Abstract: The invention provides an improved contamination inspecting device which can carry out continuous, automatic inspection of portable articles both large and small regardless of their shape. The device incorporates a conveying means for carrying the articles through the inspection position wherein the speed of the conveying means is varied based on the background radioactivity detected by the plane scintillator, a plane scintillator for detecting radiation from both the background environment and the articles to be inspected, a five-axes gate-type underriding mechanism which incorporates a robot arm so as to enable the plane scintillator to travel along the surfaces of each article, and control means for controlling the speed of the conveying means based on the background radioactivity detected by the plane scintillator and for controlling the five-axis robot based on the shape of the articles to be inspected.

Abstract: A method for impregnating a metal product with a hard wear-resistant surface area comprises providing a wear-resistant layer in the form of a sintered sheet having at least one "pin" integrally attached onto a surface of the sheet. This wear-resistant layer is attached onto the sand core and a metal melt is cast so as to produce the final product. This method can be used to produce a variety of metal products although cast iron, and in particular, ductile iron are preferred. Moreover, this process can effectively employ any of the hard phases which can be sintered, e.g., tungsten carbide, chromium carbide, and the like. Preferably, both the sheet and the "pins" are made from the same mixture of a wear-resistant material, an organic binder, and at least one plasticizer.

Abstract: An alkali metal thermoelectric converter (AMTEC) having a plurality of cells structurally connected in series to form a septum dividing a plenum into two chambers, and electrically connected in series, is provided with porous metal anodes and porous metal cathodes in the cells. The cells may be planar or annular, and in either case a metal alkali vapor at a high temperature is provided to the plenum through one chamber on one side of the wall and returned to a vapor boiler after condensation at a chamber on the other side of the wall in the plenum. If the cells are annular, a heating core may be placed along the axis of the stacked cells. This arrangement of series-connected cells allows efficient generation of power at high voltage and low current.

Abstract: A thermoelectric heat pump which is resistant against thermal stresses incurred during thermal cycling of Thermal Cyclers or the like between cold and hot temperatures of about 0.degree. C. at a ramping rate up to about 1.degree. C. per second has improved joints between the thermoelements and electrical conductors which have low electrical resistance and which substantially reduce fractures during thermal cycling. The joints include a tin-silver-indium solder containing by weight about 95% tin, 3.5% silver, and 1.5% indium, or a tin-silver-cadmium solder containing by weight about 95.5% tin, 3.5% silver, and 1.0% cadmium. A robust nickel diffusion barrier between the joints and thermoelectric elements ends provides additional improvement against joint fracture.

Abstract: A large ceramic substrate article for electronic applications including at least one layer of sintered ceramic material, the layer including a plurality of greensheet segments of ceramic material joined edge to edge. Also disclosed is a method of fabricating a large ceramic greensheet article as well as a large ceramic substrate article.

Abstract: A thermoelement (leg) of a thermocouple for use in peltier heating or generation of power by the Seebeck effect including a plurality of interleaved films wherein compositions of neighboring films are selected to create Kapitza boundaries between the films such as to reduce thermal conductivity but provide adequate electrical conductivity. The plurality of interleaved films includes a semiductor with suitable doping to establish required extrinsic conductivity and metals having dissimilar lattices such as aluminum and tungsten abutting one another. The practical number of films in the composite to establish the effect is ten. A preferred thickness of the films is less than twenty thousand Angstroms.

Abstract: A thermoelectric heat pump including combination adherent and metal migration barrier layers intermediate the ends of the n-type and p-type semi-conductors and the metallic electrical conductors, the layers enhance the adherence to the ends of the semiconductors and prevent migration or diffusion of metal into the semiconductors.

Abstract: A silicon solar cell having a coverplate made of .beta.-silicon carbide.

Abstract: The object of the invention is to provide a manufacturing method of a complex shaped R--Fe--B type sintered anisotropic magnet improved the moldability of injection molding and preventing the reaction between R ingredients and binder and controlled the degradation of magnetic characteristics due to residual carbon and oxygen. Utilizing the R--Fe--B type alloy powder or the resin coated said alloy powder, and methylcellulose and/or agar and water, instead of the usual thermoplastic binder, it is mixed and injection molded. The molded body is dehydrated by the freeze vacuum dry method to control the reaction between R ingredients and of the R--Fe--B alloy powder and water; furthermore, by administering the de-binder treatment in the hydrogen atmosphere, and sintering it after the dehydrogen treatment, residual oxygen and carbon in the R--Fe--B sintered body is drastically reduced, improving the moldability during the injection molding to obtain a three dimensionally complex shape sintered magnet.

Abstract: In an electrical via structure and fabrication method that is particularly suited to coplanar contact solar cells, an initial opening (38,48a,48b,64) through the substrate is coated and substantially closed with a dielectric material (42,52,80). An inner opening (44) is then formed through the dielectric, and the via is provided with a conductive coating (46,54). The dielectric is initially applied in a liquid state and is thereafter cured to a solid. The need for strong chemical etchants to smooth the via opening prior to application of the dielectric and metallization is eliminated, and a polyimide dielectric on a GaAs/Ge solar cell has resulted in a substantial improvement in leakage resistance and cell efficiency.

Abstract: Fiber-reinforced titanium alloy and intermetallic matrix composites having improved stability and tensile strength properties at elevated temperatures. The base reinforced fibers are pre-coated with a tailorable tri-layer coating, such as Ti--TiN--Ti. Preferably the TiN layer is graded so as to have metal-rich outer surfaces, such as titanium-rich TiN, providing excellent bonding affinity for the base titanium layer, bonded to the surface of the fibers, such as silicon carbide, and for the outer titanium layer, bonded to the titanium aluminum matrix, and a compound core, such as stoichiometric TiN, providing a stable interfacial barrier against chemical reactions, whereby the tensile strength and resistance to cracking of the composite is preserved even at elevated temperatures of 900.degree. C. or higher.

Abstract: A metallic coating on a part made from a ceramic composite is obtained from a powder obtained by mixing two powders: namely,a base powder A comprising 2 to 5% of a reactive element Ti or Zr, at least one melting element B or Si in proportions ensuring a liquidus temperature between 1000.degree. C. and 1300.degree. C. and additional metallic elements including at least 50% Ni or Ni+Co;a powder B in a weight ratio of 5 to 30%, the elements of which are chosen to impart to the part particularly desired surface properties such as anti-wear, anti-oxidation and/or anti-corrosion, and to ensure a liquidus temperature of powder B greater than that of powder A.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for recovering power dissipated by a semiconductor integrated circuit includes a thermoelectric generator which converts the heat generated by the integrated circuit into electrical energy. The electrical energy is used to drive a fan or other airflow generating device to cause heated air to be moved away from the integrated circuit and cooler air to be drawn to the integrated circuit to absorb further heat from the integrated circuit. In the described embodiment, the thermoelectric generator is a Peltier cooler positioned between the integrated circuit and a heatsink. The Peltier cooler is operated in the Seebeck mode to generate power in response to the temperature differential between the integrated circuit and the heatsink.

Abstract: A superlattice comprising alternating layers of (PbTeSe).sub.m and (BiSb).sub.n (where m and n are the number of PbTeSe and BiSb monolayers per superlattice period, respectively) having engineered electronic structures for improved thermoelectric cooling materials (and other uses) may be grown by molecular beam epitaxial growth. Preferably, for short periods, n+m<50. However, superlattice films with 10,000 or more such small periods may be grown. For example, the superlattice may comprise alternating layers of (PbTe.sub.1-z Se.sub.z).sub.m and (Bi.sub.x Sb.sub.1-x).sub.n. According to a preferred embodiment, the superlattice comprises a plurality of layers comprising m layers of PbTe.sub.0.8 Se.sub.0.2 and n layers of Bi.sub.0.9 Sb.sub.0.1, where m and n are preferably between 2 and 20.

Abstract: A high precision transfer lamination plate/mandrel is fabricated in a sanch construction design wherein an inner core is constructed of a low coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) comprised of an iron-nickel alloy core member (e.g., Kovar or Invar) with stainless steel cladding on each side of the core member. The stainless steel is selected from AISI type 302, 304, or 316. The stainless steel cladding outer surface of the top and bottom plate to which an electroplated copper foil circuitry is applied must be free of pits, scratches, and defects so as to yield a continuous circuitry satisfactory for military electronics. A matched (CTE) of the transfer lamination plate/mandrel with a composite material to which the electronic circuitry is transferred results in adherence of the copper circuitry minimally to the plate/mandrel to avoid blistering and enables the transfer to be achieved without distortion of circuitry features due to CTE mismatch.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a laundry liquid detergent composition comprising from about 1 percent by weight to about 18 percent by weight, basis the total weight of the composition, of one or more secondary alkyl sulfate compounds, from about 6 percent by weight to about 18 percent by weight, basis the total weight of the composition, of one or more additional or cosurfactant compounds, from about 0 percent by weight to about 20 percent by weight, basis the total weight of the composition, of one or more builders, and from about 35 percent by weight to about 78 percent by weight, basis the total weight of the composition, of one or more solvents.

Abstract: A sandwich construction is disclosed that provides alternating offset and jacent corrugated strips secured between upper and lower face sheets. The peaks of one strip are adjacent the troughs of an adjacent strip. The peaks and troughs can have flattened portions and the face sheets can be secured to said portions.

Abstract: A permanent, flexible coating for protecting and lubricating metal that is formed into articles by single step or multiple step bending or stamping deformation is disclosed. The coating comprises a block copolymer which is formed from selective hydrogenation of an (A-B).sub.n -A or (A-B).sub.n block copolymer. Monomers containing functional groups, preferably monocarboxylic or polycarboxylic acid compounds or their derivatives, are grafted onto the selectively hydrogenated block copolymer in an amount sufficient to improve adhesion of the polymer to the metal. The functionalized block copolymer can be crosslinked to improve resistance of the coating to organic solvents.

Abstract: A liquid developer comprised of thermoplastic resin particles, and a charge director comprised of an ammonium AB diblock copolymer of the formula ##STR1## wherein X.sup.- is a conjugate base or anion of a strong acid, R is hydrogen or alkyl, R' is alkyl, R" is an alkyl group containing from about 6 to about 20 carbon atoms, and y and x represent the number average degree of polymerization (DP) wherein the ratio of y to x is in the range of from about 10 to 2 to about 100 to 20.

Abstract: A super-toughened multiphase thermoplastic composition is provided by incorporating at least one functionalized, selectively hydrogenated alkenyl arene/conjugated diene block copolymer to which has been grafted an effective amount of carboxyl functional groups primarily in the alkenyl arene blocks thereof with an .alpha.-polyamide.