Abstract: A graphical user interface in which object thumbnails are rendered on a simulated three-dimensional surface which (i) exploits spatial memory and (ii) allows more objects to be rendered on a given screen. The objects may be moved, continuously, on the surface with a two-dimensional input device.

Abstract: The invention in one embodiment is realized in a plasma reactor for processing a semiconductor workpiece. The reactor includes a vacuum chamber having a side wall and a ceiling, a workpiece support pedestal within the chamber and generally facing the ceiling, a gas inlet capable of supplying a process gas into the chamber and a solenoidal interleaved parallel conductor coil antenna overlying the ceiling and including a first plurality conductors wound about an axis of symmetry generally perpendicular to the ceiling in respective concentric helical solenoids of at least nearly uniform lateral displacements from the axis of symmetry, each helical solenoid being offset from the other helical solenoids in a direction parallel to the axis of symmetry. A RF plasma source power supply is connected across each of the plural conductors.

Abstract: This machine for postage metering a flat object (6) such as an envelope or a label comprises a horizontal opening for inserting an object, leading to two stops (8, 9) at right angles, a device for holding the object by gripping it between a fixed upper ceiling (2) comprising a window (2′) and a lower plate (3) vertically movable by means of a drive mechanism, an ink jet printing device (1) whose nozzles are disposed inside the window (2′) of said ceiling, and a sensor (10) of the presence of an object in the vicinity of the corner of the stops (8, 9), which starts the drive mechanism of the plate (3) for gripping the object (6) and the printing cycle. A motorized transverse rake (4) moves the object (6), while it is gripped, in front of the printing device (1).

Abstract: A method of processing a workpiece in a plasma reactor includes establishing a torroidal path for a plasma current to flow that passes near and transverse to the surface of said workpiece, maintaining a plasma current in the torroidal path by applying RF power to a portion of the torroidal path away from the surface of the workpiece, and increasing the ion density of the plasma current in the vicinity of the workpiece by constricting the area of a portion of the torroidal path overlying the workpiece.

Abstract: The invention is realized in a plasma reactor for processing a semiconductor workpiece. The reactor includes a vacuum chamber having a side wall and a ceiling, a workpiece support pedestal within the chamber and generally facing the ceiling, a gas inlet capable of supplying a process gas into the chamber and a solenoidal interleaved parallel conductor coil antenna overlying the ceiling and including a first plurality conductors wound about an axis of symmetry generally perpendicular to the ceiling in respective concentric helical solenoids of at least nearly uniform lateral displacements from the axis of symmetry, each helical solenoid being offset from the other helical solenoids in a direction parallel to the axis of symmetry. An RF plasma source power supply is connected across each of the plural conductors.

Abstract: One aspect of the invention is the construction of mixtures of Bayesian networks. Another aspect of the invention is the use of such mixtures of Bayesian networks to perform inferencing. A mixture of Bayesian networks (MBN) consists of plural hypothesis-specific Bayesian networks (HSBNs) having possibly hidden and observed variables. A common external hidden variable is associated with the MBN, but is not included in any of the HSBNs. The number of HSBNs in the MBN corresponds to the number of states of the common external hidden variable, and each HSBN is based upon the hypothesis that the common external hidden variable is in a corresponding one of those states. In one mode of the invention, the MBN having the highest MBN score is selected for use in performing inferencing.

Abstract: A point of presence with data collecting means (24; 43) arranged for collecting predetermined data and having a first output for outputting said predetermined data at a first transmission rate, the point of presence having forwarding means (22, 28(1), 28(2); 44) with a forwarding means output for outputting data to a dedicated telecommunication network (8) at a second transmission rate differing from said first transmission rate, said point of presence also having feedback means (26(1), 26(2), 26(3), 26(4); 46, 48; 46, 48, 26(5), 52) having a feedback input and a feedback output, said feedback means being arranged to receive said predetermined data at said first transmission rate from said data collecting means (24; 43), said forwarding means (22, 28(1), 28(2); 44) being connected to said feedback output for receiving said predetermined data and forwarding these predetermined data to said dedicated telecommunication network (8) at said second transmission rate.

Abstract: A method for etching a dielectric in a thermally controlled plasma etch chamber with an expanded processing window. The method is adapted to incorporate benefits of a the thermal control and high evacuation capability of the chamber. Etchent gases include hydrocarbons, oxygen and inert gas. Explanation is provided for enablling the use of hexafluoro-1,3-butadiene in a capacitively coupled etch plasma. The method is very useful for creating via, self aligned contacts, dual damascene, and other dielectric etch.

Abstract: The present invention is embodied in a plasma reactor with an inductive coil antenna facing the reactor chamber in which the windings of the coil antenna have a flattened cross-sectional shape, the flat portion of the winding facing toward the plasma within the reactor. Preferably, the coil antenna is located outside the reactor and faces a ceiling or wall of the reactor chamber. The coil antenna may be a single helical coil winding or multiple concentric spiral windings.

Abstract: There is described a support system enabling supporting an object such as a platform (1) free from vibration, in that bearing elements (50) have a stiffness (k) which at a working point (z0) equals zero. A bearing element (50) comprises two magnectic couplings (51, 52) provided by permanent magnets (61, 63). One coupling (51) has a positive stiffness (k51), and the other coupling has a negative stiffness (k52); in the working point, the absolute values of those stiffnesses are equally great. Alternatively, electrostatic couplings are used.

Abstract: The invention is embodied in a plasma reactor including a chamber enclosure having a process gas inlet and including a ceiling, a sidewall and a workpiece support pedestal capable of supporting a workpiece at a plasma processing location facing the ceiling, the workpiece processing location and ceiling defining a process region therebetween, the pedestal being spaced from said sidewall to define a pumping annulus therebetween having inner and outer walls, to permit process gas to be evacuated therethrough from the process region. The invention further includes a pair of opposing plasma confinement magnetic poles arranged adjacent the annulus within one of the inner and outer walls of the annulus, the opposing magnetic poles being axially displaced from one another the opposite poles being oriented to provide maximum magnetic flux in a direction across the annulus and a magnetic flux at the processing location less than the magnetic flux across the annulus.

Abstract: The invention refers to a device for an electric fence. The device include an electric unit (1) which is connectable to an electrically conducting fence (2) and which includes a voltage generator (4) arranged to apply a relatively high electric voltage to said fence (2). Furthermore, the device include a proximity detector (5), which is arranged to sense a state at which an animal is at least in contact with or in the proximity of said fence (2), and a control unit (6), which is connected to the voltage generator (4) and the proximity detector (5) and arranged to activate the voltage generator (4) to apply the relatively high electric voltage to the fence (2) in response to the state. The proximity detector (5) is arranged to detect the state by sensing an electric parameter, which substantially depends on the capacitance between the fence (2) and ground.

Abstract: A digital access arrangement for (i) isolating downstream components from twisted pair copper wire and (ii) separating upstream and downstream communications channels. The line isolation is performed with relatively small, lightweight components, such as an optical isolation unit for example, and can be operated with signals modulated at relatively high frequencies and having relatively high data rates and amplitudes.

Abstract: An isolated microorganism capable of selectively degrading epichlorohydrin or related halopropanol compounds is described. The microorganism is a representative of Agrobacterium spp and comprises a nucleic acid molecule encoding a polypeptide having enantioselective epoxide hydrolase activity.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for scavenging etchant species from a plasma formed of etchant gas prior to the etchant gas entering a primary processing chamber of a plasma reactor. There is at least one scavenging chamber, each of which is connected at an inlet thereof to an etchant gas source and at an outlet thereof to a gas distribution device of the primary processing chamber. Each scavenging chamber has a radiation applicator that irradiates the interior of the scavenging chamber and creates a plasma therein from etchant gas flowing through the chamber from the etchant gas source to the gas distribution apparatus of the primary processing chamber. The applicator uses either an inductive discharge, capacitive discharge, direct current (DC) discharge or microwave discharge to irradiate the interior of the scavenging chamber and ignite the plasma. An etchant species scavenging source is also disposed within the scavenging chamber.

Abstract: For a digital communications receiver, a clock and data signal recovery circuit and method use an all digital delay locked loop timed by an on-chip transmit clock signal. The digital delay locked loop includes a phase detector and loop filter. The phase detector determines, for each data signal rising or falling edge, if the current delay of a reference clock signal leads or lags the data signal edge. The loop filter examines the stream of such lead/lag indications, performs a nonlinear filtering process thereon, and in response increases or decreases the clock signal phase appropriately.

Abstract: Apparatus, specifically a circuit (100, 200), for a highly accurate, low cost temperature sensor, particularly one using silicon thermometry and which can be implemented by an application specific integrated circuit, that also possesses a high degree of linearity and a wide dynamic range. The inventive circuit advantageously utilizes either a mixed-signal approach or a digital core and provides independent adjustment, through two point calibration, of slope and ambient output offset values, with a zero offset adjustment advantageously accomplished through use of a digital tear. Specifically, given the inherent linearity of silicon thermometry, zero offset and desired output voltage are set, independently of each other, at a first predefined ambient calibration temperature as effectively two separate offset values, while slope (span) is set at a second predefined calibration temperature (typically a full scale temperature) different from the first temperature.

Abstract: A digital PLL's stability and immunity to jitter are improved by deriving the correction to the state machine count from an average over several computations of the phase error, and re-initializing the computation of the phase error to the residual error remaining after the correction. The PLL stability is improved by retaining all of the phase errors measured during a succession of plural phase measurement intervals and by retaining the residual error in the next cycle of cumulative phase error. The plurality of phase errors thus obtained are averaged together starting from the residual error left over from the previous cycle, and the state machine internal count is corrected (updated) in accordance with this average, rather than according to an instantaneous phase error. As a result, the performance of the PLL is less susceptible to jitter-induced temporary excursions in the phase error, a significant advantage.

Abstract: The invention is embodied in a coil antenna for radiating RF power supplied by an RF source into a vacuum chamber, the coil antenna including plural helical conductors each having a first end and a second end, the first ends being adapted for connection to a first common RF potential, the second ends being adapted for connection to a second common RF potential, each of the plural conductors being wound about a common axis of helical symmetry, each of the second ends being spaced substantially equally from the axis and from each other.

Abstract: The invention is embodied in a coil antenna for radiating RF power supplied by an RF source into a vacuum chamber, the coil antenna including plural helical conductors each having a first end and a second end, the first ends being adapted for connection to a first common RF potential, the second ends being adapted for connection to a second common RF potential, each of the plural conductors being wound about a common axis of helical symmetry, each of the second ends being spaced substantially equally from the axis and from each other.