This invention is a diode laser irradiation system (10) for treating biological tissue of a subject without exposing the tissue to damaging thermal effects. The system includes a manipulable wand (14) for contact with the tissue, a diode laser (70) disposed in the wand for irradiating the tissue with coherent optical energy at a power output level of less than one thousand milliwatts, and laser setting controls (24, 26) for operating the diode laser to achieve a rate of absorption and conversion to heat in the irradiated tissue in a range between a minimum rate sufficient to elevate the average temperature of the irradiated tissue to a level above the basal body temperature of the subject, and a maximum rate which is less than the rate at which the irradiated tissue is converted into a collagenous substance.

Diode laser irradiation system for biological tissue stimulation

An attachment system is provided for attaching an auxiliary apparatus to a weapon having a frame, and in particular to a weapon frame in the area forward of the trigger guard. An attachment mechanism on the auxiliary apparatus is adapted to be engageable with a rail on the weapon to selectively attach the auxiliary apparatus. The weapon may include a transverse slot which can be engaged by a portion of the auxiliary apparatus to prevent the auxiliary apparatus from sliding relative to the weapon due to recoil forces associated with firing the weapon.

Auxiliary device for a weapon and attachment thereof

An accessory device for being mounted to a longitudinal rail carried by a firearm and accommodating longitudinal rails of different configurations. A preferred embodiment comprises a light beam generator including a housing, elongate members removably secured to the housing and complementing the rail for enabling the housing to be retainably slid along the rail, a transverse rail latching device removably secured to the housing, and a replaceable ambidextrous tail cap switch.

Accessory devices for firearms

The present invention is an infrared imaging system that comprises a far-infrared camera disposed at the front end of a vehicle adapted for detecting thermal radiation in the 7 to 14 micron wavelength band and producing an image signal indicative of the temperature of the surrounding objects. A digital signal processor receives the image signal and selectively enhances the temperature resolution based upon the relative temperature distribution of the image signal, which is proportional to the temperature of objects emitting in the infrared region. In accordance with the present invention, the digital signal processor enhances temperature ranges having high concentrations and contracts temperature ranges having low concentrations. The digital signal processor selects between high and low concentrations based upon a predetermined threshold concentration value. A display apparatus receives a display signal that is temperature-enhanced and displays that signal to the driver.

Image enhancement in far infrared camera

A device comprising a number of different wavelength-selective active-layers arranged in a vertical stack, having band-alignment and work-function engineered lateral contacts to said active-layers, consisting of a contact-insulator and a conductor-insulator. Photons of different energies are selectively absorbed in or emitted by the active-layers. Contact means are arranged separately on the lateral sides of the vertical stack for injecting charge carriers into the photon-emitting layers and extracting charge carriers generated in the photon-absorbing layers. The device can be used for various applications for light emission or light absorption. The stack of active layers may also include top and bottom electrodes whereby the device can also be operated as a FET device.

Wavelength-selective photonics device

A multiband photoconductive detector and method for simultaneously and separately detecting and distinguishing light or radiation from a large number of different wavelength bands is disclosed. The multiband photoconductive detector comprises a plurality of low energy gap semiconductor layers of preselected progressively decreasing thicknesses of a first material, a plurality of high energy gap semiconductor layers of a second material interleaved with the plurality of low energy gap semiconductor layers, and a plurality of pairs of electrical contacts respectively applied to the plurality of low energy gap semiconductor layers and adapted to respectively receive associated bias voltages to enable the plurality of low energy gap semiconductor layers to constitute a corresponding plurality of separate photoconductive detectors with a preselected plurality of different wavelength bands.

Multiband photoconductive detector based on layered semiconductor quantum wells

A light-weight, night vision system which combines a reflected-light, imag device with an audio-monitored, far infrared detection device (HANSAM) for detecting long wavelength infrared radiation from warm bodies. The imaging device may be a near-infrared image converter or a visible image intensifier such as a "starlight scope". The Hansam is attached to the imager so that the center of its field of view coincides with the center of the field of view of the imager.

Combined use of visible and near-IR imaging systems with far-IR detector system

An iron-doped indium phosphide or gallium arsenide semiconductor laser. Theemiconductor material is doped when formed by uniformly distributing transition metal ions such as iron throughout the semiconductor. The concentration of the iron ions is from about 1×1015 to about 1×1018 ions per cubic centimeter, but is limited only by the solubility of iron indium phosphide or gallium arsenide. It has been determined that the greater the concentration of ions, the easier the laser emission is obtained. At liquid helium temperature, the iron-doped semiconductor laser will operate at a wavelength near 3 microns.

Stephen G. Bishop

Papers

Multiband photoconductive detector based on layered semiconductor quantum wells

Combined use of visible and near-IR imaging systems with far-IR detector system

Iron-doped indium phosphide semiconductor laser