Abstract: An end-to-end global distribution system that can produce and deliver live content as well as pre-recorded content and other content, to commercial passenger aircraft via a satellite and ground-based infrastructure. The content can include live television, pre-recorded content, advertisements as well as other content such as software applications, internet material, etc. The delivered content can be tailored based on distribution criteria such as airline, aircraft, origin and destination, flight number, cabin class, and others. Such system can be advertiser-supported and include targeted and distribution specific advertisements. Furthermore, access to the content can be controlled by various conditional access parameters at the server level, to various aircraft zones, and at the passenger level.

Abstract: A method according to the present invention for reducing the creation of dioxins during the burning of a biomass containing a contaminant, wherein the contaminant is solvated or neutralized in the presence of a corresponding solvent, includes the steps of prior to the burning or reacting (herein collectively referred to as burning) of the biomass, conveying the biomass and the solvent into a biomass washing means, washing the biomass in the solvent in the washing means, and once at least a portion of the contaminant has been washed from the biomass, conveying the biomass from the washing means and into a biomass burner, and conveying the solvent from the washing means.

Abstract: A method according to the present invention for reducing the creation of dioxins during the burning of a biomass containing a contaminant, wherein the contaminant is solvated or neutralized in the presence of a corresponding solvent, includes the steps of prior to the burning or reacting (herein collectively referred to as burning) of the biomass, conveying the biomass and the solvent into a biomass washing means, washing the biomass in the solvent in the washing means, and once at least a portion of the contaminant has been washed from the biomass, conveying the biomass from the washing means and into a biomass burner, and conveying the solvent from the washing means.

Abstract: The invention is a controlled laser having an optical resonator, a laser gain medium placed inside the optical resonator, the laser gain medium being capable of emitting light and of lasing with the light, a multiple layer heterostructure placed inside the optical resonator, and means for varying an optical absorption of the multiple layer heterostructure for the light in order to control an optical gain of the optical resonator, and thereby control lasing of the laser gain medium. Passive mode locking is achieved by the light emitted by the gain medium controlling the optical absorption of the multiple layer heterostructure. Active mode locking and modulation are achieved by controlling the optical absorption of the multiple layer heterostructure by applying an electric field to the multiple layer heterostructure.

Abstract: Two-dimensional all-optical devices include a planar single-mode waveguide formed on or in a major surface of a supporting substrate. The waveguide comprises a nonlinear medium having an intensity-dependent index of refraction. For input optical signals above a critical intensity, self-focusing occurs in the waveguide. Microminiature high-speed bistable and switching devices based on this phenomenon and compatible with integrated-optics technology are thereby provided.

Abstract: A nonlinear optical apparatus is provided with a multiple layer heterostructure made from alternate layers of a charge carrier semiconductor material having a narrow bandgap energy, and a charge barrier material having a wider bandgap energy than the charge carrier material. The layers are deposited one upon the other in substantially flat planes forming a series of potential barriers. The potential barriers are capable of confining charge carriers which arise within the layers of the charge carrier semiconductor material to remain substantially therein. The optical absorption coefficient of the multiple layer heterostructure exhibits at least one sharp resonant optical absorption peak near the semiconductor material bandgap absorption. A light source is restricted to provide a beam of light photons of energy near the energy of the sharp resonant optical absorption peak for promoting production of charge carriers within the charge carrier semiconductor material.

Abstract: A dielectric substrate machined into a monolithic polarizer grating including structural support and matching regions, effective for transforming linearly to circularly polarized states of microwave radiation.

Abstract: A four-wave mixer which uses a multiple quantum well structure as a nonlinear optical material is provided. There are provided means for providing a first beam of light which propagates through said multiple quantum well structure, and means for providing a second beam of light which also propagates through said multiple quantum well structure and substantially overlaps said first beam of light within said MQW structure. At least one ouput phase conjugate beam of light is produced by interaction of said first and said second beams of light with said multiple quantum well structure. An alternate embodiment has two counterpropagating pump beams and a probe beam of light which produce a backward scattered phase conjugate beam of light.

Abstract: Several types of nonlinear characteristics are provided in an optical device wherein at least two optical materials are constructed to provide a waveguide structure. At least one of the materials has a dominant nonlinear characteristic over the length of the waveguide that is commonly referred to as the Kerr effect. The index of refraction in this material is a function of the light intensity in the waveguide. By selecting materials that provide either positive or negative Kerr coefficients, and by constructing the device with the nonlinear material either as the core or as the cladding layer, power output versus input characteristics that exhibit both limiting and amplification can be provided. A bistable characteristic is provided in one of the embodiments by terminating the waveguide structure with a mirror. Specific embodiments using carbon disulfide and polydiacetylene as the nonlinear materials are disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a nonlinear optical time-division multiplexer and demultiplexer formed from a cascaded plurality of triggerable optical switching elements. In accordance with the present invention, an exemplary triggerable optical switching element comprises a nonlinear optical material disposed in, for example, a ring resonator arrangement. The nonlinear optical material exhibits an index of refraction which is a function of the intensity of the light passing therethrough. An exemplary switching element is responsive to two separate optical pulse streams, where neither pulse stream comprises a sufficient intensity to cause the element to switch. A trigger pulse is utilized which comprises a sufficient intensity to stimulate switching the output from a first optical pulse stream to a second optical pulse stream.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a high speed optical switch and the use of such switches to form a time division demultiplexer. The optical switch comprises a length of linear material (12) including an outer surface on a portion of which is formed a layer of nonlinear material (11) to form a nonlinear interface (10) at the boundary of the two materials. An input data light beam (14) is propagated in the linear material with a predetermined intensity and angle of incidence on the nonlinear interface to, by itself, cause total reflection of the input beam. A control light beam (11) is also selectively energized and directed at the nonlinear interface with an intensity and angle of incidence to cause a portion of the input data beam to be formed into a self-focused channel or beam propagating in the nonlinear material. The self-focused beam can then be detected at an edge of the nonlinear material.

Abstract: The invention provides apparatus comprising at least two beams of coherent radiation directed so as to intersect and form a standing wave pattern having a period .LAMBDA. in an optically responsive medium. The optically responsive medium is a colloidal suspension of dielectric particles in a liquid medium, the dielectric particles and liquid having different indices of refraction, and the diameter of the particles being less than or approximately equal to the period .LAMBDA.. The dielectric particles are arranged into a grating by the electric fields carried by the beams of coherent radiation. In an embodiment of the invention, the dielectric particles are small dielectric spheres. The dielectric particles and the liquid may have approximately equal mass densities. A third beam of light may generate an output beam of light by degenerate four-wave mixing processes incorporating a dielectric grating made by the electric fields carried by the beams of coherent radiation.

Abstract: Many prior art bistable optical devices require resonant optical cavities and are therefore limited in their operation due to the long lifetimes associated with their high-finesse cavities. A bistable optical device that does not use a resonant cavity is disclosed wherein a nonlinear medium whose index of refraction increases with increased light intensity is arranged to have input and output faces into which and out of which a laser beam having a nonuniform spatial profile can be propagated. A mirror having a predetermined area of reflectivity is positioned with respect to the output face of a nonlinear medium so as to reflect only the light energy that propagates in an area at the output face that is approximately equal to the area which the beam presents at this face when the beam is propagating at a critical power level, that is, when the beam is self-trapped.

Abstract: An array antenna having a plurality of radiating elements positioned in a planar configuration is divided into four separate quadrants. The array antenna is capable of being switched between two modes, a narrow pencil beam mode and a cosec.sup.2 .theta.cos.theta. mode, through the use of a single switch and a pair of phase shifters. In the pencil beam mode, the transmitted energy is symmetrically divided between the four quadrants of the antenna. By changing the switch to its second position the power is diverted to only the upper half of the antenna and a pair of phase shifters introduces a phase shift to the radiating elements along the lower half of the upper portion of the antenna. This causes an asymmetric radiation pattern from the antenna creating the cosec.sup.2 .theta.cos.theta. beam which is well suited for ground mapping.

Abstract: A dual switch multimode array antenna capable of being switched between two modes through the use of two waveguide switches and a pair of phase shifters. The first mode produces a pencil beam with a monopulse capability and the two switches divide the transmit power equally between the four quadrants. A monopulse capability exists both in azimuth and elevation in this first mode. With the switches and phase shifters transitioned to the second position, illuminated power is directed to the two quadrants and the upper half of the antenna only. This produces the well known cosec.sup.2 .theta. cos.theta. beam in elevation. An azimuth monopulse capability is available in this mode.

Abstract: A multi-aperture array antenna provides a narrow beam width, low side lobe radiation pattern for an illuminating beam through the forward feed of a ladder-type feed structure. Alternatively, the rear feed of the ladder network is so electrically tapered as to provide three simultaneous low side lobe smaller apertures which can be independently directed via phase shifters to provide distinct received beams for interferometric phase comparison. A feed connected to one radiating element in each of the three apertures form a broad-beam pattern for side-lobe cancellation. A phase shifter is positioned adjacent to each radiation element to steer the beam and switch between antenna functions by precise control of the phase excitation to each port. The feed structure is connected in a ladder configuration forming a front feed and a rear feed.

Abstract: A forged steel male end valve provided with a new and improved body with a centering end ring adapted for butt welding as for instance with respect to a tank or pipe, said body being greatly enlarged in diameter, compared to the bore of the body, adjacent to the centering ring, and tapering gradually downwardly from a maximum to a minimum cross-sectional area intermediate the ends of the body. The valve body as a whole is greatly elongated to provide space for application of insulation. The valve body includes in addition to the enlarged end portion, a portion of generally uniform cross-section, extending from the gradually tapered portion, the uniform portion being preferably of equal or greater length than the downwardly tapered portion. Thereafter the outer diameter of the body may e.g. remain uniform for a short distance and then it slopes gradually downwardly to the portion of uniform diameter.

Abstract: An optical apparatus which provides a nonlinear characteristic between input and output amplitude levels is disclosed. A single frequency linearly polarized single mode light beam having amplitude variations that are to be acted upon is coupled to a Fabry-Perot interferometer (10) having two mirrored ends (11 and 12) and substantially filled with an electrooptic material (13) having electrodes (14 and 15). A beam splitter (21) is positioned and oriented so as to deflect optical energy that is reflected from the cavity into a photodetector circuit (22 and 23) whose output voltage is applied to the electrodes of the electrooptic material. Adjustment of the cavity length provides a wide range of nonlinear characteristics including some that permit the apparatus to be used as a bistable memory element and others which permit the device to be used as a clipper for all input power levels below a predetermined threshold level.

Abstract: A nonlinear interferometer apparatus is disclosed wherein a Fabry-Perot cavity is substantially filled with an electro-optic material having terminals to which a potential can be applied. A single frequency, single mode, linearly polarized source of optical radiation is coupled into the cavity and a beam splitter at the output of the cavity deflects a portion of the optical energy coming from the cavity. This deflected portion of output optical energy is incident on a photodetector whose output is amplified and connected to the terminals of the electro-optic material. The resulting device exhibits differential gain, and can function as an optical switch, limiter or optical memory element. With sufficient amplification of the detector output, an optical quantizer is provided.

Abstract: A modular microwave power combiner having a plurality of identical microwave diode amplifier circuits grouped in sets within the body of a modular unit which are electrically coupled in parallel to a central cavity sized to be resonant at a single frequency to minimize mismoding thereby enhancing combiner efficiency. A number of waveguides are provided for coupling of the microwave diode in each amplifier circuit to the resonant cavity, and the waveguides are situated on one side of a PC board at the top of each modular unit. Since each of the modular units is essentially identical in physical size and shape, the overall power output of the power combiner can be increased by merely adding additional modular units. The individual modular units are sized to fit top-to-bottom such that the respective resonant cavities are spaced apart by one-half wavelength (.lambda./2) for the parallel electrical coupling of all of the resonating cavities.