Abstract: A dental microscopic procedure uses a digital surgical scope comprising a lens assembly for magnifying an optical image of an object and an illumination device for illuminating the object along the optical axis and from the direction of the lens assembly; an image data taking device, an image data processing/storing device having a database, one or more displays, and one or more controls for controlling the behaviors of the digital surgical scope, the image data taking device, the image data processing/storing device, and the one or more displays. The procedure comprises steps for capturing images, enhancing images, and selecting and performing functions on the images, wherein the function comprises deleting, exporting, importing, multi-viewing, printing, and managing the images with the database.

Abstract: A dental microscopic procedure uses a digital surgical scope comprising a lens assembly for magnifying an optical image of an object and an illumination device for illuminating the object along the optical axis and from the direction of the lens assembly; an image data taking device, an image data processing/storing device having a database, one or more displays, and one or more controls for controlling the behaviors of the digital surgical scope, the image data taking device, the image data processing/storing device, and the one or more displays. The procedure comprises steps for capturing images, enhancing images, and selecting and performing functions on the images, wherein the function comprises deleting, exporting, importing, multi-viewing, printing, and managing the images with the database.

Abstract: A method of dental microscopic procedure, using a digital surgical scope, includes steps for selecting a function of the digital surgical scope to perform, obtaining the corresponding images from the image data taking device or the image data processing/storing device, processing the images by the image data processing/storing device, and displaying the images on the displays. The dental surgical procedure is done by seeing the images displayed on the screen. The digital surgical scope includes a microscope lens assembly for magnifying an optical image of an object and an in-line illumination device for illuminating the object along the same optical axis and from the same direction of the microscope lens assembly. The image data processing/storing device is for manipulating the image taken by the microscope lens assembly and the image data taking device.

Abstract: A method of dental microscopic procedure, using a digital surgical scope, includes steps for selecting a function of the digital surgical scope to perform, obtaining the corresponding images from the image data taking device or the image data processing/storing device, processing the images by the image data processing/storing device, and displaying the images on the displays. The dental surgical procedure is done by seeing the images displayed on the screen. The digital surgical scope includes a microscope lens assembly for magnifying an optical image of an object and an in-line illumination device for illuminating the object along the same optical axis and from the same direction of the microscope lens assembly. The image data processing/storing device is for manipulating the image taken by the microscope lens assembly and the image data taking device.

Abstract: A method of dental microscopic procedure, using a digital surgical scope, includes steps for selecting a function of the digital surgical scope to perform, obtaining the corresponding images from the image data taking device or the image data processing/storing device, processing the images by the image data processing/storing device, and displaying the images on the displays. The dental surgical procedure is done by seeing the images displayed on the screen. The digital surgical scope includes a microscope lens assembly for magnifying an optical image of an object and an in-line illumination device for illuminating the object along the same optical axis and from the same direction of the microscope lens assembly. The image data processing/storing device is for manipulating the image taken by the microscope lens assembly and the image data taking device.

Abstract: A variable optical buffer queue, particularly useful either as an input or an output queue in an optical packet router in a wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) communication network. An input queue includes plural separately controllable optical delay units disposed on wavelength channels between a demultiplexer and tunable wavelength converters controlling switching through a wavelength router. An output queue includes for each output port of a wavelength router plural separately controllable optical delay units tuned to different wavelengths. The delay units may induce selective amounts of delay and may be implemented as a series of controlled microresonators coupled to waveguide. Such a structure is usable as a controllably accessible optical memory.

Abstract: A method of dental microscopic procedure, using a digital surgical scope, includes steps for selecting a function of the digital surgical scope to perform, obtaining the corresponding images from the image data taking device or the image data processing/storing device, processing the images by the image data processing/storing device, and displaying the images on the displays. The dental surgical procedure is done by seeing the images displayed on the screen. The digital surgical scope includes a microscope lens assembly for magnifying an optical image of an object and an in-line illumination device for illuminating the object along the same optical axis and from the same direction of the microscope lens assembly. The image data processing/storing device is for manipulating the image taken by the microscope lens assembly and the image data taking device.

Abstract: An edge router for interfacing an optical label switched core IP network with client networks, which may be electronically switched and operate with different protocol. The core network has a limited number of ports, each with an edge router, which receives packets from one or more associated client networks and queues them according to egress port on the core network and optionally additionally according to attribute of service. When a queue has exceed a maximum packet length or a timeout limit assigned to the queue, the packets including their headers are assembled into a super packet for transmission across the core network in optical form, preferably using optical routers incorporating wavelength conversion of payloads and switching according to an attached label. The edge router at the egress port disassembles the super packet into constituent packets for respective destinations on the client network.

Abstract: An all-optical regenerating circuit including a wavelength converter based on a Mach-Zehnder interferometer. The input signal is amplified and the interferometer adjusted to place the input signal across an entire monotonic portion of a sinusoidal transfer function to the wavelength-converted output signal. Retiming is effected by wavelength converters including pulsed laser sources of the output wavelength. A multi-wavelength regenerator may be integrated on a chip including two arrayed waveguides and an array of tunable lasers on parallel waveguides therebetween.

Abstract: An optical code-division multiple-access (O-CDMA) apparatus, network, and communications method. A transmitter data modulates a sequence of ultra-fast (˜1 ps) pulses. An encoder wavelength demultiplexes the pulses, separately phase-modulates the wavelength components according to a first CDMA code and wavelength multiplexes for transmission on an optical network. A receiver includes a decoder performing similar demultiplexing, phase-modulating according to a second CDMA code, and multiplexing. The receiver detects the resultant signal. If the two CDMA codes match, the detected signal replicates the data-modulated pulses. The apparatus may be formed in as few as one substrate. The encoder/decoder structure may be used to compensate the dispersion of a fiber. A short-pulse detector includes a Mach-Zehnder interferometer having two semiconductor amplifier regions in its two arms with differential delay/phase between them.

Abstract: An edge router for interfacing an optical label switched core IP network with client networks, which may be electronically switched and operate with different protocol. The core network has a limited number of ports, each with an edge router, which receives packets from one or more associated client networks and queues them according to egress port on the core network and optionally additionally according to attribute of service. When a queue has exceed a maximum packet length or a timeout limit assigned to the queue, the packets including their headers are assembled into a super packet for transmission across the core network in optical form, preferably using optical routers incorporating wavelength conversion of payloads and switching according to an attached label. The edge router at the egress port disassembles the super packet into constituent packets for respective destinations on the client network.

Abstract: An optical router integrated in an InP-based substrate bonded to a single thermo-electric cooler for packet-based networks utilizing wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) on silica fibers. Input and output arrayed waveguide gratings (AWGs) respectively demultiplex and multiplex the WDM signals to and from multiple transmission fibers. Input and output wavelength converters are connected between the input and outputs AWGs and a switching AWG. The output converts may include a tunable laser and interferometer formed in the same substrate. The header information is preferably carried out-of-channel from the WDM data signals, either in the same fiber band or a different one. Photodetectors and laser diodes are formed in the same substrate.

Abstract: An edge router for interfacing an optical label switched core IP network with client networks, which may be electronically switched and operate with different protocol. The core network has a limited number of ports, each with an edge router, which receives packets from one or more associated client networks and queues them according to egress port on the core network and optionally additionally according to attribute of service. When a queue has exceed a maximum packet length or a timeout limit assigned to the queue, the packets including their headers are assembled into a super packet for transmission across the core network in optical form, preferably using optical routers incorporating wavelength conversion of payloads and switching according to an attached label. The edge router at the egress port disassembles the super packet into constituent packets for respective destinations on the client network.

Abstract: An optical router and its method of use. The router is integrated in an InP-based substrate bonded to a single thermo-electric cooler for packet-based networks utilizing wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) on silica fibers. Input and output arrayed waveguide gratings (AWGs) respectively demultiplex and multiplex the WDM signals to and from multiple transmission fibers. Input and output wavelength converters are connected between the input and outputs AWGs and a switching AWG. The output converts may include a tunable laser and interferometer formed in the same substrate. The header information is preferably carried out-of-channel from the WDM data signals, either in the same fiber band or a different one. Photodetectors and laser diodes are formed in the same substrate. Fast RF electronics are formed in GaAs chips and slower electronics formed in a silicon chip are bonded to the InP wafer.

Abstract: An optical code-division multiple-access (O-CDMA) apparatus, network, and communications method. A transmitter data modulates a sequence of ultra-fast (˜1 ps) pulses. An encoder wavelength demultiplexes the pulses, separately phase-modulates the wavelength components according to a first CDMA code and wavelength multiplexes for transmission on an optical network. A receiver includes a decoder performing similar demultiplexing, phase-modulating according to a second CDMA code, and multiplexing. The receiver detects the resultant signal. If the two CDMA codes match, the detected signal replicates the data-modulated pulses. The apparatus may be formed in as few as one substrate. The encoder/decoder structure may be used to compensate the dispersion of a fiber. A short-pulse detector includes a Mach-Zehnder interferometer having two semiconductor amplifier regions in its two arms with differential delay/phase between them.

Abstract: An optical router integrated in an InP-based substrate bonded to a single thermoelectric cooler for packet-based networks utilizing wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) on silica fibers. Input and output arrayed waveguide gratings (AWGs) respectively demultiplex and multiplex the WDM signals to and from multiple transmission fibers. Input and output wavelength converters are connected between the input and outputs AWGs and a switching AWG. The output converts may include a tunable laser and interferometer formed in the same substrate. The header information is preferably carried out-of-channel from the WDM data signals, either in the same fiber band or a different one. Photodetectors and laser diodes are formed in the same substrate.

Abstract: An optical wavelength converter, particularly useful in a wavelength-division multiplexing communication system, including a semiconductor junction in one arm of a Mach-Zehnder interferometer through which a data signal at a first wavelength and a probe signal at a second wavelength counter propagate. The junction is reversed biased into avalanche to selectively absorb the data signal and thereby phase modulate the probe signal according to the data impressed on the data signal. The phase modulated probe signal is beat against an unmodulated probe signal, thereby converting the wavelength of the optical carrier. A tunable laser may produce a probe signal of selectable wavelength. The data signal may first be converted by cross-gain modulation to a third wavelength out of band from the other signals before it is interacts with the probe signal.

Abstract: An optical wavelength converter, particularly useful in a wavelength-division multiplexing communication system, including a semiconductor junction in one arm of a Mach-Zehnder interferometer through which a data signal at a first wavelength and a probe signal at a second wavelength counter propagate. The junction is reversed biased into avalanche to selectively absorb the data signal and thereby phase modulate the probe signal according to the data impressed on the data signal. The phase modulated probe signal is beat against an unmodulated probe signal, thereby converting the wavelength of the optical carrier. A tunable laser may produce a probe signal of selectable wavelength. The data signal may first be converted by cross-gain modulation to a third wavelength out of band from the other signals before it is interacts with the probe signal.

Abstract: An ultra-compact, room-temperature, continuous-wave infrared source that can rapidly tune over a very wide spectral range. The targeted spectral overages are 3 &mgr;m to 4 &mgr;m, 4 &mgr;m to 6 &mgr;m, 6 &mgr;m to 8 &mgr;m, and 8 &mgr;m to 12 &mgr;m. The spectral width of the infrared idler is expected to be ˜10 MHz. In particular, the invention is a monolithically integrated device which requires no external pump lasers or bulk optics for its operation. The invention uses difference-frequency-generation in a highly nonlinear optical semiconductor waveguide with which high power semiconductor lasers are integrated to internally provide the tunable pump and signal waves.