Multiple-pathway optical transmitter
Granted: September 14, 2010
Patent Number:
7796850
Optical systems comprise one or more optical pathways including lenses that are offset with respect to each other and lenses that are offset with respect to optical fibers.
Front-illuminated avalanche photodiode
Granted: September 14, 2010
Patent Number:
7795064
The present invention provides a front-illuminated avalanche photodiode (APD) with improved intrinsic responsivity, as well as a method of fabricating such a front-illuminated APD. The front-illuminated APD comprises an APD body of semiconductor material, which includes a substrate and a layer stack disposed on a front surface of the substrate. The layer stack includes an absorption layer, a multiplication layer, and a field-control layer. Advantageously, a back surface of the APD body…
Substrate holder for a vapour deposition system
Granted: September 7, 2010
Patent Number:
7790004
The invention relates to a partially disposable substrate holder used in magnetic latches for securing substrates on a planetary rotating platform suspended above a coating source in a vacuum chamber of a vapor deposition system, e.g. a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) system or a physical vapor deposition (PVD) system. The substrate holder includes a reusable base formed, at least partially, from a ferro-magnetic material, which is attracted to the magnetic latch, and a disposable cover…
Magnetic latch for a vapour deposition system
Granted: August 31, 2010
Patent Number:
7785456
The invention relates to a magnetic latch for securing substrates on a planetary rotating platform suspended above a coating source in a vacuum chamber of a vapor deposition system, e.g. a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) system or a physical vapor deposition (PVD) system. The magnetic latch includes a permanent magnetic, which is moveable between a latching position, in which the permanent magnet magnetizes the latch for attracting a substrate holder, and an unlatching position, in which…
Fault sensor for a laser driver circuit
Granted: August 31, 2010
Patent Number:
7787766
An apparatus and method is provided for sensing which faults have occurred in a laser control system, as well as trapping and identifying the first fault occurrence. The apparatus includes an integrated circuit in which a mask register is set by means of a micro-controller or a host system to select which fault sources are to be recorded. A status bit register in which the fault indications are stored can also be interrogated by the micro-controller or a host system. A settable first…
Pivoting micro-mirror MEMS device with a sandwiched structure and a closed cellular core
Granted: August 24, 2010
Patent Number:
7782514
A large micro-mirror, e.g. 3 mm by 4 mm, in accordance with the present invention has sufficient rigidity to ensure a low mirror curvature, e.g. a radius of curvature greater than 5 meters, and a low mass in order to ensure a high oscillation frequency, e.g. greater than 1000 Hz. A method of making the micro-mirror utilizes bulk micro-machining technology, which enables the manufacture of a honeycomb structure sandwiched between two solid and smooth silicon layers without any…
Free-space integrated photodetector with reduced phase tracking error
Granted: August 24, 2010
Patent Number:
7783138
A Mach-Zehnder (MZ) interferometer modulator structure for fiberoptic telecommunications is disclosed in which drift of the operating point can be monitored with a reduced phase tracking error. One or more components of free-space light radiated into the substrate of the MZ modulator are selectively detected with one or more photodetectors. Suitable summing circuits are described for nulling out undesired photocurrent contributions in the photodetector(s) from on-state and off-state…
Interpolated timestamps in high-speed data capture and analysis
Granted: August 17, 2010
Patent Number:
7779340
Methods and apparatuses for using interpolation to associate timestamp values to data received in a data capture and analysis system. An analysis processor receives data representing data transferred in a communications link. The analysis processor also receives timestamp signals. The analysis processor performs an interpolation between at least two timestamp values received and associates results of the interpolation with the data. The analysis processor analyzes the data. A logic…
Producing two distinct flake products using a single substrate
Granted: August 3, 2010
Patent Number:
7767123
A novel method is disclosed wherein a reflective coated organic substrate is releasably coated with a thin film coating having one or more layers for forming flakes once removed from the reflective substrate. The reflective substrate is conveniently used to make glitter after the flake material is removed.
Spectrally resolved fast monitor
Granted: August 3, 2010
Patent Number:
7768697
A method and apparatus for monitoring spectral tilt uses an arrayed waveguide grating (AWG) to separate a multiplexed optical signal having a plurality of wavelength channels into a plurality of sub-bands, where each sub-band spans a different wavelength range and includes more than one wavelength channel. A photodetector array is provided to measure the optical power in each of the sub-bands, while control electronics calculate spectral tilt of the multiplexed optical signal using the…
Packet tracing using dynamic packet filters
Granted: July 20, 2010
Patent Number:
7760663
Packet tracing in switched packet networks. Tracing of live packet data in a network is performed by discovering the measurement path, setting up dynamic filters along the path to collect traffic information, and collecting data as detected by the dynamic filters. Collected data is sent to a measuring entity. Filter setup may be repeated to capture data as routing changes.
Methods for forming security articles having diffractive surfaces and color shifting backgrounds
Granted: July 13, 2010
Patent Number:
7754112
A security article includes a light transmissive substrate having a first surface and an opposing second surface, with the first surface having an embossed region with an optical diffraction pattern or a holographic image pattern. A color shifting optical coating is formed on the substrate such as on the opposing second surface, with the optical coating providing an observable color shift as the angle of incident light or viewing angle changes. The security article can be used in a…
Systems and methods for collecting and disbursing participant identifying data
Granted: July 6, 2010
Patent Number:
7751385
Methods and systems for assigning participant identifying data to network transmission events. Participant identifying data and identifying data related to a network transmission event are provided to a predetermined (also referred to as central) monitoring location and stored in a database at the central monitoring location.
Vacuum roll coated security thin film interference products with overt and/or covert patterned layers
Granted: June 29, 2010
Patent Number:
7744964
A method for forming an optically variable device upon a substrate comprises the steps of: patterning a reflective layer on the substrate using an oil-ablation technique; removing oil residue from the first side of the substrate using a first glow discharge; and depositing thin-film layers so as to be supported by the substrate to form the optically variable device. Optionally, oil residue is removed from the second side of the substrate using a second glow discharge.
Waveguide retroreflector and method of fabricating the same
Granted: June 29, 2010
Patent Number:
7746914
A waveguide retroreflector consists of an end cap with curved output surface attached to a waveguide such as optical fiber. The radius of curvature of the output surface of the end cap matches the length of the end cap so as to retro-reflect a substantial portion of radiation exiting the waveguide, back into the waveguide. A method of fabricating the waveguide retroreflector includes steps of splicing an end cap to a waveguide, heating the free flat surface of the end cap, so that…
Communications apparatus, system and method of creating a sub-channel
Granted: June 29, 2010
Patent Number:
7746949
A communications apparatus is capable of being disposed in-line in a communications link that supports a main communications channel. The communications link connects a first host to a second host. The communications apparatus comprises an application logic that supports a sub-channel within the main channel. When the main channel is potentially faulty, the application logic is arranged to monitor the main channel to determine an error condition and send a message by replacing data…
Security device with metameric features using diffractive pigment flakes
Granted: June 1, 2010
Patent Number:
7729026
A metameric optical structure is disclosed having first optical structures comprising diffractive flakes having diffractive structures thereon, and a second optical structures having non-diffractive flakes which may have other special effect properties, such as color shifting. At one angle of incidence or one viewing angle, near normal. The hues match and at other angles they do not match. The diffractive flakes are preferably magnetically aligned so that the grating structures are…
Integrated electrical cross-talk walls for electrostatic MEMS
Granted: May 25, 2010
Patent Number:
7723810
To reduce cross-talk between adjacent hot electrodes, the present invention provides a ground plane, which extends beneath each side of a MEMS mirror platform covering opposite edges of a hot electrode along each side thereof. The ground plane includes an overhang section extending between the mirror platform and the hot electrode forming a first gap between the hot electrode and the overhang section, and a second gap between the overhang section and the mirror platform. The method of…
Multi-unit wavelength dispersive device
Granted: May 25, 2010
Patent Number:
7725027
The multi-unit wavelength switch enables multiple independent wavelength switching of a plurality of incoming multiplexed optical beams simultaneously on the same optical platform. The different units can have similar functionality or provide disparate functionality, e.g. any one or more of switching, dynamic gain equalization, wavelength blocking, and power monitoring.
Magnetic plate for printing of optical effects
Granted: May 18, 2010
Patent Number:
7717038
This invention discloses a magnet for use as a printing plate or printing head that is used for aligning flakes or particles in a paint or ink. A composite sheet or block of magnetizable material is selectively magnetized so that a magnet is formed within the sheet or block that has a shape of a predetermined image, logo, or indica. Dies are used to magnetize the magnetizable material and preferably the does contact the material to be magnetized. A pre-magnetized sheet such as a…
