Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating geometric data are to be used in the building of an object using a layer-by-layer additive manufacturing process. The method includes providing object data defining the object, identifying from the object data one or more regions of a surface of the object to be supported during the additive manufacturing process and, for the or each region, identifying one or more supporting structures that will provide support for the region and generating an arrangement of supports within the region. A support location of each support of the arrangement relative to the other supports of the arrangement is derived from a location of the supporting structures.

Abstract: The present disclosure generally provides ionization methods and devices for use in mass spectrometry. In some embodiments, the ionization methods and devices employ short laser pulses (e.g., pulses having pulsewidths in a range of about 2 fs to about 1 ps) at a high intensity (e.g., an intensity in a range of about 1 TW/cm2 to about 1000 TW/cm2) to ionize an analyte an ambient pressure greater than about 10?5 Torr (e.g., an ambient pressure in a range of about 1 atmosphere to about 100 atmospheres).

Abstract: The present disclosure generally provides ionization methods and devices for use in mass spectrometry. In some embodiments, the ionization methods and devices employ short laser pulses (e.g., pulses having pulsewidths in a range of about 2 fs to about 1 ps) at a high intensity (e.g., an intensity in a range of about 1 TW/cm2 to about 1000 TW/cm2) to ionize an analyte an ambient pressure greater than about 10?5 Torr (e.g., an ambient pressure in a range of about 1 atmosphere to about 100 atmospheres).

Abstract: The surface of a dental part is scanned by a probe, to obtain a digital model of the surface in a dental CAD computer system. In the digital model, first and second boundary lines are defined, above and below a portion in which the scanned data is missing or unsatisfactory. One of the boundary lines may correspond to a margin line between prepared and unprepared portions of the patient's tooth. A transition surface is generated in the computer system, extending between the first and second boundary lines. This improves the representation of the dental part in the digital model, which may subsequently be used for manufacture of a dental restoration.

Abstract: To make high quality long-range periodic nanostructures in a transparent or semi-transparent substrate, the transparent or semi-transparent substrate is scanned with a linearly polarized laser beam generated by a femtosecond laser and exceeding a predetermined energy/pulse threshold along a scanning path. Sub-diffraction limit structures are formed as periodic planes of modified material in the transparent or semi-transparent substrate extending along the scanning path. The modified material can then be chemically etched to form cavities.

Abstract: To make high quality long-range periodic nanostructures in a transparent or semi-transparent substrate, the transparent or semi-transparent substrate is scanned with a linearly polarized laser beam generated by a femtosecond laser and exceeding a predetermined energy/pulse threshold along a scanning path. Sub-diffraction limit structures are formed as periodic planes of modified material in the transparent or semi-transparent substrate extending along the scanning path. The modified material can then be chemically etched to form cavities.

Abstract: A system and method for generating a master screen for a silk screen imaging process. Photo activated emulsion is applied to a printing screen and the emulsion is exposed according to a digitized pattern using a light emitting diode (LED) source. The LED source in one embodiment is an array of UV emitting devices which scans the printing screen in a line by line basis.

Abstract: A sub-micron structure is fabricated in a transparent dielectric material by focusing femtosecond laser pulses into the dielectric to create a highly tapered modified zone with modified etch properties. The dielectric material is then selectively etched into the modified zone from the direction of the narrow end of the tapered zone so that as the selective etching proceeds longitudinally into the modified zone, the progressively increasing width of the modified zone compensates for lateral etching occurring closer to the narrow end so as to produce steep-walled holes. The unetched portion of the modified zone produced by translating the laser beam close to and parallel to the bottom surface of the dielectric can serve as an optical waveguide to collect light from or deliver light to the etched channel which can contain various biological, optical, or chemical materials for sensing applications.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for writing an optical structure within a workpiece of a dielectric material using FLDM. In a first embodiment system parameters for the FLDM are determined in dependence upon the dielectric material, a predetermined volume element and a predetermined change of the refractive index of the dielectric material within the predetermined volume element. The system parameters are determined such that self-focusing of a pulsed femtosecond laser beam is inhibted by non-linear absorption of the energy of the pulsed femtosecond laser beam within the dielectric material. A pulsed femtosecond laser beam based on the determined system parameters is focused at a predetermined location within the workpiece for inducing a change of the refractive index through dielectric modification within the predetermined volume element, the volume element including the focus. Various embodiments enable writing of various different optical structures into a workpiece.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for writing an optical structure within a workpiece of a dielectric material using FLDM. In a first embodiment system parameters for the FLDM are determined in dependence upon the dielectric material, a predetermined volume element and a predetermined change of the refractive index of the dielectric material within the predetermined volume element. The system parameters are determined such that self-focusing of a pulsed femtosecond laser beam is inhibted by non-linear absorption of the energy of the pulsed femtosecond laser beam within the dielectric material. A pulsed femtosecond laser beam based on the determined system parameters is focused at a predetermined location within the workpiece for inducing a change of the refractive index through dielectric modification within the predetermined volume element, the volume element including the focus. Various embodiments enable writing of various different optical structures into a workpiece.

Abstract: A system and method for generating a master screen for a silk screen imaging process. Photo activated emulsion is applied to a printing screen and the emulsion is exposed according to a digitized pattern using a light emitting diode (LED) source. The LED source in one embodiment is an array of UV emitting devices which scans the printing screen in a line by line basis.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for writing an optical structure within a workpiece of a dielectric material using FLDM. In a first embodiment system parameters for the FLDM are determined in dependence upon the dielectric material, a predetermined volume element and a predetermined change of the refractive index of the dielectric material within the predetermined volume element. The system parameters are determined such that self-focusing of a pulsed femtosecond laser beam is inhibted by non-linear absorption of the energy of the pulsed femtosecond laser beam within the dielectric material. A pulsed femtosecond laser beam based on the determined system parameters is focused at a predetermined location within the workpiece for inducing a change of the refractive index through dielectric modification within the predetermined volume element, the volume element including the focus. Various embodiments enable writing of various different optical structures into a workpiece.

Abstract: A sub-micron structure is fabricated in a transparent dielectric material by focusing femtosecond laser pulses into the dielectric to create a highly tapered modified zone with modified etch properties. The dielectric material is then selectively etched into the modified zone from the direction of the narrow end of the tapered zone so that as the selective etching proceeds longitudinally into the modified zone, the progressively increasing width of the modified zone compensates for lateral etching occurring closer to the narrow end so as to produce steep-walled holes. The unetched portion of the modified zone produced by translating the laser beam close to and parallel to the bottom surface of the dielectric can serve as an optical waveguide to collect light from or deliver light to the etched channel which can contain various biological, optical, or chemical materials for sensing applications.

Abstract: A numbering box for a press for printing bank notes has a stack of sensor boards in one-to-one correspondence with a stack of numbering wheels and each of the boards has an edge area at the printing face of the numbering box which carries an LED indicator of a status of magnetic signalling means on the respective numbering wheel. The boards are each connected to a motherboard in the numbering box. Data processing means in the numbering box may be connected to a remote computer by an optical fibre link. The sensor boards are closely spaced and each has an aperture to accommodate a bulky component of the or an adjacent board.