Abstract: Apparatus and methods are disclosed for processing samples on the surface of supports that are contained in support housings. Biopolymer features are attached to the surfaces of the supports. An apparatus comprises an input element, a holding device for holding a plurality of support housings, one or more fluid dispensing stations, and an output element. Each of the support housings contains a support having attached thereto a plurality of biopolymer features. The holding device is movably mounted with respect to other components of the apparatus. The holding device is adapted to receive a support housing from the input element. The output element is adapted to receive a support housing from the holding device. The apparatus is adapted to index each support housing for a predetermined operation. In use, each of the support housings is moved to one or more processing stations by means of the movable holding device. The location and identity of each of the support housings is indexed.

Abstract: This invention relates to a device and method for aligning an optical fibre with an optical device in an opto-electronic package. The invention provides a device comprising a platform for mounting an optical device, to aid coupling of the optical device with an optical fibre in an opto-electronic package comprising a first part which is attachable to the opto-electronic package; a second part moveably attached to the first part such that the second part may only move with respect to the first part along a single axis, and in which the optical device is mountable on the second part. The invention also provides a method of aligning an optical fibre with an optical device in an opto-electronic package using such a platform.

Abstract: Light-emitting devices are described. One example of a light-emitting device includes a first barrier layer and a second barrier layer, and a quantum well layer located between the first and second barrier layers. The first and second barrier layers are composed of gallium arsenide, and the quantum well layer is composed of indium gallium arsenide nitride. A first layer is located between the quantum well layer and the first barrier layer. The first layer has a bandgap energy between that of the first barrier layer and that of the quantum well layer. Another example of a light-emitting device includes a quantum well and a carrier capture element adjacent the quantum well. The carrier capture element increases the effective carrier capture cross-section of the quantum well.

Abstract: A method for coating particles and the coated particles obtained thereby are disclosed. The particles are first placed in a solution of a first monomer that forms a self-assembling monolayer on the particles thereby forming coated particles. The coated particles are then suspended in a second solution that includes a chemical species and an initiator for oxidative polymerization. The chemical species has a higher oxidation potential than the monomers. In addition, the chemical species form a homopolymer in the presence of the initiator that is covalently bound to the first monomers. Particles of semiconductors such as TiO2, SiO2, SnO2, Al2O3 can be coated with polymers that alter the bandgap energy of the semiconducting particles and/or provide other useful surface chemistries.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus and to a method of optical characterization of a DUT by measurement of its optical return loss, comprising the steps of: providing an incident polarized optical signal to the DUT, detecting a reflected power of a reflected optical signal reflected by the DUT as a function of the polarization of the incident optical signal, and evaluating the optical return loss of the DUT as a function of the polarization of the incident optical signal on the basis of the detected reflected power.

Abstract: A clamp post holder has a mounting portion for mounting on a wire bonding machine, and a clamp post holding portion, which holds a clamp post. The mounting portion and post holding portion are separated by a slot except for a connecting portion. A screw passes through a threaded hole in the clamp post holding portion into the slot, with its end abutting the mounting portion. By turning the screw, the clamp post holding portion is pulled away from the mounting portion, thereby moving the clamp post. This allows fine adjustment of the positioning of a clamp member on the clamp post.

Abstract: A surface mountable electronic device includes a body with a first surface for mounting the device. The first surface has recessed portions therein. Electrical contacts are provided in the first surface. The electrical contacts include first portions that form at least a portion of at least one inner surface of said recessed portions.

Abstract: The group III-V semiconductor device comprises a quantum well layer, barrier layers sandwiching the quantum well layer and a region of a third semiconductor material formed by spatially-selective intermixing of atoms on the group V sublattice between the first semiconductor material of the quantum well layer and the second semiconductor material of the barrier layer. The quantum well layer is a layer of a first semiconductor material that has a band gap energy and a refractive index. The barrier layers are layers of a second semiconductor material that has a higher band gap energy and a lower refractive index than the first semiconductor material. The third semiconductor material has a band gap energy and a refractive index intermediate between the band gap energy and the refractive index, respectively, of the first semiconductor material and the second semiconductor material.

Abstract: A filter and impedance matching network uses acoustic resonators in place of capacitors. A resonator, e.g. FBAR, behaves similar to a capacitor outside of its resonant frequency and so does not impact the function of the network, outside of its resonant frequency. At this resonant frequency, the resonator quickly transitions from capacitor to short circuit to open circuit and back to capacitor. Thus, the will deliver open and short circuits independent of the standard LC filter resulting in a structure with an additional notch, a notch with the characteristics delivered by a very high quality resonator. This notch can be much sharper and closer to the pass band than is possible with ordinary inductors and capacitors.

Abstract: An electrical relay array using conducting liquid in the switching mechanism. The relay array is amenable to manufacture by micro-machining techniques. Each element of the relay array uses an actuator, such as a piezoelectric element, to cause a switch actuator to insert into a cavity in a static switch contact structure. The cavity has sides and a pad on its end that are wettable by the conducting liquid. The cavity is filled with the conducting liquid, which may be liquid metal. Insertion of the switch actuator into the cavity causes the conducting liquid to be displaced outward and come in contact with the contact pad on the switch actuator. The volume of conducting liquid is chosen so that when the actuator returns to its rest position, the electrical contact is maintained by surface tension and by wetting of the contact pads on both the static switch contact structure and the actuator.

Abstract: A method of using an addressable array of biopolymers on a substrate includes receiving the addressable array and an associated machine readable identifier carried on an array substrate or array housing. The array is exposed to a sample and read, and the identifier machine read as an identifier signal. Biological function data for one or more of the biopolymers is retrieved from a memory based on the identifier signal. Other methods in which first and updated sets of feature characteristic data may readily be provided to array users, and methods of generating arrays are also provided, as are apparatus and computer program products which can execute a method for generating or using arrays.

Abstract: Improved data acquisition systems and methods that enable large numbers of data samples to be accumulated rapidly with low noise are described. In one aspect, a data acquisition system includes an accumulator that has two or more parallel accumulation paths and is configured to accumulate corresponding data samples across a transient sequence through different accumulation paths.

Abstract: A novel tunnel structure is described that enables tunnel diode behavior to be exhibited even in material systems in which extremely heavy doping is impossible and only moderate or light doping levels may be achieved. In one aspect, the tunnel heterostructure includes a first semiconductor layer, a second semiconductor layer, and an intermediate semiconductor layer that is sandwiched between the first and second semiconductor layers and forms first and second heterointerfaces respectively therewith. The first and second heterointerfaces are characterized by respective polarization charge regions that produce a polarization field across the intermediate semiconductor layer that promotes charge carrier tunneling through the intermediate semiconductor layer. In another aspect, the invention features a semiconductor structure having a p-type region, and the above-described heterostructure disposed as a tunnel contact between the p-type region of the semiconductor structure and an adjacent n-type region.

Abstract: A bonding system is provided that bonds a heat sink to a printed circuit assembly. The bonding system includes an adhesive applicator that is configured to hold an adhesive layer, and a heat sink holder that is configured to hold a heat sink while the adhesive applicator applies the adhesive layer to the heat sink.

Abstract: A light-emitting diode comprising a light-emitting diode die, a lead frame, a reflector cup and a dome encapsulating at least the light-emitting diode die and the reflector cup, wherein the reflector cup is made of a plastic material.

Abstract: A piezoelectric optical relay is disclosed in which a solid slug moves within a switching channel formed in relay housing. An optical path passing through the switching channel is blocked or unblocked by motion of the solid slug. Motion of the solid slug is controlled by at least two piezoelectric actuators within the switching channel. Motion of the solid slug is resisted by a liquid, such as a liquid metal, that wets between the solid slug and at least one fixed contact pad in the switching channel. The surface tension of the liquid provides a latching mechanism for the relay.

Abstract: An IC includes an externally accessible terminal, a filter, and an output stage. The filter has an adjustable bandwidth and has an output node coupled to the externally accessible terminal, and the output stage has an input node coupled to the output node of the filter. By providing access to a node that is between the filter and an amplitude-limiting output stage, the IC allows one to adjust the bandwidth of the filter—or the bandwidth of a circuit, such as an amplifier, that includes the filter—by measuring the amplitude of a signal that can have a relatively high S/N ratio without being clipped by the output stage. Consequently, such access can eliminate the need for a high-precision bandwidth-adjust setup and its long bandwidth-adjust times.

Abstract: The present invention provides an active data type for use in a computer program. The active data type has an identifier and at least one algorithm associated therewith. The identifier is utilized by the computer program to identify the instance of the active data type. The algorithm is configured to be automatically executed when an attempt to access a value associated with the active data type instance is made by a routine or otherwise. When a particular routine that uses an instance of the active data type attempts to access the value associated with the active data type, the algorithm determines the value associated with the active data type before the routine obtains access to the value. The active data type may be a real, an integer, or a string, for example. The algorithm automatically determines the current value associated with the active data type instance. Preferably, the active data type has an identifier, a first algorithm and a second algorithm associated therewith.

Abstract: A folded flex circuit interconnect increases a number of interconnection pads of a grid array interface available to accommodate high count outputs from distinct circuit elements. The circuit interconnect includes a substrate capable of being folded, a conductor layer adjacent to a surface of the substrate, and a pad array having an interconnection pad connected to the conductor layer at a first end of the circuit interconnect. The pad array is part of the grid array interface. An optics module includes the folded flex circuit interconnect and an optical unit. The folded flex circuit interconnect further includes an electrical interface at a second end that is connected to the conductor layer. The folded flex circuit interconnect connects to the optical unit using the electrical interface. The circuit interconnect connects the optical unit to a motherboard using the pad array at the first end.

Abstract: An electrical relay using conducting liquid in the switching mechanism. The relay is amenable to manufacture by micro-machining techniques. In the relay, 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 is energized to reduce the gap between the electrical contacts, causing the two liquid metal droplets to coalesce and form an electrical circuit. The actuator is then de-energized and the electrical contacts return to their starting positions. The liquid metal droplets remain coalesced because of surface tension. The electrical circuit is broken by energizing an actuator to increase the gap between the electrical contacts and break the surface tension bond between the liquid metal droplets. The droplets remain separated when the piezoelectric actuator is de-energized because there is insufficient liquid metal to bridge the gap between the contacts.