Abstract: An silicon-containing antireflective coating (SiARC) material is applied on a substrate. The SiARC material which includes a base polymer and may include a boron silicate polymer including silsesquioxane. An etch sequence is utilized, which includes a first wet etch employing a basic solution, a second wet etch employing an acidic solution, and a third wet etch employing another basic solution. The first wet etch can be employed to break up the boron silicate polymer, and the second wet etch can remove the base polymer material, and the third wet etch can remove the residual boron silicate polymer and other residual materials. The SiARC material can be removed from a substrate employing the etch sequence, and the substrate can be reused for monitoring purposes.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for cleaning a phase plate (1) for a transmission electron microscope wherein said phase plate is etched before being irradiated for the first time in the TEM, and is then held in an ultra-pure holding atmosphere until the irradiation in the TEM.

Abstract: A sapphire pad conditioner includes a sapphire substrate having multiple protrusions on a surface and a holder arranged to hold the sapphire substrate. The sapphire substrate is used for conditioning a chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) pad.

Abstract: A selective removal of metal and its anion species that are detrimental to subsequent hydrothermal hydrocatalytic conversion from the biomass feed in a continuous or semi-continuous manner prior to carrying out catalytic hydrogenation/hydrogenolysis/hydrodeoxygenation of the biomass that does not reduce the effectiveness of the hydrothermal hydrocatalytic treatment while minimizing the amount of water used in the process is provided.

Abstract: Anode foils suitable for use in electrolytic capacitors, including those having multiple anode configurations, have improved strength, reduced brittleness, and increased capacitance compared to conventional anode foils for electrolytic capacitors. Exemplary methods of manufacturing an anode foil suitable for use in an electrolytic capacitor include disposing a resist material in a predetermined pattern on an exposed surface of an anode foil substrate such that a first portion of the exposed surface of the anode foil substrate is covered by the resist material, and a second portion of the exposed surface remains uncovered; polymerizing the resist material; exposing at least the second portion of the exposed surface to one or more etchants so as to form a plurality of tunnels; stripping the polymerized resist material; and widening at least a portion of the plurality of tunnels. The resist material may be deposited, for example, by ink-jet printing, stamping or screen printing.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a piezoelectric film wafer includes an etching step for carrying out a dry etching on a piezoelectric film formed on a substrate by using a gas containing Ar, and a step of changing a rate of the dry etching by detecting a change in an emission peak intensity of Na in emitted ion plasma the piezoelectric film. The piezoelectric film is made of an alkali niobate-based perovskite structure expressed in a composition formula (K1-xNax)NbO3 (0.4?x?0.7).

Abstract: A method for producing a dielectric layer on the surface of a component is described. In particular embodiments, a dielectric layer having a planar surface can be generated over a substrate topography having raised structures. In a trimming process, a component property, which depends on the thickness or the third topography of the dielectric layer, is adjusted.

Abstract: A film layer on a substrate of the wafer is patterned to form a first plurality of areas of the film layer and a second plurality of areas of the film layer. The first plurality of areas of the film layer is removed. The second plurality of areas of the film layer is kept on the substrate. A first portion of the film layer is kept on the substrate. A first edge of the first portion of the film layer is substantially near an edge of the wafer. The first portion of the film layer defines a boundary for the wafer.

Abstract: A method for smoothing a medium includes depositing a magnetic layer onto a base, depositing an overcoat layer onto an outer surface of the magnetic layer, and burnishing an outer surface of the overcoat layer. Further, the method includes at least one of (i) directing a first ion beam comprised of first energetic ions toward the outer surface of the magnetic layer at a first shallow grazing angle and smoothing the outer surface of the magnetic layer via etching engagement between the first ion beam and the outer surface of the magnetic layer; and (ii) directing a second ion beam comprised of second energetic ions toward the outer surface of the overcoat layer at a second shallow grazing angle and smoothing the outer surface of the overcoat layer via etching engagement between the second angled ion beam and the outer surface of the overcoat layer.

Abstract: An autoclavable bucketless cleaning system, including a vessel for storing fluid under pressure, a removably-connectable outlet regulator assembly for dispensing fluid from the vessel, a removably-connectable inlet regulator assembly for pressurizing the vessel, a removably-connectable outlet autoclave stem for installing in the outlet regulator assembly so that steam may pass through the outlet regulator assembly, and a removably-connectable inlet autoclave stem for installing in the inlet regulator assembly so that steam may pass through the inlet regulator assembly.

Abstract: Disclosed is a plasma etching method which suppresses the narrowing of the line-width of the line formed by etching and maintain the height of a remaining photoresist. The plasma etching method includes a modification process and an etching process. The modification process modifies a photoresist having a predetermined pattern by plasma of HBr/Ar gas while applying a negative DC voltage to an upper electrode containing silicon disposed to face a target object in which an organic film and the photoresist are sequentially laminated. The etching process etches the organic film by plasma of a processing gas which contains a CF-based gas and a CHF-based gas.

Abstract: A container for collecting water samples to determine dissolved gas includes a flask-type pouch with a spout. A removable cap and valve install on the spout. The valve includes an adapter that fits with an O-ring or other seal inside the mouth of the spout. The valve includes a valve element, which can be a one-way, self-closing type of valve, that fits with an O-ring or other seal inside the end of the adapter. A cap of the container fits over the adapter and affixes to the spout to hold the valve on the spout. In use, the cap can be removed so that the valve element and adapter can be removed for filling the pouch. Otherwise, the cap can remain in place so filling can be performed through the valve element. A tamper-evident ring on the cap may be provided to ensure the integrity of the sample contained in the flask.

Abstract: Provided is a plasma etching method increasing the selectivity of a silicon nitride film in relation to the silicon oxide film or silicon functioning as a base. In a plasma etching method setting a pressure in a processing container as a predetermined level by exhausting a processing gas while supplying the processing gas into the processing container, generating plasma by supplying external energy to the processing container, and setting a bias applied to a holding stage holding a substrate in the processing container as predetermined value to selectively etch the silicon nitride film with respect to a silicon and/or silicon oxide film, the processing gas includes a plasma excitation gas, a CHxFy gas, and at least one oxidizing gas selected from the group consisting of O2, CO2, CO, and a flow rate of the oxidizing gas with respect to the CHxFy gas is set to be 4/9 or greater.

Abstract: Methods for removing, reducing or treating the trace metal contaminants and the smaller fine sized cerium oxide particles from cerium oxide particles, cerium oxide slurry or chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) compositions for Shallow Trench Isolation (STI) process are applied. The treated chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) compositions, or the CMP polishing compositions prepared by using the treated cerium oxide particles or the treated cerium oxide slurry are used to polish substrate that contains at least a surface comprising silicon dioxide film for STI (Shallow trench isolation) processing and applications. The reduced nano-sized particle related defects have been observed due to the reduced trace metal ion contaminants and reduced very smaller fine cerium oxide particles in the Shallow Trench Isolation (STI) CMP polishing.

Abstract: A method for operating a substrate processing apparatus is provided which can contain generation of particles by generating plasma in a stable manner. After a substrate is disposed in an evacuated vacuum chamber, a rare gas is initially supplied into the vacuum chamber, a voltage is applied to a plasma generating means, and plasma of the rare gas is generated. Subsequently, a reaction gas is supplied into the vacuum chamber, the reaction gas is brought into contact with the plasma of the rare gas, and plasma of the reaction gas is generated. The plasma of the reaction gas is brought into contact with the substrate; and the substrate is processed. Plasma is stably generated not by turning the reaction gas into plasma but by first turning the rare gas into plasma by the plasma generating means, and generation of particles is subsequently suppressed.

Abstract: In a substrate processing apparatus (1), a silicon oxide film on a main surface of a substrate (9) is removed in an oxide film removing part (4) and then a silylation material is applied to the main surface, to thereby perform a silylation process in a silylation part (6). It is thereby possible to lengthen the Q time from the removal of the silicon oxide film to the formation of the silicon germanium film and reduce the temperature for prebaking in the formation of the silicon germanium film.

Abstract: A cleaning solution and method for removing submicron particles from the surface of an electronic substrate such as a semiconductor wafer. The cleaning solution comprises a polycarboxylate polymer, a base and water. The method comprises the step of contacting a surface of the substrate with a cleaning solution comprised of the polycarboxylate polymer. Additional optional steps in the method include applying acoustic energy to the cleaning solution and/or rinsing the surface with a rinsing solution with or without the application of acoustic energy to the rinsing solution.

Abstract: A system for cleaning a fiber cap including a first fixture configured to hold the fiber cap, the fiber cap having an internal cavity with an opening therein. The fiber cap also includes a first axis generally aligned with the central axis of the fiber cap and internal cavity, a second axis orthogonal to the first axis, and a third axis orthogonal to the first and second axes. The system further includes a second fixture configured to hold a particulate collecting member (1) to receive and hold an electrical charge and (2) for insertion into the opening of the fiber cap.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for removing burrs of battery electrode plates using inductively coupled plasma (ICP) dry etching, in which an induction coil is used for ionizing reaction gas. A DC bias is applied to accelerate the ionized reaction gas to bombard the burrs of electrode plate, removing burrs that formed in machining processes using physical bombardment. The equipment used in the present invention is an ICP etch system. The method according to the present invention can completely remove the burrs of electrode plate, thereby effectively preventing short circuits caused by burrs penetrating the membrane separator in the battery.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a liquid additive for etching silicon nitride and silicon oxide layers, a metal ink including the same for forming silicon solar cell electrodes and a method for manufacturing silicon solar cell electrodes. More particularly, it relates to a liquid additive including metal nitrate, metal acetate, or hydrates thereof and a metal ink for forming silicon solar cell electrodes, mixed with the liquid additive and a metal. Further, it relates to a method for manufacturing silicon solar cell electrodes comprising a one-step non-contact printing for etching of a silicon nitride layer or silicon oxide layer and forming electrodes.