Abstract: An optical modulating device capable of use as a light valve, display, or optical filter, which uses variation in incident angle to exploit color-selective absorption at a metal-dielectric interface by surface plasmons. The device includes a dielectric layer, at least one metallic layer through which electromagnetic radiation may be transmitted or reflected, and incident and exit layers which are both optically transmissive. A beam steering mechanism controls the incident angle of the electromagnetic radiation. In one embodiment, an external beam steering mechanism is used to set the incident light angle onto the filter. In another embodiment, the filter is formed as an integral part of, for example, a cantilever. The incident light angle is then controlled by the angle of the filter cantilever.

Abstract: The invention describes an improved method of fabricating trench structures. This method enhances trench structure reliability by reducing dielectric breakdown in high voltage applications, for example. The invention uses etching and thermal oxidation techniques to round and smooth the corners at the bottom of the trench structure. The smoothing of the trench corners reduces the electrical fields that cause insulator breakdown.

Abstract: A system incorporating an electromagnetic radiating tube uses a plurality of sensors to assess the status of the system and integrates the data produced by these sensors in a way that enhances the effectiveness of the data versus analyzing the data separately. This method has uses in detecting and predicting failures in electromagnetic radiating devices such as microwave tubes, and may also be used for life-cycle monitoring of such devices.

Abstract: The invention is designed to employ one or a multitude of sensors designed to allow operational monitoring of any of a variety of electromagnetic radiating tubes. Monitoring is conducted to detect a degradation in performance which can be used as a factor in deciding whether tube replacement is justified. Contrary to some past approaches that focused on averaged tube outputs, the invention is designed to examine individual tube pulses.

Abstract: An aspect of an electromagnetic energy wave is altered by disposing in its propagation path a material that changes optical properties in response to an acceleration force.

Abstract: An all solid-state light valve and tunable filter that uses color-selective absorption at a metal-dielectric interface by surface plasmons. The solid-state surface plasmon light valve and tunable filter comprises a substrate, a bottom electrode, a solid-state electro-optic material, and a top electrode through which electromagnetic radiation may pass through and whose optical properties may be modified by suitable modulation of an electrical bias, i.e., an applied voltage between the top and bottom electrodes. The bottom electrode must be specifically fabricated using a refractory metal to allow the formation of the solid-state electro-optic material.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a monolithically integrated liquid crystal array display and control circuitry on a silicon-on-sapphire structure comprises the steps of: a) forming an epitaxial silicon layer on a sapphire substrate to create a silicon-on-sapphire structure; b) ion implanting the epitaxial silicon layer; c) annealing the silicon-on sapphire structure; d) oxidizing the epitaxial silicon layer to form a silicon dioxide layer from portion of the epitaxial silicon layer so that a thinned epitaxial silicon layer remains; e) removing the silicon dioxide layer to expose the thinned epitaxial silicon layer; f) fabricating an array of pixels from the thinned epitaxial silicon layer; and g) fabricating integrated circuitry from the thinned epitaxial silicon layer which is operably coupled to modulate the pixels. The thinned epitaxial silicon supports the fabrication of device quality circuitry which is used to control the operation of the pixels.

Abstract: An aspect of an electromagnetic energy wave is altered by disposing in its propagation path a material that changes optical properties in response to an acceleration force.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display includes: a) a sapphire substrate having a first crystal lattice structure; b) a single crystal silicon structure having a thickness no greater than about 100 nanometers affixed to the sapphire substrate to create a silicon-on-sapphire structure, and a second crystal lattice structure oriented by the first crystal lattice structure; c) an array of liquid crystal capacitors formed on the silicon-on-sapphire structure; and d) integrated circuitry formed from the silicon layer which is operably coupled to modulate the liquid crystal capacitors. The liquid crystals capacitors may include nematic or ferroelectric liquid crystal material.

Abstract: An acceleration responsive switch includes a material that changes from a high viscosity to a low viscosity when subjected to acceleration forces. The material's change in viscosity causes the switch to change from one state to another.

Abstract: This invention describes an improved method of making electrical contact to porous silicon using intercalated conductive materials. The intercalation process may use gaseous, liquid or solid components to form conductive contacts to the silicon structures of the porous silicon. The intensity of the light emitted by porous silicon layers and devices can therefore be increased by the improved electrical interconnection between the mechanically, chemically and thermally fragile porous silicon and the device electrodes. The intercalation process uses conductive materials that interpenetrate the structures of the porous silicon thereby providing the improved electrical properties. Increasing the surface area over which electrical contact is made increases the junction area which allows increased electrical current flow across the junction. The increased electrical current flow across the junction provides an increased number of electrical charge carriers undergoing radiative recombination.

Abstract: Disclosed is an optical modulating device capable of use as a light-valve, display, optical filter or Fabry-Perot cavity, for example. The device lends itself to batch processing, and is compatible with monolithic integration with silicon, silicon-germanium, silicon-on-sapphire (SOS) or silicon-on-quartz (SOQ) advanced microelectronic technology (NMOS, PMOS and CMOS) for integrated control circuitry, electrical addressing, system interfacing, and the like. The device forgoes the complexities of liquid crystal constructions, and avoids the need to position and fix piezoelectric spacers within layers of the device. The invention includes first and second transparent layers that are disposed to oppose one another. Metallic layers are disposed upon the inwardly facing surfaces of the transparent layers and these are arranged to oppose each other. Spectral coupling layers are disposed upon the outwardly facing surfaces of the transparent layers opposite of the metallic layers.

Abstract: A method for making a self-aligned FET with an electrically active mask comprises the steps of forming a semiconductor layer on an insulating substrate, forming an electrically nonconductive oxide layer on the semiconductor layer, forming an electrically conductive metal layer on the oxide layer, patterning the metal layer and the oxide layer to form an electrically active gate on semiconductor layer, introducing dopants into the semiconductor layer to form a source region and a drain region masked by the metal gate, and illuminating the source and the drain regions with a pulsed excimer laser having a wavelength from about 150 nm to 350 nm to anneal the source region and the drain region.

Abstract: A liquid crystal array and associated drive circuitry are monolithically formed on a silicon-on-sapphire structure, and are fabricated by a method comprising the steps of: a) forming an epitaxial silicon layer on a sapphire substrate to create a silicon-on-sapphire structure; b) ion implanting the epitaxial silicon layer; c) annealing the silicon-on-sapphire structure; d) oxidizing the epitaxial silicon layer to form a silicon dioxide layer from a portion of the epitaxial silicon layer so that a thinned epitaxial silicon layer remains; e) removing the silicon dioxide layer to expose the thinned epitaxial silicon layer; f) fabricating an array of pixels from the thinned epitaxial silicon layer wherein each of the pixels includes a liquid crystal capacitor; and g) fabricating integrated circuitry from the thinned epitaxial silicon layer which is operably coupled to modulate the pixels.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a monolithically integrated liquid crystal array display and control circuitry on a silicon-on-sapphire structure comprises the steps of: a) forming an epitaxial silicon layer on a sapphire substrate to create a silicon-on-sapphire structure; b) ion implanting the epitaxial silicon layer; c) annealing the silicon-on sapphire structure; d) oxidizing the epitaxial silicon layer to form a silicon dioxide layer from portion of the epitaxial silicon layer so that a thinned epitaxial silicon layer remains; e) removing the silicon dioxide layer to expose the thinned epitaxial silicon layer; f) fabricating an array of pixels from the thinned epitaxial silicon layer; and g) fabricating integrated circuitry from the thinned epitaxial silicon layer which is operably coupled to modulate the pixels. The thinned epitaxial silicon supports the fabrication of device quality circuitry which is used to control the operation of the pixels.

Abstract: A method for making electrical contacts and junctions in silicon carbide that concurrently incorporates and activates dopants from a gaseous ambient. The low temperature processing of the present invention prevents the formation of crystalline defects during annealing and preserves the quantitative chemical properties of the silicon carbide. Improved activation of dopants incorporated in a silicon carbide sample is provided for making the electrical contacts and junctions.

Abstract: A liquid crystal array and associated drive circuitry are monolithically formed on a silicon-on-sapphire structure, and are fabricated by a method comprising the steps of: a) forming an epitaxial silicon layer on a sapphire substrate to create a silicon-on-sapphire structure; b) ion implanting the epitaxial silicon layer; c) annealing the silicon-on sapphire structure; d) oxidizing the epitaxial silicon layer to form a silicon dioxide layer from a portion of the epitaxial silicon layer so that a thinned epitaxial silicon layer remains; e) removing the silicon dioxide layer to expose the thinned epitaxial silicon layer; f) fabricating an array of pixels from the thinned epitaxial silicon layer wherein each of the pixels includes a liquid crystal capacitor; and g) fabricating integrated circuitry from the thinned epitaxial silicon layer which is operably coupled to modulate the pixels.

Abstract: A method is presented for crystallizing a thin film on a substrate by generating a beam of pulsed optical energy, countouring the intensity profile of the beam, and illuminating the thin film with the beam to crystallize the thin film into a single crystal lattice structure.

Abstract: A method for the fabrication of active semiconductor and high-temperature perconducting devices on the same substrate to form a monolithically integrated semiconductor-superconductor (MISS) structure is disclosed. A common insulating substrate, preferably sapphire or yttria-stabilized zirconia, is used for deposition of semiconductor and high-temperature superconductor substructures. Both substructures are capable of operation at a common temperature of at least 77 K. The separate semiconductor and superconductive regions may be electrically interconnected by normal metals, refractory metal silicides, or superconductors. Circuits and devices formed in the resulting MISS structures display operating characteristics which are equivalent to those of circuits and devices prepared on separate substrates.

Abstract: A surface plasmon device that operates in a transmissive mode. The light is coupled through optically transparent layers to a surface plasmon which alters the color of the light.