Abstract: Micron-scale displacement measurement devices having enhanced performance characteristics are disclosed. One embodiment of a micron-scale displacement measurement device includes a phase-sensitive reflective diffraction grating for reflecting a first portion of an incident light and transmitting a second portion of the incident light such that the second portion of the incident light is diffracted. The device further includes a mechanical structure having a first region and a second region, the mechanical structure positioned a distance d above the diffraction grating, the second portion of the incident light is reflected off of the first region of the structure such that an interference pattern is formed by the reflected first portion and the reflected second portion of the incident light. The device can further include an electrode extending toward, but spaced a distance away from, the second region of the mechanical structure.

Abstract: Ionization systems, methods of using ionization systems, ion source systems, methods of using ion source systems, and methods of ionization, are described herein.

Abstract: Methods and compositions for synthesizing biopolymers using an intercalator are provided. Aspects provide compositions and methods for synthesizing biopolymers with non-natural backbones or non-natural biopolymer subunits using natural biopolymer templates. Other aspects provide compositions and methods for synthesizing biopolymers using a template with a non-natural backbone on non-natural biopolymer subunits.

Abstract: Disclosed are resonant vibratory gyroscopes and fabrication methods relating thereto. The angular motion sensor comprises a resonating star gyroscope which comprises a vibratory solid or shell-type structure for rate sensing or measuring angle of rotation. The structure formed as a merged superposition of two square entities, yields in-plane degenerate flexural modes that are used to sense rotation around the axis perpendicular to the substrate. The resonating star gyroscope may be implemented using the primary flexural degenerate modes. Such an implementation has been successfully demonstrated by the authors using trench-refilled polysilicon and epitaxial polysilicon as the structural material. It is also possible to use a solid star-shaped resonator (with or without perforations) for the gyroscope. The authors also suggest the operation of the resonating star gyroscope employing the higher-order flexural modes.

Abstract: Disclosed are moveable microstructures comprising in-plane capacitive microaccelerometers, with submicro-gravity resolution (<200 ng/?Hz) and very high sensitivity (>17 pF/g). The microstructures are fabricated in thick (>100 ?m) silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrates or silicon substrates using a two-mask fully-dry release process that provides large seismic mass (>10 milli-g), reduced capacitive gaps, and reduced in-plane stiffness. Fabricated devices may be interfaced to a high resolution switched-capacitor CMOS IC that eliminates the need for area-consuming reference capacitors. The measured sensitivity is 83 mV/mg (17 pF/g) and the output noise floor is ?91 dBm/Hz at 10 Hz (corresponding to an acceleration resolution of 170 ng/?Hz). The IC consumes 6 mW power and measures 0.65 mm2 core area.

Abstract: In a method of making graphite devices, a preselected crystal face of a crystal is annealed to create a thin-film graphitic layer disposed against selected face. A preselected pattern is generated on the thin-film graphitic layer. A functional structure includes a crystalline substrate having a preselected crystal face. A thin-film graphitic layer is disposed on the preselected crystal face. The thin-film graphitic layer is patterned so as to define at least one functional structure.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems or apparatuses and methods for forming a junction between conductive fibers that are incorporated into a fabric. Briefly, one method includes the steps of removing insulation from two intersecting individually insulated conductive fibers to expose the individually conductive fibers, bringing the exposed individually conductive fibers into contact with each other at a junction point, and forming a molecular bond between the conductive fibers at the junction point. Also disclosed are systems for forming a junction between conductive fibers that are incorporated into a fabric.

Abstract: An operational amplifier including: a differential pair of transistors coupled to a pair of input signals; and a pair of floating-gate transistors coupled to the differential pair of transistors, wherein the pair of floating-gate transistors are operable for reducing an offset voltage of the operational amplifier.

Abstract: Input/output (I/O) interconnects, fluidic I/O interconnects, electrical, optical, and fluidic I/O interconnects, devices incorporating the I/O interconnects, systems incorporating the I/O interconnects, and methods of fabricating the I/O interconnects, devices, and systems, are described herein.

Abstract: A low-temperature process that combines high-aspect-ratio polymer structures with electroless copper plating to create laterally compliant MEMS structures. These structures can be used as IC-package interconnects that can lead to reliable, low-cost and high-performance nano wafer-level packaging. High-aspect-ratio low CTE polyimide structures with low stress, high toughness and strength were fabricated using plasma etching. The dry etching process was tuned to yield a wall angle above 80 degrees leading to an aspect ratio higher than 4. The etching process also leads to roughened sidewalls for selective electroless plating on the sidewalls of the polymer structures. These fabricated structures show reduction in the stresses at the interfaces and superior reliability as IC-package nano interconnects. Metal-coated polymer structures from MEMS fabrication techniques can provide low-cost high-performance solutions for wafer-level-packaging.

Abstract: Alternating impedance electromagnetic bandgap (AI-EBG) structures, systems incorporating AI-EBG structures, and methods of making AI-EBG structures, are disclosed.

Abstract: A system is provided for that improves video quality and resolution. The system include a processor configured with logic to estimate an image from at least one observed image to produce an estimated image, the observed image having a lower spatial resolution than the estimated image. The processor is further configured with logic to simulate steps of an imaging process and compression process and update the estimated image with statistical and/or deterministic information if further optimization is needed, otherwise designate the estimated image as a solution.

Abstract: An apparatus and methods for determining in situ pore fluid and soil properties at a particular subsurface location are disclosed. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a penetrating tip member configured to penetrate soil. The apparatus further comprises an attachment module coupled to the penetrating tip member. The attachment module includes at least one mandrel that includes a piezo sensor. An in situ measurement of pore pressure is obtained by the piezo sensor at a depth that corresponds to the location of the at least one mandrel on the attachment module.

Abstract: Disclosed are high frequency, vertical silicon bulk acoustic resonators. Resonator structures having a relatively large transduction areas fabricated using a HARPSS fabrication process provide for high frequency capacitive resonators with significantly low impedance values. Impedance values as low as a few kilo-Ohms to sub-kilo-Ohm and quality factors in the range of 20,000 to 90,000 in the VHF range have been achieved for a first thickness mode of fabricated vertical silicon bulk acoustic resonators. Resonant frequencies as high as 983 MHz have been demonstrated for higher third thickness modes of the vertical silicon bulk acoustic resonators.

Abstract: One embodiment of a system includes a sophisticated volume hologram for dispersing an incident optical signal with uniform spectrum over an input plane to an output pattern with non-uniform spatial-spectral information, where the sophisticated volume hologram includes a plurality of holograms that map different input wavelengths into a diverse spatial pattern. The system further includes a detector for receiving and detecting light dispersed by the sophisticated volume hologram. Other systems and methods are also provided.

Abstract: One embodiment of a lens-less system for analyzing an optical spectrum includes a sophisticated volume hologram for separating an incident diffuse optical signal into wavelength channels without aid of an external collector lens and a detector for receiving and detecting light dispersed by the sophisticated volume hologram. Other systems and methods are also provided.

Abstract: Methods and systems for streaming data in a network. Whether the network is experiencing high packet loss may be determined by a rate control module. If high packet loss is experienced, data is encoded into multiple streams by a coder using temporal domain partitioning. If high packet loss is not experienced, then data may is encoded by using frequency domain partitioning. Unequal error protection is applied to each of the streams so more important bit planes in a bit of a stream are provided with more error protection than less important bit planes. The streams are transmitted along, respectively, independent paths to a decoder. The streams are decoded, and errors in the decoded streams are corrected by using information from one or more of the other decoded streams. The decoded corrected streams are reconstructed into the data.

Abstract: An aircraft comprising a Channel Wing having blown channel circulation control wings (CCW) for various functions. The blown channel CCW includes a channel that has a rounded or near-round trailing edge. The channel further has a trailing-edge slot that is adjacent to the rounded trailing edge of the channel. The trailing-edge slot has an inlet connected to a source of pressurized air and is capable of tangentially discharging pressurized air over the rounded trailing edge. The aircraft further has a propeller that is located in the channel and ahead of the rounded trailing edge of the channel. The propeller provides a propeller thrust exhaust stream across the channel wing to propel the aircraft through the air and to provide high lift.

Abstract: The present invention provides compositions for inhibiting proteases, methods for synthesizing the compositions, and methods of using the disclosed protease inhibitors. Aspects of the invention include aza-peptide epoxide compositions that inhibit proteases, for example cysteine proteases, either in vivo or in vitro. The disclosed compounds, pharmaceutically acceptable salts, pharmaceutically acceptable derivatives, prodrugs, or combinations thereof can be used to treat disease or pathological conditions related to the activity of proteases associated with a specific disease or condition. Such treatable conditions include viral infections, stroke, neurodegenerative disease, and inflammatory disease, among others.

Abstract: The present invention provides low stress non-hermetic conformal coatings for the protection of microelectronic devices, such as a Microelectromechanical system (MEMS) based multichip module from adverse environments. The induced stress from these two coatings due to the thermal cycling and manufacture processing will not cause any influence on sensing accuracy of the piezopressure sensor or similar functional MEMS devices. Furthermore, the conformal coatings have the merits of low glass transition temperature, good elongation, low moisture uptake and mobile ion permeation, room temperature curability and good contamination resistance to the jet fume, which promise a high reliability for the aerospace and avionics application. One conformal coating comprises a composition/formulation containing a rubber, siloxane or urethane oligomer modified epoxy and an organic hardener, and optionally an organic diluent and a curing catalyst.