Abstract: A method decodes an optical signal transmitted over an optical channel from a transmitter to a receiver. The method produces, from the transmitted optical signal, a digital signal including received data symbols and received pilot symbols and determines phase noise on the pilot symbols using a statistical probability distribution of phase noise on the optical channel and errors between phases of the received pilot symbols and the transmitted pilot signals. The method estimates phase noise on the data symbols using an interpolation of the phase noise on the pilot symbols and compensates the digital signal with the phase noise on the data symbols to produce a filtered signal with an equalized phase. The method demodulates and decodes the filtered signal to produce an estimate of the transmitted optical signal.

Abstract: An encoder for generating an optical data code from a symbol performs a symbol mapping and an encoding, wherein the symbol mapping performs providing a first constellation format having first and second amplitude rings with circular grids corresponding to phase angles, providing a second constellation format having the first and second amplitude rings with the circular grids corresponding to the phase angles, applying a first part of the symbol to one of the first and second constellation formats to represent the first part of the symbol by one of the first and second amplitude rings with one of the circular grids, and applying a second part of the symbol to another one of the first and second constellation formats to represent the second part of the symbol by one of the first and second amplitude rings with one of the circular grids. The first and the second constellation can be mapped to subcarrier modulation in three different ways.

Abstract: A photonic device for converting optical modes of optical beams includes a first port to receive a first beam having a first mode, a mode converter and a second port to transmit the first beam. The mode converter is configured to broaden the first beam to convert the first mode into a second mode and narrow the broadened first beam at an output side of the mode converter, wherein the mode converter includes a guide material having a first refractive index and perturbation segments each having a second refractive index, wherein the first refractive index is greater than the second refractive index, wherein the perturbation segments are arranged in the guide material to cross the first beam.

Abstract: Provide is a relief valve in which the flexibility of an attaching position is higher than a conventional relief valve. In the relief valve of the present invention, a discharge hole for discharging a fluid is arranged on a side surface of a cylindrical portion which protrudes from an end surface of a head portion in a bolt-type valve body. A direction change member which changes a direction in which the discharge hole is open to an arbitrary direction is provided. In this way, the relief valve is attached to a fluid device, and then with the direction change member, it is possible to direct the fluid discharge direction to a desired direction, and accordingly, the flexibility of the attaching position of the relief valve is enhanced as compared with the conventional relief valve.

Abstract: A photonic integrated circuit having discrete optical components arranged on a top side of a substrate includes a first and second optical sources respectively configured to emit light beams, a first interferometer having a first and second input ports respectively coupled to the first and second optical sources via first waveguides, a second interferometer configured to receive signals from the first interferometer via second waveguides and combine the signals to transmit a combined signal via a third waveguide, and a submount configured to contact a back side of the substrate, wherein the submount includes a first thermal conductor having a first thermal conductivity and a second conductor having a second thermal conductivity, wherein the first thermal conductivity is greater than the second thermal conductivity, and the first and second optical sources are more proximity to the first thermal conductor than the second thermal conductor.

Abstract: Provided are a clear coating composition which is used for top coats, the composition containing a crosslinking agent and a functional group-containing (meth)acrylate polymer formed by polymerization of a monomer component that includes an aromatic ring-containing (meth)acrylate and a functional group-containing monomer. Also provided is a clear coat composition which is used for top coats, the composition containing a crosslinking agent and a functional group-containing (meth)acrylate polymer formed by polymerization of a monomer component that includes a functional group-containing monomer and a fluorine atom-containing monomer. This clear coat composition has low colorability, has a high refractive index without the use of a filler, provides excellent glossy even when a filler is used, and can be applied to a thick film.

Abstract: A photonic integrated circuit having discrete optical components arranged on a top side of a substrate includes a first and second optical sources respectively configured to emit light beams, a first interferometer having a first and second input ports respectively coupled to the first and second optical sources via first waveguides, a second interferometer configured to receive signals from the first interferometer via second waveguides and combine the signals to transmit a combined signal via a third waveguide, and a submount configured to contact a back side of the substrate, wherein the submount includes a first thermal conductor having a first thermal conductivity and a second conductor having a second thermal conductivity, wherein the first thermal conductivity is greater than the second thermal conductivity, and the first and second optical sources are more proximity to the first thermal conductor than the second thermal conductor.

Abstract: A communication system includes a data source to receive a block of bits, a memory to store a set of distribution matchers. Each distribution matcher is associated with a probability mass function (PMF) to match equally likely input bits to a fixed number of output bits with values distributed according to the PMF of the distribution matcher. Each distribution matcher is associated with a selection probability, such that a sum of joint probabilities of all distribution matchers equals a target PMF. A joint probability of a distribution matcher is a product of PMF of the distribution matcher with the selection probability of the distribution matcher.

Abstract: An algae culture method capable of efficiently producing an osmotic pressure adjusting substance, a production method of the substance, and an algae culture method for recovering carbon dioxide from a mixed gas containing carbon dioxide and sulfurous acid gas. The methods involve preparing a plurality of enrichment cultures each containing betaine by culturing a culture of microalgae derived from an environmental specimen under a photoautotrophic condition and under a plurality of culture conditions; making a cultivation plan in which an optimum enrichment culture suitable for a main culture is selected from the plurality of enrichment cultures; producing a main culture that contains betaine under the photoautotrophic condition and a salt concentration of 10 wt. % or more; and separating betaine. In the main culture, the algae containing betaine are cultured while the mixed gas containing sulfurous acid gas and carbon dioxide is blown to a culture solution of the algae.

Abstract: Provided are a clear coating composition which is used for top coats, the composition containing a crosslinking agent and a functional group-containing (meth)acrylate polymer formed by polymerization of a monomer component that includes an aromatic ring-containing (meth)acrylate and a functional group-containing monomer. Also provided is a clear coat composition which is used for top coats, the composition containing a crosslinking agent and a functional group-containing (meth)acrylate polymer formed by polymerization of a monomer component that includes a functional group-containing monomer and a fluorine atom-containing monomer. This clear coat composition has low colorability, has a high refractive index without the use of a filler, provides excellent glossy even when a filler is used, and can be applied to a thick film.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for the formation of multi-layer paint films with the omission of a mid-coat paint coating process. The method comprises the use of a particular aqueous colored paint (A) comprising a prescribed amount of specified titanium oxide that has been compounded, The resulting multi-layer paint films have a very bright paint color, and especially a white or light-colored color, and have excellent concealing properties. The aqueous colored paint (A) is characterized by containing from 50 to 60 mass % with respect to the whole paint solid fraction of titanium oxide of specific surface area not more than 13 m2/g.

Abstract: Provided is a method for forming a multilayer coating film giving excellent low temperature impact resistance to a substrate that comprises a metal material and a plastic material. The method for forming a multilayer coating film comprises sequential steps of forming an uncured primer coating film, an uncured first colored coating film, an uncured second colored coating film and an uncured clear coating film on a substrate; and heating the same so as to simultaneously cure these 4 coating films, wherein the aqueous first colored paint and aqueous second colored paint are each a 1-package type paint composition containing a specific hydroxyl group-containing resin and a specific blocked polyisocyanate compound.

Abstract: A method decodes an optical signal transmitted over an optical channel from a transmitter to a receiver. The receiver receives the transmitted optical signal to produce a digital signal which is filtered in the frequency domain for compensating static effects and/or dynamic effects. The filtering is performed in the frequency domain, while the frequency coefficients of the filter are updated in the time domain by updating at least some of time coefficients of the filter and transforming the time coefficients into the frequency domain.

Abstract: Methods and systems for decoding symbols transmitted over an optical channel having a cross-polarization modulation (XPolM) impairment, wherein an optical signal is polarized to encode the symbols on an x-polarization and an y-polarization before transmitted. The method including receiving the optical signal transmitted over the optical channel. Sampling the optical signal to produce a sequence of digital samples, wherein each digital sample includes a measurement of each polarization of the optical signal at an instance of time. Selecting a subset of the sequence of digital samples that includes a digital sample and neighboring digital samples on the sequence. Repeating the selecting and the determining for each digital sample remaining in the sequence of digital samples to produce a sequence of cross-talk coefficients; and decoding some of the symbols from the sequence of digital samples using cross-talk models with corresponding cross-talk coefficients, wherein method steps are performed using a processor.

Abstract: Methods and systems for decoding symbols transmitted over an optical channel having a cross-polarization modulation (XPolM) impairment, wherein an optical signal is polarized to encode the symbols on an x-polarization and an y-polarization before transmitted. The method including receiving the optical signal transmitted over the optical channel. Sampling the optical signal to produce a sequence of digital samples, wherein each digital sample includes a measurement of each polarization of the optical signal at an instance of time. Selecting a subset of the sequence of digital samples that includes a digital sample and neighboring digital samples on the sequence. Repeating the selecting and the determining for each digital sample remaining in the sequence of digital samples to produce a sequence of cross-talk coefficients; and decoding some of the symbols from the sequence of digital samples using cross-talk models with corresponding cross-talk coefficients, wherein method steps are performed using a processor.

Abstract: There is provided a metal fine particle association suitably applied to an electrode catalyst to achieve even higher output leading to reduction in amount of the catalyst used, and a process for producing the same, that is, a metal fine particle association including a plurality of metal fine particles that have a mean particle diameter of 1 nm to 10 nm and are associated to form a single assembly, an association mixture including the metal fine particle association and a conductive support; a premix for forming an association, including metal fine particles, a metal fine particle dispersant made of a hyperbranched polymer, and a conductive support; and a method for producing the association mixture.

Abstract: An optical waveguide interferometer that includes a first optical section, a second optical section, and a set of optical waveguides configured to connect the first and second optical sections, such that light propagating between the first optical section and the second optical section passes through each optical waveguide in the set, wherein the set of optical waveguides includes a first optical waveguide having a first length and a first width and a second optical waveguide having a second length and a second width, wherein the second length is greater than the first length, and the second width is greater than the first width.

Abstract: An optical data coding method includes at least steps of selecting a modulation scheme comprising an X-polarization constellation format having first and second amplitude rings with circular grids corresponding to predetermined phase angles and a Y-polarization constellation format having the first and second amplitude rings with the circular grids corresponding to the predetermined phase angles, arranging a first part of the symbol on a first circular grid of the first amplitude ring on the X-polarization constellation format, and arranging a second part of the symbol on a second circular grid of the second amplitude ring on the Y-polarization constellation format.

Abstract: Provide is a relief valve in which the flexibility of an attaching position is higher than a conventional relief valve. In the relief valve of the present invention, a discharge hole for discharging a fluid is arranged on a side surface of a cylindrical portion which protrudes from an end surface of a head portion in a bolt-type valve body. A direction change member which changes a direction in which the discharge hole is open to an arbitrary direction is provided. In this way, the relief valve is attached to a fluid device, and then with the direction change member, it is possible to direct the fluid discharge direction to a desired direction, and accordingly, the flexibility of the attaching position of the relief valve is enhanced as compared with the conventional relief valve.

Abstract: A multi-layer paint film satisfies paint film performance, such as water resistance, impact resistance and the like, required of an automobile paint film and which has excellent paint film appearance is obtained. The method comprises coating an aqueous first base paint (A) over an electrodeposited cured paint film to form a first base paint film, and then coating an aqueous second base paint (B) over the first base paint film without carrying out preliminary drying by heating after forming the first base paint film to form a second base paint film, preliminary drying by heating is carried out after forming the second base paint film, coating a single-liquid type clear paint (C) over the second base paint film to form a clear coat paint film. These three paint film layers are heated and cured at the same time.