Abstract: A synthetic fire opal and a process for its preparation. Synthetic fire opals have similar physical and chemical properties as natural fire opals. Synthetic fire opals are colored, hard, and transparent. The process of preparation of synthetic fire opal includes; mixing TEOS with absolute ethanol (99.9%), distilled water, concentrated nitric acid, and an inorganic salt to form a clear sol, storing the clear sol to obtain a gel, drying the gel and sintering the dried gel to obtain a synthetic fire opal.

Abstract: A synthetic fire opal having similar physical and chemical properties as natural fire opal. The synthetic fire opal is colored, hard, and transparent. The synthetic fire opal comprises SiO2 and water.

Abstract: A device is created for placement within a rural style mail box to provide a secure repository for items of mail delivered. A forward positioned, secure chamber for the storage of delivered items is defined by a first insert having a top surface, and two supporting side surfaces. A separate assembly placed rear of the first insert includes an opposing slide assembly defined by a smooth surface with an inclination against the rear of the mail box and sloped downwardly toward the secure storage area. Coming into contact with the slide assembly, mail is thus redirected to the secure area. In an alternative embodiment, a unitary mailbox is described which includes an inclined compression delivery channel for delivery of mail to a secure chamber beneath, the compression channel at the same time presenting an obstacle to unauthorized access.

Abstract: A National Online Parcel-Level Map Data Portal (NPDP) is provided that optimizes online delivery of parcel-level maps and linked attribute data. To do this, the NPDP manages a database of assembled and current vector based parcel data in a spatial format (GIS) that enables geocoded parcel boundaries to be linked to property tax records. A user enters a street address into an appropriate screen window to call up and view road right-of-ways, all parcel boundaries and the “exact” address location as a highlighted parcel area. In addition, a list of property record attributes such as owner, use code, assessed value and year constructed can be displayed. Other on screen parcels can likewise be selected if one wishes to view their linked attributes. Subscribers may customize the NPDP to perform a variety of spatial analysis/reporting functions.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for measuring complex permittivity of dielectric materials in solid, liquid, or gas form. The apparatus is includes a TEM or quasi-TEM transmission line test fixture, which contains the dielectric material under test, a set of unique reflective load assemblies for inducing reflections in the fixture, an analyzer that measures magnitude and phase, a custom calibration kit, and a computer with computational software. The method begins by sequentially placing the set of load assemblies at the input of the analyzer. One port s-parameters are then obtained. Next, the set of load assemblies is sequentially placed at one end of the test fixture while the other end of the fixture is placed at the input of the analyzer and one port s-parameters are then obtained. Connectors are coupled to both ends of the fixture. A computer then executes a program to solve a set of equations constructed from the s-parameter data for computing input reflection coefficients.

Abstract: The structure and method which improves the film thickness uniformity or thickness control when using magnetron sputtering by adjusting the distance between the magnetron or a portion of the magnetron and the sputtering target to provide an improvement in the film thickness uniformity. Shimmed rails, contoured rails, contoured surfaces, cam plates, and cam plate control followers are utilized to achieve an improvement in film thickness uniformity or thickness control due to anomalies in magnetic field as a magnetron assembly moves back and forth when sputtering substrates (utilized primarily for rectangularly shaped substrates).

Abstract: A method of producing doped and undoped silicon layers on a substrate by chemical vapor deposition at elevated pressures of from about 10 to about 350 Torr whereby deposition occurs at practicable rates. A substrate is loaded in a vacuum chamber, the temperature adjusted to obtain a silicon deposit of predetermined crystallinity, and the silicon precursor gases fed to the chamber to a preselected high pressure. Both undoped and doped silicon can be deposited at high rates up to about 3000 angstroms per minute.

Abstract: A thermal decomposition CVD method is provided for forming a polysilicon layer over a stepped surface on a semiconductor wafer. The method includes introducing a continuous flow of silicon precursor gases into a vacuum chamber, and adjusting the flow rates and concentrations of the precursor gases, adjusting the temperature and adjusting the pressure within the vacuum chamber so as to control the growth rate of the polysilicon layer on the substrate to between about 500 angstroms/minute and about 2000 angstroms/minute. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the growth rate of the polysilicon layer is controlled by adjusting the precursor gas flow rates, the temperature and the pressure to between about 1000 angstroms/minute and about 1500 angstroms/minute with the result that the average step coverage of the polysilicon layer is greater than about 95 percent.

Abstract: A target, target backing plate, and cover plate form a target plate assembly. The sputtering target assembly includes an integral cooling passage. A series of grooves are constructed in either the target backing plate or the target backing cooling cover plate, which are then securely bonded to one another. The sputtering target can be a single monolith with a target backing plate or can be securely attached to the target backing plate by one of any number of conventional bonding methods. Tantalum to titanium, titanium to titanium and aluminum to titanium, diffusion bonding can be used.The target plate assembly completely covers and seals against a top opening of a sputtering processing chamber. Cooling liquid connections are provided only from the perimeter of the target assembly. When a top vacuum chamber seals the side opposite the pressure chamber, the pressure on both sides of the target assembly is nearly equalized.

Abstract: Ion implantation apparatus has an implant wheel in a vacuum chamber. The implant wheel has a number of circumferentially distributed wafer holding positions and is arranged to spin so that the wafers successively intercept an ion beam. The implant wheel is mounted at the free end of a scanning arm which itself is mounted for reciprocating movement on a wall of the vacuum chamber by means of a rotary vacuum seal. A wheel drive motor is mounted in the vacuum chamber on the rotational axis of the implant wheel and the wheel and drive motor combination can be tilted at the end of the scanning arm to adjust the angle of implantation. The tilt actuator is inside the vacuum chamber mounted on the scanning arm and the tilt axis is such that the axis of rotation of the implant wheel remains always in the same plane as the axis of scan of the scanning arm.

Abstract: A method of producing amorphous silicon layers on a substrate by chemical vapor deposition at elevated pressures of at least about 25 Torr whereby deposition occurs at practicable rates. A substrate is loaded in a vacuum chamber, the temperature adjusted to obtain an amorphous silicon deposit of predetermined microcrystalline density, and the silicon precursor gases fed to the chamber to a preselected high pressure. Doped amorphous silicon films also can be deposited at high deposition rates. The above amorphous silicon films have a low density of nucleation sites; thus when the films are annealed, polycrystalline films having large crystal grains are produced.

Abstract: Centering pins mounted to a susceptor in a vacuum chamber align a glass substrate with respect to the susceptor on which it is supported, and with respect to a shadow frame which overlies the periphery of the substrate and protects the edge and underside of the substrate from undesired processing.Shaped pins loosely mounted in openings in the susceptor so that the pins extend above the upper surface of the susceptor support the centered glass substrate during the transporting stages, but recess into the heated susceptor during processing.

Abstract: A method of producing doped and undoped polycrystalline silicon layers on a substrate by chemical vapor deposition at elevated pressures of from about 10 to about 350 Torr whereby deposition occurs at practicable rates. A substrate is loaded in a vacuum chamber, the temperature adjusted to obtain a silicon deposit of predetermined crystallinity, and the silicon precursor gases fed to the chamber to a preselected high pressure. Both undoped and doped silicon can be deposited at high rates up to about 3000 angstroms per minute.

Abstract: Glass substrates suitable for thin film processing can be batch heated to processing temperatures and batch cooled after processing by radiant heating and cooling in a vacuum chamber. The heating and/or cooling chamber is fitted with a cassette including heat conductive shelves that can be heated or cooled, interleaved by the glass substrates mounted on supports so that a gap exists between the shelves and the substrates. As the shelves provide heating or cooling, the glass substrates are radiantly heated or cooled by the shelves, thereby providing uniform heating or cooling of the glass substrates so as to avoid damage or warpage of the substrates.A vacuum system for processing the substrates includes batch-type heating and cooling of the substrates using the chambers of the invention in combination with one-at-a-time film processing chambers that can deposit one or more thin films on the substrates.

Abstract: In a single substrate vacuum processing chamber for processing large glass substrates, a novel vacuum exhaust system is built into the lid of the chamber. A plenum chamber which is connected to a continuous vacuum pump is mounted around a gas dispersion plate, also built into the lid, and has continuous access to the reaction region of the chamber by means of a restricted access passage. The plenum chamber is large with respect to the access passage which provides uniform and continuous evacuation of process gases and particulates from the full periphery of the processing region. This design minimizes the deposition of particulates onto the large area substrate and onto the port by which the substrate enters and leaves the chamber and, by the same design, creates a chamber which has a small volume in relation to the size of the substrate is can process.

Abstract: A barrier to prevent reactant gases from reaching the surfaces of a susceptor support for a substrate upon which polysilicon films are to be deposited provides improved uniformity of the depositing film across the substrate, and prevents substrate-to-substrate variations during sequential depositions. A suitable barrier includes a preheat ring extension that mates with an extension of the susceptor support.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for the turbulent mixing of gases are described. The invention has particular application when it is desired to produce a gas mixture including a very small quantity (ppm or less) of at least one component gas and/or wherein there is a substantial density difference between the component gases to be used to make up the gas mixture.

Abstract: Ion implantation equipment is modified so as to provide filament reflectors to a filament inside of an arc chamber, and to remove the electrical insulators for the filament outside of the arc chamber and providing a shield, thereby reducing the formation of a conductive layer on said insulators and greatly extending the lifetime and reducing downtime of the equipment. The efficiency of the equipment is further enhanced by an interchangeable liner for the arc chamber that increases the wall temperature of the arc chamber and thus the electron temperature. The use of tungsten parts inside the arc chamber, obtained either by making the arc chamber itself or portions thereof of tungsten, particularly the front plate having the exit aperture for the ion beam, or by inserting a removable tungsten liner therein, decreases contamination of the ion beam. Serviceability of the arc chamber is improved by using a unitary clamp that separately grips both the filament and filament reflectors.

Abstract: A technique for automatically compensating for differences in orientation of a workpiece, such as a rectangular substrate, a substrate cassette, a loadlock for accessing a vacuum chamber, and a substrate support on a robot mechanism. Sensors on the substrate support detect the position of a front edge of a substrate, a cassette or a loadlock, and measurements taken at the time the sensors are tripped by the edge are used to compute linear, angular and radial position corrections. More specifically, in moving a substrate from a cassette to the loadlock, the substrate support compensates for the orientation of the cassette, compensates for the orientation of the substrate within the cassette, and withdraws the substrate without contact with the cassette walls, and without the need for moving edge guides to orient the substrate.