International Business Machines Corporation

Hans J Coufal

Robert Keith Grygier

John Allen Hoffnagle

Carl Michael Jefferson

Geoffrey W Burr

Wen Yaung Lee

Mason L Williams, Iii

Victor B Jipson

Roger W Barton

Sebastian Kobras

An optical beam transformation system includes a first and a second optical element, each of which has a non-reentrant surface. The system transforms a substantially non-uniform optical input beam (such as a Gaussian) to a substantially uniform output beam. The first and second optical elements are arranged in either a Keplerian or Galilean configuration. The aspheric surface of the second optical element is related to the aspheric surface of the first optical element by a ray-tracing function that maps substantially all of an input light beam that is incident on the first optical element to a collimated output light beam that is output from the second optical element. Preferably, the output light beam has a Fermi-Dirac intensity distribution, and the ray-tracing function maps the input light beam to the output beam out to the (1/e) intensity radius of the input light beam.

System for converting optical beams to collimated flat-top beams

A content-addressable optical storage system in which a first beam of light is modulated an image to-be-stored and directed to a storage location in an optical storage medium. The image to-be-stored has a plurality of pixels representing at least one field of digital data that are selectively organized along a selected data track as a pattern of ON and OFF pixels representing a data value by a position of a block of pixels of a predetermined size on the data track. A second beam of light, which is coherent with the first beam of light, is modulated with a predetermined modulation pattern and directed to the storage location. The second beam of light passes through the optical storage medium and is focussed at a plurality of localized portions of a correlation plane in the predetermined modulation pattern. The image to-be-stored in the storage medium is recorded at the storage location medium based on an intersection of the first beam and the second beam in the optical storage medium. Optical correlation is provided by blocking the second beam of light, and modulating a third beam of light an image to-be-correlated and that is directed to the optical storage medium. At least one set of reconstructed correlation peaks are detected at the correlation plane matching the modulation pattern of the second beam of light. A brightness of the set of detected reconstructed correlation peaks indicates a similarity between the image to-be-correlated and a stored image.

Encoding technique of data patterns to improve signal-to-noise ratio during cantent-addressable retrieval

A device for reading data from a multi-layered optical disk includes a short coherence-length light source, a beam splitter, an adjustable mirror and an optical detector. The beam splitter is used to form first and second light beams from the short coherence-length light beam. The first light beam is then directed to the optical disk and is reflected by a data mark stored on the optical disk. The second light beam is directed along a reference beam path. The mirror is disposed along the reference beam path and reflects the second light beam back to the beam splitter. The beam splitter recombines the reflected first light beam and the second light beam after the second light beam traverses the reference beam path. The optical detector detects the data mark by constructive interference of the combined reflected first light beam and the second light beam. The position of the mirror is adjustable so that the optical path length of the reference beam path is made equal to the optical path length of the first light beam to each layer of the multi-layered optical disk. A device for recording data onto a multi-layered optical disk uses similar components and techniques for recording data.

Short coherent-length optical tomograph for high density volume optical

The invention relates to a reflective phase-shifting lithographic mask having a reflective surface comprising a plurality of areas having different refractive indices.

Reflective lithographic mask

A lithographic system for patterned exposure of radiation-sensitive resist comprises a radiation source, a mask, a converging optical element having a focal plane, and a phase-shifting optical element disposed at the focal plane of the converging optical element. The lithographic system produces enhanced images.

Focal plane phase-shifting lithography

A lithographic system for patterned exposure of radiation-sensitive resist. The system comprises a radiation source, a mask, a converging optical element having a focal plane, and a phase-shifting optical element disposed at the focal plane of the converging optical element. The lithographic system produces enhanced images.

The present invention relates to an improved high speed rotary bone cutter comprising a drive shaft and a cutting head. The drive shaft has an elongated housing rotably mounted on the shaft. The housing has an enclosed fluid passageway around the shaft for the flow of cutting fluid. The passageway insulates the flowing fluid from the high rotational speed of the drive shaft.

Surgical cutting instrument

A process for depositing electrical charges on a dielectric surface by means of a high velocity jet of fluid which strikes the surface, flows over it and triboelectrically charges it, and then separates from the surface.

Jet deposition of electrical charge on a dielectric surface

A slider assembly for supporting a magnetic head a small uniform spacing above the surface of a magnetic recording medium comprising a slider body having a layer of superconducting material on the surface of the slider assembly which faces the surface of the magnetic recording medium. The slider assembly is maintained in a vacuum of a predetermined level or in a predetermined gas, and the slider assembly is cooled to a temperature below the critical temperature of the superconductor material so that the slider assembly and the magnetic transducer are levitated to a small uniform spacing above the surface of the magnetic recording medium due to magnetic forces between the magnetized magnetic recording medium and the layer of superconducting material.

Magnetic head slider employing superconductor for levitation

A method of and structure for optical recording by energy-induced homogenization or fractionation is disclosed. When the method involves fractionation, a film is provided that contains a homogeneous mixture of a matrix material and an incident energy absorbing material. A spot on the film is treated with sufficient energy in the form of electric fields, radiation or heat, or combinations thereof to effect fractionation and/or homogenization of the film which will undergo further physical state transition only under treatment with additional energy. In a preferred embodiment, the fractionation is effected by laser radiation. The laser irradiated spot becomes inhomogeneous and can be detected by the resulting changes in its optical properties. When the method involves homogenization, a film is provided that contains a inhomogeneous mixture. The energy treated spot in this case becomes homogeneous without undergoing a phase transition between the amorphous and crystalline phases. Numerous combinations of fractionation and homogenization can result in the writing and erasing of information in a storage device.

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

Hans J Coufal