Abstract: The capacitance of a pixel of an active matrix liquid crystal light valve is increased without reducing its optical transparency by adding polysilicon islands under the adjacent gate lines, degeneratively doping the islands to render them conductive under operating conditions, thermally oxidizing the islands to form dielectric layers, depositing gate lines over the dielectric layers to form extra capacitors, and connecting the islands to the adjacent pixel electrodes. Such active matrix displays are advantageously employed in a color projection TV to produce the separate red, blue and green components of a full color display.

Abstract: The capacitance of a pixel of an active matrix liquid crystal light valve is increased without reducing its optical transparency by adding polysilicon islands under the adjacent gate lines, degeneratively doping the islands to render them conductive under operating conditions, thermally oxidizing the islands to form dielectric layers, depositing gate lines over the dielectric layers to form extra capacitors, and connecting the islands to the adjacent pixel electrodes. Such active matrix displays are advantageously employed in a color projection TV to produce the separate red, blue and green components of a full color display.

Abstract: The capacitance of a pixel of an active matrix liquid crystal light valve is increased without reducing its optical transparency by adding polysilicon islands under the adjacent gate lines, degeneratively doping the islands to render them conductive under operating conditions, thermally oxidizing the islands to form dielectric layers, depositing gate lines over the dielectric layers to form extra capacitors, and connecting the islands to the adjacent pixel electrodes. Such active matrix displays are advantageously employed in a color projection TV to produce the separate red, blue and green components of a full color display.

Abstract: The thin film switch of a pixel of an active matrix liquid crystal light valve is shielded from light by adding a light shielding layer of amorphous germanium or germaniums nitride in the interpixel area surrounding the pixel electrodes. Such active matrix displays are advantageously employed in a color projection TV to produce the separate red, blue and green components of a full color display.

Abstract: A push-pull high voltage oscillator power supply circuit includes a parallel resonant LC circuit made up of a capacitor in parallel with the primary of an output transformer. The output power level of the oscillator is controlled or adjusted by gating a drive circuit of the oscillator in accordance with an appropriate timing scheme so as to control the power delivered to the load over a long time period. The drive circuit is switched on and off so as to control the transformer primary voltage by omitting a number of drive pulses, determined by the desired output pulse level, so that the oscillator self-oscillates and rings out with a decreasing amplitude of the self-oscillats and rings out with a decreasing amplitude of the self-oscillations, but never reaches a complete cut-off of the oscillations before the drive circuit is gated on to refresh the supply of energy to the oscillator.

Abstract: A high-voltage semiconductor device is set forth having a passivation scheme able to shelter the device from both external charges and internal charges. In particular, the distribution of electric fields in the device is altered to make it less vulnerable to the presence of internal charges.

Abstract: A push-pull high voltage oscillator power supply circuit includes a parallel resonant LC circuit made up of a capacitor in parallel with the primary of an output transformer. The output power level of the oscillator is controlled or adjusted by gating a drive circuit of the oscillator in accordance with an appropriate timing scheme so as to control the power delivered to the load over a long time period. The drive circuit is switched on and off so as to control the transformer primary voltage by omitting a number of drive pulses, determined by the desired output pulse level, so that the oscillator self-oscillates and rings out with a decreasing amplitude of the self-oscillations, but never reaches a complete cut-off of the oscillations before the drive circuit is gated on to refresh the supply of energy to the oscillator.

Abstract: A complementary Silicon-On-Insulator (SOI) Lateral Insulated Gate Rectifier (LIGR) is fabricated in a monocrystalline silicon layer provided on a major surface of a substantially insulating substrate. The monocrystalline silicon layer includes a number of adjacent, doped coplanar layer portions, with the complementary SOI LIGR device being formed of adjacent, contacting layer portions forming two complementary LIGR elements with a common source region. The common source region, as well as both of the drain regions of the device, are composed of regions of both the first and second conductivity types. In this manner, a simple, easily fabricated, balanced, high performance complementary LIGR structure is obtained in which undesired substrate currents are substantially eliminated.

Abstract: A complementary Lateral Insulated Gate Rectifier (LIGR) includes two complementary LIGR structures fabricated in adjacent surface-adjoining semiconductor wells of the same conductivity type in a semiconductor substrate. The two LIGR structures are of generally similar configuration, thus simplifying the manufacturing process, and the proposed design additionally permits the n-channel and p-channel LIGR structures to have comparable "on" resistances. The two LIGR structures, otherwise isolated by a portion of the substrate separating the two semiconductor wells, are connected together by a common source electrode. The resulting complementary Lateral Insulated Gate Rectifier features a compact, integrated structure in which the "on" resistances of both the n-channel and p-channel portions of the device are comparable.

Abstract: A current fed high frequency oscillator-inverter ballast circuit includes a parallel resonant tank circuit for driving a pair of series connected discharge lamps via a series ballast capacitor. A regenerative power supply switches on when a fluctuating main DC supply voltage drops below a given level thereby providing a constant level auxiliary DC supply voltage to the oscillator inverter to maintain oscillation and lamp operation. When the main DC supply voltage exceeds said given level, the regenerative power supply switches out. The oscillation frequency is f.sub.2 during operation of the main supply and automatically switches to a frequency f.sub.1 when the regenerative power supply takes over. The frequency shift is automatic during each half cycle of a 60 Hz AC supply and is in a direction so as to maintain lamp current relatively constant.

Abstract: A variable high-frequency ballast circuit for igniting and operating energy saver discharge lamps includes a high frequency inverter that energizes the lamps with a given high frequency voltage at which reliable lamp ignition is assured. The lamp current is monitored so as to automatically increase the lamp operating frequency to an optimum value as soon as the lamps ignite.

Abstract: A variable frequency current control circuit for one or more discharge lamps comprises a push-pull oscillator inverter having an inductance in the DC supply, a non-resonant coupling circuit for coupling the output of the oscillator inverter to the lamp (or lamps) and cycle-by-cycle frequency control of the oscillator in response to a lamp current sensor thereby to automatically control the impedance of the lamp ballast in a sense to regulate the lamp current.

Abstract: An electrophoretic display device is set forth having various electrode schemes in order to modulate transmission of light through the device. The electrophoretic particles of the suspension form an imaging structure relating to an array of small unit cells or pixels which are turned on or off by appropriate electrical signals. Accordingly, the pigment particles totally cover transparent electrodes, which condition can be changed by applying the appropriate electric field to the opposite electrode. By this structure, various alphanumeric displays can be constructed.

Abstract: A lamp circuit having a push pull oscillator including an inductance in the D.C. supply, non-resonant coupling circuit to the lamp and cycle-by-cycle frequency control of the oscillator regulated by a lamp current sensor.

Abstract: A current fed high frequency oscillator-inverter ballast circuit includes a parallel resonant tank circuit for driving a pair of series connected discharge lamps via a series ballast capacitor. A regenerative power supply switches on when a fluctuating main DC supply voltage drops below a given level thereby providing a constant level auxiliary DC supply voltage to the oscillator inverter to maintain oscillation and lamp operation. When the main DC supply voltage exceeds said given level, the regenerative power supply switches out. The oscillation frequency is f.sub.2 during operation of the main supply and automatically switches to a frequency f.sub.1 when the regenerative power supply takes over. The frequency shift is automatic during each half cycle of a 60 Hz AC supply and is in a direction so as to maintain lamp current relatively constant.

Abstract: A control circuit for starting and operating a gas discharge lamp comprising a variable frequency waveform generator coupled to the discharge lamp via a non-resonant coupling network that includes a reactance type ballast impedance. The lamp current is monitored to automatically vary the frequency of the variable frequency generator as a function of the lamp current so as to vary the reactance of the ballast impedance in a sense to regulate or limit the lamp current.

Abstract: A high frequency oscillator-inverter ballast-ignition system for a discharge lamp includes a leakage reactance transformer that forms a part of the oscillator-inverter and also couples same to the discharge lamp. An impedance element electrically couples the primary and secondary windings of the transformer in additive phase to provide more reliable lamp ignition over a wider range of voltage and temperature than was heretofore possible. The preheat time period of the lamp cathodes can be better controlled by a proper choice of the transformer heater winding turns.

Abstract: A method of controlling the power output of a magnetron tube, and an electric power supply for supplying power to the tube. According to the method, power is continuously supplied to the magnetron heater. At the same time, a voltage is continuously applied across the anode and the cathode of the tube. This voltage across the anode and the cathode varies in cycles between a first value, which is substantially at or below the threshold voltage of the magnetron tube, and a second value, which is above the threshold voltage. The average magnetron power output is determined by the proportion of each cycle during which the voltage across the anode and the cathode is above the threshold voltage.

Abstract: A magnetic transformer switch which switches its primary flux path upon conduction in its secondary and the combination thereof with a fluorescent lamp in which the heater current is reduced upon lamp ignition by reason of the current in the heater winding in the secondary being reduced upon the primary flux path being switched. A unique construction minimizes both electromagnetic interference and induction losses.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a target from a pyroelectric material exhibiting ferroelectric domains includes the steps of poling the target in a uniform direction and then etching a central region of the target to produce a thin target with a thick support rim around an outer edge. An apparatus for poling wafers of pyroelectric material includes two electrodes spaced a fixed distance apart by an electrode separator. The pyroelectric material is mounted in the separator at a fixed position between the electrodes. An electrically insulating liquid dielectric fills the spaces between the electrodes and the pyroelectric material in order to maximize the electric field across the material. A pyroelectric target produced by poling prior to etching exhibits reduced surface anomolies and improved image quality.