Litton Systems, Inc.

Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation

Northrop Grumman Guidance and Electronics Company, Inc.

Northrop Grumman Corpoation

Henry C Abbink

Daryl K Sakaida

Christine E Geosling

Robert E Stewart

Stanley F Wyse

Edward Kanegsberg

William P Debley

Youngmin Albert Choi

Michael D Bulatowicz

Howard H Ge

Arnold E Goldman

Gabriel M Kuhn

Agop Hygasov Cherbettchian

Michael S Larsen

John P Rahn

Robert C Griffith

Thad Gilbert Walker

Charles H Volk

Ralph A Patterson

Philip R Clark

Clifton T Council

Thomas G Council

Gregory A Zimmerman

Nicholas F Pier

Kenneth Marino

Ike J Song

James W Hostetler

James William Engel

Kenneth W Shafer

Raymond Scott Enochs

Dean H Lodwig

Ricardo J Rosete

John A Healey

Richard D Hatch

Embodiments of the invention include an accelerometer system. The system includes an accelerometer sensor comprising first and second electrode configurations and an inertial mass between the first and second electrode configurations. In one example, the accelerometer sensor being fabricated as symmetrically arranged about each of three orthogonal mid-planes. The system also includes an accelerometer controller configured to apply control signals to each of the first and second electrode configurations to provide respective forces to maintain the inertial mass at a null position between the first and second electrode configurations. The accelerometer controller can measure a first pickoff signal and a second pickoff signal associated with the respective first and second electrode configurations. The first and second pickoff signals can be indicative of a displacement of the inertial mass relative to the null position. The accelerometer controller can calculate an acceleration based on the first and second pickoff signals.

Accelerometer sensor system

One embodiment includes a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) sensor system. The system includes a pump laser configured to generate an optical pump beam at a first wavelength and a probe laser configured to generate an optical probe beam at a second wavelength that is different from the first wavelength. The system also includes beam optics configured to direct the pump laser and the probe laser along orthogonal axes through a sensor cell comprising an alkali metal vapor. The system further includes detection optics that include a photodetector assembly configured to measure at least one characteristic associated with the optical probe beam leaving the sensor cell for measurement of a polarization vector of the alkali metal vapor. The detection optics can include at least one filter configured to filter light having the first wavelength and to pass light having the second wavelength to the photodetector assembly.

Nuclear magnetic resonance probe system

A method for optimizing direct wafer bond line width for reduction of parasitic capacitance in a MEMS device by reducing the width of a bond line between a first and a second wafer, exposing the MEMS device to a water vapor for a predetermined time period and at a first temperature capable of evaporating water, cooling the MEMS device at a second temperature capable of freezing the water, and operating the MEMS device at a third temperature capable of freezing the water to determine if there is discontinuity during operation.

Method for determining leak rate through a bond line of a MEMS device

An aspect of the present invention relates to system and method for substantially obstructing magnetic flux. One aspect of the present invention provides an apparatus for substantially obstructing at least one magnetic flux path between an ambient space and a protected volume. The apparatus includes an inner shield, substantially enclosing the protected volume. The inner shield has at least one inner shield aperture extending therethrough to allow external access to the protected volume. An outer shield substantially encloses the inner shield. The outer shield has at least one outer shield aperture extending therethrough to allow internal access from the ambient space. The apparatus is configured to impede magnetic flux between at least one inner shield aperture and at least one outer shield aperture.

Systems and methods for obstructing magnetic flux while shielding a protected volume

In one implementation, a chamber is selected that accommodates an array of die structures that comprises one or more cavities. An inner chamber of the chamber is maintained at a first temperature. An alkali metal source of the chamber is maintained at a second temperature greater than the first temperature. An outer chamber of the chamber is maintained at a third temperature greater than the first temperature and the second temperature. The one or more cavities of the array of die structures are filled with a portion of the alkali metal source. The one or more cavities of the array of die structures are sealed to comprise the portion of the alkali metal source.

Middle layer of die structure that comprises a cavity that holds an alkali metal

Method for optimizing direct wafer bond line width for reduction of parasitic capacitance in MEMS accelerometers

An apparatus in one example comprises a die structure that comprises a middle layer, a first outside layer, and a second outside layer. The middle layer comprises a cavity that holds an alkali metal, and one of the first outside layer and the second outside layer comprises a channel that leads to the cavity. The middle layer, the first outside layer, and the second outside layer comprise dies from one or more wafer substrates.

An apparatus comprising at least one multilayer wafer which includes a device layer adjacent to a barrier layer, and the device layer includes at least two photoconductive regions separated by an etched channel extending through the device layer. In some instances the apparatus may be an accelerometer having two photodiodes formed on a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafer with the photodiodes defined by one or more etched channels extending through the device layer of the SOI wafer. Also disclosed are methods for forming such an apparatus.

Photo-detector and related methods

An apparatus comprising at least one multilayer wafer includes a device layer adjacent to a barrier layer, and the device layer includes at least two photoconductive regions separated by an etched channel extending through the device layer. In some instances the apparatus may be an accelerometer having two photodiodes formed on a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafer with the photodiodes defined by one or more etched channels extending through the device layer of the SOI wafer. Also disclosed are methods for forming such an apparatus.

Photo-detector and related instruments

A cell in one example comprises an alkali metal and a coating of parylene on an interior surface of the cell. In one implementation, the alkali metal may be an optically pumped gaseous phase of an alkali metal. The parylene coating minimizes interaction of the excited state of the alkali metal, increases lifetime of the excited state, and minimizes interaction of nuclear spin states with the cell walls.

Micro-cell for NMR gyroscope

An NMR gyroscope in one example comprises a support structure affixed within an enclosure, an NMR cell affixed to the support structure, a plurality of permanent magnets disposed about the NMR cell to produce a magnetic field within the cell, and a field coil disposed proximate the cell to produce a modulated magnetic field transverse to the magnetic field produced by the permanent magnets.

NMR gyroscope

An apparatus in one example comprises a wafer portion that comprises a conduction layer. Upon exposure of the conduction layer during a etch of the wafer portion, the conduction layer serves to dissipate a portion of a charge buildup on the wafer portion during an etch of the wafer portion.

Dissipation of a charge buildup on a wafer portion

A rotation sensor is formed of three semiconductor wafers. A first wafer comprises a frame that surrounds a paddle. The rotation-sensitive paddle is surrounded on either of the opposed sides of the first wafer by rings of driven elements formed of radially-directed plateaus in the semiconductor material. Second and third wafers sandwich the first wafer. Each of the second and third wafers includes a first surface in which are formed concentric rings of driver and pickoff electrodes. In a preferred embodiment, the rings of pickoff electrodes are split into two semicircular arcs.

Silicon gyro with integrated driving and sensing structures

The fiber jacket application system is used to provide a protective jacket over spliced optical fibers (10, 12), such as to coat a length of bare fiber, previously coated fiber, and particularly to rejacket a length of fiber in which the jacket was removed for splicing. Curable jacketing material is twice fed from a reservoir (28) through a small orifice or syringe (32) onto the respective sides of bared portions (10d, 12d) of the fiber. A first material (14) is deposited from and between the existing jackets (10a, 12a) and onto essentially half of the bared portions. A second material (16) is deposited in bonded contact with the first applied material from and between the surrounding protective jackets and onto essentially the remaining half of the bared portions.

Growing community of inventors

Westlake Village, CA, United States of America

Henry C Abbink