Abstract: An input circuit for an operational amplifier which incorporates a bias control transistor for effectively minimizing the input current to a Darlington-connected transistor pair into the same semiconductor region in which the Darlington-connected transistor pair is formed. All portions of the surface of the dielectrically isolated island are effectively boot-strapped with the (common mode) input signal, whereby the parasitic capacitance to ground is effectively eliminated. This enables the collector current of the input transistor to be reduced significantly relative to the collector current flowing through the output transistor of the Darlington pair. To accommodate for device characteristic variations among separate wafer processing runs, a self-balanced bias circuit, containing a transistor pair matched to the bias and Darlington output transistors, is employed as the current source of the operational amplifier.

Abstract: In the manufacture of an integrated circuit, steps of the process are dynamically augmented, so as to fabricate the integrated circuit at wafer locations which avoid the presence of circuit-killing particulates. During the respective steps of fabrication, the components employed in the process are scanned to locate and identify particulates. This information is compared with a previously defined component/interconnect layout to determine whether the particulates reside at locations that will not detrimentally impact the completed circuit or whether further processing will incorporate the defect into the circuit and render it effectively useless. In this latter circumstance the intended geometries of the circuit are modified, so as to effectively rearrange or shift prescribed components (e.g. semiconductor regions, contact apertures, interconnect tracks) to a location of the wafer which are not coincident with the location of the particulates.

Abstract: A space deployable solar energy concentrator is formed of a dome-shaped arrangement of compactly stowable flat panel segments mounted on a collapsible, space-deployable support structure of interconnected linear components. The support structure is comprised of a plurality of tensioned, curvilinear edge strips which extend in a radial direction from a prescribed vertex of a surrounding umbrella-like framework of radially extending rib members. Between a respective pair of radially-extending, curvilinear edge strips an individual wedge-shaped panel section is formed of a plurality of multi-segment lens panel strips each of which is supported in tension between the pair of edge strips by a pair of circumferentially extending catenary cord members connected to a pair of ribs of the surrounding umbrella-like framework. A respective lens panel strip is comprised of a plurality of flat, generally rectangular-shaped, energy-directing panels arranged side-by-side in the circumferential direction of the dome.

Abstract: An improved narrowband continuous phase modulation system incorporates a filtering mechanism in the transmitter and receiver sites that enables the radiated spectrum characteristic to have a substantially reduced response at frequencies other than the channel of interest and thereby achieve a significant reduction in unwanted adjacent channel interference. Each of the transmitter and receiver sites contains a square root Nyquist filter upstream and downstream of the modulator and demodulator, respectively. The output of the Nyquist filter in the receiver is coupled to an accumulator which sums successive samples of the demodulated data signals (including noise). The noise is reduced as a consequence of its inherent negative correlation properties (utilized in the accumulation of successive samples of the recovered signal).

Abstract: A direct access test unit for enabling a craftsperson at a telephone facility remote with respect to a central office to test subscriber lines comprises a first access port coupled to an access line circuit, by way of which the remote telephone facility communicates with the telephone office in the course of testing subscriber lines, and a second access port coupled to a test trunk circuit by way of which a subscriber line is to be tested by the test unit.

Abstract: A bit-serial multiplier has a multi-stage input data register and a multi-tiered tree of multiplexer/adder circuits coupled thereto which produces, at the output of the adder at the top tier of the tree, successive bit serial digital output codes representative of the products of a prescribed digital data code and successive input data codes as the input data codes are sequentially shifted into and through the input data register. By multiplexing the inputs to the adders of the tree to execute either an add function or to bypass data to the output successive output products codes can be generated at a twice the rate required to shift respective input codes into and through the input data register, thereby increasing the effective computational speed of the multiplier.

Abstract: A process for forming an interconnect structure atop an insulated circuit board comprises selectively forming a first metallic (copper) layer on a first surface of an insulator (Teflon) board, so as to define the intended geometry of a pattern of interconnect metal. Atop this structure a buffer layer of photoresist is non-selectively formed and then apertures are drilled through selected locations in the buffer layer and underlying metallic layer and insulator board. Next, the resulting structure is plated with a second metallic layer, so as to coat the buffer layer and sidewalls of the apertures with a metallic plating. Finally, a photoresist wash is applied to cause the buffer layer to be dissolved and its coating of metallic plating to be lifted off the insulator board and the first metallic layer. Since the original geometry of the interconnect line pattern has been protected during through-hole formation and electroplating its electrical characteristics remain unaltered.

Abstract: A navigation system contains a modified Kalman filter processor which continuously receives both TERCOM and SITAN control information so that the operation of the SITAN processing is effectively continuously optimized. The system employs an over flight terrain data storage map to which position and altitude signals are coupled for extracting both elevation and slope information from the stored map. The extracted elevation and slope data are coupled, together with the outputs of baromatic and radar altimeter sensors and estimated altitude and position data outputs from the navigation unit, to a correlation/modified Kalman filter processor.

Abstract: The separation constraint between the respective junctions formed between the drain regions of the complementary transistors and the semiconductor material in which they are formed is obviated by a structure which permits the respective drain regions of the opposite conductivity type transistors to have a reduced (effecting to zero) mutual separation and, at the same time, prevent the depletion regions fomed between the junctions defined by these source regions and the semiconductor material in which they are formed from spreading into contact with one another and thereby shorting the transistors together. This objective is achieved by a structure in which the source regions of the respective P and N channel transistors are formed so as to directly abut against one another and to be contiguous with a layer of buried dielectric isolation therebeneath.

Abstract: A high speed signal processor contains a set of repetitive architecture functional units including an input data storage unit for storing quantized data values, a data shifting unit, an output data accumulator and a control code generator. The data shifting unit is coupled in parallel to each of a plurality of controllable data accumulator sections of the output data accumulator. Each accumulator section has a control input coupled to a respective output of the control data generator for defining the logic operation of the data accumulator section with respect to the contents of the data shifting unit. The data shifting unit has a plurality of stages each of which is coupled in parallel to the output stage of successive stages of the input data storage unit to which successive digitized data samples of a signal waveform to be processed are coupled.

Abstract: A mechanism for correcting for time-varying errors that affect the pointing accuracy of a shipboard mounted antenna employs a Kalman filter for realizing an optimal correction estimator through which inputs to the antenna aiming control hardware are adjusted. A series of coordinate system transformations, corrected by the Kalman filter error estimator, are carried out to provide a command input to an antenna pointing servo system. The servo control system produces a servo error signal representative of a deviation in the actual direction of the antenna pointing mechanism from the command input to the servo loop as defined by the corrected aiming signal. The actual direction in which the servo control system points the antenna is compared with a reference (the actual direction to the satellite). As a result of this comparison, a pointing deviation signal representative of any offset from the intended pointing direction is generated.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting the onset of a potential lightning discharge condition monitors the odd harmonics of an RF signal radiated from a conductive probe (antenna) for fluctuations that are representative of an electrostatic condition-induced corona. In response to the such fluctuations, an output signal representative of the onset of said condition is generated. This output signal may be employed to decouple communication equipment from its antenna until the lightning condition has subsided. In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a device for discharging static charge accumulation from a moving body (e.g. an aircraft) which is comprised of at least one discharging conductive wick arranged to be affixed to the trailing edge of a wing, so that charges may flow from the aircraft into the wick and be discharged therefrom.

Abstract: A direct moat wafer processing for maximizing the functional continuity of a field oxide layer employs a processing sequence through which respective differently sized apertures are successively formed in the oxide layer. A first of these apertures prescribes the size of the polysilicon gate, while a second aperture is formed around the completed gate structure and prescribes the geometry of source/drain regions to be introduced into exposed surface areas of the substrate on either side of the gate. The sidewalls of the first and subsequently formed, second aperture are effectively perpendicular to the substrate surface, thereby maintaining the functional continuity of the field oxide layer across the entirety thereof. Thereafter, a separate gate interconnect layer is selectively formed atop the field oxide layer to provide a conductive path to the gate.

Abstract: On the surface of a semiconductor structure containing portions to be selectively connected to an interconnection pattern, a thin conductive, uniform base layer, which promotes the growth of an interconnect conductor, is desposited. To define the interconnect structure, a thick layer of insulation material is selectively formed on the surface of the base layer with openings in the insulation layer exposing portions of the base layer that are to be connected to the interconnect layer. Next, on the portions of the base layer that are exposed by the openings in the insulation layer, a layer of interconnect metal, such as tungsten or gold, that effectively blocks the implantation of the ions through it, is selectively deposited to fill the openings in the insulation layer upon and even with the top surface of the insulation layer, so that the insulation layer and deposited metal are effectively planarized.

Abstract: An antenna reflector material for electromagnetic waves is comprised of knitted strands of fine diameter graphite filaments, which have been individually coated with a stress absorbing layer (e.g. a thin metallic or dielectric cladding). Because of the stress absorbing coating, the graphite fibers, which, by themselves, are inherently brittle and unable to tolerate substantial changes to their bend radius profiles, are able to be successfully knitted into a tricot mesh configuration and thereby yield an antenna surface material that possesses a near-zero coefficient of thermal expansion and a sufficiently low in-plane mechanical stiffness. After the tricot knit graphite mesh material has been formed, the cladding layer may be removed (e.g. by heat or chemically dissolved), without affecting the mechanical properties of the graphite strands of the tricot knit.

Abstract: Proximity correction of an area feature in lithography processing of an integrated circuit device is facilitated by a procedure for locating those area features which lie within a prescribed proximity correction neighborhood of an area feature of interest. The method comprises examining the pattern, for each of a plurality of area windows associated with respective distance increments extending in a first direction across the pattern, to identify those area features which are located within a respective area window extending in a second direction from a respective distance increment, and storing information representative of characteristics of each identified area feature in a group that is associated with that respective area window. For each of the area features whose identities have been stored, a boundary window which delineates the prescribed proximity correction neighborhood relative to that respective area feature is defined.

Abstract: A complex weighting device contains parallel all-pass networks selectively feeding a pair of differential amplifiers, so as to produce a set of mutually orthogonal vector outputs. These outputs are coupled to an attenuator network comprised of dual gate field effect transistors for controllably attenuating the vector outputs of the differential amplifiers. The attenuated vectors are selectively combined to realize a prescribed degree of phase shift from 0.degree. to 360.degree. through the complex weight.

Abstract: A dielectric antenna lens for planar wavefront/focal point conversion is configured of a series of concentric rings, each of which is contoured from a rear face to inclined termination edges that are delimited by the functional performance of the lens and which assist in the manufacture of the lens. In addition, the bottom edge of each ring, rather than terminate at a cylindrical side wall of an adjacent ring, terminates at a flattened region between itself and the adjacent ring. This flattened region effectively eliminates the acute angle wedge between rings and, together with the inclined termination edges of the rings, serves to enable the lens to be easily manufactured, as by injection molding, with the flattened land portions and inclined termination edges making possible removal of the lens from the injection mold.As a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a multiple wavelength conversion arrangement employing the dielectric lens in combination with a wavelength selective (e.g.

Abstract: Outputs of a linear phased array antenna can be employed for emitter field sorting, i.e., providing an indication of the frequency and angle of arrival of signals from a plurality of radiation sources, through the use of a two-dimensional optical processor that does not require a mechanism for correcting for acoustic spreading in a multi-channel Bragg cell. In effect, the multi-channel array of transducers of a Bragg cell forms a composite N-channel transducer the width of which is N times the spacing between channels. For a CW radiation source, the signal received by each array element undergoes an incremental phase shift associated with the tilt of the phase front across the array. When these signals are used to drive respectively adjacent transducers of a multi-channel Bragg cell, the acoustic effect within the bulk is equivalent to that of driving a large composite transducer with a constant frequency signal.

Abstract: An antenna fabrication scheme for shaped reflector analyzes the geometry of the shaped reflector to be fabricated. On the basis of this analysis, a surface of revolution which closely approximates the shaped reflector is defined. The axis of revolution of the generated surface can then be employed by a single reflector shaping tool to describe the surface of revolution a portion of which approximates that of the desired shaped reflector. The shaped reflector is then effectively removed from the described surface by defining the perimeter of the shaped reflector on the surface of revolution.