Abstract: Microspheres, populations of microspheres, and methods for forming microspheres are provided. One microsphere configured to exhibit fluorescent and magnetic properties includes a core microsphere and a magnetic material coupled to a surface of the core microsphere. About 50% or less of the surface of the core microsphere is covered by the magnetic material. The microsphere also includes a polymer layer surrounding the magnetic material and the core microsphere. One population of microspheres configured to exhibit fluorescent and magnetic properties includes two or more subsets of microspheres. The two or more subsets of microspheres are configured to exhibit different fluorescent and/or magnetic properties. Individual microspheres in the two or more subsets are configured as described above.

Abstract: A microelectronic topography includes a dielectric layer (DL) with a surface higher than an adjacent bulk metal feature (BMF) and further includes a barrier layer (BL) upon the BMF and extending higher than the DL. Another microelectronic topography includes a BL with a metal-oxide layer having a metal element concentration which is disproportionate relative to concentrations of the element within metal alloy layers on either side of the metal-oxide layer. A method includes forming a BL upon a BMF such that portions of a first DL adjacent to the BMF are exposed, selectively depositing a second DL upon the BL, cleaning the topography thereafter, and blanket depositing a third DL upon the cleaned topography. Another method includes polishing a microelectronic topography such that a metallization layer is coplanar with a DL and further includes spraying a deionized water based fluid upon the polished topography to remove debris from the DL.

Abstract: A communication system, network, interface, and port architecture are provided for transporting different types of data across a network. The network can be arranged by connecting the ports in a daisy chain fashion to achieve a ring architecture or topology. The network forwards data according to a specific network protocol, and any incoming data that follows that protocol will be sent onto the network. If the incoming data protocol does not match the network protocol, then the incoming data is not sent immediately to the network, but instead is sent to an input pin of a device upon the network specifically designed to receive that incoming data. The network, therefore, has ports that support both compliant and non-compliant incoming data, and the devices that produce such data.

Abstract: Network devices of a digital network for communication between a plurality of devices have a source for transmitting data into the network, and sinks for receiving data from the network. Managers (logical controllers) to which priorities are assigned in a hierarchical order manage connections between sources and sinks. Before setting up a connection, a manager first queries a negotiation administrator to obtain a right to negotiate with other managers and to set up connections. When all other managers having higher priorities also have granted the connection, the manager connects sources and sinks.

Abstract: Various light emitting diode (LED) based measurement systems and methods are provided. One system includes one or more arrays of LEDs arranged along a flow path of a sample. The array(s) are configured to illuminate the sample as the sample moves along the flow path. The system also includes one or more detectors configured to detect light resulting from illumination of the sample by the array(s). One method includes illuminating a microsphere at different positions along a flow path of the microsphere. The method also includes detecting light resulting from the illumination to produce individual output signals corresponding to the illumination at the different positions. The method further includes combining the individual output signals to produce a single output signal having a signal-to-noise ratio that is greater than a signal-to-noise ratio of the individual output signals.

Abstract: A network for data transmission comprises a plurality of sub-networks for transmitting data in data frames. The sub-networks have different transmission rates and are connected to each other via at least one gateway. The transmission of the data frames is effected with a defined timing relationship between the sub-networks.

Abstract: A communication system, clock generation circuit, and method are provided for receiving jitter upon data and to generate a clock reference that does not contain the received jitter. The clock reference can be used either by a digital subsystem of a communication system node, or can be transmitted as substantially jitter-free data from that node to a downstream node of the communication system. Instead of recovering the clock reference from the data having jitter, a pattern is regularly defined within the data stream preferably at periodic, timed intervals. The data pattern may be made up of a series of non-transitions which, regardless of any jitter in the data itself, does not impute any jitter onto a phase-locked loop triggered from an edge of the non-transitioning data pattern. Using the edge as a reference point, a jitter-free clocking signal can be derived at the same frequency as a clocking signal which would normally be produced from the jitter-induced data.

Abstract: An improved E-field generator including a slow-wave transmission line structure is provided herein. In some cases, the improved E-field generator may include an inductively-loaded slow-wave transmission line structure driven by a power source at one end of the structure and terminated by a load at the other end of the structure. In other cases, the improved E-field generator may include a capacitively-loaded slow-wave transmission line structure. In either case, the improved E-field generator provides a frequency-independent, significantly increased electric field at a distance spaced from the generator without altering the dimensions of the generator and/or the input power supplied to the generator. The increase in generated field intensity is achieved by decreasing the phase velocity of the electromagnetic wave propagating along the parallel elements of the generator.

Abstract: A system for illuminating a specimen are disclosed herein. In general, the system may include an illumination source configured to generate light with an uneven distribution at a pupil plane and field stop of the system, a lightpipe coupled for redistributing the light across the pupil plane and field stop, and at least one optical element configured to direct the redistributed light onto a specimen. The lightpipe may generally include a cone-shaped portion and a rectangular-shaped portion. The cone-shaped portion is configured for modifying an angular distribution of the generated light, so that the redistributed light is uniformly distributed across the pupil plane of the system. The rectangular-shaped portion is formed contiguous with the cone-shaped portion and configured for modifying a spatial distribution of the generated light, so that the redistributed light is uniformly distributed across a field stop of the system.

Abstract: A process chamber is provided which includes a gate configured to align barriers with an opening of the gate and an opening of the process chamber such that the two openings are either sealed or provide an air passage to the chamber. A method is provided and includes sealing an opening of a chamber with a gate latch and exposing a topography to a first set of process steps, opening the gate latch such that an air passage is provided to the process chamber, and exposing the topography to a second set of process steps without allowing liquids within the chamber to flow through the air passage. A substrate holder comprising a clamping jaw with a lever and a support member coupled to the lever is also contemplated herein. A process chamber with a reservoir arranged above a substrate holder is also provided herein.

Abstract: A film formation method is provided which includes positioning an object within an electroless deposition apparatus having means for instantaneous temperature control of the object and electrolessly depositing a material upon the object. More specifically, the method includes instantaneously changing the temperature of the object by the means of instantaneous control at one or more predetermined times during the step of electrolessly depositing the material, wherein the predetermined times correspond to different film-growth stages of the material.

Abstract: A stylus input device, a stylus input device with display, and a method for entering input into a computer system are provided. The stylus is preferably used as a pointer that points to a particular region on an electronic display, and one or more buttons on the stylus can be used to scroll, modify or select that region. The buttons can be programmed in various ways to perform different functions, or one button can be programmed to perform a sequence of functions. The tip of the stylus need not contact the display surface to either render the stylus position or to select the region of the display shown by the stylus cursor. The input device and system thereby operates in a contactless and wireless environment to leave the display area unencumbered to viewers of the display screen, and to allow more than one stylus to concurrently operate upon the display.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing microelectronic topographies, a method of use of such an apparatus, and a method for passivating hardware of microelectronic processing chambers are provided. The apparatus includes a substrate holder configured to support a microelectronic topography and a rotatable case with sidewalls arranged on opposing sides of the substrate holder. The method of using such an apparatus includes positioning a microelectronic topography upon a substrate holder of a processing chamber, exposing the microelectronic topography to a fluid within the processing chamber, and rotating a case of the processing chamber. The rotation is sufficient to affect movement of the fluid relative to the surface of the microelectronic topography. A method for passivating hardware of a microelectronic processing chamber includes exposing the hardware to an organic compound and subsequently exposing the hardware to an agent configured to form polar bonds with the organic compound.

Abstract: A communication system for transmitting and receiving a sequence of bits, and the methodology for transferring that sequence of bits are provided. The communication system includes a transmitting circuit and a receiving circuit. Within the transmitting circuit is a scrambler that comprises a shift register, an enable circuit, and an output circuit. The shift register temporarily stores n bits within the sequence of bits, and the enable circuit enables the shift register to store bits that arise only within the payload section of a frame. The output circuit includes a feedback, and several taps within the n stages to scramble logic values within the sequence of n bits output from the shift registers thus effectively preventing in most instances the sequence of bits from exceeding n number of the same logic value. Within the receiving circuit is a descrambler also having a shift register, an enable circuit, and an output circuit. The descrambler recompiles the scrambled data back to its original form.

Abstract: A computer tomograph system comprises a rotating part for accommodating at least one X-ray tube and a detector arrangement, and a stationary part rotatably supporting the rotating part, and comprising a DC-to-AC converters for generating an alternating current for supplying current to a conductor arrangement. To supply energy to the rotating part, the rotating part comprises at least one inductive coupler for engaging, exclusively in dependence upon position, with a section of the entire length of the conductor arrangement, and for coupling electrical energy out of the conductor arrangement. Alternatively, the conductor arrangement may be disposed on the rotating part, and the inductive coupler may be disposed on the stationary part.

Abstract: A fiber reaction process whereby reactive components contained in immiscible streams are brought into contact to effect chemical reactions and separations. The conduit reactor utilized contains wettable fibers onto which one stream is substantially constrained and a second stream is flowed over to continuously create a new interface there between to efficiently bring about contact of the reactive species and thus promote reactions thereof or extractions thereby. Co-solvents and phase transfer catalysts may be employed to facilitate the process.

Abstract: Various computer-implemented methods are provided. One method for signature recognition includes identifying a vertical element of a signature and determining a tilt angle of the vertical element. Tilt angle is defined by a line that is approximately parallel to the vertical element. In addition, the method includes determining a tilt factor. Tilt factor is defined as a horizontal offset between the tilt angle and a reference tilt as a function of distance from a signature baseline. The method further includes altering the signature using the tilt factor and comparing the altered signature to known signature(s) to determine if the altered signature matches one of the known signature(s). Another method includes altering the signature using a predetermined tilt factor and comparing the altered signature to known signature(s). If the altered signature does not match one of the known signature(s), these steps may be repeated with different predetermined tilt factors.

Abstract: A communication system, clock recovery circuit, and method are provided for allowing data to be transmitted across a communication system and between clock recovery circuits absent a clock master specifically designed for one node of the communication system. Absent a clock master, the communication system is permitted to enter into an all slave mode, with periodic unlock conditions possibly rotating about the communication system ring topology. However, the unlock condition can be readily detected and if the received data bitstream formed into a recovered clock exceeds a threshold above or is less than a threshold below a reference clock generated during instances of unlock, then the clock recovery circuit will fix the synchronizing clock to the reference clock, and cause the bitstream to resynchronize to the reference clock before the reference clock is again disabled to allow the communication system to re-enter the all slave and rotating unlock condition.

Abstract: A device for transmission of digital signals between two units movable relative to each other, particularly with non-contacting rotating data transmission devices, comprises an encoder on a transmitter side along a signal path for conforming a coding of the digital signals to transmission characteristic of a transmission path, so that a given spectral distribution of signals is attained. An optional decoder on a receiver side restores original signals, so that the coding remains concealed, but a substantially more reliable transmission is achieved.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed whereby two components within the Swing application program interface (API), JTextField and JPasswordField, are used to emulate the behavior of the TextField component in the abstract windowing toolkit (AWT). This allows legacy Java applications, based on the AWT, to be migrated to the platform-independent Swing API, without modification. In the AWT, a single TextField component could be used for ordinary text entry, as well as for password protected text entry. In the latter case, a prescribed echo character would be displayed as text was entered, to avoid displaying privileged information. According to the system and method disclosed herein, a JPasswordField component may be substituted for a JTextField component, or vice-versa, depending on whether an echo character has been specified. This substitution is performed at runtime, using an enhanced version of the Swing API, as disclosed herein. The enhanced version of Swing is referred to herein as AWTSwing.