Abstract: A monolithic two dimensional waveguide coupled cavity laser/modulator structure for high speed modulation comprising a plurality of semiconductor layers on a semiconductor substrate. One of the semiconductor layers functions as an active region. Impurity induced disordering techniques are utilized to form first and second active mediums in the structure having co-axial two dimensional optical cavities. One of these active mediums functions as a laser and the other as a modulator. A passive two dimensional waveguide is integrally formed between the two active mediums having a highest refractive index at its core with diminishing refractive index omnidirectionally from its core with waveguide core having a energy bandgap level higher than both of the active mediums exhibiting low optical absorption at the gain wavelength of either of the active mediums.

Abstract: An incoherent, optically uncoupled laser array for an electro-optic line modulator or a line printer or the like and comprising a plurality of spatial laser emitters characterized by having high power density and a uniform far field emission pattern. Structural means is provided in the array to permit the spacing of the emitters sufficiently close to provide a uniform far field emission pattern without permitting phaselocking between adjacent emitters of the array. The structural means may comprise geometric lateral and diagonal displacement of adjacent optical cavities of the laser elements. Alternatively, the structural means may comprise a plurality of spatially disposed isolation regions extending across the laser array and extending into the laser array a distance sufficient to optically isolate the optical cavities of the laser elements from one another and prevent optical coupling between adjacent laser elements.

Abstract: A clad superlattice semiconductor laser is fabricated utilizing Impurity Induced Disordering (IID) techniques that provides (1) reduction of free carrier absorption in the optical cavity and (2) the ability to selectively vary the amount of index guiding in the optical waveguide independent of the properties of the electron confining multiquantum well structure. The clad superlattice semiconductor laser provides for the novel inclusion of a superlattice in a cladding layer or region of the laser structure. An effective index waveguide can be realized by selectively disordering the cladding superlattice in regions adjacent to the formed index guide type optical cavity, as long as the superlattice is designed so that the established optical mode significantly overlaps with the disordered superlattice cladding regions, i.e., the evanescent wave propagating in the laser cavity overlaps into regions of the disordered superlattice.

Abstract: A light source comprises a semiconductor laser having a plurality of deposited semiconductor layers including an active region consisting of a plurality of layers forming at least two quantum wells in the active region. The layers immediately adjacent to the active region provide confinement for light generated in one or more optical cavities established in the active region and propagating between end facets of the source. Means, such as in the form of an antireflection (AR) coating, is provided to convert the semiconductor laser into a superluminescent LED source. Further, means is provided to broaden the wavelength spectral emission from the source by rendering the energy levels present in the quantum wells to be at different levels between or among the quantum wells. The resulting output beam has high output intensity and a uniform far field pattern without intensity variation along the beam width particularly useful as a superluminescent LED source for electrooptic line TIR modulators and line printers.

Abstract: Phased array semiconductor lasers provide fundamental or preferred 1st supermode operation wherein fabrication is accomplished by a single, continuous fabricating process, e.g. MO-CVD or MBE, followed by impurity induced disordering (IID), e.g. utilization of the impurity diffusion technique or the implant/anneal technique as now known in the art. The laser comprising this invention is provided with a relatively thin active region or with a single or multiple quantum well structure in the active region and is fabricated by forming spatially disposed impurity induced disordering regions extending into or penetrating through the active region to form spatially disposed regions capable of providing higher gain compared to adjacent regions not experiencing impurity induced disordering.

Abstract: A semiconductor laser having a single lasing element or multiple lasing elements is provided with a structural feature in at least one cladding region of the laser that permits partial compositional disordering upon the application of impurity induced disordering (IID) techniques, which disordering is of sufficient magnitude to bring about deformity in the compositional structure of the deposited layer(s) of the laser resulting in changes in the refractive index properties of the induced disordered regions compared to adjacent and remaining undisordered regions thereby creating optical cavities functioning as optical waveguides for propagating radiation generated upon lasing. The structural feature that may be utilized may be a disordering layer having low refractive index properties but not being sufficiently thin to exhibit quantum size effects. Such a feature may comprise a thin layer, e.g.

Abstract: A phased array semiconductor lasers provides fundamental or preferred 1.sup.st supermode operation wherein laser fabrication is carried out via a single, continuous fabricating process followed by impurity induced disordering (IID). Fundamental supermode selection is accomplished by providing a multiquantum well superlattice as a cladding layer in the phased array laser structure in combination with the conventional single semiconductor cladding layer, which is followed by spatially disposed impurity induced disordering regions extending through the superlattice to form spatially formed regions capable of providing higher gain compared to adjacent regions not experiencing impurity induced disordering.

Abstract: An electro-optic line printer comprises a recording medium, a multigate line modulator for printing picture elements or pixels in spatially predetermined positions along a printing axis and an LED side-facet source characterized by having high output intensity and a uniform far field emission and optical means to collimate the far field emission in the tangential direction and focus the near field in the sagittal direction onto the modulator. The optical means comprises a first lens system to collect the light emitted from the LED source in both the tangential and sagittal directions and a second toric lens to collimate the light into a sheetlike beam in the tangential direction and to focus the light in the sagittal direction to a line image at the modulator. Imaging means is optically aligned between the modulator and the recording medium for imaging the modulator onto the recording medium.

Abstract: Apparatus is provided for slitting the skins of shelled peanuts, or the like, without splitting the nuts. Peanuts are fed in a single stream into the bite of a pair of rollers mounted one above the other for rotation about parallel horizontal axes. The rollers are driven to carry the stream of nuts into engagement with slitting elements disposed on both sides of the bite of the rollers. The upper roller is carried by a yoke pivoted to a drive shaft and is adapted to rise and fall to and away from the lower roll according to the size of the nut being fed therethrough whereby a substantially constant gripping pressure is applied to the nuts irrespective of the size of the nut. A power drive system connects between the drive shaft and the upper roll.

Abstract: Shelled nuts, particularly peanuts, are blanched by depositing the nuts in a stream onto the surface of a horizontal, rotating table. Relatively fixed baffles or vanes having abrasive working faces are positioned slightly above the upper surface of the rotating table and extend generally from the periphery of the table to a point offset from the center thereof, whereby nuts deposited near the outer portion of the table will be carried against the abrasive face of each vane and spin inwardly towards the center of the table as they are being blanched. The center of the table is formed with a well opening into which the blanched nuts are dropped and then fed onto a conveyor by an inclined trough for subsequent handling such as roasting, packaging or the like. The vanes may be curved or straight and may be adjustable to control the blanching action as well as the blanching time.