Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a system and method for sonically activating cement slurries. In some implementations, a method of treating a subterranean formation includes positioning a settable composition including a capsule in a wellbore. The capsule is used to increase a setting rate in response to at least sonic signals. A sonic signal is transmitted to at least a portion of the settable composition to release an activator from the capsule.

Abstract: A substrate processing system includes a processing module to process a substrate, a factory interface module configured to accommodate at least one cassette for holding the substrate, a spectrographic monitoring system positioned in or adjoining the factory interface module, and a substrate handler to transfer the substrate between the at least one cassette, the spectrographic monitoring system and the processing module.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for providing a chemical mechanical polishing pad. The pad includes a polishing layer having a top surface and a bottom surface. The pad includes an aperture having a first opening in the top surface and a second opening in the bottom surface. The top surface is a polishing surface. The pad includes a window that includes a first portion made of soft plastic and a crystalline or glass like second portion. The window is transparent to white light. The window is situated in the aperture so that the first portion plugs the aperture and the second portion is on a bottom side of the first portion, wherein the first portion acts a slurry-tight barrier.

Abstract: Ions in a predefined narrow mass to charge ratio range are isolated in an ion trap by adjusting the field and using ejection frequency waveform(s). The ejection waveforms have frequency components in a first and a second dimension, and, are applied across electrodes aligned along a first and a second dimension. Thus the mass-to-charge ratio isolation window is controlled and has an improved resolution without increasing the number of frequency components.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for process control in chemical mechanical polishing in which an initial pre-polishing thickness of a substrate is measured at a metrology station, a parameter of an endpoint algorithm is determined from the initial thickness of the substrate, a substrates is polished at a polishing station, and polishing stops when an endpoint criterion is detected using the endpoint algorithm.

Abstract: A retainer is used with an apparatus for polishing a substrate. The substrate has upper and lower surfaces and a lateral, substantially circular, perimeter. The apparatus has a polishing pad with an upper polishing surface for contacting and polishing the lower face of the substrate. The retainer has an inward facing retaining face for engaging and retaining the substrate against lateral movement during polishing of the substrate. The retaining face engages a substrate perimeter at more than substantially a single discrete circumferential location along the perimeter.

Abstract: A polishing article includes a polishing layer having a polishing surface and a solid light-transmissive window in the polishing layer, the window having a first non-linear edge that extends along a first axis parallel to the polishing surface, the first non-linear edge including a plurality of projections and a plurality of recesses extending parallel to the polishing surface and disposed in an alternating pattern along the first axis.

Abstract: A method of polishing a substrate includes holding the substrate on a polishing pad with a polishing head, wherein the polishing pad is supported by a platen, creating relative motion between the substrate and the polishing pad to polish a side of the substrate, generating a light beam and directing the light beam towards the substrate to cause the light beam to impinge on the side of the substrate being polished. Light reflected from the substrate is at a detector to generate an interference signal. A measure of uniformity is computed from the interference signal.

Abstract: A method of generating a library from a reference substrate for use in processing product wafers is described. The method includes measuring substrate characteristics at a plurality of well-defined points of a reference substrate, measuring spectra at plurality of measurement points of the reference substrate, there being more measurement points than well-defined points, and associating measured spectra with measured substrate characteristics.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) of a wafer employing a device for determining, in-situ, during the CMP process, an endpoint where the process is to be terminated. This device includes a laser interferometer capable of generating a laser beam directed towards the wafer and detecting light reflected from the wafer, and a window disposed adjacent to a hole formed through a platen. The window provides a pathway for the laser beam during at least part of the time the wafer overlies the window.

Abstract: Methods of subtracting the copper contribution to spectra obtained from a substrate during chemical mechanical polishing are described.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for spectrum-based endpointing. An endpointing method includes selecting a reference spectrum. The reference spectrum is a spectrum of white light reflected from a film of interest on a first substrate and has a thickness greater than a target thickness. The reference spectrum is empirically selected for particular spectrum-based endpoint determination logic so that the target thickness is achieved when endpoint is called by applying the particular spectrum-based endpoint logic. The method includes obtaining a current spectrum. The current spectrum is a spectrum of white light reflected from a film of interest on a second substrate when the film of interest is being subjected to a polishing step and has a current thickness that is greater than the target thickness. The method includes determining, for the second substrate, when an endpoint of the polishing step has been achieved. The determining is based on the reference and current spectra.

Abstract: A method of operating a polishing apparatus in which a substrate is held with a carrier head supported by a movable support of the polishing apparatus, the substrate is brought into contact with a polishing surface at a polishing station of the polishing apparatus and the substrate is polished, the substrate is removed from the polishing surface, the support moves to transfer the carrier head to a different station of the polishing apparatus, and the polishing surface is conditioned. The conditioning overlaps with at least one of removing the substrate or moving the support.

Abstract: A method of polishing a substrate includes holding the substrate on a polishing pad with a polishing head, wherein the polishing pad is supported by a platen, creating relative motion between the substrate and the polishing pad to polish a side of the substrate, generating a light beam and directing the light beam towards the substrate to cause the light beam to impinge on the side of the substrate being polished. Light reflected from the substrate is at a detector to generate an interference signal. A measure of uniformity is computed from the interference signal.

Abstract: A system. method and apparatus to monitor a frictional coefficient of a substrate undergoing polishing is described. A polishing pad assembly includes a polishing layer including a polishing surface, and a substrate contacting member flexibly coupled to the polishing layer having a top surface to contact an exposed surface of a substrate. At least a portion of the top surface is substantially coplanar with the polishing surface. A sensor is provided to measure a lateral displacement of the substrate contacting member. Some embodiments may provide accurate endpoint detection during chemical mechanical polishing to indicate the exposure of an underlying layer.

Abstract: A family of imidazole compounds useful for inhibiting the activity of prenyl transferases. The compounds are covered by the following formula: wherein X is (CHR11)n3(CH2)n4Z(CH2)n5 where Z is O, N(R12), S, or a bond; Y is CO, CH2, CS, or a bond; R1 is or N(R24R25); and the remaining substituents are as defined in the disclosure.

Abstract: A polishing pad has a polishing layer with a polishing surface and a first registration mark, and a backing layer connected to the polishing layer and having a second registration mark aligned with the first registration mark. The polishing pad may have a window that includes an aperture in the backing layer aligned with a solid transparent portion in the polishing layer.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of decreasing body weight in a patient. The method includes the step of administering a therapeutically effective amount of a somatostatin or a somatostatin agonist to said patient. A pharmaceutical/cosmetic composition comprises the somatostatin or somatostatin agonist. Such products are used to prepare such compositions for the reduction or body weight in a human or mammalian animal.

Abstract: A carrier head that has a housing, a base assembly, a retaining ring, a carrier ring, and a flexible membrane is described. The base assembly is vertically movable relative to the housing. The retaining ring is connected to and vertically movable relative to the base assembly and has a lower surface configured to contact a polishing pad and an inner surface configured to circumferentially surround the edge of a substrate to retain the substrate. The carrier ring is connected to and vertically fixed relative to the base assembly, circumferentially surrounds the retaining ring to prevent lateral motion of the retaining ring, and has a bottom surface configured to contact a polishing pad.

Abstract: A polishing system includes a platen, a carrier head to hold a surface of a substrate against a polishing pad on the platen, a monitoring module including a light source and a detector, an optical fiber having a proximate end coupled to the monitoring module and a distal end, and an optical head removably mounted in the platen. The optical head holds the distal end of the optical fiber to direct light through a window in the polishing pad to the surface of the substrate and receive reflected light from the surface of the substrate, and the optical head is configured to adjust a distance from the distal end of the fiber to the window.