A lancet pricking device comprising a lancet, a launching spring and a lancet holder for housing therein the lancet and the launching spring. First, a set of administrative function steps to be performed are identified. The tank includes an outlet extending through a sidewall of the aircraft’s fuselage, through which retardant may be delivered to a target. During the negative half of the AC cycle, the other array of LEDs is forward biased and thus energized, while the first array is reverse biased and thus not energized. Optical switching networks may be formed using cascaded pluralities of optical waveguide switches. A thin masking layer on portions of the package cavity surface prevents the surface from generating particles.