Abstract: A system and method for detecting changes in the refractive index of a fluid in a small test volume. A change in the refractive index can indicate a change in the chemical composition of the fluid. The test volume has a depth comparable to or less than the wavelength of incident light. In one embodiment, an internal surface of the volume is coated with a binding partner selected to bind with a targeted molecule. When the targeted molecule binds to the binding partner, the optical properties of the system change. The refractive index is determined by illuminating the test volume with laser light and measuring transmitted or reflected light.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for making a package having improved heat conduction characteristics and high frequency response. A relatively thick package substrate, such as copper, has a wiring layer bonded to one face, leaving the opposite face exposed, for example, to be a surface for connection to a heat sink. One ore more chips are bonded to the wiring layer, and an array of connectors, such as solder balls are provided around the periphery of the chip(s) for connection to a printed circuit board. In some embodiments, the printed circuit board has a hole that the chip(s) extend into to allow smaller external-connection solder balls. In some embodiments, a second heat sink is connected to the back of the chip through the PCB hole.

Abstract: A computer-implemented system and method for performance profiling on a target device. The computer-implemented method includes configuring the target device to operate in a first mode or a second mode, and receiving a write command from a host device. When the target device is configured to operate in the first mode, the method includes sending an authorization to send write data to the host device, and receiving write data from the host device. When the target device is configured to operate in the second mode, the method includes allocating a reserved write buffer on the target device, and receiving write data from the host device using the write buffer.

Abstract: Many integrated circuits include a type of transistor known as a bipolar junction transistor, which has an emitter contact formed of polysilicon. Unfortunately, polysilicon has a relatively high electrical resistance that poses an obstacle to improving switching speed and current gain of bipolar transistors. Current fabrication techniques involve high temperature procedures that melt desirable low-resistance substitutes, such as aluminum, during fabrication. Accordingly, one embodiment of the invention provides an emitter contact structure that includes a polysilicon-carbide layer and a low-resistance aluminum, gold, or silver member to reduce emitter resistance. Moreover, to overcome manufacturing difficulties, the inventors employ a metal-substitution technique, which entails formation of a polysilicon emitter, and then substitution or cross-diffusion of metal for the polysilicon.

Abstract: Method, apparatus and computer software provide for the loading of configuration data from a remote source to set the initial configuration of a computing system during a boot process. One or more software components are operable on the computing system to determine if configuration data is to be retrieved from a remote source, configure a network interface and determining if the network is active, establish a route to a server storing the configuration data, download the configuration data from the server to the computing system, verify that the configuration data was received correctly, and use the downloaded configuration data to at least in part set the initial configuration of the computing system. When remote data is unavailable, configuration data from a local source is used to set the initial configuration of the computing system.

Abstract: Integrated circuit packages that connect solder balls between solder ball pads of a die and substrate pads of a printed circuit board (PCB). The solder balls are electrically disconnected from any circuit of the die, i.e., “dummy” solder balls, and are used to temporarily hold the die in position with respect to the PCB until the circuit is wire bonded and an underfill material is cured between the die and the PCB to more permanently connect them together. The underfill material is selected to have a coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) that is substantially equal to the CTE of the solder balls to prevent thermal mismatch problems. An overmolding compound is disposed about the die and the underfill material and about the wire bonds to complete the package. Various arrangements of the solder ball pads on the die include columnar and row, corner, diagonal, cross, and periphery arrangements.

Abstract: An implantable cardiac device is configured and programmed to assess a patient's cardiopulmonary function by evaluating the patient's heart rate response. Such evaluation may be performed by computing a heart rate response slope, defined as the ratio of an incremental change in intrinsic heart rate to an incremental change in measured activity level. The heart rate response slope may then be compared with a normal range to assess the patient's functional status.

Abstract: One aspect of the present subject matter relates to a partially depleted silicon-on-insulator structure. The structure includes a well region formed above an oxide insulation layer. In various embodiments, the well region is a multilayer epitaxy that includes a silicon germanium (Si—Ge) layer. In various embodiments, the well region includes a number of recombination centers between the Si—Ge layer and the insulation layer. A source region, a drain region, a gate oxide layer, and a gate are formed. In various embodiments, the Si—Ge layer includes a number of recombination centers in the source/drain regions. In various embodiments, a metal silicide layer and a lateral metal Schottky layer are formed above the well region to contact the source region and the well region. Other aspects are provided herein.

Abstract: Packet sequence numbers of request packets and response packets of transactions transferring data to or from a network interface are tracked. For every request packet transmitted by the network interface, the packet sequence number of the packet is written to a location in a circular send queue pointed to by a write pointer and a valid bit at the location is set. The write pointer is incremented if the packet is a read request packet. Alternatively, a read indicator at the location in the circular send queue pointed to by the write pointer is cleared if the packet is not a read request packet. For every response packet received by the network interface, the packet sequence number of the response packet is checked against the packet sequence number stored at the location in the circular send queue pointed to by the read pointer of the circular send queue.

Abstract: A retainer secures one or more printed wiring assemblies in a processor unit. In one embodiment, the retainer has one or more protuberances that abut against a wiring assembly to secure it in place, or sit within a cutout section in the wiring assembly to secure the assembly in a serviceable position.

Abstract: The expression and subcellular localization of peripheral-type benzodiazepine receptors (PBR) is shown in this application to correlate with the metastatic potential of cells, and increased cell proliferation. Inhibition of PBR expression, function or stability results in a decrease in cell proliferation. Compositions and methods for regulating and/or monitoring PBR and its expression are useful for the detection, diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of solid tumors, in particular, breast cancer.

Abstract: A high precision force and displacement measuring device adapted to operate in at least two directions, including signal multiplexing scheme providing multiple signal channels to be transmitted through a single pick-up plate and sense amplifier, while maintaining high isolation between the channels, as well as identical electrical response characteristics of all channels. The device may be used in conjunction with a movable stage (such as on an optical microscope) to perform mechanical measurements on Micro Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) devices.

Abstract: The present invention provides for wood based panels (e.g., OSB or plywood) that are termite resistant, fungal resistant, or a combination thereof; and methods of manufacturing the same.

Abstract: A process comprising, providing an agricultural biofuel to a fluidized bed reactor and combusting the agricultural biofuel to produce heat and/or steam is disclosed. In one embodiment, the agricultural biofuel is selected from the group consisting of agricultural crops, crop residues, grain processing facility waste, value-added agricultural facility byproducts, livestock production facility waste, livestock processing facility waste and food processing facility waste. In one embodiment, the heat and/or steam is used to generate electricity. In other embodiments, the heat and/or steam is used to power the grain processing facility, livestock production facility, livestock processing facility or food processing facility. In another embodiment, one or more environmental controls are used. In a particular embodiment, ethanol byproducts are used as the agricultural biofuel.

Abstract: The invention provides methods for separating outer birch bark from inner birch bark. The invention also provides methods for isolating betulin; lupeol; betulinic acid; 9,10-epoxy-18-hydroxyoctadecanoic acid; 9,10,18-trihydroxyoctadecanoic acid; polyphenolic polymers and fatty acids from birch bark.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for making pad structures suitable for wirebonding and, optionally, also for solder-ball connections. Some embodiments include an electronics chip having a substrate with circuitry, a compliant electrically insulating layer deposited on at least a portion of the substrate, and an electrical connection pad, the pad having an electrical connection to the circuitry through an aperture in the insulating layer and a peripheral bonding zone region extending over the insulating layer. In some embodiments, the bonding zone is exclusively over the insulating layer outside of the aperture. In some embodiments, the pads are suitable for both solder-ball and wirebond connections. By making a wirebond connection to an area of a pad over the compliant insulating layer, the underlying circuitry is protected from ultrasonic energy of the bonding process.

Abstract: A wireless local area network (WLAN) device (200, FIG. 2) includes a medium access control (MAC) device (204) and a physical (PHY) device (202). The PHY device receives and transmits frames (FIG. 3) over a wireless medium. The MAC device detects (604, FIG. 6) when receipt is completed of a physical layer convergence procedure (PLCP) header (304, FIG. 3) of a received frame. Based on information that the MAC device extracts (606) from the PLCP header, the MAC device predicts (618) header information for a response frame before receipt of the received frame has completed. The PHY device begins transmitting (1110, FIG. 11) the response frame preamble (302, FIG. 3) upon expiration of an interframe space (IFS).

Abstract: Structures and methods are provided which include a selective electroless copper metallization. The present invention includes a novel methodology for forming copper vias on a substrate, including depositing a thin film seed layer of Palladium (Pd) or Copper (Cu) on a substrate to a thickness of less than 15 nanometers (nm). A number of via holes is defined above the seed layer. A layer of copper is deposited over the seed layer using electroless plating to fill the via holes to a top surface of the patterned photoresist layer. The method can be repeated any number of times, forming second, third and fourth layers of copper. The photoresist layers along with the seed layers in other regions can then be removed, such as by oxygen plasma etching, such that a chemical mechanical planarization process is avoided.

Abstract: A maximum likelihood detector receiving a data stream corresponding to ideal values which may include noise, and outputting information specifying a sequence of states of maximum likelihood selected from possible states corresponding to the data stream according to weighting value selections made by the processors, the ideal values being determined by the possible states, including: a pre-processor to obtain first weighting values; processors in a hierarchy, each processor in a select level of the hierarchy is programmed to use, respectively, a plurality of the weighting values to calculate subsequent weighting values indicating respective likelihoods that a section of the data stream values corresponds to each of a plurality of possible state sequences, for each possible initial state and each possible final state, to select further weighting value of highest likelihood corresponding to a state sequence from the initial state to the final state.

Abstract: A process of making a strained silicon-on-insulator structure is disclosed. A recess is formed in a substrate to laterally isolate an active area. An undercutting etch forms a bubble recess under the active area to partially vertically isolate the active area. A thermal oxidation completes the vertical isolation by use of a minifield oxidation process. The recess is filled to form a shallow trench isolation structure. An active device is also disclosed that is achieved by the process. A system is also disclosed that uses the active device.