Abstract: The disclosure provides for the use of a group II-VI compound semiconductor as a surface passivator to control recombination of charge carriers at the surface of a group III-V compound semiconductor by a localized heating step. It is theorized for practice of the invention that the control of the recombination of the charge carriers is achieved by chemical reaction of the II-VI compound with excess group V element. In particular the disclosure provides for the use of a capping layer of laser annealed ZnS as a passivating layer on a GaAs device.

Abstract: A curve plotter or a display device for the recording of a curve section outside of a recording field is equipped with a logic circuit which shifts it into the recording field. Either the curve recording is continued after a margin of the recording field has been reached in the inverse recording direction, or the original recording direction is maintained but the curve recording is continued from the opposite margin of the recording field. Recording of the off-scale curve section can be performed by digital or analog steps and can be marked specifically.

Abstract: Practice of the disclosure reduces thermal decomposition and retains stoichiometry during annealing of a multiple element intermetallic semiconductor material by heating it in an environment with an excess of the most volatile constituent. In particular, practice of the disclosure is obtained by annealing a GaAs wafer with a surface into which Si has been implanted while the surface is in proximity to InAs.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for selectively electrochemically etching a surface is described. The use of the apparatus and the related method allows the establishment of etched planar surface which may be inclined with respect to the original surface.The apparatus has a cathode and multiple connectors which attach to the workpiece whose surface is to be etched. When the apparatus is operated the potential of the connectors are set so that the cathode is at least as negative as the lowest potential of the connectors.

Abstract: A solar cell is disclosed with V-grooves which are series connected, but electrically isolated, indirect bandgap solar cells which are responsive to different light frequencies on both sides of a semi-insulating optically transparent substrate. The device has a very high conversion efficiency of approximately 40% and high open-circuit voltage and low series resistance. An exemplary structure in accordance with this disclosure has a series of silicon V-groove cells on one side and another series of GaAlAs V-groove cells on the other side. The cells are of generally trapezoidal cross-section. The difference between the characteristics of the Si cell and the GaAlAs cell is matched by control of the number of V-grooves.

Abstract: The disclosure provides a highly efficient e.g., up to 40% efficiency, solar cell for solar energy concentrator use. Two solar cell layers comprised of different semiconductor materials are grown upon a transparent, insulating substrate. A metal layer covering the bottom serves to reflect light back through the structure, and can serve as a wrap-around electrical contact to both materials. As an example, a structure of Si and GaAlAs is produced on a substrate from the group consisting of Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, Spinel, Quartz and BeO.

Abstract: Resist is applied to a surface with a syringe, or other suitable dropper, equipped with a millipore filter to remove contaminants. The surface is completely flooded with resist. Resist is allowed to remain on the surface of the evaporated metal for a period of time prior to spin coating. Allowing resist to remain on the surface prior to coating produces a uniform film. For a 2 micron thick uniform resist coating, a minimum of 15 seconds is allowed prior to spinning while in the case of a 4 micron thick resist coating a much longer period is allowed.For the application of a 2 micron film, the resist material after partial drying for approximately 15 seconds is spun at 2000 rpm for 30 seconds. In order to apply a 5 micron thick resist film, resist is spun at 2000 rpm for 30 seconds after partial drying for approximately 10 minutes.

Abstract: Films are disclosed which are constituted essentially of iodides of heavy metals to which catalysts or sensitizing agents are added to make the films highly sensitive to light and current at room temperature, thus increasing the speed of writing and erasing cycles. The disclosure provides for producing and erasing images on such light and current sensitive films prepared on substrates such as ordinary paper or transparent non-reactive materials. Marking on the films is achieved by light e.g., laser beam and Xenon lamp, or electrical current. Exemplary erasing is done by application of heat. Several examples are disclosed of the formation of these films adherently on non-reactive surfaces.

Abstract: A series of solid solutions in the systems Zn.sub.2 SiO.sub.4 -Zn.sub.2 M.sup.+3.sub..5 M.sup.+5.sub..5 O.sub.4, is synthesized by practice of this disclosure. Solid reaction technique is used where M.sup.+3 and M.sup.+5 signify ions from Groups III and V of the periodic table.Large increases in the efficiency compared to the prior art P1 phosphor (Zn.sub.2 SiO.sub.4 :Mn) are achieved by substituting various combinations of Group III and V oxides for SiO.sub.2, e.g., Al and P to provide Zn.sub.2-y Mn.sub.y Si.sub.1-2x Al.sub.x P.sub.x O.sub.4. The photoluminescence efficiency of the phosphors of this disclosure exhibit strong dependence on the III-V substitution concentration, x, having highest efficiency for the approximate range of x=0.25% to 1.5%.

Abstract: According to the disclosure, electrochromic display apparatus is provided, comprising, an electrolyte containing an electrochromic material, a plurality of display electrodes in the electrolyte, the display electrodes being connected in at least one group to enable selection of display electrodes, means for selecting at least some display electrodes, means to effect deposition of a visible coating of colored species derived from the electrochromic material onto the selected display electrodes, and means to effect deposition of an invisible coating of the colored species onto all unselected display electrodes, whereby the potentials of selected and unselected display electrodes are equalized.

Abstract: It has been discovered for the practice of this disclosure that there is a threshold for switching with light an AC coupled electroluminescence (EL) device within the .DELTA.V of the luminance-voltage hysteresis loop thereof. Practice of this disclosure provides hybrid matrix-addressing of an electroluminescence display device with memory through luminance-voltage hysteresis by "ANDING" electrical and optical signals. It has particular utility for a large aspect ratio display, e.g., a single line display, i.e., one for which there is more information content in one direction than in another direction.

Abstract: The practice of this disclosure obtains a relatively high efficiency operation for a crystalline semiconductor solar cell containing various defects of the linear and planar types. Linear defects include screw dislocations as well as full and partial dislocations. Planar defects include twins, stacking faults, grain boundaries and surfaces. Such defects normally contain recombination centers at which electrons and holes generated in the semiconductor region recombine with loss to the external current of the charge carried thereby. Through application of the principles of this invention, especial dopant concentrations and conductivity regions are established in a finite region around the linear and planar defects so that electrons and holes which are generated in the semiconductor region by incident radiation are substantially collected for external current as consequence thereof.

Abstract: The disclosure utilizes a memory electroluminescent (EL) layer which has brightness-voltage (B-V) characteristics with multistable hysteresis loops of one color emission. Another EL layer of second color emission is incorporated therewith for a multicolor display device. The device comprises the two EL layers fabricated in sandwich form separated from each and from the electrodes by insulating layers which are inserted for breakdown protection and isolation of the two EL layers. Certain insulating layers may be omitted if the two EL layers are made of compatible materials and the hysteresis characteristics are not effected. In steady operation, an AC voltage signal is applied to the sandwiched device to maintain a display characteristic. A superposed switching voltage or electron beam or light beam is used to trigger a desired display. The displayed image may be erased by reducing sustaining AC voltage below threshold value.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for improving gas display panel performance with improved resolution, color, memory margin and brightness as a result of helium based mixtures in a panel structure using evaporated glass technology, e.g., borosilicate glass technology. Multicolor emissions can be achieved directly from the helium based mixtures, and additional color enhancement and selection can be accomplished by varying the gas parameters of pressure and dopant concentration and the sustain voltage waveform drive conditions. Color selection from the helium based mixtures with molecular dopants can be made using an optical filter or a colored glass substrate.Through the practice of this disclosure, a gas panel is obtained that emits white light using a helium based mixture doped with oxygen. It is a Penning mixture with optical radiation in the visible part of the spectrum due to systems of emission bands from the ionized oxygen molecules.

Abstract: This disclosure describes a dielectric refrigerator using orientable defect dipoles and operating between a high temperature, T.sub.h reservoir illustratively supplied by a Stirling cycle refrigerator (8.degree. K .ltoreq. T.sub.h .ltoreq. 20.degree. K) and a low temperature, T.sub.1, load, illustratively the liquid He cooling fluid for Josephson junction or other superconducting devices (2.degree. K .ltoreq. T.sub.1 .ltoreq. 6.degree. K).Exemplary practice of this invention provides cooling from the limit of a refrigerator based on the Stirling thermodynamic cycle (20 to 8.degree. K) to operating temperatures of common and useful superconductive devices (3 to 6.degree. K). Orientable electric dipoles of defects in electrically insulating materials, e.g., crystals, are utilized to provide cooling in the range from (8-20 K) to (2-6.degree. K). The following are particular considerations concerning the practice of this invention: use of LiF, MgO and BeO as host crystals; use of OH and/or NH.sub.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for fabricating a thin elemental semiconductor, e.g., Si or Ge, film with columnar grains in a filamentary structure, by the use of an intermetallic compound incorporating the elemental semiconductor to form a nucleating layer for the growth of the semiconducting film. The semiconductor is grown from vapor phase by the technique of either vacuum evaporation or chemical vapor deposition, e.g., by decomposition of SiH.sub.4. The semiconductor e.g., Si, is initially deposited onto a thin film of a specific metal, e.g., Pt or Ni, on any inert substrate, e.g., SiO.sub.2 or Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, which is held at a temperature, e.g., 900.degree. C, above the eutectic point, i.e., 830.degree. C, of an intermetallic compound and the metallic film, and below the eutectic point, i.e., 979.degree. C, of another intermetallic compound and the semiconductor.

Abstract: Practice of this disclosure reduces the concentration of intrinsic defects heretofore grown into semiconducting materials. Thereby, the operational lifetime is increased of heterostructure junction light emitting or responding or modulating devices which are fabricated in accordance with principles of the disclosure. Illustratively, the operational lifetime of a heterostructure junction laser device thus fabricated is extended. This improvement in operational lifetime of the device is attained by constraining growth, e.g., liquid phase epitaxial growth, of the several layers of semiconducting materials which form such a device to proceed only upon unreconstructed surface layers. Illustratively, such an unreconstructed surface is any one of the set of (311) surfaces of a crystalline semiconductor having diamond, zinc-blende, or chalcopyrite structure.

Abstract: This disclosure obtains printing and displaying of information stored as a pattern of orifices in a colored liquid film established on the interstices of a screen-mesh member. A laser beam is used to effect removal of the film at each selected interstice either by puncturing the film thereat or vaporizing a portion thereof so that reactive surface tension force displaces the remainder of the film. The screen is moved in coordination with the writing thereon of the information pattern so that the area upon which the information is established may be presented sequentially to a displaying station and to a printing station. At the displaying station, light is either transmitted through the orifices established in the colored liquid film or is reflected from the film left in the unwritten interstices onto a display screen as a pattern of information either as a positive or a negative image of the actual information content established in the screen-mesh.

Abstract: A light pen detection and tracking scheme for detecting and tracking both "on" and "off" cells with a single cursor voltage waveform in an AC gas discharge display panel. The special cursor voltage waveform is applied to the panel during the sustain cycle, in either a line-by-line or binary scanning fashion, to momentarily fire both "on" and "off" cells so that they may be detected by the light pen without a loss of the memory state of the cells. A cross-hair cursor is automatically displayed at the pen position when the search scan is complete. Since both "on" and "off" cells are detected, the system can respond to pen motion by repeating the search to reacquire the pen, so that no special tracking strategy is needed.

Abstract: Practice of this disclosure obtains a measure of the dose or fluence of implanted ions into a target for device fabrication by monitoring emitted X-rays. Illustratively, ion beams of B.sup.+, P.sup.+ or As.sup.+ have been implanted into Si over the ion energy range of 20 KeV to 2800 KeV and the data of counts of emitted X-rays has been correlated with both the solid angle intercepted by the counter and the charge intercepted by the target. In particular, the low energy soft Si(L) X-rays at 136A have been discovered for the practice of this disclosure to be very intense. The principles of this disclosure are especially applicable for very low ion doses, i.e. .ltorsim. 10.sup.12 /cm.sup.2 where charge integration is not feasible; and for neutral beam implantation with currents above about 2 milliamperes. Reproducible semiconductor devices can be fabricated by practice of this disclosure, i.e., with substantially reproducible operational characteristics, e.g.