Abstract: A section of active optical fiber (11) which comprises an active core (1), an inner cladding layer (2) and an outer cladding layer (3). The diameter of said core 1) and the thickness of said inner cladding (2) change gradually along the length of said section of active optical fiber (11). This forms tapered longitudinal profile enabling a continuous mode conversion process along the length of the section of fiber (11). The method for fabricating a section of tapered active optical fiber comprises the steps of fabricating a preform for drawing active optical fiber from said preform, installing said preform into a drawing tower, drawing optical fiber in said drawing tower and altering at least one of the two parameters including the take-off preform speed and the take-up fiber speed during drawing of the optical fiber.

Abstract: A section of active optical fiber (11) which comprises an active core (1), an inner cladding layer (2) and an outer cladding layer (3). The diameter of said core 91) and the thickness of said inner cladding (2) change gradually along the length of said section of active optical fiber (11). This forms tapered longitudinal profile enabling a continuous mode conversion process along the length of the section of fiber (11). The method for fabricating a section of tapered active optical fiber comprises the steps of fabricating a perform for drawing active optical fiber from said perform, installing said perform into a drawing tower, drawing optical fiber in said drawing tower and altering at least one of the two parameters including the take-off perform speed and the take-up fiber speed during drawing of the optical fiber.

Abstract: The object of the invention is a photon or particle detector which comprises a transmission dynode situated in a vacuum. The detector comprises a monolithically fabricated semiconductor structure in which electrons are arranged so as to travel from the semiconductor into a vacuum. At least a part of the multiplication region is formed into a layered structure incorporating at least one doped semiconductor transmission dynode and at least one vacuum space.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of growing a GaAs film on the surface of a Si or GaAs substrate by exposing the growing surface of the substrate in a vacuum to at least one vapor beam containing the Ga elementary component of the GaAs compound, and to at least one vapor beam containing the As elementary component of the GaAs compound. The method is characterized by the steps of (A) growing a GaAs buffer layer by alternately applying the elements of the GaAs compound to the surface of a substrate heated to a first temperature one atom layer at a time, whereby in the formation of each atom layer the growing surface is exposed to a vapour beam containing one elementary component of the GaAs compound only; and (B) heating the substrate to a second temperature higher than the first temperature, and growing another GaAs layer on the buffer layer by applying both of the elementary components of the GaAs compound simultaneously.