the radiation-emitting zone (6) of the pump laser (5) is lower than the temperature of the radiation-emitting zone (3) of the vertical emitter (2).

Abstract: A laser apparatus capable of emitting laser beams of a plurality of different wavelengths includes: a solid-state laser medium which emits light of a plurality of different peak wavelengths; a resonance optical system which resonates the emitted light of the plurality of different peak wavelengths and converts respective light to oscillate the laser beams of the plurality of different wavelengths; and a ¼ wave plate for a wide band, which is placed in the resonance optical system and has a property of providing a uniform phase difference to the light of the plurality of different peak wavelengths to be converted.

Abstract: A system and method for providing a single mode VCSEL (vertical cavity surface emitting laser). A lower mirror is formed on a substrate. An active region including one or more quantum wells is formed over the lower mirror. The upper mirror formed over the active region can include multiple layers and may be formed to be have substantially isotropic conductivity. The layers in the upper mirror can include a lightly doped DBR layer, a heavily doped second layer including an isolation region, and a third heavily doped DBR layer. The active region may include conduction layers, which may be periodically doped, to improve conductivity and reduce free carrier absorption.

Abstract: A solid-state laser rod pumping module has a stack-type semiconductor laser including a plurality of bar-shaped components that are stacked in a direction parallel to the axis of a solid-state laser rod. Each bar-shaped component includes a plurality of laser-light-emitting portions that are aligned and integrated in a direction orthogonal to the axis of the solid-state laser rod. The large divergence angle of the stack-type semiconductor can be compensated by including a light focusing component for focusing laser light emitted out of the stack-type semiconductor laser. The focused light is guided by a laser light guiding component disposed in a diffusive reflection tube. A light guiding component guides the focused light onto a solid-state laser rod located within the diffusive reflective tube, while maintaining the length of one side of the cross section of the guided light.

Abstract: A method of establishing the properties of a three-mirror laser, where the properties are the three mirror reflectivities and the two cavity lengths (i.e., the separations between the mirrors). Initially, a conventional two-mirror laser is designed, providing values for a laser cavity length and for power reflectivities of a high reflectance mirror and an effective mirror. Then, the effective mirror is replaced by a pair of mirrors with a separation equal to an external cavity length, and reflectivities that may be varied in tandem so that when the reflections from the pair of mirrors are in phase, the combined power reflectivity of the pair of mirrors is equal to that of the effective mirror. A quantity ? is defined to measure the relative shift in power reflectivity between the pair of mirrors. ? is varied over all its possible values, and various criteria are evaluated with respect to ?.

Abstract: A DFB semiconductor laser device includes a diffraction grating extending parallel to a laser cavity. The diffraction grating has ununiform structure wherein some of the corrugation patterns of diffraction grating are omitted periodically, the diffraction grating has different duty ratio between the area near the front facet of the laser cavity and the area near the rear facet, or the length of the diffraction grating is smaller than the cavity length and the width of the diffraction grating reduces in the vicinity of the rear end of the diffraction grating down to zero at the rear end.

Abstract: A semiconductor laser has implantation regions that are effective as mode-selective regions in addition to current diaphragms in the edge region of a mesa. As a result, the inner opening of the current diaphragms can be chosen to be larger than in the prior art. This leads to a low ohmic and thermal resistance and enables a high output power.

Abstract: A magneto-optic variable optical attenuator is provided that is used to control the intensity of a light signal. The optical attenuator includes at least one polarizing element having an optical polarization axis, wherein the polarizing element transmits a portion of an incident light signal proportional to the angular difference between an optical polarization axis of the incident light signal and that of the polarizing element. The optical attenuator also comprises a variable faraday rotator that includes a semi-transparent material, a magnetic material for applying a magnetic force to a light signal that is passed through the semi-transparent material, and a conductive wire configured to induce a magnetic field on the magnetic material. In various embodiments, the optical attenuator is employed as part of a laser package that includes a laser light source and a plurality of polarizing elements, which are in optical communication with a faraday rotator and/or a variable faraday rotator.

Abstract: Monolithic three dimensional NAND strings and methods of making. The method includes both front side and back side processing. Using the combination of front side and back side processing, a NAND string can be formed that includes an air gap between the floating gates in the NAND string. The NAND string may be formed with a single vertical channel. Alternatively, the NAND string may have a U shape with two vertical channels connected with a horizontal channel.

Abstract: The invention is directed to an optical arrangement with a light source for emitting a light bundle and with optical elements for transforming this light bundle into the shape of a light sheet, particularly suitable for illuminating individual planes of a three-dimensional specimen in selective plane illumination microscopy (SPIM). According to the invention, means are provided for varying the cross section of the light sheet, for varying the length of the light sheet and/or for influencing the direction in which individual beam components extending within the light sheet are directed to the specimen substance. This makes it possible to adapt the geometry of the light sheet to the illumination requirements for observing one and the same specimen plane with a plurality of different objectives and, if required, to reduce shadows occurring within the observed specimen plane as a result of the illumination.

Abstract: A modular, linear-type lighting fixture may include an elongate housing having lengthwise ends, and a pair of endplates adapted for sealing attachment to either lengthwise end of the housing, each of the endplates having respective perimeter surfaces adapted for attachment to any one of a bridge adapted for angularly-directable extension of the housing, a bridge adapted for linear extension of the housing, and an endcap. A modular lighting fixture may include first and second elongate housings each having ends, pairs of endplates for being respectively mated with the first and second ends of the first and second elongate housings, the endplates each having a rim, and a bridge adapted for joining one of the endplates of the first elongate housing with one of the endplates of the second elongate housing by sealing cooperation with the respective rims thereof. A lighting fixture may have one or more isolated raceways therein.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a head lamp. The head lamp includes a light source emitting light, a reflection plate reflecting the emitted light toward a lens, and a shield integrally formed with the reflection plate to intercept a portion of the light illuminated toward the lens. The head lamp can accurately adjust an illumination pattern of light through a reduction of assembly tolerance between components.

Abstract: A nonvolatile semiconductor storage device includes: a plurality of stacked units juxtaposed on a major surface of a substrate, each stacked unit aligning in a first direction parallel to the major surface of the substrate; and a gate electrode aligning parallel to the major surface in a second direction non-parallel to the first direction. Each of the plurality of stacked units includes a plurality of stacked semiconductor layers via an insulating layer. The plurality of stacked units are juxtaposed so that the spacings between adjacent stacked units are alternately a first spacing and a second spacing larger than the first spacing. The second spacing is provided at a periodic interval four times a size of a half pitch F of the bit line. The gate electrode includes a protruding portion that enters into a gap of the second spacing between the stacked units.

Abstract: An optical unit includes a base, a light-condensing member disposed on the base to condense a first portion of light that is incident onto the base and protrusion members disposed on a surface of the light-condensing member to scatter a second portion of the light that is incident onto the base. A backlight assembly includes light sources, an optical unit receiving light from the light sources to condense and scatter the light, and may also include an optical member disposed over the optical unit to enhance the front luminance of the light. A display device includes light sources, an optical module and a display panel. Thus, display quality of the display device may be enhanced.