Abstract: A solar cell assembly is fabricated by adapting efficient microelectronics assembly techniques to the construction of an array of small scale solar cells. Each cell is mounted on an individual carrier, which is a conventional integrated circuit (IC) package such as a dual-in-line package. Electrical connections are made between the cell and the carrier leads by automated wire bonding, followed by the emplacement of an optional secondary solar concentrator element if desired. The carriers are then automatically mounted and electrically connected to a common substrate, such as a printed circuit board, that has its own electrical interconnection network to interconnect the various cells. Finally, a primary concentrator lens assembly is placed over the array of cells. The resulting panel is thin and light weight, inexpensive to produce, allows for any desired interconnection to be made between the cells, and is capable of high conversion efficiencies.

Abstract: A test probe including a flexible membrane (12) having an array of test probe contacts (14) capable of softly and gently contacting pads on a device under test is provided with a structure that effectively applies tension to the membrane while at the same time automatically leveling the membrane and removing distortions. A small pressure plate (30) is bonded to the inner surface of the membrane behind the test probe contacts. A pressure post (58) having a pointed or rounded end (64) is pressed against the pressure plate (30a) and makes pivotal contact with the plate. A spring (50) including an adjustment screw (56) that axially adjusts the compression of the spring, applies pressure through the pivot point to the pressure plate and thus to the membrane at its test probe contacts.

Abstract: A resin system includes 100 parts by weight of an epoxy resin, from about 1/2 to about 10 parts by weight of an imidazole curing agent, and, optionally, an elastomeric material such as a rubber. The resin system without the elastomer is particularly useful as the matrix of a composite material or a potting compound, and the resin system with the elastomer is particularly useful as an adhesive. The resin system is cured at a low temperature and exhibits essentially no dimensional instability upon curing, and then is preferably post-cured at a higher temperature. The post-cured resin system has a softening temperature substantially higher than the normal post-cure temperature and has good mechanical properties.

Abstract: An electrical interconnection substrate (20) is prepared to receive both wire bonded and soldered connections (60,64,66) by forming a dielectric solder mask (30) over the substrate (20), with openings (36) in the mask (30) to expose the contact pads (22) for which soldered connections are desired. The substrate (20) is exposed to a molten solder alloy (44) in a wave soldering process that dissolves the wire bonding material (28) (preferably gold) from the exposed pads (22) and deposits solder bonding pads (52) in its place. Excess solder is then removed from the substrate, and openings (54) are formed through the solder mask (30) to expose the wire bond contact pads (22'). The selective dissolving of gold bonding layers (28) and their replacement by solder pads (52) prevents the establishment of brittle gold-solder intermetallics, and the deposited solder (52) requires no further heat treatment for correct alloy formation.

Abstract: A Multi-Chip-Module or MCM (66) is mounted on a supporting motherboard (64). A plurality of first contact pads (99) are formed on the module (66) adjacent to its peripheral edge for interconnection with microelectronic components (70,72,74,76,78) mounted on the module (66). Second contact pads (94) are formed on the motherboard (64) adjacent to respective first contact pads (99). A flexible cable (96) includes controlled impedance microstrip or stripline conductor (98) with first and second gold dots (100,102) at their ends. A frame (104) resiliently presses the first and second gold dots (100, 102) into connection with respective first and second contacts (99,94) for interconnection thereof.

Abstract: A test probe for testing an integrated circuit formed on an integrated circuit die. The probe comprises a printed circuit board interface having an opening in its center. A flexible membrane is formed on a bottom surface of the printed circuit board interface that is flexible in the middle thereof. A plurality of electrical traces and a plurality of bumps are formed on the flexible membrane that terminate at a plurality of termination pads that permit interfacing of the integrated circuit to the external test equipment. A clear plastic window is secured to the printed circuit board interface an a portion thereof protrudes into the opening in the interface. A cone shaped retainer having a circular opening at its center that abuts a bottom surface of the clear plastic window. A pivotable elastomer member having a truncated conical cross section abuts the bottom surface of the clear plastic window.

Abstract: An electrode has a substrate and a finely divided active material on the substrate. The active material is ANi.sub.x-y-z Co.sub.y Sn.sub.z, wherein A is a mischmetal or La.sub.1-w M.sub.w, M is Ce, Nd, or Zr, w is from about 0.05 to about 1.0, x is from about 4.5 to about 5.5, y is from 0 to about 3.0, and z is from about 0.05 to about 0.5. An electrochemical storage cell utilizes such an electrode as the anode. The storage cell further has a cathode, a separator between the cathode and the anode, and an electrolyte.

Abstract: A right angle waveguide junction for a microwave multiplexer is provided including a step in one of the waveguides for improved electrical response. A rectangular waveguide manifold (10) is coupled to a filter (12) which includes a coupling iris (14) and a circular cavity resonator (16). The circular cavity resonator is a circular waveguide with two ends closed by a metal wall. The structure of the waveguide multiplexer includes a step change (18) in the rectangular waveguide (10) height which controls the electrical response properties of the junction.

Abstract: In an electrical via structure and fabrication method that is particularly suited to coplanar contact solar cells, an initial opening (38,48a,48b,64) through the substrate is coated and substantially closed with a dielectric material (42,52,80). An inner opening (44) is then formed through the dielectric, and the via is provided with a conductive coating (46,54). The dielectric is initially applied in a liquid state and is thereafter cured to a solid. The need for strong chemical etchants to smooth the via opening prior to application of the dielectric and metallization is eliminated, and a polyimide dielectric on a GaAs/Ge solar cell has resulted in a substantial improvement in leakage resistance and cell efficiency.

Abstract: A mechanism for releasably retracting and storing a length of electrical cord (96,98,100,102,104) is formed of first and second pairs of cord pulleys (60,62,82,84) mounted at opposite ends of an elongated retractor frame (18). An intermediate section of a cord is stored in the frame and has one end (92) of the stored section fixed to the frame, with the other end (106) extending from the frame. The stored cord section is wound around the two pairs of cord pulleys (60,62,82,84), and one pair of pulleys (60,62) is slidably mounted for motion toward the other pair of pulleys (82,84) with a detachable latch (126) to lock the movable pulleys in position adjacent the fixed pulleys in a cord extended position. Springs (70,72) entrained around force direction changing spring pulleys (66,68) constantly urge the slidable pulleys (60,62) to an initial position wherein the cord is retracted.

Abstract: Lead wires extending out from an electrical circuit device are removed from respective bonding pads to which they are bonded by a lateral shearing action. Shearing can be accomplished either unidirectionally, or with a bidirectional reciprocating movement. A shearing tool is provided with a single shearing projection for a unidirectional shearing, or with a pair of spaced shearing projections for bidirectional shearing. A vertical alignment is established between the tool and a first lead to be sheared, and this initial alignment is also used for shearing the other leads of the device. With the actual bond between a lead and its bonding pad occupying only a minor portion of the available surface area, a subsequent lead from a replacement device is bonded to the same bonding pad as the first lead by forming a new bond at a different site along the pad.

Abstract: A flexible membrane (12) of an integrated circuit chip test probe is provided with raised contact features (14) on one side arranged in the pattern of contact pads of the chip to be tested. During manufacture, the membrane, in the area of its raised contact features, is specifically shaped by applying a vacuum to the outside of the membrane and casting a solid resilient elastomer (26) in place on the other side of the membrane to act as a shape retaining solid backup and to provide an anti-drape (226) shaped membrane (212) or to ensure planarity (326) of the ends of the membrane contact features (314). The vacuum may be used to pull the membrane and its contacts against a shape defining mandrel (60,260,360) while the elastomer is cast into place.

Abstract: An inexpensive arrangement for mounting multiple, closely spaced integrated circuit chips (18, 20, 22, 24) on a low temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) substrate (10) uses a mandrel-produced thin film decal (26) having patterns of interconnecting conductive traces (34, 46, 47) that connect to the fine pitch connecting pads (60) of the integrated circuit chips at one end and connect to the relatively coarse pitch connecting pads (50) of the low temperature co-fired ceramic substrate at the other end. The interconnect decal is formed independently of the LTCC substrate and is provided with chip connections at a pitch of about 0.004 inches. The interconnect pads of the decal are connected by conductive traces on the decal to the LTCC pads which have a pitch in the order of about 0.01 inches or greater.

Abstract: An electrical connector assembly includes two connector blocks that are coupled together by means of a jackscrew on one block that is screwed into a receiver on the other block. The jackscrew and receiver are formed from metal, while the remainder of the connector blocks are formed from a lower cost and lighter weight plastic. The receiver is held in place within a securing member in the second connector block, with the receiver and securing member having complimentary outer and inner polygon surfaces to keep the receiver from rotating. Axial receiver movement is prevented by a boss on the securing member that extends into a recess in the receiver, while the securing member is held against axial movement between a flange on one side and a securing cap on the other.

Abstract: An electrochemical storage cell (20) includes ceramic housing frame (22) with a flat plate solid ceramic electrolyte (32) bonded to a internal shoulder (26) of the housing frame (22) with a glassy seal (33). A metallic weld ring (34) is bonded to each end of the housing frame (22). Each weld ring (34) has a welding flange (36) disposed parallel to a respective end of the housing frame (22) and also has a bonding flange (40). The bonding flange (40) lies parallel and adjacent to an internal surface (24) of the housing frame (22) if the coefficient of thermal expansion of the weld ring (34) is less than that of the housing frame (22), and parallel and adjacent to an external surface (28) of the housing frame (22) if the coefficient of thermal expansion of the weld ring (34) is greater than that of the housing frame (22). A glassy seal (42) is formed between the bonding flange (40) of each weld ring (34) and the respective adjacent surface (24 or 28) of the housing frame (22).

Abstract: A membrane connector or test probe having a group of connector or test probe contacts (14) in a central contact section of the membrane (12) is initially stretched by being axially displaced from the plane of the peripheral membrane support (10). The test probe is cause to contact the pads (43,44) of device (42) to be tested and is then moved through an over travel distance that tends to decrease the amount of the stretch of the membrane. This decrease in stretch effects a small amount of lateral radial displacement of the test probe contacts to provide a scrubbing action that enhances electrical engagement with a circuit chip pad that may have a poorly conductive oxide coating. Substantially all of the stretch of the membrane is caused to be concentrated in and about the central contact section of the membrane at which the test probe contacts are located.

Abstract: A battery (20) includes a battery container (22), a base (30) attached to the interior of the wall (24) of the battery container (22), a compliant first weld ring (32) extending to a first side of the base (30), and a compliant second weld ring (34) extending to a second side of the base (30). A first electrochemical storage cell stack (36) is supported on a core (42) extending from the first weld ring (32), and a second electrochemical storage cell stack (38) is supported on a separate core (42) extending from the second weld ring (34). Each of the storage cell stacks (36,38) includes a set of storage cells (40) and a gas screen (68) between each of the storage cells (40). The gas screens (68) are dimensioned to extend outwardly to contact the wall (24) of the battery container (22), thereby serving to damp vibrations in the storage cell stack (36, 38 ).

Abstract: A method of forming a contact diffusion barrier in a thin geometry integrated circuit device involves implanting a second material into a low resistivity material that overlies the semiconductor to which contact is desired. The low resistivity and implanted materials are selected to intereact with each other and form a contact diffusion barrier. Both materials may include transition metals, in which case the diffusion barrier is a composite transition metal. Alternately, the low resistivity material may include a transition metal, while implantation is performed with nitrogen. The implantation is performed by plasma etching, preferably with active cooling, which can be combined in a continuous step with the etching of the contact opening. The resulting contact diffusion barrier is self-aligned with the contact opening, and is established only in the immediate vicinity of the opening.

Abstract: An electrically conductive stripline (16) is formed on a thermally fusible sheet (10), with a portion (16a) of the stripline (16) extending adjacent to an edge (10a) of the sheet (10). A cavity (18) is formed in another thermally fusible sheet (12) having an end (18) at an edge (12a) thereof. The sheets (10,12) are laminated together with their edges (10a,12a) aligned, and the cavity (18) aligned with and facing the edge portion (16a) of the stripline (16). A retaining pin (20) may be temporarily inserted into the cavity (18) to prevent collapse thereof during the lamination step. The laminated sheets (10,12) are heated to thermally fuse them together. An electrically conductive pin (28) is partially inserted into the cavity (18) and ohmically bonded to the stripline (18) to provide an external connection.

Abstract: A dielectric structure (12) includes a plurality of stacked sheets (16) of low thermal conductivity, low-temperature-cofired-ceramic (LTCC) tape formed with a hole (18) therethrough. A heat sink (20) includes a plurality of stacked sheets (22) of high thermal conductivity LTCC tape disposed in the hole (18). The high thermal conductivity sheets (22) and the low thermal conductivity sheets (16) are cofired to produce the heat sink (20) as an in-situ element in the dielectric structure (12). A heat generating electrical component (28) is mounted on the heat sink (20) in thermal communication therewith. The dielectric structure (12) is mounted on a high thermal conductivity substrate (24) with the heat sink (20) in thermal communication with the substrate (24) to conduct away heat generated by the component (28). The high thermal conductivity sheets (22) and the substrate (24) can be electrically conductive and electrically communicate with the component (28), or can be electrically insulative.