Abstract: Small feature CMOS defect analysis of SRAM circuits is made less time consuming with the inclusion of an in-circuit test connection which is brought to external contact pads. External measurement and circuit forcing are accomplished via the external contact pads. A fault library for comparison to automated tests results provides faster resolution of process defects.

Abstract: A preferred nucleation site is established in an ink firing chamber for a thermal inkjet printhead. The cavitation barrier layer of the resistance heater substrate is created with particular surface discontinuities and a temperature profile which favor heterogeneous bubble nucleation in a predetermined area. The predetermined area is located essentially along the axis of the ink droplet expulsion orifice.

Abstract: A printhead for ejecting fluid has a nozzle on a first surface and a fluid feed channel defined within a second surface. The printhead includes an aggregate of thin-film layers, a portion of which is exposed by the fluid feed channel. The aggregate of thin-film layers contains at least one energy dissipation element suspended over the fluid feed channel. A heat spreader is mesially interposed within the aggregate of thin-film layers. The heat spreader proximally abuts to the energy dissipation element and extends from the energy dissipation element to extend past the fluid feed channel definition. The heat spreader is capable of dissipating heat from the energy dissipation element to a portion of the first surface of the printhead.

Abstract: A printhead for an inkjet printer employs an integral pump disposed in an ink feed channel, input well, or output well to circulate ink to the ink expulsion chambers in the printhead.

Abstract: Islands of barrier layer material of an inkjet printhead are disposed between an ink source and the ink feed channels leading to the ink firing chambers to filter particles in the ink. Dimensions of the ink feed channels and ink ejecting orifices have been reduced in size and the thickness of the barrier layer has been made thinner. The nominal size of the filter pores is less than the barrier layer thickness while the width of the ink feed channels and the bore diameter of the orifices is larger than the barrier layer thickness.

Abstract: An orifice membrane is provided an articulation parallel to the rows of orifices and between the area of the orifice membrane secured to the cartridge body and the area of the orifice membrane secured to the barrier layer of the heater resistor substrate. The reduced stress at the orifices reduces the distortion of the bore axis of the orifices.

Abstract: A one-shot air purge apparatus for an inkjet cartridge for removing air accumulated within the cartridge. The inkjet cartridge comprises a print cartridge base and a replaceable ink receptacle. The replaceable ink receptacle comprises an ink supply coupled to an ink supply seal and a vacuum chamber coupled to an air purge seal. The print cartridge base comprises a printhead, a sub-receptacle coupled to the printhead and an ink supply needle which has an eyelet, an air pocket reserve in which the air accumulates coupled to an air purge needle that has an eyelet. The ink supply needle eyelet is coupled to the ink supply seal before the air purge needle eyelet is coupled to the air purge seal of the vacuum chamber.

Abstract: This invention concerns a composition for use as an additive in an ink composition for an inkjet printer or a laserjet printer or as a coating on paper or plastic substrate used in an inkjet or laserjet printer which improves lightfastness and durability properties of the ink, which additive composition comprises: (A) at least one ultraviolet absorber, (B) at least one free radical inhibitor, (C) at least one antioxidant, and (D) at least one liquid carrier selected from the group consisting of water, organic liquid or combinations thereof. These compositions result in a print image that is more colorfast and durable than those of the conventional art.

Abstract: A delta sigma pulse width modulator control circuit uses a delta sigma modulator as a first stage to create a sequence of pulses representing an input control signal. A pulse width modulator accumulates the sequence of pulses and defines a pulse width modulated output signal from the accumulated pulses. The pulse width modulated signal is given a randomly generated offset to the time of pulse value transition and an adjacent pulse value matching technique is used to reduce harmonically related noise generation.

Abstract: High frequency of droplet ejection with minimized crosstalk and a uniform large ink droplet weight are realized in an inkjet printer printhead which employs two ink feed channels to couple an ink firing chamber to the source of ink. A first one of the ink feed channels has a lower fluid resistance to ink flowing in the channel than a second one of the ink feed channels. The first ink feed channel and the second ink feed channel each have an inlet to the ink source and are arranged such that the inlet of the first ink feed channel is closer to the ink firing chamber than the inlet of the second ink feed channel. Furthermore, adjacent ink firing chambers are arranged such that a lower fluid resistance ink channel of one ink firing chamber is next to a higher fluid resistance ink channel of a neighboring ink firing chamber. Nozzle diameter, heater resistor, and firing chamber dimensions are also optimized for the printhead.

Abstract: A three-color ink-jet cartridge has a conduit connecting an ink reservoir to a print head orifice. The conduit includes a standpipe which has a pair of internal longitudinal grooves to permit ink to flow past a trapped bubble in the standpipe thereby preventing ink leakage through the orifices when pressure changes cause the trapped bubble to expand. The conduit also includes a tube from the standpipe to the print head. Disposed longitudinally along the tube is a rib which enables capillary flow of ink around a bubble in the tube to prevent depriming of the print head.

Abstract: IDDQ of an integrated circuit is rapidly measured with system test equipment providing sampled pass/fail outputs. A switch couples the power supply to the integrated circuit and another switch returns a sense signal input to the integrated circuit such that the power may be interrupted to measure the decay of the voltage across the integrated circuit. A monitor signal output is coupled to the integrated circuit to enable monitoring of the voltage decay. At least one processor, which periodically samples the voltage signal, compares the magnitude of the voltage signal at the time of each said periodic sample to a predetermined reference signal, indicates a voltage signal less than the reference signal and calculates the IDDQ based upon the number of periodic samples from the time power is removed from the integrated circuit and the voltage of the reference signal.

Abstract: Resolution of liquid crystal microthermographic measurements are improved by depositing a layer of organic pretreatment on the surface of a semiconductor device. A layer of thermographically sensitive liquid crystal material is then deposited on the organic pretreatment layer so that a controlled liquid crystal material layer thickness and an orientation of a majority of crystal molecules of the liquid crystal material parallel to the surface is achieved. The nominal temperature of the surface to be measured is controlled by sensing the nominal temperature near the surface, converting the sensed temperature to a current temperature sense signal, comparing the current temperature sense signal to a target temperature value, and activating a heater in thermal communication with the surface when the current temperature sense signal varies from the reference signal magnitude.

Abstract: In order to measure IDDQ in a large integrated circuit, multiple IDDQ monitors sampling the current drawn by selected portions of the circuit are placed on the integrated circuit chip. The output of each IDDQ monitor is combined and supplied to one output port when any of the IDDQ monitors detect current in excess of a predetermined threshold. The output of each IDDQ monitor is also stored in a memory for subsequent readout at a second output port for detection of particular portions drawing the excessive current.

Abstract: In order to dynamically align one or more printheads in a printer, a referencing mechanism is placed on the printer and a detector is placed on the printhead. The printhead is moved at a known speed past two spaced apart reference indicia of the referencing mechanism. The passing of a first of the spaced apart reference indicia is detected and the passing of a second of the spaced apart reference indicia is detected. The time between the detection of the first reference indicia passage and the detection of the second reference indicia passage is measured and a delay time, related to the measured period of time, is created. Energization of an ink drop ejection is delayed for the duration of the delay time.

Abstract: In order to reduce particle clogging of ink firing chambers in an inkjet printer printhead, the barrier layer is configured to have a plurality of inner barrier islands, each associated with a respective one of the heater resistors, disposed between an ink firing chamber and the ink plenum, to form two ink feed channels. The two ink feed channels are designed to have a right angle turn to prevent particles from entering the ink firing chamber. A plurality of outer barrier islands, having a number equal to twice the number of inner barrier islands, are disposed between the inner barrier islands and the ink plenum, and are configured in lines parallel to the lines of heater resistors to prevent particles from reaching the ink feed channels.