High-order achromatic quarterwave combination plates and tuners.
Achromatic quarterwave combination plates are formed from two high-order birefringent plates having even and odd multiples of quarterwave retardation at some nominal wavelength. Eleventh- and twelfth-order plates at 1315 nm combined with their axes 77 degrees apart are shown to have 90 +/- 0.25 degrees of retardation between 1275 and 1355 nm. They can be used to construct two- and four-waveplate tuners for birefringent filters.
Flat passband birefringent wavelength-division multiplexers
Birefringent filter synthesis techniques are demonstrated to achieve very flat channel passbands for wavelength-division multiplexers. The crystal thickness and birefringence can be used to scale a given design to very small channel separations, limited primarily by the spectra of the lasers and their drift. Experimental results are reported, with typical optical crosstalk values of ?19 dB.
Euthanasia — again: “Letting die” is not in the patient's best interests: a case for active euthanasia
Recent discussions in the Journal on the subject of euthanasia have relied on intuitive appeals to distinctions traditionally considered to be morally relevant, such as the distinction between acts and omissions (or killing and letting die), or ordinary and extraordinary means of treatment. These discussions remained inconclusive. However, the question of euthanasia no longer remains inconclusive if one adopts the perspective suggested by the United States President's Commission for the Study of Ethical Problems in Medicine and Biomedical and Behavioral Research and by the World Medical Assembly – that a doctor should act in his or her patient's best interests. From this vantage point, it is argued, there will be instances when active euthanasia is the proper cause of action.