Abstract: For use in a machine capable of forming integrated circuits or the like on an odd-shaped, odd-sized semiconductor wafer, an improved chuck assembly, for increasing the rotational adjustment capabilities of the chuck assembly and a semiconductor wafer supported thereon. The chuck assembly comprises a mounting ring having a circular configuration formed of a plate and a peripheral wall forming a circular recess extending from a surface of the mounting ring. The chuck assembly also comprises a chuck plate having a circular configuration adapted to be received within the recess of the mounting ring. A lever extends radially from one edge of the chuck plate through an opening in the side wall of the mounting ring. An adjusting bracket is secured to the exterior edge of the mounting ring.

Abstract: Methods are disclosed for forming silicone rubber vacuum bag assemblies which can be used repeatedly to debulk and autoclave composite layups. These bags can be formed of a single layup of uncured silicone rubber over a tool of a simple shape or as a layup of uncured silicone rubber over the totality of the tool and a prepreg consisting of a fiber in uncured silicone rubber laid up over areas which do not include male and female radii on the tool. Additionally, a further bag can be constructed by removing those portions of a simple bag which overlay recesses and female radii followed by curing of the silicone rubber and filling of the recesses within uncured silicone rubber followed by a second cure period. Each of the vacuum bag assemblies of the invention is postcured preferredly removed from its defining tool so as to stabilize and fully shrink the silicone rubber. The vacuum bag assemblies are mounted in a silicone rubber membrane which is preferably then supported in a frame.

Abstract: A bipolar transistor is constructed to include a substrate, a collector layer epitaxial grown on the substrate and a base layer ion implanted in the collector layer. Next a further epitaxial layer is grown on the collector layer over the ion implanted base layer. A base contact region is ion implanted in this further epitaxial layer between the surface of this further layer and the base layer. The base contact region surrounds and defines an emitter in the further layer. A base ohmic contact is formed on the surface of the further layer in a location overlaying and contacting the base contact region. An emitter ohmic contact is also formed on the surface of the further layer in contact with the emitter. Additionally a collector ohmic contact is also formed on this same surface in a position isolated from the emitter by the base contact region. The collector ohmic makes an electrical contact with the collector by utilizing the further layer as a contact pathway.

Abstract: The invention includes a method with the steps of confining a substance which will, upon heating, produce the liquid treating composition and corrosive vapor in a first compartment and confining an article to be treated by the liquid treating composition in a second compartment until both are heated to the designated treating temperature. The treating liquid is then introduced into the compartment containing the article to be treated. In this matter, the corrosive vapors do not come into contact with the article to be treated until the article is immersed in the treating liquid. The apparatus according to the invention includes a unitary structure including a first compartment adapted to contain a substance which will produce the treating liquid upon heating as well as the corrosive vapor simultaneously therewith, and a second compartment adapted to hold the article to be treated and including a means for positioning the article in said second compartment.

Abstract: A method of forming a lightweight threaded fastener element of bimaterial construction to high tolerance requirements, the element formed by the steps of shaping a metal shell to a preliminary configuration blank by extrusion, filling the extruded shell with a less dense material such as a curable epoxy-graphite material or an aluminum-lithium alloy, further shaping the filled blank by forging both the core material and shell to an intermediate configuration which is finished by warm rolling to form a strong lightweight fastener element configured with the metal shell thereof which may be engageable with a cooperating metal fastener assembly member.

Abstract: A flexible electrically conducting cloth comprising a plurality of intermingled or interwoven fibers of a refractory material having a sheet resistance above 1000 ohms per square. A conducting coating having at least about 70 atomic percent carbon encapsulates a majority of the fibers. The coating is applied in sufficient quantity to render the cloth electrically conducting with a sheet resistance of about 0.1 to about 1000 ohms per square, the coating having been formed by chemical vapor deposition at 800.degree. C. to 1200.degree. C. A flexible electrically conducting cloth having a length and a breadth is also provided comprising a plurality of intermingled or interwoven fibers of a refractory material having a sheet resistance above 1000 ohms per square. A conductive coating including at least about 70 atomic percent carbon encapsulates a majority of the coating. The coating is in sufficient quantity to render the cloth conducting with a sheet resistance between 0.1 and 1000 ohms per square.

Abstract: Methods are disclosed for forming silicone rubber vacuum bag assemblies which can be used repeatedly to debulk and autoclave composite layups. These bags can be formed of a single layup of uncured silicone rubber over a tool of a simple shape or as a layup of uncured silicone rubber over the totality of the tool and a prepreg consisting of a fiber in uncured silicone rubber laid up over areas which do not include male and female radii on the tool. Additionally, a further bag can be constructed by removing those portions of a simple bag which overlay recesses and female radii followed by curing of the silicone rubber and filling of the recesses within uncured silicone rubber followed by a second cure period. Each of the vacuum bag assemblies of the invention is postcured preferredly removed from its defining tool so as to stabilize and fully shrink the silicone rubber. The vacuum bag assemblies are mounted in a silicone rubber membrane which is preferably then supported in a frame.

Abstract: An aluminum liftoff masking process is effected on a prepared gallium arsenide wafer having a base thereon. Successive layers of silicon dioxide and aluminum are deposited on the wafer. The aluminum and silicon dioxide layers are successively etched, including undercutting of the aluminum layer. Base majority carriers are implanted through the windows to the base and refractory metal ohmic contacts are built up in the windows. After forming the base contacts, the base contact areas may be passivated. The aluminum layer and any overlaying layers thereon are removed by etching off the aluminum.

Abstract: The present invention provides an electrically conductive material (10) comprising a substantially spherical refractory particle (12) having an exterior surface (14) and having a diameter of no more than about 5 millimeters. An electrically conducting coating (22) substantially equally covers the entire exterior surface (14), the coating (22) having at least about 70 atomic percent carbon and being from about 10 Angstroms to about 500 Angstroms thick. A plurality of such particles (12) are useful as filler materials. Also, such particles (12) are useful as flowing electrodes. Objects containing the particles (12) have desirable electrical properties.

Abstract: A system for coating recipient surfaces of substrates with thin optical film by the deposition of coating material. The system comprises a vacuum chamber, a target within the chamber for providing a sputtered flux and an ion beam gun adapted to direct ion emissions within the chamber onto the target to sputter the flux which is then moved in a path of travel to the recipient surfaces of the substrates for constituting the coating material. The system also comprises a cylindrical support means within the chamber to position the substrates with their recipient surfaces located in a primary plane intersecting the path of travel of the coating material and drive means to move the cylindrical support means and substrates with their recipient surfaces within the primary plane while coating material is being deposited upon the recipient surfaces. Adjustment means are also provided to vary the position of the recipient surfaces radially, axially and angularly.

Abstract: A method for improving mechanical properties of superplastically formed alloy by healing the cavities formed as result of a superplastic forming process is disclosed. The alloy, such as an aluminum alloy, is superplastically formed and is then placed in an autoclave and hot isostatically pressed at a pressure ranging from about 10,000 psi to 30,000 psi for a time and temperature sufficient to heal cavities.

Abstract: Apparatus for feeding drills, one at a time, from a hopper containing a supply of drills and for feeding them to a final predetermined position. The apparatus includes a hopper assembly having a hopper for supporting the drills, a blade for lifting the drills one at a time from the supply to an upper position, and a pusher to axially transport the lifted drills to the final predetermined position. The apparatus also includes a base assembly for supporting the hopper assembly at a predetermined location and controls for sequencing the feeding of the drills.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for preparing an improved aluminum alloy plate product wherein the plate produced from an Al-Li-Cu-Mg alloy in the T351 condition is subjected to a thermal aging treatment wherein the plate is exposed to a temperature of about 170.degree. C..+-.2.degree. C. for about 32 hours .+-.0.5 hours.

Abstract: A decoder and comparator for Manchester biphase code utilizes a clock recovery logic to recover clock signals directly from the code and thus bypasses the necessity of an external clock. This recovered clock is utilized to input the code into shift registers. Further, a frame sync recovery logic analyzes the code with respect to correspondence of a proper Manchester code format. An encoder is utilized to encode first and second comparators. The first comparator is encoded with error codes for the Manchester code. If the proper Manchester code is present as determined by the frame sync recovery logic and the proper error codes are present, a frame or word of code is output from the shift registers to a first holding latch. If proper Manchester code is present and if a second set of error perameters are met as for instance perameters with respect to either data or address, the frame or word held in the first latch is output to a second latch and from there to an output bus for use by some other device.

Abstract: A method and electrical circuit for circumventing MOSFET failure resulting from exposure to high energy level radiation. The method includes the steps of turning the MOSFET on during the radiation event and keeping the MOSFET on at the end of the event until parasitic elements inherent in the MOSFET have recovered. In one presently preferred embodiment this method is implemented by providing a bipolar transistor across the voltage source of the MOSFET and the MOSFET gate. During exposure to radiation of very high intensity, radiation induced photo currents in the bipolar transistor turn the transistor on, thereby applying an "on enabling" voltage the gate of the MOSFET device to turn on the MOSFET device. The MOSFET, in an "on" state, effectively shorts out the inherent parasitic elements thereby preventing destruction of the parasitic elements and, consequently, the MOSFET. A resistor is provided to keep the MOSFET "on" until the parasitic elements recover.

Abstract: The gyroscope includes a symmetric and concentric, freely vibrating cylinder. Electromagnetic forcers are arranged to apply forces on the cylinder to excite the cylinder's lowest order radially oscillating mode. The forcers also steer the resulting nodal pattern of the cylinder. The cylinder nodal pattern is sensed and a servo selectively excites the forcers to steer the nodal pattern to its original configuration in the presence of cylinder rotations. The forcer steering commands are related to the rotation rate of the gyro. The vibrating cylinder is free of any attachments or deposits and is machined accurately to eliminate the need for balancing, resulting in low temperature sensitivity.

Abstract: A semiconductor window which is transparent to light in the infrared range and which has good electrical conductivity is formed with a substrate of semi-conductor material which has a conduction modifying dopant diffused, grown or deposited on one surface thereof to a substantial depth so that a layer thereof exhibits reduced resistance to a value below 10 ohms/square. Anti-reflection dielectric layers are stacked on both outer surfaces thereof. The dielectric substrate may be of silicon, germanium or gallium arsenide depending on the transparency bandwidth of interest. The thickness of the substrate and the doping of the surface thereof is closely controlled to obtain both low electrical resistivity and high optical transmissivity.

Abstract: A robotic positioning device has a support structure and a tool implement holding member which is positional within the three dimensional space of the support structure. The tool implement holding member is connected to the support structure utilizing five positioning members. Each of these positioning members is connected to the tool implement holding member. Three of the positioning members are connected to the holding member at a first common center of rotation and the other two positioning members are connected to the holding member at a second common center of rotation. Each of the positioning members is attached to the support structure utilizing a connecting member which allows for the positioning member to freely pivot with respect to the support structure and additionally allows the member to move with respect to the support structure axially along an axis of the member. This is accomplished by moving the members axially toward or away from the support structure.

Abstract: An electric arc discharge switch having less susceptibility to electrode erosion and capable of being optically triggered. In a first embodiment the switch includes a gas tight body defining a hollow interior with electrodes mounted onto the body and forming a conducting path into the body interior. Portions of the body are optically transmissive to light frequencies above the photoelectric effect cutoff frequency for cesium vapor. A buffer gas and a predetermined quantity of vaporizable cesium are disposed within the hollow body interior and a flash lamp may be mounted onto the switch exterior. In operation, light frequencies above the photoelectric effect cutoff frequency for cesium are introduced into the switch body, ionizing the cesium vapor therein and reducing the resistance and breakdown voltage between the electrodes so as to initiate an electric arc. In an alternative embodiment a control plate with an aperture is disposed within the switch body between the electrodes.

Abstract: An improved X-ray tube including a coaxial tube with a center conductor isolated by a cylindrical insulator from a continuous annular interior conductor disposed about the insulator. The interior conductor includes sharp edged (high gradient) longitudinally aligned gaps in its surface with these gaps further generally aligned opposite one or more high atomic number targets deployed within the interior of a partially evacuated housing. A high voltage, high frequency AC or rapidly pulsed DC electrical excitation source is connected across the center and interior conductors to develop a high voltage electric field across the conductor gaps. A high voltage single or multiple pulse generating circuit is further connected across the interior conductor and the target to produce X-rays.