Abstract: Weak links in superconductors are detected by observing the effect of magnetic field modulation on the microwave resistance of superconductors. The phase detected response to the magnetic modulation can show a peak at T.sub.c. The presence of peak(s) at temperatures below T.sub.c indicates the presence of weak links in the superconductor.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus and method to detect a magnetic field by measuring the magnetically modulated resistance of a superconductor maintained at its phase transition temperature (T.sub.c).

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and method for laser direct writing of materials onto a receiving substrate using a high power pulsed laser. The invention includes a pulsed laser light source, a receiving substrate, disposed opposite the pulsed laser light source, and an optically transparent source support substrate positioned between the receiving substrate and the pulsed laser light source, wherein a surface of the optically transparent source support substrate facing the receiving substrate has coated thereon a thin film of material to be deposited on the receiving substrate. Laser direct writing using the invention is accomplished by impinging the thin film of material with a pulsed laser light from the pulsed laser light source causing material to be selectively "blown off" the optically transparent source support substrate and deposited onto the surface of the receiving substrate.

Abstract: Weak links in electrically continuous superconductors are detected by observing the effect of magnetic field modulation on the dc resistance of superconductors. The phase detected response to the magnetic modulation shows a peak at T.sub.c. The presence of a second peak at temperatures below T.sub.c, and concomitantly the appearance of a tail on the low temperature end of the dc resistance vs temperature curve indicates the presence of weak links in the superconductor.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus to detect the superconductive state by measuring the change in the resistance of a sample. A dc magnetic field is imposed on the sample while the temperature is swept. The strength of the magnetic field is held below the critical value and is frequency modulated by the application of an ac field in such a way that total magnetic field is always positive. The resistance of the sample is measured incrementally as the temperature is swept and is phase detected at the modulation frequency. According to this embodiment, only magnetic field dependent changes demonstrating a precipitous drop in resistance identify a composition as superconductive.

Abstract: A hierarchical and recursive system for classifying, identifying, describing and analyzing images and the related apparatus are disclosed wherein a digital image is partitioned into subarrays, the content of each subarray is compared to memory elements stored within memory, and if a match occurs, the name of the matched memory element is assigned to the subarray. When all subarrays have been named, a symbolic image whose pixel elements are the assigned names, is formed which is the image for the next level of identification. If no match occurs, a new memory element and appropriate corresponding name are created and added to the memory stack.