Abstract: A Light-Emitting Diode (LED) light apparatus has a housing and a printed circuit board (PCB) received in the housing. The PCB has one or more first openings and one or more LEDs on a front side thereof about the first openings. The housing has a rear-wall structure with a plurality of fins spaced from each other and one or more second openings at locations corresponding to those of the first openings for heat management. The LED light apparatus may also have a plurality of rotatable LED panels having PCBs and LEDs thereon. The LED panels are spaced from each other with gaps therebetween for heat management, and are rotatable for controlling light distribution, light angular-span, and light direction. A LED grow-light system uses a light-distribution structure such as reflectors and/or fiber-optic cables for distributing at least a portion of the light towards the plant.

Abstract: A power circuitry has a first input circuit for coupling to a first energy source, a second input circuit for coupling to a second energy source, a third circuit coupled to the first and second input circuits for combining outputs of the first and second circuits and outputting electrical energy via a direct-current output thereof, and a control circuit coupled to the first, second, and third circuits for controlling the output of the third circuit by controlling parameters of the first, second, and third circuits based on output voltages of the first and second energy sources, outputs of the first and second input circuits coupling to the third circuits, and an output voltage of the third circuit.

Abstract: A light-emitting apparatus for facilitating the growth of one or more plants. The apparatus has a light-emitting layer comprising one or more light-emitting diodes for emitting light, and at least one optical-transformation layer having one or more optical-transformation units. Each optical-transformation unit has a metasurface for adjusting one or more parameters of the light emitted from the light-emitting layer. In some embodiments, the light-emitting apparatus may further have a polarization-control layer sandwiched between the light-emitting layer and the optical-transformation layer.

Abstract: A thermoelectric recycling structure has a heat-conductive first component for engaging a heat source for receiving heat generated therefrom, a second component spaced from the first component, and a heat-nonconductive and electrons-and-holes-transportive thermoelectric layer sandwiched between the first and second components for receiving the heat from the first component and converting the received heat to electrical power.

Abstract: An optical lens for passing therethrough an incident light beam and forming an output light beam towards a target plane at a distance therefrom and perpendicular to the norm thereof. The optical lens has a smooth or piecewise-linear first surface having a cross-section profile along an axis perpendicular to the norm of the optical lens for directing the incident light beam to form the output light beam towards the target plane with a light intensity uniformly distributed in a target area of the target plane. In some embodiments, the cross-section profile of the first surface has a concave curve in the central portion thereof smoothly transitioning to a convex curve in the peripheral portion on each side of the central portion for directing the incident light beam to the target plane with the light intensity uniformly distributed in the target area of the target plane.

Abstract: Power-electronic systems and components thereof such as electrical-energy storage apparatuses/subsystems in the form of supercapacitors and power-electronic apparatuses/subsystems are disclosed. A supercapacitor has a conductive or semi-conductive first metasurface layer, a conductive or semi-conductive second metasurface layer, and a dielectric layer sandwiched between the first and the second metasurface layers for electrically insulating the first metasurface layer from the second metasurface layer. An electrical power conversion apparatus has a first power conversion circuitry for converting a first portion of electrical power received from an electrical power source and outputting the converted electrical power via an output.

Abstract: A Light-Emitting Diode (LED) system for facilitating the growth of a plant includes at least one LED array having one or more LEDs for emitting colored light spectra absorbable by a plant, a light detector for detecting light reflected from the plant, and a LED light driver electrically coupled to the at least one LED array and the light detector. The LED light driver receives electrical power from a power source and drives the at least one LED array using the received electrical power; receives from the light detector a signal indicative of the reflected light spectra, and controls the at least one LED array to adjust at least one of the intensities and the spectra of the light emitted from the at least one LED array, based on the received signal.

Abstract: A thermoelectric recycling structure has a heat-conductive first component for engaging a heat source for receiving heat generated therefrom, a second component spaced from the first component, and a heat-nonconductive and electrons-and-holes-transportive thermoelectric layer sandwiched between the first and second components for receiving the heat from the first component and converting the received heat to electrical power.

Abstract: A multi-layer apparatus has a transparent or semi-transparent substrate, a solar-cell layer coupled to the substrate, an energy-storage layer coupled to the solar-cell layer, and a converter layer coupled to the energy-storage layer. The solar-cell layer has a plurality of solar cells for receiving light through the substrate and converting energy of the received light to a first electrical energy, the energy-storage layer has one or more energy-storage units for storing a second electrical energy, and the converter layer has one or more power converters electrically connected to the solar-cell layer and the energy-storage layer for receiving the first electrical energy and the second electrical energy therefrom and outputting a third electrical energy via an output thereof.

Abstract: A light-emitting apparatus for facilitating the growth of one or more plants. The apparatus has a light-emitting layer comprising one or more light-emitting diodes for emitting light, and at least one optical-transformation layer having one or more optical-transformation units. Each optical-transformation unit has a metasurface for adjusting one or more parameters of the light emitted from the light-emitting layer. In some embodiments, the light-emitting apparatus may further have a polarization-control layer sandwiched between the light-emitting layer and the optical-transformation layer.

Abstract: A multi-layer apparatus has a transparent or semi-transparent substrate, a solar-cell layer coupled to the substrate, an energy-storage layer coupled to the solar-cell layer, and a converter layer coupled to the energy-storage layer. The solar-cell layer has a plurality of solar cells for receiving light through the substrate and converting energy of the received light to a first electrical energy, the energy-storage layer has one or more energy-storage units for storing a second electrical energy, and the converter layer has one or more power converters electrically connected to the solar-cell layer and the energy-storage layer for receiving the first electrical energy and the second electrical energy therefrom and outputting a third electrical energy via an output thereof.

Abstract: A Light-Emitting Diode (LED) light apparatus has a housing and a printed circuit board (PCB) received in the housing. The PCB has one or more first openings and one or more LEDs on a front side thereof about the first openings. The housing has a rear-wall structure with a plurality of fins spaced from each other and one or more second openings at locations corresponding to those of the first openings for heat management. The LED light apparatus may also have a plurality of rotatable LED panels having PCBs and LEDs thereon. The LED panels are spaced from each other with gaps therebetween for heat management, and are rotatable for controlling light distribution, light angular-span, and light direction. A LED grow-light system uses a light-distribution structure such as reflectors and/or fiber-optic cables for distributing at least a portion of the light towards the plant.

Abstract: An endoscopic imaging device (e.g., a catheter) comprises a light-transmitting tubing, at least one optical fiber disposed in the light-transmitting tubing, and at least one metalens. The metalens is optically coupled to the optical fiber and is configured to focus light from the optical fiber, through the light-transmitting tubing, and to a target point located outside of the light-transmitting tubing. The metalens includes a plurality of nanostructures. The nanostructures define a phase profile that corrects astigmatism caused by the light-transmitting tubing.

Abstract: A Light-Emitting Diode (LED) system for facilitating the growth of a plant includes at least one LED array having one or more LEDs for emitting colored light spectra absorbable by a plant, a light detector for detecting light reflected from the plant, and a LED light driver electrically coupled to the at least one LED array and the light detector. The LED light driver receives electrical power from a power source and drives the at least one LED array using the received electrical power; receives from the light detector a signal indicative of the reflected light spectra, and controls the at least one LED array to adjust at least one of the intensities and the spectra of the light emitted from the at least one LED array, based on the received signal.

Abstract: A fiber-based polarization sensitive optical coherence tomography (PS-OCT) system uses a new polarization diversity detection (PDD) scheme and requires no active polarization modulating components. Retardation of the sample can be determined from amplitudes of arbitrarily-oriented x- and y-components of the reflected light. A hybrid custom 50/50 coupler with single-mode fiber inputs and polarization maintaining (PM) fiber outputs combines light from sample and reference arms of an interferometer. Another embodiment provides a system adapted to provide co-registered autofluorescence-optical coherence tomography (AF-OCT) imaging. AF excitation light is introduced and collected AF light is extracted at a fiber optic rotary joint (FORJ) equipped with an embedded dichroic mirror. A probe tip that uses a clad fiber to supply light to a focusing element provides enhanced OCT and AF performance.

Abstract: A fiber-based polarization sensitive optical coherence tomography (PS-OCT) system uses a new polarization diversity detection (PDD) scheme and requires no active polarization modulating components. Retardation of the sample can be determined from amplitudes of arbitrarily-oriented x- and y-components of the reflected light. A hybrid custom 50/50 coupler with single-mode fiber inputs and polarization maintaining (PM) fiber outputs combines light from sample and reference arms of an interferometer. Another embodiment provides a system adapted to provide co-registered autofluorescence-optical coherence tomography (AF-OCT) imaging. AF excitation light is introduced and collected AF light is extracted at a fiber optic rotary joint (FORJ) equipped with an embedded dichroic mirror. A probe tip that uses a clad fiber to supply light to a focusing element provides enhanced OCT and AF performance.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods for improving the performance of systems for generating and detecting electromagnetic radiation at terahertz (THz) frequencies. Embodiments of the systems and methods include the fabrication and use of coupling tapers to provide efficient transfer of THz radiation between a photomixer and a waveguide that supports a propagating THz mode. A representative system comprises of a photomixer to convert high-frequency components of an optical pump signal into corresponding electrical THz frequencies, a waveguide that supports a propagating THz mode, and a matching taper that effectively converts the highly localized currents generated by the photomixer to the mode supported by the waveguide.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods for improving the performance of systems for generating and detecting electromagnetic radiation at terahertz (THz) frequencies. Embodiments of the systems and methods include the fabrication and use of coupling tapers to provide efficient transfer of THz radiation between a photomixer and a waveguide that supports a propagating THz mode. A representative system comprises of a photomixer to convert high-frequency components of an optical pump signal into corresponding electrical THz frequencies, a waveguide that supports a propagating THz mode, and a matching taper that effectively converts the highly localized currents generated by the photomixer to the mode supported by the waveguide.