Abstract: Embodiments described herein relate to a substrate chucking apparatus having a plurality of cavities formed therein. The cavities are formed in a body of the chucking apparatus and a plurality of support elements extend from the body and separate each of the plurality of cavities. In one embodiment, a first plurality of ports are formed in a top surface of the body and extend to a bottom surface of the body through one or more of the plurality of support elements. In another embodiment, a second plurality of ports are formed in a bottom surface of the plurality of cavities and extend through the body to a bottom surface of the body. In yet another embodiment, a first electrode assembly is disposed adjacent the top surface of the body within each of the plurality of support elements and a second electrode assembly is disposed within the body adjacent each of the plurality of cavities.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to substrate support assemblies for retaining a surface of a substrate having one or more devices disposed on the surface without contacting the one or more devices and deforming the substrate, and a system having the same. In one embodiment, the substrate support assembly includes an edge ring coupled to a body of the substrate support assembly. A controller is coupled to actuated mechanisms of a plurality of pixels coupled to the body of the substrate support assembly such that portions of pixels corresponding to a portion of the surface of a substrate to be retained are positioned to support the portion without contacting one or more devices disposed on the surface of the substrate to be retained on the support surface.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present application generally relate to methods for forming a plurality of gratings. The methods generally include depositing a material over one or more protected regions of a waveguide combiner disposed on a substrate, the material having a thickness inhibiting removal of a grating material disposed on the waveguide combiner when an ion beam is directed toward the substrate, and directing the ion beam toward the substrate. The methods disclosed herein allow for formation of a plurality of gratings in one or more unprotected regions, while no gratings are formed in the protected regions.

Abstract: A carrier proximity mask and methods of assembling and using the carrier proximity mask may include providing a first carrier body, second carrier body, and set of one or more clamps. The first carrier body may have one or more openings formed as proximity masks to form structures on a first side of a substrate. The first and second carrier bodies may have one or more contact areas to align with one or more contact areas on a first and second sides of the substrate. The set of one or more clamps may clamp the substrate between the first carrier body and the second carrier body at contact areas to suspend work areas of the substrate between the first and second carrier bodies. The openings to define edges to convolve beams to form structures on the substrate.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to optical devices having one or more metrology features and a method of optical device metrology that provides for metrology tool location recognition with negligible impact to optical performance of the optical devices. The optical device includes one or more target features. The target features described herein provide for metrology tool location recognition with negligible impact to optical performance of the optical devices. In metrology processes, the target features allow for metrology tools to determine one or more locations of the optical device having a macroscale surface area. The target features correspond to one or more structures merged together, one or more structures merged together surrounded by one or more structures that have been removed, or one or more structures that have been removed having one or more profiles defined by adjacent structures to the target features.

Abstract: A method of forming patterned features on a substrate is provided. The method includes positioning a plurality of masks arranged in a mask layout over a substrate. The substrate is positioned in a first plane and the plurality of masks are positioned in a second plane, the plurality of masks in the mask layout have edges that each extend parallel to the first plane and parallel or perpendicular to an alignment feature on the substrate, the substrate includes a plurality of areas configured to be patterned by energy directed through the masks arranged in the mask layout. The method further includes directing energy towards the plurality of areas through the plurality of masks arranged in the mask layout over the substrate to form a plurality of patterned features in each of the plurality of areas.

Abstract: Methods of producing gratings with trenches having variable height are provided. In one example, a method of forming a diffracted optical element may include providing an optical grating layer over a substrate, patterning a hardmask over the optical grating layer, and forming a sacrificial layer over the hardmask, the sacrificial layer having a non-uniform height measured from a top surface of the optical grating layer. The method may further include etching a plurality of angled trenches into the optical grating layer to form an optical grating, wherein a first depth of a first trench of the plurality of trenches is different than a second depth of a second trench of the plurality of trenches.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein relate to encapsulated optical devices and methods of forming optical devices with controllable air-gapped encapsulation. In one embodiment, a plurality of openings are formed in a support layer surrounding the plurality of optical device structures to create a high refractive index contrast between the optical device structures, the support layer, and the openings. In another embodiment, sacrificial material is disposed in-between the optical device structures and then an encapsulation layer is disposed on the optical device structures. The sacrificial material is removed, forming a space bounded by the encapsulation layer, the substrate, and each of the optical device structures. In yet another embodiment, the encapsulation layer is disposed over the optical device structures forming a space bounded by the encapsulation layer, the substrate, and each of the optical device structures.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein relate to a substrate chucking apparatus having a plurality of cavities formed therein. The cavities are formed in a body of the chucking apparatus. In one embodiment, a first plurality of ports are formed in a chucking surface of the body and extend to a bottom surface of the body. In another embodiment, a second plurality of ports are formed in a bottom surface of the plurality of cavities and extend through the body to a bottom surface of the body.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to substrate support assemblies for retaining a surface of a substrate having one or more devices disposed on the surface without contacting the one or more devices and deforming the substrate, and a system having the same. In one embodiment, the substrate support assembly includes an edge ring coupled to a body of the substrate support assembly. A controller is coupled to actuated mechanisms of a plurality of pixels coupled to the body of the substrate support assembly such that portions of pixels corresponding to a portion of the surface of a substrate to be retained are positioned to support the portion without contacting one or more devices disposed on the surface of the substrate to be retained on the support surface.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure relate to systems and methods for forming devices on a substrate. For example, a method for forming devices on a substrate can include projecting one or more ion beams from one or more ion beam chambers to form one or more devices on a first surface of a substrate and projecting one or more ion beams from one or more ion beam chambers to form one or more devices on a second surface of a substrate. In these embodiments, the first surface and the second surface are on opposite sides of the substrate. Therefore, the ion beams can form the devices on both sides of the substrate.

Abstract: Methods of producing grating materials with variable height fins are provided. In one example, a method may include providing a mask layer atop a substrate, the mask layer including a first opening over a first processing area and a second opening over a second processing area. The method may further include etching the substrate to recess the first and second processing areas, forming a grating material over the substrate, and etching the grating material in the first and second processing areas to form a plurality of structures oriented at a non-zero angle with respect to a vertical extending from a top surface of the substrate.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein relate to methods forming optical device structures. One embodiment of the method includes exposing a substrate to ions at an ion angle relative to a surface normal of a surface of the substrate to form an initial depth of a plurality of depths. A patterned mask is disposed over the substrate and includes two or more projections defining exposed portions of the substrate or a device layer disposed on the substrate. Each projection has a trailing edge at a bottom surface contacting the device layer, a leading edge at a top surface of each projection, and a height from the top surface to the device layer. Exposing the substrate to ions at the ion angle is repeated to form at least one subsequent depth of the plurality of depths.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein relate to methods of forming gratings with different slant angles on a substrate and forming gratings with different slant angles on successive substrates using angled etch systems. The methods include positioning portions of substrates retained on a platen in a path of an ion beam. The substrates have a grating material disposed thereon. The ion beam is configured to contact the grating material at an ion beam angle ? relative to a surface normal of the substrates and form gratings in the grating material. The substrates are rotated about an axis of the platen resulting in rotation angles ? between the ion beam and a surface normal of the gratings. The gratings have slant angles ?? relative to the surface normal of the substrates. The rotation angles ? selected by an equation ?=cos?1(tan(??)/tan(?)).

Abstract: Embodiments described herein relate to methods forming optical device structures. One embodiment of the method includes exposing a substrate to ions at an ion angle relative to a surface normal of a surface of the substrate to form an initial depth of a plurality of depths. A patterned mask is disposed over the substrate and includes two or more projections defining exposed portions of the substrate or a device layer disposed on the substrate. Each projection has a trailing edge at a bottom surface contacting the device layer, a leading edge at a top surface of each projection, and a height from the top surface to the device layer. Exposing the substrate to ions at the ion angle is repeated to form at least one subsequent depth of the plurality of depths.

Abstract: An apparatus with a grating structure and a method for forming the same are disclosed. The grating structure includes forming a recess in a grating layer. A plurality of channels is formed in the grating layer to define slanted grating structures therein. The recess and the slanted grating structures are formed using a selective etch process.

Abstract: A method for forming a device structure structure is disclosed. The method of forming a device structure structure includes forming a variable-depth structure in a device material layer using a laser ablation. A plurality of device structures is formed in the variable-depth structure to define slanted device structures therein. The variable-depth structure and the slanted device structures are formed using an etch process.

Abstract: A method of forming angled structures in a substrate. The method may include the operation of forming a mask by etching angled mask features in a mask layer, disposed on a substrate base of the substrate, the angled mask features having sidewalls, oriented at a non-zero angle of inclination with respect to perpendicular to a main surface of the substrate. The method may include etching the substrate with the mask in place, the etching comprising directing ions having trajectories arranged at a non-zero angle of incidence with respect to a perpendicular to the main surface.

Abstract: A method for forming a device structure is disclosed. The method of forming the device structure includes forming a variable-depth structure in a device material layer using cyclic-etch process techniques. A plurality of device structures is formed in the variable-depth structure to define vertical or slanted device structures therein. The variable-depth structure and the vertical or slanted device structures are formed using an etch process.

Abstract: Methods of producing grating materials with variable height are provided. In one example, a method may include providing a grating material atop a substrate, and positioning a shadow mask between the grating material and an ion source, wherein the shadow mask is separated from the grating material by a distance. The method may further include etching the grating material using an ion beam passing through a set of openings of the shadow mask, wherein a first depth of a first portion of the grating material is different than a second depth of a second portion of the grating material.