Abstract: Methods for operating a low-voltage sensing device in a high-voltage digital microfluidics (DMF) system are provided that include: (a) a high-voltage DMF system, wherein the system comprises a DMF cartridge, (b) performing a droplet operation cycle, wherein the droplet operation cycle comprises applying a voltage to one or more of the plurality of droplet operation electrodes for droplet manipulation, and wherein the one or more electrodes are operated at a high-voltage during the droplet operation cycle; and (c) activating, during the droplet operation cycle, the protection mechanism of the low-voltage sensing device thereby isolating the low-voltage sensing device from the high-voltage applied to the one or more electrodes; and (d) deactivating the protection mechanism and performing a sensing cycle operation, wherein the sensing cycle operation occurs at a low-voltage.

Abstract: In a method of producing a layered composite, wherein at least one layer including cubic boron nitride is deposited on a substrate and, during the deposition, 3 to 15 at % oxygen is added for assuming the nitrogen locations of the cubic boron-nitride grating or intermediate grating locations, thereby providing for cubic boron nitride layers with a thickness of at least 2 ?m without the formation of cracks.

Abstract: In a multi-functional hard material coating of a substrate wherein the hard material coating comprises a single phase crystalline structure including metastable mixed crystals of at least two hard material components which are not soluble in each other and comprise at least one metallic hard material and an ionic hard material whereby the advantages of metallic and ionic hard material components are combined.

Abstract: In a layered composite including a substrate comprising a number of individual layers disposed on the substrate, at least one of the individual layers includes cubic boron nitride formed by material deposition, the cubic boron nitride including oxygen added during deposition of the material.

Abstract: In a method of producing a layered composite, wherein at least one layer including cubic boron nitride is deposited on a substrate and, during the deposition, 3 to 15 at % oxygen is added for assuming the nitrogen locations of the cubic boron-nitride grating or intermediate grating locations, thereby providing for cubic boron nitride layers with a thickness of at least 2 ?m without the formation of cracks.

Abstract: In an arrangement for generating a local electron-cyclotron-microwave-low pressure plasma at a certain location within a gas-filled process chamber, a microwave supply means providing a microwave beam and a plasma localization unit generating a magnetic field are provided such that the magnetic field and the microwave beam intersect each other in the process chamber. The microwaves are uncoupled onto a concave reflection structure from the focal point thereof so that the microwave beam generated is essentially parallel. An arrangement for generating a magnetic field is movable along the microwave beam axis so that a cross volume between the microwave beam and the magnetic field can be moved along the beam axis whereby the conditions for electron cyclotron resonance are adjustable by displacement of the magnetic field.

Abstract: In a multi-functional hard material coating of a substrate wherein the hard material coating comprises a single phase crystalline structure including metastable mixed crystals of at least two hard material components which are not soluble in each other and comprise at least one metallic hard material and an ionic hard material whereby the advantages of metallic and ionic hard material components are combined.

Abstract: Disclosed are apparatus and methodology subject matters for upgrading firmware associated with one or more metrology devices and adjunct devices. Methods are disclosed for broadcast transmission of portions of a firmware image file from an originating device over a network connecting multiple devices to be upgraded. The entire image file may be transmitted as segments to be assembled by the end devices. Broadcast segments not properly received from the originating device may be retried directly from the originating device or from neighbors correctly receiving the segment. A viral propagation methodology is disclosed as an alternative to portions of the broadcast methodology.

Abstract: Disclosed are apparatus and methodology subject matters for providing communications to battery powered metrology devices within an Advanced Metering System (AMS). The battery powered metrology devices may be associated with AC supplied devices that are configured with mailboxes for their associated battery powered devices. The battery powered metrology devices may include such as water and gas meters collocated with electricity meters.

Abstract: In a layered composite including a substrate comprising a number of individual layers disposed on the substrate, at least one of the individual layers includes cubic boron nitride formed by material deposition, the cubic boron nitride including oxygen added during deposition of the material.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for use in improving the gate oxide reliability of semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) metal-oxide-silicon field effect transistor (MOSFET) devices using accumulated charge control (ACC) techniques. The method and apparatus are adapted to remove, reduce, or otherwise control accumulated charge in SOI MOSFETs, thereby yielding improvements in FET performance characteristics. In one embodiment, a circuit comprises a MOSFET, operating in an accumulated charge regime, and means for controlling the accumulated charge, operatively coupled to the SOI MOSFET. A first determination is made of the effects of an uncontrolled accumulated charge on time dependent dielectric breakdown (TDDB) of the gate oxide of the SOI MOSFET. A second determination is made of the effects of a controlled accumulated charge on TDDB of the gate oxide of the SOI MOSFET.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for use in improving the linearity characteristics of MOSFET devices using an accumulated charge sink (ACS) are disclosed. The method and apparatus are adapted to remove, reduce, or otherwise control accumulated charge in SOI MOSFETs, thereby yielding improvements in FET performance characteristics. In one exemplary embodiment, a circuit having at least one SOI MOSFET is configured to operate in an accumulated charge regime. An accumulated charge sink, operatively coupled to the body of the SOI MOSFET, eliminates, removes or otherwise controls accumulated charge when the FET is operated in the accumulated charge regime, thereby reducing the nonlinearity of the parasitic off-state source-to-drain capacitance of the SOI MOSFET. In RF switch circuits implemented with the improved SOI MOSFET devices, harmonic and intermodulation distortion is reduced by removing or otherwise controlling the accumulated charge when the SOI MOSFET operates in an accumulated charge regime.

Abstract: A silicon-on-insulator metal oxide semiconductor device comprising ultrathin silicon-on-sapphire substrate; at least one P-channel MOS transistor formed in the ultrathin silicon layer; and N-type impurity implanted within the ultrathin silicon layer and the sapphire substrate such that peak N-type impurity concentration in the sapphire layer is greater than peak impurity concentration in the ultrathin silicon layer.

Abstract: In an arrangement for generating a local electron-cyclotron-microwave-low pressure plasma at a certain location within a gas-filled process chamber, a microwave supply means providing a microwave beam and a plasma localization unit generating a magnetic field are provided such that the magnetic field and the microwave beam intersect each other in the process chamber. The microwaves are uncoupled onto a concave reflection structure from the focal point thereof so that the microwave beam generated is essentially parallel. An arrangement for generating a magnetic field is movable along the microwave beam axis so that a cross volume between the microwave beam and the magnetic field can be moved along the beam axis whereby the conditions for electron cyclotron resonance are adjustable by displacement of the magnetic field.

Abstract: In a method of manufacturing a composite material structure consisting of a substrate with a layer of essentially pure sp.sup.2 - and sp.sup.3 -hybridized carbon with a sp.sup.3 -hybridized carbon proportion which increases toward the surface of the carbon layer, the carbon layer is deposited on the substrate by a PVD process using a magnetron sputtering apparatus in a process chamber in which an argon partial pressure of 0.6 to 1.0 pa is maintained and, during the carbon deposition, a bias voltage is maintained which is increased with increasing thickness of the layer from 0 to 300 volts.