Abstract: An optical assembly is disclosed. The optical assembly includes a laser having a front facet and a rear facet a thin film filter (TFF) to receive a first optical signal from the front facet of the laser and to reflect a component of the first optical signal back to the laser a back facet monitor (BFM) to receive a second optical signal and the reflected component from the rear facet of the laser and a feedback circuit to monitor the quantity of reflected component.

Abstract: A memory aid comprising a display having a plurality of display zones (19), each display zone adapted to provide a display independently of the other display zones, each display zone capable of sequentially displaying the letters of an alphabet and a control adapted to cause the sequential display of the letters at each display zone. An electronic device and a mechanical device and a software programme which is adapted to control a computer is claimed.

Abstract: A Bragg reflection grating is written in photosensitive optical fiber using ultra-violet light from an ArF excimer laser with the aid of a phase grating to create a fringe pattern. The writing is effected by a type II damage process performed in two stages, the first of which involves the creation of a low reflectivity grating, which is incubated to greater reflectivity in the second stage. Incubation is performed without the use of any fringe pattern.

Abstract: A ballistic protective insert for use with soft body armor by female personnel is disclosed. The ballistic protective insert provides enhanced protection to female breast tissue which is uniquely susceptible to the harmful effects of blunt trauma from ballistic impact. The ballistic protective insert is a rigid, inflexible cup worn over a woman's breast and under a conventional soft body armor vest. The insert is preferably made of SPECTRA SHIELD, a high strength polyethylene material, sheets laminated together with epoxy. The protective insert appears to work by a combination of dynamic effects. The dynamic effects include redirecting ballistic impact forces to the muscular chest wall surrounding the breasts, and creating a compression wave inside the breast which reflects off the chest wall as a tension wave and then tends to push the insert away from the breast. The protective inserts resist any significant deformation for as long as possible to reduce impact intensity.

Abstract: In the thermal cracking of a hydrocarbon feedstock, the quenching of the gases leaving the cracking zone is deliberately deferred for a very short time to permit continued endothermic reaction and thereby increase the ethylene yield.