Abstract: Cellular signals or other wireless signals/messages are introduced into a building or to an outside location by transmitting packets corresponding to those signals over a data network and low cost cables to designated locations within the data network. Once the designated packets containing the signals reach the destination, they are then broadcast over the air to a terminal capable of receiving the wireless message. In a first embodiment, an in-building gigabit Ethernet network, such as that currently existing presently in many buildings, is used to distribute radio signals indoors. Instead of transmitting the radio signals over the air from a repeater connected to a base station, coded baseband signals generated by the coding processor (e.g., a CDMA Modem Unit) in the base station are packetized and sent over the Ethernet network to radio processing equipment and antennas distributed throughout the building.

Abstract: Examples of the present invention include a metamaterial comprising a plurality of resonators disposed on a substrate, the substrate comprising a dielectric support layer and a relatively thin semiconductor layer, having a Schottky junction between at least one conducting resonator and the semiconductor layer. The properties of the resonator may be adjusted by modifying the physical extent of a depletion region associated with the Schottky junction.

Abstract: Cellular signals or other wireless signals/messages are introduced into a building or to an outside location by transmitting packets corresponding to those signals over a data network and low cost cables to designated locations within the data network. Once the designated packets containing the signals reach the destination, they are then broadcast over the air to a terminal capable of receiving the wireless message. In a first embodiment, an in-building gigabit Ethernet network, such as that currently existing presently in many buildings, is used to distribute radio signals indoors. Instead of transmitting the radio signals over the air from a repeater connected to a base station, coded baseband signals generated by the coding processor (e.g., a CDMA Modem Unit) in the base station are packetized and sent over the Ethernet network to radio processing equipment and antennas distributed throughout the building.

Abstract: An example method of fabricating a metamaterial comprises providing a first metamaterial layer, the first metamaterial layer including a first plurality of conducting patterns, such as electrically coupled resonators. A second metamaterial layer is then formed, including a second plurality of conducting patterns, to form a multilayer metamaterial. Positional alignment of the first and second plurality of conducting patterns can be achieved relative to the same fiducial mark, which may be associated with the first metamaterial layer, for example supported by a first substrate or on an alignment layer that is attached to the first substrate.

Abstract: A metamaterial microwave lens having an array of electronic inductive capacitive cells in which each cell has an electrically conductive pattern which corresponds to incident electromagnetic radiation as a resonator. At least one cell has a first and second electrical sections insulated from each other and each which section has at least two legs. A static capacitor is electrically connected between one leg of the first section of the cell and one leg of the second section of the cell. A MEMS device is electrically disposed between the other legs of the first and second sections of the cell. The MEMS device is movable between at least two positions in response to an electrical bias between the first and second sections of the cell to vary the index of refraction and resonant frequency of The cell.

Abstract: A metamaterial comprises a support medium, such as a planar dielectric substrate and a plurality of resonant circuits supported thereby. At least one resonant circuit is a tunable resonant circuit including a conducting pattern and a voltage-tunable capacitor, so that an electromagnetic parameter (such as resonance frequency) may be adjusted using an electrical control signal. In some examples of the present invention, the voltage-tunable capacitor includes a MEMS structure.

Abstract: A beam-steering system having high positional resolution and fast switching speed is disclosed. Embodiments of the beam-steering system comprise a diffraction limited optical system that includes a reflective imager and two controllably rotatable MEMS elements. The optical system is characterized by a folded optical path, wherein light propagating on the path is incident on each MEMS element more than once. Each MEMS element imparts an optical effect, such as angular change, on the output beam. By virtue of the fact that the optical system is multi-bounce optical system, the optical effect at each MEMS element is multiplied by the number of times the light hits that MEMS element.

Abstract: Cellular signals or other wireless signals/messages are introduced into a building or to an outside location by transmitting packets corresponding to those signals over a data network and low cost cables to designated locations within the data network. Once the designated packets containing the signals reach the destination, they are then broadcast over the air to a terminal capable of receiving the wireless message. In a first embodiment, an in-building gigabit Ethernet network, such as that currently existing presently in many buildings, is used to distribute radio signals indoors. Instead of transmitting the radio signals over the air from a repeater connected to a base station, coded baseband signals generated by the coding processor (e.g., a CDMA Modem Unit) in the base station are packetized and sent over the Ethernet network to radio processing equipment and antennas distributed throughout the building.

Abstract: A packaged MEMS device containing the micro mirrors has mounted on it at least two distinct integrated circuit chips, at least one of which contains the low-voltage digital-to-analog converts and at least one of which contains the high-voltage amplifiers. The integrated circuit chips may be mounted directly to the MEMS package, or they may be indirectly mounted thereto, e.g., by being directly mounted to a multi-chip module which is in turn mounted on the package. Thus, the MEMS package is employed in a dual role, 1) that of package for the MEMS device and 2) the role of a backplane in that it contains mounting places and the wires interconnecting the MEMS device and chips or modules containing the low-voltage digital-to-analog converters and the high-voltage amplifiers.

Abstract: Cellular signals or other wireless signals/messages are introduced into a building or to an outside location by transmitting packets corresponding to those signals over a data network and low cost cables to designated locations within the data network. Once the designated packets containing the signals reach the destination, they are then broadcast over the air to a terminal capable of receiving the wireless message. In a first embodiment, an in-building gigabit Ethernet network, such as that currently existing presently in many buildings, is used to distribute radio signals indoors. Instead of transmitting the radio signals over the air from a repeater connected to a base station, coded baseband signals generated by the coding processor (e.g., a CDMA Modem Unit) in the base station are packetized and sent over the Ethernet network to radio processing equipment and antennas distributed throughout the building.

Abstract: An integrated piezo-resistive sensor for determining mirror position in an optical switch. One or more piezo-resistive layers may be formed in silicon springs supporting a movable mirror in the switch. Change in resistivity of those layers due to spring deformation during mirror motion is measured and related to the mirror deflection angle. Information about the angle may be used to provide feedback to the motion actuator, which then may be operated to orient the mirror more accurately. A sensor's sensitivity may be increased by appropriately orienting the springs with respect to the crystallographic axes of the silicon.

Abstract: A packaged MEMS device containing the micro mirrors has mounted on it at least two distinct integrated circuit chips, at least one of which contains the low-voltage digital-to-analog converters and at least one of which contains the high-voltage amplifiers. The integrated circuit chips may be mounted directly to the MEMS package, or they may be indirectly mounted thereto, e.g., by being directly mounted to a multi-chip module which is in turn mounted on the package. Thus, the MEMS package is employed in a dual role, 1) that of package for the MEMS device and 2) the role of a backplane in that it contains mounting places and the wires interconnecting the MEMS device and chips or modules containing the low-voltage digital-to-analog converters and the high-voltage amplifiers.

Abstract: A method of calibrating a crossconnect including a MEMS device and another optical device, each of which further include a plurality of elements, the method including determining a relationship between an applied voltage and an angle response for a number of the elements of the MEMS device, determining a function of beam position and element position for the number of the elements of the MEMS device, assembling the MEMS device and the another optical device to produce the crossconnect, applying voltages to make sample connections between the MEMS device and the another optical device based on the relationship and the function, determining a transformation for the sample connections caused by packaging the crossconnect, and redetermining the relationship and the function based on the transformation. The method may be iterated more than once to achieve a more accurate determination.

Abstract: A quantum-dot photon turnstile device is capable of producing a stream of regulated and directed single pairs of photons with opposite circular polarizations. This device operates by injecting pairs of electrons and holes, alternately, into a single quantum dot, where they combine to form photons. The device will efficiently and reliably produce a directed beam of such photons at regular time intervals. It will be able to operate at high frequency and at high temperature. Such a stream of regulated photon pairs will be useful in quantum cryptography, quantum computing, low-power optical communications, as a light standard, and in many other areas of technology and fundamental science.

Abstract: An integrated piezo-resistive sensor for determining mirror position in an optical switch. One or more piezo-resistive layers may be formed in silicon springs supporting a movable mirror in the switch. Change in resistivity of those layers due to spring deformation during mirror motion is measured and related to the mirror deflection angle. Information about the angle may be used to provide feedback to the motion actuator, which then may be operated to orient the mirror more accurately. A sensor's sensitivity may be increased by appropriately orienting the springs with respect to the crystallographic axes of the silicon.

Abstract: A method of calibrating a crossconnect including a MEMS device and another optical device, each of which further include a plurality of elements, the method including determining a relationship between an applied voltage and an angle response for a number of the elements of the MEMS device, determining a function of beam position and element position for the number of the elements of the MEMS device, assembling the MEMS device and the another optical device to produce the crossconnect, applying voltages to make sample connections between the MEMS device and the another optical device based on the relationship and the function, determining a transformation for the sample connections caused by packaging the crossconnect, and redetermining the relationship and the function based on the transformation. The method may be iterated more than once to achieve a more accurate determination.

Abstract: The present invention provides a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) optical device. The micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) optical device includes a mirror having a substrate with an implanted light reflective optical layer thereover, and a mounting substrate on which the mirror is movably mounted. The inclusion of the dopant within the light reflective optical layer increases the tensile stress of the device and tends to correct the concave curvature of the mirror structure toward a desirably flat configuration.

Abstract: A package for hermetically sealing a micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) device in a hybrid circuit comprise a firewall formed on a substrate for the MEMS device and which has a height defining a cavity of the package in which the MEMS device will be sealed. A second substrate spaced from the first substrate hermetically seals the cavity when the second substrate is flip-chip bonded to the first substrate and soldered to the first substrate with a thin film metal material placed on at least a top portion of the firewall. The resulting firewall MEMS device package can be further packaged using conventional CMOS packaging techniques. By hermetically sealing the cavity, the enclosed MEMS device is protected from deleterious conditions found in the environment of conventional CMOS packaging techniques which is often detrimental to MEMS device function.

Abstract: A new bulk resonator may be fabricated by a process that is readily incorporated in the traditional fabrication techniques used in the fabrication of monolithic integrated circuits on a wafer. The resonator is decoupled from the wafer by a cavity etched under the resonator using selective etching through front openings (vias) in a resonator membrane. In a typical structure the resonator is formed over a silicon wafer by first forming a first electrode, coating a piezoelectric layer over both the electrode and the wafer surface and forming a second electrode opposite the first on the surface of the piezoelectric layer. After this structure is complete, a number of vias are etched in the piezoelectric layer exposing the surface under the piezoelectric layer to a selective etching process that selectively attacks the surface below the piezoelectric layer creating a cavity under the resonator.

Abstract: A device having electrical contacts formed from an alloy having improved wear resistance is provided, the alloy being particularly useful in microrelay devices formed by MEMS technology. In one embodiment, the alloys are chosen to allow sufficient precipitation hardening to improve wear resistance, but keep precipitation below a level that would unacceptably reduce electrical conductivity. This is achieved by using alloying materials that have very limited or no solid solubility in the noble metal matrix, e.g., less than 4 wt. % solid solubility. In a second embodiment, an alloy contains a noble metal matrix and insoluble, dispersoid particles having no solubility in the matrix, these dispersoid particles offering a similar strengthening mechanism.