Abstract: Blocks of input data that include control words and a packet of information words are received. The packet has a start preceded by ones of the control words and an end followed by others of the control words. The blocks are smaller than the packet. A determination of whether the block consists exclusively of information words is made. When the block consists exclusively of information words, a master transition having a first sense is appended to the block to form a frame. When the block does not consist exclusively of information words, the block is condensed to accommodate a TYPE word, the TYPE word is generated and inserted into the block and a master transition is appended to the block to form the frame. The TYPE word has a value that indicates one of the following structural properties of the block: (a) the position of the start of the packet in the block, (b) the position of the end of the packet in the block, and (c) the block being composed exclusively of control words.

Abstract: A blade-like connecting needle for measuring a semiconductor wafer has an increased capability for measuring a small current and also has stable characteristics. The blade-like connecting needle includes a blade signal line for transmitting signal from the semiconductor wafer, a support insulator covering at least a portion of the blade signal line, a plurality of blade guard patterns disposed in or on the support insulator for electromagnetically shielding the blade signal line, and a probe supported on the support insulator and connected to the blade signal line. There are also disclosed processes of producing the blade-like connecting needle. A method for manufacturing a coaxial or hollow blade-like connecting needle is also provided.

Abstract: A circuit board assembly comprising a circuit board with a recessed end portion, and an optical transceiver module mounted on a daughter board. The daughter board is mounted on the circuit board so that a portion of the daughter board extends over the recess of the circuit board. The optical transceiver module mounted on the daughter board is then positioned in the recess of the circuit board.

Abstract: Micro-valves that include a diaphragm capable of being positioned on a valve seat or removed from the valve seat. The micro-valves also include supports and a cover that restrict the motion of the diaphragm, thereby reducing the possibility of cracking. Micro-valves made by anodically bonding the diaphragm to a seat substrate and anodically bonding the cover to the diaphragm. Micro-injectors that include micro-valves. Also, methods of making the micro-valves and micro-injectors.

Abstract: An apparatus for receiving and reflecting ions. The ion mirror of the present invention is integral to a mass spectrometer flight tube and includes a front electrode, middle electrode, and a rear electrode. Each of the three electrodes are designed for receiving and reflecting ions. The electrodes of the ion mirror have a conductive material used for creating electric fields that retard and reflect ions back toward an ion detector. The flight tube may be made of an insulating material such as fused silica or quartz.

Abstract: The latching switch device includes a passage, a first cavity, a second cavity, a channel extending from each cavity to the passage, non-conductive fluid located the cavities, conductive liquid located in the passage, a first electrode, a second electrode and a latching structure associated with each channel. The passage is elongate. The channels are spatially separated from one another along the length of the passage. The electrodes are in electrical contact with the conductive liquid and are located on opposite sides of one of the channels. The conductive liquid includes free surfaces. Each latching structure includes energy barriers located in the passage on opposite sides of the channel. The energy barriers interact with the free surfaces of the conductive liquid to hold the free surfaces apart from one another.

Abstract: A bracket attached to a peripheral device of a computer system aligns and attaches the peripheral device to the inside of a computer system chassis. The bracket is detachably mountable and includes a bracket body having an aperture therein through which the peripheral device is inserted. The bracket includes a support bar having a tab that fits into a slot in the chassis to securely hold the peripheral device in position such that the front panel of the peripheral device is aligned within an aperture in a face of the chassis.

Abstract: Lens structures for flux re-distribution and for optical low pass filtering. The lens structure has a surface that includes a seamless profile, which is devoid of cusps. The surface includes a plurality convex elements and concave elements (e.g., an array of alternating elements and concave elements). The convex elements include a positive surface curvature area, and the concave elements include a negative surface curvature area. The lens structure can include a surface for producing a controlled amount of under-corrected spherical aberration and over-corrected spherical aberration.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for removing neutral noise from a quadrupole mass filter ion beam. A mask plate has a lobed aperture centered on a longitudinal axis and positioned between a quadrupole mass filter exit end and an ion detector. The mask plate operates to remove neutral atoms from the ion beam that may interfere with instrument sensitivities. The lobed aperture passes the ion beam with little loss of the ion beam intensity. The invention substantially maintains signal intensity and removes unwanted noise from a mass spectrometer.

Abstract: An electro-modulating device for modulating light from a light source, as part of an opto-electronic communication network has a modulating medium for modulating light passing therethrough by varying an electric field applied across the modulating medium, an optical input-output surface, a light reflector, and electrodes for applying the varying electric field across the modulating medium. The input-output surface, the medium and the reflector are arranged so that light enters the medium through the input-output surface, travels through the medium towards the reflector, is reflected by the reflector to travel back through the medium towards the input-output surface, and exits the medium through the input-output surface. The electric field is transverse to light traversing the medium between the input-out surface and the reflector, to make it easier to couple an optic fiber to the input-output surface of the modulating medium.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for characterizing frequency response of a device under test (DUT) is disclosed. A repeated base bit pattern is received, the base bit pattern including a first transition from a 0-bit to a 1-bit. Then, using bit error rate distribution, multivalue voltage along the first transition is determined. Finally, the multivalued voltages are converted into frequency domain using fast Fourier transform. The apparatus includes a processor and storage with instructions for the processor to perform these operations. Using the present inventive technique, the frequency response of the DUT can be determined using an error performance analyzer such as a BERT.

Abstract: An interface of a network management system for managing network elements of a communication network is described. The interface comprises a list of assignments of names of the network elements as provided e.g. by the vendors of the network elements, and names as used by the network management system. The names as used by the network management system are unique.

Abstract: Monitor circuitry for identifying an operational status of a device under test (DUT) includes a comparison circuit and a sense amplifier. The comparison circuit comprises a set of control transistors and a set of sense transistors. The control transistors include control input terminals for receiving reference signals to establish a testing condition with respect to a signal relationship between a first current flow and a second current flow. The sense transistors are operatively associated with the control transistors, such that biasing the sense input terminals of the sense transistors with sampled signals received from the DUT varies the signal relationship between the first current flow and the second current flow. The variation in the signal relationship is accelerated by the sense amplifier. The variation in the signal relationship is indicative of the operational status of the DUT at the sampling instance for acquiring the sampled signals.

Abstract: A method and circuit for measuring a charge distribution for readout from a memory such as a FeRAM uses on-chip compression of bit line voltage measurements. One embodiment includes a compression circuit coupled to sense amplifiers. Each sense amplifier compares a series of reference voltages to a corresponding bit line and sets a result value for the comparison. A series of result values from a sense amplifier has a transition when the bit line voltage is approximately equal to the reference voltage. The compression circuit can use the transition as a trigger to record a compressed value indicating the reference voltage at the transition.

Abstract: An adapter for attaching a connector having a plurality of pads to a device under test. The adapter is comprised of two types of parts a carrier cradle and at least one circuit substrate. The circuit substrate has plurality of pads formed on a first and second edge. A plurality of circuits are formed on a first side of the circuit substrate, each circuit connecting a pad on the first edge of the circuit substrate to a pad on the second edge of the circuit substrate. The circuit substrate is supported by the carrier cradle such that the pads on the first edge of the circuit substrate align with the first side of the carrier cradle and the pads on the second edge of the circuit substrate align with the second side of the circuit substrate, whereby when the adapter is interposed between the connector and the device under test the circuits electrically connect the device under test to the connector.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of forming an FeRAM integrated circuit, which includes forming a sidewall diffusion barrier prior to etching the bottom electrode diffusion barrier layer. The sidewall diffusion barrier layer is then etched prior to the bottom electrode diffusion barrier layer. In patterning an AlOx sidewall diffusion barrier layer prior to etching the underlying bottom electrode diffusion barrier layer, the etch chemistry comprises BCl3+Ar. The BCl3 is effective in etching the AlOx with a good selectivity to the underlying nitride hard mask on top of the capacitor stack (e.g., TiAlN) and nitride bottom electrode diffusion barrier (e.g., TiAlON with small oxygen content) between the neighboring capacitor stacks. The Ar may be added to the etch chemistry because the resulting surface (of a top portion of the hard mask and the bottom electrode diffusion barrier) is smoother.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for displaying a waveform on an error performance analyzer are disclosed. A repeated base bit pattern is received. Then, at a first time and for each incremental time thereafter for a predetermined period of time, multivalued voltage, VM, is determined. The VM is determined by constructing a bit error rate (BER) curve at the each incremental time. Each BER-curve spans a range of voltages from a low slice voltage to a high slice voltage. A derivative of the BER-curve is taken and absolute value of the derivative is used to determine the VM which is the slice voltage where the absolute value of the derivative curve is greatest. The apparatus includes a processor and storage with instructions for the processor to perform these operations.

Abstract: A tunable Fabry-Perot filter, which includes a pair of opposed partially reflective surfaces, a cavity between the partially reflective surfaces, a nano-dispersion of liquid crystals disposed in the cavity, and a control unit for applying an electric field to the liquid crystals.

Abstract: An organic light emitting device having a process compatible current self-limiting (CSL) structure applied in the vicinity of an electrode of the device prevents the occurrence of high current flow in the vicinity of a short within the device. Should a short occur, the CSL structure becomes resistive, or non-conducting in the vicinity of the short, thus preventing the occurrence of “runaway” current in the vicinity of the short. By limiting the current flow between conductors in the device, the non-emissive areas of the device can be minimized, thus improving the overall reliability of the device.

Abstract: Methods and compositions for high-throughput identification of protein/nucleic acid binding pairs are provided. In the subject methods, a nucleic acid probe array, e.g., a molecular beacon probe array, is contacted with a target nucleic acid population to produce a hybridized array. The resultant hybridized array is then contacted with a population of proteins to produce a protein bound array. Any resultant array surface bound target nucleic acid/protein complexes are then detected to identify protein/nucleic acid binding pairs. In certain embodiments, the protein and/or nucleic acid members of the identified protein/nucleic acid binding pairs are further characterized. Also provided are systems and kits for use in practicing the subject methods. The subject invention finds use in a variety of different applications.