Abstract: There is provided a light source arranged to output light at a first wavelength. The light source comprises a luminescent concentrator having a slab-shaped geometry. The luminescent concentrator comprises: an input port arranged to receive light and define a first area; an output port arranged to transmit light and define a second area which is smaller than the first area; and surfaces arranged to direct light inside the luminescent concentrator to the output port. The luminescent concentrator further comprises lumophores arranged to receive light at a second wavelength and emit light at the first wavelength; and a pump light supply coupled to the input port and arranged to illuminate the input port with light at the second wavelength.

Abstract: There is provided a light source arranged to output light at a first wavelength. The light source comprises a luminescent concentrator having a slab-shaped geometry. The luminescent concentrator comprises: an input port arranged to receive light and define a first area; an output port arranged to transmit light and define a second area which is smaller than the first area; and surfaces arranged to direct light inside the luminescent concentrator to the output port. The luminescent concentrator further comprises lumophores arranged to receive light at a second wavelength and emit light at the first wavelength; and a pump light supply coupled to the input port and arranged to illuminate the input port with light at the second wavelength.

Abstract: A maser assembly includes a pump light source; a maser material including molecules that are excited through the absorption of light (1) from the pump light source, and which subsequently transfer via intersystem crossing (9) into the sublevels of their triplet ground states, so causing a population inversion between two sublevels (16,18); an electromagnetic structure in which the masing material is disposed, and which supports a microwave mode that is both resonant in frequency with and magnetically coupled to the transition between these two sublevels; and where energy is supplied to the microwave mode through stimulated emission (25) across the transition at such a rate as to exceed the mode's electromagnetic losses, the microwave mode being a maser mode. The assembly includes provisions for effecting substantially continuous maser activity during operation of the assembly.

Abstract: A maser assembly includes a pump light source; a maser material including molecules that are excited through the absorption of light (1) from the pump light source, and which subsequently transfer via intersystem crossing (9) into the sublevels of their triplet ground states, so causing a population inversion between two sublevels (16,18); an electromagnetic structure in which the masing material is disposed, and which supports a microwave mode that is both resonant in frequency with and magnetically coupled to the transition between these two sublevels; and where energy is supplied to the microwave mode through stimulated emission (25) across the transition at such a rate as to exceed the mode's electromagnetic losses, the microwave mode being a maser mode. The assembly includes provisions for effecting substantially continuous maser activity during operation of the assembly.

Abstract: There is disclosed a whispering gallery oscillator for producing a low noise microwave output signal. The whispering gallery oscillator comprises a dielectric resonator 1 comprising paramagnetic ions 34. A pump signal 5 is coupled by a coupler 7 to the paramagnetic ions to excite 19 the paramagnetic ions 34. The paramagnetic ions 34 decay 17 and thus excite a whispering gallery mode 15 of the dielectric resonator 1. The whispering gallery mode 15 is coupled by a coupler 10 to give an output signal 9. The whispering gallery mode 15 has a high Q (Q?107) resonance. The high Q resonance results in a low-noise output signal 9. The paramagnetic ions 34 act as a MASER that is distributed about the dielectric resonator 1. In some embodiments, the whispering gallery oscillator may be locked to a frequency standard.

Abstract: There is disclosed a whispering gallery oscillator for producing a low noise microwave output signal. The whispering gallery oscillator comprises a dielectric resonator 1 comprising paramagnetic ions 34. A pump signal 5 is coupled by a coupler 7 to the paramagnetic ions to excite 19 the paramagnetic ions 34. The paramagnetic ions 34 decay 17 and thus excite a whispering gallery mode 15 of the dielectric resonator 1. The whispering gallery mode 15 is coupled by a coupler 10 to give an output signal 9. The whispering gallery mode 15 has a high Q (Q?107) resonance. The high Q resonance results in a low-noise output signal 9. The paramagnetic ions 34 act as a MASER that is distributed about the dielectric resonator 1. In some embodiments, the whispering gallery oscillator may be locked to a frequency standard.