Abstract: An optical fiber array in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention includes a housing, a first plate through which pass a first plurality of holes distributed in a first pattern, and a silicon plate through which pass a second plurality of holes distributed in a second pattern. The first plate is attached to the housing and the silicon plate is attached to the first plate such that each of the second plurality of holes is substantially aligned with a corresponding one of the first plurality of holes. The optical fiber array also includes a plurality of optical fibers, each of which passes through a corresponding one of the first plurality of holes and extends into a corresponding one of the second plurality of holes.

Abstract: A disc drive includes a housing enclosing a spindle motor that is able to spin a disc. A filter within the housing is positioned so that a filter stream of moving gas created by a spinning motion of the disc flows through the filter. Additionally, a flow divider is secured to a portion of the housing and positioned within the filter stream upstream of the filter, splitting the filter stream into a first branch and a second branch. Both branches flow through the filter.

Abstract: The disc drive housing encloses a spindle motor carrying a disc having a data surface. An actuator assembly includes an actuator arm carrying a head. The housing includes a first surface portion adjacent to the data surface of the disc. The housing also includes a plurality of surface portions that define a recess, which allows the actuator arm to move over the data surface of the disc. The plurality of surface portions include a sloped surface portion sloping away from the data surface and preventing wind generated by the disc rotating about an axis from separating from the sloped surface portion. Alternatively, a disc drive includes a housing that defines a recess. The housing encloses a disc mounted on a spindle motor that rotates the disc about an axis and thereby generates wind within the housing. An upstream surface portion and a downstream surface portion of the housing both face toward a data surface of the disc.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for adjusting an actuator mechanical response characteristic in a data handling system, such as a disc drive. An actuator rotates about a pivot system to move a read/write head adjacent a recording surface, the pivot system comprising a stationary shaft and a bearing asesmbly comprising a stationary inner race coupled to the shaft and a rotatable outer race coupled to the actuator. A fastener is provided to engage the shaft and apply an initial amount of axially directed force on the inner race. A broad spectrum excitation is applied to the actuator and a mechanical response characteristic of the actuator is measured. The fastener is repetitively adjusted to increase the amount of axially directed force until the measured mechanical response characteristic of the actuator reaches a desired level.

Abstract: Microfluidic devices are disclosed which can be manufactured using surface-micromachining. These devices utilize an electroosmotic force or an electromagnetic field to generate a flow of a fluid in a microchannel that is lined, at least in part, with silicon nitride. Additional electrodes can be provided within or about the microchannel for separating particular constituents in the fluid during the flow based on charge state or magnetic moment. The fluid can also be pressurized in the channel. The present invention has many different applications including electrokinetic pumping, chemical and biochemical analysis (e.g. based on electrophoresis or chromatography), conducting chemical reactions on a microscopic scale, and forming hydraulic actuators.

Abstract: Method for manufacturing microelectromechanical mirror and mirror array. Control electrodes and addressing circuitry are etched from a metallic layer deposited onto a reference layer substrate. Standoff-posts are etched from a subsequently deposited polyimide layer. A freely movable plate flexibly suspended from a plurality of electrostatic actuators that are flexibly suspended from a support frame is etched from an actuation layer substrate using a high aspect ratio etch. A mirror support post and surface are etched from a mirror substrate using a high aspect ratio etch. The mirror and actuation layer substrates are fusion bonded together. The reference and actuation layer substrates are bonded together and held apart by the standoff posts. A reflective metallic layer is deposited onto the mirror surface and polished. The mirror is etched from the mirror surface to free the microelectromechanical mirror. Mirror arrays are made by performing the aforementioned steps using standard IC processing techniques.

Abstract: The automated method of the present invention provides an efficient arrangement for setting certain financial transactions using a debit point of sale transaction network, as opposed to routing over a credit network. The method and arrangement uses an onsite database of bank identification numbers to conduct a preliminary assessment of whether a particular card is debit capable, and appropriately processes the transaction information based on the preliminary assessment. The system preferably is also updated when a financial transaction is successfully completed as a debit transaction which the database did not initially identify as being debit capable. In this way, the database is continuously updated and over time, a more accurate database is achieved. The system can also be networked, such that information between databases is shard and improved, based on the network experience.

Abstract: Method for manufacturing microelectromechanical mirror and mirror array. Control electrodes and addressing circuitry are etched from a metallic layer deposited onto a reference layer substrate. Standoff-posts are etched from a subsequently deposited polyimide layer. A freely movable plate flexibly suspended from a plurality of electrostatic actuators that are flexibly suspended from a support frame is etched from an actuation layer substrate using a high aspect ratio etch. A mirror support post and surface are etched from a mirror substrate using a high aspect ratio etch. The mirror and actuation layer substrates are fusion bonded together. The reference and actuation layer substrates are bonded together and held apart by the standoff posts. A reflective metallic layer is deposited onto the mirror surface and polished. The mirror is etched from the mirror surface to free the microelectromechanical mirror. Mirror arrays are made by performing the aforementioned steps using standard IC processing techniques.

Abstract: A tool for holding nuts or bolts while being moved to a desired position opposite a complementary bolt or nut includes a shaft made of steel spring wire having a handle at one end, the wire terminating at the other end in a loop having a diameter slightly smaller that the diameter of a nut or bolt to be held by the loop, the loop being shaped so that, when a nut or bolt is fitted into the loop, the loop will grip the nut or bolt with sufficient force to hold it as it is brought into a desired position. The diameter of the wire is less than 0.070 inches, and preferably 0.063 or 0.060 inches, so that the shaft will have sufficient flexibility to enable the tool to fit into curved as well as linear spaces, while still holding a nut or bolt securely. The end of the loop terminates in a hook or U-shape, permitting the tool to easily be formed on a kick press without the need for special tooling and greatly simplifying manufacture of the tool.

Abstract: Information storage systems having a liquid bearing of at least 2 molecular layers on the surface of a rigid storage medium are provided. The liquid bearing lubricant of the subject invention has a low viscosity, high vapor pressure organic liquid. The liquid bearing is maintained on the surface of the rigid storage medium by vapor phase transfer, where the gaseous environment of the rigid storage medium is maintained in a saturated state with respect to the low viscosity, high vapor pressure organic liquid of the liquid bearing. Also provided are novel read/write heads for use in the subject information storage systems.

Abstract: A microelectromechanical (MEM) capacitance pressure sensor integrated with electronic circuitry on a common substrate and a method for forming such a device are disclosed. The MEM capacitance pressure sensor includes a capacitance pressure sensor formed at least partially in a cavity etched below the surface of a silicon substrate and adjacent circuitry (CMOS, BiCMOS, or bipolar circuitry) formed on the substrate. By forming the capacitance pressure sensor in the cavity, the substrate can be planarized (e.g. by chemical-mechanical polishing) so that a standard set of integrated circuit processing steps can be used to form the electronic circuitry (e.g. using an aluminum or aluminum-alloy interconnect metallization).

Abstract: A non-piezoelectric flexural plate wave apparatus having meander-line transducers mounted on a non-piezoelectric membrane. A static magnetic field is directed perpendicularly to the conductive legs of the transducers in the plane of the membrane. Single-port, two-port, resonant, non-resonant, eigenmode, and delay-line modes may be employed.

Abstract: A combustible gas sensor that uses a resistively heated, noble metal-coated, micromachined polycrystalline Si filament to calorimetrically detect the presence and concentration of combustible gases. The filaments tested to date are 2 .mu.m thick.times.10 .mu.m wide.times.100, 250, 500, or 1000 .mu.m-long polycrystalline Si; some are overcoated with a 0.25 .mu.m-thick protective CVD Si.sub.3 N.sub.4 layer. A thin catalytic Pt film was deposited by CVD from the precursor Pt(acac).sub.2 onto microfilaments resistively heated to approximately 500.degree. C.; Pt deposits only on the hot filament. Using a constant-resistance-mode feedback circuit, Pt-coated filaments operating at ca. 300.degree. C. (35 mW input power) respond linearly, in terms of the change in supply current required to maintain constant resistance (temperature), to H.sub.2 concentrations between 100 ppm and 1% in an 80/20 N.sub.2 /O.sub.2 mixture. Other catalytic materials can also be used.

Abstract: A method for integrating one or more microelectromechanical (MEM) devices with electronic circuitry. The method comprises the steps of forming each MEM device within a cavity below a device surface of the substrate; encapsulating the MEM device prior to forming electronic circuitry on the substrate; and releasing the MEM device for operation after fabrication of the electronic circuitry. Planarization of the encapsulated MEM device prior to formation of the electronic circuitry allows the use of standard processing steps for fabrication of the electronic circuitry.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for photolithographically defining device features up to the resolution limit of an auto-focusing projection stepper when the device features are to be formed in a wafer cavity at a depth exceeding the depth of focus of the stepper. The method uses a focusing cavity located in a die field at the position of a focusing light beam from the auto-focusing projection stepper, with the focusing cavity being of the same depth as one or more adjacent cavities wherein a semiconductor device is to be formed. The focusing cavity provides a bottom surface for referencing the focusing light beam and focusing the stepper at a predetermined depth below the surface of the wafer, whereat the device features are to be defined.

Abstract: A method for preventing micromechanical structures from adhering to another object includes the step of immersing a micromechanical structure and its associated substrate in a chemical species that does not stick to itself. The method can be employed during the manufacture of micromechanical structures to prevent micromechanical parts from sticking or adhering to one another and their associated substrate surface.

Abstract: In liquid disk drives, liquid bearing materials based on hydrocarbon liquids, halogenated liquids and mixtures thereof are used at the head-disk interface. Additives such as antioxidants and boundary layer lubricants may be incorporated to enhance oxidative stability and lubricity. The liquid bearing materials have relatively low viscosities and non-Newtonian flow characteristics so as to reduce drag at the read/write head compared with Newtonian liquid bearing materials.

Abstract: Hectorite is utilized in conjunction with a water soluble cationic coagulant to clarify waste water from the deinking of waste paper.

Abstract: Adhesive contaminants in secondary fiber paper pulps are detackified by the use of a water soluble terphthalate glycol terpolymer.