Abstract: A quantum memory system includes a doped polycrystalline ceramic, a magnetic field generation unit, and one or more pump lasers. The doped polycrystalline ceramic is positioned within a magnetic field of the magnetic field generation unit when the magnetic field generation unit generates the magnetic field, the one or more pump lasers are optically coupled to the doped polycrystalline ceramic, and the doped polycrystalline ceramic is doped with a rare-earth element dopant that is uniformly distributed within a crystal lattice of the doped polycrystalline ceramic.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a doped polycrystalline ceramic optical device includes mixing a plurality of transition metal complexes and a plurality of rare-earth metal complexes to form a metal salt solution, heating the metal salt solution to form a heated metal salt solution, mixing the heated metal salt solution and an organic precursor to induce a chemical reaction between the heated metal salt solution and the organic precursor to produce a plurality of rare-earth doped crystalline nanoparticles, and sintering the plurality of rare-earth doped nanoparticles to form a doped polycrystalline ceramic optical device having a rare-earth element dopant that is uniformly distributed within a crystal lattice of the doped polycrystalline ceramic optical device.

Abstract: Described herein is a substrate including a central longitudinal axis, a first support web, and a second support web. A sinuous web may be positioned between the first support web and the second support web. The sinuous web may include transverse web portions and bridging web portions, where the bridging web portions alternatively connect ends of adjacent transverse web portions. The sinuous web may be connected to the first support web by support legs extending between bridging web portions and a surface of the first support web. The sinuous web may be connected to the second support web by support legs extending between bridging web portions and a surface of the second support web. A support leg length to distance between transverse web portions ratio may be from about 1.0 to about 4.0.

Abstract: A manufacturing system includes a tape advancing through the manufacturing system and a station of the manufacturing system. The tape includes a first portion having grains of an inorganic material bound by an organic binder. The station of the manufacturing system receives the first portion of the tape and prepares the tape for sintering by chemically changing the organic binder and/or removing the organic binder from the first portion of the tape, leaving the grains of the inorganic material, to form a second portion of the tape and, at least in part, prepare the tape for sintering.

Abstract: A manufacturing line includes a tape of green material that is directed through a furnace so that the furnace burns off organic binder material and then partially sinters the tape without the use of a setter board. Sintered articles resulting from the manufacturing line may be thin with relatively large surface areas; and, while substantially unpolished, have few sintering-induced surface defects. Tension may be applied to the partially sintered tape as it passes through a second furnace on the manufacturing line to shape resulting sintered articles.

Abstract: A method of securing an optical fiber to a ferrule involves heating the ferrule to cause thermal expansion. A ferrule bore of the ferrule increases in diameter as a result of the thermal expansion, and an optical fiber is inserted into the ferrule bore. The ferrule is then cooled so that the ferrule bore decreases in diameter and forms a mechanical interface with the optical fiber. Finally, the optical fiber is fused to the ferrule by irradiating the optical fiber and the ferrule with laser energy.

Abstract: A method of treating a ceramic body in a glass making process includes delivering a molten glass to a heated ceramic body, the ceramic body including a ceramic phase and an intergranular glass phase, the molten glass being in contact with a surface of the ceramic body. The method further includes contacting the ceramic body with a first electrode and contacting the molten glass with a second electrode. The method further includes applying an electric field between the first electrode and the second electrode to create an electric potential difference across the ceramic body between the first and second electrodes, the electric potential difference being less than an electrolysis threshold of the ceramic phase and the intergranular glass phase. The intergranular glass phase demixes under driven diffusion in the applied electric field and mobile cations in the intergranular glass phase enrich proximate one of the first and second electrode.

Abstract: Isopipes (13) for making glass sheets using a fusion process are provided. The isopipes are made from alumina materials which have low levels of the elements of group IVB of the periodic chart, i.e., Ti, Zr, and Hf, as well as low levels of Sn. In this way, the alumina isopipes can be used with glasses that contain tin (e.g., as a fining agent or as the result of the use of tin electrodes for electrical heating of molten glass) without generating unacceptable levels of tin-containing defects in the glass sheets, specifically, at the sheets' fusion lines. The alumina isopipes disclosed herein are especially beneficial when used with tin-containing glasses that exhibit low tin solubility, e.g., glasses that have (RO+R2O)/Al2O3 ratios between 0.9 and 1.1, where, in mole percent on an oxide basis, (RO+R2O) is the sum of the concentrations of the glass' alkaline earth and alkali metal oxides and Al2O3 is the glass' alumina concentration.

Abstract: A system, process and related sintered article are provided. The process includes supporting a piece of inorganic material with a pressurized gas and sintering the piece of inorganic material while supported by the pressurized gas by heating the piece of inorganic material to a temperature at or above a sintering temperature of the inorganic material such that the inorganic material is at least partially sintered forming the sintered article. The inorganic material is not in contact with a solid support during sintering. The sintered article, such as a ceramic article, is thin, has high surface quality, and/or has large surface areas.

Abstract: A glass forming apparatus comprises a forming device configured to form a glass ribbon from a quantity of molten glass. The glass forming apparatus includes a refractory material comprising monazite (REPO4). In another example, a method of forming a glass ribbon with a glass forming apparatus includes the step of supporting a quantity of molten glass with a refractory member comprising a refractory material comprising monazite (REPO4). The method further includes the step of forming the glass ribbon from the quantity of molten glass.

Abstract: A manufacturing line includes a tape of green material that is directed through a furnace so that the furnace burns off organic binder material and then partially sinters the tape without the use of a setter board. Sintered articles resulting from the manufacturing line may be thin with relatively large surface areas; and, while substantially unpolished, have few sintering-induced surface defects. Tension may be applied to the partially sintered tape as it passes through a second furnace on the manufacturing line to shape resulting sintered articles.

Abstract: A method of making a glass sheet includes exposing a refractory block material comprising at least one multivalent component to a reducing atmosphere for a time and at a temperature sufficient to substantially reduce the at least one multivalent component of the refractory block material. The method also includes flowing molten glass over the refractory block material that has been exposed to the reducing atmosphere while preventing substantial re-oxidation of the at least one multivalent component.

Abstract: Isopipes (13) for making glass sheets using a fusion process are provided. The isopipes are made from alumina materials which have low levels of the elements of group IVB of the periodic chart, i.e., Ti, Zr, and Hf, as well as low levels of Sn. In this way, the alumina isopipes can be used with glasses that contain tin (e.g., as a fining agent or as the result of the use of tin electrodes for electrical heating of molten glass) without generating unacceptable levels of tin-containing defects in the glass sheets, specifically, at the sheets' fusion lines. The alumina isopipes disclosed herein are especially beneficial when used with tin-containing glasses that exhibit low tin solubility, e.g., glasses that have (RO+R2O)/Al2O3 ratios between 0.9 and 1.1, where, in mole percent on an oxide basis, (RO+R2O) is the sum of the concentrations of the glass' alkaline earth and alkali metal oxides and Al2O3 is the glass' alumina concentration.

Abstract: Described herein is a substrate including a central longitudinal axis, a first support web, and a second support web. A sinuous web may be positioned between the first support web and the second support web. The sinuous web may include transverse web portions and bridging web portions, where the bridging web portions alternatively connect ends of adjacent transverse web portions. The sinuous web may be connected to the first support web by support legs extending between bridging web portions and a surface of the first support web. The sinuous web may be connected to the second support web by support legs extending between bridging web portions and a surface of the second support web. A support leg length to distance between transverse web portions ratio may be from about 1.0 to about 4.0.

Abstract: A method of securing an optical fiber to a ferrule involves heating the ferrule to cause thermal expansion. A ferrule bore of the ferrule increases in diameter as a result of the thermal expansion, and an optical fiber is inserted into the ferrule bore. The ferrule is then cooled so that the ferrule bore decreases in diameter and forms a mechanical interface with the optical fiber. Finally, the optical fiber is fused to the ferrule by irradiating the optical fiber and the ferrule with laser energy.

Abstract: Described herein is a substrate including a central longitudinal axis, a first support web, and a second support web. A sinuous web may be positioned between the first support web and the second support web. The sinuous web may include transverse web portions and bridging web portions, where the bridging web portions alternatively connect ends of adjacent transverse web portions. The sinuous web may be connected to the first support web by support legs extending between bridging web portions and a surface of the first support web. The sinuous web may be connected to the second support web by support legs extending between bridging web portions and a surface of the second support web. A support leg length to distance between transverse web portions ratio may be from about 1.0 to about 4.0.

Abstract: A trough filter integrated with a thermoelectric generator includes annular filter modules having a support structure at its inner circumference, a filter element, and a support structure at its outer circumference. The filter elements may be configured to form troughs. An annular exhaust gas outlet channel or gas inlet channel may be formed between filter modules. The thermoelectric generator may be positioned in the exhaust gas outlet or inlet channel. A vehicle includes the trough filter integrated with a thermoelectric generator downstream from an internal combustion engine. A method of treating exhaust gas uses a trough filter with an integrated thermoelectric generator.

Abstract: A method for making a thin, free-standing ceramic sheet may include drawing a carrier film proximate a casting head and across a casting bed of a tape caster at a rate from about 2 cm/min to about 500 cm/min. Depositing a thin film of ceramic slip less than about 150 ?m on the carrier film with the casting head. The ceramic slip may comprises a ceramic powder with an ultimate crystallite size of less than about 10 ?m dispersed in a fluid vehicle such that the ceramic slip has a ceramic solids fraction of greater than about 20% by volume. The deposited ceramic slip may be dried on the carrier film thereby forming a green ceramic sheet on the carrier film. After the green ceramic sheet is dried, the green ceramic sheet may be sintered.

Abstract: A ferrule for optical waveguides includes an exterior of the ferrule, an interior of the ferrule, and a stress-isolation region between the interior of the ferrule and the exterior of the ferrule. The interior of the ferrule has a bore defined therein that is configured to receive an optical waveguide. The material of the stress-isolation region has an elastic modulus that is less than the elastic modulus of material of the interior and exterior of the ferrule, whereby the stress-isolation region limits communication of stresses therebetween.

Abstract: A trough filter integrated with a thermoelectric generator includes annular filter modules having a support structure at its inner circumference, a filter element, and a support structure at its outer circumference. The filter elements may be configured to form troughs. An annular exhaust gas outlet channel or gas inlet channel may be formed between filter modules. The thermoelectric generator may be positioned in the exhaust gas outlet or inlet channel. A vehicle includes the trough filter integrated with a thermoelectric generator downstream from an internal combustion engine. A method of treating exhaust gas uses a trough filter with an integrated thermoelectric generator.