Abstract: Hydrazine thruster 30 minimizes impulse bit degradation by making the hydrazine more reactive with the catalyst 66 by using higher temperature hydrazine and smaller catalyst grain, and also concentrates the injected hydrazine in smaller catalyst volume 66 so that heat released aids decomposition of a greater quantity of injected hydrazine.

Abstract: An apparatus for pumping and removal of unwanted gases by effecting a chemical reaction between the gases and a highly reactive substance which is in the form of aerosol particles, to form a nonvolatile, solid reaction product. In one embodiment of the invention, the reactive substance is initially provided in the form of a solid; the solid is heated to liquify it; and the liquid is forced through spray nozzles under high pressure to form the desired aerosol particles, which then react with the gas to be pumped.

Abstract: Spring 52 mounts on cold plate 12 to urge thermal conductive layers 82 against flange 20 on cold plate 12. Spring has a plurality of pressure flanges, one corresponding to each cold plate flange so that a unitary spring structure can be quickly assembled on the cold plate.Thermal interconnection is expected to be used on all standard and improved standard electronic modules. It is being designed into ANSQS-53.

Abstract: Crossed-field plasma mode electric conduction control device 10 has an interelectrode space 16 between anode 12 and cathode 14 in which is produced a magnetic field 38 by coil 28. Electrons produced at region 46 travel through the crossed-fields to region 48, with cascading ionization to produce an electrically conductive plasma. The electrons are lost at region 48 and plasma density is controlled by magnetic field strength to control magnitude of interelectrode current.

Abstract: A multi-line NH.sub.3 laser is disclosed pumped by a multi-longitudinal mode and multi-transverse mode laser beam from a high-pressure CO.sub.2 laser operating on the R(30) 9.2 .mu.m transition. The resulting comb of pumping wavelengths simultaneously pumps several close-lying sR(5,K) transitions in ammonia from the symmetric ground state to the antisymmetric .nu..sub.2 =1 state, providing simultaneous lasing on a plurality of sP(7,K) transitions of different K-values. A plurality of sP(5,K) ammonia laser lines originating in the .nu..sub.2 =1 antisymmetric band and terminating in the depleted lower pump levels are also generated.

Abstract: A broadband group delay waveguide lens utilizing an array of half wave plates is disclosed. The lens is comprised of an array of uniformly spaced sections of waveguide having various lengths. The waveguide lengths are selected so as to provide an equal time delay to all rays from the focal point to the aperture plane of the lens. Since equal time delay does not ensure equality of phase at the aperture plane, half wave plates are inserted in the waveguide elements for adjusting the phase of each ray to obtain a constant phase plane over the aperture plane at the design frequency. The inner surface of the lens is spherical with the radius of the sphere equalling the focal length of the lens. The outer surface may be ellipsoidal having a semi-minor axis equal to the focal length and the semi-major axis is dependent upon the waveguide cross section dimensions and the design frequency. Such a lens has a low aperture phase error over a relatively large frequency range.

Abstract: Glass fibers employed as optical waveguides are provided with a metal coating by passing the glass fiber, following its formation, through a chamber into which a metal-containing compound is introduced. A source of radiant energy, e.g., a CO.sub.2 laser, is introduced by means that are controllably positioned from the glass fiber, e.g., an infrared-transmitting fiber such as thallium bromo-iodide. The radiant energy is sufficient to cause dissociation of the metal-containing compound on the glass fiber surface so as to form the metal coating on the glass fiber without coating the rest of the apparatus. Any metal compound may be used such as metal carbonyls, metal halides, metal alkyls, metal aryls, metal olefins, metal esters, metal nitro compounds, metal hydrides and combinations and mixtures thereof.

Abstract: An improved process is provided for attaching layers of hydrophilic, photosensitive materials onto hydrophobic plastic substrates, which comprises forming a layer of a glassy, optically transparent, polar, moisture barrier material on the substrate prior to depositing the photosensitive layer thereon. The process is especially suitable for the fabrication of pre-holographic elements and holograms.

Abstract: An automatic level and gain control system operable with a sensor to match the dynamic range of the display or other processing elements to the signal provided by the sensor for developing an image with improved dynamic range utilization (or contrast). Peak detection is provided with a conditional integrator so that the effect of high level narrow peaks is substantially suppressed. This system rapidly reaches and maintains a condition of providing the video signal to the display (or other processing) at a desired voltage level and over a desired dynamic range to continually maintain an image having optimum contrast within the dynamic range limitations of the processor or display system.

Abstract: Liquid metal ion source has cylindrical ceramic tube 12 embraced by strip heater 20 which is held in place by ceramic bushing 26. Apex 28 of the strip heater contains the ion source fuel metal and is pierced by needle 34 having sharp tip 36. Upon heating and electrical bias with respect to a coaxial extraction electrode, tip 36 emits ions.

Abstract: Liquid metal ion source has cylindrical ceramic body 12 engaged by one leg of hook shaped strip heater 20 which is held in place by ceramic bushing 24. Apex 18 of the strip heater contains the ion source fuel metal and is pierced by needle 22 having sharp tip 30. Upon heating by heater current flow through needle 22 and heater leg 14 and electrical bias with an extraction electrode, tip 30 emits ions.

Abstract: Solution and solvent reservoirs (30, 14) are separated by a solvent permeable membrane (54). A path (26) interconnects the reservoirs. Solvent vapor from the solution reservoir is created upon heat applied thereto for condensation (20) back to the solvent reservoir. A vent (56) extends from the solvent reservoir into the solvent vapor path so that the amount of solvent pumped through the membrane, which is determined by the level of solvent wetting the membrane, will equal the amount of solvent evaporated from the solution.

Abstract: The specification discloses a process for modifying the environment of active atoms in a selected material by removing impurities from the environment. The material is heated at an elevated temperature in an atmosphere conducive to the formation of atomic oxygen so that the atomic oxygen can react with the atoms and molecules in the environment to remove the impurities in and thus alter selected properties of the material. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the lasing efficiency of a neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet crystal is increased by heating the crystal at an elevated temperature in an atmosphere conducive to the formation of atomic oxygen so that the atomic oxygen can react with and remove impurities from the crystal to diminish the color center concentration therein and thus increase the fluorescence yield and lasing efficiency of the crystal.

Abstract: A comparator for comparing the relative magnitudes of first and second voltages and for providing a binary output indicative of which of the voltages is the greater. The voltages are applied sequentially to a capacitor during first and second periods respectively. An inverter has its input connected to the capacitor, and a voltage bias source applies a bias voltage to the input of the inverter in such a manner as to cause the output of the inverter to assume a predetermined voltage during the first period and a voltage either greater or less than the predetermined voltage during the second period, depending upon whether the first voltage is greater or less than the second voltage. A flip-flop is connected to the output of the inverter such as to be either set or reset in response to the output of the inverter being greater or less than the predetermined voltage during the second period.

Abstract: A process is provided for fabricating MOSFET devices having field source, gate and drain regions. The threshold voltage of both the channel and field regions of such devices is controlled by forming a comparatively thick oxide film on a semiconductor surface, defining enhancement mode transistor regions in the oxide film to expose portions of the semiconductor surface, implanting p-type ions under conditions such that the peak distribution of p-type atoms lies in the semi-conductor substrate just beneath the semiconductor/-oxide interface and counter-doping with n-type ions under conditions such that no implanted ions penetrate the oxide film. As a consequence, a desirably high threshold voltage is obtained in the field region, while a desirably low threshold voltage is obtained in the channel region.

Abstract: The ExB mass separator provides a magnetic field B normal to the beam path and potential plate for applying an electric field normal to the magnetic field for maintaining the selected ions in beam 32 along a defined path. Along the path, after the major portion of the unwanted species are deflected from the beam, focus plates 34 and 36 focus the selected species toward the separator opening 38. Downstream potential plates 28 and 30 maintain the defined path for the selected species.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for improving the operation of infrared detectors of a type generally characterized by a semiconductive substrate of a first conductivity type which includes a detection region defined or bounded by a heavily doped backside electrode and buried layer of the first conductivity type. A charge coupled device (CCD) readout structure for transfers charge in an epitaxial layer of second conductivity type which overlies the substrate, and the detector further includes a heavily doped layer of the second conductivity type positioned between the epitaxial layer and the substrate to shield the charge carriers of the substrate from the CCD voltages. Means are provided by the present invention for the injection of minority charge carriers into the epitaxial region which are subsequently transferred to output means by the CCD.

Abstract: An osmotically pumped environmental control system (10) comprises a closed circuit heat pipe (12) including an osmotic pump (13) with solvent and solution reservoirs (18, 14) separated from one another by a solvent permeable membrane (20). Heat is inserted into the closed path at an evaporator (22) from high temperature sources and heat is wihdrawn from the system by first and second stage cooling modules (38, 40) to withdraw heat therefrom. A further heat input (30) from low temperature sources slightly warms the condensate for return to a solvent reservoir (18).

Abstract: Narrow conductors and narrow spaces therebetween, typically two or three mils wide, are fabricated on outer layers of a printed wiring board with built-up areas such as plated-through holes or conductors of widths greater than two or three mils. Gold is deposited over a copper clad substrate in a pattern defining the desired circuitry. Thereafter, solder is placed at the built-up areas and, using both the solder and the gold as resist or masks, the exposed copper is removed by etching. An organic resist material is used in lieu of solder when the built-up area comprises wide conductors or leads, e.g., power busses.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for processing sound as delta modulated digital data bits. A speaker console communicates with a listener console through a central switching unit. Tri-state generators within the central switching unit convert bipolar data modulated speaker data to tri-state logic which is then multiplexed onto a bus. The bus is sampled by a plurality of listener modules of a majority detector unit according to desired speaker combinations and a majority output is thereby determined for each time slot. A data generator modifies a bipolar delta modulated idle waveform according to the state of the idle waveform and the historical output of a listener module, incrementing and decrementing a carry register and a borrow register in the data generator to reflect storage, insertion or cancelling of majority "ones" or "zeros". The combining logic of the data generator enables the central switching unit to produce a combined output having the initial speaker data bit rate.