Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing dual-zone lubricated magnetic disks. An absorbent medium is held against a selected portion of the surface of a lubricated disk. The disk is rotated in relation to the absorbent medium, and the absorbent medium removes mobile lubricant from the selected portion of the disk, leaving bonded lubricant in addition to a selected amount of mobile lubricant. In an specific embodiment, an absorbent tape is supplied to a roller that holds the tape against a surface of the disk, and solvent is applied to the tape and/or disk to facilitate the removal of mobile lubricant. Differential lubricant thicknesses are thus obtained.

Abstract: A colored DC plasma display panel having a plurality of sub-pixels organized in a matrix configuration. The color DC plasma display panel includes a first plate having a first substrate. A plurality of rows of cathodes are formed on the first substrate which include a plurality of holes therein spaced along each cathode row; preferably one hole for each sub-pixel. A dielectric layer covers the cathode rows and the substrate, and a plurality of holes are formed in the dielectric layer which align with the holes in the cathodes. The color DC plasma display panel further includes a second plate having a second substrate and a pluarility of rows of anodes formed on and extending along the length of the second substrate. The anodes reside in channels created between a pluarlity of rows of barrier ribs formed on the second substrate.

Abstract: A dynamic random access memory circuit achieves much higher data bandwidth by maximizing the number of memory cell rows that are held open and by indefinitely increasing the time that the rows are open. The boosted voltage of a pump circuit is directed to active rows according to the presence of a pump token. The pump token is present at one location in a circular shift register corresponding to a memory array. The concurrence of the token and a pump-enable signal causes that array to receive a boosted voltage independent of an array-select operation.

Abstract: Improved multilayer matrix line including inverted gate thin film matrix transistors to reduce defects in and enhance performance of matrix devices incorporating the transistors, including active matrix displays. The inverted gate line is formed in a multilayer metal structure deposited sequentially before patterning of a first bottom refractory layer, an aluminum layer and a second refractory layer for the gate structure. The aluminum layer is anodized adjacent the gate to prevent step coverage problems. A further improvement is provided when forming an active matrix display storage capacitor utilizing the multilayer gate structure.

Abstract: A magnetic disk (2) has an improved landing zone (8) created by directing a series of effectively overlapping laser discharges onto the landing zone to create a continuous ridge (22) extending outwardly from the base surface (4) of the landing zone. The effectively overlapping discharges are typically from a series of discharges from a pulsed laser, the discharges overlapping from about 0% to about 99%. By creating a continuous ridge, a larger diameter laser beam can be used so the depth of focus is much greater than with conventional small diameter, non-overlapping, discrete laser discharges. This aids manufacturability because the larger diameter beam spots are easier to create and the greater depth of focus accommodates fluctuations in the height of the surface of the disk.

Abstract: Computer systems may be provided with additional performance for demanding applications while adding little additional hardware. For example, a slave device for a host computer system combines an embedded programmable controller with non-volatile memory, local RAM, and interface logic. The host computer system treats the slave device as if it would be a hierarchical memory system such as a conventional disk drive on which it may store and retrieve files. Additionally, the host computer system may program the controller to perform operations on stored information, including image processing and/or data compression. The non-volatile memory may include a disk drive, writable CD-ROM, optical drive, or non-volatile solid state memory.

Abstract: Improved thin film transistors to reduce defects in the devices incorporating the transistors, including active matrix displays. A first improvement is accomplished by forming a dual insulator layer over the bottom metal layer, which can be the gate line and also the row line in an active matrix display. The first insulator layer is formed by anodizing the metal layer and the second insulator layer is deposited onto the first layer. The dual insulator structure layer can be reanodized to eliminate the effect of pinholes. A second improvement includes providing an interdigitated transistor structure to increase the channel width, minimize internal shorting and minimize the drain capacitance. The interdigitated structure includes at least one source or drain finger formed between at least two drain or source fingers, respectively. A shorted source finger can be disconnected to maintain an operative transistor.

Abstract: An AC-DC voltage conversion integrate circuit that integrates all the control and protection circuits, as well as the power transistors, into a single module. Passive components, such as the transformer and capacitors, are very small, as the switching frequency is in the KHz or MHz range. Including one or more integrated switched mode power supply ICs in every wall outlet allows for providing a plurality of DC voltages from such outlets.

Abstract: The present invention provides for an ATM switch for transferring ATM cells from input channels to output channels. The switch has a plurality of input and output ports, each connected to input and output channels respectively. The ATM switch also has a switch block connected between each one of the input ports and each one of the output ports to convey the cells from the input ports to the output ports, and a backpressure signal circuit. Each input port has an input buffer which holds cells which arrive faster from an input channel than the input port can transmit to the switch block, and each output port has an output buffer holding cells when the cells arrive faster from the switch block than the output port can transmit. The backpressure signal circuit sends a signal from a congested output buffer to those input port buffers which have transmitted a cell to the output buffer (during congestion) so that the input port buffers cease transmission.

Abstract: The invention concerns loading data into VIDEO RAM in a computer. A processor delivers data to VIDEO RAM by using "STRING OPs," which are data-copying operations wherein a field of consecutive data words is copied from one location (such as character memory) to a range of consecutive addresses at another location (such as VIDEO RAM). The invention intercepts the words intended for the consecutive addresses, and distributes them into VIDEO RAM at evenly spaced, non-consecutive addresses. When a graphics controller generates pixels on a display, based on these evenly-spaced addresses, the pixels will automatically occupy a vertical column on the display.

Abstract: A process is described for fabricating an integrated circuit memory in a semiconductor substrate. In the substrate, a first well is formed by introduction of dopant opposite to conductivity of the substrate. Within the first well a second well is formed of conductivity type matching the substrate. The memory cells are fabricated in the second well and have source and drain regions opposite the conductivity type substrate. Each of the first and second wells also includes a region of corresponding conductivity type to enable separate electrical connections to be made to each of the wells.

Abstract: A system and a method for washing objects, such as cassettes and carriers used to hold and transport silicon wafers during manufacture of semiconductor chips. The method employs the steps of exposing to ultraviolet radiation the objects in a process chamber, spraying of developer fluid onto the objects, rinsing the objects, spraying of surfactant solution on the objects, rinsing the objects and drying the objects using heated, ionized ULPA filtered air. Apparatus for accomplishing the above is disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention provides for an improved transceiver architecture using fewer frequency synthesizers. The number of frequency synthesizers is reduced by utilizing an existing frequency source having a frequency slightly offset from the ideal sampling frequency. In one embodiment, an improved transceiver capable of communicating CDMA encoded signals is presented. The transceiver includes a first frequency synthesizer producing a first mixing tone, a second frequency synthesizer producing a second mixing tone, a first sampling source producing a first sampling signal, and a receiving channel. The receiving channel includes a first mixer, a second mixer, and an analog to digital converter (ADC). The first mixer receives the incoming CDMA signal and the first mixing tone, producing a first IF signal. The second mixer receives the first IF signal and the second mixing tone, producing a second IF signal in response.

Abstract: An erase method provides for self-converging erase on a flash memory cell by rapidly switching a bias on a control gate while a lateral field is present in a channel region. Preferably, the lateral field is provided by differentially biasing the source and drain of the cell and the change in bias of the control gate is sufficiently fast to induce a transient response at the floating gate. The net transient vertical field formed across a tunneling oxide between the channel region and the floating gate causes moderate hot carrier injection between the channel region and the floating gate. This method is self-converging, since carrier injection to the floating gate will not happen unless a sufficient number of carriers are removed from the floating gate during the array step. Since the bulk of the self-converging effect occurs as the control gate voltage is transitioning and shortly thereafter, very little time is needed at the end of an erase pulse to effect this response.

Abstract: A bus switch providing versatile data path routing between a first group of busses associated with a disk array controller and a second group of busses associated with the individual disk drives within the disk array. The bus switch comprises a plurality of bus multiplexers, equal in number to the number of drive busses. Each bus multiplexer includes a plurality of inputs, each input being connected to a corresponding one of the controller busses. The multiplexers are responsive to select and enable signals to connect selected controller busses to selected drive busses. The bus switch additionally includes a plurality of bus multiplexers for directing data from the drive busses to the controller busses. A parity generator comprising an exclusive-OR circuit is integrated with the bus switch. The output of the parity generator is also provided to each of the multiplexers and can be directed thereby to any of the controller or drive busses.

Abstract: A SCSI-2-and-DMA processor that has on a single integrated circuit a SCSI-2 interface for a SCSI-2 data bus that is at least two bytes wide and a DMA interface for a system data bus that is at least two bytes wide. This integrated circuit has an set of control registers and an on-chip processor such that the transfers involving SCSI-2 data transfers involving data words that have a width of at least two bytes can be processed and completed without burdening the remainder of the system. Substantially all that is needed of the system processor is to down load a very compact control program and then transfers between this integrated circuit and system RAM. The on-chip processor allows chaining of random length blocks of contiguous address data by using a chain mode of transfer which also pairs up any odd residue with a portion of the first word of the next block in the chain using on-chip processing.

Abstract: A scaling apparatus is disclosed for horizontally and vertically scaling scan line information stored in a video memory prior to providing the scan line information to a computer display. Horizontal scaling apparatus is provided in which a first clock signal is provided for graphics portions of scan lines and a second clock signal is provided for video portions of scan lines. The second clock signal is enabled in a manner such that the second clock signal exhibits a predetermined phase relationship with respect to the first clock signal from scan line to scan line. The frequency of the second clock signal is selected to determine the scaling of the video portion of the scan line. Vertical scaling apparatus is provided in which scan line information corresponding to first and second scan lines is retrieved from a video memory.

Abstract: A monolithic semiconductor device includes a field effect transistor and a bipolar junction transistor with a pillar emitter structure. The pillar structure raises the BJT emitter above the surface of a trenched base. Ions implanted into the base trench diffuses into an extrinsic base contact region. The pillar elevation structure increases travel distance between the trench and the emitter and protects against encroachment without increasing the total emitter area allocated to the BJT device. A spacer oxide adjacent to the pillar separates the pillar from the trench-region implanted with ions.

Abstract: A hierarchical word line driving structure uses a shared inverter circuit architecture which allows for lower power consumption and a pulsed control signal to ensure accurate memory retrieval. The shared inverter word line structure includes a row decoder, a first sub-word line driver, a second sub-word line driver, and an interconnect line. The first sub-word line driver includes an inverting circuit for inverting the signal propagating along the global word line, while the second sub-word line driver does not. The interconnect line is coupled between the first and second sub-word line drivers to communicate the inverted signal therebetween. A pulsed control signal is supplied to clamping transistors connected to unselected word lines to ensure they remain clamped to ground.

Abstract: A phase-locked loop design is provide that can operate at a plurality of dissimilar supply voltages. By adjusting the frequency range of a PLL based on the power supply voltage, the same PLL design can operate at different supply voltages.