Abstract: Fluxless soldering processes use pressure variations and vented cavities within large-area solder joints to reduce void volumes and improve the properties of the large-area solder joints. The vents can be sealed after soldering if closed cavities are desired. A cavity can also improve hermeticity of a solder joint by providing an additional solder fillet around the cavity in addition to the solder fillet around the perimeter of the solder joint.

Abstract: A flat-panel display contains a pair of plate structure (20 and 22) separated by a spacer (24) having a rough face (54 or 56). When electrons strike the spacer, the roughness in the spacer's face causes the number of secondary electrons that escape the spacer to be reduced, thereby alleviating positive charge buildup on the spacer. As a result, the image produced by the display is improved. The spacer facial roughness can be achieved in various ways such as depressions (60, 62, 64, 66, 70, 74, or 80) or/and protuberances (82, 84, 88, and 92). Various techniques are presented for manufacturing the display, including the rough-faced spacer.

Abstract: An optical switch includes a core, a fluid reservoir coupled to the core via a tube, a thermal solution, and an insulating structure. The core includes a base, a matrix controller substrate, and a planar lightwave circuit. The planar lightwave circuit has a plurality of waveguides and trenches for rerouting an optical stream. The fluid reservoir supplies fluid to the plurality of trenches of the core. The core and the fluid reservoir are mounted on the thermal solution, which maintains the fluid reservoir at a higher temperature than the core by removing heat from the core and transferring some heat to the fluid reservoir. The insulating structure reduces any thermal leakage from the fluid reservoir to the core. In addition, the insulating structure can improve the temperature of the planar lightwave circuit and prevent unwanted atmospheric gases from entering the optical switch.

Abstract: A structure suitable for partial or full use in a spacer (24) of a flat-panel display has a porous face (54). The structure may be formed with multiple aggregates (100) of coated particles (102) bonded together in an open manner to form pores (58). A coating (88) consisting primarily of carbon and having a highly uniform thickness may extend into pores of a porous body (46). The coating can be created by removing non-carbon material from carbon-containing species provided along the pores. A solid porous film (82) whose thickness is normally no more than 20 &mgr;m has a resistivity of 108 -1014 ohm-cm. A spacer for a flat-panel display contains a support body (80) and an overlying, normally porous, layer (82) whose resistivity is greater parallel to a face of the support body than perpendicular to the body's face.

Abstract: An optical switch includes a core, a fluid reservoir coupled to the core via a tube, a thermal solution, and an insulating structure. The core includes a base, a matrix controller substrate, and a planar lightwave circuit. The planar lightwave circuit has a plurality of waveguides and trenches for rerouting an optical stream. The fluid reservoir supplies fluid to the plurality of trenches of the core. The core and the fluid reservoir are mounted on the thermal solution, which maintains the fluid reservoir at a higher temperature than the core by removing heat from the core and transferring some heat to the fluid reservoir. The insulating structure reduces any thermal leakage from the fluid reservoir to the core. In addition, the insulating structure can improve the temperature of the planar lightwave circuit and prevent unwanted atmospheric gases from entering the optical switch.

Abstract: An optical switch includes a core and a fluid reservoir. The core includes a base, a matrix controller substrate, and a planar lightwave circuit. The planar lightwave circuit has a plurality of waveguides and a plurality of trenches. Each trench is located at an intersection of two waveguides. The fluid reservoir supplies a fluid to the plurality of trenches of the core. The optical switch further includes a getter for removing atmospheric gases from the fluid. The getter may be a porous silica getter, a non-evaporable getter, or an evaporable getter. By removing atmospheric gases from the fluid, the getter improves the capacity and operation of the optical switch. The optical switch may further include a membrane to separate the getter in a getter chamber from the fluid in a fluid chamber.

Abstract: An optical switch includes a core and a fluid reservoir. The core includes a base, a matrix controller substrate, and a planar lightwave circuit. The planar lightwave circuit has a plurality of waveguides and a plurality of trenches. Each trench is located at an intersection of two waveguides. The fluid reservoir supplies a fluid to the plurality of trenches of the core. The optical switch further includes a getter for removing atmospheric gases from the fluid. The getter may be a porous silica getter, a non-evaporable getter, or an evaporable getter. By removing atmospheric gases from the fluid, the getter improves the capacity and operation of the optical switch. The optical switch may further include a membrane to separate the getter in a getter chamber from the fluid in a fluid chamber.

Abstract: A structure that is suitable for partial or full use in a spacer of a flat-panel display. The structure may be formed with a porous body having a face along which multiple primary pores extend into the porous body. A coating consisting primarily of carbon and having a highly uniform thickness overlies the porous body's face, extending along the primary pores to coat their surfaces and converting the primary pores into further pores. The coating can be created by removing non-carbon material from carbon-containing species provided along the pores. A solid porous film whose thickness is normally no more than 20 &mgr;m has a resistivity of 108-1014 ohm-cm. A spacer for a flat-panel display contains a support body and an overlying, normally porous, layer whose resistivity is greater parallel to a face of the support body than perpendicular to the body's face.

Abstract: SrxBa1−xNb2O6, where x is greater than 0.25 and less than 0.75, and KNbO3 ferroelectric thin films metalorganic chemical vapor deposited on amorphous or cyrstalline substrate surfaces to provide a crystal axis of the film exhibiting a high dielectric susceptibility, electro-optic coefficient, and/or nonlinear optic coefficient oriented preferentially in a direction relative to a crystalline or amorphous substrate surface. Such films can be used in electronic, electro-optic, and frequency doubling components.

Abstract: Sr.sub.x Ba.sub.1-x Nb.sub.2 O.sub.6, where x is greater than 0.25 and less than 0.75, and KNbO.sub.3 ferroelectric thin films metalorganic chemical vapor deposited on amorphous or crystalline substrate surfaces to provide a crystal axis of the film exhibiting a high dielectric susceptibility, electro-optic coefficient, and/or nonlinear optic coefficient oriented preferentially in a direction relative to a crystalline or amorphous substrate surface. Such films can be used in electronic, electro-optic, and frequency doubling components.