Abstract: A semiconductor device preparing according to a process comprising the step of photolithographic features formed in a photoresist including exposing the photoresist to at least one material selected from the group consisting of at least one amine, at least one amide, at least one aldehyde, and nitrogen.

Abstract: A process for controlled shrinkage of photolithographic features formed in photoresist. A shrinkage profile is determined for the photoresist and sizes of the photolithographic features. The photoresist is then exposed to ultraviolet radiation and elevated temperature until the photolithographic features shrink a desired amount.

Abstract: A process for reducing shrinkage of photolithographic features formed in a photoresist including exposing the photoresist to at least one material selected from the group consisting of at least one amine, at least one amide, at least one aldehyde, and nitrogen.

Abstract: A plasma ashing chamber that uses an external radiant power source to uniformly heat the wafer is provided with a double plate window through which radiant heat and exhaust gases flow without interfering with each other.

Abstract: A method of removing material from a substrate, and a plasma discharge device wherein a plasma is excited by microwave energy having an electric field which is azimuthally and axially uniform in relation to the plasma tube. The microwave cavity is divided longitudinally into sections by conducting partitions, each of which is separately fed with microwave energy, and the plasma tube extends through openings in the partitions.

Abstract: A power supply quickly restarts an electrodeless lamp which is temporarily turned off in an application using microwave radiation generated by a magnetron. When the electrodeless lamp operates in a full power mode, the power supply provides full power to the magnetron via high DC current and high DC voltage. When a user selectively switches the electrodeless lamp off, less power is provided to the magnetron than in the full power mode. In the reduced power mode, the magnetron generates sufficient microwave radiation to maintain the bulb plasma in an ignited condition while the lamp produces substantially no light output. This eliminates the required cooldown delay associated with the lamp shut down and quickly brings the lamp to the full power operation when requested by the user.

Abstract: A combination contact temperature probe/wafer support includes a thermocouple enclosing probe head of low thermal mass and large contact area supported by a support means such that 1) there is a high thermal resistivity connection between the support means and the probe head, and 2) the probe head is self orienting under the weight of the wafer so that the contact area is maintained coplanar with the surface of the wafer.

Abstract: An electrodeless lamp is started by coupling microwave power of a first frequency to a lamp cavity, while the discharge is maintained by coupling microwave power of a second frequency, wherein the first frequency is lower than the second frequency. A cooling fluid is impinged on the lamp bulb immediately before the application of the microwave power of the first frequency.

Abstract: A SMIF system for transferring semiconductor wafers between two controlled environments, one being within a wafer cassette carrier and the other being within an enclosure around a wafer processing apparatus. In a carrier loading position, a carrier door rests on a port door which forms part of a platform for vertically fixing and horizontally moving the cassette within the enclosure. A carrier cover, when unlocked from the carrier door, is engageable by a port plate for vertical movement therewith as an elevator mechanism moves the port plate between down and up positions. In the down position, the port door closes an enclosure opening defined by the port plate. In the up position, the port plate raises the carrier cover to allow access to the wafers in the cassette by an article processing apparatus. External and internal panels carried by the port plate cause the controlled environment of the enclosure to be extended to include a compartment containing the uncovered cassette.

Abstract: A lamp for providing visible light which utilizes a fill containing selenium and/or sulfur, or compounds of these substances. The lamp is excited such that the excited fill emits radiation from elemental selenium and/or elemental sulfur which is in a continuous band principally within the visible range.

Abstract: A power supply for a magnetron varies a power output level and prevents moding of the magnetron. To provide a variable power output, a microprocessor senses an anode current and voltage of the magnetron. Based on the sensed signals, the microprocessor adjusts the conduction angle of a thyristor to obtain the desired power level. The microprocessor also monitors the anode voltage for detecting moding of the magnetron. If moding is detected, the microprocessor adjusts the conduction angle of another thyristor to change the current supplied to the filament. By changing the filament current, the microprocessor effectively prevents the moding of the magnetron.

Abstract: An excimer lamp utilizing a high pressure fill. The fill includes a halogen at an operating pressure of greater than about 350 torr or the combination of a halogen and a rare gas at a total operating pressure of greater than about 2.5 atmospheres.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for preventing contaminated reverse flows in air or gas impingement cooled lamps. In an electrodeless lamp, a stream of clean air or gas is provided as a replacement for contaminated air.

Abstract: Composition containing charge transfer complex from at least one unsaturated compound having an electron donor group and having an electron withdrawing group and being free of any photoinitiating compound is polymerized by being subjected to ultraviolet light.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for curing radiation curable material includes a lamp unit providing radiation in a converging beam directed toward a focal plane and forming a curing zone at a curing position for receiving the curable material. The lamp unit is mounted in a boot member having a spiral external thread for engaging a spiral internal thread on the wall of a housing chamber for receiving the boot member. The engagement of the threads is such that rotation of the boot member controllably varies the intensity of radiation in the curing zone by changing the distance between the radiation outlet of the lamp unit and the curing position. The curing zone may be an elongated band such that rotation of the boot member also provides angular adjustment of the elongated band relative to a curing path for the curable material. The boot member may include internal cooling passages and these passages may contain overlapping light baffles blocking the escape of harmful radiation.

Abstract: A power supply for providing a stable operating current to a magnetron-excited lamp. The power supply includes a DC to DC inverter for driving a primary winding of a high voltage transformer. The DC to DC inverter has a circuit including two pairs of switching elements for connecting a DC voltage supply to the primary winding. During each half of the switching cycle, one of the switching elements is pulse width modulated while the other remains on for a substantially fixed period of time. During the second half of the cycle, the remaining pair operates so that one switching device is on for a pulse width modulated period of time, and the other is on a substantially constant amount of time. The on time for the pulse width modulated switching elements is defined by an input voltage setting representing a desired brightness level for the lamp, the output magnetron current, and a representative of the integral of the current flowing through the primary of the inverter transformer.

Abstract: A metal vapor/inert gas laser comprises a laser tube containing an inert gas and a metallic material capable of vaporizing and lasing, a microwave energy source, and a slow wave structure proximate the laser tube for coupling microwave energy from the source to the metal vapor in the laser tube. A non-metallic electronegative species can be substituted for the metallic material in the laser tube.

Abstract: A high power lamp which utilzes a lamp fill containing sulfur or selenium, or compounds of these substances. An electrodeless lamp utilizing such a fill at a pressure at least as high as 1 atmosphere is excited at a power density in excess of 50 watts/cc. An arc lamp utilizing the fill at a pressure at least as high as 1 atmosphere is excited at a power density of at least 60 watts/cm.

Abstract: A microwave-powered discharge lamp having a microwave cavity, a discharge lamp mounted within the cavity, a reflector for light emitted by the lamp mounted outside the cavity, and a non-conductive reflector mounted within the cavity for outwardly reflecting light emitted from the lamp.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for the ultraviolet curing of pigmented coatings having a thickness from about 1 mm to about 10 mm at a high curing rate and a relatively low energy consumption per unit area of coating cured. A coated substrate is irradiated by a first high UV source having a spectral energy distribution of the discharge which is high in the range from about 350 nm to about 450 nm and by a second UV source having a spectral energy distribution of the discharge which is high in discrete regions through the range of about 200 nm to about 450 nm. Each UV source is powered by at least about 300 watts per inch of width of the coating.