Abstract: A photoacoustic tomography system includes a first ring-shaped mirror having a central axis therethrough and configured to converge light inwardly towards the central axis and a subject, and an adjustment mechanism configured to move the first ring-shaped mirror along the central axis to a plurality of different positions. Each position of the plurality of different positions allows the first ring-shaped mirror to illuminate a respective ring of light around a respective portion of the subject, and an acoustic signal detector is movable along the central axis such that acoustic signals can be detected from the respective portion of the subject when illuminated by the first ring-shaped mirror while at each respective position of the plurality of different positions.

Abstract: A transmission filter apparatus is provided that includes: (i) a substrate to serve as a foundation for the apparatus; (ii) a layer containing resonant dielectric cavities separated by conductive regions. The dimensions and design of the dielectric cavities, thickness of the layer, and substrate, dielectric and conductive materials are chosen to achieve resonant transmission of selected wavelengths. In a particular one or more embodiments, the layer is one dimensional, i.e. you have dielectric cavities along one axis in the plane that are comparatively infinity long in the parallel plane. In a particular one or more embodiments, the layer is two dimensional, i.e. you have dielectric cavities along both axis in the plane. The dimensions in each plane may or may not be equal. In a specific one or more embodiments, the dielectric cavities are terminated on the top and/or bottom by thin metal films with small apertures or tapers.

Abstract: A transmission filter apparatus is provided that includes: (i) a substrate to serve as a foundation for the apparatus; (ii) a layer containing resonant dielectric cavities separated by conductive regions. The dimensions and design of the dielectric cavities, thickness of the layer, and substrate, dielectric and conductive materials are chosen to achieve resonant transmission of selected wavelengths. In a particular one or more embodiments, the layer is one dimensional, i.e. you have dielectric cavities along one axis in the plane that are comparatively infinity long in the parallel plane. In a particular one or more embodiments, the layer is two dimensional, i.e. you have dielectric cavities along both axis in the plane. The dimensions in each plane may or may not be equal. In a specific one or more embodiments, the dielectric cavities are terminated on the top and/or bottom by thin metal films with small apertures or tapers.

Abstract: An ultrasonic photoacoustic tomography system includes a mirror arrangement configured to redirect an incoming light beam defining a central axis such that the mirror arrangement reflects the incoming light beam to form a converging ring-shaped light beam. This converging ring-shaped light beam directs light originating from the incoming light beam radially inward covering a 360° circumferential range around the central axis. A closed-geometry acoustic detector is configured to pick up reactive sound waves from tissue irradiated by the converging ring-shaped light beam over the 360° circumferential range.

Abstract: A silicon-on-insulator device has a waveguide having a carrier wafer layer, a buffer layer, a guiding layer, and a cladding layer. The silicon-on-insulator is additionally provided with a polarizing arrangement deposited on a predetermined portion of the waveguide, the polarizing arrangement being provided with a bottom metal layer, a dielectric gap, and a top metal layer, the bottom metal layer being deposited on the cladding layer. A protection layer formed of SiO2 overlies the top metal layer. The polarizing arrangement attenuates preferentially the electromagnetic energy that is propagated in the waveguide in the TM transmission mode. There is formed a gap plasmon-polariton (GPP) confined to the dielectric gap, the dielectric gap having a high optical loss characteristic. In accordance with a method aspect, there are provided the steps of forming a silicon-on-insulator waveguide arrangement and depositing a polarizer structure that absorbs the electromagnetic energy in the TM transmission mode.

Abstract: A silicon-on-insulator device has a waveguide having a carrier wafer layer, a buffer layer, a guiding layer, and a cladding layer. The silicon-on-insulator is additionally provided with a polarizing arrangement deposited on a predetermined portion of the waveguide, the polarizing arrangement being provided with a bottom metal layer, a dielectric gap, and a top metal layer, the bottom metal layer being deposited on the cladding layer. A protection layer formed of SiO2 overlies the top metal layer. The polarizing arrangement attenuates preferentially the electromagnetic energy that is propagated in the waveguide in the TM transmission mode. There is formed a gap plasmon-polariton (GPP) confined to the dielectric gap, the dielectric gap having a high optical loss characteristic. In accordance with a method aspect, there are provided the steps of forming a silicon-on-insulator waveguide arrangement and depositing a polarizer structure that absorbs the electromagnetic energy in the TM transmission mode.

Abstract: Methods of forming a gated, self-aligned nano-structures for electron extraction are disclosed. One method of forming the nano-structure comprises irradiating a first surface of a thermally conductive laminate to melt an area across the first surface of the laminate. The laminate comprises a thermally conductive film and a patterned layer disposed on the first surface of the film. The patterned layer has a pattern formed therethrough, defining the area for melting. The film is insulated at a second surface thereof to provide two-dimensional heat transfer laterally in plane of the film. The liquid density of the film is greater than the solid density thereof. The method further comprises cooling the area inwardly from the periphery thereof to form the nano-structure having an apical nano-tip for electron emission centered in an electrically isolated aperture that serves as a gate electrode to control electron extraction in a gated field emitter device.

Abstract: Methods of forming a gated, self-aligned nano-structures for electron extraction are disclosed. One method of forming the nano-structure comprises irradiating a first surface of a thermally conductive laminate to melt an area across the first surface of the laminate. The laminate comprises a thermally conductive film and a patterned layer disposed on the first surface of the film. The patterned layer has a pattern formed therethrough, defining the area for melting. The film is insulated at a second surface thereof to provide two-dimensional heat transfer laterally in plane of the film. The liquid density of the film is greater than the solid density thereof. The method further comprises cooling the area inwardly from the periphery thereof to form the nano-structure having an apical nano-tip for electron emission centered in an electrically isolated aperture that serves as a gate electrode to control electron extraction in a gated field emitter device.

Abstract: Methods of forming a nano-structure for electron extraction are disclosed. One method of forming a nano-structure comprises irradiating an area on a first surface of a thermal conductive film to melt the area across the film. The film is insulated on a second surface to provide two-dimensional heat transfer across the film. The liquid density of the film is greater than the solid density thereof. The method further comprises cooling the area inwardly from the periphery thereof to form a nano-structure having an apical nano-tip for electron extraction.

Abstract: A miniaturized diffractive imaging spectrometer (DIS) has a footprint less than 2×1 mm2, is about 2.5 mm tall (excluding an image detector, which in some embodiments may be a CCD matrix), and covers the entire visible spectral range from 400 nm to 700 nm with resolution of approximately from 2 nm to 4 nm across the field. The DIS is able to function with multiple input waveguide channels, and is flexible in its various possible configurations, as it can be designed to achieve better resolution or higher number of channels or wider spectral range or smaller size.

Abstract: Methods of forming a nano-structure for electron extraction are disclosed. One method of forming a nano-structure comprises irradiating an area on a first surface of a thermal conductive film to melt the area across the film. The film is insulated on a second surface to provide two-dimensional heat transfer across the film. The liquid density of the film is greater than the solid density thereof. The method further comprises cooling the area inwardly from the periphery thereof to form a nano-structure having an apical nano-tip for electron extraction.

Abstract: A miniaturized diffractive imaging spectrometer (DIS) has a footprint less than 2×1 mm2, is about 2.5 mm tall (excluding an image detector, which in some embodiments may be a CCD matrix), and covers the entire visible spectral range from 400 nm to 700 nm with resolution of approximately from 2 nm to 4 nm across the field. The DIS is able to function with multiple input waveguide channels, and is flexible in its various possible configurations, as it can be designed to achieve better resolution or higher number of channels or wider spectral range or smaller size.

Abstract: A superimposed grating tunable WDM semiconductor laser is provided comprising a grating structure is a binary superimposed grating comprising a plurality of segments of equal dimension, s, each segment having one of two values of refractive index, whereby the grating structure is provided by a binary modulation of the refractive index modulation of segments s along the length of the grating.Thus, for a superimposed grating structure for an optoelectronic device for providing a spectrum comprising j reflection peaks at wavelengths .lambda..sub.j, the grating comprising a binary superimposed grating (BSG) having a sequence of a plurality of segments of equal size s, each segment of the sequence having a refractive index of one of two values wherein the effective waveguide index of the ith segment n.sub.i.sup.0 (.lambda.) is allowed to be changed by .DELTA.n.multidot.(m-1/2) with m=1 or m=0: ##EQU1## where i=1,2,3 . . . is the segment number, for digital position i.multidot.s, n.sup.0 (.lambda.