Abstract: The invention is a method of plating a nonmetallic substrate comprising the steps of depositing an adhesion enhancing film on the substrate, treating the adhesion enhancing film to make the film catalytic, and forming an outer coating and passivating plate on the adhesion enhancing film. The resulting plated, nonmetallic substrates may comprise any number of materials used as an inner substrate such as compounds of oxide, nitride, phosphide, carbide, glass, ceramic, and mixtures thereof. In use, the resulting substrate may find application in any number of data storage and retrieval application.

Abstract: A lubricated thin film magnetic disk including a substrate; an underlayer deposited on the substrate; a magnetic alloy film deposited on the underlayer; an overcoat; and a film of lubricant deposited on the magnetic alloy film, the lubricant comprising an amine-stabilized perfluoropolyether polymer having a backbone comprising repeating units of: ##STR1## wherein n is an integer from 1 to 4 and the polymer backbone is terminated with at least one amine end group.

Abstract: A disk substrate fabricated front an inner substrate having a specific stiffness greater than about 7.6 Mpsi/gm/cc and an encapsulating layer deposited over the inner substrate. The inner substrate may include materials such as alumina, silicon carbide, beryllium, boron carbide, aluminum, and mixtures thereof. The encapsulating layer may be made from aluminum, magnesium, copper, zinc, and mixtures thereof. The disk substrate may additionally comprise a finishing layer deposited on the encapsulating layer fabricate from a material such as nickel or an alloy thereof.

Abstract: An uncured thermosetting composition which is capable of curing upon exposure to actinic radiation is disclosed. The composition includes an acetal diepoxide of the formula: ##STR1## wherein R and R' are individually an aliphatic epoxy, or a cycloaliphatic epoxy; R.sub.1 and R.sub.4 are individually an alkyl, substituted alkyl, aryl, aryl alkyl; and R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 are individually hydrogen, alkyl, alkoxy, substituted alkyl aryl, alkyl aryl, and cyclic alkyl; as well as a photoinitiator, and an inorganic filler. The composition of the invention may also include a second epoxy functional resin, a flexibilizer, and other adjuvants. Other aspects of the invention include the cured resin encapsulant and a method of recovering the resin from a circuit assembly.

Abstract: The invention is an encapsulated circuit assembly including a chip; a substrate; at least one solder joint, wherein the solder joint spans between the chip and the substrate forming an electrically conductive connection between the chip and the substrate; and an encapsulant formed adjacent the solder joint, wherein the encapsulant comprises a hyperbranched polymer formed by the reaction of a monomer of the formula: (A).sub.n RB, wherein A is a coupling group reactive with B, B is a coupling group reactive with A, n is greater than 1, and R is a group selected from the group consisting of an aromatic group, an aliphatic group, and mixtures thereof.

Abstract: A magnetic recording data storage device includes a magnetic recording disk, a spindle motor, a head supported on an air bearing carrier and an actuator connected to the head carrier for moving the head across the rotating disk. The spindle motor has lubricant covered ball bearings where the lubricant includes an alkali hydroxystearate, an ester oil, a dialkyldiphenylamine and a dialkyldithiocarbamate.

Abstract: A cleavable epoxy resin composition suitable for encapsulating electronic chips and a method for making the composition comprises the cured reaction product of a diepoxide; a cyclic dicarboxylic anhydride curing agent mixture; a 1,3-diaza compound having two nitrogen atoms present with one nitrogen atom doubly bonded to the central carbon and singly bonded to one other carbon, and the other nitrogen atom singly bonded to the central carbon and singly bonded to another carbon and singly bonded to a hydrogen. The 1,3-diaza compound serves either as the sole catalyst or in combination with a tertiary amine catalyst different from the diaza compound. The composition may include an optional hydroxy functional compound capable of reacting with the cyclic anhydrides to form a half ester thereby initiating the reaction between the diepoxide and the cyclic dicarboxylic anhydride curing agent. The resin can be used for the encapsulation of electronic parts, but can be removed by a solvent.

Abstract: A method for preparing the air bearing surface of a slider for etch patterning including the steps of applying a first thin film to a carrier, applying a second thin film to the carrier, the first thin film and the second thin film separated by a recess, each of the first and second thin films having respective first and second air bearing surfaces, applying an adhesive film over the first and second thin films, depositing a fluid in the recess, the fluid held in the recess by the adhesive film, curing the fluid, and removing the adhesive film. The method of the invention may also include coating the first and second air bearing surfaces with an etch mask, developing the etch mask, and patterning the first and second air bearing surfaces.

Abstract: A system for removing protective coatings from a circuit board assembly. The system includes a tool for removing protective coatings from a circuit board assembly. The tool has a flow head, which includes a support, having an opening which is adapted to contact the circuit board assembly and flow solvent to the surface of the circuit board. The flow head may also include a solvent nozzle positioned within the support. The solvent nozzle has an opening adapted to apply solvent to the circuit board assembly. The flow head also includes a solvent recovery volume positioned beneath the support and adjacent to the nozzle. The system also includes a second solvent reservoir, a mechanism for applying heat to the reservoir, and a mechanism for circulating solvent from the reservoir to the flow head and back to the reservoir.

Abstract: A semiconductor device including a conductive substrate, an insulator layer, a silicon layer doped with impurities and forming a first transistor and a second transistor, an isolation volume between said first transistor and said second transistor, and a conductive stud extending from the doped silicon layer to the substrate.

Abstract: The invention is a method of plating a nonmetallic substrate comprising the steps of depositing an adhesion enhancing film on the substrate, treating the adhesion enhancing film to make the film catalytic, and forming an outer coating and passivating plate on the adhesion enhancing film. The resulting plated, nonmetallic substrates may comprise any number of materials used as an inner substrate such as compounds of oxide, nitride, phosphide, carbide, glass, ceramic, and mixtures thereof. In use, the resulting substrate may find application in any number of data storage and retrieval application.

Abstract: The claimed invention is an uncured thermosetting composition which is capable of curing upon exposure to actinic radiation, said composition comprising an acetal diacrylate of the formula: ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are individually hydrogen, C.sub.1-6 alkyl, aryl, or substituted aryl; R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 are individually C.sub.1-6 alkyl, aryl, substituted alkyl, or aryl alkyl; and R.sub.5 and R.sub.6 are individually hydrogen or C.sub.1-6 alkyl; and a free radical curing agent.

Abstract: The invention relates to an aqueous polyvinyl alcohol/polyvinyl acetate-based composition which can be applied to a cured rubber surface, such as the white sidewall of a tire, to provide a protective coating against staining and scuffing. Preferably, the aqueous composition includes a polysiloxane agent for increasing the scuff resistance and high humidity resistance.

Abstract: The invention increases the reliability of a data storage device. The data storage devices contain a memory element disk, containing data, the memory element disk being rotatably mounted about an axis, a transducer head, an actuator for moving the transducer head relative to the disk, and a counter for counting the number of seek operations performed by the transducer head. The invention may include setting a threshold seek value T.sub.seek and comparing this value to the actual seek performed by the head, V.sub.seek, to determine the need for a stop/start operation. Alternatively, the invention includes defining threshold seek operation count T.sub.seek, counting the number of seek operations to determine M.sub.seek since the last stop/start operation, recalling the total number of seek operations completed by the data storage device to define N.sub.seek, defining D.sub.seek by determining the difference between N.sub.seek and M.sub.seek, and determining whether D.sub.seek is equal to or greater than T.sub.

Abstract: A direct access storage device includes a base, a spindle and a hub supporting at least one data storage disk. The hub is mounted for rotation about the spindle by a motor having a bearing assembly. The device also preferably comprises an enclosure which contains the spindle and the hub. An annular member is secured to the hub and surrounds the spindle. The annular member has an upper and lower portion defined by a radial cavity which is open to the spindle. The lower portion is closer to the bearing assembly than the upper portion. The upper portion is exposed to ambient gas within the enclosure. Each of the upper and lower portions have an inside diameter surface facing the spindle with a gap therebetween. The upper portion has a vent hole in fluid communication with the radial cavity. The vent hole is positioned away from the end to the radial cavity to define a containment volume.

Abstract: The invention relates to an electromagnetic control (EMC) contact strip. In one embodiment, the strip is mounted to an electrically conductive surface which is adapted to slide in a direction into and out of engagement with another electrically conductive surface. The strip has a base having a length, and a contact formed along the length of the base and defined by a plurality of inverted V-shaped members projecting therefrom. The inverted V-shaped members are compressible in a direction towards the base upon application of a force against the inverted V-shaped members in a direction substantially perpendicular to the length of the base.

Abstract: A method for producing reduced fat deep fried comestibles. The method particularly applies to preparing french fries from whole potatoes. The method involves coating the comestible with a mixture of ungelatinized amylose and calcium, blanching the coated comestible, dehydrating the blanched comestible to achieve about a 5% to a 30% total weight loss, and then parfrying the dehydrated comestible at about 270.degree. F. to about 340.degree. F. for up to about 3 minutes. The parfried comestible may then be frozen and then finish fried or alternatively may immediately be finish-fried. The resulting comestible has an appetizing flavor, texture and has up to a 40% reduced fat content as compared to conventionally prepared deep fried goods.

Abstract: A method of forming a self-aligned contact to a transistor component located on a semiconductor substrate comprising forming a transistor component opening in a masking layer overlying a semiconductor substrate and using epitaxial lateral overgrowth to form a self-aligned contact, the epitaxial overgrowth beginning in the masking layer opening at an upper surface of the semiconductor substrate and extending normal to and laterally over the masking layer surface.

Abstract: A method of forming a self-aligned contact to a transistor component located on a semiconductor substrate comprising forming a transistor component opening in a masking layer overlying a semiconductor substrate and using epitaxial lateral overgrowth to form a self-aligned contact, the epitaxial overgrowth beginning in the masking layer opening at an upper surface of the semiconductor substrate and extending normal to and laterally over the masking layer surface.

Abstract: An absolute pressure sensor capsule and sensor resulting therefrom are disclosed. In one preferred embodiment, the capsule includes a sensor die of a first material, an intermediate spacer of a second material joined to the die and a base plate of a third material, the base plate having a variable thickness for changing the span shift, null shift, and static pressure of the die while compensating for changes in the calibration of the electrical die components.