Abstract: A cable closure includes two spaced end plugs (110-110) through which cable nd portions extend and two cover portions (60-60) which are mated together along tongue and groove portions and held together by C-shaped clamps that engage the tongue and groove portions. Conductors of the cables are spliced together and enclosed in a membranous container (40) which subsequently is caused to be filled with an encapsulant. The cover portions, which in a preferred embodiment are identical, include internally disposed plates each having spaced end strap portions which secure the cable end portions extending through the end plugs into the closure at locations external to the membranous container and prevent unintended lateral, longitudinal and torsional movement of the splice work relative to the encapsulant.

Abstract: Electrically conductive paths are produced on a polymeric substrate by laser writing, i.e., by tracing desired paths on the substrate by a laser beam. The resulting paths comprise electrically conductive carbon as produced by thermal decomposition of substrate surface material; the paths can serve; e.g., as electrical interconnections akin to printed circuitry on a wiring board. Optionally, the conductivity of paths can be enhanced by electroplating a suitable conductor metal or alloy onto the paths.

Abstract: A plurality of spring clips (30), each having an elongated central member 2) with first (40) and second (38) ends and a plurality of resilient arms (36) radially extending therefrom, are simultaneously transferred between a transfer plate (90) and a pallet (20). The first ends (40) of the member (32) are lockably engaged in the transfer plate (90) with the second ends (38) thereof positioned into apertures (24) in the pallet (20). The central member (32) is rotated to release the first ends (40) from the transfer plate (90) while simultaneously lockably engaging the second ends (38) to the pallet (20) to secure the clips (30) therein and to capture a chip carrier (10) between the ends of each arm (36) and the pallet (20).

Abstract: Automated inspection of solder bumps (18--18) on a major surface (14) of a chip carrier (10) is accomplished by placing the chip carrier on a platform (22) beneath a ring light (28) which is in registration with a television camera (30). Light from the ring light, which is directed at an angle towards all sides (12--12) of the chip carrier, is only reflected upwardly into the television camera by the solder bumps. The output signal of the television camera, which varies with the intensity of the light reflected from the solder bumps, is processed by a vision system (32) to obtain a one-dimensional plot of the light intensity. The one-dimensional intensity plot is analyzed automatically by the vision system to detect for missing, bridged or excessive solder bumps on the chip carrier.

Abstract: Sealing the backside of a semiconductor wafer prevents evaporation of the dopant (typically boron) when an epitaxial layer is grown on the front (active) side, thereby preventing autodoping of the epitaxial layer with excess dopant. The present technique deposits an oxide layer during the ramp-up of the furnace that also deposits the nitride cap, thereby avoiding an extra process step. It also avoids the higher temperatures required for the prior-art technique of growing the oxide layer, resulting in lower oxygen precipitation due to the capping process and a greater yield of usable wafers.

Abstract: A technique for moving and presenting an article to a work station is described. A plurality of articles, loaded onto a conveyor system, are moved so that a leading article is positioned at a pick-up and elevating station (46). A separating mechanism (44) is activated to lift (via 90, 91) from the conveyor system (42) all of the articles which trail the leading article, and to move them a predetermined distance behind and away from the elevating station (46). Next, the leading article is elevated above the plane of the conveyor system in order to facilitate its removal therefrom (FIG. 3).

Abstract: A hopper tray for receiving a bulk array for articles, all the same oblong shape and size, is disposed on one side of an elongated conveyer. The tray is angularly movable between an up position at which articles on the tray are discharged onto the conveyer and a down position. The articles are transported one at a time, to a zone at which they are stopped by their contact with a stop plate and their arrival is indicated by a signal fed from a photodetector to a controller. A failure of an article to timely arrive at the zone indicates a probable jamming upstream of articles, and the controller responds to cause a temporary reverse movement of the conveyer tending to relieve the jam. The article stopped by the plate is, if at an angle, reoriented to bear flush against the plate, either lengthwise or widthwise to the conveyer, by the force exerted on the articles by the continuing movement of the conveyer. A probe senses whether the articles have been oriented lengthwise or widthwise.

Abstract: The frequency of a quartz crystal resonator (10) having a known radius (R) initially is adjusted upward toward a nominal resonant frequency in a "rough adjust" phase in which one or more lasered holes (24) are formed in a central portion of an outer electrode (12). The resonator ( 10) then is adjusted to the nominal resonant frequency in a "fine adjust" phase which initially involves utilizing a known coordinate position (70) and a laser (40) to determine coordinates (74 and 78) of two edge portions of the outer electrode (12). The edge portion coordinates (74 and 78) and the known electrode radius (R) then are used to determine coordinates (84) along an arc defined by a peripheral edge (28) of the outer electrode (12) in 5.degree. increments (85). Lasered holes (26) then are formed in the electrode edge (28) to adjust the resonator (10) to the nominal resonant frequency. Additional lasered holes (30) also may be formed in the electrode (12) along an arc of reduced radius for this purpose, if necessary.

Abstract: A voltage comparator (10) includes two sampled input networks connected in arallel between an input reference voltage (Vref) and the inverting input (16) of an integrator (12,14), the other input (18) of which is grounded. The first input network has a first input capacitor (C1) which is through-switched at a first sampling frequency (F1). The second input network has a second input capacitor which is diagonally-switched at a second sampling frequency (F2), thus providing an output voltage to the integrator (12,14) which is of opposite polarity to that of the first network. For a given ratio between the capacitors (C1,C2), the output (15) of the integrator is determined by the relationship between the sampling frequencies (F1,F2), thus providing a comparator capability. Also disclosed is a frequency lock loop (34) in which the output (Vcontrol) of a frequency comparator (38) is filtered of the switching frequencies and utilized as the control voltage for a voltage controlled oscillator (42).

Abstract: A plurality of spring clips (30), each having an elongated central member (32) with first (40) and second (38) ends and a plurality of resilient arms (36) radially extending therefrom, are simultaneously transferred between a transfer plate (90) and a pallet (20). The first ends (40) of the member (32) are lockably engaged in the transfer plate (90) with the second ends (38) thereof positioned into apertures (24) in the pallet (20). The central member (32) is rotated to release the first ends (40) from the transfer plate (90) while simultaneously lockably engaging the second ends (38) to the pallet (20) to secure the clips (30) therein and to capture a chip carrier (10) between the ends of each arm (36) and the pallet (20).

Abstract: A high quality Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 film is deposited by means of plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition by passing a trialkylaluminum vapor over the surface of a substrate and CO.sub.2 gas as the oxidant in a plasma above the substrate surface. The CO.sub.2 is controlled to prevent particle formation due to gas phase reaction in the plasma as opposed to directly on the substrate surface.

Abstract: In an electronic coin telephone set, a fraud prevention arrangement prevents fraudulent coin tones originating at a telephone transmitter from being provided to a central office over a coin subscriber loop. The arrangement comprises a first and second transmission channel for alternately connecting the transmitter to the central office and also a fraud filter disposed in the second transmission channel. The fraud filter attenuates a selected frequency originating at the transmitter that is indicative of coin deposits. When coin deposits are not required by the central office, the transmitter is connected to the central office through the first transmission channel. When coin deposits are required by the central office, however, the arrangement connects the transmitter to the central office through the second transmission channel thereby avoiding the fraudulent generating of coin tones through the telephone transmitter.

Abstract: There is disclosed a multiple electrical contact switch which has a comb block whose teeth are inserted into receptacles of a mounting block thereby wedging pairs of electrical spring contacts, which are also inserted into the receptacles, between the teeth and the receptacles without bending the spring contacts. The electrical contacts extend from the receptacles and are activated by an operating card, which engages the extended portions of the electrical contacts to open or close electrical conduction paths. When pressure on the spring contacts from the actuating card is released, the spring contacts then move the operating card to an original position wherein the sequence of open and closed contact springs is as if there were no contact with the operating card and the contact springs.

Abstract: A head (158) precisely registers an article (10) to a site for operations such as bonding. The article (10) may be an electronic chip (10) containing a plurality of sides (12-15) having top edges for engaging the head (158) and bottom edges for registering to a topside (95) of a pedestal (20). A body (161) has an upper portion adapted for support and a lower portion terminating in a downwardly presented, working face (159). Face 159 includes a cavity (166) formed by walls (167-170) having inwardly and upwardly directed surfaces (171-174) for engaging corresponding top edges of the chip (10). The chip (10) is at least partially disposed within the cavity (166) making it difficult for an operator to see, especially when a fixed microscope is required for viewing. A bore (175) communicates with the cavity (166) and may be connected to a vacuum source for drawing a chip (10) into the cavity and for removably engaging the same to the engaging surfaces (171-174).

Abstract: A method for preventing unwanted continued polymerization with aging of a polymer, e.g., a silicone gel, which was catalytically cured comprises treating the cured polymer with a catalytic deactivating agent or stabilization of cured resin.

Abstract: An inductor coil comprises a main winding of insulated wire on the barrel of a bobbin having two axial lugs salient from one of the bobbin's end flanges, and having two recesses formed in the outer surface of the other of such flanges. A coaxial array of such bobbins is mounted on a rotatable spindle axially salient from a rotatable driving head such that the bobbins are, by such lugs and recesses, mechanically coupled together and to said head. The head is rotated to produce through such lugs and recesses a rotation of such bobbins utilized to form such main windings thereon. The lugs of each such bobbin supported elongated plastic arms having bifurcated outer ends around which are formed wire windings providing terminals for the main winding of the coil.

Abstract: The height of solder bumps (10) on a bonding pad (24) of a semiconductor chip (12) is increased by successively immersing the chip in molten solder alloys having progressively lower melting points.

Abstract: An apparatus for automatically measuring the depth and rate of etching of a semiconductor body (10) comprises an interferometer (18) and a counter circuit (28). The interferometer (18) directs light towards the semiconductor body (10) and detects the intensity of the light reflected therefrom which varies periodically during etching. The counter circuit (28) is responsive to the periodically varying intensity of the reflected light and automatically determines the number of cycles and the frequency thereof to compute the etch depth and etch rate therefrom.