Sparton Deleon Springs, LLC

Sparton Corporation

Harris Corporation

Tfri, Inc.

Lendon L Bendix

Derek Turner

Barry G Grossman

Derek A Turner

Brian A Lail

Mathew M Kincaid

Julius Chatterjee

Jon Tower

A printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) controls an electrically initiated device (EID) in an electric field. The PCBA includes a conductive layer, a dielectric layer, and a trans-conductive layer (TCL). The conductive layer of the PCBA designated protected areas. An electrical current with a predetermined current density is impressed in the conductive layer when the PCBA is in the electric field. The TCL is a nickel-metal composite metamaterial positioned between the conductive and dielectric layers and configured to change in shape or thickness in the electric field such that the impressed current is steered away from the conductive layer and into the dielectric layer to prevent premature activation of the EID. A system includes an outer housing, power supply, an EID such as a sonobuoy or medical device, and the PCBA, all of which are encapsulated in the housing. A method is also disclosed for manufacturing the PCBA.

Control of electric field effects in a printed circuit board assembly using embedded nickel-metal composite materials

A printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) controls an electrically-initiated device (EID) in an electric field. The PCBA includes a conductive layer, a dielectric layer, and a trans-conductive layer (TCL). The conductive layer of the PCBA designated protected areas. An electrical current with a predetermined current density is impressed in the conductive layer when the PCBA is in the electric field. The TCL is a nickel-metal composite metamaterial positioned between the conductive and dielectric layers and configured to change in shape or thickness in the electric field such that the impressed current is steered away from the conductive layer and into the dielectric layer to prevent premature activation of the EID. A system includes an outer housing, power supply, an EID such as a sonobuoy or medical device, and the PCBA, all of which are encapsulated in the housing. A method is also disclosed for manufacturing the PCBA.

A PCBA for use in a high-energy broadband electric field includes a low-voltage power supply and alternating conductive and dielectric layers. An outermost one of the conductive layers includes a dielectric surface switch having closely-spaced switch contacts. The first switch contact is connected to the positive terminal and the second switch contact is connected to the negative terminal. Vias connect the conductive layers to the terminals through the respective first and second switch contacts to form power and ground planes. A metamaterial layer of nickel is doped with up to 20 percent phosphorus or chromium by weight, has a uniform thickness of less than 5 &#x3bc;m, is sandwiched between interfacing surfaces of a pair of the conductive and dielectric layers, and evenly coats one of the interfacing surfaces. A sonobuoy system includes the PCBA, e.g., an Electronic Function Select board, a cylindrical housing, and an acoustic array.

Circuit board with dielectric surface switch and embedded metamaterials providing increased arc resistance

Method for assembling a printed circuit board assembly

A novel optical fiber end structure and method for creating same in which an optical fiber end structure may comprise a cylindrical wedge having a planar surface angled with respect to the longitudinal axis of the optical fiber and a flat surface that is generally perpendicular with the longitudinal axis of the optical fiber. The device and method of the invention may employ a single or plurality of mechanically polished wedges on the end or ends of an optical fiber, which may, in a best mode, be a few mode fiber. The method and device of the invention may be used to independently modulate standing waves or linearly polarized waves, or both, allowing for a modal multiplexed system. The invention radiates independent standing wave modes and/or linearly polarized modes from the dielectric waveguide structure, and may be employed in single, few mode or multimode optical fibers.

Fiber optic dielectric waveguide structure for modal multiplexed communication and method of manufacture

A fabricating process for a multi-layer printed circuit board containing embedded passive components is provided. The method includes a calibration step wherein a calibration measurement is taken of the geometry or at least one electrical parameter of an arrangement of calibration test points for a circuit forming process, such as masking, etching and/or lamination. A process control step is performed during the process, wherein a process control measurement is taken of at least one electrical parameter at one or more process control test points along one or more axes outside areas in which a circuit is to be formed. An analysis is performed of at least the calibration measurement and the process control measurement to calculate a CAD geometry change required to improve precision of embedded passive components to be printed on the multi-layer printed circuit board. The CAD geometry is modified in accordance with the calculated CAD geometry change, and multi-layer printed circuit boards containing embedded passive components are manufactured in accordance with the modified CAD geometry. The analyzing step may model variability and adapt to it.

Fabrication process for embedded passive components

Systems () and methods () for measuring geometric changes of a passive material () when heat and pressure are applied thereto. The methods involve forming a pad () on a passive material panel (). The pad includes at least one of a layer of a passive material () and a layer of a metal (). The methods also involve coupling an interferometer () to the pad. The method also involves forming a multi-layer structure by placing at least one substrate panel () on top of the passive material such that an aperture () formed in the substrate panel is aligned with the pad. Pressure and heat are applied to the multi-layer structure. Data is collected using the interferometer while the pressure and heat are applied to the multi-layer structure. The interferometer can include, but is not limited to, a Fabry-Perot interferometer, a Michelson interferometer and/or a Mach-Zehnder interferometer.

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Melbourne, FL, United States of America

Lendon L Bendix