Abstract: A bootstrapped class AB CMOS output circuit and method for generating a class AB output are disclosed. The bootstrapped class AB CMOS output circuit has a voltage offset circuit coupled to an NMOS transistor and a PMOS transistor. The voltage offset circuit has a capacitor bootstrapped between the NMOS transistor and the PMOS transistor to establish a voltage offset between the NMOS transistor and the PMOS transistor to effect a class AB output. The method for generating a class AB output in a semiconductor device having a capacitor coupled to the NMOS transistor and the PMOS transistor includes providing a voltage offset across the capacitor to effect a class AB output.

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: 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 micro-structured optics apparatus includes a concave microlens to expand a beam of light, a reflector to provide a first reflection of at least a portion of the beam of light and a micro-Fresnel lens to collimate the at least a portion of the beam of light after the expansion.

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.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for providing switching optical filter. The switching optical filter provides several functionalities at the same time. For example, the filter can be used to remove photons of undesirable wavelength, such as ultraviolet or infrared, while simultaneously switching from and between one mode to another in order to accommodate changing ambient light conditions. In one embodiment, the disclosure relates to a method for forming an optical filter, the method comprising: forming a first electrode layer on a substrate; forming an ion conductor layer to at least partially cover the first electrode layer; forming an optically transparent layer over the ion conductor layer, the optically transparent layer preventing transmission of photons having a first wavelength while transmitting photons of a second wavelength; and forming a second electrode layer to at least partially cover the optically transparent layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a drift layer of a first conductivity type having a doping concentration and a conduction layer also of the first conductivity type on the drift layer that has a doping concentration greater than the doping concentration of the drift layer. The device also includes a pair of trench structures, each including a trench contact at one end and a region of a second conductivity type opposite the first conductivity type, at another end. Each trench structure extends into and terminates within the conduction layer such that the second-conductivity-type region is within the conduction layer. A first contact structure is on the drift layer opposite the conduction layer while a second contact structure is on the conduction layer.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for adjusting the resonant frequencies of a vibrating microelectromechanical (MEMS) device. In one embodiment, the present invention is a method for adjusting the resonant frequencies of a vibrating mass including the steps of patterning a surface of a device layer of the vibrating mass with a mask, etching the vibrating mass to define a structure of the vibrating mass, determining a first set of resonant frequencies of the vibrating mass, determining a mass removal amount of the vibrating mass and a mass removal location of the vibrating mass to obtain a second set of resonant frequencies of the vibrating mass, removing the mask at the mass removal location, and etching the vibrating mass to remove the mass removal amount of the vibrating mass at the mass removal location of the vibrating mass.

Abstract: Compositions for actively inhibiting corrosion are described herein that include at least one active corrosion inhibitor compound, and at least one conventional corrosion inhibitor compound. In addition, methods for producing a composition that actively reduces corrosion are described herein and include providing at least one active corrosion inhibitor, providing at least one conventional corrosion inhibitor compound or corrosion protection compound, and blending the at least one active corrosion inhibitor and the at least one conventional corrosion inhibitor compound or corrosion protection compound to form the composition. In addition, a composition for actively inhibiting corrosion is described herein that includes at least one active corrosion inhibitor compound, wherein the at least one active corrosion inhibitor compound comprises a derivative or salt of a thio-, thia- or dithiocarbarnic acid, or a combination thereof and at least one conventional corrosion inhibitor compound.

Abstract: A segmented, rigid-rod aromatic polyimide mixed with a UV curable acrylate photopolymer material comprises an alignment layer for aligning nematic polymeric liquid crystal compensator films. The material may also provide an out-of-plane retardation. The segmented, rigid-rod aromatic polyimide-based UV curable acrylate alignment layer, when applied in appropriate thickness, functions as a negative uniaxial C-plate compensator and causes alignment of the nematic liquid crystal molecules. The combination of the retardation provided by the alignment layer and the compensator film deposited on it provides a significant improvement in the contrast and color stability of liquid crystal displays (LCDs) at large viewing angles.

Abstract: An optical switch provides the ability to broadcast one input signal to multiple output channels and to combine multiple input signals into single output channel. The signal broadcast pattern is reconfigurable. One or more diffractive optical elements are used in the switch.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for noise suppression in an LVDS receiver by providing improved common mode noise immunity through a bypass circuit. In one embodiment, the disclosure relates to an apparatus for providing Low Voltage Differential signaling (LVDS). The apparatus includes a preamplifier circuit for receiving a DC component of a first signal and providing a first processed DC signal; a first bypass circuit for receiving an AC component of the first signal, the first bypass circuit providing a first AC output signal; a first node for combining the processed DC signal with the first AC output signal to form a first combined output signal; and an amplifier circuit for amplifying the first combined output signal and a second signal to provide a first amplified signal and a second amplified signal, wherein the first bypass circuit is in parallel with the preamplifier circuit.

Abstract: Provided is a chip-scale atomic clock having a folded optic configuration or physics package. In particular, the physics package includes a vapor cell for containing gaseous alkali atoms and a VCSEL for generating a laser light One or more heating elements are positioned to simultaneously heat both the vapor cell and VCSEL to the required operating temperature. A micro-lens element, positioned between the VCSEL and a reflector, is used to first expand the beam of light, and then to subsequently collimate the light after it is once reflected. Collimated, reflected light passes through the vapor cell wherein the alkali atoms are excited and a percentage of the reflected light is absorbed. A detector, located opposite the reflector and micro-lens array, detects light passing through the cell. An error signal is generated and the output voltage of a local voltage oscillator is successively stabilized.

Abstract: A signal-carrying flexure structure for a MEM device comprises at least two conductive flexure segments having respective cross-sectional areas, and at least one crosspiece affixed to the flexure segments to operatively couple the segments together such that the flexure segments and crosspiece form a single flexure structure. The resulting flexure structure's spring constant is less than that of a solid flexure having a comparable total cross-sectional area, while its resistance is approximately equal to that of the solid flexure.

Abstract: In a multimode FPA, all of the FPA's conducting layers including all of the absorbing layers are patterned to form electrically isolated commons for at least two, and in some instances all of the photodetector sub-arrays, to support independent mode biasing of the photodetectors. Because the commons are electrically isolated, the bias voltages are not constrained by the CMOS design rules. The commons can accommodate large bias amplitude differences and different temporal bias profiles to address a wide range of multimode sensing applications.

Abstract: An electronically adjustable, combinational color filter device is provided for generating color light. Incoming light is split in a polarizing beam splitter/combiner into a first and a second element of light. One or more wave plates operate to modify the polarization state of the first element of light, and one or more dichroic reflective filters reflect portions of the first element of light having a predetermined wavelength. Similarly, one or more wave plates operate to modify the polarization state of the second element of light, and one or more dichroic reflective filters reflect portions of the second element of light having a predetermined wavelength. Reflected portions of the first element and the second elements of light are combined in the polarizing beam splitter/combiner to create color light. A spatial light modulator may be used to create color images.

Abstract: A mask layer is applied to a surface of a semiconductor structure or a seed layer deposited on the surface. The mask layer has a submicron width opening with a high aspect ratio that exposes a portion of the surface or seed layer. Conductive material is conformed to the opening, for example by plating, to form a first contact on the surface or seed layer. The mask and the top layer of the semiconductor structure, except for the portion under the first contact, are removed to expose a second layer of the semiconductor structure. An insulating layer is formed along the sidewalls of the first contact and the top layer of the semiconductor structure beneath the first contact. A mask is then applied to the second layer and a second contact is formed by selectively depositing metal only on the portion of the second layer exposed by the opening.

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: For cooling electronics with high heat fluxes, a lattice wick system is disclosed that has a plurality of nano tube wicking walls configured to transport liquid through capillary action in a first direction, each set of the plurality of granular wicking walls forming respective vapor vents between them to transport vapor. A plurality of nano tube interconnect wicks embedded between respective pairs of the plurality of nano tube wicking walls transport liquid through capillary action in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction. The nano tube interconnect wicks have substantially the same height as the nano tube wicking walls so that the plurality of nano tube wicking walls and the plurality of nano tube interconnect wicks enable transport of liquid through capillary action in two directions and the plurality of vapor vents transport vapor in a direction orthogonal to the first and second directions.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a process for forming small diameter vias at low temperatures. In preferred embodiments, through-substrate vias are fabricated by forming a through-substrate via; and depositing conductive material into the via by means of a flowing solution plating technique, wherein the conductive material releases a gas that pushes the conductive material through the via to facilitate plating the via with the conductive material. In preferred embodiments, the fabrication of the substrate is conducted at low temperatures.