Abstract: A system utilizing transceivers and alarm sounders alerts an individual that a pet has been left in a vehicle when that individual is more than a certain distance away from the pet. A temperature sensor is provided with the transceiver located on the pet to further alert the individual if the temperature to which the pet is exposed rises above a certain level.

Abstract: An improved process for making a structure using three dimensional printing techniques is disclosed. Briefly stated, the method can be summarized by the following steps: A first type of powder material is deposited in a defined area to form a first layer. Next, a binder material is applied to certain regions of the first type of powder to define a portion of the structure to be formed. And finally, a portion of the unbound powder is removed using a technique such as vacuuming. The foregoing steps are repeated a sufficient number of times to create the desired shape of the structure as defined by the regions held by the binder material.

Abstract: The inventive optical fiber connector comprises a glass ferrule that is strengthened by etching of the outer surface of the ferrule, followed by deposition thereon of a protective layer. Exemplarily, the ferrule is a vitreous silica ferrule drawn from a preform that was made by a sol-gel process. The ferrule is etched in buffered HF, and the protective layer is electroless deposited Ni, with a thin layer of Au thereon. Significant strength increases, exceeding 200%, are obtainable, with the strength being relatively unchanged after even a severe abrasion test.

Abstract: The disclosed method of making a glass body by a sol/gel process comprises electrochemically assisted release of the gel body from the mold in which the body was formed. More specifically, the method involves gelation of a sol in a mold that comprises a first conductor member, with a second conductor member also being in contact with the sol and/or gel, and causing the flow of a current between the first and second conductor members, with the first member being the cathode. In consequence of the current flow a substantially liquid lubricating layer that facilitates removal of the gel body from the melt exists at the cathode/gel interface.

Abstract: Magnetic components are fabricated as monolithic structures using multilayer co-fired ceramic tape techniques. Fabrication of these magnetic components involves constructing multiple layers of a magnetic material and an insulating non-magnetic material to form a monolithic structure with well defined magnetic and insulating non-magnetic regions. Windings are formed using screen printed conductors connected through the multilayer structure by conducting vias.

Abstract: This invention is predicated upon applicants' discovery that conventional techniques for minimizing metal loss from sintered ceramic materials are not adequate in the fabrication of small ceramic components such as multilayer monolithic magnetic devices wherein a magnetic core is substantially surrounded by an insulating housing. Applicants have determined that this metal loss problem can be solved by providing the component with a housing layer having an appropriate concentration of metal. Specifically, if the insulating housing material around the magnetic core has, during the high temperature firing, the same partial pressure of metal as the magnetic core material, there is no net loss of metal from the core. In a preferred embodiment, loss of zinc from a MnZn ferrite core is compensated by providing a housing of NiZn ferrite or zinc aluminate with appropriate Zn concentrations. Similar considerations apply to other ceramic components.

Abstract: Lowered cost fabrication including preparation of large bodies of void-free, high-silica glass, depends upon gellation of an aqueous sol of colloidal silica particles, followed by drying and firing of such gel. Freedom from cracks in the dried gel is the consequence of included polymeric material which wets the particles. The polymeric material is removed by thermal decomposition attended upon temperature attained in firing.

Abstract: Magnetic components are fabricated as monolithic structures using multilayer co-fired ceramic tape techniques. Fabrication of these magnetic components involves constructing multiple layers of a magnetic material and an insulating non-magnetic mataerial to form a monolithic structure with well defined magnetic and insulating non-magnetic regions. Windings are formed using screen printed conductors connected through the multilayer structure by conducting vias.

Abstract: Optical fiber drawn from preforms including sol-gel-derived glass is found to contain small refractory particles of the order of a micron in size. These particles initiate fiber breaks with the result that fiber may not meet proof-test tensile strength requirements. An effective separation method relies upon density and/or size difference from suspended sol particles for separation in the ungelled sol. A preferred separation procedure is centrifugation.

Abstract: Filamentary and sheet-like oxide superconductive bodies can be produced by ceramic fabrication techniques such as extrusion, screen printing, tape casting and slip casting, provided the firing conditions are chosen such that the correct amount of oxygen deficiency is attained in the ceramic, and such that contact with chemically non-compatible material is avoided. Thus produced superconductive bodies are advantageously incorporated into apparatus such as magnets, power cables, interconnects, electrical components, and sensors.

Abstract: Lowered cost fabrication including preparation of large bodies of void-free, high-silica glass, depends upon gellation of an aqueous sol of colloidal silica particles, followed by drying and firing of such gel. Freedom from cracks in the dried gel is the consequence of included polymeric material which wets the particles. The polymeric material is removed by thermal decomposition attended upon temperature attained in firing.

Abstract: Multilayer magnetic components can be made with reduced cracking and magnetic degradation by forming layers having patterns of magnetic and insulating regions separated by regions that are removable during sintering. Advantageously, when the layers are stacked, layers of removable material are also disposed between magnetic regions and insulating regions so as to produce upon sintering a magnetic core within an insulating body wherein the core is substantially completely surrounded by a thin layer of free space.

Abstract: This invention is directed to a process of producing semiconductor devices which involves deposition of protective glass layers by a particle beam technique from targets of phosphosilicate glass, as well as a process for production of such targets. The phosphosilicate glass containing 1-15 mole percent P.sub.2 O.sub.5 is produced by a sol/gel technique which involves mixing of a fumed silica, with a surface area of 50-400 m.sup.2 /g, preferably about 200 m.sup.2 /g, with phosphoric acid and water to form a sol with 20-55 wt. % silica, allowing it to gel, drying at ambient conditions, dehydrating at about 650.degree. C. in an atmosphere of an inert gas and chlorine and fluorine containing gases, heating up at a certain rate of from 100.degree. to 180.degree. C. per hour to a peak sintering temperature below 1200.degree. C. and cooling so as to produce amorphous and transparent glass suitable for use as a target. The glass layers are highly advantageous as encapsulating layers, diffusion barrier layers, etc.

Abstract: A new class of Bi-based superconductive oxides is disclosed. As do the previously known Bi-based superconductors, the novel materials have a perovskite-like crystal structure. However, in contradistinction to the prior art materials, the inventive materials have unmixed B-site occupany, with all substituents occupying A-sites. This tends to produce marginal stability and enhanced transition temperatures, as compared to the prior art Bi-based oxide superconductors. Materials according to the invention have composition ABiO.sub.3-.delta., with A being Ba and at least one monovalent element (typically chosen from Na, K,Rb, and Cs) and 0.ltoreq..delta..ltorsim.0.1, and have a transition temperature T.sub.c.sup.onset .gtorsim.13K. The superconductive materials are advantageously produced from precursor material that contains an excess of the monovalent element(s), as compared to the final composition.

Abstract: A method for forming articles which include silica-containing glass bodies, as well as the resulting articles, are disclosed. In accordance with the method, silica-containing gel particles are fused to form a glass body. In contrast to previous such methods, these particles are formed by mechanically, substantially uniformly subdividing either a substantially cohesive gel body, or an ungelled or partially gelled sol capable of yielding a substantially cohesive gel body, to form substantially uniformly sized, wet gel particles. Significantly, only substantially cohesive gel bodies which are also substantially elastic are useful in the invention, i.e., mechanical subdivision of non-elastic gel bodies results in these bodies undergoing plastic flow to yield non-particulate, pasty masses.

Abstract: Separation between a magnetized member and a Type II superconducting member inherently manifestets stability in separation distance, in lateral direction and in attitude. Uses include levitation of fixed and moveable members as well as superconducting bearings.

Abstract: The disclosed method of producing optical fiber comprises providing a silica-based glass rod of diameter D that comprises a core region of effective diameter d surrounded by cladding material (D/d typcially>2) and a silica-based porous jacketing tube, inserting the glass core rod into the porous tube, consolidating the porous material and sintering the jacketing tube onto the core rod such that a substantially pore-free optical fiber preform results. Fiber is then drawn from the preform in the conventional manner. Consolidation and sintering is carried out at a temperature below the softening temperature of the material, typically <1600.degree. C. In a preferred embodiment, the porous tube is produced by a sol/gel process that comprises mixing colloidal silica (surface area 5-100 m.sup.

Abstract: Incorporation of fluorine into a porous silica body, such as an unsintered body produced by a sol-gel method, by VAD or OVPO, reduces or eliminates bubble or pore formation upon re-heating of the glass formed by sintering of the porous material. Effective fluorine concentrations are between 0.01 and 5% by weight. The invention can be used advantageously in producing preforms and optical fiber.

Abstract: Single mode and multimode silica-based optical fibers having a down-doped outer cladding are disclosed. The outer cladding material is derived from a preexisting silica tube that comprises an amount of index-lowering dopant, typically F or B, sufficient to result in an effective refractive index of the material that is at least about 0.001, preferably at least 0.0025, lower than the refractive index of SiO.sub.2. Single mode optical fiber according to the invention typically requires a smaller amount of deposited cladding material than an equivalent prior art fiber, and thus can be produced more economically. Multimode optical fiber according to the invention may have lower core doping or higher NA than equivalent prior art fiber. Down-doped substrate or sleeve tubes advantageously are produced by a gel process.

Abstract: High silica glass is formed by sintering a dried gel. The gel has a pore size distribution such that at most about 5% of the total pore volume is contributed by pores having an effective pore diameter greater than about 0.5 .mu.m, and such that at least 10% of the total pore volume is contributed by pores having an effective pore diameter greater than about 0.02 .mu.m. This pore size distribution permits effective migration of fluid into, and out of, the gel, permits sintering at a lower temperature, and results in increased perfection of the glass. The pore size distribution can be achieved by appropriate comminution, e.g., ball-milling, of intermediate material. A novel process for forming high silica glass is also disclosed. The process comprises forming intermediate material by hydrolysis of one or more metal alkoxides, comminuting the intermediate material to produce colloidal particles, forming a sol by dispersing the particles in liquid, gelling the sol, drying the gel, and sintering the dried gel.