Abstract: A capacitance coupled, transmission line-fed, radio frequency MEMS switch and its fabrication process using photoresist and other low temperature processing steps are described. The achieved switch is disposed in a low cost dielectric housing free of undesired electrical effects on the switch and on the transmission line(s) coupling the switch to an electrical circuit. The dielectric housing is provided with an array of sealable apertures useful for wet, but hydrofluoric acid-free, removal of switch fabrication employed materials and also useful during processing for controlling the operating atmosphere surrounding the switch—e.g. at a pressure above the high vacuum level for enhanced switch damping during operation. Alternative arrangements for sealing an array of dielectric housing apertures are included. Processing details including plan and profile drawing views, specific equipment and materials identifications, temperatures and times are also disclosed.

Abstract: An etching based semiconductor wafer thinning arrangement usable as an improved alternative to the usual grinding and polishing wafer thinning. The thinned wafer includes a structurally enhancing wafer backside grid array of original wafer thickness semiconductor material with grid cells surrounding individual thinned wafer areas and serving to improve the strength and physical rigidity characteristics of the thinned wafer. Preferably this grid array is supplemented with an additional, wafer periphery-located, backside ring of semiconductor material also of original wafer thickness. Ability to avoid a wafer front side mounting during thinning accomplishment, fast etching, reduced wafer breakage, enhanced wafer strength and improved wafer handling achieved with the disclosed thinning arrangement all contribute to achieved advantages over conventional wafer thinning.

Abstract: A liquid to solid material surface contact angle measurement system operating by way of detecting a transition in the behavior of a liquid sample with the solid material in a changing angular confinement environment along with use of a mathematical algorithm to then determine contact angle. Measurement of the angle at which the tested liquid transitions between apparent wetting and apparent non-wetting behavior, regardless of whether the liquid and solid material are truly classified as wetting or non-wetting, provides a measurement from which disclosed mathematical algorithms can predict the surface wetting characteristics of the liquid on the solid material. Automated performance of the confinement environment measurement and examples are included.

Abstract: An ionizing discharge device operating arrangement wherein initiation of discharges in for example a dielectric barrier discharge device is accomplished by a short circuit shunting of the charged electrodes of the device. A cycle of slow charging of the device inter-electrode capacitance followed by a high-speed electrode-shunting event is used for continuing operation of the device. In this operating cycle energy storage is accomplished by the inter-electrode capacitance of the device without causing ionization by way of a controlled rate of capacitance charging accomplished without assistance of additional storage elements. Desirable fast pulse rise-time energization characteristics are achieved in the dielectric barrier discharge device by way of using a fast, preferably electronic, switch in the shunting operation and maintaining the discharge in a circuit of relatively low inductance and minimal lead lengths.

Abstract: An arrangement for calibrating the sample frequency determining clock in a global position system receiver using signals received from a Wide Area Augmentation System satellite or other Wide Area Augmentation System signal source. Such Wide Area Augmentation System based clock calibration is free of the Doppler frequency effects impressed on a global position system signal in view of the geo-stationary orbit of a Wide Area Augmentation System satellite. Use of the calibration invention enables correction of the pseudo range determination accomplished with global position system receiver output data. The invention may be considered a new use of signals available from the Wide Area Augmentation System. A noise-considered arrangement for comparing Wide Area Augmentation System and global position system frequencies is included.

Abstract: Ohmic contact formation inclusive of Carbon films on 4H and 6H n-type Silicon Carbide is disclosed. Contact formation includes an initial RF sputtering to produce an amorphous Carbon film with the sp2/sp3 Carbon ratio of about 1.0 measured by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. This Carbon film gradually evolves from sp3 to sp2 structures of high sp2 content during an annealing at temperatures ranging from 600° C. to 1350° C. depending on the substrate doping levels, between 1016 and 1019, employed. Formation of sp2 Carbon is accelerated by the presence of metal and gaseous catalytic agents including for example nickel and argon. The sp2 Carbon structures consist especially of nano-size graphitic flakes and also of amorphous aromatic-like Carbon structures, and polyene-like Carbon structures, as are revealed by Raman spectroscopy. Ohmic contact is achieved when a sufficient amount of nano-graphitic flakes are formed at the selected annealing temperature.

Abstract: An apparatus, program product and method detect region boundaries, or edge, of an arbitrary number of pixels in width in a digital image that has coarse resolution, high noise levels and/or significant blur. A self-optimizing kernel generator detects edges of arbitrary thickness. In addition, combining results of multi-resolution edge detection provides significant noise tolerance, such as a 10 dB improvement over conventional techniques. Moreover, the edge detection preserves the precise location of a blurred edge and quantifies image clarity.

Abstract: A charged particle analyzer electrode assembly of miniaturized physical size and photolithographic process element fabrication capability. The provided electrode assembly is made of conductive materials including semiconductor materials and metal materials. Individual electrodes in the assembly are made of for example plural layers of semiconductor or metal held in place by discrete insulator layers. Bandpass particle energy selection characteristics are achieved in the analyzer through a combination of analyzer particle path geometry configuration and the particle acceleration electrical potential selection. Selected particles are allowed to pass through the analyzer under these influences and non selected particles are excluded. Assembly of individual analyzer electrode assemblies into a multiple element analyzer array usable for example on an aircraft or spacecraft is included. Both millimeter sized and micrometer sized arrangements of the invention are contemplated.

Abstract: A substantially passive optical image processor providing image dissection into orthogonally polarized components each modulated on a pixel-by-pixel basis in one or more encounters with an included polarization-altering modulator element of electrical or optical nature. The modulation-processed images are recombined into an output image of the processor. Alternate arrangements of the invention are also described, arrangements including multiple modulation event processing in a plurality of forms and the accommodation of multiple input and multiple output processor images. Mathematical description of the processor's function is included along with identification of real world uses of the invention. Holographic uses of the invention are also disclosed. The underlying concepts of the invention are viewed as applicable to both present day slower and faster future optical materials.

Abstract: A non-liner electron-optic polymer based, integrated optic, electron-optic device utilizing a non-liner electron-optic polymer for the optical wave guide core layer sandwich between two very thin optically transparent electrically conductive charge sheet poling electrode layers which are, in turn, sandwiched between two electrically passive polymer optical wave guide cladding layers.

Abstract: Ohmic contact formation on p-type Silicon Carbide is disclosed. The formed contact includes an initial amorphous Carbon film layer converted to graphitic sp2 Carbon during an elevated temperature annealing sequence. Decreased annealing sequence temperature, reduced Silicon Carbide doping concentration and reduced specific resistivity in the formed ohmic contact are achieved with respect to a conventional p-type Silicon Carbide ohmic contact. Addition of a Boron carbide layer covering the p-type Silicon Carbide along with the sp2 Carbon is also disclosed. Ohmic contact improvement with increased annealing temperature up to an optimum temperature near 1000° C. is included. Addition of several metals including Aluminum, the optimum metal identified, over the Carbon layer is also included; many other of the identified metals provide Schottky rather than the desired ohmic contacts, however.

Abstract: Micro electromechanical components in a novel configuration to allow wireless normal direction pressure transducers to be used for oblique or shear forces. The invention includes a novel cantilever beam configuration and algorithm, the readings of the MEMS sensors are averaged to reduce the experimental variability, to estimate the shear stress that may occur between a human and external equipment or possibly between materials. The shear force component is calculated via the formula: Shear Force=Vt={square root over ({overscore (V)})}23+4+ . . . +n1−{overscore (V)}21+2+ . . . +n2.

Abstract: A fiber-optically-and-pneumatically-controlled firing set for explosive-bridgewire detonators. The firing set consists of a detonation-controlling module and a battery-operated firing module that are interconnected by fiber-optic signal conductors and a pneumatic conduit. The firing set provides high voltage isolation between the control module and the firing module while employing redundant safety features including fail-safe pneumatic crowbar shunting of the firing module output, frequency-selective fiber-optic signal communication, controlled battery life and explosive material detonation enablement and multiple, fail-safe serial switching to control the energy transfer sequence in the firing module. Both high voltage and low potential uses of the invention are included.

Abstract: Bistatic/multistatic radar system concept for purposes of interrogating difficult and obscured targets in urban environments via the application of low-altitude “smart” or “robotic-type” unmanned air vehicle platforms. A significant aspect of the invention is the formulation of a unmanned air vehicle system concept that implements self-adaptive positional adjustments based on sensed properties such as phase discontinuities of the propagation channel.

Abstract: An improved global positioning system satellite signal acquisition method. The method of the invention reduces the number of operations in the block correlation used in determining Doppler frequency and time of the received GPS C/A or P(Y) codes.

Abstract: A Fourier transformation system usable for example in an electronic warfare radio receiver for analyzing spectral content of multiple transmitter-sourced brief duration incoming signals for characteristics including frequency component and frequency component amplitude content. The Fourier transformation system includes a plurality of approximated Kernel function values disposed at a plurality of locations about a real-imaginary coordinate axis origin and displaced from the origin by magnitudes having real and imaginary component lengths of unity and powers of two. Multiplication involving a power of two component during a Fourier transformation are achieved in a simple manner commensurate with a multiplication by unity in complexity but involving a binary number shift multiplication operation in lieu of a full fledged digital multiplication. Signal results comparisons with more simplified and more complex Kernel function approximations are also included.

Abstract: An integrated circuit substrate via-hole fabrication arrangement providing for accurate determination of via-hole size and via-hole registration through use of a calibrated pattern formed into the integrated circuit substrate during portions of the normal circuit fabrication process. Initiation of the via-hole and fabrication of the calibrated pattern from one surface, such as the front side, of the integrated circuit wafer and completion of the via-hole from the opposite surface of the wafer are contemplated. The calibrated pattern may be one of several possible physical configurations and of selected dimensions usable with the process, materials and circuitry of the device being fabricated. Use of the invention in fabricating ground conductor-connected via conductors for gigahertz radio frequency-capable integrated circuits of the monolithic or mixed hybrid with monolithic type and having a ground plane element is contemplated.

Abstract: A pulsed heat energized system for detecting corrosion or similar oxidation products located intermediate a layer of metal and an overlying layer of paint or other metal protective material. The system employs a continuing stream of radiant thermal energy pulses impinging on the external surface of the coated metal and responds to the phase angle difference between a waveform representing the energy pulses and a waveform representing the undulating temperature response of the paint surface to the energy pulses. Use of the system for detecting corrosion of a military or other aircraft in order to avoid stripping the aircraft for corrosion inspection and correction is contemplated. Enhanced independence of the corrosion detection from measurement variations and earlier detection of corrosion presence are achieved with respect to other corrosion arrangements.

Abstract: An improved apparatus and method for determining the carrier frequency in a biphase coded signal such as the course acquisition code signal in a global position sensing system. The described system may also be used for other purposes. The described system is based on use of the conventional data signal squaring or frequency doubling step to remove biphase coding but performs a series of frequency reducing steps prior to applying the Fourier transformation sequence. The frequency reducing steps include heterodyne mixing and signal averaging. These frequency-reducing steps diminish the speed and capacity requirements imposed on the Fourier transformation sequence and thereby decrease the cost and complexity of the overall system.

Abstract: A passive instantaneous microwave signal frequency identifying and angle of arrival identifying system employing a beam steering multiple element antenna coupled through a Butler matrix to a plurality of simplified Fourier transformation radio receivers wherein unit value or near unit value magnitudes of the Kernel function ⅇ - j2 ⁢   ⁢ π ⁢   ⁢ kn N in the receivers' Fourier transformations are used to elude transformation computation complexity and resulting radio receiver size and cost penalties. Limiting amplifiers, a video signal path and direction finding encoding logic are also employed. Airborne military application of the system in electronic warfare direction finding, radar frequency determination and other activities is included.