Mcnc

University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Other

Allied Corporation

Duke University

Microelectronics Center of North Carolina

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Microelectronics Center of N.c.

Mcnc and University of Nc at Charlotte

Unc at Charlotte

Stephen M Bobbio

Thomas D DuBois

Farid M Tranjan

Stephen W Smith

Susan K Jones

Jason Zara

Marie C Flanigan

Kenneth L Gentry

Kenneth M Thrun

Glenn A Rinne

Ralph L DePrenda

Rudolf G Frieser

Richard F Greene

Scott Halden Goodwin-Johansson

Giora Dishon

Brian G Rennex

George K Lucey, Jr

Mark D Kellam

Nicholas G Koopman

Sundeep Nangalia

Bruce W Dudley

Robert F Aycock

Kasra Daneshvar

James D Jacobson

Nadeem N Eleyan

Youssef Bousaba

Kerstin McKay

Timothy Piekarski

Robert F Lipscomb

James D Geis

Yueh-Se Ho

Structural extending members comprising single-tape and composite-tape structures and the means for forming them. Includes tapes with cross sections containing both concave and convex sides facing in the same direction.

Spool-mounted coiled structural extending member

A disclosed optical scanner apparatus can include a member having spaced apart proximal and distal portions. An optical scanning device can be configured to direct optical radiation, which is moveably coupled to the proximal portion of the member and can be configured to rotate in a plane of movement to a first position to direct the optical radiation along a first path and can be configured to rotate in the plane of movement to a second position to direct the optical radiation along a second path. A MicroElectroMechanical Systems (MEMS) actuator can be coupled to the optical scanning device, where the MEMS actuator can be configured to move in a first direction to move the optical scanning device to the first position and can be configured to move in a second direction to move the optical scanning device to the second position. The MEMS actuator can have proximal and distal portions, where the distal portion of the MEMS actuator is coupled to the proximal portion of the member and the proximal portion of the MEMS actuator is coupled to the optical scanning device. Other scanner apparatus are disclosed.

Scanner apparatus having electromagnetic radiation devices coupled to MEMS actuators

A very lightweight long-range extending member formed from assembled tapes. The strength of an extended structure can be greatly increased by forming a composite structure from individual single tapes. This invention describes various composite structures and the means for forming them.

A disclosed scanner apparatus includes a member having spaced apart proximal and distal portions. An electromagnetic radiation device is configured to direct electromagnetic radiation therefrom and is movably coupled to the distal portion of the member. The electromagnetic radiation device is configured to move in a first plane of movement to a first position to direct the electromagnetic radiation along a first path and configured to move in the plane of movement to a second position to direct the electromagnetic radiation along a second path. A MicroElectroMechanical Systems (MEMS) actuator is coupled to the electromagnetic radiation device, wherein the MEMS actuator is configured to move in a first direction to move the electromagnetic radiation device to the first position and configured to move in a second direction to move the electromagnetic radiation device to the second position. Other scanning and robotic structure devices are disclosed.

A disclosed scanner apparatus includes a member having spaced apart proximal and distal portions. An electromagnetic radiation device is configured to direct electromagnetic radiation therefrom and is moveably coupled to the distal portion of the member. The electromagnetic radiation device is configured to move in a first plane of movement to a first position to direct the electromagnetic radiation along a first path and configured to move in the plane of movement to a second position to direct the electromagnetic radiation along a second path. A MicroElectroMechanical Systems (MEMS) actuator is coupled to the electromagnetic radiation device, wherein the MEMS actuator is configured to move in a first direction to move the electromagnetic radiation device to the first position and configured to move in a second direction to move the electromagnetic radiation device to the second position. Other scanning and robotic structure devices are disclosed.

A transducer compressible in response to electric power, including a flexible, conductive plastic layer microimprinted with a pattern and a stiff plastic layer containing a conductive embedded sheet.

Spiral wound transducer

A track ball control system which is attachable to a computer system that has a display screen on which a cursor is positionable, including at least one track ball regulator for providing physical control of the position of the track ball in response to signals from the control system. These signals depend on the location of the cursor on the display screen and cause the track ball to change in movement. This change in movement may be a vertical change, and/or an azimuthal change. The operator does not control this change in movement except indirectly by knowingly or unknowingly positioning the cursor in a position which causes the signals to be sent to the track ball.

Electromagnetic active trackball control system using magnets energized

A method for pretreating a solder surface for fluxless soldering is disclosed. The method uses a noble fluorine gas to remove surface oxides from solder surfaces, without the use of external stimulation. A noble fluorine gas is suffused across the solder surface to reduce or eliminate or chemically convert the surface oxides. The process can take place at atmospheric pressure and room temperature. A simple belt driven transport may be used to move the parts past a nozzle which emits the vapor in a system similar to a conventional solder reflow machine.

Fluorinated fluxless soldering

A method of forming hydrogen fluoride (HF), to allow fluxless soldering, from a solid source such as potassium hydrogen fluoride (KF.HF) using a specialized apparatus, including a cartridge which is heated in a controlled atmosphere apparatus. The gaseous reaction product, HF, may be extracted from the apparatus either by itself or in a carrier gas (such as argon or nitrogen). The solid reaction product, potassium fluoride (KF), is an inert material which remains in the cartridge. The combination of the cartridge and KF may be safely disposed of as a unit or refilled with KF.HF under controlled conditions.

Method and apparatus for forming hydrogen fluoride

A field emitter flat panel display and associated method of operation provides an electron emission path along which a beam of electrons emitted by a microelectronic field emitter travels such that the electrons impinge upon a light emitting element without passing through a mirror. The light emitting element is spaced apart from the microelectronic field emitter and includes a mirror and a luminescence layer on the mirror. The flat panel display can also include a deflector, such as a deflector electrode, which is spaced apart from both the microelectronic field emitter and the associated light emitting element and which controllably deflects the beam of electrons emitted by the microelectronic field emitter toward the luminescent layer of the associated light emitting element and along a curved electron emission path which is independent of the underlying mirror. Since the energy of the electrons is not dissipated by passing through a mirror prior to impinging upon the luminescent layer, the field emitter flat panel display and, more particularly, the microelectronic field emitter can be efficiently driven at relatively low voltage levels while still producing a relatively bright display.

Field emitter flat panel display device and method for operating same

A fluxless soldering method utilizing a strongly internally bonded fluorine containing gas such as hydrogen fluoride (HF). The solder surface is exposed to the gas in place of a flux treatment, resulting in a modified surface layer which allows reflow or joining for an extended period.

Fluxless soldering method

This invention incorporates micro-machining fabrication techniques to achieve practical electrostatic actuation forces over a length change of the order of 20 to 50 percent. It constitutes an improvement over the prior art by virtue of array designs which yield a more versatile and stronger actuator. One basic design utilizes diamond-shaped attractive elements to transmit transverse forces for longitudinal, two-way actuation. Another basic design features interlocking, longitudinally attractive elements to achieve longitudinal, two-way actuation. Other improvements include means for locking the actuator at an arbitrary displacement as well as means for amplification of either the actuation force or length change.

Micro-actuator

A fluxless soldering sample pretreating system includes a sample chamber having an opening therein and a sample holder. A sample chamber extension extends outwardly from the opening to define a passageway from the sample chamber extension, through the opening, and into the sample chamber. A fluorine-containing gas is supplied into the sample chamber extension. Am energy source such as a microwave oven surrounds the sample chamber extension. The microwave oven produces microwave energy in the sample chamber extension to form a plasma therein and dissociate the fluorine-containing gas into atomic fluorine. A perforated aluminum plate extends transversely across the passageway and blocks the plasma from traversing the passageway from the sample chamber extension into the sample chamber, while allowing the atomic fluorine to traverse the passageway from the sample chamber extension into the sample holder. A second chamber extension, gas supply and microwave oven may be added to improve uniformity for large samples.

Fluxless soldering sample pretreating system

An electrically and mechanically robust microelectromechanical transducer is formed of a pleated dielectric sheet having patterned electrical conductors on the opposing faces thereof. The pleats define a plurality of spaced apart walls, with each wall including an electrically conductive portion at one side thereof. Positive and negative voltages, applied to opposite faces of the pleated sheet, cause the walls to move towards one another by electrostatic attraction. The walls can also move away from one another by electrostatic repulsion upon application of appropriate voltages. The microelectromechanical transducer may be fabricated by fabricating a sheet with integral pleats or by forming a 'self-pleating' flat sheet which forms pleats after conductor fabrication thereon.

Growing community of inventors

Wake Forest, NC, United States of America

Stephen M Bobbio