Abstract: A converter for converting a single-ended input V.sub.IN to a differential output signal V.sub.OUT through positive and negative output terminals is disclosed. The converter comprises a fully differential amplifier with one of its input terminals coupled to the single-ended input and its other input terminal coupled to a fixed voltage. The converter also has a first resistor ("R.sub.1 ") coupled between the single-ended input and the positive input terminal of the fully differential amplifier, a second resistor ("R.sub.2 ") coupled between the fixed voltage and the negative input terminal of the fully differential amplifier, a third resistor ("R.sub.3 ") coupled between the positive input terminal and the negative output terminal of the fully differential amplifier, and a fourth resistor ("R.sub.

Abstract: The passive wind profilometer measures wind transverse to a line of sight as a function of range. Schlieren which are natural occurrences in wind act as refracting lenses which move along with the wind. The patches of refracted light are detected by use of a light-intensity-sensitive television. camera and a microprocessor. The range of the schlieren are determined from the scale size of the refracted patches of light. The microprocessor, using a specific algorithm for processing the light intensity data, then statistically compares the positions of the schlieren at different times to determine the wind velocity.

Abstract: Method for destroying radioactive graphite and silicon carbide in fuel elements containing small spheres of uranium oxide coated with silicon carbide in a graphite matrix, by treating the graphite fuel elements in a molten salt bath in the presence of air, the salt bath comprising molten sodium-based salts such as sodium carbonate and a small amount of sodium sulfate as catalyst, or calcium-based salts such as calcium chloride and a small amount of calcium sulfate as catalyst, while maintaining the salt bath in a temperature range of about 950.degree. to about 1,100.degree. C. As a further feature of the invention, large radioactive graphite fuel elements, e.g. of the above composition, can be processed to oxidize the graphite and silicon carbide, by introducing the fuel element into a reaction vessel having downwardly and inwardly sloping sides, the fuel element being of a size such that it is supported in the vessel at a point above the molten salt bath therein.

Abstract: The ACCELERATION DISTORTION RESISTANT RING LASER GYRO (RLG) (10) shown here includes a control mirror (12) subject to distortion beyond the path length control capabilities of the RLG (10) when subjected to intense translational acceleration in the direction (20) perpendicular to the face of the control mirror (12). An anti-parallel compensating mirror (14) is provided to offset the path length change. Additional design flexibility may be obtained by replacing the compensating mirror (14) with a compensating group of mirrors.

Abstract: For use with a quartz angular rate sensor, a frequency and phase-locked synthesizer recovers a reference signal virtually free of phase noise, and generates a quadrature-phase reference signal for complex demodulation of the angular rate signal. The synthesizer also ensures a precisely adjusted phase shift of approximately zero across the drive tines of the sensor. Moreover, the digital synthesizer provides a precise numerical indication of the drive frequency, which can be used for compensation and automatic tuning of filters, such as a tracking filter, a filter in an automatic gain control, and notch filters in the phase and/or frequency detectors in the digital synthesizer. The tracking filter is used as a pre-filter for the synthesizer, and is responsive to a passband-width control signal generated from the magnitude of the frequency and phase error signal controlling the frequency generated by the synthesizer.

Abstract: The invention uses transferable solder bump connection techniques in combination with a disposable test board to test and burn-in "as received" (i.e., untested) dies. Using transferable solder bumps, a die is first attached to the top of a disposable test board. The test board can be designed to allow 100% functional testing of the die as well as burn-in. Dies that successfully complete the test and burn-in process are considered to be "known good dies." Next, heat is applied to remove the known good die from the test board. A property of the invention is that solder bumps transfer with the die such that it can be used immediately in a flip-chip configuration and affixed to a MCM or other circuit board.

Abstract: A method to fabricate a tuning fork resonator gyro which uses non-piezoelectric substrate structure is proposed. The tuning fork structure can be effectively rendered piezoelectric for activation and sensing by thin film deposition of a piezoelectric material. Electrical excitation of the piezo film excites vibrations in the structure of the drive tuning fork, and the gyro signal generated due to rotation can be picked up from the piezo film on the signal tuning fork. Most piezoelectric films have a much higher piezoelectric coupling than crystalline quartz, the material used in the prior art. The piezoelectric films on mechanically hard non-piezoelectric substrates are simpler for fabrication, electroding, and have a number of other advantages over the prior art. Fabrication of the tuning fork structures can be done more simply than the prior art, and deposition of the piezo films can be accomplished by sol-gel, or other thin film techniques.

Abstract: A ring laser gyroscope detector lens system for mounting on a ring laser gyroscope body having a resonant cavity. The ring laser gyroscope body has CW and CCW counterpropagating light beams propagating in a plane normal to the rate input axis of the ring laser gyroscope. The ring laser gyroscope detector lens system comprises a means for extracting a component of each of the CW and a CCW light beams from the cavity and for providing extracted CW and CCW beams. A means for combining the extracted CW and CCW beams to form an interference light source receives the extracted light. A planar array of detector element receives light from an objective lens means responsive to the interference light source. The objective lens means is typically a cylindrical lens that forms an interference light source pattern on the planar array of detector elements. A bias and amplification means is provided for conditioning each of the detectors in the array to be independently responsive to incident light intensity.

Abstract: Low time-bandwidth product linear frequency modulated chirp pulses are repetitively generated as contiguous subpulses to form a pulse of extended duration with each subpulse respectively mixed with one of a plurality of stepped intermediated frequencies so that the bandwidth of the contiguous subpulses is increased to the frequency bandwidth of all of the stepped intermediate frequencies such that the contiguous signal formed has a linearly varying frequency over the increased bandwidth and increased pulse duration, providing a large time-bandwidth product linear frequency modulated chirp waveform particularly useful in radar systems.

Abstract: In a radio transmitter, a PM input signal is provided directly to a frequency synthesizer. The synthesizer includes a PLL having a reference frequency input signal and a controlled frequency output signal. The PLL includes a frequency divider which is directly connected in a feedback circuit path between the controlled frequency output signal and the PLL's phase-detector. The frequency divider has a frequency control input signal for setting a division ratio N for the divider, and a PM circuit has as input signal the PM input signal and the frequency control input signal. The PM circuit provides an offset signal to the phase detector output, so that the PLL creates a correcting phase signal resulting from the offset signal. The magnitude of the offset signal changes as a function of the change in the value of N.

Abstract: An adjustable digital synthesizer has frequency increments of a selected step size. The adjustable digital synthesizer includes a digital accumulator having N stages. The digital accumulator counts at a predetermined clock frequency such that, in response to each clock, the accumulator increments the step size determined by the digital input. The accumulator counts to 2.sup.Nth state and wraps around in response to an overflow. An adder, responsive to the overflow, adds an offset to the accumulator, the offset being a function of the difference between 2.sup.Nth times the minimum step size and the desired clock frequency.

Abstract: A bipolar modulator and its associated control devices for use with a high-efficiency amplifier in an RF transmitter. The modulator receives an inverted reference signal that has passed through at least two comparators. The modulator output is filtered and then rectified and coupled to a high-efficiency power amplifier.

Abstract: A transceiver which operates in separate transmit and receive bands has a first conversion stage for generating a first IF signal translation of a receive signal, which first conversion stage also functions as a first and final, hence, single conversion stage for generating a transmit signal at its transmission frequency. A modulated transmit signal component used in the single conversion to the transmission frequency of the transmission signal has harmonics which lie outside the transmission band and is of a frequency which permits a substantial overlap of transmit and receive injection frequencies generated by a first numerically controlled signal generator which are applied to a first mixer of the first conversion stage during respective transmit and receive mode operations.

Abstract: An RF voltage/current sensor apparatus comprising a plurality of transmission lines coupled through resistive means to voltage sense circuitry. The voltage sense circuitry utilizes transistor technology thereby reducing the use of switching relays, transformers and diodes thereby providing an apparatus operational over a frequency range from approximately two megahertz to two gigahertz.

Abstract: A method of preparing active, sinterable, finely-divided plutonium oxide (PuO.sub.2) powder from plutonium metal is disclosed. The process yields plutonium fissile material which can be easily blended to form a uniformly homogeneous powder for the fabrication of high-quality light water reactor ceramic fuel pellets. Such homogeneous fuels are required to prevent hot spots from developing in a reactor using the fuel.

Abstract: A generator for producing a flow of excited oxygen in the singlet delta electronic state comprising a vacuum chamber, an inlet feed system, an internal reaction zone, a method for cooling said reaction zone, an outlet system for separating the gas from the liquid, and a means for interfacing this device to a lasing device for directing the flowing singlet delta gas into a laser cavity.

Abstract: A railroad in-cab signaling system which includes transceivers disposed at signals where various transceivers are operating on different frequencies and addresses so as to provide for easy identification and highly secure communication to the signal transceiver and a tunable transceiver disposed on the locomotive, the locomotive transceiver being coupled to an interrogator which interrogates transponders disposed in the tracks, the transponders providing a message containing the predetermined frequency and address of the signal transceiver thereby allowing the locomotive transceiver to tune to the appropriate frequency and established a connection for the signal which it is approaching. The locomotive transceiver and the signal transceiver are then capable of exchanging information along the entire distance from the transponder to the signal.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of controlling the light intensity in a light source of variable emission affected by a drive signal. Spatial optical integration based upon light summation is incorporated into the accompanying encasement device at a backlight source by means of a light source support structure that allows light not directed toward a viewed surface, such as an LCD, to serve as a control input to the light drive signal.

Abstract: An active ring laser gyroscope having two optical amplifier diodes therein which are switched in such a fashion that the two counter propagating light pulses in the ring are never in an activated optical amplifier diode at the same time.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for accomplishing DC-to-AC power conversion that combine the AC outputs of n interleaved, time division multiplexed inverters and steer the secondary pulses positively or negatively, as commanded by the time varying reference signal, such that the effective switching, or sampled-data, frequency of any of the inverter or pulse-steering transistors. The n interleaved inverter system can, in turn, be paralleled such that, relative to a single inverter supplying all the power, the losses for any inverter transistor are 1/np, n due to time multiplexing and p due to paralleling.