Abstract: A method of making a safe egress bathtub providing safe egress by reducing slide forces extended on a user's feet upon a slippery bathtub floor, wherein the formed bathtub has a limited rectangular footprint, and an optimized floor space is formed with a substantially planar base with a length and width that define the limited rectangular footprint and a front wall, a back wall, a first side wall and a second side wall integral with and extending substantially vertically upwards from the substantially planar base. Each of the front, back, first side wall and second side wall have minimal wall thicknesses to define the optimized floor space and the front wall has a substantially planar inwardly, cantilevered upper apron deck in a substantially parallel relation to the substantially planar base.

Abstract: A method or apparatus for narrowing the linewidth of a single mode laser is provided. The linewidth of a single mode laser is narrowed by injecting an optical feedback simultaneously into the first laser cavity mirror and the second laser cavity mirror of the single mode laser.

Abstract: A method for tuning the frequency of THz radiation is provided. The method utilizes an apparatus comprising a spin injector, a tunnel junction coupled to the spin injector, and a ferromagnetic material coupled to the tunnel junction. The ferromagnetic material comprises a Magnon Gain Medium (MGM). The method comprises the step of applying a bias voltage to shift a Fermi level of the spin injector with respect to the Fermi level of the ferromagnetic material to initiate generation of non-equilibrium magnons by injecting minority electrons into the Magnon Gain Medium. The method further comprises the step of tuning a frequency of the generated THz radiation by changing the value of the bias voltage.

Abstract: A method is for making a QCL having an InP spacer within a laser core, the QCL to provide a CW output in a high quality beam. The method may include selectively setting parameters for the QCL. The parameters may include a number of the InP spacer, a thickness for each InP spacer, a number of stages in the laser core, and a dopant concentration value in the laser core. The method may include forming the QCL based upon the parameters so that a figure of merit comprises a greatest value for a fundamental mode of operation for the QCL.

Abstract: A modular swimming pool includes a precast base unit and a precast riser unit that can be assembled at an installation site to define an interior volume in which a human can swim. The precast riser unit is secured to the base unit. The upper surface of the precast base unit and at least one internal surface of the precast riser unit define the interior volume of the modular pool when the precast base unit and the precast riser unit are secured together. A modular swimming pool assembly is also provided. A method of assembling a modular swimming pool is also provided.

Abstract: A water supply mechanism includes a switching part that executes switching between water supply and water shut-off, a manual operation valve on the switching part that is capable of a manual operation thereof, and a pushing member that pushes the manual operation valve to provide a valve-closed state. The manual operation valve is pulled in a direction opposite to a pushing direction of the pushing member to provide a valve-opened state. The manual operation valve includes a plunger, an external cylinder member that encloses the plunger, a first engaging point in the external cylinder member, and a fixation part in the external cylinder member that fixes the plunger in the valve-closed state or the valve-opened state. The plunger moves beyond the first engaging point as the manual operation valve is pulled, and is fixed in the valve-opened state as a pull of the manual operation valve is released.

Abstract: An electrically pumped photonic-crystal surface-emitting laser, the epitaxy structure has a first mesa, the first mesa has multiple air holes and forming a photonic crystal structure, the epitaxy structure further has a second mesa, the second mesa and photonic crystal structure is facing the same direction; a first metal electrode arranged on the insulating layer, and covering the photonic crystal structure; a second metal electrode arranged on the second mesa and protruding out of the groove, making the first metal electrode and the second metal electrode face the same direction; and further make the first metal electrode connect to the first connecting metal and make the second metal electrode connect to the second connecting metal for making the photonic crystal structure become flip chip.

Abstract: A hand wash station may include at least three wash areas including sinks so users can wash their hands. Each wash area may be supported to a non-coplanar side of the hand wash station. At least one divider wall may separate the wash areas from each other to protect the users from the spread of germs. The hand wash station may be mobile in that it is designed to be easily movable from one location to another.

Abstract: An optoelectronic device includes a laser diode having a cathode terminal and an anode terminal, which is connected to a driving voltage. A driver is coupled to drive current pulses through the laser diode from the anode terminal to the cathode terminal. A discharge switch has a first switch terminal connected to the cathode terminal and a second switch terminal connected to a discharge voltage, which is equal to or greater than the driving voltage, and is configured, when closed, to raise the cathode terminal to the discharge voltage. A switch control circuit has an input connected to the cathode terminal and an output connected to close the discharge switch in response to the current pulses occurring at the input.

Abstract: A light emitting device includes a wiring board having a first wiring layer and a second wiring layer adjacent to the first wiring layer via an insulating layer, and a laser having a cathode electrode and an anode electrode, mounted on the wiring board, and driven through low-side driving. The first wiring layer includes a cathode wire connected to the cathode electrode, an anode wire connected to the anode electrode, and a first reference potential wire connected to a reference potential. The second wiring layer includes a second reference potential wire connected to the reference potential. An area of an overlap between the second reference potential wire and the anode wire is larger than an area of an overlap between the second reference potential wire and the first reference potential wire.

Abstract: A semiconductor laser is provided that includes a semiconductor layer sequence and electrical contact surfaces. The semiconductor layer sequence includes a waveguide with an active zone. Furthermore, the semiconductor layer sequence includes a first and a second cladding layer, between which the waveguide is located. At least one oblique facet is formed on the semiconductor layer sequence, which has an angle of 45° to a resonator axis with a tolerance of at most 10°. This facet forms a reflection surface towards the first cladding layer for laser radiation generated during operation. A maximum thickness of the first cladding layer is between 0.5 M/n and 10 M/n at least in a radiation passage region, wherein n is the average refractive index of the first cladding layer and M is the vacuum wavelength of maximum intensity of the laser radiation.

Abstract: A drain arrangement for a washstand, comprising a connection unit having a connecting branch for connection to a drain branch of a washstand, an overflow unit connecting to the connection unit and having a valve and an overflow pipe, which bridges the valve, and a siphon unit connecting to the overflow unit and having a siphon element. The connecting branch, seen in the installation position, runs in a first direction, which is oriented at an angle inclined at less than 30° tilting downwards to a mounting plane running in the vertical of the washstand. The overflow unit lies offset to the side of the connecting branch in such a manner that the overflow pipe extends upwards to the side adjacent to the connecting branch and the siphon unit lies beneath the overflow unit.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a wavelength-tunable laser and an electronic controller. The electronic controller is configured to control the wavelength-tunable laser such that an output wavelength of the wavelength-tunable laser performs a zigzag in time. The wavelength-tunable laser is capable of rapidly and densely scanning wavelengths across a broad spectral range.

Abstract: A wave generating apparatus mobile application controller and method are provided in which a mobile controller actuates a plurality of wave generating chambers in sequence using a delay between the actuation of each chamber to produce a rideable wave in a pool. The mobile application controller allows the user to select the exact type of wave to be produced by the wave generator apparatus by selecting the size, shape, and pattern of the wave. The application also allows the user to use a camera to photograph or record herself or someone else, even while riding a wave.

Abstract: A laser system produces pulses having wavelengths between 2000 nm and 2100 nm, peak output powers greater than 1 kW, average powers greater than 10 W, pulse widths variable from 0.5 to 10 nsec, pulse repetition frequencies variable from 0.1 to over 2 MHz, and a pulse extinction of at least 60 dB. Pulses from a diode laser having a wavelength between 1000 nm and 1100 nm are amplified by at least one fiberoptic amplifier and applied as the pump input to an Optical Parametric Amplifier (OPA). A cw laser provides an OPA seed input at a wavelength between 2000 nm and 2200 nm. The idler output of the OPA having difference frequency wavelength between 2000 nm and 2100 nm is further amplified by a crystal amplifier. The fiberoptic amplifier can include Ytterbium-doped fiberoptic. The crystal amplifier can include a Ho:YAG, Ho:YLF, Ho:LuAG, and/or a Ho:Lu2O3 crystal.

Abstract: Methods, devices and systems are described for enabling a series-connected, single chip vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) array. In one aspect, the single chip includes one or more non-conductive regions one the conductive layer to produce a plurality of electrically separate conductive regions. Each electrically separate region may have a plurality of VCSEL elements, including an anode region and a cathode region connected in series. The chip is connected to a sub-mount with a metallization pattern, which connects each electrically separate region on the conductive layer in series. In one aspect, the metallization pattern connects the anode region of a first electrically separate region to the cathode region of a second electrically separate region. The metallization pattern may also comprise cuts that maintain electrical separation between the anode and cathode regions on each conductive layer region, and that align with the etched regions.

Abstract: A PIC has first, second and third elements fabricated on a common substrate. The first element includes a structure supporting efficient coupling of one or more free-space optical modes of incident light into one or more waveguide guided optical modes. The second element includes an on-chip interferometer having an input optically coupled to the waveguide guided optical modes; one or more arms; one or more outputs; and a phase tuner configured to change optical path length in one or more of the arms. The third element includes one or more light detecting structures optically coupled to the one or more outputs of the second element, such that variation in optical power in the one or more outputs is detected, allowing an assessment of coherence characterizing the light incident on the first element of the PIC to be provided.

Abstract: An adapter element (10) for connecting a component (4), such as a laser diode, to a heat sink (7), comprising: a first metal layer (11), which in a mounted state faces the component (4), and a second metal layer (12), which in the mounted state faces the heat sink (7), and an intermediate layer (13) comprising ceramic arranged between the first metal layer (11) and the second metal layer (12), wherein the first metal layer (11) and/or the second metal layer (12) is thicker than 40 ?m, preferably thicker than 70 ?m and more preferably thicker than 100 ?m.

Abstract: A wave generating apparatus mobile application controller and method are provided in which a mobile controller actuates a plurality of wave generating chambers in sequence using a delay between the actuation of each chamber to produce a rideable wave in a pool. The mobile application controller allows the user to select the exact type of wave to be produced by the wave generator apparatus by selecting the size, shape, and pattern of the wave. The application also allows the user to use a camera to photograph or record herself or someone else, even while riding a wave.

Abstract: A quantum cascade laser includes a first and a second mesa waveguides disposed on a substrate, a first electrode, a second electrode, and a current blocking region disposed burying the first and second mesa waveguides. The first and second mesa waveguides extend in a first direction. The first and second mesa waveguides are arranged apart from each other by a distance in a second direction intersecting with the first direction. The current blocking region has a first portion disposed between the first and second mesa waveguides and a second portion disposed on the first portion. The end of the first electrode and the end of the second electrode are facing each other in the second direction. The second portion protrudes from a reference plane which includes a surface of the end of the first electrode and extends in the first and second directions.