Abstract: A testing device for wafer level testing of IC circuits is disclosed. An upper and lower pin (22, 62) are configured to slide relatively to each other and are held in electrically biased contact by an elastomer (80). To prevent rotation of the pins in the pin guide, a walled recess in the bottom of the pin guide engages flanges on the pins. In another embodiment, the pin guide maintains rotational alignment by being fitted around the pin profile or having projections abutting the pin. The pin guide (12) is maintained in alignment with the retainer 14 by establishing a registration corner (506) and driving the guide into the corner by elastomers in at least one diagonally opposite corner.

Abstract: A testing device for wafer level testing of IC circuits is disclosed. An upper and lower pin (22, 62) are configured to slide relatively to each other and are held in electrically biased contact by an elastomer (80). To prevent rotation of the pins in the pin guide, a walled recess in the bottom of the pin guide engages flanges on the pins. In another embodiment, the pin guide maintains rotational alignment by being fitted around the pin profile or having projections abutting the pin. The pin guide (12) is maintained in alignment with the retainer 14 by establishing a registration corner (506) and driving the guide into the corner by elastomers in at least one diagonally opposite corner.

Abstract: A testing device for wafer level testing of IC circuits is disclosed. An upper and lower pin (22, 62) are configured to slide relatively to each other and are held in electrically biased contact by an elastomer (80). To prevent rotation of the pins in the pin guide, a walled recess in the bottom of the pin guide engages flanges on the pins. In another embodiment, the pin guide maintains rotational alignment by being fitted around the pin profile or having projections abutting the pin. The pin guide (12) is maintained in alignment with the retainer 14 by establishing a registration corner (506) and driving the guide into the corner by elastomers in at least one diagonally opposite corner.

Abstract: A testing device for wafer level testing of IC circuits is disclosed. An upper and lower pin (22, 62) are configured to slide relatively to each other and are held in electrically biased contact by an elastomer (80). The elastomer is precompressed from its natural rest state between a top (22) plate and a bottom (70). Pre compression improves the resilient response of the pins. The pin crowns (40) are maintained relatively coplanar by the engagement of at least one flange (44a-b) against an up-stop surface 90 of plate 20, thereby insuring coplanarity of the crowns. The pin guide (12) is maintained in alignment with the retainer 14 by establishing a registration corner (506) and driving the guide into the corner by elastomers in at least one diagonally opposite corner.

Abstract: A testing device for wafer level testing of IC circuits is disclosed. An upper and lower pin (22, 62) are configured to slide relatively to each other and are held in electrically biased contact by an elastomer (80). To prevent rotation of the pins in the pin guide, a walled recess in the bottom of the pin guide engages flanges on the pins. In another embodiment, the pin guide maintains rotational alignment by being fitted around the pin profile or having projections abutting the pin. The pin guide (12) is maintained in alignment with the retainer 14 by establishing a registration corner (506) and driving the guide into the corner by elastomers in at least one diagonally opposite corner.

Abstract: A testing device for wafer level testing of IC circuits is disclosed. An upper and lower pin (22, 62) are configured to slide relatively to each other and are held in electrically biased contact by an elastomer (80). The elastomer is precompressed from its natural rest state between a top (22) plate and a bottom (70). Pre compression improves the resilient response of the pins. The pin crowns (40) are maintained relatively coplanar by the engagement of at least one flange (44a-b) against an up-stop surface 90 of plate 20, thereby insuring coplanarity of the crowns. The pin guide (12) is maintained in alignment with the retainer 14 by establishing a registration corner (506) and driving the guide into the corner by elastomers in at least one diagonally opposite corner.

Abstract: A testing device for wafer level testing of IC circuits is disclosed. An upper and lower pin (22, 62) are configured to slide relatively to each other and are held in electrically biased contact by an elastomer (80). The elastomer is precompressed from its natural rest state between a top (22) plate and a bottom (70). Pre compression improves the resilient response of the pins. The pin crows (40) are maintained relatively coplanar by the engagement of at least one flang (44a-b) against an up-stop surface 90 of plate 20, thereby insuring coplanarity of the crowns. The pin guide (12) is maintained in alignment with the retainer 14 by establishing a registration corner (506) and driving the guide into the corner by elastomers in at least one diagonally opposite corner.

Abstract: A testing device for wafer level testing of IC circuits is disclosed. An upper and lower pin (22, 62) are configured to slide relatively to each other and are held in electrically biased contact by an elastomer (80). The elastomer is precompressed from its natural rest state between a top (22) plate and a bottom (70). Pre compression improves the resilient response of the pins. The pin crows (40) are maintained relatively coplanar by the engagement of at least one flang (44a-b) against an up-stop surface 90 of plate 20, thereby insuring coplanarity of the crowns. The pin guide (12) is maintained in alignment with the retainer 14 by establishing a registration corner (506) and driving the guide into the corner by elastomers in at least one diagonally opposite corner.

Abstract: Techniques are described for simultaneously accessing multiple layers of an optical data storage medium using optical elements. The techniques include passing light through one or more optical elements included in an optical device to generate multiple light beams with focus points on two or more layers of a multi-layer optical disk. In some cases, the optical device may include a single optical element that generates multiple light beams. In other cases, the optical device may include two or more optical elements that each generates a single light beam. In either case, the optical device may simultaneously access two or more of the layers of the optical disk. An optical element may comprise a diffractive optical element or a holographic optical element designed to accommodate the separation distance between each of the layers of a multi-layer optical disk and a power ratio for the layers of the multi-layer optical disk.

Abstract: This disclosure describes a data storage medium, such as an optical disk, that includes a visually recognizable sensing element that changes in appearance in response to exposure to an environmental condition. The sensing element may sense any of a wide variety of environmental conditions, such as exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation, ozone, moisture, other non-UV spectrums of light, corrosive gasses, or the like. The invention can promote data integrity by alerting a user of possible media degradation.

Abstract: The invention involves durable and protective data storage disc cases. A case includes two portions that join to form an inner support at the center of a disc and an outer support surrounding the disc at its outer diameter. The inner and outer supports prevent the case from contacting, and possibly scratching, the data surface of a disc within the case, even when the case is subjected to a compressive force. Furthermore, the case may secure a disc by holding the disc at its center using a spindle and by holding the outer edge, beyond the data surface, on a rim at the outer support. In this manner, a disc is centered on the spindle, and further constrained by the rim at its outer edge. This secures the disc when the halves of the case are closed and allows the disc to be freely removed once the case is opened.

Abstract: Mastering techniques are described that utilize drive recordable master media to generate low-cost, high-resolution masters. A master medium comprises a preformatted substrate layer that includes tracking features, e.g., grooves and lands, and a developable layer formed over the preformatted substrate layer. The developable layer may comprise a phase-change material, a thin film transition metal, or a metal oxide. A conventional mastering bench may be used to define the precise tracking features included on the preformatted substrate layer. The techniques include inserting the master medium into a recording drive capable of accurately following the tracking features. The recording drive alters regions of the developable layer along the tracking features. The master medium is then removed from the recording drive and the altered regions are developed to define a surface pattern on the master medium. A replication process then creates a plurality of data storage media from the master medium.

Abstract: The invention is directed to coded optical media that allows a proprietary media handling system to enable particular drive features on an optical drive system. In particular, a coded optical medium comprises an otherwise standardized format optical medium that includes a particular set of preformatted manufacturer identification (MID) code values that can be read by the proprietary media handling system and compared with a set of internally preset code values. On the condition that the particular set of preformatted MID code values match the internally preset code values, the proprietary media handling system allows access to data stored on medium or, alternatively, enables special features. In this manner, the prerequisite code value match between the coded optical media and media handling system prevent non-certified media use in the optical drive system or, alternatively, enable specialized features only with optical media having accepted coding.

Abstract: The invention is directed to coded optical media that allows a proprietary media handling system to enable privileged access or particular drive features on an optical drive system. In particular, a coded optical medium comprises an otherwise standardized format optical medium that includes machine readable indicia that can be read by the proprietary media handling system regardless of the orientation of the optical medium in the proprietary media handling system. The proprietary media handling system allows access to data stored on medium or, alternatively, enables special features if the indicia identifies the medium as being compliant with drive system. In this manner, the coded optical media and media handling system prevent non-certified media use in the optical drive system or, alternatively, enable specialized features only with optical media having accepted coding.

Abstract: The invention is directed to an optical element and techniques for creating the optical element. The optical element may comprise an optical delay line or a similar optical part. The optical element may have a wide variety of applications in optical data transmission, optical computing, short term transient storing, applications for optical timing, or a number of other applications. Rather than drawing a long length of optical fiber, the invention can make use of mastering and replication techniques to define a long continuous groove in a substrate. Alternatively, an etching process may be used. In either case, the groove is filled with an optical material of higher index of refraction than the substrate to define a light guide that can transmit light via total internal reflection (TIR).

Abstract: The invention is directed to verify software to determine the quality and accuracy of data recorded on an optical data storage disk by an optical disk drive. A verify software module receives error information from the optical disk drive indicative of errors associated with the recovered data. The verify software module then generates an indication of data integrity based on the error information and presents the indication to a user of the optical disk drive via an output device. The data integrity indication identifies whether or not the data was recorded correctly and predicts how long the data will last. The indication is especially useful for data storage applications where reliable data archive is vital. The verify software may be distributed as a CD-ROM included with a multi-disk package of optical disks. The verify software CD-ROM may include a tutorial to be presented to the user via the output device.

Abstract: The invention is directed to data cartridges including a plurality of data storage disks. The invention applies the multi-disk data cartridges to a “jukebox” system in which one of the data cartridges is inserted into a computing device that de-cartridges and positions the data storage disks on one or more disk drives for reading or recording. A multi-disk data cartridge may comprise a cartridge housing with dimensions that conform to a magnetic tape cartridge housing standard form factor. The data cartridges may include blue disk media, such as Blu-Ray and HD-DVD. In order to integrate blue disk media into the data cartridge described herein, the blue disk media may comprise dimensions that conform to a non-standard blue disk form factor. In other cases, a cartridge housing may conform to a non-standard form factor based on dimensions of a standard form factor blue disk.

Abstract: Mastering techniques are described that can improve the quality of a master used in data storage disk manufacturing. In one embodiment, the techniques include depositing a multi-layer structure adjacent a substrate layer of the master, the multi-layer structure including a first layer, a second layer formed over the first layer, and a third layer formed over the second layer, wherein the first layer comprises a substantially reflective base layer. The techniques also include defining a portable conformable mask (PCM) with the third layer, and defining a feature of the master in the second layer through the PCM of the third layer. In some embodiments, a nanometer scale topographical feature may be defined in the first layer of the master via an etching process or a thin film deposition.

Abstract: Mastering techniques are described that can improve the quality of a master used in data storage disk manufacturing. In particular, the techniques can improve resolution of the features created on the master. The techniques include coating a master substrate layer with a tri-layer structure composed of a top photoresist layer, a bottom photoresist layer, and a non-resist layer interposed between the two photoresist layers. The bottom photoresist layer comprises a deep ultraviolet (DUV) resist material. Mastering the top photoresist layer defines a portable conformable mask (PCM) for the bottom photoresist layer. A variety of PCM may be defined for the bottom photoresist layer. The PCM may be defined using conventional tip recording with a focused laser spot that provides fine feature definition. A blanket DUV light may then illuminate the bottom photoresist layer through the PCM to provide enhanced feature resolution in a data storage disk master.

Abstract: A system for precisely determining a position with resolution on the order of nanometers or sub-nanometers is described. In particular, a system is described that utilizes a first and a second sensor assembly to determine a position of a movable element over a distance many times the capable range of operation of either of the individual sensor assemblies. The two sensor assemblies leap-frog one another in an incremental fashion to ensure that at least one of the sensor assemblies is always within it operational range. Positional signals generated by one of the sensor assemblies can be used to calibrate the other sensor assembly, following an adjustment of the other sensor assembly. The described invention may be implemented in an optical storage disk mastering system to determine the position of mastering optics as the mastering optics translate over the surface of a storage master disk.