Abstract: The invention features methods and systems for detecting the presence of an energetic material in a sample in which the presence of the energetic material is unknown. The method includes the steps of: heating the sample; measuring heat flow between the sample and its surrounding environment, e.g., by using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC); and analyzing the measured heat flow between the sample and its surrounding environment. An exothermal peak in the measured heat flow indicates the presence of the energetic material in the sample. The system includes a thermal measuring apparatus for performing the heating and measuring steps, and an analyzer for detecting the presence of the energetic material based on the measured heat flow. The invention also features methods and systems for identifying contraband materials (e.g., explosives and drugs) by measuring the thermogram (e.g., by DSC) of a sample to be identified and comparing it to reference thermograms for known contraband materials.

Abstract: Disclosed is a transformer bobbin with hipot-protect structure. The bobbin is integrally formed from plastic material through injection molding and includes a central shaft portion and an outer frame portion at two ends of the central shaft portion. When the bobbin is formed during molding, the outer frame portion is extended from one or two lateral outer ends thereof for a length and therefore forms one or two extended portions on the bobbin. Upright rib or ribs may be additionally provided on top surface of the extended portion. The extended portion provide increased creepage distance between pins connected to outer end surfaces of the bobbin and the core of the transformer to effectively prevent hipot from transiting from pins at one end to pins at the other end by crossing over the core directly.

Abstract: A hipot barrier structure for a transformer for preventing instantaneous hipot from transiting from pins at high-tension side to pins at low-tension side directly via a conductive core of the transformer, so that damages to the whole circuitry can be avoided to comply with required safety code. The barrier structure includes a barrier member made of insulating material and having a generally C-shaped cross-section for fitly covering the high-tension side of the core in a tight fit relation and forming an outer layer of the core at the high-tension side. The barrier member increases a creepage distance between the pins and the conductive core and therefore effectively prevents a hipot from directly crossing over the core.

Abstract: A coil rack for transformer including a coil winding seat around which an inner and an outer coil windings are sequentially provided. Axially extended through holes are formed on a bottom of the coil winding seat at positions spaced below the inner coil winding. Stoppers are provided to separately locate radially outside the through holes. Each of the stoppers is provided at a bottom surface with a radially extended open channel of which one end leads to the through hole and another end to an outer end of the coil rack. Free ends of the inner coil winding are separately guided downward via the axially extended through holes and then outward via the radially extended open channels on bottom surface of the stoppers to avoid contact with the outer coil winding and any possible short circuit.

Abstract: A miniature transformer is provided at each end surface of a bobbin thereof with two spaced principal pins and two spaced dummy pins located between the two spaced principal pins. The dummy pin each is an integral extension from a rear end of an extended rear section of one adjacent principal pin embedded in the bobbin. The extended rear section extends obliquely forward toward a central area of the end surface of the bobbin and then turns straight forward to project from the end surface to form the dummy pin. The dummy pin each is provided at an inner side with a curved notch for a lead from windings on the miniature transformer to wind around there without further reducing a small distance between two adjacent dummy pins. Since the dummy pins are located between and shorter than the principal pins, they are protected by the principal pins without being easily touched or pulled to cause broken leads that would result in high bad yield in the production of the miniature transformer.

Abstract: A voltage sensing circuit consists of a sensing node, a transistor of a first conductivity type, a diode-like device, a first reference voltage source, a transistor of a second conductivity type, and a second reference voltage source. The transistor of a first conductivity type is configured with one source/drain receiving an input voltage signal and another source/drain connected to the sensing node. The diode-like device receives the input voltage signal and, accordingly, generates a voltage-dropped signal. The first reference voltage source is connected to a gate of the transistor of the first conductivity type. The transistor of a second conductivity type is configured with one source/drain connected to the sensing node and a gate receiving the voltage-dropped signal. The second reference voltage source is connected to another source/drain of the transistor of the second conductivity type.

Abstract: A sensing circuit for sensing the binary state of a memory cell includes a first transistor wherein the first spaced-apart region is connected to a first voltage source, and the gate is connected to a second voltage source, a second transistor wherein the first spaced-apart region of the second transistor is connected to the second spaced-apart region of the first transistor, and a third transistor wherein the first spaced-apart region is connected to the second spaced-apart region of the second transistor, the gate is electrically connected to the memory cell, and the second spaced-apart region is connect to a ground potential.

Abstract: A sensing circuit for sensing the binary state of a memory cell in a non-volatile memory device that includes an amplifier electrically connected to the memory cell and current generating circuitry connected to the amplifier for generating a first current in response to one binary state of the memory cell and a second current in response to another binary state of the memory cell. The sensing circuit also includes circuitry to speed initialization of the current generating circuitry and circuitry to prevent transient noise in the output of the sensing circuit during initialization of the current generating circuitry.

Abstract: The invention features an apparatus and method for determining and controlling the concentration of a solute in a solute stream by measuring the concentration of an indicator agent.

Abstract: Spatial acquisition and precision beam pointing functions are critical to spaceborne laser communication systems. In the present invention a single high bandwidth CCD detector is used to perform both spatial acquisition and tracking functions. Compared to previous lasercom hardware design, the array tracking concept offers reduced system complexity by reducing the number of optical elements in the design. Specifically, the design requires only one detector and one beam steering mechanism. It also provides means to optically close the point-ahead control loop. The technology required for high bandwidth array tracking was examined and shown to be consistent with current state of the art. The single detector design can lead to a significantly reduced system complexity and a lower system cost.

Abstract: An electro-optic resonant cavity is used to achieve phase modulation with lower driving voltages. Laser damage thresholds are inherently higher than with previously used integrated optics due to the utilization of bulk optics. Phase modulation is achieved at higher speeds with lower driving voltages than previously obtained with non-resonant electro-optic phase modulators. The instant scheme uses a data locking dither approach as opposed to the conventional sinusoidal locking schemes. In accordance with a disclosed embodiment, a resonant cavity modulator has been designed to operate at a data rate in excess of 100 Mbps. By carefully choosing the cavity finesse and its dimension, it is possible to control the pulse switching time to within 4 ns and to limit the required switching voltage to within 10 V. Experimentally, the resonant cavity can be maintained on resonance with respect to the input laser signal by monitoring the fluctuation of output intensity as the cavity is switched.