Abstract: In an analog-to-digital converter, a circuit for sampling an analog input signal that has a signal range above and below a ground reference voltage includes a divider circuit scaling the analog input signal down to a lower magnitude such that all values of the scaled analog input signal are above the ground reference voltage. The scaled down analog input signal is applied to a source electrode of a sampling MOSFET. A body-to-source voltage of the sampling MOSFET is maintained at approximately zero volts by applying the scaled down signal to a non-inverting input of a first operational amplifier and applying an output voltage produced by the first operational amplifier to its inverting input and a body electrode of the sampling MOSFET. A gate-to-source voltage of the sampling MOSFET is maintained at approximately 1.

Abstract: An X-ray exposure apparatus for transferring a pattern of a mask to a wafer includes an X-ray source accommodating chamber; a mask chuck for supporting the mask; a wafer chuck for supporting the wafer; a stage for moving the wafer chuck; a stage accommodating chamber for accommodating therein the mask chuck, the wafer chuck and the stage; a barrel for coupling the X-ray source accommodating chamber with the stage accommodating chamber, to define an X-ray projection passageway; a blocking window provided in the X-ray projection passageway, for isolating the ambience in the X-ray accommodating chamber and the ambience in the stage accommodating chamber from each other; and a gas supply port contributable to fill the stage accommodating chamber with a gas ambience of low X-ray absorption, the gas supply port opening to the X-ray projection passageway, at a position between the blocking window and the mask supported by the mask chuck.

Abstract: The present invention is a novel and improved variable color/variable density optical system (10) adapted for use in a variety of lens and window applications. The preferred device embodying the invention is a novel optical sunlight protective device (12) incorporating a liquid crystal color lens, a photodetecting sensor component and circuit (18) and oscillating/driving electronic circuit (70), all of the present invention and incorporated in an appropriate frame (24). The lens element (b 14) includes plastic housing (40,42) of a curved shape complementary to any desired fashion design and, a liquid crystalline medium (58) of the novel phase change guest-host type. Combination of the lens construction, homeotropic surface alignment (48, 50) and aforementioned liquid crystal/dye complex brings about the clear, optical distortion-free variable color transmission with broad ranges of color density with incorporated protection against ultraviolet radiation.

Abstract: The pulse generator is provided in a semiconductor integrated circuit device, in the form of a power-on clearing circuit. The generator is comprised of a capacitor chargeable to produce a power-on clearing pulse, a current-flow regulating element for regulatively charging the capacitor to output a state signal, and a voltage detector operative in an active condition for monitoring a level of a rising power source voltage to control the current-flow regulating element and being responsive to the state signal to switch to a rest condition. By such construction, a power-on clearing pulse is stably generated regardless of a rising rate of the power source voltage while eliminating a current consumption after completion of the generation of the power-on clearing pulse.

Abstract: A gamma ray imaging detector is disclosed for use in nuclear medicine applications. The imaging detector includes a single scintillation detector crystal which converts absorbed gamma rays into a plurality of scintillation photons. The scintillation detector crystal emits scintillation light with a spectral distribution for which most of the yield corresponds to wavelengths longer than 475 nanometers and is preferably a thallium doped cesium iodide crystal. An array of photodiodes are arranged along one side of the crystal to receive the scintillation photons which generate an electrical output signal proportional to the number of scintillation photons received by the photodiode. Diodes with low capacitance and electrical noise, such as silicon drift photodiodes, are employed so that the signal generated by the photodiode as a result of the received scintillation photons is readily detectable above the electrical noise from the photodiodes.

Abstract: A flip-flop of a master-slave type of a CMOS structure having no P channel transistor between nodes of the master flip-flop and of the slave flip-flop is provided. Only one P channel MOS transistor is existent in a route of the current controlling a rise time and a trail time of output signals, so that it is possible to function at a high speed.

Abstract: A highly stable high-voltage output buffer is provided which may be manufactured using standard CMOS technology. As part of the invention, the effects of voltage drift at one or more of the nodes formed between series connected P or N-channel MOSFET devices are generally reduced or eliminated. The present invention includes compensation circuitry which reduces the effects of parasitic coupling within the MOSFET devices, and which serves to compensate for any voltage drift which may occur at the nodes between series connected devices. In addition, the present invention provides a method and apparatus for increasing the current sourcing capability of a CMOS high-voltage output buffer, even under low supply V.sub.vf conditions, without necessarily increasing the size of the output device. Furthermore, the present invention provides a method and apparatus for reducing the effects of coupling along a shared bias line between a plurality of high-voltage output buffers in accordance with the present invention.

Abstract: An x-ray diagnostics installation has a primary radiation diaphragm disposed in the beam path of an x-ray tube, with the x-rays attenuated by an examination subject being processed through an image intensifier video chain, which includes an image memory. The primary radiation diaphragm is provided with sensors which generate an electrical signal corresponding to the position of the individual diaphragm components of the primary radiation diaphragm, these signals being supplied to a processing stage in the image intensifier video chain. The processing stage acts on the data stored in the image memory so that the effect of the diaphragm can be simulated, and included in the displayed image. The processing stage includes a control computer connected to the sensors, and a simulation circuit for simulating the effect of the primary radiation diaphragm.

Abstract: A shaped voltage pulse is applied to a polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) cell to control its transmission characteristics. The voltage has an initially high level that substantially exceeds the PDLC's threshold voltage. The initial voltage duration is relatively short, and is followed by a gradual reduction of the voltage to a level less than the threshold voltage within a given time frame; the voltage is preferably reduced at a generally exponential rate. Fast response is obtained by setting the initial voltage substantially above the voltage level that corresponds to the desired transmission level in the steady state; the voltage decays from its initial level so that the PDLC transmission actually peaks at the desired range. The shaped waveform forces the PDLC to operate on a hysteresis curve along which the reduction in transmission is delayed as the voltage decays, thereby increasing the cell's optical throughput. The invention is particularly applicable to liquid crystal light valves.

Abstract: Reflecting faces constituting one or more reflecting face pairs are respectively inclined at 45 degrees with respect to the rotational axis of an optical deflecting element. The reflecting faces are opposed to each other such that these reflecting faces are perpendicular to each other. The reflecting face pairs are arranged with axial symmetry with respect to the rotational axis. A light beam is incident to one of the reflecting faces in parallel to the rotational axis. This light beam is sequentially reflected on this one reflecting face and the other reflecting face constituting the reflecting face pairs together with this one reflecting face. Then, the light beam is returned from the other reflecting face in parallel to the rotational axis and is emitted as a deflected light beam. An optical scanner using the return optical deflecting element and an optical deflecting element is also shown.

Abstract: An inspection device for detecting defects in a periodic pattern on a semiconductor wafer includes a laser oscillator. In the exposure process, light emitted from the laser oscillator is divided into a subject beam and a reference beam. The subject beam is guided to a semiconductor wafer having a periodic pattern thereon by mirrors and a beam expander. The light scattered from the specimen is collected by a lens on a photographic plate. The reference beam is guided to the photographic plate via a second beam expander and another mirror. The intensity of the reference beam is adjusted to a level at which the reference beams interferes on the photographic plate with the light scattered from defects in the periodic pattern and collected by the lens. Thus, a hologram of the defects in the pattern is recorded on the photographic plate. After development, the photographic plate is returned to its original position and used to form a holographic image of the defects with a transmitted regeneration light beam.

Abstract: An optically addressed liquid crystal light valve includes a first substrate on which a plurality of liquid crystal driving circuits are formed, a second substrate provided with a transparent electrode, and a ferroelectric liquid crystal sandwiched between the two substrates. Each liquid crystal driving circuit includes a plurality of photodetectors and a logic circuit. An optical logic device includes an optically addressed liquid crystal light valve explained above and a plurality of masks for selectively transmit a plurality of lights. The masks may be replaced by a wavelength selecting filter including a plurality of regions each transmit a light having a specific wavelength to a corresponding photodetector of the light valve.

Abstract: A spike filtering circuit for a logic signal comprises a signal transfer circuit formed by a first transfer gate followed by a pair of inverters, functionally connected in series between the input terminal and the output terminal of the circuit and a second transfer gate connected between the output terminal and the input node of the first of said two inverters. The two transfer gates are driven in phase opposition to each other by means of a pair of control signals in phase opposition to each other which are generated by a control circuit functioning in a feedback mode. Basically the control circuit is formed by an exclusive-OR gate having two inputs connected to the output terminal of the circuit directly and through a delay network, respectively. Through an output node of the exclusive-OR gate is produced a first control signal from which the pair of control signals in phase opposition to each other are derived by means of inverting stages.

Abstract: A transformer isolates a control circuit from a FET, the control circuit including a clock generator for providing, when enabled, a clock signal to the transformer primary. A PWM input selectively disables the clock generator from providing the clock signal to the transformer primary. The transformer secondary is connected in a full wave centertap configuration for providing a full wave rectified version of the clock signal, the full wave rectified version being a relatively constant DC voltage signal supplied at one level to the FET to turn on the FET when the clock generator is enabled to provide the clock signal to the primary. The centertap configuration provides a relatively constant DC voltage signal at a second level to the FET to turn off the FET when the clock generator is disabled by the PWM input from providing the clock signal to the primary.

Abstract: A balanced modulator for use with auto-zero networks is described. The present invention is a switched capacitor balanced modulator suitable for use in auto-zero networks where a valid input signal is available only at one phase. The present invention changes the polarity of the input signal by adjusting a switched feedback capacitor, making it possible for the switched input capacitor to sample only at one (valid) phase. The balanced modulator of the present invention may be utilized with first order auto-zero low pass filters or other switched capacitor blocks, such as gain blocks, first order high pass filters, etc.

Abstract: A charge-pump circuit implements ramp control, steady-state regulation and trimming of the negative voltage pulses. The circuit includes a negative-voltage charge-pump subcircuit having multiple phase inputs, a phase-enable input, an output, a supply voltage, a reference voltage, a ramp-control subcircuit for controlling the rate of change of the voltage at the output of charge-pump subcircuit, and an amplitude-control subcircuit for controlling the amplitude of the voltage at the output of the charge-pump subcircuit. The ramp-control has an input coupled to the output of the charge-pump subcircuit and an output coupled to the phase-enable input of the charge-pump subcircuit. The amplitude-control subcircuit has an input to the output of the charge-pump subcircuit and has an output coupled to the phase-enable input of the charge-pump subcircuit.

Abstract: A miniature liquid crystal display panel device comprises a plurality of column and row terminals. On a squarish frame holder is formed an opening for a light passage in the middle of an enclosing wall and a support portion for mounting the display panel. First and second IC units each including a flexible wiring film and an IC chip are disposed outside the enclosing wall of the holder. A flexible circuit connector for respectively connecting first and second IC units to a control circuit is wound around the outside of the holder. A light source for projecting the display panel is disposed opposite to the display panel in the rear side of the device.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a stepped signal generating circuit for producing stepped signals having nearly perfect sinusoidal stepped signals. The stepped signal generating circuit comprises a plurality of current mirror switching sections, each having a P type and an N type current mirror for outputting constant currents upon receiving digital signals. N-MOS transistors are provided to pass or block the output current of each switching section. The constant currents outputted from the switching sections are then controlled by a constant voltage of the constant voltage source. The final output is controlled by a constant current of a constant current source before being outputted. Accordingly, the present invention generates precise and nearly sinusoidal stepped signals.

Abstract: An integratable temperature-stable voltage controlled capacitor circuit comprising a variable gain current amplifier connected in parallel and between a reference capacitor and an input-output port. The current amplifier reproduces the current from the reference capacitor, amplifies it, and then adds it in phase to the original current at the input/output port. The equivalent capacitance realized at the input/output port is a linear function of the current amplification and the applied control voltage. The magnitude of the current amplification is determined by a ratio of at least two bias currents applied to the amplifier from two different current sources. Since the gain is dependent on a ratio of bias currents and since temperature affects the bias currents equally when the voltage variable capacitor circuit is integrated on a single chip, this design provides for greater temperature stability.

Abstract: A servo circuit adapted for controlling a variable gain amplifier to process an audio signal in a television receiver, a stereo apparatus or the like. The servo circuit comprises a variable gain amplifier so formed that the gain thereof is variable with a predetermined temperature coefficient to an absolute temperature, an amplitude limiter for setting upper and lower limits of the gain variable range of the amplifier, a gain control range determiner for changing the upper and lower limits of the gain variable range in the amplitude limiter with a temperature coefficient inverse in polarity to that of the amplifier, and a signal processor for detecting and calculating the level of a process signal supplied to one input terminal and the level of a control signal supplied to the other input terminal, and then outputting a gain control signal in accordance with the level difference between the two input signals so as to control the gain of the variable gain amplifier.