Abstract: A set of planar, two-dimensional optical devices is able to be created in a sub-micron surface layer of an SOI structure, or within a sub-micron thick combination of an SOI surface layer and an overlying polysilicon layer. Conventional masking/etching techniques may be used to form a variety of passive and optical devices in this SOI platform. Various regions of the devices may be doped to form the active device structures. Additionally, the polysilicon layer may be separately patterned to provide a region of effective mode index change for a propagating optical signal.

Abstract: The present invention is related to an improved cleaning cup arrangement for CMP systems that efficiently and effectively removes most, if not all, of any slurry material present on the abrasive conditioning disk and conditioner head as they are resting in the cup between conditioning cycles. The cleaning cup of the present invention includes an underside water knife for directing a high velocity stream of cleaning fluid against the rotating abrasive disk (or conditioning brush, which may be used instead of a disk) surface, and at least a pair of spray stems for directing columns of cleaning fluid with sufficient cleaning force against all exposed portions of the conditioner head.

Abstract: A vacuum clean-out system including a separator chamber and associated collection chamber for removing liquid material and debris from a vacuum output and providing a vacuum return line free of contaminants. A vacuum exhaust line is coupled to a cyclonic separator chamber that induces a circular rotation within the incoming vacuum stream, causing the liquid and debris to impinge the chamber's surfaces and fall to the bottom thereof while the “clean” vacuum is drawn upwards into a return line. The collection chamber is maintained at the same negative pressure as the separator chamber so that the accumulating liquid and debris easily drains into the collection chamber. A sensor associated with the collection chamber may be used to determine when the collection chamber is full and needs to be discharged. At that point, the separator chamber is isolated from the collection chamber, the collection chamber is vented and the accumulated material is discharged and/or analyzed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for conditioning polishing pads that utilizes an apertured conditioning disk for introducing operation-specific slurries, without the need for additional tooling, platens, and materials handling. The method and apparatus utilizes a vacuum capability to pull waste material out of the polishing pad and through the apertured conditioning disk to evacuate the apparatus through an outlet port. The apparatus also includes a force adjustment system for providing measurement and control of the force applied by the conditioning disk to the polishing pad.

Abstract: An arrangement for generating beat notes with a relatively high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) utilizes a pulsed laser source coupled into a section of post-processed highly-nonlinear optical fiber (HNLF) to generate a frequency comb having one or more regions of enhanced spectral power. A second laser signal source is overlapped with the frequency comb to form one or more “beat notes” at difference frequencies(y) between the second source and the continuum comb. By virtue of the post-processing, areas of spectral enhancement are formed along the comb, and are positioned to interact with the second laser signal to generate optical beat notes. The second laser signal may be from an external source (forming beat notes from a signal “outside” of the comb), or may be a frequency-multiplied version of the generated supercontinuum (forming beat notes from a signal “within” the comb).

Abstract: A web-based loan auction system is available to individual borrowers and individual lenders and is particularly well-suited for individual borrowers that cannot meet the standards of conventional lending institutions. The system is also attractive to potential lenders that desire to achieve a higher return on their investment than currently offered by banks. The potential borrower submits a web-based loan application to the auction system. Once the loan application information is verified (a function performed by the agency offering the auction service), the application is translated into an “anonymous” version, where the personal information of the borrower himself is replaced by “placeholders” known and controlled by the auction service. The “anonymized” version of the loan application is then posted on the auction's web site for bidding by potential lenders.

Abstract: An AC-coupled differential drive circuit for an optical modulator is utilized, where a common “node” is defined between top (or bottom) plates of the modulator arms themselves (the “arms” of a modulator taking the form of MOS capacitors). A low pass filter is disposed between the differential driver output and the modulator's common node to provide the desired AC coupling by filtering out the DC bias voltage of the driver circuit itself without the need for a separate, external AC coupling capacitor. An independent, adjustable DC potential can then be applied to the common node, and will appear in a balanced manner across each arm of the modulator to provide the desired DC bias for the modulator independent of the DC bias of the driver circuit.

Abstract: One or more nanotaper coupling waveguides formed within an optical substrate allows for straightforward, reproducible offset launch conditions to be achieved between an incoming signal and the core region of a multimode fiber (which may be disposed along an alignment fixture formed in the optical substrate), fiber array or other multimode waveguiding structure. Offset launching of a single mode signal into a multimode fiber couples the signal into favorable spatial modes which reduce the presence of differential mode dispersion along the fiber. This approach to providing single mode signal coupling into legacy multimode fiber is considered to be an improvement over the prior art which required the use of an interface element between a single mode fiber and multimode fiber, limiting the number of propagating signals and applications for the legacy multimode fiber. An optical switch may be used to select the specific nanotaper(s) for coupling into the multimode fiber.

Abstract: A silicon-on-insulator (SOI)-based tunable laser is formed to include the gain medium (such as a semiconductor optical amplifier) disposed within a cavity formed within the SOI substrate. A tunable wavelength reflecting element and associated phase matching element are formed on the surface of the SOI structure, with optical waveguides formed in the surface SOI layer providing the communication between these components. The tunable wavelength element is controlled to adjust the optical wavelength. Separate discrete lensing elements may be disposed in the cavity with the gain medium, providing efficient coupling of the optical signal into the SOI waveguides. Alternatively, the gain medium itself may be formed to include spot converting tapers on its endfaces, the tapers used to provide mode matching into the associated optical waveguides.

Abstract: A silicon-based optical modulator structure includes one or more separate localized heating elements for changing the refractive index of an associated portion of the structure and thereby providing corrective adjustments to address unwanted variations in device performance. Heating is provided by thermo-optic devices such as, for example, silicon-based resistors, silicide resistors, forward-biased PN junctions, and the like, where any of these structures may easily be incorporated with a silicon-based optical modulator. The application of a DC voltage to any of these structures will generate heat, which hen transfers into the waveguiding area. The increase in local temperature of the waveguiding area will, in turn, increase the refractive index of the waveguiding in the area. Control of the applied DC voltage results in controlling the refractive index.

Abstract: A silicon-insulator-silicon capacitive (SISCAP) optical modulator is configured to provide analog operation for applications which previously required the use of relatively large, power-consuming and expensive lithium niobate devices. An MZI-based SISCAP modulator (preferably a balanced arrangement with a SISCAP device on each arm) is responsive to an incoming high frequency electrical signal and is biased in a region where the capacitance of the device is essentially constant and the transform function of the MZI is linear.

Abstract: A protective cover for a saw blade is formed of a plurality of interlocking members, linked together to form a chain of a length sufficient to completely surround a given blade, where the sharp edge of the blade is then encases within the interior region of the linked members. A specially-designed “master link” is used to join the two ends of the chain together and “lock” the cover in place around the blade edge. Links may be added to, or removed from, a chain to properly size the cover with respect to the blade. The links are preferably formed of a hard plastic material and are injection molded.

Abstract: A semi-automated packaging apparatus allows for an operator to fill a presented container without contaminating the container rim. The presentation of an empty container and subsequent removal of a filled container are performed automatically under control of the operator. The apparatus comprises a plurality of separate, removable modules including: a de-nester module for separating the containers from a stack; a container-presenting module for moving the currently de-nested container into position to be filled by an operator and subsequently removing a filled container; a removable tray with a central opening to allow an operator to place foodstuffs in the presented container; and a user interface module, coupled to each of the other modules for allowing the selection of the proper container opening dimensions (associated with the proper tray selection) and depth dimension (associated with the proper movement of the container-presenting module), as well as to control the “pace” of the packaging operation.

Abstract: An arrangement for providing optical crossovers between waveguides formed in an SOI-based structure utilize a patterned geometry in the SOI structure that is selected to reduce the effects of crosstalk in the area where the signals overlap. Preferably, the optical signals are fixed to propagate along orthogonal directions (or are of different wavelengths) to minimize the effects of crosstalk. The geometry of the SOI structure is patterned to include predetermined tapers and/or reflecting surfaces to direct/shape the propagating optical signals. The patterned waveguide regions within the optical crossover region may be formed to include overlying polysilicon segments to further shape the propagating beams and improve the coupling efficiency of the crossover arrangement.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for conditioning polishing pads that utilize an apertured conditioning disk for introducing operation-specific slurries, without the need for additional tooling, platens, and materials handling. The method and apparatus utilize a vacuum capability to pull waste material out of the conditioning pad and through the apertured conditioning disk to evacuate the apparatus through an outlet port, the apparatus may also include self-contained flushing means and a piezo-electric device for vibrating the pad conditioning apparatus.

Abstract: An electronic dispersion compensation (EDC) arrangement for a multi-channel optical receive utilizes a time division technique to “share” a common adaptive algorithm block between a plurality of N separate channels. The algorithm block embodies a specific algorithm associated with correcting/updating tap weights for the delay lines forming the equalizing elements, and a time slot assignment element is used in conjunction with the algorithm block to control the access of the various channels to the algorithm block. In situations where certain channels experience a greater degree of dispersion than others, the time slot assignment element may be configured to allot a greater number of time slots to the affected channels.

Abstract: A CMOS driver circuit is configured to provide a tri-state condition after a predetermined number of like-valued data bits have been transmitted, reducing the presence of intersymbol interference (ISI) along a transmission channel. In situations where the transmission channel is bandwidth-limited, the use of the tri-stating technique allows for the complete transition to the supply rails during the given bit period.

Abstract: A unitary optical receiver assembly is formed to include a V-groove passively aligned with a first aspheric lens (the lens formed along a surface perpendicular to the V-groove). An optical fiber is disposed along the V-groove and is used to bring the received optical signal into the unitary assembly. Upon passing through the first aspheric lens, the received optical signal will intercept a 45° turning mirror wall that directs the signal downward, through a second aspheric lens (also molded in the unitary assembly), and then into a photosensitive device. Advantageously, the photosensitive device is disposed in passive alignment with the second aspheric lens, allowing for a received signal to be coupled from an incoming optical fiber to a photosensitive device without needing any type of active alignment therebetween.

Abstract: An apparatus for conditioning polishing pads that utilizes an apertured conditioning disk for introducing operation-specific slurries, without the need for additional tooling, platens, and materials handling. The apparatus utilizes a vacuum capability to pull waste material out of the polishing pad and through the apertured conditioning disk to evacuate the apparatus through an outlet port. The apparatus also includes a force adjustment system for providing measurement and control of the force applied by the conditioning disk to the polishing pad.

Abstract: An optical continuum source is formed that is used to generate both a continuum and one or more light peaks outside the bandwidth of the continuum. In particular, one or more fiber Bragg gratings exhibiting a resonant wavelength less than the short wavelength edge (or greater than the long wavelength edge) of a predetermined continuum are inscribed into a section of highly nonlinear fiber (HNLF) and used to generate the additional light peaks. Gratings may also be formed for areas along the fiber where the continuum spectral power density is essentially “zero”. It has been discovered that the use of a Bragg grating generates phase matching with the propagating optical signal, thus resulting in the creation of the additional peaks.