Abstract: Apparatus for routing optical fiber comprises an elongated manipulator (20, FIG. 2) having a vertical axis which can be controlled to move in an X-Y plane and in the .theta. direction around its vertical axis. A rotatable wheel (21) is mounted on a free end of the manipulator, and a reel (19) containing optical fiber (17) is mounted on one side of the manipulator. The fiber is threaded over a peripheral portion of the wheel and the wheel presses the fiber against an adhesive-coated surface of a substrate (18) to cause it to adhere to the coated surface. The manipulator is then moved in a direction parallel to the flat surface at an appropriate speed and direction to cause the wheel to rotate and to exert tension on the optical fiber. The tension causes additional optical fiber to unwind from the reel and to be fed to the wheel for adherence to the coated surface, thereby to form a continuous optical fiber portion extending along, and adhered to, the coated surface.

Abstract: Systems for transmitting and/or receiving electromagnetic signal radiation are disclosed. The inventive systems are distinguished from previous such systems in that each includes at least one resonant cavity comprising a housing containing a body, e.g., a cylindrical or helical body, of relatively high T.sub.c superconducting material. Significantly, this body is fabricated using a new, unconventional procedure. As a result, the body exhibits substantially lower surface resistances than either previous such bodies of relatively high T.sub.c superconducting material, fabricated using conventional procedures, or bodies of copper, at 77 Kelvins and at frequencies ranging from about 10 MHz to about 2000 MHz. Moreover, as a consequence, the resonant cavity containing the unconventionally fabricated body exhibits much higher quality factors, Q, at the above temperature and frequencies, than previous such cavities containing either conventionally fabricated bodies of relatively high T.sub.

Abstract: Insertion of a lightguide preform (12) into a tube (14) without contacting the sides thereof is accomplished by first roughly aligning the rod in spaced axial alignment with the tube. Thereafter, the offset of the rod from the axis of the tube is measured and the amount of lateral movement of the rod from the axis is determined. Then the rod is moved laterally in accordance with the determined amount of movement to precisely align the rod with the tube. Once alignment has been achieved, the rod is inserted in the tube and the tube is collapsed thereabout. An apparatus (10) for practicing this method is disclosed.