Abstract: A beam of radiant energy such as a laser beam is applied to an epitaxial silicon island on a silicon on sapphire device before formation of overlying layers of oxide and metal. The energy beam changes the crystal structure of the epitaxial silicon island to increase the mobility of carriers in the silicon island, improving the speed of transistors formed on the silicon island. The energy beam also causes the material in the silicon island edge to reflow, causing a reduction in the slope of the edge face of the silicon island edge, and a smoothing of the surface of the face, resulting in improved aluminum step coverage and elimination of a V-shaped groove in the first insulation layer at the bottom corner edge of the island, thereby increasing processing yield.

Abstract: For controlling passage of energy through a variable transmittance window, an enclosure (12) is positioned in the path of the energy. A reservoir (22), saturated with working fluid, is coupled by a conduit (20) to the enclosure. The working fluid is selected to have a property which is capable of affecting passage of the energy through or into the enclosure. By applying or withdrawing heat from the reservoir, working fluid is respectively supplied to, or withdrawn from, the space within enclosure 12. Depending upon the properties of the working fluid, enclosure 12 will operate as an absorber, reflector or transmitter of light or thermal or other energy.

Abstract: A missile or rocket detent and positive release mechanism is actuated by the thrustor of a rocket (10). The mechanism is mounted on a housing (42) to which a rocket launcher tube (15) is secured. A spring-loaded lever (50), having a notch (52) and a cam follower (55) at opposite ends, lies parallel to the rocket and is pivoted to the housing. Its notched end extends into the launch tube for positively locking the rocket into place. A spring-loaded sear (62) also lies parallel to the housing, is reciprocable on the launcher, and has a cam (64) which rests against the first lever's follower. At its other end, the sear is pivoted to a toggle (44) lying perpendicular to the housing so that one end (48b) nests against a housing end surface (46) and its other end (48a) extends into the path of the exhaust from the rocket's thrustor.

Abstract: A Schottky-barrier gate gallium arsenide field effect structure is made using a self-aligned gate fabrication technique. The resulting device includes source and drain regions, which are parts of a conducting channel formed through ion implantation or epitaxial growth or a combination of the two. A gate is formed on the same channel by first etching a portion of the channel between the source and the drain regions to form a gate window which then receives a Schottky-barrier gate electrode.

Abstract: A seal 34 formed of a resilient helical coil 42 which is stressed at its small end to form a stationary seal in its groove 36 and stressed to unwind at its large end 44 to form a dynamic seal against the cylinder wall 22. A helical coil 56 of low friction material can be interleaved to supply dry lubricant.

Abstract: A non-volatile semiconductor latch having at least one variable threshold FATMOS transistor in the cross-coupled latch branches. To accomplish non-volatile reading, the latch nodes (X.sub.1, X.sub.2) are briefly precharged positively so that when the precharging ends and the nodes descend towards the negative supply voltage, the FATMOS(s), by virtue of their varied thresholds, place the latch in its correct logic state dictated by an earlier non-volatile write operation. Precharging, by means of transistors Q.sub.7, Q.sub.8 in parallel with the complementary drivers or loads, and transistors Q.sub.9, Q.sub.10 in series with the drivers in the latch, negates the capacitive effects which can otherwise cause unpredictable non-volatile reading. It also enables non-volatile reading to occur independently from power switch-on--which was necessary with earlier non-volatile FATMOS-containing latches.

Abstract: The specification describes a process for depositing a film of controlled composition on a substrate by using a metallo-organic photoresist in which the organic portion is combusted by heating in a reactive atmosphere to leave a residual deposit of a desired substance on the substrate. The film may be formed as a patterned or unpatterned layer. In addition, the residual deposit may be subsequently subjected to a chemical reaction to alter its composition.

Abstract: A high concentration gradient across a solvent permeable membrane (20), separating the solution and solvent reservoirs (12, 16) or an osmotic pumped heat pipe (10), is effected by inducing convection currents across the membrane material on its solution reservoir side (34). The induced convection current is created by the difference in densities of rich and lean solute-solvent mixtures which are caused respectively to traverse separate paths (40, 42). These convection currents sweep and mix with the solvent which has been freshly pumped through the membrane from the solution reservoir side (34).

Abstract: As CCD circuit for restoring to a common DC level, data received from a plurality of detector channels of a scanned array so as to overcome the effect of variations in detector parameters and other non-uniformities in the circuit. The DC correction value is established during retrace time by storing a representative time integrated data charge packet when energy from a cold reference surface is being applied to the detectors. During the scan time of the field of view by the detectors the representative charge packet is utilized to provide a DC restoration or correction charge to each data charge packet received from the detectors. The system thus standardizes to a common DC level, the output data from a plurality of channels.

Abstract: In a charge transfer device imager, photodetector output current is accumulated and stored during an integration period in an analog potential well in the substrate surface potential adjacent the photodetector, the analog well being reset each time the detector changes the amount of stored charge by a preselected fraction of the storing well capacity, simultaneously incrementing a digital count. At the end of each integration period, both the contents of the analog well and the digital count are read into an output register. As a result, the length of the integration period may be significantly extended without regard to the charge storing capacity of the charge transfer device, thus improving the signal-to-noise ratio and the dynamic range of the imager. In the preferred embodiment, the amount of charge stored in the analog potential well is sensed by sensing the potential of the photodetector, where the photodetector comprises a diode diffusion in the substrate.

Abstract: The axial position of the fiber is controlled in three grinding or polishing stages. The fiber (72) is first ground flush with the guide (120) in which it is housed. The fiber end and face of the guide are then ground flat and square. The fiber is thereafter polished to its optical quality and required length. The tool for accomplishing these steps includes a retainer (74) which holds the fiber optic ferrule (70) and its optical fiber (72) therein at a tool surface (16). This tool surface is protected by a guard (18) from being too rapidly ground away while the fiber and fiber/guide combination are ground flush with the surface. The surface and its retailed guide and fiber are then moved to an unprotected position (FIG. 3) so that the surface and the fiber within its ferrule may be polished on a suitable polishing wheel or similar device.

Abstract: An automatic alignment mechanism for use in a reciprocal tracking laser communicator. A cylindrical transceiver unit having oppositely disposed laser transmitter and detector sections is mounted within an outer cylinder. The outer cylinder has an open end and a closed end with a spherical, mirrored inner surface. Means for mounting the cylindrical transceiver positions the detector facing the mirrored inner surface and constrains the detector to movement in the focal sphere of the mirror. Electromechanical means, responsive to received optical energy reflected by the mirror and focussed onto the detector, rotates the transceiver in accordance with the location of the blur circle of said energy on said detector so that the transceiver is aligned with the source of the optical transmission.

Abstract: An improved process is provided for attaching layers of hydrophilic, photosensitive materials onto hydrophobic plastic substrates, which comprises forming a layer of a polycrystalline, optically transparent, moisture barrier material on the substrate, followed by depositing thereon a layer of a hydrophilic, polar material, prior to depositing the photosensitive layer thereon. The process is especially suitable for the fabrication of pre-holographic elements and holograms. Holograms are fabricated by exposing and developing latent images in the photosensitive layer of pre-holographic elements and attaching to the photosensitive layer by an optical adhesive a protective cover layer comprising a plastic substrate coated with the moisture barrier material and the hydrophilic material. Additional moisture barrier protection may optionally be provided by forming a combination of moisture barrier layers and hydrophilic layers on the outer surfaces of the plastic substrates.

Abstract: The specification describes an optical waveguide device formed by diffusing a metal into a substrate which may be either a semiconductor material or a dielectric material. The substrate is first coated with a liquid composition comprising organo-metallic solutions of the desired metal and silica. The coated substrate is then heated at an elevated temperature for a period of time sufficient to cause the organic portion of the solution to decompose, thereby leaving a composite film comprising an oxide of the desired metal and SiO.sub.2. Upon further heating, the metal from the metal oxide diffuses into the substrate. The residual composite film may be left in place or removed.

Abstract: Cryogenic refrigeration system 10 employs a screw compressor 72 and a screw expander 70 wherein one rotor of the compressor and one rotor of the expander is mechanically driven, including a magnetic coupling 50, 52 between the compressor and expander rotors. The other compressor rotor and other expander rotor is driven only by the connected rotor.

Abstract: An improved method for fabricating a light weight dichromated gelatin hologram package on plastic or glass substrates is provided. The prior art cover plate protecting the gelatin layer is eliminated by depositing on the gelatin a material providing a barrier to atmospheric moisture and possessing abrasion-resistant properties. In one embodiment, the photosensitive gelatin layer is deposited on a plastic substrate employing at least one subbing layer which provides a barrier to atmospheric moisture. Protection of the gelatin layer is provided by a plasma deposited silicon nitride film thereon.

Abstract: Defects in the metal step coverage of a thin film semiconductor device are removed by annealing the metal layer with a pulsed electron beam.

Abstract: A spacecraft specifically adapted for launch from the space shuttle by means of a cradle having locking and ejection mechanisms mounted therein. The cradle fastens into the payload bay of the space shuttle and returns therewith for reuse in subsequent launches. The spacecraft mounts at three points to the cradle, and the cradle mounts at three points to the shuttle such that a plane through the attachment points passes through the roll axis of the spacecraft at approximately the center of mass thereof. The cradle utilizes the truss structure of the spacecraft to produce the required stiffness by providing a structural tie between the two ends and the bottom of the cradle. At launch, the spacecraft is ejected with both linear and angular momentum, the spin providing gyroscopic stability. The locking mechanisms in the cradle can be remotely controlled to relock the spacecraft to the cradle in the event of an unsuccessful deployment attempt.

Abstract: The specification discloses a process for accurately aligning a chosen member with a focused beam of radiation or for aligning two chosen members with each other. A set of alignment marks having a predetermined spatial pattern is first provided on the surface of each member. Next, a detection signal is generated from the set of alignment marks, comprising a serial electronic signal as a function of time and containing serial information corresponding to the relative position of each mark in the set of alignment marks. Then, the detection signal is electronically processed to generate an alignment signal with a high signal-to-noise ratio. Next, the alignment signal is compared to a reference signal signifying a predetermined criterion of alignment, to generate an error signal which is indicative of the extent of misalignment.

Abstract: A spacecraft specifically adapted for launch from the space shuttle by means of a cradle having locking and ejection mechanisms mounted therein. The cradle fastens into the payload bay of the space shuttle and returns therewith for reuse in subsequent launches. The spacecraft mounts at three points to the cradle, and the cradle mounts at three points to the shuttle such that a plane through the attachment points passes through the roll axis of the spacecraft at approximately the center of mass thereof. The cradle utilizes the truss structure of the spacecraft to produce the required stiffness by providing a structural tie between the two ends and the bottom of the cradle. At launch, the spacecraft is ejected with both linear and angular momentum, the spin providing gyroscopic stability. The locking mechanisms in the cradle can be remotely controlled to relock the spacecraft to the cradle in the event of an unsuccessful deployment attempt.