Abstract: A microelectromechanical transducer including a plurality of parallel electrically conductive strips maintained in closely spaced relation by a plurality of spacers can generate useful displacements and forces. The transducer can be strengthened by arranging the conductive strips in cells surrounded by unidirectional cell stiffening members and unidirectional displacement limiting members. The unidirectional cell stiffening members may include notches. The unidirectional displacement limiting members may include unidirectional buckling straps or flexible arches. The cells of electrically conductive strips can be organized in modular or fractal arrays.

Abstract: A photoresist composition is disclosed that comprises an organic resin that is thermoset by acid catalysis and a photoactive, etch-resistant ionic modifier formed of an anion and a cation. The modifier is present in the organic resin in an amount effective to produce substantial photoreactivity and etch resistance in a mixture of the resin and the modifier. The cation will, upon exposure to electromagnetic radiation, produce a species that is weakly basic or neutral, and the anion will, upon exposure to electromagnetic radiation, produce an acid precursor that will form a relatively strong acid in an acid-base solvent system. As a result, the relatively strong acid will catalyze the organic resin upon exposure to an appropriate frequency of electromagnetic radiation and the relatively weak base or neutral species formed by the cation will not substantially neutralize the acid or interfere with the acid catalyzed reaction of the organic resin.

Abstract: A microelectromechanical transducer including a plurality of strips arranged in an array and maintained in a closely spaced relation by a plurality of spacers. An electrically conductive layer on portions of the strips and spacers distributes electrical signal within the transducer to cause adjacent portions of the strips to move together. The strips and spacers may be formed from a common dielectric layer using microelectronic fabrication techniques. Two transducers may be coupled at an angle offset from parallel for two-dimensional micropositioning. A photodetector and Fresnel lens may be combined with the micropositioner using the transducers for optical scanning microscopy.

Abstract: The invention comprises curing polyamic acid solutions into polyimide solutions by adding a hydrophilic reagent to a polyamic acid solution. The hydrophilic reagent is selected to have little or no reactivity with amines or carboxylic acids, and is of the type that will react with water to form by-products that shift the equilibrium between polyamic acid as a reactant and polyimide and water as products toward the production of polyimide.

Abstract: A microelectromechanical transducer including a plurality of strips arranged in an array and maintained in a closely spaced relation by a plurality of spacers. An electrically conductive layer on portions of the strips and spacers distributes electrical signal within the transducer to cause adjacent portions of the strips to move together. The strips and spacers may be formed from a common dielectric layer using microelectronic fabrication techniques. Two transducers may be coupled at an angle offset from parallel for two-dimensional micropositioning. A photodetector and Fresnel lens may be combined with the micropositioner using the transducers for optical scanning microscopy.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for producing a more uniform processing rate in a plasma processing magnetron. A pair of opposing spaced apart plasma barriers, preferably made of a non-magnetic material, are positioned on a substrate holder, such as an electrode for generating an electric field in the magnetron. The inner surfaces of the barriers are oriented transverse to the magnetic field of the magnetron and define a narrower spacing therebetween adjacent a predetermined portion of a substrate surface. The barriers may preferably be elongate rectangular bodies canted from parallel to each other to define a narrower spacing therebetween so that a more uniform processing rate is obtained across the entire substrate surface. The inherent non-uniformity of the magnetron may be detected by observing visual color bands appearing across a thin film on the substrate surface as it is being plasma processed.

Abstract: The invention is a modified organic photoresist which is resistant to etching in oxygen-containing plasmas and therefore particularly useful for masking and etching organic polymer materials in VLSI and advanced packaging applications. The invention comprises adding a phosphorous-containing compound to a conventional photoresist. The phosphorous-containing compound is of a type and in an amount effective to substantially prevent etching of the modified photoresist in an oxygen-containing plasma without substantially adversely affecting the photosensitivity of the photoresist or the elasticity or the adhesion of the etch resistant film formed during oxygen-containing plasma exposure to an underlying material to be patterned and etched.

Abstract: A method for anisotropically hardening a protective coating to provides a well defined edge thereon for forming features which may be smaller than the resolution limit of the exposure equipment, for the purpose of integrated circuit manufacture. The method includes the steps of forming a non-planar coating on a substrate with a photoresist material having a sensitivity ot incident flux that varies as a function of the angle of the incidence of the flux upon the coating. The coating is anisotropically hardened by exposing it to flux to which it has a relatively high sensitivity so that portions for which the flux is incident at one angle are more hardened than those portions where the flux is incident at a different angle. Narrow trenches or studs may thereby be formed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for magnetron gas discharge processing of substrates using a remote plasma source provides a uniform magnetic field (B) created across the surface of a substrate in an evacuable chamber. An electric field (E) is created perpendicular to the substrate by an electrically powered cathode located beneath the substrate. The magnetic and electric fields interact with the plasma to create an E.times.B electron drift region adjacent to the surface of a substrate. A remote plasma source is provided and oriented so that the plasma stream from the remote source is coupled to the E.times.B region adjacent to the substrate surface parallel to the magnetic field with minimal movement of the plasma stream perpendicular to the magnetic field to thereby provide a high density plasma stream into the E.times.B drift region.

Abstract: An electrostatic handling device for a wafer having a pair of faces, includes a dielectric region having a top face which is adapted to accept one of the pair of wafer faces thereagainst. Conductors are positioned in the dielectric region. The conductors are arranged in the dielectric region to generate electrostatic force between the conductors and the wafer to hold the wafer against the top face of the dielectric region. The conductors are further arranged in the dielectric region to generate substantially no net electrostatic force at the opposite one of the pair of wafer faces to thereby reduce electrostatic force interference thereat.

Abstract: The invention is a modified organic photoresist which is resistant to etching in oxygen-containing plasmas and therefore particularly useful for masking and etching organic polymer materials in VLSI and advanced packaging applications. The invention comprises adding a phosphorous-containing compound to a conventional photoresist. The phosphorous-containing compound is of a type and in an amount effective to substantially prevent etching of the modified photoresist in an oxygen-containing plasma without substantially adversely affecting the photosensitivity of the photoresist or the elasticity or the adhesion of the etch resistant film formed during oxygen-containing plasma exposure to an underlying material to be patterned and etched.

Abstract: A method of soldering without the need for fluxing agents, high temperature, hydrogen, laser excitation or sputtering techniques. The method uses plasma excitation to remove surface oxides from solder surfaces, thereby eliminating the need for post-soldering cleaning in an accurate and efficient manner, resulting in a higher quality and long term reliability solder joint. In addition, serious environmental problems caused by cleaning solvents are avoided.

Abstract: A method for anisotropically hardening a protective coating to provide a well defined edge thereon for forming features which may be smaller than the resolution limit of the exposure equipment for the purpose of integrated circuit manufacture is disclosed. The method includes the steps of forming a non-planar coating on a substrate with a photoresist material having a sensitivity to incident flux that varies as a function of the angle of the incidence of the flux upon the coating. The coating is anisotropically hardened by exposing it to flux to which it has a relatively high sensitivity so that portions for which the flux is incident at one angle are more hardened than those portions where the flux is incident at a different angle.

Abstract: A shared current loop, multiple field apparatus and process for magnetron gas discharge processing is disclosed. The apparatus includes an evacuable chamber for containing a reactant gas. A multi-part cathode associated with a current loop generates multiple, independent electrical fields. The cathode comprises a first cathode portion for generating a first electric field that forms a gas discharge including ions. The second cathode portion generates a second, independent electric field. The second electric field extracts ions from the gas discharge, and may also control the energy with which the extracted ions strike an item to be processed. Each cathode portion is electrically insulated from the other and may be connected to a separate power source.

Abstract: In the manufacture of semiconductor components, direct etching is effected using electrons. In a specific application an electron beam may be used to directly etch a pattern in a dielectric layer in an atmosphere of low pressure sulfur hexafluoride. The technique involves a simpler alternative to the more typical microcircuit manufacturing processes in which dielectric layers such as silicon dioxide, silicon nitride or silicon oxynitride are etched by either plasma or wet chemical techniques through a photoresist mask. The latter invariably involves a large number of process steps. The disclosed method presents a simpler alternative in which the silicon dioxide, for example, is patterned directly and which may be particularly suited to very small (sub-micron) geometries or to more conventional geometries if a high intensity electron flood exposure system is used.

Abstract: A gaseous mixture of SF.sub.6, a nitriding gas component and an oxidizer gas component is disclosed as an effective SiO.sub.2 etchant having enhanced selectively for use in either the plasma or reactive ion etch process. By adding an oxidizing gas to the SF.sub.6 nitriding gas plasma etchant, the selectively for SiO.sub.2 over silicon or polysilicon is marked improved. The optional addition of an inert diluent gas did not substantially change these results.

Abstract: BF.sub.3 based mixtures for selectively etching thin layers of silicon dioxide over silicon for use in the plasma etch process for integrated circuits manufacture is disclosed.In the process, when trace amounts of formaldehyde are added to the etch system the rate on oxide inceases markedly. The effect on the silicon is not substantial. The optional addition of an inert diluent gas did not substantially change these results.

Abstract: A gaseous mixture of SF.sub.6 and a nitriding component such as NH.sub.3 is disclosed as an effective selective SiO.sub.2 etchant for use in either the plasma or reactive ion etch process. By adding NH.sub.3 to the SF.sub.6, which is a known effective plasma etchant for silicon or poly-silicon, the silicon etch rate decreases while the oxide rate is effectively constant. At about 14% nitriding gas component, the rates are equivalent and for higher nitriding gas fractions, the silicon dioxide rate dominates. The optional addition of an inert diluent gas did not substantially change these results. The addition of hydrogen to the gaseous SF.sub.6 /nitriding component mixture retards the etch rate on silicon still further and may increase the selectivity.