Abstract: In a plasma processing system, a method for detecting an arc event on a substrate in a plasma chamber having a chuck is disclosed. The method includes positioning a substrate on the chuck. The method also includes providing a vibration-sensing arrangement in the plasma chamber, the vibration-sensing arrangement being configured for measuring arc-induced vibrations on the substrate, the arc-induced vibrations being generated when an arc strikes the substrate during plasma processing of the substrate in the plasma processing chamber.

Abstract: A probe apparatus configured to measure a set of electrical characteristics in a plasma processing chamber, the plasma processing chamber including a set of plasma chamber surfaces configured to be exposed to a plasma is disclosed. The probe apparatus includes a collection disk structure configured to be exposed to the plasma, whereby the collection disk structure is coplanar with at least one of the set of plasma chamber surfaces. The probe apparatus also includes a conductive path configured to transmit the set of electrical characteristics from the collection disk structure to a set of transducers, wherein the set of electrical characteristics is generated by an ion flux of the plasma. The probe apparatus further includes an insulation barrier configured to substantially electrically separate the collection disk and the conductive path from the set of plasma chamber surfaces.

Abstract: A method of optimizing the delivery of a set of data elements to a device, the set of data elements further comprising a metadata portion. The method further includes determining a source of each element of the set of data elements, and creating a set of rules for transforming the set of data elements from a first representation to a second representation, based in part on the metadata. The method further includes transferring the set of data elements from the source to a first computer, transforming the set of data elements, based in part on the set of rules, and delivering the second representation to the device. Thereafter, the method includes monitoring the source for a change to the set of data elements. And, if required, the method further includes transferring the change from the source to the first computer.

Abstract: A method of determining a thickness at a thickness position of a conductive film on a substrate with a center zone and an edge zone is disclosed. The method includes providing a set of thickness correlation curves at a set of sensor position radii from a center of the substrate to a position where a sensitivity of an eddy current sensor to the edge zone is greater than zero. The method also includes measuring a set of eddy current responses at a sensor position of the set of sensor position radii. The method further includes correlating the set of eddy current responses to the thickness at the thickness position.

Abstract: A method of transferring a set of data elements to a recipient on a network, the network includes a set of devices registered to the recipient. The method also includes receiving the set of data elements. The method further includes ascertaining if the first device is present on the network and if the first user is available via the first device based on status information received via set network. If the first device is present on the network and if the first user is available via the first device, the method includes transferring the set of set of data elements to the first device. And, if the first device is not present on the network or if the first user is not available via the first device, the method further includes transferring the set of set of data elements to the second device if the second device is present on the network and if the first user is available via the second device.

Abstract: A method for configuring a gas distribution channel, the gas distribution channel being configured for introducing a plasma source gas into a plasma processing chamber of a plasma processing system is disclosed. The method includes providing a metal conduit, providing a thermo-plastic tubular structure, and disposing the thermoplastic tubular structure within the metal conduit. The method also includes applying heat and pressure to the thermo-plastic tubular structure, thereby causing the thermo-plastic tubular structure to mechanically couple with the metal conduit wherein an outer surface of the thermo-plastic tubular structure is longitudinally coupled with an inner surface of the metal conduit.

Abstract: An arrangement for processing a semiconductor substrate in a plasma processing system is disclosed. The arrangement includes providing a RF coupling structure having a first terminal and a second terminal, the first terminal being coupled with a first electrical measuring device, the second terminal being coupled with a second electrical measuring device. The arrangement also includes coupling a compensating circuit to the second terminal. The arrangement further includes providing a feedback circuit coupled to receive information from the first electrical measuring device and the second electrical measuring device, an output of the feedback circuit being employed to control the compensating circuit in order to keep a ratio between a first electrical value at the first terminal and a second electrical value at the second terminal substantially at a predefined value.

Abstract: A data optimization engine for deoptimizing selected frames of a first stream of data, comprising a receive interface circuit coupled to an optimization processor. The receive interface circuit is configured for receiving the first stream of data. The receive interface circuit includes a traffic controller circuit for separating frames in the first stream of data into a first deoptimizable frame and a first non-deoptimizable frame, and a deoptimization front-end circuit coupled to the traffic controller circuit to receive at least a first portion of the first deoptimizable frame.

Abstract: An architecture for implementing host-based security such that data security may be applied whenever the confidential data leaves a host computer or a networked device. The improved method and architecture may be implemented in a single integrated circuit for speed, power consumption, and space-utilization reasons. Within the integrated circuit, a combination of hardware-implemented, network processor-implemented, and software-implemented functions may be provided. The innovative host-based security architecture may offer line-rate IPSec acceleration, TCP acceleration, or both.

Abstract: In a plasma processing system, a method of tuning of a set of plasma processing steps is disclosed. The method includes striking a first plasma comprising neutrals and ions in a plasma reactor of the plasma processing system. The method also includes etching in a first etching step a set of layers on a substrate; positioning a movable uniformity ring around the substrate, wherein a bottom surface of the uniformity ring is about the same height as a top surface of the substrate; and striking a second plasma consisting essentially of neutrals in the plasma reactor of the plasma processing system. The method further includes etching in a second etching step the set of layers on the substrate; and wherein the etching in the first step and the etching in the second step are substantially uniform.

Abstract: A network switch includes an input layer to receive a data stream with a set of cells. Each cell includes data and a header to designate a destination device. The input layer includes a set of input layer circuits. A selected input layer circuit of the set of input layer circuits receives the data stream. The selected input layer circuit includes a set of queues corresponding to a set of destination devices. The selected input layer circuit is configured to assign a selected cell from the data stream to a selected queue of the set of queues. The selected queue corresponds to a selected destination device specified by the header of the selected cell. An intermediate layer includes a set of intermediate layer circuits, each intermediate layer circuit has a set of buffers corresponding to the set of destination devices.

Abstract: The invention provides a dynamic domino circuit that is robust under noisy condition. The invention also provides a dynamic adder that contains nodes that can produce true dynamic inversion without compromising area or speed. The invention further improves speed of the adders by cutting the latch delay while not requiring complex clocking.

Abstract: The present invention provides for a method and system for verifying hardware operation of an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (“ASIC”) chip. The ASIC includes microcode logic for enabling Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (“TCP/IP”) processing. The method is performed in a system that includes a first computing device having a processor and computer code for simulating a computing device that includes the ASIC. Wherein the ASIC is tested against a conventional TCP/IP stack included in a second computing device coupled to the first computing device.

Abstract: A data optimization engine for optimizing selected frames of a first stream of data. The data optimization engine includes a transmit interface circuit coupled to an optimization processor, the transmit interface circuit being configured for receiving the first stream of data. The transmit interface circuit includes a traffic controller circuit for separating frames in the first stream of data into a first optimizable frame and a first non-optimizable frame, and an optimization front-end circuit coupled to the traffic controller circuit to receive at least a first portion of the first optimizable frame. The optimization front-end circuit includes a protocol conversion circuit configured to convert data in the first portion of the first optimizable frame from a first protocol to a second protocol suitable for processing by the optimization processor, the first protocol specifies a first word length, the second protocol specifies a second word length different from the first word length.

Abstract: The present invention provides for a method and protocol for high bandwidth, low-latency and reliable transfer of variable length FC Frames over the Gigabit Ethernet.

Abstract: A method of determining a parameter of interest during fabrication of a patterned substrate includes illuminating at least a portion of the patterned substrate with a normal incident light beam, obtaining a measured net reflectance spectrum of the portion of the patterned substrate from a normal reflected light beam, calculating a modeled net reflectance spectrum of the portion of the patterned substrate, and determining a set of parameters that provides a close match between the measured net reflectance spectrum and the modeled net reflectance spectrum. The modeled net reflectance spectrum is calculated as a weighted incoherent sum of reflectances from n?1 different regions constituting the portion of the patterned substrate, wherein the reflectance of each of the n different regions is a weighted coherent sum of reflected fields from k?1 laterally-distinct areas constituting the region.

Abstract: The invention provides a water supplying apparatus and method thereof which has a high capacity of peeling and removing a disused material such as a resist film and the like, and can efficiently use water vapor. A water supplying apparatus for executing a washing process, a cleaning process and a working process of a subject, is provided with a water vapor body supplying means for supplying a water vapor body, and a water mist body supplying means for supplying a water mist body containing liquid water fine particles, and the structure is made such that said water vapor body and said water mist body are supplied to the subject by independently controlling said two means.

Abstract: An integrated circuit configured to capture an input signal to produce an output signal. The input signal is synchronized with a first clock signal. The output signal is synchronized with a second clock signal having a second frequency different from a first frequency associated with the first signal. The integrated circuit includes a first clock domain gating circuit having a first output terminal and a first input terminal. The first clock domain gating circuit is configured to be clocked by the first clock. The first input terminal is coupled to receive the input signal, and the first clock domain gating circuit is configured to toggle a state of a signal on the first output terminal from one of a first state and a second state to the other of the first state and the second state every time a pulse is detected in the input signal, thereby producing a latched output at the first output terminal.

Abstract: A method for controlling a photoresist etch step in a plasma processing chamber is disclosed. The photoresist etch step being configured to etch back a photoresist layer deposited on a substrate surface to a thinner photoresist layer having predefined photoresist thickness. The method includes etching the photoresist layer using a plasma etch process and detecting interference patterns coming from the photoresist layer. The method further includes terminating the photoresist etch step when an analysis of the interference patterns indicates that the predefined photoresist thickness is achieved, whereby the predefined photoresist thickness is greater than zero.

Abstract: In a plasma processing system, a method of inspecting a contact opening of a contact formed in a first layer of the substrate to determine whether the contact reaches a metal layer that is disposed below the first layer is shown. The method includes flowing a gas mixture into a plasma reactor of the plasma processing system, the gas mixture comprising a flow of a chlorine containing gas. The method also includes striking a plasma from the gas mixture; and exposing the contact to the plasma. The method further includes detecting whether metal chloride is present in the contact opening after the exposing.