Orthogonality properties of transverse eigenmodes of phase conjugate optical resonators

The orthogonality properties of the transverse eigenmodes of optical resonators which have phase conjugate mirrors at both ends are derived. As in conventional resonators and also resonators with only one phase conjugate mirror, it is shown that the transverse eigenmodes are essentially biorthogonal, a relation which is satisfied between the set of modes propagating in one direction around the resonator and the adjoint set of modes propagating in the reverse direction.     

Sixteen-channel coherent broadcast network at 155 Mbit/s

An experimental 155.52 Mb/s coherent broadcast network with 16 channels using a conventional distributed feedback (DFB) laser operating at 1540 nm is described. It includes absolute laser frequency stabilization, a fiber span of 74.4 km, and a balanced polarization-diversity single-filter frequency-shift keying (FSK) heterodyne receiver. At a channel spacing of 8.5 GHz a power penalty of 0.3 dB is incurred due to adjacent channel crosstalk     

Note on the impedance of a wire grid parallel to homogeneousinterface

Numerical data are provided for the correction factor that is used to calculate the impedance of a planar wire grid parallel to the interface between two dielectric half-spaces. Comparisons with earlier investigations clarify, extend, and supersede previous computations. The authors show more clearly the significant influence of the interface on the equivalent grid impedance     

Electrically tunable dual-wavelength switching in a mutually injection-locked erbium-doped fiber ring laser and distributed-feedback laser diode

Wavelength switching in a mutually injection-locked erbium-doped fiber ring laser and distributed-feedback laser diode (DFBLD) is experimentally demonstrated. By adjusting the power and the polarization state of injected light, three stable oscillation regimes were observed: Fabry-Pe/spl acute/rot (FP) mode oscillation, main distributed-feedback (DFB) mode oscillation, and dual-wavelength oscillation. Wavelength switching of 0.8 nm from one of the FP oscillation modes to the main DFB mode of the DFBLD is accomplished when the bias current to the DFBLD is varied from 9 to 14 mA. We also show that these wavelengths can be tuned as much as 2.48 nm when the temperature of the DFBLD is changed by 20/spl deg/C.     

I-V characteristics of a methanol sensor for direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) as a function of deposited platinum (Pt) thickness

We have fabricated methanol sensor for monitoring the methanol concentration in direct methanol fuel cells. A thin composite nafion membrane was used as an electrolyte. We have analyzed the I-V characteristic of the fabricated methanol sensor as functions of methanol concentration, catalyst electrode and platinum (Pt) thickness. When we measured the sensor with 10 nm Pt and at 1 V, the current value was 1.30×10⁻⁶, 1.96×10⁻⁶, and 2.80×10⁻⁶ A for three methanol concentration of 1, 2, and 3 M, respectively. And when the methanol concentration was fixed at 2 M, the current value of the fabricated device with Pt of 5, 10 and 15 nm was 3.06×10⁻⁶, 1.96×10⁻⁶, and 1.00×10⁻⁶ A, respectively.     

The influence of current load on fretting of electrical contacts

The fretting corrosion behavior of tin coated brass contacts is studied at various current loads (1, 2 and 3 A). The typical characteristics of the change in contact resistance with fretting cycles are explained. The fretted surface is examined using scanning electron microscope, laser scanning electron microscope and energy dispersive analysis of X-rays to assess the surface morphology, extent of fretting damage, extent of oxidation, surface profile and elemental distribution across the contact zone. The degradation of contacts at high and low values of current is explained with reference to the thermal and electrical phenomena occurring at the contact interface. The results showed that irrespective of the current loads under study, the contact resistance is maintained at 1.0±0.02 Ω where the oxide debris formation and the electrical breakdown of oxide particles competed with each other maintaining the equilibrium. The number of cycles to failure of the contacts is delayed at lower current. The fretting corrosion degradation of tin coated contacts occurs much faster at higher currents as it generates more accumulation of oxide wear debris at the contact zone. The observed surface morphology and the tin profile of the fretted surface are in agreement with the experimental results.     

Fuzzy QFD for supply chain management with reliability consideration

Although many products are made through several tiers of supply chains, a systematic way of handling reliability issues in a various product planning stage has drawn attention, only recently, in the context of supply chain management (SCM). The main objective of this paper is to develop a fuzzy quality function deployment (QFD) model in order to convey fuzzy relationship between customers needs and design specification for reliability in the context of SCM. A fuzzy multi criteria decision-making procedure is proposed and is applied to find a set of optimal solution with respect to the performance of the reliability test needed in CRT design. It is expected that the proposed approach can make significant contributions on the following areas: effectively communicating with technical personnel and users; developing relatively error-free reliability review system; and creating consistent and complete documentation for design for reliability.     

Voltage-induced optical waveguide modulator in lithium niobate

A type of optical modulator first proposed by D.J. Channin (1971) in which an optical waveguide is induced in an electrooptic substrate by applying voltage between two parallel coplanar electrodes is reinvestigated. It is found that such devices will work for voltages much smaller than those used by Channin. The devices are fabricated with much smaller gaps between the electrodes and have an optical buffer layer to isolate the optical field from the electrodes. The theory of operation is developed and the device is modeled mathematically. The theory predicts that the optical field distributions of the modes of these devices become more highly confined with increasing voltage     

Mold behavior and its influence on quality in the continuous casting of steel slabs: Part i. Industrial trials,mold temperature measurements,and mathematical modeling

An extensive study has been conducted to elucidate mold behavior and its influence on quality during the continuous casting of slabs. The study combined industrial measurements, mathe matical modeling, and metallographic examination of cast slab samples. The industrial mea surements involved instrumenting an operating slab mold with 114 thermocouples in order to determine the axial mold wall temperature profiles for a wide range of casting conditions. A three-dimensional (3-D) heat-flow model of the mold wall was developed to characterize the heat fluxes in the mold quantitatively from the measured mold temperature data. Furthermore, heat-flow models were developed to examine steel solidification phenomena and mold flux behavior at the meniscus. Slab samples collected during the industrial trials were examined metallographically to evaluate the cast structure and defects. Owing to the length of the study, it is presented in two parts, the first of which describes the experimental techniques employed in the instrumentation of the mold together with the details of the industrial trials and mold temperature measurements. Also, the mathematical modeling technique applied to determine the axial heat-flux profiles from the measured mold temperature data is presented. It is shown that a fully 3-D model of the mold wall is needed to convert the measured temperatures to heat-flux profiles properly. Formerly Graduate Student, Centre for Metallurgical Process Engineering, The University of British Columbia Formerly with Research and Development, Stelco Inc.