Abstract: An array of active pixel sensors. The array of active pixel sensors includes a substrate that includes electronic circuitry. An interconnect structure is formed adjacent to the substrate. The interconnect structure includes a plurality of conductive vias. A plurality of conductive guard rings are formed adjacent to the interconnect structure. Each conductive guard ring is electrically connected to the substrate through at least one of the conductive vias. A plurality of photo diode sensors are formed adjacent to the interconnect structure. Each photo diode sensor is surrounded by at least one of the conductive guard rings. Each photo diode sensor includes a pixel electrode. The pixel electrode is electrically connected to the substrate through a corresponding conductive via. An I-layer is formed adjacent to the pixel electrode. The array of active pixel sensors further includes a transparent conductive layer formed adjacent to the photo diode sensors.

Abstract: A microcap wafer-level package is provided in which a micro device is connected to bonding pads on a base wafer. A peripheral pad on the base wafer encompasses the bonding pads and the micro device. A cap wafer is processed to form wells of a predetermined depth in the cap wafer. A conductive material is made integral with the walls of the wells in the cap wafer. The cap wafer has contacts and a peripheral gasket formed thereon where the contacts are capable of being aligned with the bonding pads on the base wafer, and the gasket matches the peripheral pad on the base wafer. The cap wafer is then placed over the base wafer so as to bond the contact and gasket to the pads and form a hermetically sealed volume within the peripheral gasket. The cap wafer is thinned to form a “microcap”. The microcap is thinned below the predetermined depth until the semiconductor dopant is exposed to become conductive vias through the cap wafer to outside the hermetically sealed volume.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for producing more uniformly polished wafers using chemical mechanical polishing (CMP). The present invention recognizes that wafer temperature is important in achieving uniform polishing. Mechanisms are disclosed for regulating carrier and carrier plate temperatures and thereby regulating the temperature of an attached wafer. Mechanisms are also disclosed that insulate a wafer, at least to some extent, from undesired heat sinks or heat sources.

Abstract: An automatic external defibrillator is described that includes a high voltage delivery circuit for producing an electrical pulse to defibrillate a patient. In a preferred embodiment the electrical pulse is a biphasic or multiphasic electrical pulse. In one embodiment, the delivery circuit includes a high voltage capacitor coupled with a bridge circuit. The capacitor stores electrical energy for delivery to the patient, and the bridge circuit has four switching elements that are selectively switched to steer the current through the patient. A disarm circuit shunts the bridge circuit and operates to route energy away from the bridge circuit in the event a fault condition is detected, such as a short circuit at the patient electrodes. An example disarm circuit is a series-connected SCR and resistor. Also, a limiting circuit element (such as a resistor or an inductor) is provided in series with the capacitor.

Abstract: A laser module (1) comprises a Fabry-Perot cavity active element (2) with a facet (3) bearing an anti-reflection coating and an external cavity made by an optical fibre Bragg grating (5) with low reflectivity. This grating (5) presents a non-uniform profile of modulation of the refractive index, asymmetrical in the direction of the grating length, such as to give rise to a position of the equivalent mirror plane that is offset towards the end of the grating (5) that is closer to the active element (2).

Abstract: An AC signal is switched between two circuit branches using a transformer or at least one directional coupler as a coupling device. Electronically controlled switches shunt one of two terminals of the coupling device to AC ground. The input signal is propagated out of the non-shunted terminal to one of the two circuit branches. The electronically controlled switches may be relays, transistors, or diodes. Diodes prevent the AC signal from being shunted to AC ground when reverse biased and shunt the AC signal to AC ground when forward biased.

Abstract: The method of the invention controls an ultrasound system that implements a clutter filter, to derive parameters such as blood flow velocity, echo power and/or echo amplitude data from an anatomical region of interest (ROI) and into which a contrast agent has been introduced. The method initially transmits an ensemble of N ultrasound beams along a common azimuth and elevation into the ROI to cause destruction of the contrast agent lying along the azimuth. Estimated wall motion velocity data is then derived for the tissue wall region through use of selected echo signal data derived from a subset of the N ultrasound beams of the ensemble, the subset excluding echo signal data from a first M of the N ultrasound beams or any subset of the N ultrasound beams. The clutter filter is then adjusted to attenuate selected echo signal data returned from the ROI that exhibits the wall motion velocity data.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system and method for probing target pads in a dense pad array while minimizing distortion of a signal on the pads probed due to the probe load on the target pads and minimizing an amount of cross-talk between aggressor conductors in the dense pad array and the probe tip. In one embodiment, a probe tip arrangement is provided comprising a pad located in a dense pad array and a first probe tip resistor having first and second ends, the first end being coupled to the pad. The first probe tip resistor is positioned directly adjacent to the pad as closely as manufacturing processes will allow. The probe tip arrangement further includes an access transmission line coupled to the second end of the first probe tip resistor and extending outside of the dense pad array to a second probe tip resistor. The second probe tip resistor may, in turn, be coupled to an electrical connector which in turn is coupled to a logic analyzer or oscilloscope to test the signal on the respective pad of the pad array.

Abstract: Transducer elements having a 2-2 or 1-3 composite structure and driven in a k31 transverse mode for small-feature size transducer arrays, which provide improved electrical impedance matching to an ultrasonic imaging system and improved acoustic matching to the human body. The transducer element includes a plurality of thin piezoceramic wafers which are electroded on opposing major surfaces. The spaced wafers are separated by a passive polymer layer in a composite structure. Methods of producing the transducer elements are also described.

Abstract: An improved integrated circuit design tool allows the incorporation of minor revisions to a high level register transfer language (RTL) code (netlist) by incorporating within a formal verification tool an engineering change order (ECO) compiler. The addition of the ECO compiler to the formal verification tool eliminates the need to rerun a synthesis tool after minor changes to a revised RTL netlist in order to generate a revised gate (logic) level netlist.

Abstract: A test fixture for electrically connecting a limited-access test target on a loaded-circuit board with an interface probe of a tester may comprise a solid, elongate test probe having a first end and a second end. A double-headed spring probe having a first spring loaded head located at a first end of the double-headed spring probe and a second spring loaded head located at a second end of the double-headed spring probe is generally axially aligned with the solid, elongate test probe so that the first spring loaded head contacts the second end of the solid, elongate test probe. A contact pad on a first side of a wireless interface printed circuit board is generally aligned with the second spring loaded head of the double-headed spring probe so that the contact pad contacts the second spring loaded head of the double-headed spring probe.

Abstract: An improved reference loop for a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) uses an approximate 50% duty cycle to improve the DC performance and the drift of the DAC at mid-scale. The 50% duty cycle also allows the DAC to provide the same performance over all outputs irrespective of the number of bits supplied to each input. The 50% duty cycle for the reference loop may be obtained from one of the DAC system outputs by forcing that output to supply a square wave output signal which may be used as input for the reference loop. The reference loop may alternatively be supplied by a DAC clock that is divided to obtain the desired 50% duty cycle input to the reference loop, in which case all outputs of the DAC are available for system output.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for synthesizing oligonucleotides using carbonate protection of hydroxyl groups and nucleophilic deprotection reagents. The deprotection reagents irreversibly cleave the carbonate protecting groups while simultaneously oxidizing the intemucleotide phosphite triester linkage, and can be used in aqueous solution at neutral to mildly basic pH. The method eliminates the need for separate deprotection and oxidation steps, and, since the use of acid to remove protecting groups is unnecessary, acid-induced depurination is avoided. Fluorescent or other readily detectable carbonate protecting groups can be used, enabling monitoring of individual reaction steps during oligonucleotide synthesis. The invention is particularly useful in the highly parallel, microscale synthesis of oligonucleotides. Reagents and kits for carrying out the aforementioned method are provided as well.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for focusing a free beam of light onto a target. The target is often very small or angle restricted. The apparatus includes a lens surrounded by two parallel windows. The focusing of the free beam is achieved by tilting the first window to orient the beam of light through the lens onto the target, adjusting the lens focus to focus the beam of light into a focused spot, and tilting the second window to translate the focused spot across the target. The lens may also be tilted to provide a greater range of translation.

Abstract: A light emitting device and photodetector combination having a structure where the layer of the photodetector that contacts the light emitting device has a semiconductor conductivity type polarity opposite that of the light emitting device. This configuration results in a light emitting device and photodetector structure that has a very low bias voltage requirement. Additionally, by shunting any current flowing through the junction formed where the light emitting device meets the photodetector, the bias voltage requirement is further reduced.

Abstract: A technique that modulates the power of a inductively coupled plasma (ICP) according to the operative modes of a spectrometer. An analytical apparatus of the present invention contains an inductively coupled plasma generator (ICPG) and a spectrometer. The ICPG generates a plasma for forming ionic and excited molecular species from a sample. The spectrometer analyzes the ionic and excited molecular species formed. The spectrometer operates in an analysis mode wherein the ionic and excited molecular species are identified according to physical characteristics of the species to provide data on the species and further has a washout mode wherein the spectrometer flushes out interfering ions and molecules and provides no significant data on the sample. The controller modulates the ICPG to operate in power cycles, at each cycle the ICPG operates in an analysis period and a stand-by period. By modulating the plasma power, the power consumption and heat dissipation can be reduced.

Abstract: The system includes a confocal optical system to illuminate an object at an intended detection plane and to focus light from the object onto a pinhole. An opaque obstacle is disposed within the confocal optical system, the obstacle selected to suppress light originating outside the intended detection plane from passing through the pinhole. It is preferred that the obstacle size and location be selected to achieve a desired level of suppression. A design goal is a 100-fold reduction in background with a 10% or less loss of signal.

Abstract: Methods are provided for depositing a quantity of fluid onto the surface of an array. In the subject methods, a thermal inkjet head loaded with the fluid is positioned in opposing relationship to, e.g. over, the array surface. Actuation of the thermal inkjet results in the expulsion of a quantity of fluid onto the array surface. The subject methods find particular use in array-based binding assays in which an array of binding agents is employed for the detection of an analyte(s), particularly array-based hybridization assays.

Abstract: Circuitry is provided for detecting threshold crossings of an input signal which is generally sinusoidal or otherwise periodic, but which is subject to either high-frequency noise which would cause erroneous multiple threshold crossings, or low-frequency noise which would cause erroneous failure to detect a threshold crossing. Two detection elements detect the crossing of two different threshold values and produce detection signals reflecting whether the input signal is above or below their thresholds. For noisy input signals, these detection signals may be bouncy. High- and low-true versions of the detection signals are logically combined to produce a first signal which is active only while the input signal moves in one direction, and is masked from the active state while the input signal moves in the other direction. Likewise, a second signal is produced which is active the opposite way. The first and second signals set and reset a latch, whose output state represents the threshold crossing.