Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the production of a thermoplastic polyester using a reaction mixture comprising a dicarboxylic acid having a melting temperature of ?200° C. wherein the dicarboxylic acid is introduced to the process in the form of particles having an average particle diameter of ?100 ?m. Such process results in a reduction of the polymerisation time. Furthermore, it allows for the production of thermoplastic polyesters having a desired balance of intrinsic viscosity and carboxylic end group content at a reduced polymerisation time.

Abstract: A plasma processing system is described. The system may include a showerhead. The system may further include a first RF generator in electrical communication with the showerhead. The first RF generator may be configured to deliver a first voltage at a first frequency to the showerhead. Additionally, the system may include a second RF generator in electrical communication with a pedestal. The second RF generator may be configured to deliver a second voltage at a second frequency to the pedestal. The second frequency may be less than the first frequency. The system may also include a terminator in electrical communication with the showerhead. The terminator may provide a path to ground for the second voltage. Methods of depositing material using the plasma processing system are described. A method of seasoning a chamber by depositing silicon oxide and silicon nitride on the wall of the chamber is also described.

Abstract: Exemplary semiconductor processing chambers may include a gasbox. The chambers may include a substrate support. The chambers may include a blocker plate positioned between the gasbox and the substrate support. The blocker plate may define a plurality of apertures through the plate. The chambers may include a faceplate positioned between the blocker plate and substrate support. The faceplate may be characterized by a first surface facing the blocker plate and a second surface opposite the first surface. The second surface of the faceplate and the substrate support may at least partially define a processing region within the semiconductor processing chamber. The faceplate may be characterized by a central axis, and the faceplate may define a plurality of apertures through the faceplate. The faceplate may define a central recess about the central axis extending from the second surface of the faceplate to a depth less than a thickness of the faceplate.

Abstract: A method of calibrating a soot load estimating function for a diesel particulate filter uses radio frequency attenuation measurement and temperature measurements. The method comprises identifying a minimum mean attenuation value associated with a standard deviation that exceeds a standard deviation threshold and using this minimum mean attenuation value as a reference value. The method further comprises using a data library that contains gradient values for each of a range of possible temperature values to obtain a first gradient value, the first gradient value corresponding to the first temperature value, wherein each gradient value relates to the gradient of a linear approximation between mean attenuation and soot load at the corresponding temperature. The method involves using the reference value and the first gradient value to determine an axis intercept value for use as an offset value and adopting the offset value as a temperature-independent calibration value for the diesel particulate filter.

Abstract: The invention relates to a system and method for generating a radiotherapy treatment plan on the basis of treatment goals comprising optimization objectives and/or constraints. A planning unit (7) generates a first treatment plan including treatment parameters for fulfilling first treatment goals in a first optimization cycle, and a decision unit (8) receives second treatment goals and compares the first and second treatment goals to 5 determine a modification of the treatment goals, assigns to the modification a category from a plurality of predetermined categories, wherein to each category a strategy from a plurality of predetermined strategies for treatment plan generation is allocated, and instructs the planning unit (7) to generate the second treatment plan in accordance with a strategy allocated to the determined category of modifications in a second optimization cycle.

Abstract: A computing system may obtain code for a query to a database from a first user. In response, the application may automatically perform an operation to determine a number of records of the database that would be accessed by executing the query on the database. The computing system may output, for display to the first user, the number of records of the database that would be accessed by executing the query on the database. The computing system may output, for display to the first user, a prompt for an acknowledgement of the number of records of the database that would be accessed. In response to receiving an indication of the acknowledgement by the first user of the number of records of the database that would be accessed, the computing system may output, for display to a second user, the code for the query for review by the second user.

Abstract: Exemplary methods of semiconductor processing may include treating a surface of a substrate with a hydrogen-containing precursor. The substrate may be disposed within a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may include contacting the substrate with a tungsten-containing precursor. The methods may include forming an initiation layer comprising tungsten on the substrate. The methods may include treating the initiation layer with a hydrogen-containing precursor. The methods may include forming a plasma of the tungsten-containing precursor and a carbon-containing precursor. Hydrogen in the plasma may be limited to hydrogen included in the carbon-containing precursor. The methods may include forming a tungsten-containing hardmask layer on the initiation layer.

Abstract: Exemplary methods of semiconductor processing may include forming a silicon oxide material on exposed surfaces of a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may include forming a silicon nitride material overlying the silicon oxide material. The methods may include performing a deposition process on a semiconductor substrate disposed within the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may include performing a chamber cleaning process.

Abstract: Systems and methods forecast inbound telecommunications, and more particularly, analyze real-time and historical call center data, and apply a forecasting model to the data in order to predict inbound call volume. These systems and methods employ tools that manipulate call center data and generate visual representations of metrics pertaining to forecasting call center data via a dashboard.

Abstract: Implementations of the present disclosure generally relate to the fabrication of integrated circuits. More particularly, the implementations described herein provide techniques for deposition of boron-carbon films on a substrate. In one implementation, a method of processing a substrate is provided. The method comprises flowing a hydrocarbon-containing gas mixture into a processing volume of a processing chamber having a substrate positioned therein, wherein the substrate is heated to a substrate temperature from about 400 degrees Celsius to about 700 degrees Celsius, flowing a boron-containing gas mixture into the processing volume and generating an RF plasma in the processing volume to deposit a boron-carbon film on the heated substrate, wherein the boron-carbon film has an elastic modulus of from about 200 to about 400 GPa and a stress from about ?100 MPa to about 100 MPa.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for generating automatic illustrator guides. The method may include generating a plurality of candidate guides for a digital image (e.g., using an automated shape detection engine), where each of the plurality of candidate guides is a simple shape such as a line or a circle, combining at least two of the candidate guides based on the shape information to create refined candidate guides, generating a pixel coverage map for each of the refined candidate guides, prioritizing the refined candidate guides based on the corresponding pixel coverage maps, selecting one or more drawing guides from the one or more refined candidate guides based on the prioritization, and displaying the digital image along with the one or more drawing guides.

Abstract: A method of and system for substrate fabrication is disclosed herein. The method includes performing a first plasma-enhanced surface treatment in a chamber prior to disposal of a substrate, then, subsequently, depositing a season material in the process chamber. After depositing the plurality of season materials in the process chamber, a substrate is disposed in the chamber. The substrate is positioned in the process chamber in contact with the season material. A substrate treatment is performed. The substrate treatment can include one or more of: performing a second plasma-enhanced surface treatment, forming a barrier layer on the substrate, or performing a low frequency RF treatment prior to forming a metal-based hardmask film on the substrate. The metal-based hardmask film includes one or more metals.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to methods and apparatus for depositing metal silicide layers on substrates and chamber components. In one embodiment, a method of forming a hardmask includes positioning the substrate having a target layer within a processing chamber, forming a seed layer comprising metal silicide on the target layer and depositing a tungsten-based bulk layer on the seed layer, wherein the metal silicide layer and the tungsten-based bulk layer form the hardmask. In another embodiment, a method of conditioning the components of a plasma processing chamber includes flowing an inert gas comprising argon or helium from a gas applicator into the plasma processing chamber, exposing a substrate support to a plasma within the plasma processing chamber and forming a seasoning layer including metal silicide on an aluminum-based surface of the substrate support.

Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to processing chamber seasoning layers having a graded composition. In one example, the seasoning layer is a boron-carbon-nitride (BCN) film. The BCN film may have a greater composition of boron at the base of the film. As the BCN film is deposited, the boron concentration may approach zero, while the relative carbon and nitrogen concentration increases. The BCN film may be deposited by initially co-flowing a boron precursor, a carbon precursor, and a nitrogen precursor. After a first period of time, the flow rate of the boron precursor may be reduced. As the flow rate of boron precursor is reduced, RF power may be applied to generate a plasma during deposition of the seasoning layer.

Abstract: One or more embodiments described herein generally relate to selective deposition of substrates in semiconductor processes. In these embodiments, a precursor is delivered to a process region of a process chamber. A plasma is generated by delivering RF power to an electrode within a substrate support surface of a substrate support disposed in the process region of the process chamber. In embodiments described herein, delivering the RF power at a high power range, such as greater than 4.5 kW, advantageously leads to greater plasma coupling to the electrode, resulting in selective deposition to the substrate, eliminating deposition on other process chamber areas such as the process chamber side walls. As such, less process chamber cleans are necessary, leading to less time between depositions, increasing throughput and making the process more cost-effective.

Abstract: In one or more embodiments, a method for depositing a carbon hard-mask material by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) includes heating a substrate contained within a process chamber to a temperature in a range from about 100 C to about 700 C and producing a plasma with a power generator emitting an RF power of greater than 3 kW. In some examples, the temperature is in a range from about 300C to about 700C and the RF power is greater than 3 kW to about 7 kW. The method also includes flowing a hydrocarbon precursor into the plasma within the process chamber and forming a carbon hard-mask layer on the substrate at a rate of greater than 5,000/min, such as up to about 10,000/min or faster.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure relate to an improved electrostatic chuck for use in a processing chamber to fabricate semiconductor devices. In one embodiment, a processing chamber includes a chamber body having a processing volume defined therein and an electrostatic chuck disposed within the processing volume. The electrostatic chuck includes a support surface with a plurality of mesas located thereon, one or more electrodes disposed within the electrostatic chuck, and a seasoning layer deposited on the support surface over the plurality of mesas. The support surface is made from an aluminum containing material. The one or more electrodes are configured to form electrostatic charges to electrostatically secure a substrate to the support surface. The seasoning layer is configured to provide cushioning support to the substrate when the substrate is electrostatically secured to the support surface.

Abstract: A device for making polybutylene terephthalate includes (1) a slurry paste vessel; (2) a tower reactor to which a mixture of 1,4-butane diol and terephthalic acid from vessel (1) is supplied, the tower reactor having a plurality of reactor zones wherein the lower third of the tower reactor is in the form of a hydrocyclone with attached heat exchanger, and the hydrocyclone has a supply line from vessel (1), the hydrocyclone being connected to the top side of the tower reactor; (3) a first continuously stirred tank reactor to which the product from tower reactor (2) is supplied; (4) an optional second continuously stirred tank reactor to which the product from (3) is supplied; (5) a dual shaft ring reactor to which the product from stirred tank reactor (3) or (4), is supplied; and (6) a pelletizer where the product from dual shaft ring reactor (5) is continuously fed and pelletized.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to an apparatus for reducing arcing during thick film deposition in a plasma process chamber. In one embodiment, an edge ring including an inner edge diameter that is about 0.28 inches to about 0.38 inches larger than an outer diameter of a substrate is utilized when depositing a thick (greater than two microns) layer on the substrate. The layer may be a dielectric layer, such as a carbon hard mask layer, for example an amorphous carbon layer. With the 0.14 inches to 0.19 inches gap between the outer edge of substrate and the inner edge of the edge ring during the deposition of the thick layer, substrate support surface arcing is reduced while the layer thickness uniformity is maintained.

Abstract: A method for the dehydrogenation of lower alkanes is disclosed. The method employs a chromium-alumina dehydrogenation catalyst with high chromium content supported on eta-alumina. The catalyst contains greater than 25 percent by weight chromium in the form of chromium (III) oxide, and exhibits extended stability over traditional alkane dehydrogenation catalysts.