Abstract: Low loss photonic waveguides and ring resonators are necessary for highly accurate gyroscope functionality. For fabrication of these low loss waveguides and ring resonators, an improved and cost-effective fabrication method has been proposed wherein for silicon nitride waveguides, a minimum of 2 ?m thin bottom oxide cladding above etched trenches (cavities) in silicon facilitates both lower losses and higher Q values ring resonators as compared to the conventional 8 ?m thick bottom oxide cladding without etched trenches in silicon. The trenches below the thin bottom oxide cladding are created through xenon difluoride (XeF2) gas etching in selective areas of silicon substrate through vias (openings). After etching the trenches, these vias are filled by the addition of a final top oxide cladding layer. The proposed method provides about three times improvement both in propagation losses as well as in quality factor for side coupled ring resonators.

Abstract: A door handle sanitizer includes a housing that is mountable to a door and an access lid pivotally attached to the housing. An interior volume of the housing includes a dispensing mechanism having a connector disposed within the interior volume that is configured to removably receive a sanitizer refill container, and a nozzle configured to dispense a sanitizing material onto the door handle. A power supply is operably connected to a motion sensor, a timer, indicator lights, a dispensing mechanism actuator, and a control circuit. The control circuit includes control switches that allow for customization of the door handle sanitizer's spray frequency. If a timer switch is set to a timer interval, then the control circuit activates the dispenser in an interval corresponding to the selected interval. If a motion sensor switch is set to an on position, then the control circuit activates the dispensing mechanism actuator when the motion sensor detects motion.

Abstract: Apparatus used to facilitate pick up of dry cleaning which uses a multi-drawered cabinet with each drawer having a separate access door. The door is unlocked when a coin is deposited therein and thereafter when closed is locked. A key operated device enables the door once locked to be unlocked and the coin removed. The user after opening the door using the coin places the material for dry cleaning in the cabinet and then locks the door. The person making the pick up opens the door with a key, removes the coin and also removes material from the drawer for cleaning.