Abstract: A sculptured stripline interface conductor for providing spaced apart access to the closely spaced conductors of a circuit element. The low impedance and crosstalk of stripline suggests the use thereof in high-frequency applications. In the sculptured stripline interface conductor of the present invention the circuit traces of the buried signal layer are closely spaced in a first section of the stripline interface conductor and spaced further apart in a second section thereof. In the area where the circuit traces are closely spaced, different-shaped rectangular holes are made in the upper and lower ground plane conductors to expose the inner circuit traces. The upper ground plane conductor also has holes in the second section for exposing a pad in the circuit traces. External connection to each conductor of the circuit element is then made to the circuit trace pad through the holes in the upper ground plane conductor.

Abstract: A Q-switch driver for controlling laser output pulses, so that the laser output pulses are of an approximately equal amplitude. Sequences of light request pulses, each such light request pulse for causing the laser to produce a laser output pulse, are input to the Q-switch driver. The Q-switch is controlled by an RF oscillating signal produced by the Q-switch driver such that when the RF signal is present there is no output signal from the laser, and when the RF signal is zero a laser output pulse is produced. If the time between sequences of light request pulses is greater than a predetermined value, the RF signal from the Q-switch driver is modified by leaving the RF partially on so that there is some Q-spoiling present. The amount of RF produced during each light request pulse is gradually diminished exponentially over a predetermined time so that eventually the RF goes to zero during each light request pulse.