Abstract: Improved methods of forming PZT thin films that are compatible with industry-standard chemical vapor deposition production techniques are described. These methods enable PZT thin films having thicknesses of 70 nm or less to be fabricated with high within-wafer uniformity, high throughput and at a relatively low deposition temperature. In one aspect, a source reagent solution comprising a mixture of a lead precursor, a titanium precursor and a zirconium precursor in a solvent medium is provided. The source reagent solution is vaporized to form a precursor vapor. The precursor vapor is introduced into a chemical vapor deposition chamber containing the substrate. In another aspect, before deposition, the substrate is preheated during a preheating period. After the preheating period, the substrate is disposed on a heated susceptor during a heating period, after which a PZT film is formed on the heated substrate.

Abstract: A clock buffer placement system and method are provided for the placement of clock buffers in a datapath stack. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the system positions at least one track beside the datapath stack in a netlist, and identifies placement of clock buffers needed in the at least one track. Then, the system modifies the netlist by connecting at least one datapath macro to the clock buffers on the at least one track. In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a method includes positioning at least one track beside the datapath stack in a netlist, and identifying placement of clock buffers needed in the at least one track. Then, the netlist is modified by connecting at least one datapath macro to the clock buffers on the at least one track.

Abstract: The invention provides a laser structure that operates at a wavelength of 1.3 &mgr;m and at elevated temperatures and a method of making same. The laser structure includes a quantum well layer of InAsP. The quantum well layer is sandwiched between a first barrier layer and a second barrier layer. Each barrier layer exhibits a higher bandgap energy than the quantum well layer. Also, each barrier layer comprises Gax(AlIn)1−xP in which x 0. This material has a higher bandgap energy than conventional barrier layer materials, such as InGaP. The resulting larger conduction band discontinuity leads to improved high temperature performance without increasing the threshold current of the laser structure.

Abstract: An electrical relay array using conducting liquid in the switching mechanism. The relay array is amenable to manufacture by micro-machining techniques. In each element of the relay array, two electrical contacts are held a small distance apart. The facing surfaces of the contacts each support a droplet of a conducting liquid, such as a liquid metal. An actuator, coupled to one of the electrical contacts, is energized in a first direction to reduce the gap between the electrical contacts, causing the two conducting liquid droplets to coalesce and complete an electrical circuit. The actuator is then de-energized and the contacts return to their starting position. The liquid droplets remain coalesced because of surface tension. The electrical circuit is broken by energizing an actuator to increase the gap between the electrical contacts to break the surface tension bond between the conducting liquid droplets.

Abstract: An electrical circuit is provided for detecting direction of a current flowing on a line, in particular of a bus of a test equipment. The circuit comprises a sense resistor coupled within the line. A first comparator is connected with its positive input to the line on one of the two sides of the sense resistor and with its negative input connected to the line on the other one of the two sides of the sense resistor. A second comparator with one of its inputs is connected to the line on one of the two sides of the sense resistor and with the other one of its inputs is provided with a voltage divider. Said first comparator provides an output signal depending on the direction of the current flowing on the line, and said second comparator provides a second output signal defining whether the first output signal is valid or not.

Abstract: A communications network is described comprising a cable and a remote test unit being coupled to the cable. Optical data signals are transmitted with a first wavelength on the cable. The remote test unit is adapted to transmit optical test signals as well as optical result messages with a second wavelength to the cable.

Abstract: A setup for providing an optical contact adapted for guiding an optical signal comprises an optical waveguide being adapted for guiding the optical signal and comprising a tip on an end of the waveguide, wherein the tip comprises a transparent elastic material covering the end. A detector is provided for detecting a substantial alignment between the waveguide and an optical path within a device under test, and a first moving unit is used to move the waveguide laterally relative to a longitudinal direction of the waveguide and the device under test until the detector substantially detects the alignment. A second moving unit is adapted to reduce the distance between the tip and the device under test until the tip comes in physical contact with the device under test when the detector has detected alignment.

Abstract: An output power control system includes an amplifier configured to supply a first current, a reference source configured to supply a second current which is proportional to and less than the first current, and a feedback converter responsive to the second current to control a gain of the amplifier.

Abstract: A two-dimensional photonic crystal slab apparatus having a waveguiding capability is provided. Noncircular holes are introduced to replace the circular holes in the two-dimensional lattice of the photonic crystal to provide waveguiding capability. High guiding efficiency is achieved over a wide frequency region within the photonic bandgap.

Abstract: A nonlinear crystal has increased spectral acceptance. The nonlinear crystal includes a plurality of domains. The domains are arranged serially across the nonlinear crystal. The domains have alternating polarity. The poling periods of the domains are varied across the nonlinear crystal so as to provide nonuniform chirping of phase matching of focused optical signals propagated through the nonlinear crystal.

Abstract: An assembly and an optical element have fiducials for alignment of multiple beam paths during fabrication of an optical device. In an assembly including a substrate with machined grooves for optical fibers, a fiducial can be a carbon-coated fiber or other object disposed in one of the grooves. In an assembly including a collimator array, a fiducial can be an opaque collimator lens. Alternatively, photolithographic processes can provide the required positional accuracy for fiducials on the assembly and/or the optical element. During alignment, a computer-controllable process can use machine vision or distance measurements to identify the position and the orientation of the assembly relative to the optical element. Based on the identified position and orientation, the process moves the assembly to the target position and orientation that provide sufficient optical power flow through the optical element for a fine alignment process.

Abstract: An electronic instrument includes instrument hardware, core software, and the ability to support custom data processing libraries, separate from the core software. The instrument hardware acquires unprocessed measured data. The core software includes standard measurement objects and standard algorithms. The standard measurement objects produce analysis results of the unprocessed measured data. The standard algorithms are used by the standard measurement objects to aid in production of analysis results of the unprocessed measured data. Custom libraries as supported by the core software include custom measurement objects and custom algorithms. The custom measurement objects produce analysis results of the unprocessed measured data. The custom algorithms are used by the custom measurement objects to aid in production of analysis results of the unprocessed measured data.

Abstract: An organic OLED having a cathode formed from a first conducting layer, an electroluminescent layer including an oxadiazole compound, and an anode constructed from a second conducting layer which is transparent to light generated by the electroluminescent layer. In one embodiment, an electron transport layer is sandwiched between the anode and electroluminescent layers. Other embodiments utilize a hole transport layer between the electroluminescent layer and the anode either with or without the electron transport layer. In one embodiment, the anode is constructed from a layer of indium tin oxide and a layer of a hole transport material that bonds to indium tin oxide and which has an energy band intermediate between that of indium tin oxide and that of the hole transport layer.

Abstract: An ion mobility spectrometer comprising a drift tube having a central axis, along which a plurality of ring electrodes are arranged is provided. The plurality of ring electrodes provides a linear potential gradient along the central axis of the drift tube. In addition an RF voltage source coupled to the plurality of ring electrodes generates an oscillating RF potential within the internal region of each of the ring electrodes. The oscillating RF potential influences radial motion of the ions within the drift tube so that the ions remain within a radial space defined by the internal regions of the electrodes.

Abstract: A method for determining at least one optical property of an optical device comprises providing an optical input signal that includes first and second signal components that are modulated at first and second frequencies, respectively, and that have first and second polarization states, respectively. The optical input signal is passed to an optical device. An optical output signal from the optical device is separated into first and second output signals that have third and fourth polarization states, respectively. The first and second output signals are each compared with reference signals at the first and second frequencies to provide four phase shift and amplitude measurements that can be used to determine the at least one optical property of the optical device as a function of wavelength.

Abstract: Systems and methods for measuring a characteristic of an analog signal are provided. A system for measuring a characteristic of an analog signal includes an analog to digital converter that is configured to convert an analog signal into a digital form that includes at least one digital data value, and logic that is configured to associate a data tag with the data value.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for shortening the read operation (typically the longest operation) in a destructive read memory is disclosed. The rewrite step is separated from the read operation and delayed to the subsequent clock cycle. A FeRAM memory cell having two ports is needed so that consecutive operations do not conflict with each other. A read operation is initiated through a first port in a first clock cycle. In the subsequent clock cycle, the rewrite finishes through the first port. The next operation utilizes the second port, without conflicting with the rewrite process. By alternating ports used in each clock cycle, the rewrite step is hidden in the subsequent clock cycle to shorten the read operation. In an alternate method, all read operations are initiated through one port, while the second port is reserved exclusively for write operations and rewrites.

Abstract: A tunable optical cavity constructed from a fixed mirror and a movable mirror. The fixed mirror is attached to a substrate having a first electrically conducting surface. A support member having the moveable mirror supported thereon and having a second electrically conducting surface, is suspended above the substrate. A circuit applies an electrical potential between the first and second electrically conducting surfaces thereby adjusting the distance between the fixed and movable mirrors. The fixed mirror and the moveable mirror are positioned such that the mirrors form the opposite ends of the optical cavity. The distance between the fixed mirror and the moveable mirror is a function of the applied electrical potential. The support member has physical dimensions that are chosen such that the amplitude of thermally induced vibrations in the support member are less than 0.01 percent of the wavelength of the resonating light.

Abstract: A device for manipulating ions which includes a perforated folder of electrically conducted material, a first electrode fixed to the holder and a second electrode extending parallel to the first electrode and spaced from the first electrode and holder. The second electrode is connected to the holder through a rigid support of electrically insulated material.

Abstract: A method is provided for continuously monitoring for the presence or quantity of an analyte in a flowing liquid stream. The method involves binding an analyte-specific receptor species to the surface of a piezoelectric substrate, contacting the surface bound receptor species with the flowing liquid stream and quantitating the presence of the analyte. A novel apparatus for detecting the presence of an analyte in a liquid chromatography eluant is provided as well.