Abstract: An optical recording medium comprising adjacent thin layers of two different materials, which, upon marking with an energy beam, form a marked area comprising an alloy or mixture of the two materials. The optical properties of the marked area has contrast sufficiently different from the optical properties of the unmarked area so that the marked area can be reliably sensed. One of the first of the thin layers comprises a metal and the other of the thin layers comprises a metal or a semiconductor. The metals are taken from the group comprising Al, Au, Pb and Sn and the semiconductors are chosen from the group comprising Ge and Si.

Abstract: A drop-on-demand ink jet printing method and apparatus in which the print head has an ink cavity which is filled with ink, and which has a nozzle designed so that ink does not flow out under static conditions. An electromechanical transducer is selectively energized in response to print data signals so that, when energized by an electrical signal, the transducer produces a pressure wave in the ink cavity sufficient to eject one ink drop from the nozzle for each signal above a threshold value. The nozzle is a strongly convergent nozzle and the ink has a viscosity up to 100 centipoise. In the preferred embodiment, the nozzle is formed by anisotropic etching in a silicon substrate. An array of print heads produces a line of high-resolution printing as the print head array is moved across a print medium.

Abstract: A self-loading magnetic head air bearing slider is formed with a taper across the full width at its leading edge. The air bearing slider has two rails along its sides and a recess between the rails. The structure of the rails is preferably flared to provide an improved pressure profile thereby to allow fast liftoff from a disk surface.

Abstract: A microprocessor external instruction feature which provides for a single chip microprocessor with on-chip read only instruction store (ROS) that can also be operated with an off-chip instruction store. To accomplish this, the microprocessor instruction sequencing logic (instruction store, instruction register, instruction counter, and sequencing logic) is duplicated off-chip. An XI MODE input pin signal causes the microprocessor to take its instructions from the external instruction store via 12 XI input pins instead of from the on-chip ROS. A BR DECISION output pin signal from the microprocessor, which indicates that the branch conditions have been met, causes the external instruction counter to be loaded with a branch address from the external instruction register instead of being stepped by external sequencing logic. A WAIT output pin signal causes the external instruction feature logic to suspend operations while the microprocessor is in its wait state.

Abstract: A method for structuring a display font for a full page display device for a text processing system in which a text stream input by way of a keyboard is stored and displayed to the operator on a display device including a cathode ray tube, the electron beam of which is modulated and scanned in a series of horizontal traces to produce an image of the text line on the screen of the display device. The method comprises blocking the characters making up the font to the extent that each character is more distinguishable within a word, double dotting the vertical portions of the characters and single dotting the horizontal portions of the characters to provide even brightness characters so that operator eye fatigue is reduced and brightness can be lowered to reduce flicker.

Abstract: An optical lithography method and apparatus in which a pulsed excimer laser produces at least one fundamental output which is directed to expose a photosensitive medium. The output is highly non-gaussian and has sufficient power so that full exposures can be accomplished within a few seconds. An alternate light source is provided by directing the excimer laser output to a Raman cell having a suitable Raman medium contained therein. At least one secondary wavelength is produced by stimulated Raman scattering and the output of the Raman cell is directed to expose a photosensitive medium. A mixture of more than one excimer gas can also be provided in the excimer laser to produce one fundamental output for each excimer gas present in the mixture. These outputs can be directed to expose a photosensitive medium directly.

Abstract: A printing apparatus employing a print head comprising a plurality of thin wire print electrodes mounted in a single plane and held in a closely-spaced row by an electrically insulating resilient material so that the wires are individually movable out of the planar alignment to a limited extent with respect to the other wires in the array. A relatively rigid backing member is provided to support the electrode array and the print head is mounted in a relatively fixed position relative to the print ribbon and a predetermined pressure is produced between the print head and the electrothermal print ribbon during printing operations.

Abstract: Semiconductor fabrication using optical projection apparatus is enhanced in an arrangement having means for producing exposures tailored to the patterns on the conventional photo-mask. A predetermined correction photo-mask capable of producing different exposure levels according to the original mask pattern is superimposed with the original mask on the semiconductor wafer by sequential double exposure using an additional mask change and alignment.A better arrangement provides two beams simultaneously illuminating the two masks; the two beams are recombined with a high quality beam splitter arrangement before reaching the imaging lens. The two masks only have to be aligned to each other once. Afterwards, the wafer is exposed regularly. Therefore, an uncorrected image has the lowest threshold for an isolated opening, medium threshold for equal lines and spaces, high threshold for an isolated opaque line. After the correction scheme, all thresholds are made equal.

Abstract: A variable speed printing (VSP) adaptor for a dot matrix printer which includes a monitoring means having a plurality of devices each capable of assuming one of two states. The monitoring means monitors the state of the pattern data to be printed, and, in the preferred embodiment, the monitoring means comprises a counter which is preset with a number equal to the number of column scans with a dot print line. The pattern data to be printed is scanned in a forward direction, i.e., in the normal printing direction starting at the first print position and the count in the counter is decremented one count for each column data scanned. During the time interval between when this data is latched and the actual hammer actuation, the pattern data is scanned in the backward direction starting at the last print position. Each time the column data for a backward scan is zero, i.e., no dot to be printed, prior to sensing a non-zero column, the count in the counter is decremented one count.

Abstract: An improved method and apparatus in an interactive text processing system for creating documents by selectively merging text data from two or more text records by signalling the location in a document at which the insert of text data is to be added, displaying a Merge Tasks Menu which provides an option for executing a merge operation in response to either Switch Code or Named Variable control codes, specifying the identification and location of the text data comprising the Shell Document and the Fill-In Document, and executing the Merge operation based on the specified data and Merge control mode.

Abstract: A reference voltage generating circuit comprising a depletion mode FET transistor connected to provide a constant current source coupled between a supply voltage and an output node. Three serially connected enhancement mode FET transistors are connected between the output node and a reference voltage. The first enhancement mode device is diode coupled to provide an enhancement threshold voltage offset, the second enhancement mode device has its gate electrode connected to the supply voltage to compensate for variations in supply voltage and the third enhancement device has its gate electrode connected to a source follower circuit. The source follower circuit comprises two serially connected depletion mode devices which receive an input from the output node and provide a feedback output to the gate electrode of the third enhancement mode device so that a constant voltage of a predetermined magnitude is maintained at the output node.

Abstract: Apparatus for producing a line source of a desired shape from a radiation source such as a laser comprising means for directing the radiation source along a predetermined path as a playback beam to impinge upon a hologram at a predetermined angle to produce a continuous self-luminous source of the desired shape. The hologram is recorded upon a substrate coated with a photosensitive material by interference between recording and object beams derived from the same source of coherent radiation. The recording beam is directed toward the substrate at an orientation and angle so that the playback beam is a conjugate of the recording beam. The object beam is directed to the substrate over a path which includes a diffuser plate covered with an opaque material in all areas except for a continuation area which defines the desired shape. The part of the object beam which impinges upon the substrate is limited by an aperture comprising a sector of an annulus which defines the numerical aperture of the radiation source.

Abstract: An improved method in an interactive text processing system for creating/revising documents by adding a multi-page insert of text data at a specified location in the document comprising displaying the document, signalling to the system the location within the document into which the text data is to be copied, specifying to the system the identification and location within the document into which the text data is to be copied, specifying to the system the identification and location of the insert text data, scanning the insert text data for INCLUDE instructions, resolving the INCLUDE instructions prior to adding the text data into the document, and copying the specified text data into the document at the signalled location. In a specific embodiment, text data up to ten pages can be copied and up to five levels of nested INCLUDE instructions can be resolved.

Abstract: A method for making high diffraction efficiency holograms from dichromated gelatin (DCG) including the steps of curing the DCG for a specified time under controlled temperature and humidity conditions, periodically removing the DCG material from the curing conditions, placing a dye spot on the cured DCG material, measuring the extent of diffusion of the dye spot after a predetermined time, replacing the DCG material into the curing conditions, repeating the method until dye spot diffusion of a predetermined size occurs, and using the DCG material at that cure state to make holograms.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling the flow of ink in an ink jet printing system which includes an ink supply reservoir and an ink jet print head comprising an ink inlet, and ink outlet and an ink cavity between the inlet and outlet in fluid communication with a plurality of closely spaced orifices. Valve means are included in the ink inlet and ink outlet, and the valve means are both open to provide an operative mode in which the ink cavity is filled with pressurized ink and a stream of ink is produced from each of the orifices. An idle mode is established periodically when printing is not desired by substantially simultaneously closing both valve means to interrupt the flow of pressurized ink through the print head. The ink then in the print head drains until the surface tension forces at the orifices exceed the pressure within the head. The result is a positive pressure within the print head which is sealed off with the result that no contaminant material is drawn into the print head.

Abstract: The air bearing surface of a self-loading magnetic head slider has two side rails and a recessed section therebetween. The air bearing surface has a cylindrical or parabolic crowned shape to effectuate very small spacing between the trailing end of the slider, which supports magnetic transducer means in flying relation to a moving magnetic medium.

Abstract: In a data recording system employing an AC bias signal that is superimposed on the data signal, the AC bias signal is phase modulated to compensate for the difference in the phase angle between the alternating bias and the data signals. The frequency of the AC bias signal is no greater than ten times the frequency of the data signal.

Abstract: Ferrite read and write modules of a magnetic head assembly that are aligned and positioned within a nonferrite housing are clamped by a leaf spring between the walls of the housing. The leaf spring compensates for thermal mismatch between the ferrite modules and the housing, and compensates for stress fluctuation that occurs with temperature change. The clamping force of the leaf spring is precisely controlled.

Abstract: To detect residual glass, such as appears at semiconductor chip pads and via holes during the fabrication of alumina/glass ceramic substrates that are used as supports for the semiconductor devices, the glass used for forming the ceramic substrates is doped with a rare earth oxide. During the manufacturing process, the ceramic structures are irradiated after firing with radiation of wavelengths in the range 350-500 nanometers to induce the glass to fluoresce, thereby revealing the residual glass on the surface of the metallic interconnector pads.

Abstract: A full page display device for a text processing system in which a text stream input by way of a keyboard is stored and displayed to the operator on a display device including a cathode ray tube, the electron beam of which is modulated and scanned in a series of horizontal traces to produce an image of the text line on the screen of the display device. The system comprises storage means which includes a plurality (four in a specific embodiment) of separate storage devices. In the specific embodiment, when the storage devices are accessed for display, one character is accessed simultaneously from the same location in each of the storage devices. The data is latched and coupled to a character generator to read out character dot pattern data which is latched and then interleaved with the data from other accessed character data by transferring the data one character at a time in parallel to a serializer.