Abstract: A method of checkpointing a microprocessor by providing, in parallel, a current read value from a queue and a next read value from the queue, and then selectively passing one of the current read value and next read value to a capture latch based on an instruction completion signal. The capture latch can directly drive the checkpoint register circuitry in the recovery unit of the microprocessor. If the queue is empty, a pair of multiplexers connected to the input of the register queue array are used to pass the input data value. The instruction completion signal may indicate whether all instructions in an instruction group have successfully completed.

Abstract: A automated sealing assembly for rotary machines including: a seal guide assembly, the seal guide assembly aligns and holds a caulk wire and a sealing strip in a rotor groove for peening; a peening tool, the peening tool peens said caulk wire to deform the caulk wire and secure the caulk wire and the sealing strip in the rotor groove; an actuator, the actuator controls a movement and preload force of the peening tool producing a rotor groove seal having a predictable pull out strength; and a base for securing the seal guide assembly, the peening tool, and the actuator.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for reducing the number of cycles required to checkpoint instructions in a multi-threaded microprocessor that has dispatch group checkpointing. A determination is made in a first stage of a checkpoint pipeline whether checkpointing can occur for a group of instructions. The results of processing the group of instructions flow to a second stage of the checkpoint pipeline regardless of whether the group of instructions is ready to checkpoint. If the group of instructions is ready to checkpoint, the group of instructions is checkpointed in a third stage of the checkpoint pipeline.

Abstract: A light emitting diode (LED) grown on a substrate doped with one or more rare earth or transition element. The dopant ions absorb some or all of the light from the LED's active layer, pumping the electrons on the dopant ion to a higher energy state. The electrons are naturally drawn to their equilibrium state and they emit light at a wavelength that depends on the type of dopant ion. The invention is particularly applicable to nitride based LEDs emitting UV light and grown on a sapphire substrate doped with chromium. The chromium ions absorb the UV light, exciting the electrons on ions to a higher energy state. When they return to their equilibrium state they emit red light and some of the red light will emit from the LED's surface. The LED can also have active layers that emit green and blue and UV light, such that the LED emits green, blue, red light and UV light which combines to create white light.

Abstract: A automated sealing assembly for rotary machines including: a seal guide assembly, the seal guide assembly aligns and holds a caulk wire and a sealing strip in a rotor groove for peening; a peening tool, the peening tool peens said caulk wire to deform the caulk wire and secure the caulk wire and the sealing strip in the rotor groove; an actuator, the actuator controls a movement and preload force of the peening tool producing a rotor groove seal having a predictable pull out strength; and a base for securing the seal guide assembly, the peening tool, and the actuator.

Abstract: Recovery circuits react to errors in a processor core by waiting for an error-free completion of any pending store-conditional instruction or a cache-inhibited load before ceasing to checkpoint or backup progress of a processor core. Recovery circuits remove the processor core from the logical configuration of the symmetric multiprocessor system, potentially reducing propagation of errors to other parts of the system. The processor core is reset and the checkpointed values may be restored to registers of the processor core. The core processor is allowed not just to resume execution just prior to the instructions that failed to execute correctly the first time, but is allowed to operate in a reduced execution mode for a preprogrammed number of groups. If the preprogrammed number of instruction groups execute without error, the processor core is allowed to resume normal execution.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for dispatch group checkpointing in a microprocessor, including provisions for handling partially completed dispatch groups and instructions which modify system coherent state prior to completion. An instruction checkpoint retry mechanism is implemented to recover from soft errors in logic. The processor is able to dispatch fixed point unit (FXU), load/store unit (LSU), and floating point unit (FPU) or vector multimedia extension (VMX) instructions on the same cycle. Store data is written to a store queue when a store instruction finishes executing. The data is held in the store queue until the store instruction is checkpointed, at which point it can be released to the coherently shared level 2 (L2) cache.

Abstract: A method for creating precise exceptions including checkpointing an exception causing instruction. The checkpointing results in a current checkpointed state. The current checkpointed state is locked. It is determined if any of a plurality of registers require restoration to the current checkpointed state. One or more of the registers are restored to the current checkpointed state in response to the results of the determining indicating that the one or more registers require the restoring. The execution unit is restarted at the exception handler or the next sequential instruction dependent on whether traps are enabled for the exception.

Abstract: A light emitting diode (LED) grown on a substrate doped with one or more rare earth or transition element. The dopant ions absorb some or all of the light from the LED's active layer, pumping the electrons on the dopant ion to a higher energy state. The electrons are naturally drawn to their equilibrium state and they emit light at a wavelength that depends on the type of dopant ion. The invention is particularly applicable to nitride based LEDs emitting UV light and grown on a sapphire substrate doped with chromium. The chromium ions absorb the UV light, exciting the electrons on ions to a higher energy state. When they return to their equilibrium state they emit red light and some of the red light will emit from the LED's surface. The LED can also have active layers that emit green and blue and UV light, such that the LED emits green, blue, red light and UV light which combines to create white light.

Abstract: A phase selector for selecting a differential output is provided. The phase selector can include two matched transistor circuits. A first transistor circuit can receive a first differential input signal whereas a second transistor circuit can receive a second differential input signal. One of the transistor circuits can be used to dump an output current generated by the first differential input signal to Vdd. The other transistor circuit can be used to steer an output current generated by the second differential input signal to two output lines, thereby providing a differential output signal on the output lines.

Abstract: A single-ended peak detector is typically used to determine the peak of a differential RF signal. This single-ended peak detector cannot accurately measure the peak because of the common mode component of the RF signal. To solve this problem, a differential peak detector is provided that is capable of accurately sensing the peaks of the differential RF signal by rejecting its common mode component. In one embodiment, the components of this differential peak detector can be duplicated and placed in a mirror configuration, wherein the positive and negative components of the differential signal can be switched for one pair of input terminals. This mirrored differential peak detector can advantageously balance impedances on its inputs and reduce filtering requirements at the output node.

Abstract: A phase selector for selecting a differential output can include two matched transistor circuits. A first transistor circuit can receive a first differential input signal whereas a second transistor circuit can receive a second differential input signal. One of the transistor circuits can be used to dump an output current generated by the first differential input signal to Vdd. The other transistor circuit can be used to steer an output current generated by the second differential input signal to two output lines, thereby providing a differential output signal on the output lines.

Abstract: An ionizer for forming a gas-cluster ion beam is disclosed including inlet and outlet ends partially defining an ionization region traversed by a gas-cluster jet and one or more plasma electron source(s) for providing electrons to the ionizing region for ionizing at least a portion of the gas-clusters to form a gas-cluster ion beam. One or more sets of substantially linear rod electrodes may be disposed substantially parallel to and in one or more corresponding partial, substantially cylindrical pattern(s) about the gas-cluster jet axis, wherein some sets are arranged in substantially concentric patterns with differing radii. In certain embodiments, the ionizer includes one or more substantially linear thermionic filaments disposed substantially parallel to the gas-cluster jet axis, heating means, electrical biasing means to judiciously bias sets of the linear rod electrodes with respect to the thermionic filaments to achieve electron repulsion.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for improving processing of workpieces with gas-cluster ion beams and modifying the gas-cluster ion energy distribution in the GCIB. In a reduced-pressure environment, generating an energetic gas-cluster ion beam and subjecting the beam to increased pressure region.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for improving beam stability in high current gas-cluster ion beam systems by reducing the frequency of transients occurring in the vicinity of the ionizer through use of shielding conductors and distinct component electrical biasing to inhibit backward extraction of ions from the ionizer towards the gas-jet generator.

Abstract: A phase selector for selecting a differential output is provided. The phase selector can include two matched transistor circuits. A first transistor circuit can receive a first differential input signal whereas a second transistor circuit can receive a second differential input signal. One of the transistor circuits can be used to dump an output current generated by the first differential input signal to Vdd. The other transistor circuit can be used to steer an output current generated by the second differential input signal to two output lines, thereby providing a differential output signal on the output lines.

Abstract: An LED with improved current spreading structures that provide enhanced current injection into the LED's active layer, improving its power and luminous flux. The current spreading structures can be used in LEDs larger than conventional LEDs while maintaining the enhanced current injection. The invention is particularly applicable to LEDs having insulating substrates but can also reduce the series resistance of LEDs having conductive substrates. The improved structures comprise conductive fingers that form cooperating conductive paths that ensure that current spreads from the p-type and n-type contacts into the fingers and uniformly spreads though the oppositely doped layers. The current then spreads to the active layer to uniformly inject electrons and holes throughout the active layer, which recombine to emit light.

Abstract: This invention describes new LEDs having light extraction structures on or within the LED to increase its efficiency. The new light extraction structures provide surfaces for reflecting, refracting or scattering light into directions that are more favorable for the light to escape into the package. The structures can be arrays of light extraction elements or disperser layers. The light extraction elements can have many different shapes and are placed in many locations to increase the efficiency of the LED over conventional LEDs. The disperser layers provide scattering centers for light and can be placed in many locations as well. The new LEDs with arrays of light extraction elements are fabricated with standard processing techniques making them highly manufacturable at costs similar to standard LEDs. The new LEDs with disperser layers are manufactured using new methods and are also highly manufacturable.

Abstract: A light emitting diode (LED) grown on a substrate doped with one or more rare earth or transition element. The dopant ions absorb some or all of the light from the LED's active layer, pumping the electrons on the dopant ion to a higher energy state. The electrons are naturally drawn to their equilibrium state and they emit light at a wavelength that depends on the type of dopant ion. The invention is particularly applicable to nitride based LEDs emitting UV light and grown on a sapphire substrate doped with chromium. The chromium ions absorb the UV light, exciting the electrons on ions to a higher energy state. When they return to their equilibrium state they emit red light and some of the red light will emit from the LED's surface. The LED can also have active layers that emit green and blue and UV light, such that the LED emits green, blue, red light and UV light which combines to create white light.

Abstract: An LED with improved current spreading structures that provide enhanced current injection into the LED's active layer, improving its power and luminous flux. The current spreading structures can be used in LEDs larger than conventional LEDs while maintaining the enhanced current injection. The invention is particularly applicable to LEDs having insulating substrates but can also reduce the series resistance of LEDs having conductive substrates. The improved structures comprise conductive fingers that form cooperating conductive paths that ensure that current spreads from the p-type and n-type contacts into the fingers and uniformly spreads though the oppositely doped layers. The current then spreads to the active layer to uniformly inject electrons and holes throughout the active layer, which recombine to emit light.