Abstract: The invention is also directed to a method of fabricating a pellicle cover assembly for use in a projection printing system for forming an image on a radiation sensitive wafer, the method comprising the steps of applying a gold film onto the surface of a wafer, applying a polymer film onto the gold film surface, curing the polymer film, adhering a support ring to the polymer film, cutting through the polymer and gold films between the ring and wafer edges to expose the wafer surface, peeling the ring off the wafer and etching off the gold film.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method and apparatus for measuring the exposure variation in the cross scan direction in an optical projector and scanning apparatus of the type that uses an annular aperture or slit. This measuring is achieved by measuring the light intensity from point to point along the arcuate illuminated area. Where the illuminated area is tapered so as to accommodate a pivoting carriage the system of this invention processes the intensity signal to yield a uniformity signal that only indicates departures from the ideal.

Abstract: This invention is directed to an actuator which is particularly adapted among many other possible uses, or use in adjusting the configuration of deformable mirrors.

Abstract: A pneumatic control assembly comprising a plurality of control valve printed circuit board pneumatic connectors disposed in a card cage in communication with a like number of control logic manifolds fixed to the card cage. The control logic manifolds are programmed to provide the actual control functions to the associated apparatus thereby permitting the conrol valve printed circuit board pneumatic connectors to be identical.

Abstract: This invention is directed to electromagnetic alignment apparatus, which is particularly adapted, among other possible uses, for use in aligning the wafers in a microlithography system, said apparatus comprising in combination a first magnetic circuit having a plurality of elements including a first magnet; a second magnetic circuit having a plurality of elements including a second magnet; the second magnetic circuit being disposed in spaced relationship with respect to the first magnetic circuit; a movable structural component adapted for mounting an object thereon; one element of each magnetic circuit being fixedly attached to the movable structural component; first and second current carrying coil assemblies mounted in the first magnetic circuit; the second coil assembly being disposed at an angle with respect to the first coil assembly; third and fourth current carrying coil assemblies mounted in the second magnetic circuit; the fourth coil assembly being disposed at an angle with respect to the third coi

Abstract: Apparatus for use in conducting both static and dynamic thermomechanical analysis includes a load member, one end of which is supported by the sample located in a sample receptacle, eventually in a selected gas atmosphere, in heat equilibrium and the other end of which is loaded statically by a weight or dynamically by the armature of an electromagnet.

Abstract: A plasma flame spray gun suitable for being constructed physically smaller than comparable power prior art plasma flame spray guns. The gun includes a nozzle having a tapering portion on the inlet side thereof. A cathode with a flat tip is positioned to at least partially extend into the tapering portion of the nozzle. A gas distribution ring is located around the cathode for creating a vortex around the cathode tip. This causes the arc formed between the tip and the nozzle to have a root which spins around the perimeter of the nozzle tip resulting in less wear and, therefore, extended part life.

Abstract: A plurality of samples subject to the same thermostatting time periods are directed one by one to the inlet section of a gas chromatograph for analysis in accordance with the head space method. To this end, a first heatable sample store adapted to be stepwise advanced is provided, in which thermostatting of the samples is accomplished. A second sample store also adapted to be stepwise advanced is provided, from which sample vessels are transferred one by one into the first sample store.

Abstract: A composite objective lens for a particle beam lithographic system having deflection coils within the bore of the lens, a solenoidal excitation lens coil, a first set of two or more cylindrical pole pieces with a lens gap and a second set of cylindrical pole pieces arranged concentrically outside the first pole pieces but within the excitation lens coil. The second set of pole pieces is constructed of a high saturation material such as iron with a lens gap coextensive with the gap in the first set of pole pieces. The return flux from the deflection coils is carried by the inner cylindrical pole pieces only, while the flux generated by the lens coil is shared by both the inner and outer pole pieces. With this arrangement the linear relationship between the axial field strength and excitation current is maintained at all points along the axis of the lens, and saturation of the inner pole piece is avoided.

Abstract: An improvement in the operation of a system where the driving means is a stepper motor comprises provision of a special software routine implemented by a microprocessor controlling the delivery of a counted series of pulses to drive the stepper motor. The improved routine removes excitation from the stepper motor when not receiving a series of stepping pulses thus eliminating the heat dissipation of such a motor when not in motion. Loss of position is avoided by utilizing the inherent detenting action of the stepper motor's permanent magnet field. Provision is also made for proper damping to prevent error due to overshoot. Where several stepper motors are used in a system the reduction of heat dissipation permits a significant simplification of the system cooling requirements. A single power supply may be shared among the motors thus further simplifying the system.

Abstract: Disclosed is a wafer handling device for a sputtering system where wafers, used in the manufacture of integrated circuits, are placed in a loading chamber, removed from the loading chamber and conveyed by a conveying device through a transportation chamber where they are individually picked from the conveying device by the wafer handling device and placed on a rotating table within the system sputtering chamber to be sputter processed. Concurrently within the placing of one unprocessed wafer on the rotating table, a processed wafer is picked from the rotating table and placed on a second conveying device or the same conveying device which brought unprocessed wafers to the wafer handling device for return to the loading chamber to be removed from the sputtering system for further handling and processing.

Abstract: According to the head space method, samples are supplied from sealed sample vessels by means of a needle. A change-over valve, an optionally higher or reduced carrier gas pressure is applied to a carrier gas conduit comprising a shut-off valve and terminating between the needle and entrance of the separating column. This enables a defined sample feeding and analysis by an optimum carrier gas pressure even with volatile samples.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a spectrophotometer which includes a source of radiation; an optical system for forming a beam of radiation from the source and directing it along a sample path and along a reference path, which paths come together at a location to form a combined path that impinges on a detector; a chopper mounted at said location for successively directing one or the other of the beams along the combined path or providing a blank chopper area for blocking radiation from the combined path; a monochromator having a grating and slits disposed in the combined path, the angular position of the grating being adjustable for passing selected successive wavelengths of radiant energy through the optical system; and controls are provided for controlling the movement of the grating and/or slits so that movement only occurs when the blank chopper area is blocking the combined path.

Abstract: A needle, for use in withdrawing a liquid sample from sample vessels closed by self-sealing diaphragms, includes a capillary tube 12 turned inwardly at its end. The end thereof is tapered conically at the inside as well as at the outside.

Abstract: An atomic absorption spectrophotometer having a source, e.g., a hollow cathode lamp, of spectral radiation of a selected narrow band of wavelengths optically directed along an axis through an electrothermic sample atomizer and a field stop to a photoelectric detector. The sample atomizer is subjected to a substantially unipolar AC electromagnetic field having flux lines directed transversely to said axis to effect Zeeman splitting of the radiation into two orthogonally polarized components .pi. and .sigma.. Disposed in the optical path between the atomizer and detector is a stationary beam-splitting polarizer prism oriented so as to transmit the .sigma. polarized component and block the .pi. component. Mirrors are used exclusively in the optical systems so as to minimize the effect of dispersion and stray light.An electromagnet, used to generate the electromagnetic field, is connected to the AC power line in series with the diode and has a small capacitor connected across its coils.

Abstract: A plasma spray gun system with improved nozzle life. The gun includes a nozzle with a thin annular coolant passage and having a dimension optimized for nozzle life. The system also includes a deionizer to remove ions from the cooling fluid and a dissolved gas remover which also improves nozzle life. In addition, the coolant is treated to remove ions which extends nozzle life even more. Further cooling fluid treatment for even further nozzle life includes dissolved gas removal and heat removal.

Abstract: In gas chromatography, the column ends of two capillary columns are inserted into a straight capillary from both sides forming annular gaps. The capillary is located in a tee out of which the capillary columns are sealingly guided, and to which carrier gas is supplied by means of a flushing flow conduit. A "straight-forward operation" having capillary columns connected in series and a "flush-back operation" are possible. The dead volume between the capillary columns can be kept small.

Abstract: A pre-monochromator having a grating monochromator includes an unsymmetrically ruled concave diffraction grating, by means of which a light source is directly imaged upon an exit slit. The diffraction grating is unsymmetrical with respect to the distribution of the grating constants such that the image distance remains substantially constant during the rotation of the diffraction grating.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a dual-piston reciprocating pump assembly which includes two opposed substantially identical reciprocating pumps, a housing within which the pumps are mounted, a cam mounted on a cam shaft which is driven through a coupling by a stepping motor, each of the pumps including a piston assembly comprising a piston body having a piston end, the other end of the piston body being in the form of a yoke which is mounted for reciprocating motion in the housing, a cam follower carried between the arms of the yoke for engaging the cam face of the cam, a cylinder head having a piston cylinder therein for receiving the piston end, the housing having an end opening for receiving said cylinder head, a guide bushing mounted in the cylinder head for facilitating the assembly of the piston end, an inner bearing bore for the piston end disposed adjacent the guide bushing, a high-pressure seal disposed adjacent the inner bearing bore, the piston end having substantial radial end play, and a piston spr

Abstract: The accuracy of the ratio between two time-varying quantities represented by electrical signals, such as the sample transmission (or absorption) signal and the reference signal in a double-beam, ratio-recording, infrared spectrophotometer, is impaired if the electrical signals are subject to inconstant phase shifts. The present invention counteracts the effect of phase shift variations, whatever their origin, by alternately reversing the order in which an elemental component of one quantity is made to occur with respect to an elemental component of the other quantity so that the said effect reverses in sign when the order is reversed and substantially cancels out when the respective elemental portions are combined to form the numerator and the denominator of the ratio. The invention is particularly described with reference to a spectrophotometer of the type referred to.