Abstract: The specification describes a technique for die bonding that is tailored to air cavity plastic packages for high power devices. The die bonding method is simple and effective, and eliminates the step of placement of solder preforms in the die bonding operation. According to the invention the die that are to be attached are pre-coated with AuSn solder. A multifunctional bonding layer is applied between the silicon die and the AuSn bonding layer. The multifunctional bonding layer comprises a multi-layer structure including Ti/Pt/Au. The chip support member comprises copper or a copper alloy. The chip support member may also be pre-coated with a bonding layer. The pre-coated die is soldered to the chip support member.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods of immobilizing nucleic acid aptamers within a sol-gel matrix. The aptamer system remains functionally intact when it is immobilized within a protein and membrane-compatible sol-gel derived from polyol silane precursors or sodium silicate.

Abstract: An integrated circuit comprises an integrated circuit package and a plurality of circuit elements disposed within the integrated circuit package. A plurality of wire bonds provide connections for at least one of the circuit elements. At least one wire bond in a first subset of wire bonds and at least one wire bond in a second subset of wire bonds are substantially perpendicular to one another at a crossing point of the wire bonds in a plan view of the integrated circuit.

Abstract: Power transistor devices and techniques for reducing bowing in such devices are provided. In one aspect, a power transistor device is provided. The power transistor device comprises a substrate, a device film formed on the substrate and an adhesion layer formed on a side of the substrate opposite the device film, wherein at least a portion of the adhesion layer is at least partially segmented. The power transistor device thereby exhibits a reduced amount of bowing relative to an amount of bowing expected without the segmenting of the adhesion layer. The power transistor device may be part of an integrated circuit.

Abstract: A method for attaching at least one IC die to a non-ceramic IC package including a leadframe and a base, the IC package being configured for receiving the at least one IC die, includes attaching the IC die to an upper surface of a thermal carrier in a manner which facilitates thermal transfer between the die and the carrier. The method further includes attaching the thermal carrier having the IC die attached thereto to an upper surface of the base of the IC package. In this manner, one or more IC dies may be attached to a standard plastic IC package without a significant impact on thermal transfer in the device and at a significant cost savings compared to ceramic IC packages.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate and an active region formed in the substrate proximate an upper surface of the substrate. The active region includes at least one circuit element formed therein. At least one channel is formed in a back surface of the substrate opposite the upper surface of the substrate, the channel being formed proximate the active region. The channel is substantially filled with one or more layers of a thermally conductive material and configured so as to provide a thermal conduction path for conducting heat away from the active region.

Abstract: An integrated circuit is wire bonded in a manner such that there is consistent RF performance from integrated circuit package to integrated circuit package. Bond distances within the integrated circuit are measured, each corresponding to a wire bond to be formed. An area under a hypothetical wire bond profile is calculated as a function of the bond distances, a baseline wire length, and a baseline loop height. A wire is bonded across a given one of the bond distances to form a given one of the wire bonds. A wire bond profile for the given wire bond is provided having an area thereunder that is substantially equal to the calculated area.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes an IC die configured to reduce post-fabrication damage to the device. The IC die is formed such that at least a portion of one or more perimeter edges of the die are beveled by an etching process. The semiconductor device may include a plurality of IC dies, at least one of the IC dies being separated from the semiconductor device by forming one or more v-shaped grooves in an upper surface of the device, the v-shaped grooves defining perimeter edges of the at least one IC die. A back surface of the semiconductor device is removed until at least a portion of the v-shaped grooves are exposed. When the IC die is separated from the semiconductor device in this manner, a sidewall of each of the v-shaped grooves forms a beveled perimeter edge of the separated IC die.

Abstract: A method of making below 250-nm UV light transmitting optical fluoride lithography crystals includes applying heat along a shortest path of conduction of a selected optical fluoride crystal, heating the optical fluoride crystal to an annealing temperature, holding the temperature of the optical fluoride crystal at the annealing temperature, and gradually cooling the optical fluoride crystal to provide a low-birefringence optical fluoride crystal for transmitting below 250-nm UV light.

Abstract: A method of making below 250-nm UV light transmitting optical fluoride lithography crystals includes applying heat along a shortest path of conduction of a selected optical fluoride crystal, heating the optical fluoride crystal to an annealing temperature, holding the temperature of the optical fluoride crystal at the annealing temperature, and gradually cooling the optical fluoride crystal to provide a low-birefringence optical fluoride crystal for transmitting below 250-nm UV light.

Abstract: The present invention involves a multicomponent protein microarray comprising two or more components of a protein-based system entrapped within spots of a biomolecule compatible matrix arranged on a surface. Also included are methods of using the microarray for multicomponent analysis along with kits and machinery comprising the microarray.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods of immobilizing membrane-associated molecules within a sol-gel matrix. The membrane-associated molecule is embedded in the bilayer of a liposome. The molecule-liposome assembly remains functionally intact when it is immobilized within a protein and membrane-compatible sol-gel derived from polyol silane precursors or sodium silicate. The activity and stability of the entrapped membrane-associated molecule was significantly improved in macroporous silica.

Abstract: A distributed, shared memory computer architecture that is organized into a set of functionally independent processing nodes operating in a global, shared address space. Each node has one or more local processors, local memory and includes a common communication interface for communicating with other modules within the system via a message protocol. The common communication interface provides a single high-speed communications center within each node to operatively couple the node to one or more external processing nodes, an external routing module, an input/output (I/O) module. The common communication interface that facilitates the ability to incrementally add and swap the nodes of the system without disrupting the overall computing resources of the system.

Abstract: A filling apparatus for, a filling system for and a method of introducing into a container a suspension or solution of a substance, in particular a pharmaceutical substance, in a propellant under pressure, the filling apparatus comprising: a main body (4) including a passageway (20) for communicating, in use, with a valve stem (144) extending from a head (141) of a body (139) of a container (138), the container (138) comprising a metering chamber (143) selectively communicatable by the valve stem (144) with the atmosphere and a storage chamber (140) defined by the body (139); a fill actuator (7) comprising a filling valve assembly (29) in communication with the passageway (20) for selectively introducing thereinto propellant under pressure containing a substance in a suspension or solution; an exhaust actuator (10) comprising an exhaust valve assembly (48) in communication with the passageway (20) for selectively exhausting therefrom propellant under pressure containing substance; and a container-engaging bod

Abstract: A filling apparatus for, a filling system for and a method of introducing into a container a suspension or solution of a substance, in particular a pharmaceutical substance, in a propellant under pressure, the filling apparatus comprising: a main body (4) including a passageway (20) having an inlet opening (21) and first and second outlet openings (25, 22), the first outlet opening (25) communicating, in use, with a valve stem (144) extending from a head (141) of a body (139) of a container (138); a fill actuator (7) in communication with the inlet opening (21) of the passageway (20) comprising a filling valve assembly (29) for selectively introducing propellant under pressure containing a substance in a suspension or solution into the passageway (20); an exhaust actuator (10) in communication with the second outlet opening (22) of the passageway (20) comprising an exhaust valve assembly (48) for selectively exhausting propellant under pressure containing substance from the passageway (20) and including at le

Abstract: An audio processing unit for an integrated audio reproduction system comprising an audio data recovery device for recovering audio data from an audio data source (2,3,4), sound generation apparatus (14,15) and a user input device (7,8) for user input of audio processing control data, the audio processing unit comprising a digital processor (1) provided on an integrated circuit and connected to the data recovery device, the sound generation apparatus and the user selection device and arranged to receive input audio data from the data recovery device, process the input audio data in the digital domain in accordance with the audio processing control data to generate an audio output signal, and provide the audio output signal to the sound generation apparatus, and to control at least one electromechanical function of the audio data recovery device.

Abstract: A radio receiver comprising: an antenna for receiving a radio frequency signal amplitude modulated with an audio frequency signal; a digitiser for periodically sampling the radio frequency signal and generating a digital reception signal representative of the amplitude of the radio frequency signal; and a demodulator for demodulating the digital reception signal to generate a representation of the audio frequency signal. In a second embodiment, a radio receiver comprising: an antenna for receiving a radio frequency signal; a demodulator for demodulating a signal derived from the radio frequency signal to form a demodulated signal; and a filter for filtering the demodulated signal. Further, a method for canceling a beat frequency in a radio receiver.

Abstract: A reading unit for reading data from a digital data carrier, the reading unit comprising: a reading head including a sensor for sensing data from the data carrier and generating a sensor signal indicative for the sensed data; head positioning apparatus for positioning the head relative to the data carrier in response to a head positioning control signal; a head positioning controller for receiving the sensed data and being operable in accordance with a stored instruction set to process the sensed data to generate the head positioning control signal; and a data decoder for decoding the sensed data to form a digital output signal.