Quality assurance: a Tri-Level model.

A Tri-Level Quality Assurance Model consisting of state, local, and national levels of organization is described. Quality assurance is defined as a broad concept integrating traditional quality assurance activities with professional education and credentialing. The Iowa Occupational Therapy Association Professional Standards Review System is described as an example of the Tri-Level Model. Components of the Tri-Level model include professional education, professional credentialing, development of standards of practice, liaison activities with the Professional Standards Review Organizations and the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals, continuing education, external review, and internal review. It is recommended that, with the growth in quality assurance activities, state associations consider the Tri-Level Quality Assurance Model as a valuable tool for professional development.

Time resolved spectroscopy of large bore Xe flashlamps for use in large aperture amplifiers.

Time resolved spectroscopy was performed on 13-mm xenon filled flashlamps. The use of a well-characterized system allowed the acquisition of absolute radiometric data. The data were compared to the predictions of a phenomenological flashlamp model and differences noted. Specifically the arc for equal currents is not the same for dI/dt > 0 and dI/dt < 0, the continuum is a stronger function of current density than the model indicated, and different lines, linewidths, and line intensities were found.

Faraday Rotation Optical Isolator for 10.6-microm Radiation.

Measurements that have been performed indicate that hot-pressed ferromagnetic CdCr(2)S(4) would be a useful Faraday optical isolator material for laser systems at 10.6 microm. A large-aperture, liquid-nitrogen-cooled isolator, requiring modest magnetic fields with material of optimum thickness, would provide isolation in excess of 30 dB with insertion loss due to optical absorption in the active element of less than 3 dB. Consideration of its figure of merit indicates that hot-pressed CdCr(2)S(4) could be used as an isolator at 1.06 microm, introducing less than 2 dB insertion loss due to optical absorption at that wavelength.

Dynamic pumping model for amplifier performance predictions.

Based upon time resolved spectroscopy of 13-mm xenon filled flashlamps, we have constructed a unique dynamic pumping model to predict the gain performance of active mirror amplifiers. The model, which includes the effects of spontaneous emission, concentration quenching, water quenching, and amplified spontaneous emission, uses only spectroscopy data from small glass samples as input. The use of the model in amplifier/system optimizations will be described.