Abstract:
The invention provides a method of manufacturing a large-area electronic device, for example a flat panel display, comprising thin-film circuit elements, and also laser apparatus for crystallising a portion of a semiconductor thin-film (1) with a beam (11) of set energy. The energy of the beam (11) is set in accordance with the output from a light detector (22) to regulate the crystallisation of a device portion (3, 4 and/or 5) of a semiconductor thin film (1) at which the beam (11) is subsequently directed with its set energy. The light detector (22) monitors the surface quality of a previously crystallised portion (2). In accordance with the present invention, the light detector (22) is located at a position outside the specular reflection path (25) of the light returned by the surface area of the crystallised portion (2) and detects a threshold increase (D) in intensity (Is) of the light (26) being scattered by the surface area of the crystallised portion. This treshold increase (D) occurs when the energy (Ep) of the beam (11) is increased sufficiently to cause the onset of surface roughening.
Abstract:
An optical recording medium is described having a grooved recording layer. The structure of unwritten tracks must enable a scanning device to derive a radial tracking error signal according to the push-pull method. The structure of the written tracks must enable the scanning device to derive a radial tracking error signal according to the high-frequency phase-detection method. To this end the depth of the groove is in the range from 1/24 to 1/7 times the wavelength of scanning the recording medium, and the phase difference between a radiation beam reflected from a region on track in between written marks and from a mark, is in the range from 0.4 to 2.0 radians.
Abstract:
A lampholder in accordance with the invention can suitably be used for a low-pressure discharge lamp (a) which operates at a high frequency and which comprises an elongated, tubular discharge vessel (b), said lamp being provided with a pair of electrodes (c, c') for maintaining an electric discharge in the discharge vessel. The lampholder (0) has contacts (1, 1') for connecting a high-frequency power supply (4), said contacts being electrically connected to a first (2) and a second terminal (2') for connecting the lamp. The second terminal is further removed from the contacts than the first terminal. A compensation conductor (6) extending between the first (2) and the second terminal (2') is connected to said first terminal (2). This leads to a reduction of conducted interference.
Abstract:
Instructions for a processing unit are stored in a number of memory banks, successive instructions being stored in successive, different memory banks. Whenever execution of an instruction is started, the reading of one instruction which will be executed more than one instruction cycle later is also started. Consequently, a plurality of instructions are being read in parallel from different memory banks. After the reading of an instruction, and before starting the execution of the instruction, the instruction passes through a pipeline in which the processing device detects whether the relevant instruction is a branch instruction. If this is so, the processing unit starts the reading in parallel of a number of instructions as from a branch target instruction. If it appears at a later stage that the branch is taken, said number of instructions is loaded into the pipeline in parallel.
Abstract:
The teletext standard allows broadcasters to transmit teletext information for display in an area of the video picture. Some people find the textual part of these "newsflash" pages difficult to read. This problem will deteriorate with the introduction of "level 2.5" teletext, which allows broadcasters to display video in a window of a teletext page. The invention alleviates the problem by enabling the user to suppress the video signal.
Abstract:
An electrical apparatus, such as a pager, comprises a case (12) having a battery holder (14) in the form of a battery receiving recess (16) of a size to receive the larger (or largest) of at least two coin-shaped batteries (20, 30) having respectively different predetermined diameters. A resiliently biased edge contact (24) for bearing on the periphery of a battery protrudes through an aperture in a wall of the recess (16) and another electrical contact (26) is provided in the base of the recess (16). In order to adapt the battery holder to accommodate a smaller size of coin battery (30), resiliently biased battery locating abutment means (32) are provided in the base of the recess (16) at location(s) coinciding with the periphery of the smaller (or smallest) battery size when placed in the recess. The abutment means when extending into the recess (16) maintain the smaller (or smallest) battery in contact with the resiliently biased edge contact (24) but are depressed when the largest battery (20) is placed in the recess (16). The recess is partially covered by a lip (22) which enables the smaller battery to be maintained in engagement with the abutment means (32) in spite of being deflected upwards by another battery contact (26).
Abstract:
A plasma-addressed liquid crystal colour display device comprising a layer of liquid crystal material, data electrodes coupled to the liquid crystal layer and adapted to receive data voltages for activating pixels of the liquid crystal layer, and a plurality of ionizable-gas-filled plasma channels extending generally transverse to the data electrodes for selectively switching on said liquid crystal pixels. The plasma channels are sealed off by a thin dielectric sheet. To reduce the magnitude of the data voltages needed to activate the device, the LC layers are given compositions such that a much higher fraction of the applied data voltages appears across the liquid crystal layer thereby allowing a smaller data voltage to be used to obtain the same effect on the liquid crystal pixels.
Abstract:
The printhead comprises a body (7) with pressure chambers (13) and nozzle (14), a membrane (17) being connected to the body so as to form one wall of the pressure chambers, and an actuator plate (25) comprising an actuator element (31) for each pressure chambers. Between the actuator plate (25) and the membrane (17) there is provided a support plate (19) comprising first portions (21) and second portions (23), said first portions being movable relative to the second portions in the direction of the thickness of the support plate, a first portion being situated between each actuator element (31) and the corresponding pressure chamber (13). The actuator plate (25) having active regions (31) and inactive regions (33), the actuator elements being formed by active regions of the actuator plate (25). Adjacent actuator elements (31) are separated from each other over substantially their whole length by slits (35) provided in the actuator plate (25). In a particular embodiment, the actuator plate (25) is a ceramic multilayer actuator (CMA).