Abstract: The invention comprises ferroelectric vapor deposition targets and to methods of making ferroelectric vapor deposition targets. In one implementation, a ferroelectric physical vapor deposition target has a predominate grain size of less than or equal to 1.0 micron, and has a density of at least 95% of maximum theoretical density. In one implementation, a method of making a ferroelectric physical vapor deposition target includes positioning a prereacted ferroelectric powder within a hot press cavity. The prereacted ferroelectric powder predominately includes individual prereacted ferroelectric particles having a maximum straight linear dimension of less than or equal to about 100 nanometers. The prereacted ferroelectric powder is hot pressed within the cavity into a physical vapor deposition target of desired shape having a density of at least about 95% of maximum theoretical density and a predominate maximum grain size which is less than or equal to 1.0 micron.

Abstract: A material may include grains of sizes such that at least 99% of a measured area contains grains that exhibit grain areas less than 10 times an area of a mean grain size of the measured area. As examples, at least 99% of the measured area may contain grains with grain areas less than 8, 6, or 3 times the area of the mean grain size. The grains may also have a mean grain size of less than 3 times a minimum statically recrystallized grain size, for example, a mean grain size of less than about 50 microns, 10 microns, or 1 micron. The material may be comprised by a sputtering target and a thin film may be deposited on a substrate from such a sputtering target. A micro-arc reduction method may include sputtering a film from a sputtering target comprising grains of sizes as described. A sputtering target forming method may include deforming a sputtering material. After the deforming, the sputtering material may be shaped into at least a portion of a sputtering target.

Abstract: Memory management to support calls between objects in language environments support automatic garbage collection and language environments requiring explicit control of object destruction is provided. Reference counting is used to automatically control the lifetime of objects requiring explicit destruction and that are to be accessible across the language boundary. A data structure is maintained in a runtime component for each object that is accessed over a language boundary. The reference count for each non-garbage collected object is incremented by the runtime in accordance with the number of cross-language references held to it. When the count reaches zero through decrements as the references are returned and destroyed, the non-garbage collected object can be safely and automatically destroyed. The runtime creates a strong reference to any garbage collected object accessed by a cross-language call.

Abstract: The invention comprises ferroelectric vapor deposition targets and to methods of making ferroelectric vapor deposition targets. In one implementation, a ferroelectric physical vapor deposition target has a predominate grain size of less than or equal to 1.0 micron, and has a density of at least 95% of maximum theoretical density. In one implementation, a method of making a ferroelectric physical vapor deposition target includes positioning a prereacted ferroelectric powder within a hot press cavity. The prereacted ferroelectric powder predominately includes individual prereacted ferroelectric particles having a maximum straight linear dimension of less than or equal to about 100 nanometers. The prereacted ferroelectric powder is hot pressed within the cavity into a physical vapor deposition target of desired shape having a density of at least about 95% of maximum theoretical density and a predominate maximum grain size which is less than or equal to 1.0 micron.

Abstract: The invention comprises ferroelectric vapor deposition targets and to methods of making ferroelectric vapor deposition targets. In one implementation, a ferroelectric physical vapor deposition target has a predominate grain size of less than or equal to 1.0 micron, and has a density of at least 95% of maximum theoretical density. In one implementation, a method of making a ferroelectric physical vapor deposition target includes positioning a prereacted ferroelectric powder within a hot press cavity. The prereacted ferroelectric powder predominately includes individual prereacted ferroelectric particles having a maximum straight linear dimension of less than or equal to about 100 nanometers. The prereacted ferroelectric powder is hot pressed within the cavity into a physical vapor deposition target of desired shape having a density of at least about 95% of maximum theoretical density and a predominate maximum grain size which is less than or equal to 1.0 micron.

Abstract: The invention includes the use of a high-modulus fiber metal matrix composite material as a backing plate for physical vapor deposition targets, as a lid for microelectronics packages, as a heat spreader, and as a heat sink. In one implementation, copper-coated carbon fibers are mixed with copper powder. In another implementation, the mixture is consolidated to a carbon fiber metal matrix composite by using a vacuum hot press. The resultant backing plate has a coefficient of thermal expansion of 4.9×10−6/C, thermal conductivity of at least 300 W/mK, density of greater than 99% of theoretical, and the composite material of the backing plate is 30% lighter than Cu while also having higher stiffness than Cu. The high-modulus fiber metal matrix composite backing plate can be used for high power W, Ta, and ceramic PVD targets.

Abstract: A software package verification tool enables verifying a software package that includes at least one software component. The tool includes at least one test module defining a test of at least one parameter of a software component of the package. It also includes a control module operable to access a framework that identifies each test module and to cause at least one test module to perform the test defined thereby for verifying the package. The framework, within which individual test modules may be added or deleted as required, provides a flexible test structure for software packages. Typically, the framework identifies a plurality of test modules for verifying the correctness of a particular software package. In such a case, the framework can identify a priority for each test module for effecting an ordering of the tests. This enables the performance of the tests to be efficient, avoiding, for example, unnecessary tests that are redundant if the software package fails a more fundamental test.

Abstract: A steering wheel airbag assembly (1) for a motor vehicle with a driver airbag module (2), in which the module snaps into an aligned engagement with the steering wheel during manufacture of the steering wheel. The assembly (1) includes an airbag supporting portion (4) with a plurality of apertures therein (21,31,41) and a driver airbag module (2) attached to the supporting portion (4) and having a plurality of legs (14,15,16), each of which extends slidingly into a corresponding aperture (21,31,41) being movable towards and away from the supporting portion (4). Engagement barbs (24) between each leg (14,15,16) and aperture (21,31,41) limits said movement and keeps the module (2) and supporting portion (4) attached. A spring (19) between the module (2) and the supporting portion (4) spring biases the module away from the supporting portion (4).

Abstract: A steering wheel airbag assembly (1) for a motor vehicle with a driver airbag module (2), in which the module snaps into an aligned engagement with the steering wheel during manufacture of the steering wheel. The assembly (1) includes an airbag supporting portion (4) with a plurality of apertures therein (21, 31, 41) and a driver airbag module (2) attached to the supporting portion (4) and having a plurality of legs (14, 15, 16), each of which extends slidingly into a corresponding aperture (21, 31, 41) being movable towards and away from the supporting portion (4). Engagement means (24,38) between each leg (14, 15, 16) and aperture (21, 31, 41) limits said movement and keeps the module (2) and supporting portion (4) attached. A spring (19) between the module (2) and the supporting portion (4) spring biases the module away from the supporting portion (4).

Abstract: A motor vehicle passenger seat includes a seat, a seat-back in contacting relationship with the seat, and a pair of laterally spaced anchorage members for anchoring a child seat disposed at the point of contact between the seat and seat-back, the anchorage members are pivotally mounted in relation to the seat whereby the anchorage members can be pivoted between a use position in which they are upwardly disposed through a gap between the seat and the seat-back so that a child seat can be secured thereto, and a stowage position in which the anchorage members are downwardly disposed through the gap and hidden from view thereby, the anchorage members being constrained to pivot in opposite directions to one another when moving between the use and stowage positions.