A flow speed measurement method includes conducting a heat exchange at a prescribed part of a surface of a pipe, the flow speed measurement method further includes measuring a temperature distribution in a pipe-axis-direction on the surface of the pipe in a case that the heat exchange has been conducted at the prescribed part, and the flow speed measurement method further includes determining a flow speed of a thermal fluid flowing inside the pipe, based on the temperature distribution measured.

The invention relates to a flow sensor (1), comprising: a semiconductor module (2) on which a temperature sensing means (13a, 13b) and a heat source (12) are arranged, a flow channel (6) for guiding the fluid medium in a flow direction (D), and a wall (W) delimiting the flow channel, wherein said heat source (12) and said temperature sensing means (13a, 13b) are configured such that they are in thermal contact with said wall (W). According to the invention, said wall (W) comprises a glass member (4) and a metal member (3a), wherein the glass member (4) is connected to the metal member (3a).

The invention provides a breather tube indicator device which includes a sealing body which is adapted to fit within a breather tube of a grouted rock support installation to allow passage of air past the body, without the body moving relatively to the tube, but to resist passage of an adhesive material thereby to cause movement of the body relatively to the tube to an indicating position.

In a method of operating a sensor assembly for a fluid tank of a motor vehicle, plural sensor elements of the sensor assembly are electrically connected to a sensor controller. The sensor controller determines measuring data from the sensor elements, and transmits the measuring data from at least some of the sensor elements separately and at least in part sequentially to a reprogrammable control unit.

The invention relates to a method for determining a liquid level in a tank (1) comprised in a vehicle, wherein said method uses an ultrasonic sensor (4) for emitting and receiving ultrasonic waves (11). Basically the liquid level is determined based upon measuring the transition time of an ultrasonic wave (11) emitted by the ultrasonic sensor, wherein said emitted wave is deflected two times before being reflected by the surface (2) of the liquid contained in the tank.

A first detection electrode that outputs a first flow rate signal and a second detection electrode that outputs a second flow rate signal, a differential circuit that outputs a differential flow rate signal obtained by obtaining a difference between the first flow rate signal and the second flow rate signal, an AC signal generation circuit that causes a first AC current to flow between the first detection electrode and the ground electrode and causes a second AC current with a reverse phase at the same frequency as that of the first AC current to flow between the second detection electrode and the ground electrode, and a diagnosis unit that diagnoses an abnormality of at least either of the first detection electrode or the second detection electrode based on a differential flow rate signal.

Mass flow controllers with on-tool diagnostic capabilities and methods for on-tool diagnosis of mass flow controllers are disclosed herein. One method includes opening a control valve to a fixed position and closing an upstream valve to produce a flow rate that decreases from a high flow rate, across a range of flow rates, to a low flow rate. A pressure signal is generated that is indicative of a pressure of the fluid within a volume between the upstream valve and a sensor tube, and a flow sensor signal is provided with the mass flow sensor that is indicative of a mass flow rate of the fluid through the main flow path. Ratio curves are produced that relate, across the range of flow rates, a rate of change of the pressure signal to the flow sensor signal and comparing a test ratio curve to a previously generated baseline ratio curve.

A sensor device includes: a cylindrical casing; a vibration detecting unit including a detection probe, a bottomed cylindrical holder having a bottom in which a rear end of the detection probe is inserted and fixed, piezoelectric elements disposed rearward of the detection probe in the holder and configured to contact the rear end of the detection probe, and a push member held in the holder and configured to push the piezoelectric elements against the rear end of the detection probe, the vibration detecting unit being disposed in the casing; and a coil spring that is disposed rearward of the vibration detecting unit, is configured to contact the holder to bias the holder forward, and causes a tip of the detection probe to project from the casing, wherein the tip of the detection probe is pushed against a measurement object to detect vibration of the measurement object.

An abnormality detecting apparatus (10) for a rotating machine includes: a calculating part (15) which calculates a phase difference between signals respectively output from two sensors of one or more sets, the one or more sets being predetermined combinations of two sensors among the plurality of sensors, the plurality of sensors each of which detects an elastic wave generating in the rotating machine (1) having a rotor during rotation of the rotor, the sensors being arranged at predetermined different locations of the rotating machine (1); a storing part (16) which stores in advance information concerning a relationship between a phase difference and a contact position when a contact occurs during the rotation of the rotor, regarding the one or more sets; and a specifying part (17) which specifies a contact position by using a phase difference calculated by the calculating part (15) and the information stored in the storing part (16).

A force detector includes a first substrate, a second substrate, a circuit board provided between the first substrate and the second substrate, and an element mounted on the circuit board and outputting a signal in response to an external force, wherein a hole is formed in the circuit board at a location where the element is placed, and a first convex part inserted into the hole and protruding toward the element is provided on the first substrate. Further, the element is placed within a periphery of the first convex part as seen from a direction perpendicular to the first substrate.

Pre-loaded force sensitive input devices, force sensing resistors (FSR), are formed as a multiple membrane assembly that is capable of detecting low intensity pressure inputs and quantifying varying applications of pressure to the sensor surface. Pre-loading the force sensor elements results in controlled amount of force between the two substrates causing a constant state of pre-load and eliminating the low-end or minimal pressure signal noise associated with unloaded sensors. Pre-loading the force sensing resistor sensors also enables the sensor to detect removal of low intensity pressure input such as might occur during theft of light weight articles placed in contact with the pre-loaded force sensor. Using an FSR or FSR Matrix Array will enable any handling of protected retail packaging to be detected and identified. A library of “touches” can be established that will yield cutting, ripping, twisting, etc. making the detection of a theft in progress more accurate.

Provided is a torque sensor terminal block structure including an electric motor (1) which outputs driving force for driving a load (8), a strain body (3) interposed on a way of a power transmission system from the electric motor (1) to the load (8), a power detector (4) which outputs a detection signal according to a strain of the strain body (3) as a signal indicating a driving force transmitted from the electric motor (1) to the load (8), and a terminal block (6) which acquires the detection signal of the power detector (4) and transmits the output result to a signal processing circuit section. The terminal block (6) is set parallel to a magnetic flux output from the electric motor (1).

Provided is a torque sensor terminal block structure including an electric motor (1) which outputs driving force for driving a load (8), a strain body (3) interposed on a way of a power transmission system from the electric motor (1) to the load (8), a plurality of power detectors (4) which output a detection signal according to strain of the strain body (3) as a signal indicating the driving force, and a terminal block (6) which acquires the detection signal of the power detectors (4) and transmits the output result to a signal processing circuit section (10). The wirings to the signal processing circuit section (10) are twisted spirally as a single stranded wire, and an opening degree between single wirings when the stranded wire extending from the power detectors (4) to the terminal block (6) is unwound, is set to be same for each of the power detectors (4).

A planet gear train based torque detector is provided with idler gears between an input shaft and an output shaft wherein a rotation of the input shaft rotates the idler gears which rotate the output shaft, and a force is applied to a tangent line between each idler gear and the input shaft; peripheral resilient members, each having a fixed first end and a second end for receiving force applied thereon by the revolution of idler gears; and at least one strain gauge, each attached on one resilient member for measuring a deformation at the resilient member due to the revolution of the idler gears. A torque between the input shaft and the output shaft is obtained by calculating the deformation. The resilient members parallel the input shaft.

A transducer sensor body includes a first support structure and a second support structure. A tubular element has a center bore along a longitudinal axis. An elongated first flexure joins the tubular element to the first support structure parallel to the longitudinal axis. The first flexure is rigid to transfer a longitudinal force therethrough along the longitudinal axis and is rigid to transfer an axial force therethrough along an axial axis that is orthogonal to the longitudinal axis. An elongated second flexure joins the tubular element to the second support structure parallel to the longitudinal axis. The second flexure is rigid to transfer a longitudinal force therethrough along the longitudinal axis and is to transfer the axial force therethrough along the axial axis.

A sensor for detecting a pressure of a fluid medium is provided. The sensor includes a sensor element for detecting the pressure of the fluid medium, a supply duct for supplying the fluid medium to the sensor element and a control and/or evaluation circuit for processing signals of the sensor element. The control and/or evaluation circuit is situated on the sensor element.

A system comprising: a parent structure made of composite material and having a repair site; a repair patch made of composite material, the repair patch being bonded to the parent structure at the repair site; and a sensor embedded in the repair patch. The system may further comprise non-volatile memory and an interface unit embedded in the repair patch and electrically connected to the sensor. In one embodiment, the sensor is a loop-shaped sensor comprising an electrically conductive structure having an electrical conductivity that varies as a function of a pressure exerted on the repair patch. In another embodiment, the sensor comprises a sensor chip having nonvolatile memory. In a further embodiment, the sensor comprises an optical fiber that is sensitive to changes in pressure on or strain in the repair patch.

A detecting element unit of a physical quantity detection apparatus includes a detection part and a supporting part. The detection part has a base part, a movable part coupled to the base part via a joint part, and a vibrator provided over the base part and the movable part, and the supporting part includes a fixing portion to be fixed to a base for supporting the base part. A processing unit of the physical quantity detection apparatus extracts vibration response signals at a resonance frequency of the detecting element unit from output of the vibrator.

A sensor arrangement with a sensor element for measuring at least one physical and/or chemical fluid characteristic in a turbomachine is provided. The sensor element detects the at least one fluid characteristic inside a non-contact seal, in particular a labyrinth seal, between a rotor stage and a stator stage, wherein during operation the sensor element is in contact with the fluid flow along the flow path inside the labyrinth seal.

A rail vehicle collision test rig used for a collision test on a tested vehicle is provided, and includes: a track configured to support and guide the tested vehicle; a small vehicle configured to push the tested vehicle; a drive motor configured to drive the small vehicle to advance and arranged at a first end of the track; a first rotating hub arranged at the first end of the track and connected to the drive motor; a brake motor configured to brake the small vehicle; a second rotating hub arranged at the second end of the track and connected to the brake motor; a connecting rope wound on the first rotating hub and the second rotating hub; a detector configured to detect a velocity and a position of the tested vehicle; and a controller connected to the detector and is allowed to be in communication with the detector.

The invention relates to a drilling-resistance measuring device (10) and to a method for material testing in a humid environment or underwater. The drilling-resistance measuring device (10) comprises a housing (1), in which a drive and a drill chuck (3) coupled to the drive are arranged, in which drill chuck a drilling needle (4) is or can be releasably held, wherein the housing (1) has a drilling-needle outlet opening (5') enclosed by a drilling-needle outlet guide (5), through which drilling-needle outlet opening the drilling needle (4) extends out of the housing (1). The drilling-resistance measuring device (10) comprises at least one water-tight bellows (6), which is arranged in the interior of the housing (1) around the drilling needle (4) between the drill chuck (3) and the drilling-needle outlet guide (5), wherein moisture or water can enter the bellows (6) through the drilling-needle outlet opening (5').

A rheometer includes a drive shaft, a drag cup motor for rotating the drive shaft, a first measuring object supported by the drive shaft, a second measuring object, a linear position sensor, and processing and control electronics. The linear position sensor includes a target (e.g., an aluminum target) mounted to the drive shaft, and a pair of coils. The linear position sensor is configured to measure thermal expansion of the drive shaft based on a change in impedance of the coils resulting from a displacement of the target relative to the coils. The processing and control electronics are in communication with the coils and are configured to adjust a position of one of the measuring objects relative to the other based on a change in impedance of the coils resulting from a displacement of the target relative to the coils, thereby to maintain a substantially constant measurement gap therebetween.

A percolation network of functionalised reduced graphene oxide flakes, the percolation network configured to allow for hopping of charge carriers between adjacent reduced graphene oxide flakes to enable a flow of charge carriers through the percolation network, and wherein the reduced graphene oxide flakes are functionalised to facilitate detectable changes in the flow of charge carriers in response to a stimulus to the percolation network.

A mass sensor is provided for measuring a particle mass within an aerosol. The duration of a sensing cycle is set such that a pre-set change in mass resulting from particles deposited is caused. In the absence of cleaning, the lifetime of the sensor is dependent on the total mass deposited. As a result, the lifetime is made essentially constant by this approach, because each sensing operation is made to give rise to a constant amount of deposited particle mass. This means the lifetime can be predicted more accurately.

Embodiments of the disclosure relate to ultrasonic inspection of turbine components. In one embodiment, a method for ultrasonic inspection of a turbine component can include mounting at least one array of transducer elements to the turbine component, (a) separately pulsing a transducer element of the at least one array of transducer elements to transmit a signal to the turbine component, (b) capturing reflected signals from the turbine component at each transducer element in the at least one array of transducer elements, repeating (a) and (b) for each of the other transducer elements in the at least one array of transducer elements, maintaining a constant relative position of the array of transducer elements with respect to the turbine component, analyzing the captured reflected signals using a computer, generating an image of the interior volume of the turbine component by reconstruction of the captured reflected signals and based at least in part on detecting an anomaly in the image of the interior volume of the turbine component, identifying at least one defect or failure in the turbine component.

A photo acoustic non-destructive measurement apparatus and method for quantitatively measuring texture of a liquid. The apparatus includes a laser generating tool, an acoustic capturing device, and a data processing unit. The laser generating tool directs a laser towards a surface of a liquid contained in a container and creates pressure waves that propagate through the air and produce an acoustic signal. The acoustic capturing device records and forwards the signal to a data processing unit. The data processing unit further comprises a digital signal processing module that processes the received acoustic signal. A statistical processing module further filters the acoustic signal from the data processing unit and generates a quantitative acoustic model for texture attributes such as hardness and fracturability. The quantitative model is correlated with a qualitative texture measurement from a descriptive expert panel. Textures of liquids are quantitatively measured with the quantitative acoustic model.

A flexible, foldable light-weight gas chromatography transfer line suitable for connecting a gas chromatograph (GC) to a spectrometer, such as a mass spectrometer or optical spectrometer, in particular to the ion source of the spectrometer, such as an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) ion source. The transfer line has a heating arrangement that allows maintaining an even temperature profile, which improves quality of spectra. The transfer line has low thermal mass and the heating can be controlled with the control unit of the GC.

A multi-dimensional liquid analysis system includes a first dimension system and a second dimension system, wherein outflow from the first dimension system is separated at a flow splitter under controlled conditions. The flow splitter separates the first dimension outflow into first and second split outlet flows, with one of the split outlet flows being metered to a designated flow rate with a flow metering device disposed downstream from the flow splitter. The flow metering device selectively closes or opens an outlet flow path to define a volumetric flow rate along that outlet flow path, so that the other split outlet flow is correspondingly controlled.

A vacuum-assisted in-needle capillary adsorption trap (VA-INCAT) device for sampling and delivering materials to an analytical device is disclosed. A sorbent is multiwall carbon nanotube/polyaniline (PANI/MWCNT) nanocomposite and is coated within an interior space of the needle between the second end and the side aperture to entrap an analyte within a sample. The VA-INCAT device also includes a vacuum device configured to vacuum the vacuum flask to improve the extraction of the analytes vapors from the sample matrix to the sorbent bed.

A method for operating a test station (10) for portable gas-measuring devices (20) is provided. The gas-measuring device (20) is arranged in fluid-communication with the test station (10) via at least one interface (13). A flow time is set, during which the test gas (30) is fed and a waiting time is set, during which no test gas (30) is fed. After an end of the feed of the at least one test gas results of the test are analyzed. The test station (10) is configured for feeding at least one test gas (30) to the interface (13). The test station (10) for portable gas-measuring devices (20) has at least one interface (13) for the fluid-communicating arrangement of the gas-measuring device (20), and wherein the test station (10) is configured for feeding at least one test gas (30) to the interface (13).

The multi-parametric environmental diagnostics and monitoring sensor node (10) provides monitoring and diagnostics of a variety of different ambient environmental factors and is powered by multiple sources of renewable energy. The multi-parametric environmental diagnostics and monitoring sensor node (10) includes a base (38) and a plurality of environmental condition sensors (36a, 36b, 36c, 36d, 36e, 36f) mounted thereon. A controller (47) is also mounted on the base (38), the plurality of environmental condition sensors (36a, 36b, 36c, 36d, 36e, 36f) being in communication therewith. An external photovoltaic cell (18) is mounted to the base and an internal photovoltaic cell (34) is mounted in an opposed orientation on a cover (32). The external photovoltaic cell (18) and the internal photovoltaic cell (34) charge a power storage module (52), which powers the plurality of environmental condition sensors (36a, 36b, 36c, 36d, 36e, 36f) and the controller (47).

The invention discloses methods and devices for rapidly detecting a biological and/or chemical residue in a liquid sample. In some embodiments of the instant invention, a single antenna is generally employed in proximity to an aqueous solution in a disposable cup, with electrical outputs being recorded by an electrical metering device in communication with the single antenna. Commercial plastic cups may be used for detection of electric fields related to cleanliness of water samples. General and specific target detection may be performed with various embodiments of the instant invention.

Technologies for controlling degradation of a sensor mote including detecting a trigger event and initiating degradation of at least a portion of the sensor mote in response to the trigger event. The trigger event may be embodied as any type of event detectable by the sensor mote such as a trigger signal, particular sensed data, expiration of a reference time period, completion of a task, and so forth. The sensor mote may imitate the degradation by, for example, controlling a valve to release a chemical stored in the sensor mote or allow a substance into the sensor mote.

A sensor includes a sensor core, a deviating component, and an aligning component. The sensor core has a cable that leaves the sensor core in essentially an exit direction, and a counter-structure. The aligning component has an aligning structure adapted to the counter-structure. The deviating component and aligning component define a final alignment of the cable in a direction different than the exit direction. The deviating component is pushed onto the sensor core. The aligning component is pushed laterally onto the sensor core in a mounting direction relative to the sensor core, and is engaged with the counter-structure of the sensor core.

Described is a system which includes: a cable including: a first fiber optic interconnect to provide an input light; and a second fiber optic interconnect to provide an output light; and a first housing coupled to the cable, the first housing including: a first deflection circuit to deflect the input light received from the first fiber optic interconnect in response to a vibration or movement of the first housing; and a second housing coupled to the cable, the second housing including: a light source to generate the input light for transmission to the first deflection circuit via the first fiber optic interconnect; and a photo detector to receive the output light from the first deflection circuit via the second fiber optic interconnect.

A substrate for a sensor includes: a base section; a movable section connected to the base section; an arm portion as a support portion extending along the movable section from the base section; a first gap portion having a protrusion portion in which one of the movable section and the arm portion protrudes toward the other of the movable section and the arm portion, and having a predetermined gap between the protrusion portion on one side and the other of the movable section and the support portion; and a second gap portion which is located further toward the base section side than the first gap portion has a gap wider than the predetermined gap, in which in the first gap portion, one of the movable section and the arm portion has a ridge portion on the side facing the first gap portion.

A method and system for a sensor system of a device is disclosed. The sensor system includes a first MEMS sensor (FMEMS), a second MEMS sensor (SMEMS) and a signal processor (SP). An excitation is imparted to the device along a first axis (FA). The FMEMS has a first primary sense axis (FPSA), moves in response to a component of the excitation along the FA aligned with the FPSA and outputs a first signal proportional to an excitation along the FPSA. The SMEMS has a second primary sense axis (SPSA), moves in response to a component of the excitation along the FA aligned with the SPSA and outputs a second signal proportional to an excitation along the SPSA. The SP combines the first signal and the second signal to output a third signal proportional to the excitation along the FA. The FA, the FPSA and the SPSA have different orientations.

A micro-electromechanical (MEMS) apparatus includes a substrate, two first anchors, a frame, and two elastic members. The substrate is provided with a reference point thereon. The frame surrounds the two first anchors, and each of the elastic members connects the corresponding first anchor and the frame. Each of the first anchors is disposed near the center of the MEMS apparatus to decrease an effect caused by warpage of the substrate. The MEMS apparatus can be applied to an MEMS sensor having a rotatable mass, such as a three-axis accelerometer or a magnetometer, to improve process yield, reliability, and measurement accuracy.

Systems and methods are provided for calibrating and regulating the temperature of a sensor. One or more temperature adjusting devices can be provided to regulate the temperature of the sensor. One or more of the temperature adjusting devices can be provided to perform a calibration to determine a relationship between sensor bias and sensor temperature. The one or more temperature adjusting devices can be built into the sensor.

A vibration analyzing apparatus includes a vibration detecting unit set in a building where a person can reside and configured to detect vibration and output a detection signal based on the detected vibration, a mode determining unit configured to determine presence or absence of vibration of the building caused by an earthquake, and a control unit including a vibration analyzing unit configured to analyze the vibration on the basis of the detection signal, the control unit setting an analysis mode of the vibration analyzing unit. The control unit sets one of a normal time analysis mode for causing the vibration analyzing unit to analyze a vibration waveform indicated by the detection signal on the basis of a first condition and obtaining information concerning residence of the person and an earthquake analysis mode for obtaining information concerning deformation of the building.

An electronic circuit for amplifying signals with two components in phase quadrature, which includes: a feedback amplifier with a feedback capacitor; a switch that drives charging and discharging of the feedback capacitor; an additional capacitor; and a coupling circuit, which alternatively connects the additional capacitor in parallel to the feedback capacitor or else decouples the additional capacitor from the feedback capacitor. The switch opens at a first instant, where a first one of the two components assumes a first zero value; the coupling circuit decouples the additional capacitor from the feedback capacitor in a way synchronous with a second instant, where the first component assumes a second zero value.

A method of constructing an ion guide is disclosed comprising providing an elongated spine member and a plurality of plates. Each plate comprises an aperture therethrough for receiving the spine member and at least one electrode for use in guiding ions. The apertures of the plates are arranged around the spine member and the plates are arranged along the spine member. The plates are then locked in position on the spine member such that the plates are fixed axially with respect to the spine member and so that the electrodes of the plates are arranged so as to form an array of electrodes for use in guiding ions.

The invention provides a method for acquiring fragment ion spectra of substances in complex substance mixtures wherein a trapped ion mobility spectrometer (“TIMS”) is used as the ion mobility separation device coupled to a triple quadrupole mass filter assembly. The fragment ion spectra may be used for the identification of high numbers of proteins in complex mixtures, or for a safe quantification of some substances, by their fragment ion mass spectra in a mass spectrometer with upstream substance separator. TIMS, in particular equipped with parallel accumulation, provides the unique possibility to prolong the ion accumulation duration to find more detectable ion species without decreasing the measuring capacity for fragment ion mass spectra. The high measurement capacity for fragment ion mass spectra permits the repeated measurement of low abundance ion species such as to improve the quality of the fragment ion spectra.

A sensing device includes an array of sensing elements. Each sensing element includes a photodiode, including a p-n junction, and a local biasing circuit, coupled to reverse-bias the p-n junction at a bias voltage greater than a breakdown voltage of the p-n junction by a margin sufficient so that a single photon incident on the p-n junction triggers an avalanche pulse output from the sensing element. A bias control circuit is coupled to set the bias voltage in different ones of the sensing elements to different, respective values that are greater than the breakdown voltage.

A process for fabricating an organic photodetector is presented. The process includes providing an array of thin film transistor assemblies, each thin film transistor assembly including a first electrode disposed on a thin film transistor; disposing an organic semiconductor layer on the array; disposing a second electrode layer including a first inorganic material on the organic semiconductor layer through a shadow mask to form a first etch stop layer; and removing portions of the organic semiconductor layer unprotected by the first etch stop layer using a dry etching process to form a multilayered structure. An organic photodetector, for example an organic x-ray detector fabricated by the process is further presented. An x-ray system including the organic x-ray detector is also presented.

Power system for supplying high voltage to an electron beam emitter, which is adapted to sterilize a packaging container or a packaging material by electron beam irradiation, the power system comprising a voltage multiplier for generating a high voltage, a first voltage measurement device for measuring an output voltage level of the voltage multiplier and providing a first measured voltage value, and an actuator for modifying the output voltage level of the voltage multiplier based on the first measured voltage value provided by the first voltage measurement device, characterized in that the power system further comprises a second voltage measurement device adapted to independently measure the output voltage level of the voltage multiplier and provide a second measured voltage value.

A method and apparatus for controlling a dose of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation generated by a laser produced plasma (LPP) EUV light source. In one embodiment, a running total of the EUV energy generated over a predetermined number of laser pulses is measured; once that number of pulses is exceeded, the energy from the pulse immediately preceding the most recent predetermined number of pulses is dropped from the running total, so that the running total is from the most recent predetermined number of pulses. If the running total of the EUV energy exceeds a target dose, the next pulse is caused to not hit a droplet. This avoids the unwanted side effects of various prior art solutions, such as needing to miss many droplets in a row, or requiring the laser pulses to be shortened or reduced in power as in other prior art solutions.

A laser beam having desired properties is output at desired timings. A laser apparatus is a laser apparatus for use with an extreme ultraviolet light generating apparatus that generates extreme ultraviolet light at a repetition frequency which is set in advance, and may be equipped with: a semiconductor laser that outputs a laser beam when a trigger signal is input thereto; an optical switch that switches between a state in which the laser beam passes therethrough and a state in which the laser beam does not pass therethrough, provided along the optical path of the laser beam; and a control unit configured to output the trigger signal to the semiconductor laser at a frequency which is an integer multiple of the repetition frequency, and to control the optical switch such that the laser beam passes therethrough at the repetition frequency.

The invention relates to a method for controlling the divergence of a jet of particles in vacuo with an aerodynamic lens, the aerodynamic lens including at least one chamber; a diaphragm, a so-called inlet diaphragm, intended to form an inlet of the aerodynamic lens for a jet of particles, the inlet diaphragm having a given diameter (d1); and another diaphragm, a so-called outlet diaphragm, intended to form an outlet of the aerodynamic lens for this jet of particles; the method including: a step for generating the jet of particles from the inlet to the outlet, in vacuo, of the aerodynamic lens; and a step for adjusting the diameter (ds) of the outlet diaphragm for controlling the divergence of the jet of particles.

The application provides a printed circuit board and an optical module so as to alleviate poor contact between the electro-conductive contact sheet group and the clamping piece due to the solder resist. The printed circuit board includes a substrate, and electro-conductive wirings and electro-conductive contact sheet group both laid on the surface of the substrate, where the substrate is overlaid with solder resist, and the solder resist has no contact with the electro-conductive contact sheet group.