Abstract: A liquid dispensing device. The liquid dispensing device has a tray for holding a liquid at a relatively constant level. A syringe is used for drawing fluid from the tray. A liquid container containing a liquid is positioned upside-down in the tray. Atmospheric pressure on the liquid in the tray and a vacuum inside the liquid container prevents liquid from draining from the container except when the liquid level in the tray drops to a level sufficient to allow air into the liquid container and to allow fluid to flow from the liquid container into the tray. The fluid flows from the liquid container into the tray until the level of liquid in the tray returns to the relatively constant level. The positioning of the syringe for drawing fluid is simplified in that the level of fluid in the tray is maintained at an approximately constant level despite withdrawal of quantities of fluid from the tray.

Abstract: A liquid dispensing device. The liquid dispensing device has a tray for holding a liquid at a relatively constant level. A syringe is used for drawing fluid from the tray. A liquid container containing a liquid is positioned upside-down in the tray. Atmospheric pressure on the liquid in the tray and a vacuum inside the liquid container prevents liquid from draining from the container except when the liquid level in the tray drops to a level sufficient to allow air into the liquid container and to allow fluid to flow from the liquid container into the tray. The fluid flows from the liquid container into the tray until the level of liquid in the tray returns to the relatively constant level. The positioning of the syringe for drawing fluid is simplified in that the level of fluid in the tray is maintained at an approximately constant level despite withdrawal of quantities of fluid from the tray.

Abstract: A device and method for the automated storage and retrieval of trays holding subject matter. A computer system is programmed to control a storage gantry to move the trays between a storage rack and an automated machine. In a preferred embodiment, the subject matter in the trays is a plurality of micro-well plates in which microscopic crystals may be growing and the automated machine is configured to inspect and classify microscopic crystals. The automated machine has an indexing device for sequentially placing microscopic crystals in camera-view of a camera and a control computer is programmed to control the indexing device and to cause the camera to take images of the microscopic crystals and then transfer the images to a classifying processor where the images are classified. In a preferred embodiment, the microscopic crystals are protein crystals that have been grown in the wells of micro-well plates.

Abstract: A device and method for the automated storage and retrieval of trays holding subject matter. A computer system is programmed to control a storage gantry to move the trays between a storage rack and an automated machine. In a preferred embodiment, the subject matter in the trays is a plurality of micro-well plates in which microscopic crystals may be growing and the automated machine is configured to inspect and classify microscopic crystals. The automated machine has an indexing device for sequentially placing microscopic crystals in camera-view of a camera and a control computer is programmed to control the indexing device and to cause the camera to take images of the microscopic crystals and then transfer the images to a classifying processor where the images are classified. In a preferred embodiment, the microscopic crystals are protein crystals that have been grown in the wells of micro-well plates.

Abstract: A blocking device for remote, selective blocking of a cold stream used in a protein crystal annealing process during X-ray protein crystallography includes a blocking member adapted to be selectively moved between at least a blocking position where the blocking member blocks the cold stream and a non-blocking position where the blocking member does not block the cold stream, and an actuation mechanism adapted to impart movement to the blocking member to cause the blocking member to be selectively moved between at least the blocking position and the non-blocking position.

Abstract: A space diversity antenna system provided with dither circuitry in the signal path to one of the antennas to switch a circuit element in and out of the signal path at a high rate. The circuit element can be an amplitude attenuator or a phase changer. This switching results in the substantial elimination of nulling between the two antennas.

Abstract: A two-axis satellite antenna mounting and tracking assembly including a universal joint for mounting the antenna to support structure. A pair of linear actuators offset at 90.degree. to each other about the universal joint are operated in full-on/full-off fashion to control the azimuth and elevation orientations of the antenna. Satellite tracking is effected by maximizing received signal strength.

Abstract: A semiconductor processing technique is disclosed for forming a multi-layered semiconductor structure in a single chamber and with the same equipment, without removing the semiconductor wafer substrate or otherwise transferring it to another chamber. A gaseous mixture of different gases is provided in a chamber. Excimer pulsed ultraviolet laser radiation is introduced into the chamber at a first discrete wavelength to photolytically react with a first of the gases at a discrete excitation energy photochemically breaking bonds of the first gas to epitaxially deposit a first layer on the substrate, followed by radiation at a second discrete wavelength to photolytically react with a second gas to deposit a second layer on the first layer, and so on. The different gases may be introduced into the chamber collectively, or serially between radiations. Scavenging between layers is provided by photolytic removal of surface containments and the products of reaction.

Abstract: MOMOM structural geometry and fabrication techniques are is disclosed. First and second metal layer strips (6 and 10) are supported on an insulating substrate (4) and have vertically overlapped portions sandwiched between insulating layers (8, 12). A generally vertical side (18) is defined through the layers to the substrate to expose vertical edges (20, 24) of the metal layers which are oxidized (32, 34) and covered by a third metal layer (44) extending therebetween. In the preferred embodiment, the middle insulating layer (8) is undercut (28), oxidized (36, 40), and filled with metallization (50), to provide a vertical rectilinear conduction path.

Abstract: MOMOM structural geometry and fabrication techniques are disclosed. A first oxidizable metal strip (3) and a second coplanar nonoxidizable metal strip (6) are deposited on an insulating substrate (2). An insulating layer (12) is deposited on the metal strips, followed by deposition of a third nonoxidizable metal layer. A generally vertical notch (14) is cut through the layers to the substrate providing left and right sections (15, 16) of the third metal layer, left and right sections (19, 20) of the insulating layer, and the first and second metal layers with facing edges (23, 24) spaced by the notch therebetween. An oxidized tip (25) is formed at the facing edge of the first metal layer. A fourth metal layer (26) is ballistically deposited over the oxidized tip and the left section of the third metal layer, using the notch edge of the right section of the third metal layer as a shadow mask, followed by oxidization of the fourth metal layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor ion implantation processing technique is disclosed for implanting high purity, high flux density ions in a semiconductor wafer substrate. A reactant gas is irradiated with excimer pulsed ultraviolet laser radiation at a discrete designated pulsed wavelength corresponding to a discrete designated ionization excitation energy of the gas photochemically breaking bonds of the gas to nonthermally photolytically ionize the gas. The ions are then accelerated by an electric field for subsequent implantation into a surface.

Abstract: A semiconductor processing technique is disclosed for periodically selectively effecting lattice ordering and dopant distribution during a semiconductor layer formation process. Excimer pulsed ultraviolet laser radiation is provided at different energy fluxes to provide an electrically active layer as formed, without post-annealing, and curing lattice damage otherwise due to certain processing methods such as ion implantation. In a photolytic deposition technique, excimer laser radiation is periodically increased to transiently provide a pyrolytic thermal reaction in the layer as thus far deposited to provide a plurality of short intermittent periodic annealing steps to ensure crystallization as the layer continues to be deposited at lower radiation energy fluxes. Single crystalline material may be formed without post-annealing by periodically irradiating incremental thicknesses of the layer as formed.

Abstract: A power JFET (2) has a stack (4) of alternating conductivity type layers (5-9) forming a plurality of channels (6, 8). The JFET has an ON state conducting bidirectional current horizontally through the channels. The channels are stacked vertically, and the JFET has an OFF state blocking current flow through the channels due to vertical depletion pinch-off. Various main and gate terminal and drift region structures are disclosed.

Abstract: A dopant gettering semiconductor processing technique is disclosed for selectively activating an otherwise benign reactant to remove dopant from a semiconductor wafer substrate. Excimer pulsed ultraviolet laser radiation is provided at a discrete designated pulsed wavelength corresponding to a discrete designated gettering excitation energy of the otherwise benign reactant photochemically breaking bonds of the reactant such that the reactant is photolytically activated to remove dopant from the substrate, without thermally driven pyrolytic reaction. The bonds of a reactant gas are photochemically broken to produce gettering agents reacting with the substrate to remove dopant by forming a gaseous compound liberated from the substrate and benign to and unactivated by the discrete designated wavelength of the excimer pulsed ultraviolet laser radiation.

Abstract: A semiconductor processing technique is disclosed for reasonantly reacting with a semiconductor wafer substrate and cleaving surface atomic bonds to create dangling bonds. The substrate is irradiated with excimer pulsed ultraviolet laser radiation at a discrete designed wavelength to resonantly photolytically cleave surface bonds and create the dangling bonds. This enhances further processing operations such as single crystalline silicon deposition and enhanced bonding and growth thereof.

Abstract: MOMOM structural geometry and fabrication techniques are disclosed. First and second metal layer strips (6 and 10) are supported on an insulating substrate (4) and have vertically overlapped portions sandwiched between insulating layers (8, 12). A generally vertical side (18) is defined through the layers to the substrate to expose vertical edges (20, 24) of the metal layers which are oxidized (32, 34) and covered by a third metal layer (44) extending therebetween. In the preferred embodiment, the middle insulating layer (8) is undercut (28), oxidized (36, 40), and filled with metallization (50), to provide a vertical rectilinear conduction path.

Abstract: A power JFET (2) has a common drift region (4) between split first and second longitudinally separated sets of rows (6, 8) of alternating conductivity type layers (10-20 and 21-31) forming a plurality of channels (11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 22, 24, 26, 28 and 30). The JFET has an ON state conducting bidirectional current horizontally longitudinally through the common drift region and the channels. The JFET has an OFF state blocking current flow through the channels due to horizontally lateral depletion pinch-off. The layers of the rows extend vertically and horizontally longitudinally such that the direction of layering extends horizontally laterally. Particular gate structure is disclosed.

Abstract: A power JFET (2) has a common drift region (4) between a pair of spaced first and second stacks (6, 8) of alternating conductivity type layers (10-14 and 15-19) forming a plurality of channels (11, 13, 16 and 18). The JFET has an ON state conducting bidirectional current horizontally through the common drift region and the channels. The channels are stacked vertically, and the JFET has an OFF state blocking current flow through the channels due to vertical depletion pinch-off. Field shaping and high blocking voltage capability are provided. Particular main terminal and gate structure is disclosed.

Abstract: MOMOM structural geometry and fabrication techniques are disclosed. A first oxidizable metal strip (3) and a second coplanar nonoxidizable metal strip (6) are deposited on an insulating substrate (2). An insulating layer (12) is deposited on the metal strips, followed by deposition of a third nonoxidizable metal layer. A generally vertical notch (14) is cut through the layers to the substrate providing left and right sections (15, 16) of the third metal layer, left and right sections (19, 20) of the insulating layer, and the first and second metal layers with facing edges (23, 24) spaced by the notch therebetween. An oxidized tip (25) is formed at the facing edge of the first metal layer. A fourth metal layer (26) is ballistically deposited over the oxidized tip and the left section of the third metal layer, using the notch edge of the right section of the third metal layer as a shadow mask, followed by oxidization of the fourth metal layer.

Abstract: A solid display is provided by a semiconductor switched between transparent and opaque conditions according to external removal of carriers from the conduction band for controlling absorption of light-energy. A semiconductor has an energy band gap affording a normally saturated conduction band in response to impinging light energy of a given range wavelength. The normally saturated condition of the semiconductor prevents further absorption, and enables light to pass thererthrough. The semiconductor is switched to an opaque condition by completing an electric circuit for removing carriers from the conduction band to enable further absorption of incident light in the semiconductor by raising additional carriers from the valence band to the conduction band.