A fast light interconnected processor device for image processing includes an image sensor for producing a line scan signal, a one-dimensional line display for producing a light having an intensity representative of the scan signal and an array of light detectors for producing a two-dimensional convolution of the image with a blurring function performed simultaneously with the scanning of the image scene. The image sensor is, for example, a thermal imager (forward looking infrared system) which ...

Disclosed is an electronic calculator having a data entry unit for inputting numeric data, expressions such as parentheses and hierarchal mathematical commands, an arithmetic unit for performing arithmetic operations on the numeric data, a memory for storing the numeric data and associated hierarchal mathematical commands inputted via the data entry unit and logic circuitry for enabling the arithmetic unit to perform arithmetic operations on numeric data inputted via the data entry unit within a...

A plasma etch chemistry which allows a near perfectly vertical etch of silicon is disclosed. A Cl-containing compound such as BCl.sub.3 has Br.sub.2 added to it, readily allowing anisotropic etching of silicon. This is due to the low volatility of SiBr.sub.4. The silicon surface facing the discharge is subjected to ion bombardment, allowing the volatilization (etching) of silicon as a Si-Cl-Br compound. The Br which adsorbs on the sidewalls of the etched silicon protects them from the etching. T...

A mesa (31) is formed from polyimide (or a similar polymer material) to achieve a high thermal resistance. In an exemplary thermal imaging application, an array of thermal isolation mesa structures (30) are disposed on an integrated circuit substrate (20) for electrically connecting and bonding a corresponding focal plane array (5) of thermal sensors (10). Each mesa structure (30) includes a polyimide mesa (31) over which is formed a metal conductor (32) that extends from the top of the mesa dow...

A system for use in conjunction with the ALUs of computers, mini-computers, micro-computers and microprocessors wherein, upon a predetermined single command, the ALUs will be arranged to operate in a parity check mode or as a mask without otherwise disturbing the normal circuit operation of the ALUs utilized.

A microprocessor device used as an adapter for a communications loop of the closed-ring, token-passing, local area network type is disclosed. Each station on the ring has a host processor with a host CPU, a main memory, and a system bus. The microprocessor device therein which operates relatively independently from the host CPU, and which is coupled to the main memory by the system bus, includes a local CPU, a local read/write memory, an on-chip timer, a local bus and a bus arbiter. A transmit/r...

Disclosed is a Schottky diode having a platinum silicide Schottky anode layer (25) formed in electrical contact with an underlying silicon semiconductor layer (14). A sidewall oxide (36) is formed around the periphery of the platinum silicide area (25) to prevent etching processes from exposing a portion of the underlying silicon semiconductor layer (14). A titanium tungsten diffusion barrier layer (26) and an aluminum composition layer (28) are formed thereover to provide electrical contact to ...

A broadband phased frequency antenna array uses frequency steering with phase-shift stabilization. Phased frequency steering allows wider intermediate bandwidth than available from frequency steered arrays, with fewer phase shifters than required by phase steered arrays. For a given instantaneous bandwidth (such as for FM-chirp or frequency agility operations), the phased frequency steered array provides a straightforward trade-off between sidelobe level and the number of phase shifters. The ant...

A process is disclosed through which vias (50) can be formed by the reaction of an etchant species (52) with a mercury cadmium telluride (HgCdTe) or zinc sulfide (ZnS) layer (42). The activating gases (20) are preferably a hydrogen gas or a methane gas which is excited in a diode plasma reactor (100) which has an RF power source (13) applied to one of two parallel electrodes. The etching occurs in selected areas in a photoresist pattern (44) residing over the ZnS or HgCdTe layer (42). Wet etchin...

A gallium arsenide FET having a gate pad with interleaved source and drain regions on two opposing sides of the gate pad, a plurality of gate fingers extending from the gate pad and disposed between each adjacent pair of a source region and a gate region.