Abstract: A network in for example apartment buildings having a partly optical transmission of information between subscribers (29) and a centrally arranged switch (3) have connector housings (9) comprising an electrical connector (9) at one end and a connection terminal (21) to an optical fiber at the opposite end. An electronic converter for converting between electric and optical signals is connected between the electrical connector and the optical connection. The electrical connection can be coupled to an electric connector (17) of the switch by a detachable electric connection cable (13). The converters in the connector housings are designed so that the optical transmission, in regard of the signals, as seen from the switch, operates as an electric signal line.

Abstract: A transmission line of striptype includes a dielectric having a local dielectric constant alternating between at least two different values. It can be manufactured by applying a first layer (3) of a material having a first dielectric constant ?1 to a base (1), thereupon patterning the first layer to produce recesses, then applying a second layer (5) of a material having a second dielectric constant ?2 over the first layer to at least completely fill the recesses to obtain a flat surface, and finally applying a conductor on top of the produced structure. The transmission line can be used for example for various types of filters and delay lines, is simple and has a low cost for its manufacture and can give a space-saving design of different components.

Abstract: A transmission line of striptype includes a dielectric having a local dielectric constant alternating between at least two different values. It can be manufactured by applying a first layer (3) of a material having a first dielectric constant &egr;1 to a base (1), thereupon patterning the first layer to produce recesses, then applying a second layer (5) of a material having a second dielectric constant &egr;2 over the first layer to at least completely fill the recesses to obtain a flat surface, and finally applying a conductor on top of the produces structure. The transmission line can be used for example for various types of filters and delay lines, is simple and has a low cost for its manufacture and can give a space-saving design of different components.

Abstract: A network in for example apartment buildings having a partly optical transmission of information between subscribers (29) and a centrally arranged switch (3) have connector housings (9) comprising an electrical connector (9) at one end and a connection terminal (21) to an optical fiber at the opposite end. An electronic converter for converting between electric and optical signals is connected between the electrical connector and the optical connection. The electrical connection can be coupled to an electric connector (17) of the switch by a detachable electric connection cable (13). The converters in the connector housings are designed so that the optical transmission, in regard of the signals, as seen from the switch, operates as an electric signal line.

Abstract: Ends of optical fibers in an optical flexfoil can be located at inner and edge positions of the flexfoil. Cut-outs are formed around such fiber ends to form tabs, which can be bent laterally from the plane of the flexfoil, so that the ends of the fibers are located at the exterior edges of the tabs. This allows a connection of the optical fibers to external devices in different directions such as a connection in a direction perpendicular to the flexfoil. The flexfoil can be used as an optical supplement to an electrical backplane, the tabs extending through openings in the backplane. Also, an easy handling of the flexfoil is achieved, since no connection tabs extending beyond the edges of the flexfoil are required. This is advantageous for example in polishing the ends of the fibers at the tab ends.

Abstract: This invention belong to a mounting technology for aligning parts, a self-aligned elastic positioning. A problem this invention solves is alignment of parts without using mechanical fine pre-alignment. Wherein one part has elastic bumps, another part has V-grooves and the parts fit into each other. The invention is using elastic material for the bumps to fit the V-grooves. Whereas the bumps are made of elastic material and shaped partly to the V-bumps by moulding. The two parts can slide along in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the surface of the part. The movement in the perpendicular direction can be controlled by an external force. This means that the bumps and V-grooves have good alignment in xy-orientation and are also partial aligned in z-orientation. The elasticity of the bumps allows for thermal expansion differences without stresses to the parts while maintaining high precision alignment at a point.

Abstract: An optical fiber flexfoil includes optical fibers adhesively bonded between two flexfoils laminated to each other. A surface of a base flexible plastic sheet is coated with a pressure sensitive adhesive, and optical fibers are bonded to the sheet by the adhesive. A top foil having a similar coating is placed on top of the base foil contacting the optical fibers, air located between the foils is removed, and the foils are pressed against each other only by the adhesive coatings. The adhesive is selected to have a low glass transition temperature such as below −50° C., and to exhibit visco-elastic characteristics in the temperature range within which the flexfoil is to be used. The lamination of the foils is made at temperatures at the upper limit of the operational range using only moderate pressures. This gives low mechanical stresses on the fibers in the pressing operation.

Abstract: A via structure is obtained by etching a through-hole in a substrate on the via location and placing transmission lines on declining or sloping sidewalls of the hole. The lines continue to conductors on the other surface of the substrate through vias located in a free portion of a thin film structure at the bottom side of the substrate. The free portion is so strong and large, that several vias can be made therein for connection to a plurality of parallel lines forming e.g. a bus structure. The large free portion can be additionally supported by a thick support layer applied on top of the layers in the hole. By applying an isolated ground plane and a dielectric layer between the substrate and the transmission lines, the transmission lines on the sloping sidewalls of the via hole structure can be made impedance matched. The sloping sidewalls of the via hole can easily be obtained using a V-groove etch for a monocrystalline Si-substrate.

Abstract: This invention relates to a manufacturing process for making elastic bumps in the micro-electronic field. It solves the problem to mould micrometer sized elastic features by means of a micro-machined mould. The method is a reproducible moulding technology to achieve elastic bumps being a perfect replication of the mould. The mould is made of one or several grooves etched in a silicon wafer. The method includes the steps of: cleaning the surface of the mould (100) from dust and other particles; depositing a release agent on the mould and the release agent, e.g. Parylene or silane, forming a conformal self-assembled layer (118) on the surface of the mould; putting on a curable elastomer, to form an elastomeric structure (208) on the mould; curing the mould and the structure; and separating the structure from the mould.

Abstract: A self-aligning, flexible high density and impedance adjusted electrical connectors for use in microelectronic systems for overcoming the problem of having electrical connection and alignment at the same time is disclosed. The connector comprises a first part (204) consisting of two metal layer structures, a first signal path (212) and a first ground path (210) covering a V-groove (202), and a second part (208) consisting of corresponding metal layers of the first part, a second signal path (224) covering an elastic bump (206) and a second signal ground plane (226) which fits into the V-groove (202). The first and the second signal paths are in contact with each other when the first and the second parts are brought together and the contact is self-aligning when put together. The electrical contact will remain despite displacement due to thermal expansion.

Abstract: A three-dimensional multi-chip module is formed as a stack of two-dimensional multi-chip modules comprising substrates which have electrically signal paths connecting integrated circuit chips and has vertical interconnections of the signal paths, provided by interconnection or via chips. The individual chips or other inner components on a substrate are in mechanical contact with a surface of an adjacent substrate and constitute the distance device maintaining the substrates spaced from each other. Thus heat developed in components can be conducted essentially perpendicularly to the substrates. Thermally conducting chips can be used for improving the conducting of heat. Cooling devices are located only at the top and bottom surfaces of the stack.

Abstract: A mounting structure for a self-aligned flip-chip with elastic contacts. The mounting structure provides non-permanent joints combined with auto-aligning structures, and offers a symmetrical elastic alignment ensuring continued centering of the parts. This is done by using a flip-chip structure 200, which is based on a substrate 202 with an elastomer bump structure 204, molded by using anisotropically etched silicon as a mold. The pattern of elastic bumps 204 on the substrate correspond to a pad pattern 210 on a flip-chip 214. The bumps 204 can be coated with gold, and serve both as electrical contacts 206 and for vertical positioning. A guiding frame 212 of an elastomeric material with inclined frame walls 220 is provided around the bumps and is the same shape as the inclined walls 222 of the flip-chip 214.

Abstract: A combined optical and electrical interconnection means for interconnection of in particular chip modules has an elastic layer of for instance silicone placed over the sharp edge or corner connecting surfaces where the interconnection is made. On the front surface the layer covers an end of an optical waveguide having a core and on the top surface the layer carries an electrically conducting area connected to an electric transmission line. The front surfaces are pressed against each other connecting the ends of the optical waveguides. On the top surface the conducting area is in contact with interconnected electrically conducting areas on a surface of a connector strip. This interconnection structure is able to connect densely located electrical lines and optical waveguides not requiring any fan-out configuration. It is particularly suited for interconnecting compact multi-chip modules and similar devices.

Abstract: A firing unit for initiation of detonators, which contain at least one base charge in a detonator casing, which firing unit comprisesan electrically actuable fuse head,a current source connected to the electrically actuable fuse head via switching means, and an electronics unit comprisinga signal decoder designed so as to distinguish a start signal supplied to the detonator via an external signal conductor,a delay circuit designed in such a way that, when the start signal is received, it supplies an ignition signal after a predetermined time andthe switching means, which are designed in such a way that, when the ignition signal is received, they connect the current source to the fuse head in order to electrically actuate the latter,the electronics unit comprising at least one chip made from a semiconductor material and having a microcircuit. According to the invention, at least the chip and an additional component are electrically and mechanically connected on a substrate having a circuit pattern.