Abstract: The present invention features an integrated, electronic fluorescent ballast fixture which includes an electronic ballast packaged with a set of fluorescent lamp connectors into an integral fixture. The fixture has a circuit board that selectably supports up to four fluorescent lamps. The housing of the fixture id configured to receive a number of lamp connectors. The connectors are electrically, connected to the circuit board use wire and poke-in type connectors. When used with conventional, straight fluorescent lamps, a second set of sockets at the far end of the lamps are also connected to the circuit board using wires received in poke-in connector on the circuit board. The integrated ballast package also works with U-shaped lamps. The housing of the fixture is shaped to accommodate projecting electronic ballast components attached to the circuit board. The transformers and transistors of the circuit board may be thermally sinked, so that their heat is carried to the housing by thermally conductive means.

Abstract: Sloped vias are formed in a resinous layer made from a material which is curable in stages, which can be coated on a substrate prior to partial curing, which adheres to the substrate and which shrinks upon full curing by a process which includes first using a dry, directional etch to form straight walled vias in a partially cured layer of the material coated on the substrate and then fully curing the layer. The straight walled vias are changed to sloped vias during final cure when adhesive contact between the substrate and the layer of resinous material inhibits shrinking of the side of the resinous layer which contacts the substrate, while the unsupported side of the layer is free to shrink. Such sloped vias are observed to improve the integrity of conductive coatings placed in the vias by reducing cracking, peeling and flaking thereof. Sloped vias with conductive coatings are useful in the construction of computer components.

Abstract: Integrated circuit module wherein the cap is sealed to the substrate with a liquid crystalline polyester melt containing about 25 to about 100 mole percent of recurring Units I and O to about 75 mole percent of recurring Units II wherein ##STR1## wherein each R and R.sub.2 is arylene or cycloalkylene or alkylene or alkylidene.

Abstract: An electronic circuit having an electrically conductive pattern formed on a substrate and having on at least one surface of the substrate a film obtained from a soluble polymerizable oligomer of the formula: ##STR1## wherein D is ##STR2## wherein M is --C.tbd.C--, --C.tbd.C--C.tbd.C, --O--, ##STR3## wherein R is an alkyl or aromatic group; wherein Ar is an aromatic group; wherein x is an integer greater than two but less than 30, z is either zero or an integer, and y is an integer wtih the sum of y and z equal to x; and wherein n is an integer from 1 to 10. The substrate is coated by applying the above composition to the substrate and then hardening the composition by further polymerization. Preferred compositions contain the above described oligomer and certain plasticizers and/or toughening agents.

Abstract: An end point detection technique indicates when a pulsed excimer laser, operating on a chromium clad copper substrate in the presence of chlorine gas, has etched through the chromium layer. The excimer laser vaporizes successive layers of the chromium chloride reaction product, which form on the region being etched, until, when all of the chromium has been removed from the region, a copper chloride reaction product layer forms on the region and is vaporized. A dye laser directs a probe beam into a zone spaced above the region being etched and is pulsed about 12 microseconds after each pulse of the excimer laser to allow time for the vaporized reaction products to reach the zone. The probe beam has a first wavelength of 433.3 nm. which induces the vaporized copper chloride in the zone to fluoresce at a second wavelength of 441.2 nm. A narrow band photodetector detects the fluoresced 441.2 nm.

Abstract: An electronic circuit having an electrically conductive pattern formed on a substrate and having on at least one surface of the substrate a film obtained from a soluble polymerizable oligomer of the formula: ##STR1## wherein M is --C.tbd.C--, --C.tbd.C--C.tbd.C, --O--, ##STR2## wherein R is an alkyl or aromatic group; wherein Ar is an aromatic group; wherein X is an integer greater than two but less than 30, z is either zero or an integer, and y is an integer with the sum of y and z equal to x; and wherein n is an integer from 1 to 10. The substrate is coated by applying the above composition to the substrate and then hardening the composition by further polymerization. Preferred compositions contain the above described oligomer and certain plasticizers and/or toughening agents.

Abstract: A composition containing an epoxy polymer, 4,4'(2-acetoxy-1,3 glyceryl)bis anhydro trimellitate; a polyanhydride; and a solid filler; method of preparation, and the sealing of integrated circuit modules therewith are provided.

Abstract: A protective layer composition, suitable for protecting metal electrodes on components and other microelectronic circuitry, comprises an organic thermoplastic polymeric material, an organic solvent or solvents, and a non-ionic fluorocarbon surfactant as a wetting/leveling/flow control agent. A typical formulation comprises an aromatic polymer which cures to form a polyamide-imide polymer, an organic solvent or a mixture of orangic solvents and a non-ionic fluorocarbon surfactant.