Abstract: Structures, and methods of fabrication thereof, are described wherein between an electrically conducting region and a ceramic region there is an interface region which has a thermal coefficient of expansion which is intermediate between the thermal coefficient of expansion of the conducting region and the ceramic region. This interface region substantially avoids separation of the adhesion of the conducting region from the ceramic region and avoids the creation of voids therebetween. The interface region is preferably a mixture of metal particles and ceramic material. The interface region is created by sintering alternately in oxidizing and reducing atmospheres which results in metal particles being disposed away from the metal body about the periphery or the metal body within the ceramic material.

Abstract: Efficiency in light transfer between a light source and a viewing screen is attained in the invention by positioning a small diameter source of light at a position of highest light transfer intensity within an essentially semicircular reflector interfacing at the wide portion of a wedge shaped light pipe light transfer member and minimizing reflection losses at every optical interface in the light path between the light source and the viewer.

Abstract: The invention presented describes the protection of transaction data in cash-free payment traffic from its creation to its processing by means of stock-exchange chip cards (4). In each payment transfer, transaction data TDi (10) is created on the individual payment procedure, and cumulative data SD (81) on the payment transactions since the last data exchange with the settlement position are summarized. The transaction data TDi is stored in the payment terminal. The cumulative data SD is stored in the security module. In each payment transaction, the cumulative data is supplemented by the new amount. The cumulative data is stored using a cumulative signature Ssn (82) which is applied to each supplement to the cumulative data. In this, the value of the previous cumulative signature is used as an initial value for the formation of the new cumulative signature. The key of the payment terminal or a separate individual key can be used. The cumulative signature is also stored in the security module.

Abstract: Polycrystalline materials containing crystallites of precursors to electrically conductive polymers and electrically conductive polymers are described which have an adjustable high degree of crystallinity. The intersticial regions between the crystallites contains amorphous material containing precursors to electrically conductive polymers and/or electrically conductive polymers. The degree of crystallinity is achieved by preparing the materials under conditions which provide a high degree of mobility to the polymer molecules permitting them to associate with one another to form a crystalline state. This is preferable achieved by including additives, such as plasticizers and diluents, to the solution from which the polycrystalline material is formed. The morphology of the polycrystalline material is adjustable to modify the properties of the material such as the degree of crystallinity, crystal grain size, glass transition temperature, thermal coefficient of expansion and degree of electrical conductivity.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a high density test probe which provides a means for testing a high density and high performance integrated circuits in wafer form or as discrete chips. The test probe is formed from a dense array of elongated electrical conductors which are formed by cutting with one or more blades. The shape of the blades determines the shape of the probetips. The probetips can be coated with other conductive materials to enhance the hardness and profile of protuberances formed at the probetip ends by the blade-cutting process. The wires are as dense as the contact location array. A mold is disposed surrounding the array of outwardly projecting wires. A liquid elastomer is disposed in the mold to fill the spaces between the wires. The elastomer is cured and the mold is removed, leaving an array of wires disposed in the elastomer and in electrical contact with the space transformer.

Abstract: The invention is a method for coordinating actions among a server supporting multiple independent client server requests and participating clients making multiple independent web requests. The requests are communicated between the client and the server using a protocol that has limited or no defined procedures for passing state information between the client and the servers. A client transmits a request for a first action to a server that requires transaction scope. The server generates transaction identification information and maintains it across the duration of multiple independent and state-less web requests. The client then transmits a request for a additional actions to the server that requires transaction scope, using the transaction identification information preserved in the conversation and maintained by the servers including the client's request in the transaction and transmitting a request by a client to a server that requires transaction completion.

Abstract: The invention broadens the range of materials and processes that are available for Thin Film Transistor (TFT) devices by providing in the device structure an organic semiconductor layer that is in contact with an inorganic mixed oxide gate insulator involving room temperature processing at up to 150 degrees C. A TFT of the invention has a pentacene semiconductor layer in contact with a barium zirconate titanate gate oxide layer formed on a polycarbonate transparent substrate employing at least one of the techniques of sputtering, evaporation and laser ablation.

Abstract: The present invention describes a method and an apparatus for eliminating image artifacts due to imaging of post spacers, or other small clusters of pixels that deviate from nominal performance of light valve technology. This invention is applicable to imaging technologies whose pixels are separately addressable.

Abstract: Solutions of graft polymers of a polymer having reactive hydrogen groups and grafted through reactive hydrogen groups an alkoxy metallic compound wherein the metal is titanium, zirconium and/or hafnium are useful as photoresist materials which are resistant to plasma. Also, compounds and graft polymers wherein the alkoxy metallic compound also contains silicon, tin or germanium are provided.

Abstract: An illumination apparatus including: at least two light sources, in which each of the light sources produce independent light beams; a controller for sequentially driving each of the light sources at a high power above their respective maximum rated power, to produce a respective light beam for each light source, and for leaving the remaining light sources at a low power below their respective maximum rated power, such that the time-average of the high and low power levels are set to a predetermined value for each of the light sources; and a combiner and director for sequentially combining each of the light beams from their respective light sources while being driven at high power into a common output beam with a fixed direction. Various combiner and directors are disclosed including tiltable mirrors under the control of the controller as well as optical systems.

Abstract: Cross-linked electrically conductive polymers, in particular electrically conductive, polyaniline are described. Dopants and substituents having pendant cross-linkable functionality are used which form a cross-linked conducting polymer network. The cross-linking functionality can be hydrogen-bonding as well as chemically polymerizable or cross-linkable. A conjugated path between chains can also be incorporated. The resulting cross-linked conducting polymers have enhanced thermal and environmental stability. The dopant cannot readily be washed out with solvents or diffuse out upon exposure to heat. In addition, the cross-linked polymers have enhanced electrical conductivity.

Abstract: In the invention a pellicle mounting structural principle is provided whereby a membrane for protection of an X-ray mask is interchangeably positioned with proper spacing between the X-ray mask and the resist on the wafer in which the pattern produced by the X-ray exposure is to be formed. The mounting principle employs a combined assembly of, a membrane and spacer member subassembly together with a means for seectably separable retention to the supporting structural portion of the mask The principle accommodates membrane materials that may not be flexible and provides an ability to remove the membrane for cleaning or replacement and to removal and reassembly with ease in reestablishing the spacing with respect to the mask. The means for the selectably separable retention to the supporting structural portion of the mask involves the use of springs and elastomers, securing to the sides of the supporting structural mask ring and the bonding of the spacer member directly to the mask.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for encoding units of digital information such as pictures, whereby all the data is first analyzed by running a compression pass over all the data, using the in the encoder embedded rate control mechanism. Picture attributes, such as quantization scale setting and bits produced will be extracted from the resulting bitstream, and analyzing this, indiviudal unit (picture) quantization scale and bit allocation settings are prepared for a next pass for either a constant- or variable bit rate, whereby buffer boundaries are observed. In a second compression pass through the same data, a constant- or variable bit rate compressed bitstream is produced, but this time bypassing the embedded rate control mechanism, and using the prepared picture bit allocation and quantization scale settings instead. Additionally, a mechanism will supervise the total bit production accuracy.

Abstract: A high-performance radiation sensitive silicon-containing negative-tone resist is provided along with a method of using the silicon-containing resist in multilayer, including bilayer, imaging for manufacturing semiconductor devices. The negative-tone silicon-containing resist is based on an acid catalyzed high-contrast crosslinking of aqueous base soluble silicon-containing phenolic polymers through reaction of a carbocation of the crosslinking agent with the hydroxyl site of the phenolic group in the silicon-containing polymers. A chemically amplified silicon-containing negative-tone resist composition comprising said silicon-containing polymer resin; at least one crosslinking agent; one acid generator; and a solvent is provided. The silicon-containing resist composition has high silicon content and provide excellent resolution and a means of patterning high aspect ratio resist patterns.

Abstract: A precise thickness bulk etchable wafer material, that is responsive to protection with an oxide that inhibits insertion of an etch responsiveness altering material, is assembled with a membrane material that is susceptible to deposition processes. A bulk etch then removes most of the wafer. The arrangement permits the strength and rigidity of the bulk spacer to serve to permit the finely controllable deposition processes for ultra thin and wider ranges of membrane materials, the selective protection for spacer shaping and finally, the removal by the low stress process of etching, of the unused bulk spacer material. An oxide layer is patterned on a bulk spacer material wafer that has a thickness of the gap between an X-ray mask and the to be patterned oxide. The oxide on the bulk spacer material prevents conversion, through the exposed surface of the bulk spacer material wafer, of a portion of the wafer that is to serve as the spacer to a different etch responsiveness from that of the bulk spacer material.

Abstract: Passive cooling of a portable personal computer is enhanced by providing a capability for raising one side of a computer with respect to another thus exposing the bottom surface of the computer base to the ambient air with the heat being dissipated providing an air flow over the bottom surface of the base portion of the computer. A mechanism is provided that is actuated by opening the cover that positions the base in a tilted position. An improved keyboard angle also results.

Abstract: An arrangement and method for enhancing the cooling capacity of portable personal computers. More particularly, there is provided to the provision of an arrangement for increasing the cooling capacity of portable personal computers, particularly such as laptop or notebook computers. The computer possesses a keyboard having the rear edge thereof hingedly connected with the bottom of an openable display unit or panel, and containing heat-generating computer electronics, from which heat is removed through a heat pipe terminating in a coupling arrangement possessing elements which connect to and disconnect from each other when, respectively, docking and undocking the portable personal computer in a docking station so as to facilitate the transference of heat from the portable personal computer through the coupling arrangement into the docking station from whence the heat is dissipated to the surroundings through the intermediary of a heat sink.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for allocating bits to pictures in accordance with the bit allocation constraints for operation at both constant and variable bit rates. A statistical complexity measure which is an estimate of the average encoding complexity of the entire data is updated after encoding each picture. This set of parameters, along with an estimate of the encoding complexity of the current picture and the desired average coding rate is used to allocate target bits for encoding the current picture. One method of allocating bits to a picture is to used the statistical complexity measure to vary the instantaneous rate of encoding and allocate bits for this picture so as to generate encoded data at this rate. Another method is to modulate the target generated by a conventional encoder using the current level of the Virtual Buffer Verifier and the deviation of the estimated encoding complexity of the current picture from the statistical complexity measures.

Abstract: A lithographically patterned three dimensional stencil type mask is formed on a substrate over a specific area that is to undergo processing. The three dimensional mask functionally provides an energy beam stencil at a precise height over the specific area. The stencil has surface properties that provide a resist function for any scattering of a focused particle beam that passes through an aperture or opening in the center of the stencil, and is formed using standard in the art additive and subtractive processes so that it can be removed after the particle beam processing. It has a particular advantage in an application where it is desired to have sub regions in a pixel area in a liquid crystal display that can provide different domains which operate to provide different pretilt states to the liquid crystal which in turn widens the viewing range of the display.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for making an integrated circuit device comprising (i) a substrate, (ii) metallic circuit lines positioned on the substrate, and (iii) a dielectric material positioned on the circuit lines. The dielectric material comprises the condensation product of silsesquioxane in the presence of a photosensitive or thermally sensitive base generator.