Abstract: A system for conditioning a pad is provided. The system includes a pad conditioning media, a feed-roll containing a supply of the pad conditioning media, and a take-up roll for receiving an end of the pad conditioning media. Further included in the system is a pressure application member defined between the feed-roll and the take-up roll. The pressure application member is designed to apply pressure onto the pad conditioning media as the pad conditioning media is applied against the pad to cause a conditioning of a surface of the pad.

Abstract: Chemical generator and method for generating a chemical species at a point of use such as the chamber of a reactor in which a workpiece such as a semiconductor wafer is to be processed. The species is generated by creating free radicals, and combining the free radicals to form the chemical species at the point of use.

Abstract: Provided is a method for increasing an etching selectivity of photoresist material. The method initiates with providing a substrate with a developed photoresist layer. The developed photoresist layer on the substrate is formulated to contain a hardening agent. Next, the substrate is exposed to a gas, where the gas is formulated to interact with the hardening agent. A portion of the developed photoresist layer is then converted to a hardened layer where the hardened layer is created by an interaction of the hardening agent with the gas. Some notable advantages of the discussed methods of increasing the selectivity of a photoresist include improved etch profile control. Additionally, by combining fabrication steps such as the hardening of the photoresist in an etch chamber, downstream etching processes may be performed without having to transfer the wafer to an additional chamber, thereby improving wafer throughput while minimizing handling.

Abstract: A radio frequency (RF) power amplifier module integrated with a power control loop is formed on a print circuit board and packaged within a mold. In order to minimize a whole size of the RF power amplifier module, capacitors with a smaller size are employed to substitute for prior art ceramic directional couplers. In addition to the capacitors, RF power amplifiers, matching circuits, power detectors, and a power control specific application integrated circuit are all integrated on the print circuit board without individual packages. Furthermore, the RF power amplifiers and the power detectors are formed on a common semiconductor substrate. Therefore, the RF power amplifier module has advantages of a small size and minimum parasitic impedance.

Abstract: In a machine for planarizing wafers, when a spindle carrier descends over the load station, it needs a way of determining whether it should descend to a first position suitable for depositing a wafer onto the load station or whether it should descend to a lower second position suitable for acquiring a wafer that is already present on the load station. The present invention provides a way of making this determination. The load station includes three upwardly-directed nozzles for use in supporting a wafer on three separate spaced cushions of purified water. The nozzles are supplied through branch conduits from a supply main. When no wafer is present, the pressurized water meets with little resistance as it is discharged from the nozzles. Accordingly, the pressure in the branches is relatively low. In contrast, when a wafer is present the wafer partially impedes the discharge of the water from the nozzles, causing the pressure in the branches to be greater than when no wafer is present.

Abstract: An invention is provided for an implanter tool process parameter setup system. The implanter tool process parameter setup system includes a first sensor capable of obtaining a first lot identifier (ID) from a first POD, and a controller that is in communication with an implanter tool. The controller is capable of adjusting parameters of the implanter tool based on a process recipe. Further included in the system is a database that stores a plurality of lot IDs and a plurality of process recipes, wherein each lot ID corresponds to a particular process recipe. A computer is in communication with the first sensor, the controller, and the database, wherein the computer is capable of obtaining a process recipe corresponding to the first lot ID from the database, and wherein the computer is further capable of providing the process recipe to the controller.

Abstract: The present invention relates to enriched milk with capsules containing certain nutrients, and the capsule is composed of a primary core which contains the nutrients, a second core layer which surrounds the primary core to prevent loss of the nutrients contained in the primary core and a outer layer which covers the second core layer to maintain the shape of the capsule, and wherein, the specific gravity of the total capsules is adjusted to be equal to that of milk. According to the present invention, nutrients deficient in milk can be supplemented by the encapsulation and addition of nutrients.

Abstract: A decomposable ROM image sequentially including an OS header corresponding to an OS image, the OS image, a non-OS header corresponding to a non-OS image and the non-OS image. To compose the decomposable ROM image, the OS header, which includes OS size information of the OS image and the non-OS header, which includes non-OS size information of the non-OS image are created first. Then, the OS header, the OS image, the non-OS header and the non-OS image are sequentially combined. To decompose the decomposable ROM image, the OS image is retrieved from the ROM image according to the OS size information obtained from the OS header. The non-OS image is then retrieved from the ROM image according to the non-OS size information obtained from the non-OS header.

Abstract: A computer storage method is disclosed for providing data storage independent of an underlying architecture is disclosed. Initially, a file system request is received, where the file system request is configured in a first format based on a first operating system. The file system request is communicated to a file system translator via a communication channel, and the file system configures the file system request into a second format based on a second operating system utilizing the file system translator. The file system request is then performed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and circuit for synchronizing two signals triggered by clocks of different frequencies, which samples the lower frequency write-enable signal at both positive and negative edges of the higher frequency clock. If the sampling result at the positive or negative edge of the higher frequency clock is “1”, the state is recorded to be a “lock state” and no sampling is taken from the next opposite edge. If the sampling result at the positive or negative edge is “0”, the state is recorded to be a “sampling state” and the next opposite edge will be sampled. Finally, the sampling results taken at the positive and negative edges are joined to output a synchronized write-enable signal.

Abstract: A platen is disclosed. The platen includes a support surface for supporting a portion of a linear polishing belt during a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) operation. The platen also includes a plurality of fluid outlets oriented throughout the support surface. The orientation defines an asymmetric pattern where each of the plurality of fluid outlets is capable of outputting a controlled fluid toward an underside of the linear polishing belt.

Abstract: A method for forming a self-aligned contact (SAC)/borderless contact opening includes forming a shallow trench isolation (STI) structure in a substrate to define an active area. A gate structure including a cap layer is formed. The gate structure is formed on the substrate and oriented perpendicular to the STI structure and the active area. An oxide spacer is formed on at least one of the sidewalls of the gate structure. A conformal liner layer is formed on the substrate covering the gate structure, the oxide spacer, and the STI structure. An inter-layer dielectric (ILD) layer is formed on the substrate covering the liner layer. The ILD layer is patterned and etched to define a SAC/borderless contact opening. A SAC/borderless contact opening structure also is described.

Abstract: Disclosed is an automobile audio system. The automobile audio system includes a control panel for displaying audio data, and a control unit that is wired to the control panel. The control unit includes a hard disk and a compact disc player capable of playing at least one compact disc. Interface circuitry enables the wiring of the control unit to the control panel, and a processor and memory are connected to the interface circuitry. The memory is configured to store program instructions for extracting music data from the at least one compact disc and for recording the extracted music data to the hard disk.

Abstract: A hold cell implementing a closed-loop, common mode negative feedback method is provided. The hold cell enables generation of an accurate constant output voltage regardless of temperature-dependent leakage currents associated with parasitic diodes and non-ideal devices. The accurate constant output voltage provided by the hold cell is used by the low power oscillator to generate an accurate low frequency output signal. This accurate low frequency output signal is used to maintain long-term timing accuracy in host devices during sleep modes of operation. Incorporation of the hold cell in a low power oscillator is fully implementable in a CMOS process.

Abstract: A method and system for determining the orientation of an image of a picture within a scanned image, including the steps of locating in the scanned image the contour of the image of the picture, determining a plurality of bounding boxes confining the contour of the image of the picture, selecting one of the plurality of bounding boxes that is substantially aligned with the contour of the image of the picture, and calculating an angle of rotation of the picture based on the selected bounding box.

Abstract: A system and method for determining a component of an eddy current sensor (ECS) signal attributable to a substrate includes placing a substrate in a first position relative to an ECS at a first distance from the ECS. A first surface of the substrate can include a conductive film. A first ECS signal can be detected with the substrate in the first position. The substrate can then be inverted relative to the ECS. A second ECS signal is detected with the substrate in the second position. A difference signal is determined. The difference signal is equal to a difference between a first signal level on a calibration graph for the ECS and the second signal level.

Abstract: A nozzle assembly includes a connector tube having a first end and a second end. An outer surface of the connector tube is threaded. A first cap having an opening therethrough is threaded onto the first end of the connector tube. A second cap having an opening therethrough is threaded onto the second end of the connector tube. Each of the first and second caps has a top surface and a threaded inner surface. The nozzle assembly further includes a nozzle having a tubular portion defining a channel. The tubular portion is disposed in the opening of the first connector cap so that a position of the nozzle can be axially and rotationally adjusted. A spin, rinse, and dry station including the adjustable nozzle assembly and a method for spin rinsing the bottom side, i.e., the backside, of a semiconductor wafer also are described.

Abstract: A variable voltage tolerant input/output circuit, wherein a leakage current is not produced while having a high reliability, characterized in that the circuit includes a clamping circuit for clamping the N-well potential of M1. When the supply voltage VCC is higher than or equal to the input/output voltage VI/O, the N-well potential of M1 is clamped to the supply voltage VCC; when the supply voltage VCC is lower than the input/output voltage VI/O, the N-well potential of M1 is clamped to the input/output voltage VI/O.

Abstract: An invention for self-timing in a memory device is provided. The self-timing system includes a dummy global wordline signal, which is configured to follow a global timing pulse for a memory device. In addition, a row of at least one non-timing memory banks is included. Each non-timing memory bank includes a model row in electrical communication with the dummy global wordline signal. Each model row is comprised of a plurality of load cells. The self-timing system further includes a timing memory bank having a global timing column. The global timing column is comprised of a plurality of load cells that are coupled via at least one bitline. In operation, the global timing column responds to the dummy global wordline signal to provide a self-timing reset signal for the memory device. In this manner, the self-timing reset signal is provided to each active memory bank in the row of memory banks.

Abstract: In the first embodiment, gradation reproduction with a same ink is performed by (i) setting as a unit of gradation reproduction a group of N contiguous pixels (where N is an integer of at least 2) arranged in the main scan direction or the sub scan direction; (ii) setting the volume of ink ejectable onto at least one pixel location of the N pixels to a value different from the volume of ink ejectable onto other pixel locations; and (iii) controlling the volume of ink at each pixel location of the N pixels to reproduce M gradation levels (where M is an integer of at least N+2) for each group of the N pixels. In the second embodiment, low-resolution image data are generated based on high-resolution image data when the print control device outputs printing data to the printing device, assuming that each group of high-resolution pixels adjacent to each other constitute one low-resolution pixel. The low-resolution image data are used to eject ink drops onto each high-resolution pixel.