Abstract: A non-stick coating application for high heat welding environments comprised of a fluorinated polymer combined with acidified graphite to which a hardening agent, such as alumina, may be added in some embodiments.

Abstract: A non-stick coating application for high heat welding environments comprised of a fluorinated polymer combined with acidified graphite to which a hardening agent, such as alumina, may be added in some embodiments.

Abstract: Provided is a compact, high-speed deformable mirror for use with an adaptive optic. The mirror or wavefront correction device corrects and/or compensates for wavefront aberrations present in a wavefront received by the optics. The mirror includes a deformable membrane which may be made of a semiconductive, metallic or insulating material. Positioned in close proximity to a front surface of the membrane is a transparent conductor, which may be covered by a window having an anti-reflective coating. A plurality of electrostatic actuators is located in close proximity to a back surface of the membrane, the conductor and actuators separated by a gap of approximately 10 ?m. In operation, a bias voltage is applied to the transparent conductor and an actuator voltage is applied to the plurality of actuators. The resultant voltage differential across the membrane defines the amount of membrane deformation, which in turn compensates for distortions in a subsequently reflected wavefront.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a zero-bias heterojunction diode detector with varying impedance. The detector includes a substrate supporting a Schottky structure and an Ohmic contact layer. A metallic contact layer is formed over the Ohmic layer. The Schottky structure comprises a plurality of barrier layers and each of the plurality of barriers layers includes a first material and a second material. In one embodiment, the composition percentage of the second material in each of the barrier layers increases among the plurality of barrier layers from the substrate to the metal layer in order to provide a graded periodicity for the Schottky structure.

Abstract: A non-stick coating application for high heat welding environments comprised of a fluorinated polymer combined with acidified graphite to which a hardening agent, such as alumina, may be added in some embodiments.

Abstract: The present invention relates to microfabricated inductors with through-wafer vias. In one embodiment, the present invention is an inductor including a first wafer, a first plurality of metal fillings located within the first wafer, and a first plurality of metal conductors connecting the first plurality of metal fillings together to form a first spiral with a first plurality of windings. In another embodiment, the present invention is a method for producing an inductor including the steps of forming a first plurality of vias in a first substrate, filling the first plurality of vias in the first substrate with a first plurality of metal fillings, forming a first plurality of metal conductors, and connecting pairs of the first plurality of metal fillings together using the first plurality of metal conductors to form a spiral.

Abstract: A computationally efficient and robust approach for monitoring the instantaneous pupil response as a correlate to significant cognitive response to relevant stimuli derives data samples d(n) of the pupil diameter (area), v(n) of pupil velocity and a(n) of pupil acceleration from the pupillary response and segments the data samples into a sequence of time-shifted windows. A feature extractor extracts a plurality of spatio-temporal pupil features from the data samples from the response and baseline periods in each window. A classifier trained to detect patterns of the extracted spatio-temporal pupil features for relevant stimuli generates an output indicative of the occurrence of absence of a significant cognitive response in the subject to a relevant stimulus.

Abstract: A graded order-sorting filter for hyperspectral imagers and methods of making the same are provided. The graded order-sorting filter includes a substrate wafer having a first side and a second side and is formed of a material that is substantially transparent to light photons. The graded order-sorting filter also includes an absorption filter deposited outwardly from the first side of the substrate wafer. The absorption filter is tapered along a taper direction and formed of a graded composition semiconductor material with a bandgap graded to decrease outwardly from the substrate wafer and/or graded along the taper direction. The graded composition semiconductor material is substantially transparent to the light photons for photon energies substantially less than the bandgap. The above filter can also be aligned to a two-dimensional array of pixels to form a hyperspectral imager.

Abstract: A pixel for a CMOS photo sensor with increased full well capacity is disclosed. The pixel having a photosensitive element, a photo gate, potential well and a readout circuit. The photosensitive element having a front side and a back side, for releasing charge when light strikes the back side of the photosensitive element. The potential well receives the released charge from the photosensitive element. The photo gate located on the front side of the photosensitive element, for transferring the released charge from the potential well to a sense node. The readout circuit coupled to the sense node, for measuring a voltage corresponding to the released charge transferred to the sense node.

Abstract: A yeast biofilm microbial fuel cell has anode and cathode chambers, each containing an electrolyte medium, separated by a proton conducting membrane. A baker's yeast biofilm is induced to form on the anode under electrical poising. A method of making the MFC includes adding baker's yeast and yeast nutrient fuel source to the anode solution, connecting a resistor across the anode and cathode to enable current flow through the resistor for a selected time for poising the anode and formation of the anodic yeast biofilm, replacing the anode solution with a fresh quantity of yeast-free solution, adding fuel source to the solution, and continuing to run the MFC for a selected time under resistance. The steps of replacing the anode solution, adding fuel source and running the cell under load are repeated until the baker's yeast has formed a suitable anodic biofilm.

Abstract: A biomimetic system for mitigating marine bio-fouling is disclosed which is based upon the sacrificial skin mechanism found in the pilot whale species. The anti-bio-fouling system is characterized by the continuous in-situ underwater formation of a conformal protective skin around a submerged object or structure and employs a circulatory system embedded in a diffuser layer conformably fitted and secured to the structure to controllably deliver a sacrificial skin-forming material to the structural surface. The system advantageously utilizes the unique chemical properties of the skin-forming material to alter the material's viscosity in response to contact with sea water such that the material is uniformly distributed over the structure surface by a self-diffusion process, notwithstanding structural configuration or gravitational orientation, thus forming a stabilized waterproof layer or sacrificial skin.

Abstract: A semiconductor device and method for fabricating the same is provided. The semiconductor device includes a substrate, at least one capacitor, an active circuit and a power plane. The substrate has a first cavity formed through a first surface to a first depth and a second cavity formed through a second surface to a second depth. The first and second cavities forming a via hole through the substrate. The at least one capacitor includes a first conductive material layer deposited in the via hole, a first isolation material layer deposited over the first conductive material layer, and a second conductive material layer deposited over the first isolation material layer. The active circuit adjacent the first surface and electrically coupled to the at least one capacitor, and the power plane adjacent the second surface and electrically coupled to the at least one capacitor to provide power conditioning to the active circuit.

Abstract: A microfabricated liquid junction reference electrode that can be integrated with microfabricated chemical or electrical sensors, which electrode is an M/MX type reference electrode comprised of a metal and a metal salt, as well as a X? Containing Ionic Liquid having a constant activity of X? and a porous thin-film membrane impregnated with a Hydrophobic Ionic Liquid.

Abstract: A macrocyclic pore-apertured carbon nanotube apparatus is disclosed. The carbon nanotube apparatus can be used to filter or exclude ions, solutes in solution, as well as particles suspended in a colloidal mixture. The nanotube apparatus includes a carbon nanotube having a carboxylated portion at least one pore entrance and at least one molecular aperture adapted to be bonded to the carboxylated portion of the carbon nanotube. The molecular aperture is further adapted to prevent dissolved ions in a solution from entering the pore entrance. Methods for preparing and using the apparatus are also disclosed. The apparatus can also be incorporated into to filtration media for conducting reverse osmosis filtration.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to an operational amplifier. In one embodiment, the present invention is an operational amplifier including a transimpedance input stage, the transimpedance input stage including a first stage connected to a first resistor and a second resistor, and an output stage connected to the transimpedance input stage.

Abstract: A correlated double sampling circuit and method for providing the same are disclosed. The circuit may include an amplifier, a plurality of capacitors, and a switch matrix. The amplifier provides a reset voltage replica and a signal voltage replica. The switch matrix controls a plurality of switches to perform correlated double sampling over at least three phases. The first phase for sampling the reset voltage replica on a first and second capacitors. The second phase for sampling the reset voltage replica and the kTC noise on a third capacitor. The first phase producing a thermal kTC noise from the first and second capacitors. The third phase for subtracting a charge representing the signal voltage replica, the kTC noise and the reset voltage replica, combined, from the charge sampled in the second phase to provide an output voltage. The method for providing low noise correlated double sampling includes controlling the plurality of switches to provide the at least three phases.

Abstract: Provided is a prosthesis system for indirectly coupling a prosthesis to the skeletal structure of a person. The system includes a plurality of individual magnets and magnet sets attached to a prosthetic socket of a prosthetic device. The magnets may be permanent magnets or electromagnets. A second plurality of magnets is embedded within a residual limb of a person, mounted to or within a sub-dermal strut. In operation, the magnetic fields generated by the magnets of the prosthetic socket, which may be dynamic magnetic fields, interact with the magnetic fields generated by the magnets anchored beneath the skin of the person, to hold the prosthetic device in position during use. A power supply provides current to any electromagnets, and a controller alters any required magnetic fields based on input received from both load and position sensors in the sub-dermal strut.

Abstract: A switchable apochromatic polarization rotator is provided. A first fixed waveplate has a first principal axis fixed in a first orientation. A second fixed waveplate has a second principal axis fixed in a second orientation. First and second switchable waveplates have principal axes oriented such that broad spectral range electromagnetic radiation transmitted through all of the waveplates has a first rotated polarization, wherein, in response to one or more control signals applied to the switchable waveplates, the principal axes of the switchable waveplates rotate such that the electromagnetic radiation transmitted through all of the waveplates has a second rotated polarization. The switchable waveplates utilize ferroelectric liquid crystal material, nematic liquid crystal material, or be mechanically rotated to adjust for orientation of their principal axes. Utilizing waveplates as described may be used to tune for a desired spectral range and/or compensate for temperature dependencies.

Abstract: An actuable truss with ordered or disordered planar or strut elements or pore walls may be seeded with tissue cells, wherein application of a magnetic field may result in mechanical strain on the cells and increased fluid flow in and out of the truss structure. Modified polymers, such as ?-Fe2O3/PLGA, may be used to form actuable scaffolds suitable for tissue engineering. It is also disclosed a device with a trap-door that may be remotely actuated by applying a magnetic field. Such a device may be employed to deliver and control the release of other micro-devices or materials such as drugs to a specific location inside the body of a human or an animal.

Abstract: The images sensor includes a readout circuit capacitatively coupled to a memory circuit. The readout circuit includes: (i) a photon detector to receive a plurality of photons and to provide a charge signal corresponding to the received photons, (ii) a resettable integrator that is reset multiple times over a single exposure time and provides an analog representation of the incident photons during the last integration cycle, and (iii) a comparator that monitors the integrator output and generates a reset pulse when the integrator reaches a built-in threshold value. The memory circuit includes: (i) a receiver circuit that detects the output of the digital driver in the front-end readout circuit via capacitive coupling and generates a digital voltage pulse for each received signal, and (ii) a digital counting memory to count the received pulses to provide a coarse digital representation of how many times the integrator is reset.