Abstract: Photonic Band Gap (PBG) structures are utilized in microwave components as filters to suppress unwanted signals because they have the ability to produce a bandstop effect at certain frequency range depending on the structural dimensions. The unique property of PBG structures is due to the periodic change of the dielectric permittivity so interferences are created with the traveling electromagnetic waves. Such periodic arrangement could exist either inside of the dielectric substrate or in the ground plane of a microstrip transmission line structure. This invention provides tunable or switchable planar PBG structures, which contains lattice pattern of periodic perforations inside of the ground plane. The tuning or switching of the bandstop characteristics is achieved by depositing a conducting island surrounded by a layer of controllable thin film with variable conductivities.

Abstract: In electronic displays or imaging units, the control of pixels is achieved by an array of transistors. These transistors are in a thin film form and arranged in a two-dimensional configuration to form switching circuits, driving circuits or even read-out circuits. In this invention, thin film transistors and circuits with indium oxide-based channel layers are provided. These thin film transistors and circuits may be fabricated at low temperatures on various substrates and with high charge carrier mobilities. In addition to conventional rigid substrates, the present thin film transistors and circuits are particularly suited for the fabrication on flexible and transparent substrates for electronic display and imaging applications. Methods for the fabrication of the thin film transistors with indium oxide-based channels are provided.

Abstract: The present invention discloses soluble copolymers of aniline and thiophene having a general formula I. Wherein: m and n each independently represents an integer, with m?1 and n?2. R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6 and R7 each independently represents, hydrogen atom, or a liner or branched or cyclo aliphatic group having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms, or an aromatic group having from 5 to 30 carbon atoms, or any other functional group, but at least one among R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, and R7 is not a hydrogen atom. The present invention also teaches methods for the synthesis, characterization and application of the disclosed copolymers.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a corn plant and seed with enhanced levels of protein and amino acids. The invention also relates to DNA constructs that provide expression in transgenic corn cells of an asparagine synthetase enzyme. The DNA constructs are used in a method to produce transgenic corn plants and seeds and to select for plants and seeds with enhanced levels of protein and amino acids.

Abstract: This invention discloses structures of organic materials-based semiconductor devices and methods for the fabrication of such devices. According to this invention, each of the devices has a first part and a second part. The first part has at least a first organic semiconductor material layer deposited on a first electrode and the second part has at least a second organic semiconductor material layer deposited on a second electrode. Said device is formed by assembling the two individual parts together. Each part maybe fabricated separately and consists of an electrode coated with semiconductor organic materials required by the function of the desired device. A schematic diagram in the FIG. 3 shows a first part (11) consisting of a first substrate (13), a first electrode (14) and at least one layer of organic materials (15); the second part (12) of the device consisting of the second substrate (16), a second electrode (17) with at least a layer of organic materials (18).

Abstract: This invention discloses methods for the fabrication of organic semiconductor material-based devices under non-vacuum environment. In one embodiment, electrodes are formed by electrodeposition from an electrolyte containing ions or complexes of the electrode materials to be deposited. In another embodiment, electrodes are formed by solution processing from a solution (or ink) containing nano-particle of the electrode materials or the precursor of electrode materials to be deposited. In addition, two different modes, either layer by layer or layer to layer, are disclosed for the fabrication of organic semiconductor material-based devices, wherein all semiconductor organic materials required by the function of the desired device are deposited under an non-vacuum environment.

Abstract: As the basic building block of microwave and millimeter wave units and circuits, the microwave switch must fulfill several requirements including low insertion loss, high isolation and small dimensions. For conventional electrostatically actuated microwave MEMS switches, the isolation between DC and RF is achieved using an RF choke. In this invention, a miniature electrostatically actuated microwave switch with a cantilever and employing two resistive lines on a first substrate and act as the actuation electrodes is provided. The resistive lines as the actuation electrodes according to this invention allows one to minimize the switch dimensions, to facilitate the integration and minimize the interference of the propagating microwave or millimeter wave signals.

Abstract: The present invention discloses methods to remove impurities in polymeric materials in order to improve the opto-electronic characteristics of devices fabricated from these polymers. The polymers include but not limited to polyarylenes, polyarylenevinylenes, polyaryleneethylnylene, polyfluorenes, polyanilines, polythiophenes, polypyrroles, and any conjugated co-polymers. The methods involve the selection of a scavenger or chelating agent and use it to remove metallic impurities from the polymers. The methods involve dissolving the polymer in a suitable solvent, adding a scavenger, mixing to form a scavenger, containing phase, and finally separating the scavenger containing phase from the polymer phase. According to this invention, it is preferable for the selected scavengers to have functional groups which can chemically react with metallic species and form a coordination compound that is not soluble in a selected solvent.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a vertical junction structure with multi-PN channels, which provides a maximum interface between p-type and n-type materials in order to assist the charge separation, and offers continuous phases in both p- and n-type materials for charge transport in opposite directions. The present invention also provides methods for constructing the device structures. The main steps include 1) assembling a porous structure or a framework with semiconductor materials of one conduction type on a first electrode, 2) filling pores or coating the framework made from the materials in step 1 with semiconductors or precursors of conducting polymer of a opposite conduction type, 3) chemically and physically treating the system to form closed packed multi-PN channels.

Abstract: The present invention discloses methods to remove impurities in polymeric materials in order to improve the opto-electronic characteristics of devices fabricated from these polymers. The polymers include but not limited to polyarylenes, polyarylenevinylenes, polyaryleneethylnylene, polyfluorenes, polyanilines, polythiophenes, polypyrroles, and any conjugated co-polymers. The methods involve the selection of a scavenger or chelating agent and use it to remove metallic impurities from the polymers. The methods involve dissolving the polymer in a suitable solvent, adding a scavenger, mixing to form a scavenger containing phase, and finally separating the scavenger containing phase from the polymer phase. According to this invention, it is preferable for the selected scavengers to have functional groups which can chemically react with metallic species and form a coordination compound that is not soluble in a selected solvent.

Abstract: Miniature double-throw electromagnetic microwave switches are disclosed in this invention. In one embodiment a switch comprising an input transmission line, a first movable cantilever with a first permanent magnetic film and connecting to a first output transmission line, a second movable cantilever with a second permanent magnetic film and connecting to a second output transmission line is provided. In another embodiment, a latching function is provided to a miniature double-throw electromagnetic microwave switch by adding a permanent magnetic film to said input transmission line. In yet another embodiment, a third non-movable cantilever with a permanent magnetic film on top is added to said miniature double-throw microwave latching switch to enhance the latching mechanism.

Abstract: Miniature double-throw electromagnetic microwave switches are disclosed in this invention. In one embodiment a switch comprising an input transmission line, a first movable cantilever with a first permanent magnetic film and connecting to a first output transmission line, a second movable cantilever with a second permanent magnetic film and connecting to a second output transmission line is provided. In another embodiment, a latching function is provided to a miniature double-throw electromagnetic microwave switch by adding a permanent magnetic film to said input transmission line. In yet another embodiment, a third non-movable cantilever with a permanent magnetic film on top is added to said miniature double-throw microwave latching switch to enhance the latching mechanism.

Abstract: Miniature double-throw microwave switches are disclosed in this invention. In one embodiment a miniature double-throw electromagnetic switch for microstrip transmission lines is provided. A cantilever, which forms a part of an input transmission line, with a permanent magnetic film can be pulled down or pushed up by an applied magnetic field to make electrical contact with either one of two output transmission lines. The applied magnetic field is generated by applying a positive or negative current to a miniature electromagnetic coil mounted under the cantilevers. In another embodiment, a miniature double-throw microwave switch with two cantilevers attached to the input transmission line is disclosed for microstrip transmission lines. The magnetic polarizations of the permanent magnetic films on the two cantilevers are controlled in such a way that when a magnetic field is applied, one cantilever will be pulled downward to make electrical contact to a first output transmission line.

Abstract: Methods for the fabrication of dense wavelength division multiplexors (DWDM) are disclosed. In one embodiment, an array of micro membranes and an array of cavities for optical fibers are etched in a substrate. The distance between major surface of adjacent micro membranes is controlled during the etching step. Multilayer narrow band pass filters are then deposited on all micro membranes simultaneously by vacuum deposition methods. Due to the controlled separation between adjacent micro membranes, the central wavelength of transmission either increases or decreases from one membrane to another. In another embodiment, a micro machined structure containing a plurality of cavities and a slot for variable narrow band pass filter is fabricated. The variable narrow band pass filter is aligned with respect to the optical fibers to obtain a WDM.

Abstract: Methods for the fabrication of miniature electromagnetic microwave switches are disclosed in this invention. In one embodiment, on a dielectric substrate, miniature electromagnetic switches for coplanar waveguide transmission lines are fabricated. In another embodiment, miniature electromagnetic microwave switches are fabricated for microstrip transmission lines. The miniature microwave switches are built on a dielectric substrate and are accompanied by miniature electromagnetic coils on the back of the substrate. The switch is controlled by regulating the dc current applied to the electromagnetic coil. A switch is ON when a dc controlling current is applied to the electromagnetic coil and is OFF when the controlling current is cut off. A reverse dc current may also be applied to the electromagnetic coil to repel the top electrode from the bottom electrode. The use of reverse current will prevent the possible sticking of the two electrodes, thus, reducing the switching time.

Abstract: Methods for wavelength determination of a monochromatic light beam are described. The methods involve a detector unit containing at least one pair of photo detectors. One of the detectors in each detector pair is covered with a variable attenuator and the other is not covered by the variable attenuator. The optical transmission coefficient of the variable attenuator is a monotonic function of wavelength. Under illumination of a monochromatic light, the photocurrents produced in the detectors with and without the variable attenuator are compared. The relative values of the photocurrents are used to determine the wavelength of the monochromatic light.

Abstract: Methods for wavelength determination of a monochromatic beam are described. The methods involve a detector unit containing at least one variable filter and at least one pair of photo detectors. The detectors have photo sensitive regions with their areas varying with the position in one direction. The wavelength for maximum transmission of the variable filter varies in the same direction. By comparing the photo current values from the two detectors, wavelength of the incident beam is determined. Methods to construct wavelength discrimination junction photo detector pair and double barrier photo detector pair are also given.

Abstract: Methods for wavelength determination of a monochromatic beam are described. The methods involve a detector unit containing at least one variable filter and at least one pair of photo detectors. The detectors have photo sensitive regions with their areas varying with the position in one direction. The wavelength for maximum transmission of the variable filter varies in the same direction. By comparing the photo current values from the two detectors, wavelength of the incident beam is determined. Methods to construct wavelength discrimination junction photo detector pair and double barrier photo detector pair are also given.