Abstract: A low-latency, high-bandwidth, hybrid TDM/WDM architecture for connecting processing nodes into a high-performance computing environment designed as a system area network is disclosed. Each node has a receiver for receiving optical communication within a fibre at all wavelength channels supported by the system simultaneously and individually. Each node also has a transmitter for transmitting at at least two wavelengths. One of the wavelengths is a default wavelength for the node. In order to transmit data, a node requests a channel and is provided with a transmit wavelength at which to transmit data. Other nodes receive the data and, when the recipient is the addressee of the data, the data is then forwarded to a computing device connected to the node or in communication therewith. The architecture provides robust communication with high bandwidth.

Abstract: An optical fiber connector is used as a means of carrying an optical element. The optical element is either permanently or removeably affixed to a planar end of the optical fiber connector with a suitable adhesive or gel. After the mating connector plugs are secured together, the affixed optical element is adjacent each end of each connector plug becoming in-line with the connector.

Abstract: By using a pumped erbium doped fibre (EDF) cascaded with a non-saturable absorbing fibre (NSAF), an amplifier is provided with a desired flat uniform output response for a input signals with different intensities at a plurality of wavelengths. Furthermore, from a commercial standpoint, the amplifier is relatively inexpensive and simple to fabricate, being compatible with standard telecommunication fibre. With this particular invention, a previously recognized undesired characteristic of NSAF, its poor amplification qualities, are now being used to an advantage.

Abstract: In an optical fibre system, an optical fibre is monitored to determine if a transmitted signal is being received at a receiving end. A bi-modal optical switch located between the laser transmitter and receiver operates in a first transmitting mode to allow a transmitted signal to pass through and in a second reflecting mode to reflect back the transmitted signal to the transmitting end. A monitor at the transmitting end monitors the fibre for the absence or presence of the reflected signal. The switch can be used to remotely monitor the receiver in an optical fibre link, to control handshaking between two computers, to remove idle sections from an optical fibre communications network, and to control the reflectance of a laser mirror.

Abstract: In a Michelson inteferometer with phase conjugate mirrors at least one of such mirrors includes a Kerr medium. This enables control over the relative phases of the beams that are reflected from the mirrors and superimposed to form an output beam. The interferometer can be used to perform a logic function by interposing transparencies in the reflected beams. By appropriate choice of the relative phases a logic OR function can be achieved.

Abstract: A method of optical phase to amplitude demodulation comprises intersecting two mutually coherent beams of light inside a Kerr medium. One of the beams is unmodulated and the other is phase modulated. The Kerr medium is non-linear and is characterized by an equation n=n.sub.0 +n.sub.2 I, where n is the local refractive index of the medium at a point of interest, n.sub.0 is the linear refractive index of the medium, n.sub.2 is a nonlinear refractive index of the medium and I is the light intensity at the point of interests. An amplitude modulated output beam is generated.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method and a system for laying out optical fibres across an aperture in a wall separating a high pressure zone from a low pressure zone. It involves a plug member sealingly mounted across the aperture and formed with an axial through fibre passage having a conical first portion and a second portion of constant cross-section. A conical wedge member is freely inserted into the first passage portion and is formed with a series of grooves on its outer surface leading into the second passage portion. A plurality of optical fibres are divided into fractions and each fraction is received into one of the grooves; all fibres being thereafter collected into the second passage portion. Plastics material is introduced in the grooves and in the second passage portion to completely embed the fibres while adhering to the walls of the grooves and of the second passage portion.