Abstract: The invention provides a novel scheme to align data streams across multiple transmission channels and match multiple transmissions with one receiving rate. The channel aligning aspect of this invention detects the occurrence of an aligning character in a plurality of input channel character streams, buffers the character stream until an aligning character has been detected on every input channel. The channel aligning system transmits filler characters over every output channel corresponding to an input channel where an aligning character has been received if an aligning character has not been detected on every input channel. The aligning system then synchronously transmits the buffered characters, starting with the aligning character and proceeding with the subsequently received characters. The rate matching aspect of this invention receives a plurality of character streams synchronized by a first clock and buffers the character streams.

Abstract: Nanosize powders with particle size smaller than the critical length for specific material properties are used to form the ceramic layers of passive electronic components. Ceramic substrates are coated with electrodes, which are then coated with a ceramic layer from a suspension, preferably a low viscosity suspension, of nanoscale powders. The ceramic layer is dried at low temperatures (preferably below 200 .degree. C.) and it is sintered to high density (preferably above 90%) at moderate temperatures (preferably low and less than 1,000 .degree. C.). Once sintered, an electrode layer is coated on top of the ceramic layer to yield an electrode/ceramic/electrode structure.