United States of America As Represented by the Administrator of Nasa

Xoetronics, LLC

Other

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

The University of Alabama

Univ. of Alabama at Huntsville

C.f.c. Technology, Inc.

Darell Eugene Engelhaupt

Brian D Ramsey

Mikhail V Gubarev

James Wyly

Frank L Madarasz

Ramarao Inguva

Joseph Milelli

David Eugene Moncton

Kenneth D Turner

David Peter Krivoshik

Harold J See

David B Purves

G Wayne Thompson

Gary L Workman

Dan L Cooper

David B Smith

William David Jones

R Joseph Milelli

Boris Khaykovich

Carl M Benson

Robert A Mattes

A dispersed release of neutrons is generated from a source. A portion of this dispersed neutron release is reflected by surfaces of a plurality of nested, axisymmetric mirrors in at least an inner mirror layer and an outer mirror layer, wherein the neutrons reflected by the inner mirror layer are incident on at least one mirror surface of the inner mirror layer N times, wherein N is an integer, and wherein neutrons reflected by the outer mirror are incident on a plurality of mirror surfaces of the outer layer N+i times, where i is a positive integer, to redirect the neutrons toward a target. The mirrors can be formed by a periodically reversed pulsed-plating process.

Compact neutron imaging system using axisymmetric mirrors

Neutron optics based on the two-reflection geometries are capable of controlling beams of long wavelength neutrons with low angular divergence. The preferred mirror fabrication technique is a replication process with electroform nickel replication process being preferable. In the preliminary demonstration test an electroform nickel optics gave the neutron current density gain at the focal spot of the mirror at least 8 for neutron wavelengths in the range from 6 to 20 &#x212b;. The replication techniques can be also be used to fabricate neutron beam controlling guides.

Grazing incidence neutron optics

A method and system are provided for the shaping and polishing of the surface of a material selected from the group consisting of electrically semi-conductive materials and conductive materials. An electrically non-conductive polishing lap incorporates a conductive electrode such that, when the polishing lap is placed on the material's surface, the electrode is placed in spaced-apart juxtaposition with respect to the material's surface. A liquid electrolyte is disposed between the material's surface and the electrode. The electrolyte has an electrochemical stability constant such that cathodic material deposition on the electrode is not supported when a current flows through the electrode, the electrolyte and the material. As the polishing lap and the material surface experience relative movement, current flows through the electrode based on (i) adherence to Faraday's Law, and (ii) a pre-processing profile of the surface and a desired post-processing profile of the surface.

Electrochemical and mechanical polishing and shaping method and system

A long range optical sensor and system for detecting the flame of forest fires or other fires while rejecting false alarms due to solar radiation is described. The sensor utilizes a collector optic that collects energy from a wide field of view and concentrates the energy onto a detector. The collector may be a non-imaging collector and may match to a non-planar sensor. In one embodiment the sensor may be arrayed to achieve larger area coverage. In another, the sensor system may be scanned to increase the encompassed viewing area. Larger areas may be covered by RF radio links or networks interconnecting multiple arrayed sensor modules. UVC reflective coatings may include enhanced aluminum with silicon dioxide, silicon monoxide, or magnesium fluoride, or high phosphorous nickel phosphorous. In one embodiment a UVC sensitive Geiger Mueller tube may be coupled to a non-imaging spherical reflective collector. A catadioptric UVC/infra-red flame sensor is disclosed. Refractive or reflective designs are considered.

Optical flame detection system and method

An opto-electronic device utilizes a band of partially polarized polychromatic light for quantitative analysis of a specimen containing a target molecule. The device comprises: a polarizer for producing a segmented band of partially polarized polychromatic light from the band of partially polarized polychromatic light; a specimen cell adapted for receiving the specimen and for transporting said segmented band of partially polarized polychromatic light to the specimen; a polarizing analyzer optically coupled to said segmented band of partially polarized polychromatic light exiting the specimen; and comparison means for comparing said segmented band of partially polarized polychromatic light before entering the specimen with said segmented band of partially polarized polychromatic light after exiting the specimen. The target molecule changes ellipticity of said segmented band of partially polarized polychromatic light and said polarizer is synchronized with said polarizing analyzer.

Measurement, data acquistion, and signal processing for a photonic molecular probe

An opto-electronic device utilizes a band of polychromatic light for quantitative analysis of a target molecule within a mixed specimen. A movable polarizer produces a segmented band of partially polarized polychromatic light from the band of partially polarized polychromatic light. A specimen cell adapted for receiving the mixed specimen transports the segmented band of partially polarized polychromatic light to the mixed specimen. A movable polarizing analyzer is optically coupled to the segmented band of partially polarized polychromatic light exiting the mixed specimen. The segmented band of partially polarized polychromatic light before entering the mixed specimen is compared with the segmented band of partially polarized polychromatic light after exiting the mixed specimen. The movable polarizer is synchronized with the movable polarizing analyzer. Additionally a frequency filter can be optically coupled to the movable polarizer, where the frequency filter produces a beam of single frequency ellipitically polarized light from the band of partially polarized polychromatic light such that the segmented band of partially polarized polychromatic light is a segmented band of ellipitically polarized light.

Photonic molecular probe

In an opto-electronic device utilizing a band of light for quantitative analysis of a specimen containing a target molecule, the opto-electronic device comprising a specimen cell adapted for receiving the specimen and for transporting the band of light, a device for comparing the band of light before entering the specimen with the band of light after exiting the specimen, wherein the target molecule. The device for comparing comprises: an optical sensor; and, a signal processor for determining a quantitative level of the target molecule within the specimen. The signal processor utilizes Bayes' Theorem for determining the quantitative level of the target molecule within the specimen.

Measurement, data acquisition, and signal processing

An electrolytic plating process is provided for electrodepositing a nickel or nickel cobalt alloy which contains at least about 2% to 25% by atomic volume of phosphorous. The process solutions contains nickel and optionally cobalt sulfate, hypophosphorous acid or a salt thereof, boric acid or a salt thereof, a monodentate organic acid or a salt thereof, and a multidentate organic acid or a salt thereof. The pH of the plating bath is from about 3.0 to about 4.5. An electroplating process is also provided which includes electroplating from the bath a nickel or nickel cobalt phosphorous alloy. This process can achieve a deposit with high microyield of at least about 84 kg/mm (120 ksi) and a density lower than pure nickel of about 8.0 gm/cc. This process can be used to plate a deposit of essentially zero stress at plating temperatures from ambient to 70&deg; C.

Nickel cobalt phosphorous low stress electroplating

A method and apparatus for fluid analysis includes a sensor for determining the index of refraction of a fluid. Advanced methods of fluid analysis relate index of refraction and other measured physical characteristics of the fluid.

Apparatus and method for fluid analysis

Growing community of inventors

Madison, AL, United States of America

Darell Eugene Engelhaupt