OPTICAL RADIATION FREQUENCY NASA Case No. HQN-10818 Address inquiries to: NASA Headquarters No Patent in U.S. This invention is an Optical Radiation Frequency Converter employing metal vapor which is useful in the ultraviolet region of the spectrum. The invention comprises a cell for retaining the metal vapor or gas which is surrounded by an oven. Monochromatic radiation passes through windows in the cell and oven. In the preferred embodiment, the metal vapor for accomplishing third harmonics is one which has its fundamental harmonic frequencies resonance in the spectral region between the fundamental frequencies and the third harmonic. The metal vapor must have a suitable refractive index to provide for phase matching. PREPARATION OF DIELECTRIC COATINGS BY PLASMA POLYMERIZATION A plasma polymerization process for the deposition of a dielectric polymer coating on a substrate comprising disposing the substrate in a closed reactor between two temperature-controlled electrodes connected to a power supply, maintaining a vacuum within the closed reactor, causing a monomer gas or a gas mixture of a monomer and diluent to flow into the reactor, generating a plasma between the electrodes, and varying and controlling the dielectric constant of the polymer coating being deposited by regulating the gas total and partial pressures, the electric field strength and frequency, and the current density. A monomer, such as a polar saturated or unsaturated nitrogen-containing compound, or a monomer and diluent, such as a saturated or unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbon and nitrogen, can be polymerized to form a dielectric coating having a varying dielectric constant in accordance with this plasma polymerization process. Abrasion resistant protective coatings for plastic surfaces such as acrylics, polystyrenes and polycarbonates is provided by the plasma polymerization of at least one member of a group of organosilane compounds selected from a group consisting of vinyltrichlorosilane, tetraethoxysilane, vinyltriethoxysilane, tetravinylsilane, vinyltriacetoxysilane, hexamethyldisilazane, tetramethylsilane, vinyldimethylethoxysilane, vinyltrimethoxysilane and methyltrimethoxysilane. Plasma polymerization of these organosilane compounds provides an abrasion resistant protective coating for plastic optical surfaces together with a uniform optically clear layer in the 4,000 to 8,000 angstrom range. The advantages of applying plasma polymerization to the present organosilane compounds is further enhanced by the utilization of an additive gas during plasma polymerization to further increase the abrasion resistance of the protective coating. *Japanese manufacturing rights exclusively licensed to Japan Engineering Development Company. See page 23 for address. All other foreign patent rights available from NASA. METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ACCELERATING CHEMICAL REACTIONS USING A SPREAD BEAM DEFLECTOR WITH SINGLE OR MULTIPLE REFLECTORS An apparatus for spreading a coherent light beam produced by a laser or lasers into a selected pattern. The selected pattern of coherent light, generally a ribbon-like shape, can be used to place a desired amount of electromagnetic energy at a selected frequency for a selected time period on a generally flat surface. The projected coherent light pattern can be used to cure or dry inks without scorching the underlying paper. The control of the intensity of the coherent light allows drying operations at higher speeds than currently feasible. TOTALLY CONFINED EXPLOSIVE WELDING NASA Case No. LAR-10941-1 Address inquiries to: Corresponding to U.S. Patent No. 3,797,098 Filed 9-14-72 Issued 8-19-74 The invention illustrates and describes a method and apparatus for eliminating the noise and debris of explosive welding techniques. This is accomplished by placing the explosive in a complete enclosure so that both the sound and debris of the explosion are contained in the enclosure. The welding is accomplished by the explosive pressure applied through the wall of the enclosure to the pieces to be joined. The novelty of the invention is in eliminating the safety hazards and detrimental psychological effects on the loud noises and scattering of debris which result from use of unconfined explosive welding while maintaining the inherent simplicity of the technique. |