Abstract: A three way system for providing controlled levitation or suspension in a magnet-superconductor system, including a current-carrying conductor (such as a coil) for affecting interactions in the magnet-superconductor system, for example by producing a magnetic field intercepting the superconductor, thereby affecting the flux penetration and/or flux pinning properties of the superconductor. By varying the magnitude of the control current the magnitude of the field produced by the coil varies which in turn varies the magnetic interactions in the magnet-coil-superconductor system. This provides a controllable and stable range of levitation, suspension distances, and rotation in the system. Any type II superconductor can be used, but particular advantages are obtained when high T.sub.c superconductors are used.

Abstract: A substrate having silicon receptive surface areas is maintained in a plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) chamber at a temperature, and under sufficient gas flow, pressure and applied energy conditions to form a gas plasma. The gas plasma is typically made up of hydrogen, but may be made up of mixtures of hydrogen with other gasses. A discontinuous flow of silane gas of predetermined duration and predetermined time spacing is introduced to produce at least one timed pulse of silane gas containing plasma, whereby a thin layer of silicon is deposited on the receptive areas of the substrate. The thin layer of silicon is exposed to the hydrogen gas plasma between the brief deposition time cycles and may result in the modification of the silicon layer by the hydrogen plasma.

Abstract: A lens hood is mounted in association with a lens of a camera for positioning the hood and its forward planar surface in contiguous communication with a transparent window pane and the like to permit photographing utilizing a flash through the window pane without glare. The organization includes a foam polymeric cylinder mounted to a rigid mounting ring that in turn is secured to the camera lens in a coaxially aligned relationghip. A modification of the invention includes a plurality of separately removable sections, with each section including a mounting face and a gel filled sealing ring mounted within the forward face for enhanced securement engagement with the window pane.