Abstract: An air bag deployment trigger sensor for activating the deployment of an air bag in a vehicle as a result of an impact or collision. The air bag deployment trigger sensor utilizes a sacrificial waveguide which transmits optical signals from an emitter along the waveguide, and which are received by a detector. A sensor circuit attached to the detector senses the optical signal and decodes, measures, or compares the optical signal with a predetermined electrical signal produced by the detector. The sensor's detection of an alteration or interruption of the optical signal along the waveguide triggers air bag deployment.

Abstract: A system for detecting the presence of an object within a predetermined detection region. The system comprises a light source for producing a beam of light in the direction of the object to be detected and a pair of light detector units. The light detector units are angularly oriented so that their fields of view intersect to form a detection zone, the portion of the detection zone illuminated by the light beam defining a detection region. The outputs from said light detector units are coupled to an AND gate which, upon simultaneous receipt of output signals from both light detector units, emits a detection signal. If the object is disposed within the detection region and is illuminated by the light source, both light detector units will simultaneously emit an output signal, thereby causing the AND gate to emit a detection signal.

Abstract: A laser is disclosed which includes an optical path length extender for increasing the optical path length of the laser cavity. The path length extender, which is disposed inside the laser cavity itself, includes a set of three curved mirrors each having the same curvature. The three mirrors are spaced and angularly positioned such that light entering the path length extender is reflected back and forth about the three mirrors a defined number of times before exiting the path length extender. By rotating one or two of the mirrors the number of reflections within the set of mirrors can be changed. The laser cavity configuration is particularly useful in a pulse laser for increasing the optical path length of the cavity for the purpose of increasing the pulse to pulse separation of the emitted pulses, when such an increase is desired, but is not limited exclusively to pulse lasers.

Abstract: A temporal spectral photometer for use in obtaining spectral and temporal information simultaneously of an ultrafast pulse of luminescent light emitted from a sample upon excitation thereof includes an excitation section and a detection section. The excitation section includes a picosecond laser for exciting the sample to emit luminescent light and imaging optics for imaging the emitted light.

Abstract: An electrical device for use in delaying the time of arrival of an electrical signal with fixed increments of delay in the picosecond range and having a minimum delay time in picoseconds is disclosed. In one embodiment of the invention, the device comprises a plurality of small T shaped RF coaxial connectors fixedly coupled together in series with the connectors themselves serving as delay elements. One of the unconnected (open) ports of the connector at one end of the series is used as the entrance port for the device and the other unconnected ports of the connectors in the series are used as exit ports for the device.

Abstract: Apparatus is disclosed for use in calibrating the time axis and intensity linearity of a streak camera or any optoelectronic device over any one of a number of different time scales. The apparatus includes a plurality of bundles of optical fibers mounted on a rotation wheel and a pulsed light source. Each bundle of optical fibers is made up of a plurality of optical fibers, each cut to a different length with the differences in length between the fibers in any one bundle being uniform and the differences in length of the fibers in one bundle being different from the differences in length of the fibers in each one of the other bundles. The fibers in each bundle are arranged so that one set of ends terminates in a common input plane and the other set of ends terminates in a common output plane.

Abstract: Method and device for detecting the threshold of generation of a non-visible laser beam, wherein a dark colored film, enclosed in a transparent container, is placed in the path of the laser beam to cause the dark film to burn when the laser beam impinges thereon and wherein the transparent container prevents the vaporized film particles from the area impinged upon by the laser beam from escaping into the atmosphere.