Abstract: An in-line particle sensor includes a sensor body, an illumination source, an illumination detector and communication electronics. The sensor body has an electronics enclosure and a flowthrough portion with a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet, a sample interaction region and a fluid path extending through the sample interaction region from the fluid inlet to the fluid outlet. The illumination source is disposed to provide light through at least a portion of the sample interaction region. The illumination detector is disposed to detect illumination variation resulting from illumination impinging at least one particle in the flow path in the sample interaction region. The communication electronics are operably coupled to the illumination detector to provide an indication of the at least one particle sensed by the illumination detector. The sample interaction region is configured to withstand high operating pressure.

Abstract: A method of calibrating a robot in a processing system is provided. The method includes removably coupling a distance sensor to an end effector of the robot and causing the distance sensor to measure a distance from the sensor to a substrate support. Then it is determined whether the distance meets or is within a selected threshold. Robot joint positions are recorded when the distance meets or is within the selected threshold.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention generally provide accurate spatial determination, in three dimensions, of the wafer location, along with the provision of information about the presence of any error conditions relative to the wafer(s) such as cross slotting or double stacked wafers inside the wafer carrier. A device in accordance with an embodiment of the invention can be used in conjunction with a wafer handling system which requires the measurement of a wafer's location before it can be picked up and passed through a set of processing steps.

Abstract: A short-arc flashlamp of the type having an internally integral reflector including an anode and cathode member mounted to extend along a central axis of symmetry of the lamp and having distal ends spaced apart to define a short-arc gap. The lamp is driven by current pulses such that the average peak currents across the arc gap exceed about one hundred amperes in pulses ranging from about two to ten microseconds.

Abstract: A short-arc lamp of the type having an internally integral reflector including electrodes mounted to extend along a central axis of symmetry of the lamp and having distal ends of similar shape which are spaced apart to define a short-arc gap such that the lamp can be directly driven by alternating current.