Author: claimsbot

1. An optical roundabout comprising:
three internal optical switching elements arranged in a ring, each internal optical switching element having two input ports routable to two output ports, the routing of the first input of each internal optical switch being ganged to the routing of the second input for that switch;
each internal optical switching element’s two input ports including an add port and a roundabout-in port; and
each internal optical switching element’s two output ports including a drop port and a roundabout-out port;
wherein the roundabout-out port of each optical switching element is connected to the roundabout-in port of its next optical switching element around the ring by an optical waveguide.
2. The optical roundabout of claim 1 further comprising three external connections arranged in a ring, each external connection having a drop output port in optical communication with the drop output port of a corresponding internal optical switching element and an add input port in optical communication with the add input port of the next optical switching element around the ring from said corresponding internal optical switching element, each internal optical switching element having a single-hop unidirectional switching state for routing optical signals from the add port of each external connection to the drop port of its next external connection around the ring.
3. The optical roundabout of claim 1 further comprising three external connections arranged in a ring, each external connection having a drop output port in optical communication with the drop output port of a corresponding internal optical switching element and an add input port in optical communication with the add input port of the next optical switching element around the ring from said corresponding internal optical switching element, each internal optical switching element having a double-hop unidirectional switching state for routing optical signals from its add port to the drop port of the previous internal optical switching element around the ring.
4. The optical roundabout of claim 1 further comprising three external connections, each external connection having a drop output port in optical communication with the drop output port of a corresponding internal optical switching element and an add input port in optical communication with the add input port of the next optical switching element around the ring from said corresponding internal optical switching element, the optical roundabout having at least one bidirectional switching state for routing optical signals between two external connections wherein two of the internal optical switching elements are in a first switching state and one of the internal optical switching elements is in a second switching state.
5. The optical roundabout of claim 1 further comprising three external connections arranged in a ring, each external connection having a drop output port in optical communication with the drop output port of a corresponding internal optical switching element and an add input port in optical communication with the add input port of said corresponding internal optical switching element, each internal optical switching element having a single-hop unidirectional switching state for routing optical signals from the add port of each external connection to the drop port of its next external connection around the ring.
6. The optical roundabout of claim 1 further comprising three external connections arranged in a ring, each external connection having a drop output port in optical communication with the drop output port of a corresponding internal optical switching element and an add input port in optical communication with the add input port of said corresponding internal optical switching element, the optical roundabout having at least one bidirectional switching state for routing optical signals between two external connections wherein two of the internal optical switching elements are in a first switching state and one of the internal optical switching elements is in a second switching state.
7. The optical roundabout switch of claim 1 further comprising a variable optical attenuator connected to a port of one of the internal optical switching elements.
8. The optical roundabout switch of claim 1 further comprising a multiplexer having an output port in optical communication with an add port of one of the three internal optical switching elements.
9. The optical roundabout switch of claim 1 further comprising a demultiplexer having an input port in optical communication with the drop port of one of the three internal optical switching elements.
10. The optical roundabout switch of claim 1 wherein the second input of the first switch is connected to the output of a multiplexer, and the second output of the first switch is connected to the input of a demultiplexer.
11. An optical roundabout switch comprising:
M optical (M\u22121)\xd7(M\u22121) optical cross-connects, where M is at least three, each optical cross-connect having an (M\u22121)th input for adding an optical signal, and an (M\u22121)th output for dropping an optical signal;
M\u22122 optical waveguides connecting the first M\u22122 outputs of the Nth optical cross-connect to the first M\u22122 inputs of the (N+1)th optical cross connect, for 1\u2266N\u2266M\u22121; and
M\u22122 optical waveguides connecting the first M\u22122 outputs of the Mth optical cross-connect to the first M\u22122 inputs of the first optical cross connect.
12. An optical roundabout switch comprising:
four optical switch modules arranged in a ring, each optical switch module comprising:
a first internal optical switching element and a second optical switching element, each of said first and second optical switching elements having:
first and second inputs, and
first and second outputs,

a selective dropping means for selectably dropping an optical signal from the first output of either of the first optical switch or the second optical switch, and
a selective adding means for selectably adding an optical signal to the second input of either the first optical switch or the second optical switch; and
wherein the routing of the first input within each of the optical switching elements is ganged to the routing of the second input for that optical switching element;

an optical waveguide connecting the second output of the first optical switching element of each optical switch module to the first input of the first optical switching element of a next optical switch module around the ring; and
an optical waveguide connecting the second output of the second optical switching element of each optical switch module to the first input of the second optical switching element of the next optical switch module around the ring.
13. The optical roundabout switch of claim 12 wherein the selective adding means of the first optical switching module is connected to the output of a multiplexer, and the selective dropping means of the first optical switching module is connected to the input of a demultiplexer.
14. The optical roundabout switch of claim 12 wherein the selective adding means of the first optical switching module is connected to the output of a multiplexer, the selective dropping means of the first optical switching module is connected to the input of a demultiplexer, the selective adding means of the third optical switching module is connected to the output of a multiplexer, and the selective dropping means of the third optical switching module is connected to the input of a demultiplexer.
15. The optical roundabout switch of claim 11 further comprising a variable optical attenuator connected to a port of one of the internal optical switching elements.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A method comprising:
providing a semiconductor wafer having a plurality of pillar structures extending orthogonally from the semiconductor wafer, each pillar structure forming a vertical pillar transistor having a top surface and a side surface orthogonal to the top surface;
implanting a hardening species into the vertical pillar transistor top surface;
oxidizing the vertical pillar transistor side surface to form a side surface oxide layer; and
removing the side surface oxide layer to form vertical pillar transistor having rounded side surfaces.
2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the top surface is substantially planar.
3. The method according to claim 1 wherein the hardening species is nitrogen.
4. The method according to claim 1 wherein the removing step selectively removes the side surface oxide layer.
5. The method according to claim 1 wherein the top surface is a parallel with the major surface of the semiconductor wafer.
6. The method according to claim 1 wherein the top surface and the rounded side surfaces form a sharp edge.
7. The method according to claim 1 further comprising a memory cell in electrical connection with the vertical pillar transistor.
8. The method according to claim 7 wherein the memory cell comprises an RRAM memory cell or a spin-torque transfer memory cell.
9. The method according to claim 7 wherein the memory cell comprise an array of memory cells.
10. The method according to claim 1 further comprising forming a gate oxide layer on the rounded side surfaces.
11. A method comprising:
providing a semiconductor wafer having a plurality of pillar structures extending orthogonally from the semiconductor wafer, each pillar structure forming a vertical pillar transistor having a top surface and a side surface orthogonal to the top surface;
implanting a hardening species into the vertical pillar transistor top surface;
oxidizing the vertical pillar transistor forming a top surfaces oxide material layer and a side surface oxide material layer, wherein the top surfaces oxide material layer is different than the side surface oxide material layer; and
removing selectively the side surface oxide material layer to form vertical pillar transistor having rounded side surfaces and the top surfaces oxide material layer.
12. The method according to claim 11 wherein the hardening species is nitrogen.
13. The method according to claim 11 wherein the top surface is a parallel with the major surface of the semiconductor wafer.
14. The method according to claim 11 wherein the top surface and the rounded side surfaces form a sharp edge.
15. The method according to claim 11 further comprising a memory cell in electrical connection with the vertical pillar transistor.
16. The method according to claim 15 wherein the memory cell comprises a spin-torque transfer memory cell.
17. The method according to claim 15 wherein the memory cell comprise an array of memory cells.
18. The method according to claim 11 further comprising forming a gate oxide layer on the rounded side surfaces.
19. A method comprising:
providing a semiconductor wafer having a plurality of pillar structures extending orthogonally from the semiconductor wafer, each pillar structure forming a vertical pillar transistor having a top surface and a side surface orthogonal to the top surface, the vertical pillar transistor having a drain, source and channel regions vertically stacked on top of each other and extending away from the semiconductor wafer;
implanting a hardening species into the vertical pillar transistor top surface and not into the vertical pillar transistor side surface;
oxidizing the vertical pillar transistor forming a top surfaces oxide material layer and a side surface oxide material layer, wherein the top surfaces oxide material layer is different than the side surface oxide material layer;
removing selectively the side surface oxide material layer to form vertical pillar transistor having rounded side surfaces and the top surfaces oxide material layer; and
electrically coupling a memory cell with the vertical pillar transistor.
20. The method according to claim 19 wherein the vertical pillar transistor separated the memory cell from the semiconductor wafer.
21. An apparatus comprising:
a vertical pillar transistor extending orthogonally from a semiconductor wafer, the vertical pillar transistor comprising a planar top surface and rounded side surfaces, the rounded side surfaces are orthogonal to the planar top surface, wherein the top surface includes a hardening implant species;
an electrically conductive gate material layer on the rounded side surfaces; and
a memory cell in electrical connection with the vertical pillar transistor.
22. The apparatus according to claim 21 wherein the memory cell is a STRAM memory cell.
23. The apparatus according to claim 21 wherein the memory cell is electrically between the vertical pillar transistor and the semiconductor wafer.
24. The apparatus according to claim 21 wherein the vertical pillar transistor is electrically between the memory cell and the semiconductor wafer.
25. The apparatus according to claim 21 further comprising a gate oxide layer between the rounded side surfaces and the electrically conductive gate material layer.
26. The apparatus according to claim 21 further comprising a plurality of vertical pillar transistor extending orthogonally from a semiconductor wafer, wherein at least selected vertical pillar transistors comprise a planar top surface and rounded side surfaces, the rounded side surfaces are orthogonal to the planar top surface, wherein the top surface includes a hardening implant species., and an electrically conductive gate material layer is on the rounded side surfaces, and a plurality of memory cells forming a memory array, where each memory cell is in electrical connection with a selected vertical pillar transistor.

1. A light beam generation and focusing device for directing at least one focused beam of light at a target surface plane, said device comprising:
a light source constructed and arranged to emit at least one beam of light; and
a lens assembly constructed and arranged to focus said at least one beam of light on the surface plane;
said device being constructed and arranged to sequentially direct the at least one beam of light to at least two spaced locations on the surface plane including at least one rotating wedge interposed in the path of said light beam capable of redirecting the beam to multiple locations and actuate said light beam when said wedge is in position to direct the beam to said target; said light source comprising at least two laser diodes mounted on a mounting block and wherein said mounting block includes at least two generally planar walls generally orthogonal to the target locations, and that the spacing between said walls generally fixed the relative spacing between the targets of the diodes.
2. The device of claim 1, comprising a microcontroller coupled to each said laser diode and adapted to sequentially operate each said laser diode with respect to one another for emitting said at least one beam of light and for sequentially directing said at least one beam of light to said at least two spaced locations on the surface plane.
3. The device of claim 1, said mounting block comprising a heat sink mounting block having a first planar surface, a spaced parallel second planar surface, and a plurality of sides adjoining one another and each said planar surface along their respective common edges.
4. The device of claim 3, each of said at least two laser diodes being mounted to a separate one of the sides of said mounting block.
5. The device of claim 3, comprising a separate insulated wire bonding pad on said mounting block for each respective one of said at least two laser diodes.
6. A light beam generation and focusing device for directing at least one focused beam of light at a target surface plane, said device comprising:
a light source constructed and arranged to emit at least one beam of light; and
a lens assembly constructed and arranged to focus said at least one beam of light on the surface plane;
said device being constructed and arranged to sequentially direct the at least one beam of light to at least two spaced locations on the surface plane including at least one rotating wedge interposed in the path of said light beam capable of redirecting the beam to multiple locations and actuate said light beam when said wedge is in position to direct the beam to said target; said light source comprising at least two laser diodes mounted on a mounting block and wherein said mounting block includes at least two generally planar walls generally orthogonal to the target locations, and that the spacing between said walls generally fixed the relative spacing between the targets of the diodes and wherein each of said at least two laser diodes comprising a single active element laser diode chip; and wherein said light source comprising four spaced laser diodes mounted on a common mounting block and wherein said mounting block includes 4 generally planar walls for defining the relative spacing between said the targets of the diodes.
7. The device of claim 6, each said laser diode chip being spaced approximately eight hundred microns from each adjacent one of said laser diode chips.
8. The device of claim 6, said laser diode chips being spaced apart from one another to form a predetermined pattern of beams of light directed to the surface plane.
9. A light beam generation and focusing device capable of directing at least two separate unsplit focused beams of light at a surface plane, said device comprising:
a light source constructed and arranged to emit at least one beam of light, said light source comprising at least two laser diodes mounted on a mounting block, said mounting block including a heat sink for cooling said diodes and for creating a fixed spacing therebetween comprising first and second spaced apart planar surfaces upon which said diodes are immovably attached,
a lens assembly constructed and arranged to focus said at the beam of light from each diode on the surface plane; and
said device being constructed and arranged to direct beams of light to at least two apart spaced locations on the surface plane.
10. A light beam generation and focusing device according to claim 9 wherein said mounting block has planar opposing walls and recesses for receiving at least a portion of each diode to actually align their position.
11. A light beam generator and focusing device according to claim 10 further including an insulating portion on said planar surfaces between said heat sink and said diodes.
12. A light beam generation and focusing device for directing at least one focused beam of light at a target surface plane, said device comprising:
a light source constructed and arranged to emit at least one beam of light; and
a lens assembly constructed and arranged to focus said at least one beam of light on the surface plane:
said device being constructed and arranged to sequentially direct the at least one beam of light to at least two spaced locations on the surface plane including at least one rotating wedge interposed in the path of said light beam capable of redirecting the beam to multiple locations and actuate said light beam when said wedge is in position to direct the beam to said target, said device being constructed and arranged to sequentially direct the beam of light to at least four spaced locations on the surface plane in a predetermined pattern and wherein, each of the at least four spaced locations on the surface plane being spaced approximately eight hundred microns from each adjacent one of said at least four spaced locations thereon.
13. A light beam generation and focusing device for directing at least one focused beam of light at a target surface plane, said device comprising:
a light source constructed and arranged to emit at least one beam of light; and
a lens assembly constructed and arranged to focus said at least one beam of light on the surface plane;
said device being constructed and arranged to sequentially direct the at least one beam of light to at least two spaced locations on the surface plane including at least one rotating wedge interposed in the path of said light beam capable of redirecting the beam to multiple locations and actuate said light beam when said wedge is in position to direct the beam to said target; said light source and said lens assembly being fitted within a housing sized and shaped to fit in the hand of a device user and wherein, said light source comprising at least two laser diodes mounted to a mounting block positioned within said housing and wherein said mounting block includes at least two generally planar walls generally orthogonal to the target locations, and that the spacing between said walls generally fixed the relative spacing between targets of the diodes.
14. A light beam generation and focusing device for directing at least one focused beam of light at a target surface plane, said device comprising:
a light source constructed and arranged to emit at least one beam of light; and
a lens assembly constructed and arranged to focus said at least one beam of light on the surface plane;
said device being constructed and arranged to sequentially direct the at least one beam of light to at least two spaced locations on the surface plane including at least one rotating wedge interposed in the path of said light beam capable of redirecting the beam to multiple locations and actuate said light beam when said wedge is in position to direct the beam to said target; said light source and said lens assembly being fitted within a housing sized and shaped to fit in the hand of a device user and said light source comprising at least two laser diodes mounted to a mounting block positioned within said housing and wherein said mounting block includes at least two generally planar walls generally orthogonal to the target locations, and that the spacing between said walls generally fixed the relative spacing between targets of the diodes and further comprising a controller coupled to each of said at least two laser diodes and adapted to sequentially operate each said laser diode with respect to the other for directing the beam of light to said at least two spaced locations on the surface plane.
15. A light beam generation and focusing device for directing at least one focused beam of light at a target surface plane, said device comprising:
a light source constructed and arranged to emit at least one beam of light; and
a lens assembly constructed and arranged to focus said at least one beam of light on the surface plane;
said device being constructed and arranged to sequentially direct the at least one beam of light to at least two spaced locations on the surface plane including at least one rotating wedge interposed in the path of said light beam capable of redirecting the beam to multiple locations and actuate said light beam when said wedge is in position to direct the beam to said target; said light source comprising at least two laser diodes mounted on a mounting block and wherein said mounting block includes at least two generally planar walls generally orthogonal to the target locations, and that the spacing between said walls generally fixed the relative spacing between the targets of the diodes; said light source comprising four spaced laser diodes mounted on a common mounting block and wherein said mounting block includes 4 generally planar walls for defining the relative spacing between said the targets of the diodes.
16. A method of reliably generating focused light beams directed to a surface plane at a predetermined distance from each other, comprising:
a) fixing the location on multiple light beam sources on a rigid heat sinking material;
b) emitting at multiple light beams;
c) passing the beams of light through a lens assembly and focusing said at least one beam of light on the surface plane in response thereto; and
d) sequentially directing each beam of light to a plurality of spaced locations on the surface plane,
e) sequentially directing the at least one beam of light to at least four spaced locations on the surface plane in a predetermined pattern
f) directing a beam of light to each of said at least two spaced locations on the surface plane so that each said location is spaced approximately eight hundred microns from each adjacent one of said spaced locations.
17. A light beam generation and focusing device for directing at least one focused beam of light at a surface plane, said device comprising:
a light source constructed and arranged to emit at least one beam of light, said light source comprising at least two laser diodes mounted on a mounting block, said mounting block comprising a copper mounting block having a first planar surface, a spaced parallel second planar surface, and a plurality of sides adjoining one another and each said planar surface along their respective common edges,
said mounting block including a separate insulated wire bonding pad on said mounting block for each respective one of said at least two laser diodes; and
a lens assembly constructed and arranged to focus said at least one beam of light on the surface plane;
said device being constructed and arranged to sequentially direct the at least one beam of light to at least two spaced locations on the surface plane.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A putter type golf club head comprising a frontal ball striking face characterized by a plurality of land areas and adjacent, complimentary recessed areas formed in a repeating pattern; said land areas having a smaller area configuration at a midpoint of said frontal ball striking face than said adjacent, complimentary recesses; said land areas being further defined by a progressively larger configuration outwardly away from said midpoint; and said recessed areas being defined by being progressively smaller away from said midpoint.
2. The putter type golf club of claim 1 wherein said land areas and said recessed areas become larger and smaller proportionally each with the other.
3. The putter type golf club of claim 1 further defined as having a heel and toe on opposite ends of said frontal ball striking face and a mid-point on said frontal ball striking face between said heel and said toe wherein said land areas are smaller than said recessed areas at said midpoint of said putter face and said land areas are progressively larger toward the heel and toe than adjacent recessed areas.
4. The putter type golf club of claim 1 wherein said recessed areas are geometrical shapes.
5. The putter type golf club of claim 4 wherein said recessed areas are elongated, tapered ovals.
6. The putter type golf club of claim 1 wherein said recessed areas are arcuate in shape.
7. The putter type golf club head of claim 1 wherein said recesses are filled with non-metallic material.
8. A putter type golf club head comprising:
a frontal ball striking face; a plurality of variably sized land areas raised above said frontal ball striking face, said raised land areas formed in a repeating pattern; said land areas being further defined by having a smaller area size configuration at a midpoint of said frontal ball striking face; and, said land areas having a progressively larger size configuration outwardly away from said midpoint of said front.
9. The putter type golf club of claim 8 further defined by a heel and toe on said frontal face, wherein said land areas are progressively larger toward said heel and said toe.
10. The putter type golf club of claim 9 wherein said raised land areas are further defined as including a flat upper surface to contact a golf ball being struck with the putter; and, said frontal face being defined as being located below said flat upper surfaces of said land areas.
11. The putter type golf club of claim 9 wherein said land areas are geometrical in shape.
12. The putter type golf club of claim 9 wherein said land areas are rectangular.
13. The putter type golf club of claim 9 wherein said land areas are circular.