Abstract: A method of manufacturing a thin-film transistor or like structure provides conductive “tails” below an overhang region formed by a top gate structure. The tails increase in thickness as they extend outward from a point under the overhang to the source and drain contacts. The tails provide a low resistance conduction path between the source and drain regions and the channel, with low parasitic capacitance. The thickness profile of the tails is controlled by the deposition of material over and on the lateral side surfaces of the gate structure.

Abstract: A display device uses the presence or absence of a pigmented fluid in a pixel to indicate pixel state. Fluid flow to or extraction from individual pixels is controlled through manipulation of row and column fluid pressures. A pixel wall opposite a viewer may be provided with a background color contrasting the color of the pigmented fluid. When present in the pixel, the pigmented fluid obscures the colored wall of the pixel, and viewer sees the pixel as the color of the fluid (a first state). When the fluid is absent from the pixel, the viewer sees the pixel as the color of the wall of the pixel (a second state). When partially present, the fluid color and the wall color mix to provide grayscale display.

Abstract: A collaboration system and method are provided. In the collaboration system, a collaborative web service is provided that mimics the simplicity of email and the collaboration system can be integrated into other databases.

Abstract: A simplified rear suspension for a bicycle or the like comprises a wishbone seatstay structure. The wishbone structure is provided with a first extension extending toward the seat junction. A low friction guide component, for example a spherical element, is provided at the distal end of the extension. A second extension is provided at the seat junction, with a hollow interior for receiving the guide component. The guide component slides with little friction and play within the hollow interior. A stop member may also be provided within the hollow interior, stopping travel of the guide component under load. Motion of the rear wheel (via dropout) relative to the main frame (e.g., from the terrain) is translated into motion of the guide component within the hollow interior. The chainstays, in a pivotless arrangement, provide a moment which acts as a spring, resisting the motion of the dropouts and providing shock absorption and/or damping for improved ride and control.

Abstract: A plurality of vertically spaced-apart microsprings are provided to increase microspring contact force, contact area, contact reliability, and contact yield. The microspring material is deposited, either as a single layer or as a composite of multiple sub layers, to have a tailored stress differential along its cross-section. A lower microspring may be made to push up against an upper microspring to provide increased contact force, or push down against a substrate to ensure release during manufacture. The microsprings may be provided with similar stress differentials or opposite stress differentials to obtain desired microspring profiles and functionality. Microsprings may also be physically connected at their distal ends for increased contact force. The microsprings may be formed of electrically conductive material or coated with electrically conductive material for probe card and similar applications.

Abstract: A GaN/AlN superlattice is formed over a GaN/sapphire template structure, serving in part as a strain relief layer for growth of subsequent layers (e.g., deep UV light emitting diodes). The GaN/AlN superlattice mitigates the strain between a GaN/sapphire template and a multiple quantum well heterostructure active region, allowing the use of high Al mole fraction in the active region, and therefore emission in the deep UV wavelengths.

Abstract: Scan line position error resulting in banding, bow, skew, etc. is corrected by way of an agile beam steering mirror assembly in a ROS printing system and the like. The agile beam steering mirror system comprises a piezoelectric bending actuator fixedly mounted to a substrate at a proximate end thereof. A mirror structure is mounted at a free distal end of the bending actuator. Voltage applied to the bending actuator causes rotation of the mirror to thereby correct for positional errors of the scan line. Correction waveforms may be stored in control memory associated with the agile beam steering mirror assembly. A capacitive sensing circuit using a sensing electrode located beneath the free end of the bending actuator may be used in a feedback arrangement to determine and control mirror position.

Abstract: A planar fingerprint pattern detecting array includes a large number of individual skin-distance sensing cells that are arranged in a row/column configuration. Each sensing cell includes an amplifier having an ungrounded input mode and an ungrounded output node. Output-to-input negative feedback that is sensitive to the fingerprint pattern is provided for each amplifier by way of (1) a first capacitor plate that is placed vertically under the upper surface of a dielectric layer and is connected to the ungrounded amplifier input node, (2) a second capacitor plate that is placed vertically under the upper surface of the dielectric layer in close horizontal spatial relation to the first capacitor plate and is connected to the ungrounded output node, and (3) an ungrounded fingertip whose fingerprint pattern is to be detected, which ungrounded fingertip is placed on the upper surface of the dielectric layer in close vertical spatial relation with the first and second capacitor plates.

Abstract: A system and method for providing improved surface quality following removal of a substrate and template layers from a semiconductor structure provides an improved surface quality for a layer (such as a quantum well heterostructure active region) prior to bonding a heat sink/conductive substrate to the structure. Following the physical removal of a sapphire substrate, a sacrificial coating such as a spin-coat polymer photoresist is applied to an exposed GaN surface. This sacrificial coating provides a planar surface, generally parallel to the planes of the interfaces of the underlying layers. The sacrificial coating and etching conditions are selected such that the etch rate of the sacrificial coating approximately matches the etch rate of GaN and the underlying layers, so that the physical surface profile during etching approximates the physical surface profile of the sacrificial coating prior to etching.

Abstract: A print patterned mask is formed a digital lithographic process on the surface of a photoresist or similar material layer. The print patterned mask is then used as a development or etching mask, and the underlying layer overdeveloped or overetched to undercut the print patterned mask. The mask may be removed and the underlying structure used an etch mask or as a final structure. Fine feature widths, narrower the minimum width of the print patterned mask features, may be obtained while realizing the benefits of digital lithography in the manufacturing process.

Abstract: An apparatus for storage, selective inspection, and execution of complex, contingent rules, comprises a computer having one or more central processing units, a user interface, and magnetic, optical, or other media for data and program storage and retrieval. Rules are defined partly as programs and partly as data. Access procedures for selecting certain appropriate rules under the defined conditions. A display or other output procedures for conveying the results of the rule selections to people, to the computer executing the rules, and to other computers.

Abstract: Susceptibility of darkfield etch masks (majority of the mask area is opaque) to pinhole defects, transferred pattern, non-uniformity, etc. due to ejector dropout or drop misdirection, and long duty cycles due to large-area coverage, when using digital lithography (or print patterning) is addressed by using a clear-field print pattern that is then coated with etch resist material. The printed clear field pattern is selectively removed to form an inverse pattern (darkfield) within the coated resist layer. Etching then removes selected portions of an underlying (e.g., encapsulation, conductive, etc.) layer. Removal of the mask produces a layer with large-area features with substantially reduced defects.

Abstract: A digital lithographic process first deposits a mask layer comprised of print patterned mask features. The print patterned mask features define gaps into which a target material may be deposited, preferably through a digital lithographic process. The target material is cured or hardened, if necessary, into target features. The mask layer is then selectively removed. The remaining target features may then be used as exposure or etch masks, physical structures such as fluid containment elements, etc. Fine feature widths, narrower the minimum width of the print patterned mask features, may be obtained while realizing the benefits of digital lithography in the manufacturing process.

Abstract: The invention includes a method of tracking distributed content within a computer network. The method includes the step of identifying the delivery of a set of Network Information Monitors (NIMs). Information about each NTM within the set of NIMs is tracked. The information includes a first time at which a user opens a selected NIM, a second time at which the user closes the selected NW, and an identifier for the selected NIM. The information is used to determine sub-sets of NIMs that are displayed simultaneously. The invention also includes a method of identifying the delivery of a Network Information Monitor (NIM) to a user. Content information for the NIM is recorded. NIM use activity is tracked the user for a set of NIMs. The content information is correlated with the NIM use activity.

Abstract: A self-aligned, thin-film, top-gate transistor and method of manufacturing same are disclosed. A first print-patterned mask is formed over a metal layer by digital lithography, for example by printing with a phase change material using a droplet ejector. The metal layer is then etched using the first print-patterned mask to form source and drain electrodes. A semiconductive layer and an insulative layer are formed thereover. A layer of photosensitive material is then deposited and exposed through the substrate, with the source and drain electrodes acting as masks for the exposure. Following development of the photosensitive material, a gate metal layer is deposited. A second print-patterned mask is then formed over the device, again by digital lithography. Etching and removal of the photosensitive material leaves the self-aligned top-gate electrode.

Abstract: A device for indicating elapsed time by way of the state of indicators is disclosed, such indicators being arranged in at least four groups such that the first two groups taken together indicate elapsed hours and the second two groups taken together indicate elapsed minutes. The indicators are switchable between a first and second state, such as illuminated or not illuminated. The number of indicators in a first state, such as illuminated, indicate the value of a digit.

Abstract: A method for partially verifying the legitimacy of a remote purchase request based on a card number from a card issuing financial institution. The method includes receiving and storing a first purchase request information set including an origin and a card number. Further, the origin and the card number are sent to the card issuing financial institution to determine if the origin matches an origin on file for the card number at the card issuing financial institution.

Abstract: An organic, top-surface, semiconducting dielectric overcoat, having a selected time constant permits electric field charge and dissipation at a selected rate to facilitate particulate material movement over an underlying electrode grid. The coating may be made from a compound including bisphenol A polycarbonate, or similar material, and a charge transport molecule (e.g. m-TBD). A planarized, wear resistant, chemically stable surface, with minimized inter-electrode build-up are also provided by the overcoat.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a magnetic disk comprises the steps of: a) providing a substrate with a layer of an amorphous multi-component material at its surface; b) irradiating the amorphous layer (e.g. by applying heat from a heating element, laser beam, or the like) to thereby create micro-structurally changed regions in the amorphous layer; and c) chemo-mechanically polishing the amorphous layer to produce micro-texture features at or near the micro-structurally changed regions. The disk is then completed by depositing additional layers such as an underlayer, a magnetic layer, a protective overcoat, etc.