Abstract: A surgical instrument is provided which is formed of a semiconductor substrate material having at least one anisotropically etched sharpened edge and a heating circuit disposed on the substrate. The heating circuits generate heat by means of resistive elements interposed along the circuit path. The substrate material itself may serve as the resistive elements, or resistive layers may be used in the alternative. The resistive heating may be used to heat the sharpened edge directly, or the heating may be thermally isolated from the sharpened edge. The heating circuit may also include a thermal sensor which may be used to control the generation of heat and/or detect damage to the instrument itself. The conformation of the instrument may include a variety of different shapes, including central recesses and windows. The recesses may further include ribs or support members. The substrate may further a suction mechanism for removing fluid which may build up in the vicinity of the surgery.

Abstract: A microstructure includes a substrate and a movable platform which is tethered by a first cantilever arm to the substrate. The first cantilever arm is comprised of a sandwich of first and second materials, the first and second materials exhibiting either different thermal coefficients of expansion or a piezoelectric layer. A second cantilever arm includes a first end which is tethered to the platform and a free distal end which is positioned to engage the substrate. The second cantilever arm is constructed similarly to the first cantilever arm. A controller enables movement of the platform through application of signals to both the first cantilever arm and the second cantilever arm to cause flexures of both thereof. The second cantilever arm, through engagement of its free end with the substrate, aids the action of the first cantilever arm in moving the platform.

Abstract: A microvalve incorporating the invention includes a valve plate with a planar base and an extending pedestal, the pedestal having an upper valve surface. The planar base is enclosed by a rim which creates a valve recess between the rim and the pedestal. A cover plate is sealed to the rim and includes an outlet which is sealed by engagement with the valve surface of the pedestal. A support plate includes an enclosing rim that is sealed to a lower surface of the valve plate and creates a reference pressure enclosure. Both the support plate and valve plate are comprised of semiconductor material. A substrate is sealed to a lower surface of the support plate and creates a pressure recess between the substrate and the lower surface. A pump feeds a compressible fluid into both the valve recess and the pressure recess via a reference control subvalve positioned in a pathway between the reference pressure enclosure and the pressure recess.

Abstract: A first embodiment of an improved microaccelerometer includes a seismic mass, a support wafer, a cover wafer and a beam (or beams) for flexibly mounting a seismic mass between the support and cover wafers. A first oscillator includes a resonant circuit whose capacitance comprises conductive plates on one surface of the seismic mass and a conductive coating on an opposed surface of the support wafer. A second oscillator includes a resonant circuit whose capacitance is comprised of conductive coatings on another surface of the seismic mass and on an opposed surface of the cover wafer. A difference circuit provides an acceleration output that is dependent on a difference in oscillation frequencies between the first and second oscillators, when the accelerometer is subjected to an acceleration event.

Abstract: A cantilever microstructure includes a cantilever arm with a proximal end connected to a substrate and a freely movable distal end. The cantilever arm comprises first and second sections and includes a continuous layer which exhibits a first thermal co-efficient of expansion (TCE). In one embodiment, an electrical contact is positioned at the distal end of the cantilever arm. A first layer is positioned on a surface of the continuous layer and along the first section thereof. The first layer exhibits a second TCE which is different from the first TCE of the continuous layer. A second layer is positioned on a surface of the continuous layer and along the second section thereof. The second layer exhibits a third TCE which is different from the first TCE of the continuous layer. Electrical control circuitry selectively applies signals to the first and second layers to cause a heating thereof and a flexure of the cantilever arm so as to bring the distal end thereof into contact with a conductive substrate.

Abstract: A coagulating microknife includes at least one knife blade that is comprised of a doped semiconductor body that exhibits a resistive current-carrying characteristic and a sharp cutting edge. A power supply is connected to the knife blade and applies a metered current which heats the knife blade to a controlled temperature for cauterizing tissue during a cutting action. The semiconductor body includes a pair of contact areas which extend into the body and enable localized heating at the tip of the knife blade.

Abstract: An optical shutter apparatus includes a source of illumination and a first aperture plate positioned in a path of light from the source of illumination. A cantilever shutter is positioned at each aperture in the aperture plate and includes at least two bonded layers, one being an electrically resistive layer which exhibits a first thermal coefficient of expansion (TCE) and the second layer exhibiting a second TCE that is different from the first TCE. A proximal end of the bonded layers is attached to the aperture plate at each aperture and a distal portion thereof covers the respective aperture when in position thereover. A controller applies signals to the first electrically resistive layer to cause a heating of the first and second layers and a resultant unequal expansion thereof. The expansion causes a flexure of the cantilever shutter and moves the distal portion thereof to either cover or uncover the aperture, which, when uncovered, allows transmission of the illumination therethrough.

Abstract: A high-temperature, integrated, pressure sensor includes a single crystal semiconductor substrate that is provided with a recess in a first surface thereof, the recess bounded by a rim. A first coil structure is positioned within the recess and a pressure diaphragm, comprising a single-crystal semiconductor wafer is bounded about its periphery to the rim of the semiconductor substrate. The bonding is created by a glass interlayer between the pressure diaphragm and the semiconductor substrate. A second coil structure is positioned on the underside of the pressure diaphragm and is separated from the first coil structure. Electrical circuitry is connected to both coil structures and provides an output indicative of changes in inductive coupling between the coils.

Abstract: An integrated structure pressure sensor that is powered by induction and read out by induction and includes no integral power source, includes an oscillator circuit that is responsive to pressure variations. The oscillator circuit includes a capacitor having an electrode that is susceptible to induced stress and movement by an external source of pressure. A depletion mode semiconductor is preferably present in the circuit and includes source, drain and gate contacts. A first inductor is coupled between the source and drain contacts and is arranged to respond to an inductively induced voltage to enable current flow between the source and drain contacts. A second inductor in the circuit has a first terminal coupled to the source contact and a second terminal coupled to both the capacitor and the gate contact. The second inductor is arranged to respond to an inductively induced voltage to bias the semi-conductor for conduction.

Abstract: A microprobe comprises a base, a microcantilever extending in a plane from the base, and a probe tip projecting from the microcantilever out of the plane. The microcantilever is a bimorph structure comprising first and second layers made from materials having different coefficients of thermal expansion, and an integrated heated element for supplying heat to the microcantilever. The probe tip is made from silicon and comes to a radius that can be controlled to atomic sharpness (<1 nm) if desired. Alternatively, the probe tip is a planar structure. Desirably, the microcantilever is made from a metal, such as aluminum, and silicon oxide as the materials of the two layers. The heating element comprises a line or ribbon of a conductive material, such as polysilicon which is in contact with one of the two layers, and supplies heat, thereby causing the probe tip to traverse an arc and bring it into contact with a material under investigation.

Abstract: An electrostatic microactuator for moving an optical fiber is described and includes an actuator plate with opposed major surfaces and interspersed conductive and nonconductive portions. The actuator plate is physically engaged with the optical fiber so that the fiber moves with the actuator. First and second segmented, conductive, torque stators are disposed adjacent the opposed major surfaces of the actuator plate. Multiphase circuitry is connected to segments of the torque stators for applying phased signals thereto to induce a linear actuating force in the actuator plate. The phased signals applied to the first and second torque stators are balanced so as to positionally balance the actuator plate during its travels.

Abstract: An electrostatically levitated micromotor is described that includes a generally planar rotor that exhibits an axis of symmetry and includes electrically conductive portions. A balanced stator arrangement is positioned adjacent the rotor and is connected to multi-phase circuitry for enabling the rotation of the rotor about its symmetry. A plurality of levitating electrodes are positioned about the rotor and circuitry is connected thereto for forming resonant circuits that include the conductive portion of the rotor and exhibit a natural resonant frequency. A power source energizes the resonant circuits at a frequency greater than the natural frequency and thereby enables stable levitation of the rotor.

Abstract: A mass to be levitated is provided with an electrically conductive surface that is acted upon by an oscillating electrical force field generated by a plurality of charged conductive plates. The levitated mass is kept in static equilibrium in the electric field by driving the resonant circuit with an applied time varying voltage that has a frequency greater than the natural frequency of the resonant circuit. Motion of the mass is accomplished by providing actuator elements that are selectively charged to attract the mass in a given direction. Alternatively, the mass may be moved by employing a plurality of levitation control circuits that are sequentially energized.

Abstract: The Arbitrated Bus Interface (ABI) is a set of custom LSI circuits which sends and receives minipackets of binary information to and from a data bus. The ABI performs arbitration, address recognition, and buffering required for transmitting and receiving mini-packets of information between the local packet bus and a microprocessor.

Abstract: The Mini Packet Receiver Transmitter Circuit (MPRT) provides an interface between one or two eight bit microprocessors and a digital subscriber loop interface circuit. The bi-directional communication on a single wire pair is accomplished by alternating the subscriber loop receive and transmit frames controlled by a "Ping-Pong Protocol" using fixed frame format and bipolar alternate mark inversion (AMI) line encoding. There are two microprocessor ports within the MPRT, a transparent port for voice transmission and a non-transparent port for data trasmission. The MPRT implements the Mini Packet Protocol frame format as a mini packet (MP) of information, for both transparent and non-transparent data.

Abstract: A semiconductor device structure is used to determine minority carrier lifetime and photosensitivity for production-processed integrated circuits and devices. The device structure family described herein permits determination of the minority carrier lifetime and photosensitivity at high throughput rates using automated test equipment in a normal test facility environment.

Abstract: The weighted product of two digital signals obtained with a digital weighted template with corresponding binary signal stored within a two-dimensional matrix. Data is loaded into a circuit in word serial and random access modes. The weighted signal product is obtained using a vertical charge injection technique with sensing of the substrate analog charge flow. The substrate charge collection output permits a true summation of processed analog signals to provide the desired weighted product.

Abstract: One or more photoelectric device elements are formed beneath the surface of a monolithic semiconductor structure below a surface photoelectric detector device to form a plurality of photoelectric devices having different spectral responses. The surface element is responsive to visible light and the one or more subsurface devices are sensitive to longer wavelength radiation depending upon the depth of the device below the surface of the structure. A two dimensional array of the devices may be formed in a single semiconductor wafer to provide a self-scanning multi-element photosensor array.