Abstract: Fluid-based switch and methods for reducing oxides and corrosion products within the switch are disclosed. In one method, oxides are reduced by depositing a gettering agent within the cavity, depositing a switching fluid on a first substrate, and mating the first substrate to a second substrate, the first substrate and the second substrate defining therebetween a cavity holding the switching fluid, the cavity being sized to allow movement of the switching fluid between first and second states.

Abstract: A switch and method for producing the same. In one embodiment, the switch is produced by depositing a liquid switching element on a substrate, the volume of the liquid switching element being more than needed to fulfill a switching function. A channel plate is moved toward the substrate, the channel plate having a main channel with at least one reservoir fluidically connected thereto, an excess portion of the liquid switching element flowing into the least one reservoir. The channel plate is closed against the substrate.

Abstract: The present invention relates to determination of optical properties, e.g. polarization dependent loss (PDL), polarization mode dispersion (PMD), differential group delay (DGD), insertion loss, return loss and/or chromatic dispersion (CD), of a device under test (DUT) in transmission and in reflection of an optical beam. The invention is disclosing an element that is at least partly transmissive and at least partly reflective.

Abstract: Systems and methodologies for use in signal measurement systems that acquire and store signal data in accordance with a trigger specification. In particular, the present invention is directed to a hardware resource allocator that is interposed between the signal acquisition hardware of a logic analyzer and the user interface on which a signal measurement specification model is presented to the operator. The hardware resource allocator translates the measurement requirements as specified by the user on the user interface to commands for allocation and control of the appropriate combination of hardware resources. Generally, the hardware resource allocator allocates and configures the requisite hardware resources and translates the measurement specification to hardware control data used by software drivers to program the signal acquisition hardware resources.

Abstract: An elongated sensor is provided for detecting the presence of a liquid in an electronics system. The sensor includes an elongated sensor element having a pair of adjacent electrical conductors, and a liquid permeable material that when dry electrically insulates the conductors, and when wet with a liquid at any point along the length of the conductors allows electric coupling of the conductors. The sensor also includes a detector operable to detect the presence of the liquid by sensing the electrical coupling of the conductors.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a resonator, and in particular, a thin film bulk acoustic resonator (FBAR), and a resonator embodying the method are disclosed. The resonator is fabricated on a substrate by fabricating a bottom electrode layer and a piezoelectric (PZ) layer over the bottom electrode layer. A selected portion of the PZ layer is partially etched. Then, a top electrode is fabricated over the selected portion of the PZ layer.

Abstract: A method of reducing the effects of varying environmental conditions on a measuring instrument includes thermally insulating a measuring unit such that the effects of variations of environmental conditions on selected components of the measuring unit are substantially reduced, while allowing dissipated heat generated within the measuring unit to leave the measuring unit. The method also includes controlling a first temperature in the measuring unit by means of a control loop which includes a temperature sensor and means to influence the first temperature in the measuring unit in such a way that temperatures at locations with selected components are kept substantially constant.

Abstract: An optical interface device for use in coherent testing of a device for its response to a stimulus signal. The interface includes a reference signal generator for generating a reference signal and a stimulus signal from the light signal input to the interface. A first optical switch routes the stimulus signal to one of the device test ports. A second optical switch routes a light signal from the device under test to the test signal output port. A plurality of optical routers are utilized for connecting the device test ports to the first and second switches. The output of the optical routers also provides a signal related to the intensity of the light signal leaving the device test port for use in correcting the data for variations in intensity in the stimulus light signal. A polarization synthesizer for setting the polarization state of the stimulus signal may also be included.

Abstract: A method of determination of a property of an optical device under test includes using a first initial coherent light beam, changing a first initial property of the first initial light beam, coupling the first initial light beam to the device under test, detecting a first signal of the first initial light beam received from the device under test, and correcting any a non-linearity in the first signal by interpolating the first signal on a linear scale.

Abstract: A gasket encloses a hermetically sealed environment between a cap wafer and a base wafer. The gasket is bonded to the base wafer using bonding material. The bonding material can be one or more of many substances that exhibit acceptable adhesion, sealing, and other properties that ensure a hermetically sealed environment. The gasket is carved out from the cap wafer material itself. The cap wafer is typically made of extremely strong and rigid material such as silicon. Since the gasket is made from the cap wafer, the gasket itself is also extremely strong and rigid.

Abstract: The instant invention is directed to a bonded product, such as a manifold, for gas or liquid chromatographs, and a method for making the same. The bonded product is made using the following steps: (i) contacting two or more steel sheets; (ii) heating the contacted sheets to a temperature substantially below the melting temperature of the sheets; (iii) applying pressure to the contacted sheets; and (iv) cooling the contacted sheets. No intermediate foreign material is used to bond the steel sheets, e.g., no welding material or TLP diffusion bonding plate is utilized. Nonetheless, a strong, leak free bond is generated at temperatures as low as 1700° F. (926.6° C.). The bond is molecular in nature, as evidenced by grains that grow from one sheet to another across the interface between the two sheets.

Abstract: A carrier for several cable holders, especially of fiber optical cables, includes a housing that comprises several receptacles on one cable holder side, into which one of the cable holders can be plugged respectively. A cable that is held by the cable holder and that sticks out from it in a plug direction penetrates the housing on a device side that faces away from the cable holder side. The plug directions of several or all receptacles run parallel to each other.

Abstract: A test fixture adapter for a printed circuit assembly tester is presented. The test fixture adapter implements the universal portions of the tester-to-fixture interface and allows mounting of a customized fixture interface printed circuit board thereon. The fixture interface printed circuit board and the fixture itself are completely separate. The adapter may be reused from one board design to the next, requiring only that a customized fixture interface printed circuit board and a customized fixture be redesigned and manufactured.

Abstract: A channel plan with a corresponding test plan are implemented in connection with a plurality of nodes that communicate signals. The channel plan has one or more predefined specifications for each of one or more signal channels on each of the nodes. The channel plan enables a monitoring system to, among other things, conduct automatic periodic test plans, comprising tests, on the nodes, based upon the predefined data specified in the channel plan. Each test plan prescribes measurement of at least one signal parameter, pertaining to one or more nodes as a whole and/or to one or more channels contained within the nodes. The monitoring system includes a spectrum analyzer, a switch enabling the spectrum analyzer to interface with the nodes, and a controller controlling the switch and the spectrum analyzer. The controller is configured to enable creation of and display the channel plan and test plan, based upon user inputs.

Abstract: A three-dimensional optical switch using three-dimensional rewritable waveguides in a photosensitive substrate. At least two light beams are used to illuminate the substrate in the region where the waveguide is to be written. The refractive index of the substrate changes at the points where the beams intersect. Therefore, the light beams can be directed to create a three-dimensional waveguide in the photosensitive substrate. A plurality of inlet ports in one surface of the substrate are thereby connected to a plurality of outlet ports on another surface of the substrate. Alternatively, the inlet ports and the outlet ports may be on the same surface of the substrate. The invention also provides methods of creating waveguides in photosensitive media using the device described herein.

Abstract: A package for opto-electrical components includes a casing having a chamber, and an optical feed-through between the chamber and the casing exterior. At least one board or tile adapted to carry opto-electrical components is in the chamber. The board or tile creates a solid mechanical structure with the casing while providing electrical ohmic connections with a set of electrical connections on the casing. The board or tile is from of an assortment of boards or tiles of different types.

Abstract: A LED of flip-chip design comprises a light emitting region and one or more transparent substrates overlying the light emitting region. The light emitting region includes a negatively doped layer, a positively doped layer, and an active p-n junction layer between the negatively doped layer and the positively doped layer. At least one of the substrates has a pyramidal shape determined by (1) the composition of electrically conductive or electrically non-conductive material, (2) the number of side surfaces, (3) the degree of offset of an apex or top surface, and (4) the slope angle of each side surface relative to a bottom surface.

Abstract: A circuit and method for correcting thermal deviations of one or more output signals from an amplifier utilizes Early effect-compensated correcting signals to reduce the thermal deviations of the output signals. The correcting signals are derived from temperature-dependent signals, which correspond to the thermal deviations of the output signal. The temperature-dependent signals, however, include errors due to Early effect. The Early effect errors are compensated in the correcting signals by introducing reverse Early effect errors into the correcting signals. Consequently, the compensating signals can be used to more effectively correct the thermal deviations of the output signals.

Abstract: An electrical connection structure terminates an electrical signal wire while electrically coupling the wire to a target circuit board. A rigid printed circuit board or flex circuit is attached in a substantially perpendicular orientation to the target board by way of solder. A termination circuit is then mounted near the end of the rigid board or flex circuit that is attached to the target circuit board, with the termination circuit electrically coupling the signal wire with the target circuit board.

Abstract: An optical sampling method and apparatus use a probe pulse source of a predetermined optical wavelength range, e.g., 1560 nm, to sample incoming optical pulses in approximately the same wavelength range. The probe pulse source is frequency-doubled e.g., using a frequency doubler such as a nonlinear PPLN crystal, to obtain an intermediate second harmonic which may be filtered with a 780 nm bandpass filter to eliminate at least source frequency noise background. The filtered intermediate second harmonic is then mixed with the user input signal using an optional polarizing beam splitter and a dichroic beam splitter. The mixed signal is sent to a sum frequency generating (SFG) nonlinear crystal, e.g., a PPLN crystal, where the resulting frequency is near the third harmonic. The output from the SFG PPLN crystal may be filtered using a bandpass 515 nm filter to remove unwanted wavelengths and processed to measure/sense the near third harmonic content using a photomultiplier tube (PMT).