Abstract: Methods and systems for controlling and maintaining the pressure in an ultra-stable optical resonance cavity are disclosed herein. A method for controlling and maintaining the pressure in an ultra-stable optical resonance cavity, for example, comprises providing an ultra-stable optical system housed in a vacuum housing enclosure and a pumping system in communication with the vacuum housing for maintaining a pressure in the vacuum housing less than 1×10?6 Torr. The pumping system may comprise combination pumping achieved with the simultaneous use of a getter pump and an ion pump that provide passive and active pumping, respectively. The pumping system may also comprise passive pumping only with a getter vacuum pump only. The present invention, disclosed herein, achieves passive, power-free pumping in ultra-stable laser systems thereby enhancing the portability of such systems.

Abstract: A patient interface for delivery of a supply of pressurised air or breathable gas to an entrance of a patient's airways comprising: a cushion member that includes a retaining structure and a seal-forming structure permanently connected to the retaining structure; a frame member attachable to the retaining structure; and a positioning and stabilising structure attachable to the frame member.

Abstract: A system and method for delivering stable light to a remote location are provided. The method includes splitting a laser beam generated by a laser into a reference beam and a delivery beam. The delivery beam is coupled into an optical fiber for delivery to the remote location. A reflected portion of the delivery beam comes back as a reflected delivery beam from the remote location through the optical fiber. An interference beam is generated by combining the reference beam and the reflected delivery beam. A phase difference between the reference beam and the reflected delivery beam is detected in order to adjust a phase of the laser beam based on the phase difference to reverse a phase shift of the delivery beam induced by noise added to the delivery beam while the delivery beam is transmitted through the optical fiber.

Abstract: A laser stabilization system and method are provided. The laser stabilization system includes: a laser configured to produce a laser light signal at a target frequency; a phase modulator configured to apply a phase modulation to the laser light signal to produce a phase modulated laser light signal; a stable optical resonator configured to receive the phase modulated laser light signal and return a light signal; a light detection system configured to receive the light signal from the stable optical resonator and produce an amplitude modulated electrical signal based on the light signal; and a digital domain circuit configured to generate a control signal based on the amplitude modulated electrical signal.

Abstract: An electrostatic clamp is provided having a clamping plate, wherein the clamping plate has a central region and an annulus region. A plurality of gas supply orifices are defined in the central region of the clamping plate, wherein the plurality of gas supply orifices are in fluid communication with a pressurized gas supply, and wherein the pressurized gas supply is configured to provide a cushion of gas between the clamping surface and the workpiece in the central region of the clamping plate via the plurality of gas supply orifices. One or more gas return orifices defined in one or more of the central region and annulus region of the clamping plate, wherein the one or more gas return orifices are in fluid communication with a vacuum source, therein generally defining an exhaust path for the cushion of gas.

Abstract: Thin film processing systems and methods are provided having a moving deposition sensor capable of translation and/or rotation in a manner that exposes the sensor to thin film deposition environments in a flux region substantially the same as the deposition environments experienced by one or more moveable substrates during a selected deposition period. In one embodiment, a thin film monitoring and control system is provided wherein one or more moveable substrates and a moveable deposition sensor are moved along substantially coincident trajectories in a flux region of a thin film deposition system for a selected deposition period. Systems and methods of the present invention may include SC-cut quartz crystal microbalance sensors capable of excitation of at least two different resonant modes.

Abstract: Thin film processing systems and methods are provided having a moving deposition sensor capable of translation and/or rotation in a manner that exposes the sensor to thin film deposition environments in a flux region substantially the same as the deposition environments experienced by one or more moveable substrates during a selected deposition period. In one embodiment, a thin film monitoring and control system is provided wherein one or more moveable substrates and a moveable deposition sensor are moved along substantially coincident trajectories in a flux region of a thin film deposition system for a selected deposition period. Systems and methods of the present invention may include SC-cut quartz crystal microbalance sensors capable of excitation of at least two different resonant modes.

Abstract: Thin film processing systems and methods are provided having a moving deposition sensor capable of translation and/or rotation in a manner that exposes the sensor to thin film deposition environments in a flux region substantially the same as the deposition environments experienced by one or more moveable substrates during a selected deposition period. In one embodiment, a thin film monitoring and control system is provided wherein one or more moveable substrates and a moveable deposition sensor are moved along substantially coincident trajectories in a flux region of a thin film deposition system for a selected deposition period. Systems and methods of the present invention may include SC-cut quartz crystal microbalance sensors capable of excitation of at least two different resonant modes.

Abstract: The present invention provides optical configurations, including resonant cavity and laser configurations, and related methods providing deterministic control of the polarization characteristics and frequencies of the radiant output of multi-longitudinal mode lasers, including multi-longitudinal mode gas phase lasers. Polarization control provided by the present invention includes preselection and stabilization of the angular orientations of the polarization planes of electromagnetic radiation generated by a multi-longitudinal mode laser, including preselection and stabilization of orthogonal linear polarization states generated by a dual-longitudinal mode gas phase laser.

Abstract: An electrostatic clamp is provided having a clamping plate, wherein the clamping plate has a central region and an annulus region. A plurality of gas supply orifices are defined in the central region of the clamping plate, wherein the plurality of gas supply orifices are in fluid communication with a pressurized gas supply, and wherein the pressurized gas supply is configured to provide a cushion of gas between the clamping surface and the workpiece in the central region of the clamping plate via the plurality of gas supply orifices. One or more gas return orifices defined in one or more of the central region and annulus region of the clamping plate, wherein the one or more gas return orifices are in fluid communication with a vacuum source, therein generally defining an exhaust path for the cushion of gas.