Teaching art and history to photonics students

The case to be reported in this paper is the teaching of topics involving the relation among Photonics, its history, the international situation and the artistic movements in each period. These kind of new studies correspond to a new tendency in teaching interdisciplinary topics to students coming from different areas. Two main courses, one in History and other one in Art, will be taken as examples. Theses two courses have been taught for several years in Madrid, Spain, for Telecomm students and the results have been very satisfactory

Boolean logic device done with DFB laser diode

We present simulation results on how power output-input characteristic Instability in Distributed FeedBack -DFB semiconductor laser diode SLA can be employed to implemented Boolean logic device. Two configurations of DFB Laser diode under external optical injection, either in the transmission or in the reflective mode of operation, is used to implement different Optical Logic Cells (OLCs), called the Q- and the P-Device OLCs. The external optical injection correspond to two inputs data plus a cw control signal that allows to choose the Boolean logic function to be implement. DFB laser diode parameters are choosing to obtain an output-input characteristic with the values desired. The desired values are mainly the on-off contrast and switching power, conforming shape of hysteretic cycle. Two DFB lasers in cascade, one working in transmission operation and the other one in reflective operation, allows designing an inputoutput characteristic based on the same respond of a self-electrooptic effect device is obtained. Input power for a bit'T' is 35 uW(70uW) and a bit "0" is zero for all the Boolean function to be execute. Device control signal range to choose the logic function is 0-140 uW (280 uW). Q-device (P-device)

Laser diode bistability as sensor of optical signals pameters

Laser Diodes have been employed many times as light sources on different kinds of optical sensors. Their main function in these applications was the emission of an optical radiation impinging onto a certain object and, according to the characteristics of the reflected light, some information about this object was obtained. Laser diodes were acting, in a certain way, just as passive devices where their only function was to provide the adequate radiation to be later measured and analyzed. The objective of this paper is to report a new concept on the use of laser diodes taking into account their optical bistable properties. As it has been shown in several places, different laser diodes as, for example, DFB lasers and FP lasers, offer bistable characteristics being these characteristics a function of different parameters as wavelength, light polarization or temperature. Laser Bistability is strongly dependent on them and any small variation of above parameters gives rise to a strong change in the characteristics of its non-linear properties. These variations are analyzed and their application in sensing reported. The dependence on wavelength, spectral width, input power and phase variations, mainly for a Fabry-Perot Laser structure as basic configuration, is shown in this paper.

Estudio geotécnico de arenas de Ottawa y ensayos de mejora con biocalcificación

Este proyecto trata sobre el interés que ofrece la biocalcificación en cuanto a la mejora de las propiedades mecánicas de materiales de construcción. En concreto este proyecto se desarrolla con arenas de Ottawa con intención de extrapolar resultados y de continuar con ensayos en distintos materiales. Se realizan ensayos de caracterización del material en primer lugar para conocer sus propiedades básicas y posteriormente se preparan los cultivos bacteriológicos que ayuden a biocalcificar el medio de estudio. Tras las correspondientes investigaciones y pruebas respecto al método más efectivo, cantidad de inyecciones, duración… usando también conocimientos químicos para la preparación de los reactivos, se procede a la repetición de los ensayos para ver la variación en las propiedades y poder sacar conclusiones útiles en la mejora visible de éstas. ABSTRACT This project discuss the interest of biocalcification offered by regarding the improvement of the mechanical properties of construction materials. Specifically this project is developed with Ottawa sands intending to extrapolate findings and to continue testing different materials. Firstly, characterization tests are performed to find out its basic material properties and after that, bacterial cultures are prepared to help studying how to biocalcify the sample. After the needed investigations and tests looking for the most effective method, accurate number of injections, desired duration ... also using chemical knowledge for the preparation of the reagents; we proceed to retest the samples to see the variation in properties and be able to get useful conclusions of a visible improvement of these properties.