Abstract: A modular active board subassembly for coupling a waveguide array to an electrical component on a printed wiring board may include a substrate board with a sidewall extending around at least a portion of an attachment surface of the substrate board and forming a component cavity on the attachment surface. A transceiver may be disposed in the component cavity proximate an inboard edge of the substrate board. The transceiver may be electrically coupled to conductors on the attachment surface and electrically coupled to electrical contacts on an upper surface of the sidewall. A waveguide may be positioned in the component cavity and extend from the outboard edge of the substrate to the transceiver. The waveguide may be coupled to the transceiver.

Abstract: Optical fibers comprising a plurality of cleaved facets disposed at one end are disclosed. First and second facets of the plurality of cleaved facets are disposed at different angles. The optical fiber with the plurality of cleaved facets splits light from an optical component between an optical fiber core and a detector such that a portion of the light may be tapped off for monitoring. The first cleaved facet is disposed at a first angle such that a first portion of the light from an optical component is totally internally reflected into the fiber core. A second cleaved facet can be disposed at a second angle that is less than the first angle so that a second portion of light from the optical component refracts through the second facet to a detector. Methods of forming and using angle-cleaved optical fibers having a plurality of cleaved facets are also disclosed.

Abstract: A channeled substrate for forming integrated optical devices that employ optical fibers and at least one active optical component is disclosed. The channeled substrate includes a substrate member having an upper surface one or more grooves formed therein, and a transparent sheet. The transparent sheet, which is preferably made of thin glass, is fixed to the substrate member upper surface to define, in combination with the one or more grooves, one or more channels. The channels are each sized to accommodate an optical fiber to allow for optical communication through the transparent sheet between the active optical component and the optical fibers. Channeled substrates formed by molding and by drawing are also presented. Integrated optical devices that employ the channeled substrate are also disclosed.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for the passive alignment of an optical fiber over an optical element on a substrate are disclosed. An optical element and at least one gripper element may be provided on the substrate, wherein the at least one gripper element is positioned in an axial path defined by the optical element. Thus, when an optical fiber is moved along the axial path until an end of the optical fiber makes contact with the at least one gripper element, the optical fiber is aligned with the optical element. In addition, methods of aligning an optical fiber over an optical element on a substrate are disclosed. Further, the optical fibers may be laser angle-cleaved optical fibers with shaped fiber ends, such as laser angle-cleaved wedge or taper structures, as examples.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of performing a reaction involving a gaseous reactant stream and a falling film liquid reactant stream by providing a reactor comprising a first multicellular extruded body oriented with its cells extending in parallel in a vertically downward direction from a first end of the body to a second end, the body having a first plurality of cells open at both ends of the body and a second plurality of said cells closed at one or both ends of the body, the second plurality of cells being arranged in one or more groups of contiguous cells and cooperating to define at least in part at least one fluidic passage extending through the body; and further flowing a liquid reactant film down inner surfaces of the first plurality of cells while flowing a gaseous reactant stream up or down the centers of the first plurality of cells while flowing a first heat exchange fluid through the at least one fluidic passage. Various alternative devices for performing the method are also disclosed.

Abstract: Antenna systems for passive radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags. The antenna systems have a very small form factor with good power harvesting and good performance in proximity to other antennas. The antenna system includes at least one, and preferably two, parallel serpentine antenna elements formed on, or otherwise supported by, an antenna substrate so that a RFID-tag integrated circuit (IC) can be electrically contacted to the antenna system at one end of the antenna substrate. A conducting wire that runs in the same direction as the at least one serpentine antenna element is used to match impedance and enhance antenna performance and power flow between the antenna and the IC. An impedance-matching circuit may be employed in place of the conducting wire to facilitate impedance matching between the antenna and the IC.

Abstract: A portable substance identification system and method are configured to identify at least one detection target faster and with greater accuracy than is possible using prior substance identification systems and/or prior substance identification techniques. An embodiment of the portable substance identification system includes a portable substance identification device containing a Raman spectrometer, and a collection stem that includes a dry collector. One or more reservoirs for a liquid medium and/or a reagent can be formed in a cartridge that is configured to couple with a portable substance identification device. The cartridge has a chamber in which the reagent, liquid medium, and a detection target picked up by the dry collector are mixed. A magnet, positioned at a slant angle, can be used to form at least one pellet of aggregated magnetic particles within a pellet forming area of the chamber. The pellet is formed to maximize its surface area.

Abstract: Portable substance identification system and method are configured to identify at least one detection target faster and with greater accuracy than is possible using prior substance identification systems and/or prior substance identification techniques. An embodiment of the portable substance identification system includes a portable substance identification device containing a Raman spectrometer, and a collection stem that includes a collector. One or more reservoirs for a liquid medium and/or at least one reagent can be formed in the collection stem. The cartridge can include a chamber in which the reagents, liquid medium, and at least one detection target picked up by the collector are mixed. A magnet, positioned at a slant angle, can be used to form at least one pellet of aggregated magnetic particles within a pellet forming area of the chamber. The pellet is formed to maximize its surface area.

Abstract: A reactor is provided comprising a reactor substrate and upper and lower manifold structures. The upper manifold structure and the lower manifold structure each comprise at least one flow directing cavity that reverses a flow direction of a fluid flowing through the relatively short open-ended channels of the substrate between the upper and lower manifold structures. The flow directing cavities of the upper and lower manifold structures are configured to direct fluid from the inlet region of the upper manifold structure to the outlet region of the lower manifold structure in an additional serpentine path defined by the flow direction reversals introduced by the upper and lower manifold structures. Additional embodiments are disclosed and claimed.

Abstract: Components having one or more sensors adapted to provide sensor data relating to a condition(s) of the component are disclosed. The component is adapted to communicate with another mating component to associate sensor data with identity information of the mating component. The sensor and identity information can be communicated remotely including via radio-frequency communications employing RF identification devices (RFIDs). Location of the mating component can be determined using the identity information of the mating component. In this manner, the sensor data can be associated with the location of the mating component using the identity information in a “component-to-component” configuration to provide location-specific sensor data.

Abstract: A bent optical fiber coupler (100) that employs at least one optical fiber (10) is disclosed. The coupler includes a curved optical fiber guide channel (200) having a strong curve. The optical fiber(s) held within the optical fiber guide channel have a bend corresponding to the guide channel curve. The fiber end portions are optionally disposed within a straight fiber guide (160) at a coupler input/output end, which is preferably configured to have a standard connector geometry. Use of nanostructured fibers for the at least one optical fiber allows for strong bends having tight radii of curvature without imparting significant attenuation. Coupler assemblies that include the coupler optically coupled to at least one opto-electronic device (310) are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing an optical assembly comprises providing a first substrate having a first surface, providing a second substrate having a second surface facing the first surface, and forming a patterned microbump on at least a select one of the first surface and the second surface. The method further comprises applying an adhesive to the at least select one of the first surface and the second surface in a region proximate the patterned microbump, and attaching the first substrate to the second substrate by placing the first surface and the second surface in close proximity to one another such that the adhesive contacts both the first surface and the second surface, and wherein the adhesive is held within a preselected area by the patterned microbump.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for fabricating glass bump standoff structures of precise height, the method comprising providing oversized glass bumps on a glass substrate, providing a heat source to heat the bumps, positioning a substrate to be aligned on the oversized bumps, and reducing the height of the oversized bumps by a combination of manipulations comprising (1) softening the bumps by heating the bumps and (2) applying pressure to the substrate to be aligned.

Abstract: A method of forming, on the surface of a glass material, a raised feature having a height within a target range, comprising (1) providing a glass material having a surface, (2) providing the glass material locally, at a location at or below the surface, with an amount of energy causing local expansion of the glass material so as to raise a feature on the surface at the location, (3) detecting the height of the raised feature or the height over time of the raised feature, (4) (a) if the height is below or approaching a value below the target range, providing the glass material at the location with energy in a greater amount, or (b) if the height is above or approaching a value above the target range, providing the glass material at the location with energy in a lesser amount, and (5) repeating steps (3) and (4) as needed to bring the height within the target range. Methods and devices for automating this process are also disclosed.

Abstract: Disclosed is a device for processing fluids, the device comprising an extruded body having multiple elongated cells therein, the body having a first fluidic passage therethrough defined principally within at least some of said cells, the first fluidic passage having a longitudinally serpentine path back and forth along the at least some of said cells.

Abstract: Disclosed is a reactor or reactor component comprising a honeycomb structure having cells extending along a common direction and having one or more passages each extending across at least some of the cells, wherein the path or paths of the one or more passages, taken within a plane perpendicular to the common direction, includes or include a number of repeating sub-path units arranged in a two-dimensional array, each sub-path unit including one or more turns or bends in the path. Methods of making, and methods of use, including resulting standardized reactor or reactor component systems, and standardized reactor or reactor component engineering or design, are also disclosed.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of forming enclosed channels within a honeycomb including the steps of providing a honeycomb structure having cells divided by walls, the cells extending along a common direction from a first end to a second of the structure and removing selected walls of the honeycomb structure from one or both of the first and second ends of the structure, to a depth sufficient to reduce the original height of the selected walls by at least 50%. Also disclosed is a method of forming enclosed channels within a honeycomb structure includes removing selected walls of the honeycomb structure from one or both of the first and second ends of the structure, to a depth sufficient to completely removed the selected walls. Other methods and devices are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method of forming a microbump for micropositioning an optical element comprises providing a base substrate, providing a first optical element to be supported by the base substrate, and providing an alignment element capable of locally expanding when locally heated and adapted to support the first optical element from the base substrate. The method further comprises locally heating the alignment element to cause local expansion of the alignment element so as to create a microbump alignment element, terminating heating of the alignment element so as to fix the microbump and securing the alignment element to the base substrate, thereby supporting the first optical element from the base substrate.

Abstract: A system and method for managing optical power for controlling thermal alteration of a sample undergoing spectroscopic analysis is provided. The system includes a moveable laser beam generator for irradiating the sample and a beam shaping device for moving and shaping the laser beam to prevent thermal overload or build up in the sample. The moveable laser beam generator includes at least one beam shaping device selected from the group consisting of at least one optical lens, at least one optical diffractor, at least one optical path difference modulator, at least one moveable mirror, at least one Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) integrated circuit (IC), and/or a liquid droplet. The system also includes an at least two degree of freedom (2 DOF) moveable substrate platform and a controller for controlling the laser beam generator and the substrate platform, and for analyzing light reflected from the sample.

Abstract: A substance identification system comprises interrelated components. A fluidics cartridge is configured to permit suspension of a sample of a substance of interest in a liquid medium, and to permit transfer of the suspended sample into a container via syringe/needle action or other suitable actuation means. The container is configured to be fixedly or removably coupled with the fluidics cartridge. An interface cartridge is configured to position the container for analysis by a portable substance identification device.