Abstract: An example method includes operating a first electrical component of a circuit and a second electrical component of the circuit. The method also includes, while operating the first electrical component, supplying a current to a set of superconducting components that is thermally-coupled to the first electrical component. The method further includes determining whether each superconducting component in the set of superconducting component has transitioned from a superconducting state to a non-superconducting state in response to the current. The method also includes determining a temperature of the first electrical component based on whether superconducting components in the set of superconducting components have transitioned to the non-superconducting state, and performing load balancing between the first electrical component and the second electrical component based on the temperature of the first electrical component.

Abstract: Light is propagated in a first waveguide of a 1×2 optical switch that is coupled to the input to receive light and coupled to the first output to output light that is in the first waveguide; and a second waveguide that is adjacent to the first waveguide in a coupling region. The second waveguide is coupled to the second output to output light that is in the second waveguide. Light is coupled to the first output and second output based on absorption values of the second waveguide in the coupling region being below a threshold level, whereas light is coupled to only the first output based on upon increased absorption values of the second waveguide in the coupling region, the increased absorption values being above the threshold level.

Abstract: An example method described herein includes operating a first component of a circuit. The method also includes, while operating the first component, supplying a current to a superconducting wire that is thermally-coupled to the first component, and determining whether the superconducting wire has transitioned between a superconducting state to a non-superconducting state in response to the current. The method further includes measuring a temperature of the first component based on whether the superconducting wire transitioned between the superconducting state to the non-superconducting state in response to the current, and adjusting operation of the first component in accordance with a determination that the temperature exceeds a predetermined threshold temperature.

Abstract: A method includes propagating light in a first waveguide of a 1×2 optical switch. The first waveguide is adjacent to a second waveguide in a coupling region. The 1×2 optical switch comprising an input to receive the light and couple the light to the first waveguide. The 1×2 optical switch further comprising a first output to output light from the first waveguide and a second output to output the light from the second waveguide. The method further includes coupling the light to the first output and the second output based on absorption values of the second waveguide in the coupling region; adjusting absorption values of the second waveguide in the coupling region such that light is directed from the input to only the first output; and coupling light to only the first output based on the adjusted absorption values of the second waveguide in the coupling region.

Abstract: A hand-held single-use pneumatic powder launcher having a reusable body assembly and a replaceable barrel assembly. The body assembly has a handle with a cavity to house a replaceable pneumatic cartridge, a puncture tip in the cavity, a trigger movable between a normal position and a launch position, and a safety to prevent the trigger from being accidentally actuated. The barrel assembly removably secures to the body assembly and has a first cavity that houses a burst cap, and an adjacent powder chamber. After the cartridge is pierced, gas builds up until the burst cap bursts, allowing the high-pressure gas to propel the payload out of the barrel.

Abstract: An integrated optical system including a cryostat and a device disposed in the cryostat. The device including an electro-optic switch that includes at least one input port and a first beam splitter. The electro-optic switch including a Mach-Zehnder interferometer coupled to the first beam splitter, wherein the Mach-Zehnder interferometer includes a phase adjustment region including a waveguide core characterized by a first dielectric constant and a waveguide cladding at least partially surrounding the waveguide core and including a second material characterized by a second dielectric constant greater than the first dielectric constant. The electro-optic switch including a second beam splitter coupled to the Mach-Zehnder interferometer; and a set of output ports coupled to the second beam splitter.

Abstract: A waveguide structure includes a substrate and a waveguide core coupled to the substrate and including a first material characterized by a first index of refraction and a first electro-optic coefficient. The waveguide structure also includes a first cladding layer at least partially surrounding the waveguide core and including a second material characterized by a second index of refraction less than the first index of refraction and a second electro-optic coefficient greater than the first electro-optic coefficient. The second cladding layer is coupled to the first cladding layer.

Abstract: A waveguide structure includes a substrate and a waveguide core coupled to the substrate and including a first material characterized by a first index of refraction and a first electro-optic coefficient. The waveguide structure also includes a first cladding layer at least partially surrounding the waveguide core and including a second material characterized by a second index of refraction less than the first index of refraction and a second electro-optic coefficient greater than the first electro-optic coefficient. The second cladding layer is coupled to the first cladding layer.

Abstract: A method includes propagating light in a first waveguide of a 1×2 optical switch. The first waveguide is adjacent to a second waveguide in a coupling region. The 1×2 optical switch comprising an input to receive the light and couple the light to the first waveguide. The 1×2 optical switch further comprising a first output to output light from the first waveguide and a second output to output the light from the second waveguide. The method further includes coupling the light to the first output and the second output based on absorption values of the second waveguide in the coupling region; adjusting absorption values of the second waveguide in the coupling region such that light is directed from the input to only the first output; and coupling light to only the first output based on the adjusted absorption values of the second waveguide in the coupling region.

Abstract: A method of operating a bipolar transistor having a source, a drain, and a channel electrically coupled to the source and the drain includes applying a bias voltage to a gate electrically coupled to the channel, increasing a conductivity of the channel via field ionization in response to applying the bias voltage, and conducting current from the source to the drain

Abstract: An optical device includes a first waveguide that includes a plurality of first portions coupled with regions doped with first dopants, and a plurality of second portions coupled with regions doped with second dopants, distinct from the first dopants, the plurality of first portions being interleaved with the plurality of second portions. And the optical device includes a second waveguide located adjacent to the first waveguide for coupling light from the first waveguide to the second waveguide. The second waveguide includes a third portion coupled with a third region doped with the first dopants and a fourth portion coupled with a fourth region doped with the second dopants, wherein the first portion is located adjacent to the third portion and the second portion is located adjacent to the fourth portion.

Abstract: A waveguide structure includes a substrate and a waveguide core coupled to the substrate and including a first material characterized by a first index of refraction and a first electro-optic coefficient. The waveguide structure also includes a first cladding layer at least partially surrounding the waveguide core and including a second material characterized by a second index of refraction less than the first index of refraction and a second electro-optic coefficient greater than the first electro-optic coefficient. The second cladding layer is coupled to the first cladding layer.

Abstract: An optical switch structure includes a substrate, a first electrical contact, and a first material having a first conductivity type electrically connected to the first electrical contact. The optical switch structure also includes a second material having a second conductivity type coupled to the first material, a second electrical contact electrically connected to the second material, and a waveguide structure disposed between the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact. The waveguide structure includes a waveguide core coupled to the substrate and including a core material characterized by a first index of refraction and a waveguide cladding at least partially surrounding the waveguide core and including a cladding material characterized by a second index of refraction less than the first index of refraction and an isotope-enhanced Pockels effect.

Abstract: A waveguide structure includes a substrate and a waveguide core coupled to the substrate and including a first material characterized by a first index of refraction and a first electro-optic coefficient. The waveguide structure also includes a first cladding layer at least partially surrounding the waveguide core and including a second material characterized by a second index of refraction less than the first index of refraction and a second electro-optic coefficient greater than the first electro-optic coefficient. The second cladding layer is coupled to the first cladding layer.

Abstract: An optical switch structure includes at least one optical input port and at least one optical output port. The optical switch structure also includes an optical waveguide structure including a waveguide core and a waveguide cladding The optical waveguide structure is optically coupled to the at least one optical input port and the at least one optical output port. The waveguide core includes a first material characterized by a first index of refraction and a first electro-optic coefficient and the waveguide cladding includes a second material characterized by a second index of refraction less than the first index of refraction and a second electro-optic coefficient greater than the first electro-optic coefficient.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a circuit that includes a first component and a plurality of superconducting wires thermally-coupled to the first component. The superconducting wires of the plurality of superconducting wires are arranged and configured such that a threshold superconducting current for each superconducting wire is dependent on an amount of heat received from the first component. The circuit further includes a dielectric material separating the plurality of superconducting wires from one another. A superconducting wire nearest the first component among the plurality of superconducting wires is more than a phonon mean free path of the dielectric material from the first component. The circuit further includes control circuitry electrically-coupled to the plurality of superconducting wires and configured to provide current to each of the plurality of superconducting wires.

Abstract: An optical device includes a first waveguide that includes a plurality of first portions coupled with regions doped with first dopants, and a plurality of second portions coupled with regions doped with second dopants, distinct from the first dopants, the plurality of first portions being interleaved with the plurality of second portions. And the optical device includes a second waveguide located adjacent to the first waveguide for coupling light from the first waveguide to the second waveguide. The second waveguide includes a third portion coupled with a third region doped with the first dopants and a fourth portion coupled with a fourth region doped with the second dopants, wherein the first portion is located adjacent to the third portion and the second portion is located adjacent to the fourth portion.

Abstract: An optical switch structure includes a substrate, a first electrical contact, a first material having a first conductivity type electrically connected to the first electrical contact, a second material having a second conductivity type coupled to the first material, and a second electrical contact electrically connected to the second material. The optical switch structure also includes a waveguide structure disposed between the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact and comprising a waveguide core coupled to the substrate and including a first material characterized by a first index of refraction and a first electro-optic coefficient and a waveguide cladding at least partially surrounding the waveguide core and including a second material characterized by a second index of refraction and a second electro-optic.

Abstract: A method for treating a subject having or likely to develop a neurodegenerative disease, wherein the subject is administered a pharmaceutically effective amount of a compound within the generic structure (1) wherein R1 is either —R or —SR, wherein R is a hydrocarbon group containing 1-20 carbon atoms and optionally containing one or more heteroatoms selected from oxygen, nitrogen, and sulfur; and R2 is selected from the group consisting of —OR?, —OPO32?, and —OC(O)R?, wherein R? is a hydrogen atom or a hydrocarbon group containing 1-6 carbon atoms; and wherein Formula (1) may include pharmaceutically acceptable salts, solvates, and polymorphs thereof, and wherein the subject may be identified as positive, before or during treatment, for at least one marker, including, for example, amyloid plaques, neurofibrillary tangles, decline in brain glucose metabolism, decline in thiamine diphosphate-dependent enzyme activity, and increase in advanced glycation end products.

Abstract: An apparatus for the manufacture of cubic Boron Nitride includes a pressure vessel having a chamber therein, and a body located in the chamber. The pressure vessel and the body are formed of materials having different coefficients of expansion. The coefficient of expansion of the body is greater than the coefficient of expansion of the pressure vessel. The pressure vessel is formed from a material having a melting point in excess of 1327° C. and capable of withstanding a pressure of at least 4.4Gpa at a temperature of at least 1327° C. The chamber is configured to receive the body, and a Boron Nitride source, the apparatus further comprising a furnace configured to heat at least the body to a temperature at least of 1327° C. The coefficient of expansion of the body is selected such that upon heating thereof to at least 1327° C. the pressure exerted on the Boron Nitride source is at least 4.4Gpa.