Abstract: End portions of a plurality of articles (12) are simultaneously treated in an electrolytic bath. End portions of the articles are inserted into an array of apertures (17) extending between major surfaces of a planar holder (11). Inserting the articles (12) into the apertures guides them into an interfering contact with coil springs (28). Coils of the springs (28) are urged aside and provide an urging force to retain the articles in the holder (11). The contact of the springs (28) with the articles (12) also establishes electrical continuity between the articles (12) through the springs (28) to external ends (43) of anchoring rods (37) for the springs, such that when the ends (43) are coupled into a treating circuit and protruding ends of the articles depend into a treating bath such ends become treated. A frame located relative to the surface of the treating bath receives the holder (11) and establishes a reference for the depth of insertion of the articles into the bath.

Abstract: A surge protector is tested by injecting a current spike with an exponentially decaying waveshape (12) through the surge protector. The current is generated by connecting a voltage source (16) to the surge protector and controlling the current through the surge protector by a Darlington array amplifier (20) connected between the surge protector and ground. The Darlington array amplifier (20) is in turn controlled by first generating a reference pulse having a voltage waveform corresponding to the desired current waveform and comparing this reference voltage with a voltage feedback from the Darlington array amplifier (20) to in turn generate an error voltage which is coupled into the amplifier (20). Additionally, differential amplifier circuits (44 and 46) monitor the voltage impressed on the amplifier (20) and reduce the input voltage to the amplifier (20) significantly if the voltage impressed on the amplifier (20) is greater than a predetermined fraction of the voltage source (16).

Abstract: A lightguide preform (13) is fabricated by depositing and consolidating a plurality of doped silica layers (12), containing volatile germania, on the inside surface of a silica glass tube (11). The tube (11) is rotated while repeatedly traversing a hot zone therealong to shrink and collapse the tube in a final heat zone traversal. A gas mixture containing oxygen and germanium tetrachloride flow from an input gas line (23) and through the tube (11) during the shrinking traversals. The gas mixture continues to flow through at least a portion of the input gas line (23) during the final heat zone traversal.

Abstract: In an improved method for depositing a metal on a substrate of the type in which a dielectric coated substrate is coated with a sensitizing solution containing a reductible metal salt, a primary reducing agent comprising 2,7 anthraquinone disulfonic acid and a secondary reducing agent, the substrate is exposed to ultraviolet light in an atmosphere having a temperature of at least 117.degree. F. (42.degree. C.) and a mass of water vapor of at least 3.8 mg of water per liter of dry air for at least 15 seconds. In an embodiment of the method the substrate is aerated in a moisture controlled atmosphere at room temperature for at least 30 minutes prior to exposing the substrate to ultraviolet light.

Abstract: A mechanism 30 ejects an article 12 in an ascending path from a position 10 on a carrier wheel 20. An inverted "V" shaped trough 43 is located to face the ascendent path of the article 12, and to be oriented substantially parallel thereto. The article 12 is captured and removably held in an apex portion 49 of the trough 43 by an elongated magnet 56 which establishes a force field parallel to such trough 43, concentrating in the apex portion 49. The article 12 is also oriented by magnet 56 and the apex portion 49 of trough 43 in a desired direction. An air nozzle 60 has a needle-like tube 64 disposed in the apex portion 49 ending adjacent to a body 16 of an article 12. A hose fitting 66 is attached to tube 64 for introducing an air stream therein which impinges upon body 16 and propels article 12 in the desired direction.

Abstract: An X-ray transparent mask (51) is comprised of a support ring (42) with a planar substrate stabilizer (41) thereon, the stabilizer having a plurality of apertures (43) therethrough, arranged in a "checkerboard" fashion. A thin X-ray transparent mask substrate (52) is placed over the stabilizer. (41), the substrate having X-ray absorptive metallized patterns (53) thereon which are aligned with the apertures (43). The mask (51) is positioned proximate a semiconductor wafer (56) having a photoresist coating (30) thereon. X-rays (14) are directed at the photoresist coating (30) through the apertures (43) to selectively expose the coating. The mask (51) is then indexed one aperture position and the remaining portion of coating (30) is exposed to the X-rays (14).

Abstract: The walls 41 (FIG. 4) of thru holes 11 in a printed wiring board substrate 12 are coated with a liquid 24 by inserting fingers 22 into the thru holes. Each of the fingers has a diameter slightly less than the diameter of the associated thru hole and has a length no greater than the thickness of the substrate 12. After ink 24 has been applied to the top surface of the substrate, the inserted fingers 22 are withdrawn, thereby drawing the ink down into the thru holes and coating the walls 41. In another embodiment, fingers 62 are aligned with selected portions 52 of an edge 55 of the substrate 50 to coat the portions of the edge as the fingers are moved by the edge after the heads of the fingers have been coated with the ink 24.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods of controlling the adjustment of a machine-adjustable component in a circuit wherein a feedback factor relates a change in a monitor parameter to a compensating change in the value of the adjustable component; and wherein, by machine means, a value for the change in the monitor parameter is determined, a target value for the adjustable component is calculated from the monitor parameter change and the feedback factor, and the adjustable component is adjusted to substantially its target value.

Abstract: A workpiece (16), for example a magnetic bubble memory wafer, is held in place, and heat is removed from it by an expandable heat pipe (22) during a process performed in a vacuum as, for example, a sputter etch process. The expandable heat pipe (22) includes two plates (24, 26) joined by a bellows (28) to form a sealed chamber containing a vaporizable liquid such as water. During loading of the wafers the heat pipe (22) is compressed by atmospheric pressure and thereby facilitates easy assembly of the wafer (16) and heat pipe (22) into a holding fixture (10) which in turn is bolted to a cooling plate (30) situated inside a vacuum chamber. When the chamber is evacuated, the heat pipe (22) expands to hold the wafer (16) in place and form a good thermal path from the wafer (16) to the cooling plate (30).

Abstract: A radiation absorbing cone (34) affixed to an infrared pyrometer (31) has a pair of lateral apertures (36--36) therein through which a continuously moving heated wire (11) passes. The cone (34) blocks stray ambient radiation while substantially eliminating any reflected radiation from the wire (11) from impinging on the pyrometer (31) to provide an accurate and repeatable measurement of the wire temperature.

Abstract: A temperature controller senses whether the temperature of a body (30) is higher or lower than a desired temperature, and then heats or cools the body (30) in either a high power mode or a low power mode. The controller operates in the low power mode if the elapsed time from the last change from heating to cooling or cooling to heating is less than a predetermined time interval. This condition typically occurs when the temperature of the body (30) is near the desired temperature, i.e., the controller is switching back and forth from heating to cooling in fairly short time intervals. If the elapsed time is longer than the predetermined time interval, as typically occurs when the temperature of the body (30) is being changed to a new desired temperature, the controller operates in the high power mode.

Abstract: A strip 20 has a drive margin 36 and a latent image of a pattern in a light sensitive coating 73 of a pattern portion 22 thereon. To avoid disturbing the pattern, the strip 20 is gripped by the drive margin 36 using a set 43 of pinch-drive rollers which drive the strip without disturbing the latent image. The strip 20 is driven through pattern development, cleaning and etching solution spray chambers 64, 66 and 108, respectively. One or more adjustable shields 78 are used to vary the time interval during which the strip 20 is sprayed by these solutions. By adjusting one or more shields 78 to suit changes in solution condition the time intervals for proper developing, cleaning and etching are coordinated for a speed at which the strip 20 is driven.

Abstract: Removing dice (16) from a wafer (10) which has been attached to a tape layer (12, 14) and severed into individual die (16) leaving the tape layer (12, 14) in one piece is accomplished by attaching the tape layer (12, 14) to a length of adhesive tape (18). The adhesive tape (18) is passed across a surface (20) and through a slot (38) in the surface (20) causing the die (16) to pass across the slot (38) and away from the tape layer (12, 14) which remains attached to the adhesive tape (18).

Abstract: A pin-removal tool (36) for removing a damaged or defective pin (23a) from a printed wiring board (21) includes a handle (37) and a shaft (38) extending from one end of the handle. The tool (21) further includes a sleeve (58) which is threadedly attached to the shaft (23) to facilitate rotational and axial movements therebetween. A pin-removal member (39) is fixedly attached to the shaft (38). The pin-removal member (39) includes a bore (42), a transverse slot (44) at one end of the member and a pair of shoulder-retaining portions (55) which aid in the removal of the pin (23). Laterally extending shoulders (29) of the pin (23a) are positioned within the slot (44) and the tool (36) is rotated ninety degrees to position the portions (55) adjacent to the shoulders. The sleeve (58) is then rotated while being held axially against the board 10. Upon rotation of the sleeve (58 ), the shaft (38) moves axially within the sleeve whereby the portions (55) pull the pin (23a) axially from the board (21).

Abstract: Copper scrap from chopped and separated copper wire and cable is treated to remove contaminants still remaining on or mixed with the copper by sequential treatment, first in a sodium nitrate-postassium nitrate fused salt bath followed by a cuprous chloride fused salt bath.

Abstract: A test head 90 having a plurality of contact pairs 81 is formed in a simple monolithic manner. A plurality of first conductors 74 are aligned in a first row and, spaced therefrom, a plurality of second conductors 80 are aligned in a second row. Each conductor has a circuit end and a contact end and each first conductor 74 registers with a mating second conductor 80 to form a plurality of contact pairs 81 at the contact ends.A common base insulator 88 is formed transversely of the conductors 74 and 80 at the circuit ends to maintain conductor spacing in an electrically insulated manner. A common bar insulator 86 is formed transversely of the second conductors 80 to maintain the contact spacing within the pairs 81 when the conductors are flexed toward a device 27 to be tested.In a method of making a test head 90, the conductors are made in patterns 56 from sheet 55 having a substantially uniform metallurgical composition and each pattern 56 includes a member 72 connected to the circuit ends of the conductors.

Abstract: This disclosure is directed to a method of forming an interlevel dielectric glass layer (16) on a semiconductor device, the layer having a plurality of feed-through apertures (17--17) therein. A CW laser beam (29) is continuously raster scanned over the surface of the glass layer (16) to reflow the layer to densify the material and form a smooth surface topography about the apertures (17--17).

Abstract: A carrier tape (20) is provided for assembling components to make semiconductor devices. The tape (20) is made from soft, copper foil (21) and eliminates a plastic substrate (12) of the prior art. Patterns (27) containing clusters (24) of inner leads (28) and (30) are accurately formed into tape (20) for bonding to chips (52). Patterns (27) also contain precisely located sprocket holes (22) for indexing the tape (20) for chip and lead bonding.Tape (20) is indexed for bonding the free ends (36) of inner leads (28) and (30) to pads (54) of chip (52). Then tape (20) is indexed for bonding fixed ends (34) of leads (28) and (30) to stiff outer leads (86).Leads (28) and (30) in cluster (24) are deformed into a precise bell-like shape called a "bug" with chip (52) riding horizontally on top of the bell. Bugging develops flexural and tensile stresses and bonding causes thermal stresses in leads (28) and (30).

Abstract: A thermode (12) of a thermocompression bonding head (11) is adjustably mounted to a frame (35). A bonding tip (26) of the thermode (12) rests against a reference surface (17). After an initial adjustment of the thermode (12) with respect to a bonding platform (37), the bonding tip (26) may be removed from the thermode (12) and replaced by another identical tip (26) without a need for readjusting the thermode (12) with respect to the bonding platform (37). A comparatively large interface surface area between a dovetailed groove (16) and the mating surfaces of the bonding tip (26) and a wedging action of the dovetailed section urging mating surfaces against each other minimize thermal resistance across the interface between the thermode (12) and the bonding tip (26).

Abstract: Elongated magnetic articles 12 are transferred directly from a magnetic bin 17 and transported on a member 80 having deep slots 84 to retain the articles 12 for treatment. In a preferred example, the articles 12 include some articles 13 having undesirably shaped leads 14 and the treatment comprises lead straightening.A system of magnets 30 generates a magnetic field in the bin 17 which suspends and orients a supply of the articles 12 and 13 such that a dense, rotating pattern of articles is formed and urged against member 80. A pair of supports 57 and 58 limit the depth of the slots 84 at a first level to prevent more than one article 12 or 13 to enter therein. As an entered article 12 or 13 advances beyond the supply of articles, the supports 57 and 58 are discontinued and the entered article moves to a second level.