Abstract:
System and methods are disclosed in connection with a reaction at or below the surface of a work object, in the context of a fluid flow fostering the reaction. In some example embodiments, the reaction is fostered by (1) creating fluid flow of an inerting fluid over a surface during exposure of the surface to a predetermined type of light, (2) creating fluid flow comprising a reactive species that reacts with another species at or below the work surface in a predetermined manner and/or (3) creating a fluid flow comprising a catalytic species that catalyzes a reaction in a predetermined manner, e.g., during exposure of the surface to a predetermined type of light. In some example embodiments, a light source is employed that comprises a solid-state light source, e.g., a dense array of solid-state light sources. In at least one of such example embodiments, the reaction is a photoreaction associated with the light source.
Abstract:
An array of LEDs is provided having a lens array for collecting divergent light from each LED. Each lens in the array is associated with a respective LED and has a compound shape including a curved surface that may be spherical or may have an offset aspherical shape. The curved surfaces are centered about each side of its associated LED. The lens may alternatively include faceted surfaces that approximate the curved lens surface.
Abstract:
The present invention provides an optical system having an array of light emitting semiconductor devices to performing an operation that have multiple characteristics associated with performing the operation. The array includes at least one detector located within the array to selectively monitor multiple characteristics of the light emitting semiconductor devices and is configured to generate a signal corresponding to the selected characteristic. A controller is configured to control the light emitting semiconductor devices in response to the signal from the at least one detector. At least one of the multiple characteristics may be concentrated at an area of the array and the at least one detector may be located within the array at the area of the array to selectively monitor characteristic that is concentrated at the area of the array.
Abstract:
A polarization scan module is presented. The polarization scan module according to some embodiments of the present invention includes a swept-wavelength optical source providing a light signal that sweeps over a range of optical wavelengths, the light signal having a state of polarization; and a polarization rotator that rotates the state of polarization over a Poincare sphere as the light signal wavelength is swept within the range to produce a test optical signal. A single sweep polarization dependent loss measurement can be achieved with some embodiments of the present invention. In some embodiments, measurements of the state of polarization and optical power at the input and output of an optical component being tested together with the known optical wavelength for the state of polarization, taken at four different polarizations, can provide a set of measurement data that can be used to compute the polarization dependent loss.
Abstract:
An optical system having a first order spectral range that is usable in an optical spectrum analyzer receives an broadband optical test signal and a optical calibration signal and couples the optical signals via two optically isolated paths to separate optical detectors. First and second pairs of optical fibers, with each pair having an input fiber and an output fiber, are positioned in a focal plane of a collimating optic that has an optical axis. The fiber pairs are symmetrically positioned on either side of the optical axis with the input fibers positioned on one side of the optical axis and the output fibers positioned on the opposite side of the optical axis. The input fibers receive the optical test signal and the optical calibration signal. The output optical fibers are coupled to first and second optical detectors. An optical calibration source generates second order or greater spectral lines that fall within the first order spectral range of the optical system. A diffraction grating receives the optical test signal and the optical calibration signal from the collimating optic and separates the first order spectral components of the broadband optical test signal and passes the second order or greater spectral lines of the optical calibration signal. The first optical detector that is responsive to the first order spectral components of the optical test signal receives the optical test signal from the collimating optic and converts the optical test signal to an electrical signal. A second optical detector that is responsive to the second order or greater spectral lines of the optical calibration signal concurrently receives the optical calibration signal from the collimating optic and converts the calibrations signal to an electrical signal.
Abstract:
A twisting fiber depolarizer has sections of a birefringent (HiBi) fiber spliced to opposing ends of a nominally non-birefringent fiber, such as a single mode fiber, between a pair of hold points to produce a fiber assembly. Means is applied to the free portion of the fiber assembly between the hold points for twisting the free portion of the fiber assembly with a back and forth motion to depolarize an optical signal input to one end of the fiber assembly.
Abstract:
A method for characterizing an event in acquired digital data is described where the event has a known shape and a pattern having amplitude and location coefficients is applied to the data for determining a best fit between the data and the pattern as a function of a peak RMS value. The derived RMS value is compared to a threshold value for verifying the existence of the event. The event is characterized as to amplitude and location using the amplitude and location coefficients of the pattern. Such a method is useful in characterizing non-reflective events in acquired optical time domain reflectometry data.
Abstract:
System and methods are disclosed in connection with a reaction at or below the surface of a work object, in the context of a fluid flow fostering the reaction. In some example embodiments, the reaction is fostered by (1) creating fluid flow of an inerting fluid over a surface during exposure of the surface to a predetermined type of light, (2) creating fluid flow comprising a reactive species that reacts with another species at or below the work surface in a predetermined manner and/or (3) creating a fluid flow comprising a catalytic species that catalyzes a reaction in a predetermined manner, e.g., during exposure of the surface to a predetermined type of light. In some example embodiments, a light source is employed that comprises a solid-state light source, e.g., a dense array of solid-state light sources. In at least one of such example embodiments, the reaction is a photoreaction associated with the light source.
Abstract:
A thermal management system is provided for semiconductor devices such as an LED array, wherein coolant directly cools the LED array. Preferably, the coolant may be selected, among other bases, based on its index of refraction relative to the index associated with the semiconductor device.