Abstract: A coaxial illuminated laser endoscopic probe and active numerical aperture control apparatus and method of use, succinctly known as an illumination and laser source, capable of selectively providing illumination light and laser treatment light through a single optical fiber. The apparatus and method is especially useful during ophthalmic surgery. The present art is capable of providing the aforesaid through an optical fiber of such small size that heretofore said fiber was only useable for laser treatment light only. The present art also, with its unique optical system, allows for two illumination light outputs from a single illumination source. The apparatus utilizes a phototoxicity risk card to calibrate the system to prior art or safe illumination levels since the unique optical system provides illumination light of greater intensity than the prior art.

Abstract: A micro-optical light beam switch comprises a MEMS (Micro-Electromechanical Systems) mirror array with packaged CMOS driving circuitry. Each movable mirror is coupled to orthogonal pairs of thin unimorph PZT capacitor actuators about peripheral mirror portions for precise positional accuracy in two dimensions by the application of mirror tilt control voltages of 5 volts or less to the actuators. Each cantilevered actuator is individually controllable, allowing multi-axial movement of each mirror via simple flexible stress reducing hinging tab elements for the precise redirection of an incoming light beam to the appropriate targeted location, such as the direction of optical traffic throughout a fiber optic network.

Abstract: A method of making a micro-mirror light beam switch having a thin flexible movable support member for supporting a thin central reflective mirror surface thereon and for supporting a plurality of thin unimorph piezoelectric cantilevered mirror actuators mechanically coupled between a fixed substrate and movable hinging portions of the thin movable support member. The method employs thin film deposition techniques and photolithography for readily forming the extremely thin switch, whereby the components thereof are substantially co-planar for precisely controlled, multi-axial micro-mirror motion and low voltage operation necessary for the rapid switching of optical traffic from fiber to fiber in the next-generation optical networks.

Abstract: An all optical photorefractive holographic joint transform correlator provides a first correlation plane output port using two-beam coupling, and a second correlation plane output port employing four-wave mixing. With appropriate input beam intensity ratios, the first port output is capable of high discrimination, while simultaneously the second port offers a low discrimination output.

Abstract: An array of pairs of photodetector elements is provided, where each pair intercepts a set of angularly separated light beams for each pixel, and an array of electrical logic circuits coupled to the photodetector elements, each change the polarization state of liquid crystal pixel SLM portions adjacent thereto, depending upon the intensity and presence of the light beams in each set of light beams. Thus, various Boolean logic functions may be performed at very high speeds without the need for numerous input and output electrical data transmission connections to and from the processor board supporting the SLM. This operation is facilitated by an array of microlenses affixed to the SLM for maintaining the separation of the write beams and readout beam of each set of light beams for each pixel.

Abstract: A three-level atomic system in a resonance Raman configuration is provided, and self-pumped optical phase conjugation is performed in which the pumps are self-induced as standing waves in a Raman laser. Self-pumped reflectivities approaching five percent are obtained for input intensities of 20 watts per square cm. This low optical input intensity combined with predicted submicrosecond response times indicates that the resonant Raman interaction may provide the basis for a promising new class of non-linear optical materials.

Abstract: An associative memory apparatus having a 2f Fourier transform optical correlation configuration wherein the correlation spots produced in the correlation plane are projected back by a mirror through the inverse Fourier transform lens and a phase correction reference image filter to produce the output image representing the best match between the input image and the associative memory reference images. A 4f Fourier transform embodiment projects the correlation spots forward through a second filter and transform means and the output image can be fed back to the input image display SLM to enhance the output image.

Abstract: An array of micro-sized converging light transmissive channels is positioned between a lenslet array and an array of pixel detectors. The result is that the detectors are substantially smaller than upper portions of the channels and non-optical components may be positioned between the detectors. The side walls of the channels are reflective and have a hyperbolic or parabolic shape to maximize the acceptance angle of rays entering the device for maximum efficiency. A method of producing the channels employing a micro-sized machine bit is also disclosed.