Abstract: A method is provided for analyzing performance of a software application that is configured to contain a number of objects, wherein the application defines operations that include respective objects and relationships corresponding thereto. Performance costs are assigned to respective objects and to their corresponding relationships, and a total cost is computed for each of the operations from the assigned performance costs. Notice is provided when the cost of a particular operation exceeds a pre-specified performance threshold.

Abstract: A method is provided for analyzing performance of a software application that is configured to contain a number of objects, wherein the application defines operations that include respective objects and relationships corresponding thereto. Performance costs are assigned to respective objects and to their corresponding relationships, and a total cost is computed for each of the operations from the assigned performance costs. Notice is provided when the cost of a particular operation exceeds a pre-specified performance threshold.

Abstract: A socket with a main socket body 10 for use in a burn-in test of a bare chip 80 with a large number of contact connectors BP is provided with a positioning plate 42 in the top of the socket body 10. This positioning plate has a plurality of through holes 42c with contact members 48 slidingly contained therein. The through holes 42c and contact members 48 are aligned in one to one relationship to contact connections on the bare chip on one side of positioning plate 42 and a plurality of electroconductive film contacts 50 on the other side of the positioning plate 42. The film contacts are movably supported in the socket. Additionally, the film contacts 50 are electrically connected in a one-to-one relationship to socket contact 56 contained in the socket for providing electrical connection between bare chip 80 and socket 10.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for sensing corrosion are provided in which an interrogation unit (14) transmits interrogation pulses and receives responses. A plurality of corrosion sensors (12) are disposed in the structure to be monitored (10), each of the sensors (12) generating an output. A plurality of responders (16) are powered from the interrogation pulses, one each of the responders (16) associated with one each of the sensors (12). The responders (16) are operable to transmit responses to the interrogation pulses based on the corrosion sensors' (12) output.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming semiconductor particles (42) for solar cells using an optical furnace (30). Uniform mass piles (26) of powered semiconductor feedstock are almost instantaneously optically fused to define high purity semiconductor particles without oxidation. The high intensity optical energy is directed and focused to the semiconductor feedstock piles (26) advanced by a conveyer medium (16) thereunder. The semiconductor feedstock piles (26) are at least partially melted and fused to form a single semiconductor particle (42) which can be later separated from a refractory layer (18) by a separator (50), preferably comprised of silica. The apparatus (10) and process is automated, providing a high throughput to produce uniform mass, high quality spheres for realizing high efficiency solar cells. The apparatus is energy efficient, whereby process parameters can be easily and quickly established.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming semiconductor particles (42) for solar cells using an optical furnace (30). Uniform mass piles (26) of powered semiconductor feedstock are almost instantaneously optically fused to define high purity semiconductor particles without oxidation. The high intensity optical energy is directed and focused to the semiconductor feedstock piles (26) advanced by a conveyer medium (16) thereunder. The semiconductor feedstock piles (26) are at least partially melted and fused to form a single semiconductor particle (42) which can be later separated from a refractory layer (18) by a separator (50), preferably comprised of silica. The apparatus (10) and process is automated, providing a high throughput to produce uniform mass, high quality spheres for realizing high efficiency solar cells. The apparatus is energy efficient, whereby process parameters can be easily and quickly established.

Abstract: A monolithic capacitive pressure transducer is shown composed of ceramic material having a closed cavity formed near a surface thereof and having capacitor plates formed on two opposed surfaces defining the cavity. Vias are formed extending from the capacitor plates to permit electrical connection therewith. The transducer is made by separately forming under pressure a diaphragm and a base having a recess in the top surface using ceramic powder coated with an organic binder. A metal layer is deposited on the two pieces and the pieces are then joined together to form a single unit. A spacer may be inserted in the recess to ensure that a predetermined gap is maintained between the two parts during the joining operation. The parts are then debinderized by heating in air to a first temperature level to allow the binder organics, as well as the spacer organics if a spacer is employed, to be vaporized and/or decomposed and removed through the open pores of the diaphragm and base.

Abstract: A low-cost, highly-responsive temperature sensor has a thermistor element surface-mounted in a circuit defined by an electrically-conducting layer of a three-layer circuit substrate to be in close thermal coupling to a metal base layer on an opposite side of the substrate. The base layer is adapted to be disposed in heat-collecting relation to a surface whose temperature is to be monitored. An intermediate layer of the substrate has a binder electrically insulating the thermistor from the metal base layer and has thermally-conducting particles dispersed in the binder to improve thermal coupling of the thermistor to the heat-collecting substrate base layer. The circuit defines terminal pads surface-mounting the thermistor element at one end of the substrate and defines interconnected terminal pads at an opposite end of the substrate which are connected to device lead wires in substantial thermal isolation from the thermistor element.

Abstract: A fiber optic sensor for detecting the presence or concentration of particular chemical or biological species in a zone to be monitored has light-emitting and detecting elements such as a gallium arsenide light-emitting diode and a Schottky diode light detector provided in a semiconductor body, and has an optical fiber formed in situ on a surface of the body to conduct light from the light-emitting diode to the detector. The fiber has a long light-transmitting core of a material such as silicon dioxide deposited on a semiconductor body surface and defined by photolithographic techniques and has a cladding deposited over and around the core of a material of relatively lower refractive index than the core. The cladding material reacts when contacted by the particular chemical or biological species to produce measurable changes in transmission of light through the fiber so that the detector provides an electrical signal representative of the presence or concentration of the species.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for measuring pressures or forces, comprising a pressure or force sensor in the form of a piezoelectric or piezoresistive pressure or force transducer having at least one electric cable connected thereto, and an incompressible elastomer mass which transmits the pressure or force to be measured to the transducer.

Abstract: A shield for electromagnetic radiations comprising a laminated sheet having exterior layers of copper which sandwich an interior layer of a ferromagnetic alloy taken from the class consisting of nickel-iron compounds having from about 42 to about 80 percent nickel by weight and iron as a substantial portion of the remaining material. The layers are metallurgically bonded to each other by sintering or the like. According to a second embodiment, a laminated sheet is provided having exterior layers of copper which sandwich plural interior layers of ferromagnetic material, the layers of ferromagnetic material having progressively higher permeability and being capable of shielding interference of progressively lower energy level when travelling in a direction away from the direction of the source of interference. A typical laminated sheet in the direction away from the source of interference is copper/permendur/80/copper.

Abstract: A cylinder pressure transmitter has means mounting piezoelectric means to provide an electrical signal corresponding to the pressure of a cylinder of an internal combustion engine and has electronic means on the mounting means to amplify the signal for transmission to computer control means for regulating engine operation to improve performance. The electronic means are mounted on an insulating substrate which is secured to a rigid support in a housing. Guide means and locating means provided on the housing and on the mounting means cooperate in mounting the housing on the mounting means and contact means on the piezoelectric and electronic means fit together in an improved manner to provide reliable interconnection between the electronic and piezoelectric means and to retain that interconnection even when subjected to engine vibrations.

Abstract: A cylinder pressure transmitter has means mounting piezoelectric means to provide an electrical signal corresponding to the pressure of a cylinder of an internal combustion engine and has electronic means on the mounting means to amplify the signal for transmission to computer control means for regulating engine operation to improve performance. The electronic means are mounted on an insulating substrate which is secured to a rigid support in a housing. Contact means, guide means, and locating means provided on the housing and on the mounting means cooperate to mount the housing on the mounting means to provide reliable interconnection between the electronic and piezoelectric means and to retain the interconnection even when subjected to engine vibrations.

Abstract: A contactless travel keyboard has first and second coils with elongated loop portions arranged at each key station so that, when an electrically conductive key element at the station is in a key-up position spaced from the coils, electrical input to the first coil results in magnetic induction of a relatively small output signal of a first polarity in the second coil and so that, when the key element moves to a key-down position relatively closer to the coils, electrical input to the first coil induces a current in the key element to magnetically induce a control signal of opposite polarity in the second coil sufficient to reverse the polarity of the output from the second coil. The keyboard includes means responsive to the reversal in polarity of the output signals from the second coils for determining which keys are in a key-down position.

Abstract: A balanced, closed cycle silicon refinery system has been developed for producing electronic grade silicon from industrial grade silicon. Impurities comprising approximately 1% of the industrial grade silicon are removed in the refinery system to produce the purified silicon, while only a relatively small percentage of make-up chemicals are added to the system. In the refinery, hydrogen chloride is reacted with the impure silicon in a halide reactor to provide trichlorosilane and silicon tetrachloride and hydrogen. The trichlorosilane and/or silicon tetrachloride are passed through purification means, and then reacted with the hydrogen from the halide reactor in a fluidized bed reactor to produce the purified silicon and an effluent comprised of unreacted trichlorosilane, silicon tetrachloride, hydrogen, and the by-product hydrogen chloride.

Abstract: In the production of elemental silicon by chemical vapor deposition on a particulate seed bed, the continuous generation of seed particles for use or recycle is achieved by the maintenance of a separate, subsidiary reaction zone at a temperature which favors breakage of product particles; while a higher temperature, favorable for deposition, is maintained in the principal reaction zone. The separate reaction zones may be established in separate reactors, or in a single reactor.

Abstract: A balanced closed cycle silicon refinery has been developed for producing electronic silicon from industrial grade silicon. Impurities comprising approximately 1% of the industrial grade silicon are removed during the refinery process to produce the purified silicon, while only a relatively small percentage of make-up chemicals are added to the system. In the refinery, hydrogen chloride is reacted with the impure silicon in a halide reactor to provide trichlorosilane and silicon tetrachloride and hydrogen. The trichlorosilane and/or silicon tetrachloride are purified to remove the impurities, and then reacted with the hydrogen from the halide reactor in a fluidized bed reactor to produce the purified silicon and an effluent comprised of unreacted trichlorosilane, silicon tetrachloride, hydrogen, and the by-product hydrogen chloride.

Abstract: Ohmic contacts to semiconductor surfaces are fabricated by a process which includes the formation of an adherent, uniform insulating film at the interface between the semiconductor surface and the metallization layer. The insulating film contains stationary charges of sign opposite to the sign of the conductivity of the semiconductor whereby image charges are introduced in the semiconductor. These image charges are located near the semiconductor surface and are of sufficient density to induce the formation of an accumulation layer. The minimum charge density required in the insulating layer is determined by the density of the surface states, Q.sub.ss, in the semiconductor. Minimum Q.sub.ss for silicon is about 5 .times. 10.sup.10 charges/cm.sup.2. The structure thus formed will present an electrical resistance resulting almost solely from the tunneling resistance of the insulating layer.