Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for securely blocking and sealing an access corridor to a secure facility. The exemplary system includes a penetration resistant door disposed in a passage intersecting the access corridor, and dividing it into first and second sides. An actuating mechanism translates the door within the passage between an open position in which the corridor is unblocked, and a closed position in which the corridor is blocked by the door. A locking system is configured to push the door toward one side of the access corridor when the door is in the closed position, compressing a seal disposed between the door and the passage wall, and sealing the first side of the access corridor from the second side.

Abstract: Designs and methods are provided for a multi-range camouflage. In one exemplary embodiment, the camouflage comprises an array of tiles creating a micro camouflage pattern discernable at a first distance. The camouflage design further comprises a macro camouflage pattern discernable at a second distance that is substantially greater than the first distance. The macro camouflage pattern is inherent in the arrangement of tiles forming the micro camouflage pattern, and based on a predefined source image.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for attaching a rigid armor plate to the exterior of a vehicle hull. The exemplary system includes an armor attachment point on the vehicle hull, a hole through the armor plate in alignment with the armor attachment point, and a fastener extending through the hole connecting the armor plate to the vehicle hull. The hole through the armor plate may be larger than the fastener, defining a circumferential gap between the fastener and armor plate. The fastener may comprise a material with an energy absorption capability in excess of 2,000 ksi, and more preferably in excess of 5,000 ksi.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for a hold-down assembly for attaching an armor panel to the floor of a vehicle utilizing an existing integrated tie-down feature. The assembly includes a base member positioned underneath the tie-down feature and aligned with a through-hole in the panel. A top positioned over both the base member and the hole in the panel at least partially overlaps the panel around the hole. A fastener extending through the top and into the base is adapted to pull the top down onto the panel, holding the panel against the floor of the vehicle.

Abstract: The present invention provides a unitary sliding-vane type compressor-expander comprising a housing with a compressor inlet and outlet, and an expander inlet and outlet. A single rotor is disposed therein defining in cooperation with the housing a compression chamber on one side and an expansion chamber on the opposite side. The rotor includes a plurality of regularly spaced vanes slidingly disposed in slots about the periphery of the rotor. The bottoms of the vane slots may be vented through a passage in the housing to the inlet air, or alternatively through a groove between the vane and vane slot to the compression or exhaust chambers. Permanent magnets are used in the vanes and housing to increase or decrease the contact force between the vane tip and housing. An integral condenser-humidifier is provided in the path of the expanded gas exhausting from the turbine outlet for condensing water out of the expanded gas and returning the condensed water to the compressor-expander.

Abstract: A method for controlling a process in a multi-zonal processing apparatus and specifically for determining the optimum values to set for processing parameters J(Zi) in each of the zones of that apparatus includes processing a test work piece in the apparatus with initial values Jl(Zi) of the parameters in each zone i to achieve a process result Ql(x). Then a process result Qf(x) to be expected from incremental changes in the parameters to values Jf(x) is calculated. The expected process results Qf(x) are related to the initial process results Ql(x) by the relationship: Qf(x)=Ql(x)*Jf(x)/Jl(x). After determining optimum values of J(Zi) to reduce the difference between the expected process result and a target process result, a work piece is processed through the process apparatus using those optimum values of J(Zi).

Abstract: A process for quantifying the results of a planarization process provides metrics that can be applied to process parameters that affect the planarization results at various localized regions on a surface being planarized. A surface of a work piece is planarized and the results are recorded as an experimental work piece scan by a plurality of measurements of the amount of material removed as a function of the location on the surface of the work piece. The data from the plurality of measurements are fitted to an mth order polynomial to construct an approximation of a low spatial frequency scan. The work piece surface is then divided into a plurality of regions, each of the regions influenced by a process variable in the planarization process. The approximation of the low spatial frequency scan is then analyzed in each of the regions by fitting the low spatial frequency scan in that region to an nth order polynomial. The coefficient of the nth order term is used as a metric for the results in that region.

Abstract: In a method for mathematically characterizing a multizone CMP carrier, alternating zones are pressurized to a first pressure and the remaining zones are pressurized to a second lower pressure. A first wafer may then be polished using this combination of pressures and a first material removal profile may then be found. The pressures in the zones may then be reversed, and a second wafer may then be polished using this new combination of pressures, and a second material removal profile may then be found. Symmetrical points of intersection about the central axis of the carrier may be determined which identify the radius of each zone, and each point corresponds to a middle point for each transitional area between zones. The absolute values for the first derivatives for two pairs of symmetrical points may be averaged to determine a set of parameters that allow the multizone carrier to be mathematically characterized.

Abstract: The cleaning pads (102, 104) that are used to clean work pieces (200), such as semiconductor wafers, are cyclically compressed against one another and rinsed with a rinsing fluid. By cyclically compressing the cleaning pads (102, 104) together and rinsing them, the debris that the cleaning pads remove from the work pieces (200) and that becomes embedded in, and adhered to, the cleaning pads (102, 104) is subsequently removed therefrom.

Abstract: The invention is a chemical-mechanical polishing wafer carrier that is able to apply a plurality of different pressures, with minimal discontinuities at the interfaces between different pressures, through a diaphragm to a back surface of a wafer. A plurality of concentric balloons, that may be individually pressurized, is used to support and press on the back surface of the diaphragm. The walls of the balloons are preferably thin and elastic and preferably do not attach to the diaphragm. This helps to minimize any pressure discontinuities on the diaphragm along the interfaces between the balloons. A wafer may be placed against the front surface of the diaphragm allowing the front surface of the diaphragm to retain and press against the back surface of the wafer during a planarization process.

Abstract: The present invention delineates a carrier for an apparatus (10) which polishes a surface of a semiconductor wafer (56, 124). In a preferred embodiment, the carrier includes a rigid plate (34) connected to one or more diaphragms (40, 42) of soft, flexible material that provide pressurizable cavities (50, 52) having respective surfaces for contacting the back surface of the wafer. A plurality of conduits (28a, 28c) are used to selectively pressurize the diaphragm cavities. The carrier head may also include an inter-diaphragm cavity (54) formed between a portion of one diaphragm, a portion of another diaphragm, and the semiconductor wafer. The inter-diaphragm cavity is provided with its own conduit (28b) by which a source of pressurized fluid and a source of vacuum are selectively connected to the inter-diaphragm cavity. During operation, pressure and/or vacuum may be applied through one or more cavities to chuck (90) a wafer, and to pressurize (96) the cavities during polishing.

Abstract: Apparatus and process for cleaning the surface of a work piece include a first cleaning station for scrubbing a work piece and a second cleaning station for cleaning the pad used to scrub the surface of the work piece. The pad is cleaned during the “dead time” during which a first clean work pieces is unloaded and a subsequent dirty work piece is loaded into the first cleaning station. During the dead time the cleaning pad, mounted on a support stand that controls the cleaning pad, pivots from the first work piece cleaning station to the second pad cleaning station. The cleaning pad is lowered into the pad cleaning station and is brought into contact with a beater bar against which the pad surface is rotated. During the rotation the pad surface is washed with a cleaning fluid of the same composition as used to clean the work piece surface.

Abstract: The present invention provides a very compact, lightweight, turbomolecular pump for evacuating a chamber at volumetric flowrates of less than 10 liters per second. In one embodiment a turbomolecular pump is provided having a bladed rotor disposed within a housing, and mounted for rotation at one end on a passive magnetic main bearing and at the other end on a ball bearing. The pump is configured such that the magnetic bearing carries a majority of the rotor unbalance load. The rotor may be beneficially tapered from a larger diameter at the high vacuum end to a smaller diameter at the low vacuum end. The invention also provides a method of machining the blades of the rotor from a rotor blank using a single point tool in a two-step numerical control lathe operation. In another method of the invention, the rotor blades are individually cut using a high speed circular slitting saw by plunging the saw radially into the rotor blank.

Abstract: The present invention is a method and apparatus for conditioning a polishing pad used for chemically mechanically polishing semiconductor wafers. The conditioning device includes a rigid elongated element that resists bowing or warping during the conditioning process. Abrasive elements are supported by a substantially planar bottom surface of the rigid element. The abrasive elements may have a diamond layer cut into a grid pattern to provide an abrasive surface. The conditioning device is preferably used to condition a polishing pad supported by a rigid platen. The conditioning device is pressed against and swept across the polishing pad by an actuator while the polishing pad is rotated to uniformly condition the polishing pad. This uniform conditioning, while avoiding the bowing and warping of the prior art, provides a superior conditioning process for the polishing pad.

Abstract: A rotary union is provided for chemical mechanical polishing of silicon wafers, especially silicon wafers containing chemically sensitive integrated circuit structures. A rotary union is provided with a union rotor and union stator, coupled at the free end of a support spindle carrying a CMP polishing table. In the preferred embodiment the rotary union is joined to a coolant union forming the lower end of the support spindle. A passageway through the union rotor extends past the bottom end of the coolant union rotating part to avoid contact of fluid transmitted through the passageway formed in the union rotor, with the rotating part of the coolant union.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed for planarizing a wafer in a carrier with adjustable pressure zones and adjustable barriers between zones. The carrier has an independently controlled central zone and concentric surrounding zones for distributing the pressure on the backside of a wafer while the wafer is being pressed against an abrasive surface in a chemical-mechanical polishing tool. The pressure zones may be created by mounting an elastic web diaphragm to a carrier housing that has a plurality of recesses. A corresponding plurality of elastic ring shaped ribs may extend from the web diaphragm opposite the recesses. The plurality of ring shaped ribs thereby defines a central zone surrounded by one or more concentric surrounding zones. The zones and barriers may be individually pressurized by utilizing corresponding fluid communication paths during the planarization process.

Abstract: Apparatus for spinning a work piece such as a semiconductor wafer includes a work piece platform that is configured to be rotated about a central axis. Arrayed about the periphery of the platform is a plurality of spaced apart, symmetrically positioned work piece supports. Each of the supports includes a resilient bumper that serves both to support the work piece and as a friction brake to retard slippage of the work piece relative to the platform when the platform and work piece are rotating, and especially when the platform is accelerating or decelerating. Also arrayed about the periphery of the work piece platform is a plurality of work piece gripper assemblies configured to center the work piece in contact with the work piece supports when the platform is rotating. The gripper assemblies include a gripper finger that is configured to pivot about a pivot axis from a non work piece gripping position to a work piece gripping position in response to centrifugal force generated by the rotation of the platform.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed for a carrier that is able to create independently controllable pressure zones on the back surface of a wafer while the front surface of the wafer is being planarizing against an abrasive surface. The carrier has a central disk shaped recess surrounded by a plurality of concentric ring shaped recesses. The recesses are covered by a diaphragm thereby creating a central disk shaped plenum and a plurality of surrounding ring shaped plenums. A central disk shaped piston and a plurality of surrounding ring shaped pistons are suspended on the diaphragm so that a portion of each piston may move in and out of their corresponding plenum in the carrier. An independently controllable fluid communication path is placed in fluid communication with each plenum thereby allowing the pressure exerted on each piston to be independently controllable.

Abstract: An electrochemical fuel cell stack is provided for converting a fuel reactant stream and an oxidant stream to a reaction product, heat, and electrical energy. The fuel cell stack includes manifolding endplates with a plurality of unit cells therebetween, each unit cell incorporating a smooth conductive cooling layer, and anode and cathode layers incorporating gas distribution layers formed of a central, porous, sheet material and a peripheral gasket material. The cooling layer conducts heat from distant regions of the unit cell to longitudinal cooling passages which run through the length of the stack defining a serial path through turnaround grooves in the faceplate and endplate. There is further provided a method for introducing reactant gases to the gas distribution layers.