Abstract: A method of determining an optical distance between two nodes of an optical network for chromatic dispersion compensation includes using existing optical supervisory channel components in each node to measure the “time-of-flight” of an optical signal having a known wavelength. The effective optical distance is determined based on the time-of-flight and known wavelength of the optical signal. The computed optical distance may then be used to compensate for the dispersion experienced by the optical signal when transmitted between the two nodes. Advantageously, the method allows tunable dispersion compensation of a wavelength channel to be periodically optimized at each node in response to incremental changes in environmental factors that affect the chromatic dispersion produced between the two nodes or in response to reconfigurations that affect the chromatic dispersion produced between the two nodes.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to an earth removal member with features for facilitating drill-through. In one embodiment, an earth removal member for drilling a wellbore with casing or liner includes a tubular body and a head. The head is fastened to or formed with an end of the body, has a face and a side, is made from a high strength material, and has a port formed through the face. The earth removal member further includes a blade. The blade is formed on the head, extends from the side and along the face, and is made from the high strength material. The earth removal member further includes cutters disposed along the blade; and a nozzle adapter. The nozzle adapter has a port formed therethrough, is longitudinally and rotationally coupled to the head, and is made from a drillable material. The earth removal member further includes a nozzle disposed in the adapter port and fastened to the nozzle adapter.

Abstract: Methods for forming a microcrystalline silicon layer in a thin film transistor structure are provided. In one embodiment, a method for forming a microcrystalline silicon layer includes providing a substrate in a processing chamber, supplying a first gas mixture having a hydrogen containing gas to a silicon containing gas flow rate ratio greater than about 200:1 into the processing chamber, maintaining a first process pressure greater than about 6 Torr in the processing chamber to deposit a first microcrystalline silicon containing layer in presence of a plasma formed from the first gas mixture, supplying a second gas mixture into the processing chamber, and maintaining a second process pressure less than about 5 Torr in the processing chamber to deposit a second microcrystalline silicon containing layer in presence of a plasma formed from the second gas mixture.

Abstract: The present invention generally includes a remote plasma source and a method of generating a plasma in a remote plasma source. Cleaning gas may be ignited into a plasma in a remote location and then provided to the processing chamber. By flowing the cleaning gas outside of a cooled RF coil, a plasma may be ignited at either high or low pressure while providing a high RF bias to the coil. Cooling the RF coil may reduce sputtering of the coil and thus reduce undesirable contaminants from being fed to the processing chamber with the cleaning gas plasma. Reduced sputtering from the coil may extend the useful life of the remote plasma source.

Abstract: A fiber-optical, wavelength selective switch, especially for channel routing with equalization and blocking applications. The input signals are converted to light beams having predefined polarizations (41). The beams are then laterally expanded (43), and then undergo spatial dispersion in the beam expansion plane. The different wavelength components are directed through a polarization rotation device, pixilated along the wavelength dispersion direction such that each pixel operates on a separate wavelength. Each beam is passed into a pixilated beam steering array (48), for directing each wavelength to a desired output port. The beam steering devices can be MEMS-based or Liquid crystal-based, or an LCOS array. When the appropriate voltage is applied to a pixel and its associated beam steering element, the polarization of the light passing through the pixel is rotated and the beam steered to couple to the selected output port.

Abstract: Embodiments of a gas distribution plate for distributing gas in a processing chamber are provided. In one embodiment, a gas distribution assembly for a plasma processing chamber comprises a diffuser plate with gas passages passing between its upstream and downstream sides and hollow cathode cavities at the downstream side of the gas passages. The downstream side of the diffuser plate has a curvature to improve the thickness uniformity and film property uniformity of thin films deposited by PECVD, particularly SiN and amorphous silicon films. The curvature is preferably described by an arc of a circle or ellipse, the apex thereof located at the center point of the diffuser plate. In one aspect, the hollow cathode cavity volume density, surface area density, or the cavity density of the diffuser increases from the center of the diffuser to the outer edge. Methods for manufacturing such a diffuser plate are also provided.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for delivering gases to a semiconductor processing system are provided. In one embodiment, an apparatus for delivering gases to a semiconductor processing system includes a plurality of gas input and output lines having inlet and outlet ports. Connecting lines couple respective pairs of the gas input and gas output lines. Connecting valves are arranged to control flow through the respective connecting lines. Mass gas flow controllers are arranged to control flow into respective inlet ports. In another embodiment, a method includes providing a manifold having at least a plurality of inlet that may be selectively coupled to at least one of a plurality of outlets, flowing one or more gases through the manifold to a vacuum environment by-passing the processing chamber prior to processing or to a calibration circuit, and flowing the one or more gases into the processing chamber during substrate processing.

Abstract: A tubing expansion device is adapted to be advanced axially, without rotation, through tubing to be expanded. The device comprises a body and a plurality of expansion members mounted on the body, the expansion members being independently radially movable. The expansion members may be rotatable, or may be non-rotating.

Abstract: A pedestal assembly and method for controlling temperature of a substrate during processing is provided. In one embodiment, the pedestal assembly includes an electrostatic chuck coupled to a metallic base. The electrostatic chuck includes at least one chucking electrode and metallic base includes at least two fluidly isolated conduit loops disposed therein. In another embodiment, the pedestal assembly includes a support member that is coupled to a base by a material layer. The material layer has at least two regions having different coefficients of thermal conductivity. In another embodiment, the support member is an electrostatic chuck. In further embodiments, a pedestal assembly has channels formed between the base and support member for providing cooling gas in proximity to the material layer to further control heat transfer between the support member and the base, thereby controlling the temperature profile of a substrate disposed on the support member.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for supporting a substantial center portion of a gas distribution plate is disclosed. At least one support member is capable of engaging and disengaging the diffuser with a mating connection without prohibiting flow of a gas or gases through the diffuser and is designed to provide vertical suspension to a diffuser that is supported at its perimeter, or capable of supporting the diffuser without a perimeter support. In one aspect, the at least one support member is a portion of a gas delivery conduit and in another embodiment is a plurality of support members separated from the gas delivery conduit. The at least one support member is capable of translating vertical lift, or vertical compression to a center area of the diffuser. A method and apparatus for controlling gas flow from the gas delivery conduit to the gas distribution plate is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for preventing particle contamination within a processing chamber is disclosed. Preheating the substrate within the processing chamber may cause a thermophoresis effect so that particles within the chamber that are not adhered to a surface may not come to rest on the substrate. One method to increase the substrate temperature is to plasma load the substrate. Plasma loading comprises providing an inert gas plasma to the substrate to heat the substrate. Another method to increase the substrate temperature is high pressure loading the substrate. High pressure loading comprises heating the substrate while increasing the chamber pressure to between about 1 Torr and about 10 Torr. By rapidly increasing the substrate temperature within the processing chamber prior to substrate processing, particle contamination is less likely to occur.

Abstract: The invention relates to electric engineering, in particular to methods for controlling an ac electronic motor. The inventive control method consists in starting and rotating a rotor upon EMF signals in current-free sections of an armature winding, in converting the EMF signals into discrete logical level signals by a normalizer, in detecting switching points by means of a microcontroller and in displacing said points according to a load current quantity, the rotor speed of rotation and the inductance of the armature winding sections, wherein the switching points are calculated and displaced with respect to bridging times of the free sections EMF whose voltage levels are different from zero. The inventive device is characterized in that it comprises a reference level displacing unit (26), which is arranged in the normalizer between a divider 22 and a comparator unit (23) and which consists of a current sensor (27), a voltage sensor (27), two adders (29, 30) and an inverter (31).

Abstract: A flow equalizer plate is provided for use in a substrate process chamber. The flow equalizer plate has an annular shape with a flow obstructing inner region, and a perforated outer region that permits the passage of a processing gas, but retains specific elements in the processing gas, such as active radicals or ions. The inner and outer regions have varying radial widths so as to balance a flow of processing gas over a surface of a substrate. In certain embodiments, the flow equalizer plate may be utilized to correct chamber flow asymmetries due to a lateral offset of an exhaust port relative to a center line of a substrate support between the process volume and the exhaust port.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an apparatus for performing an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process is provided which includes a chamber body containing a substrate support, a lid assembly attached to the chamber body, a remote plasma system (RPS) in fluid communication with the reaction zone, a centralized expanding conduit extending through the lid assembly and expanding radially outwards, a first gas delivery sub-assembly configured to deliver a first process gas, and a second gas delivery sub-assembly configured to deliver a second process gas into the centralized expanding conduit. The first gas delivery sub-assembly contains an annular channel encircling and in fluid communication with the centralized expanding conduit, wherein the annular channel is adapted to deliver the first process gas through a plurality of passageways and nozzles and into the centralized expanding conduit. The second gas delivery sub-assembly contains a gas inlet in fluid communication to the centralized expanding conduit.

Abstract: The present invention generally includes a load lock chamber for transferring large area substrates into a vacuum processing chamber. The load lock chamber may have one or more separate, environmentally isolated environments. Each processing environment may have a plurality exhaust ports for drawing a vacuum. The exhaust ports may be located at the corners of the processing environment. When a substrate is inserted into the load lock chamber from the factory interface, the environment may need to be evacuated. Due to the exhaust ports located at the corners of the environment, any particles or contaminants that may be present may be pulled to the closest corner and out of the load lock chamber without being pulled across the substrate. Thus, substrate contamination may be reduced.

Abstract: A method of controlling the resistivity and morphology of a tungsten film is provided, comprising depositing a first film of a bulk tungsten layer on a substrate during a first deposition stage by (i) introducing a continuous flow of a reducing gas and a pulsed flow of a tungsten-containing compound to a process chamber to deposit tungsten on a surface of the substrate, (ii) flowing the reducing gas without flowing the tungsten-containing compound into the chamber to purge the chamber, and repeating steps (i) through (ii) until the first film fills vias in the substrate surface, increasing the pressure in the process chamber, and during a second deposition stage after the first deposition stage, depositing a second film of the bulk tungsten layer by providing a flow of reducing gas and tungsten-containing compound to the process chamber until a second desired thickness is deposited.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate to a surface preparation treatment for the formation of thin films of high k dielectric materials over substrates. One embodiment of a method of forming a high k dielectric layer over a substrate includes pre-cleaning a surface of a substrate to remove native oxides, pre-treating the surface of the substrate with a hydroxylating agent, and forming a high k dielectric layer over the surface of the substrate. One embodiment of a method of forming a hafnium containing layer over a substrate includes introducing an acid solution to a surface of a substrate, introducing a hydrogen containing gas and an oxygen containing gas to the surface of the substrate, and forming a hafnium containing layer over the substrate.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for edge film stack removal process for fabricating photovoltaic devices. In one embodiment, a method for manufacturing solar cell devices on a substrate includes providing a substrate into a chemical vapor deposition chamber, contacting a shadow frame disposed in the deposition chamber to a periphery region of the substrate, depositing a silicon-containing layer on the substrate through an aperture defined by the shadow frame, transferring the substrate to a physical vapor deposition chamber, depositing a transparent conductive layer on the silicon-containing layer, transferring the substrate to a laser edge removal tool, and laser scribing the layers formed on the periphery region of the substrate.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing substrates using a multi-chamber processing system, or cluster tool, is provided. In one embodiment of the invention, a robot assembly is provided. The robot assembly includes a first motion assembly movable in a first direction, and a second motion assembly, the second motion assembly being coupled to the first motion assembly and being movable relative to the first motion assembly in a second direction that is generally orthogonal to the first direction. The robot assembly further comprises an enclosure disposed in one of the first motion assembly or the second motion assembly, an actuator within the enclosure, and a fan assembly disposed in the enclosure that is adapted to generate a pressure within the enclosure that is less than a pressure outside of the enclosure.