Abstract: A method for preparing a porous anti-reflective thin film composed of hollow polymer nano-particles is provided in the following steps: Firstly, an aqueous dispersion having mass percent of 3-7% is prepared using polymer nano-capsules. A thin film comprising polymer nano-capsules is formed by spin coating on one side or both sides of the substrate using a spin coater. The thin film comprising polymer nano-capsules is dried in vacuum at high temperature. After the core materials of the polymer nano-capsules evaporate completely, the polymer nano-capsules turn into hollow polymer nano-particles, and a porous anti-reflective thin film composed of hollow polymer nano-particles is prepared. The thickness and refractive index of the thin film are adjusted conveniently and effectively by changing the concentration of polymer nano-capsules aqueous dispersion and the hollow volume rate of the polymer nano-particles. The thin film has the advantages of high mechanical intensity and abrasion resistance.

Abstract: The present invention provides a pressure-induced phase transformation process to engineer metal nanoparticle architectures and to fabricate new nanostructured materials. The reversible changes of the nanoparticle unit cell dimension under pressure allow precise control over interparticle separation in 2D or 3D nanoparticle assemblies, offering unique robustness for interrogation of both quantum and classic coupling interactions. Irreversible changes above a threshold pressure of about 8 GPa enables new nanostructures, such as nanorods, nanowires, or nanosheets.

Abstract: A substrate is rotated at a first rotation number (first step). The rotation of the substrate is decelerated to 1500 rpm that is a second rotation number and the substrate is rotated at the second rotation number for 0.5 seconds (second step). The rotation of the substrate is further decelerated to a third rotation number and the substrate is rotated at the third rotation number (third step). The rotation of the substrate is accelerated to a fourth rotation number and the substrate is rotated at the fourth rotation number (fourth step). A resist solution is continuously supplied to a center portion of the substrate from a middle of the first step to a middle of the third step.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method the synthesis and utilization of random, cross-linked, substituted polystyrene copolymers as polymeric cross-linked surface treatments (PXSTs) to control the orientation of physical features of a block copolymer deposited over the first copolymer. Such methods have many uses including multiple applications in the semiconductor industry including production of templates for nanoimprint lithography.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for forming a silicon-containing resist underlayer film, the method for coating and forming a silicon-containing resist underlayer film by spin coating method comprising: feeding an aqueous alkaline solution in a pipe of an apparatus for coating and forming a film by spin coating method to clean therein; supplying a silicon-containing resist underlayer film composition via the pipe; and coating the silicon-containing resist underlayer film on a substrate to form a film. There can be provided a method for forming a silicon-containing resist underlayer film capable of reducing coating defects after forming a film by cleaning and removing a precipitate derived from silicon-containing resist underlayer film composition that precipitates and adheres in a pipe of an apparatus for coating and forming a film.

Abstract: Artificial leather with optimal elongation and a method for manufacturing the same is disclosed, the artificial leather comprising a non-woven fabric with micro-fibers and a polymeric elastomer impregnated into the non-woven-fiber, wherein the polymeric elastomer is 20 to 30% by weight with respect to a total weight of the artificial leather, and a density of the non-woven fabric is within the range of 0.160 to 0.250 g/cm3, wherein the artificial leather can be easily used for the goods with lots of flexed regions, for example, the headliner of vehicle.

Abstract: Spin coating a mixture of graphene oxide platelets, water, and an organic solvent by placing a drop of the mixture on a spinning substrate while blowing a drying gas onto the substrate and allowing the water and the organic solvent on the substrate to evaporate; and repeating the spin coating one or more times to form a graphene oxide film in contact with the substrate. An about 1-100 nm thick film of overlapping platelets of reduced graphene oxide.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for fabricating pyrite thin films from molecular inks. A process is provided that comprises dissolving simple iron-bearing and sulfur-bearing molecules in an appropriate solvent and then depositing the solution onto an appropriate substrate using one of several methods (roll-to-roll coating, spraying, spin coating, etc.), resulting in a solid film consisting of the molecules. These molecular precursor films are then heated to 200-600° C. in the presence of sulfur-bearing gases (e.g., S2, H2S) to convert the molecular films into films of crystalline iron pyrite (FeS2).

Abstract: Structured films containing multi-walled carbon nanotubes (“MWCNTs”) have enhanced mechanical performance in terms of strength, fracture resistance, and creep recovery of polyimide (“PI”) films. Preferably, the loadings of MWCNTs can be in the range of 0.1 wt % to 0.5 wt %. The strength of the new PI films dried at 60° C. increased by 55% and 72% for 0.1 wt % MWCNT and 0.5 wt % MWCNT loadings, respectively, while the fracture resistance increased by 23% for the 0.1 wt % MWCNTs and then decreases at a loading of 0.5 wt % MWCNTs. The films can be advantageously be created by managing a corresponding shift in the annealing temperature at which the maximum strength occurs as the MWCNT loadings increase.

Abstract: A method for forming a photoresist layer on a semiconductor device is disclosed. An exemplary includes providing a wafer. The method further includes spinning the wafer during a first cycle at a first speed, while a pre-wet material is dispensed over the wafer and spinning the wafer during the first cycle at a second speed, while the pre-wet material continues to be dispensed over the wafer. The method further includes spinning the wafer during a second cycle at the first speed, while the pre-wet material continues to be dispensed over the wafer and spinning the wafer during the second cycle at the second speed, while the pre-wet material continues to be dispensed over the wafer. The method further includes spinning the wafer at a third speed, while a photoresist material is dispensed over the wafer including the pre-wet material.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to systems and methods for adjusting adhesion strength between materials during semiconductor sensor processing. One or more embodiments are directed to using various surface treatments to a substrate to adjust adhesion strength between the substrate and a polymer. In one embodiment, the surface of the substrate is roughened to decrease the adhesive strength between the substrate and the polymer. In another embodiment, the surface of the substrate is smoothed to increase the adhesive strength between the substrate and the polymer.

Abstract: A method for developing a substrate includes spinning the substrate with a spin holder and discharging a developer to the substrate from a plurality of exhaust ports arranged in a row on a developer feeder. The method also includes causing a moving mechanism to move said developer feeder in one direction extending to a center of the substrate in plan view while maintaining a direction of arrangement of said exhaust ports in said one direction, thereby to move said developer feeder between substantially the center and an edge of the substrate. The method further includes causing the developer discharged from said exhaust ports to impinge in separate streams on the substrate, and causing each of the separate streams to impinge spirally on the substrate, thereby to develop the substrate. At least two of loci of positions of impingement of the developer corresponding to said exhaust ports overlap each other.

Abstract: A pretreatment process, carried out prior to a developing process, spouts pure water, namely, a diffusion-assisting liquid for assisting the spread of a developer over the surface of a wafer, through a cleaning liquid spouting nozzle onto a central part of the wafer to form a puddle of pure water. The developer is spouted onto the central part of the wafer for prewetting while the wafer is rotated at a high rotating speed to spread the developer over the surface of the wafer. The developer dissolves the resist film partly and produces a solution. The rotation of the wafer is reversed, for example, within 7 s in which the solution is being produced to reduce the water-repellency of the wafer by spreading the solution over the entire surface of the wafer. Then, the developer is spouted onto the rotating wafer to spread the developer on the surface of the wafer.

Abstract: Methods of treating wood including modifying a cell wall of the wood to be positively charged to form a cationic wood cell wall; and contacting a negatively charged silicon layer to the cationic wood cell wall to form a barrier, wherein the negatively charged silicon layer includes a silicate ester group, a silinol group, a silicon oxide group or a combination thereof are described. Treated wood compositions including a wood structure having an outer layer including a wood cell having a cell wall attached to a silicon layer which includes a silicate ester group, a silinol group, a silicon oxide group or a combination thereof are also described.

Abstract: A nanotube-photoresist composite is fabricated by preparing a nanotube suspension using a nanotube structure-containing raw material, dispersing the nanotube suspension in a photoresist using ultra-sonication to produce a nanotube suspension-photoresist mix, spin-coating the nanotube suspension-photoresist mix on a substrate to form a nanotube suspension-photoresist composite layer, and removing one or more solvents in the nanotube suspension-photoresist composite layer by baking.

Abstract: A device to form a coating film which can quickly coat a substrate of a follow-up lot after coating a preceding lot. The device is configured such that nozzles for a preceding lot and a following lot are integrated into a common movement mechanism and moved between an upper side of a liquid processing unit and a standby area. A coating method includes sucking air into the nozzle for the preceding lot to form an upper gas layer, sucking a solvent for the preceding lot in the standby area to form a thinner layer, and sucking air into the nozzle for the preceding lot to form a lower gas layer within the nozzle, and thus forming a state that a solvent layer is interposed between the upper gas layer and the lower gas layer.

Abstract: A method for wet treatment of plate-like articles includes, a chuck for holding a single plate-like article having an upwardly facing surface for receiving liquid running off a plate-like article when being treated with liquid, wherein the chuck is outwardly bordered by a circumferential annular lip. The chuck has an outer diameter greater than the greatest diameter of the plate-like article to be treated, and a rotatable part with an upwardly facing ring-shaped surface for receiving liquid running off the circumferential lip of the chuck. The rotatable part is rotatable with respect to the chuck, the ring-shaped surface is coaxially arranged with respect to the circumferential annular lip, the inner diameter of the ring-shaped surface is smaller than the outer diameter of the chuck, and the distance d between the lip and the upwardly facing ring-shaped surface is in a range from 0.1 mm to 5 mm.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus comprises an indexer block, an anti-reflection film processing block, a resist film processing block, a development processing block, a resist cover film processing block, a resist cover film removal block, a cleaning/drying processing block, and an interface block. An exposure device is arranged adjacent to the interface block in the substrate processing apparatus. The exposure device subjects a substrate to exposure processing by means of an immersion method. In the edge cleaning unit in the cleaning/drying processing block, a brush abuts against an end of the rotating substrate, so that the edge of the substrate before the exposure processing is cleaned. At this time, the position where the substrate is cleaned is corrected.

Abstract: A photoresist coating process including a first step and a second step is provided. In the first step, a wafer is accelerated by a first average acceleration. In the second step, the wafer is accelerated by a second average acceleration. The first acceleration and the second acceleration are both larger than zero, and photoresist material is provided to the wafer only in the second step.

Abstract: An improved technique achieves a uniform photoresist film on a wafer by controlling the volatility of the solvent in a photoresist solution during the bake process step. Because film formation takes place in the bake rather than the spin steps of the process, the improved technique involves using less viscous and therefore less costly and easier to use resists to cast relatively thick photoresist films. Such control is achieved in an enclosed chamber into which a carrier gas is introduced; the carrier gas mixes with gaseous solvent to create a saturating atmosphere in which the rate of evaporation of solvent decreases. This enables the heating of the wafer without the reduction of solvent in the film so that the photoresist can self-level. When the film has self-leveled, the solvent is then baked off as usual.