Abstract: An output buffer circuit includes multiple programmable boost drive stages which allow selection of one of several drive strengths to accommodate a range of output load conditions, thereby achieving low noise and low power dissipation. In one embodiment, one or more of the boost circuits turn on after the primary driver circuit is turned on, and turn off before the primary circuit is turned off, thereby achieving soft turn-on and turn-off.

Abstract: A converter for lithography which generates signals that control a shaping of an electron (or other energy) beam and which includes a translator that translates shape data into shape and position signals, and translates duration information into a duration signal. The converter also includes a retrograde scan circuit coupled to the translator that provides a retrograde signal that adjusts the position signal to offset a raster scan movement of the beam. The shape signals control the shaping of the beam, the position signal specifies a position of the beam for writing the shape on a substrate, and the duration signal specifies a duration of exposure of the beam on the substrate.

Abstract: A digital wavetable audio synthesizer including a synthesizer volume generator. The volume generator causing a data sample to be multiplied by volume components that add right offset, left offset, and effects volume to the data. The left and right offsets provide stereo field positioning, and the effects volume is used in generating an echo effect. The data sample can be placed in one of sixteen fixed stereo pan positions, or alternatively the left and right offset values can be programmed to place the data anywhere in the stereo field. The synthesizer includes a register array programmed with right and left offset values for providing wavetable data with right and left offset volume components.

Abstract: A high performance random access memory integrated circuit is disclosed in several embodiments, along with various embodiments of associated supporting circuitry, which offers significant power savings in read operations. The integrated circuit is capable of retrieving data words from a memory array either one data word in a single clock cycle or more than one data word in a single clock cycle. For random memory reads, retrieving one data word from the memory array in a clock cycle where the memory array is accessed in response to each read request saves power over retrieving more than one data word from the memory array in the clock cycle. Conversely, if read requests are burst requests (i.e., a first read request immediately followed by advance requests), power is saved by retrieving more than one data word in a clock cycle where the memory array is accessed.

Abstract: An electron-emitting device contains a lower conductive region (22), a porous insulating layer (24A, 24B, 24D, 24E, or 24F) overlying the lower conductive region, and a multiplicity of electron-emissive elements (30, 30A, or 30B) situated in pores (281) extending through the porous layer. The pores are situated at locations substantially random relative to one another. The lower conductive region typically contains a highly conductive portion (22A) and an overlying highly resistive portion (22B). Alternatively or additionally, a patterned gate layer (34B, 40B, or 46B) overlies the porous layer. Openings (36, 42, or 541) corresponding to the filaments extend through the gate layer at locations generally centered on the filaments such that the filaments are separated from the gate layer.

Abstract: An electron-emitting device contains an emitter electrode (12), a group of sets of electron-emitting elements (24), a group of control electrodes (28), and a focusing system (37) for focusing electrons emitted by the electron-emissive elements. The sets of electron-emissive elements are arranged generally in a line extending in a specified direction. Each control electrode has a main portion (30) and a gate portion (32). the electron-emissive elements are exposed through gate openings (36) in the gate portion. The main portion of each control electrode crosses over the emitter electrode and has a large control opening (34) which laterally circumscribes one of the sets of electron-emissive elements. The focusing system has a group of focus openings (40) located respectively above the control openings. Each control opening is largely centered on, or/and is no more than 50% as large as, the corresponding focus opening in the specified direction.

Abstract: An interrupted development, multi-cycle development process, in combination with an aqueous photoresist developer composition enables development of electron-beam exposed novolak-resin based photoresists with resolution of less than 0.20 &mgr;m, contrast >5, and dark loss less than 10%. The developer composition of this invention includes a metal alkali, a dialkylalkanolamine adjuvant, a surfactant and a buffer.

Abstract: A process controller implements an overall, user-developed control strategy in a process control network that includes distributed controller and field devices, such as Fieldbus and non-Fieldbus devices. A user defines the control strategy by building a plurality of function blocks and control modules and downloading or installing user-specified portions of the control strategy into the Fieldbus devices and the non-Fieldbus devices. Thereafter, the Fieldbus devices automatically perform the downloaded portions of the overall strategy independently of other portions of the control strategy. For example in a process control system that includes distributed field devices, controllers and workstations, portions of the control strategy downloaded or installed into the field devices operate independently of and in parallel with the control operations of the controllers and the workstations, while other control operations manage the Fieldbus devices and implement other portions of the control strategy.

Abstract: A static random access memory cell is given increased stability and latch-up immunity by using N-type gate NMOS transistors and P-type gate PMOS transistors in the control and sensing circuits, but using the same gate conductivity type for both the NMOS and PMOS memory cell transistors. For example, both NMOS and PMOS memory cell transistors have N-type gates. Weakening the memory cell load transistors by lightly doping the source and/or drain regions further enhances stability.

Abstract: A superscalar complex instruction set computer (“CISC”) processor having a reduced instruction set computer (“RISC”) superscalar core includes an instruction cache which identifies and marks raw x86 instruction start and end points and encodes “pre-decode” information, a byte queue which is a queue of aligned instruction and pre-decode information of the “predicted executed” state, and an instruction decoder which generates type, opcode, and operand pointer values for RISC-like operations (ROPs) based on the aligned pre-decoded x86 instructions in the byte queue and determines the number of possible x86 instruction dispatch for shifting the byte que. The instruction decoder includes in each dispatch position a logic conversion path, a memory conversion path, and a common conversion path for converting CISC instructions to ROPs.

Abstract: A microscope uses electrostatic force modulation microscopy to measure mechanical and electrical characteristics of a sample. A tip contacts the sample while a voltage (which may have dc and ac components) is applied between the tip and sample. The tip oscillates even though the tip is contacting the sample due to strong electrostatic force interaction between the tip and sample. Different characteristics of the sample such as hardness, surface potential, capacitance, surface charge, and so forth, are measured by manipulating the oscillation of the tip relative to the sample and monitoring the position of the tip.

Abstract: A repeater interface controller (“RIC”) integrated circuit with integrated filters and buffer drivers is provided for use in a repeater. In one embodiment, the RIC uses two filters to filter link pulse signals and data signals for a plurality of ports. Thus, the RIC is able to concurrently provide filtered link pulses to some ports and filtered data signals to other ports. Further, because only two filters are used, the area required to implement the plurality of ports is reduced relative to conventional repeaters that use a filter for each port. In another embodiment of the present invention, a RIC includes a logic circuit and a plurality of analog multiplexers and twisted pair buffer drivers. The analog multiplexers receive signals on their input lines and select which of these signals are passed to the buffer drivers to be outputted.

Abstract: A method of retaining the integrity of a photoresist pattern is provided where the patterned photoresist is treated prior to etching the principle layer. The pre-etch treatment encompasses a plasma treatment. In some embodiments employing an anti-reflective coating (ARC) layer, an isolation/protective layer is used to isolate the ARC from the photoresist. In some embodiments, the pre-etch treatment, advantageously provides for patterning the isolation/protection layer.

Abstract: Pick-up tools and other devices for handling semiconductor wafers are require to be capable of withstanding corrosive chemical substances and extreme temperatures, and the valve unit for use in such devices must meet these requirements. The valve unit is also desired to be free from electrostatic charging. To this end, the valve unit comprises a valve main body, having a valve seat defined therein, which is made of relatively electroconductive and self-lubricating material such as PTFE, and a valve case which is injection molded around the valve unit and made of a material having some electroconductivity and a high resistance against deformation such as PEEK mixed with carbon fibers. Provision of annular grooves on the outer surface of the valve main body improves the attachment between the valve main body and the valve case so as to improve both the sealing performance and the mechanical integrity of the valve unit.

Abstract: An ozone containing gas is injected into a portion of top soil that was previously oversaturated with water, to stimulate the propagation and growth of living organisms. The injected ozone oxidizes at least one molecule (also called “parent molecule”) in the top soil to create at least one byproduct that is smaller than the parent molecule. The small size of such byproducts allows the byproducts to cause the growth of living organisms (such as plants including fungi and tomatoes). The byproducts can be used to grow a fungi (such as Trichoderma, spp.) that is (1) parasitic to detrimental fungi such as fusarium or is (2) a stimulant for chlorophyll-bearing plants, or is both. The byproducts can also be used to directly grow the chlorophyll-bearing plants. An ozone containing gas can be injected via a soil injector connected to an ozone supplier that is either stationary or is moved over a field, e.g. by a vehicle.

Abstract: A memory system having a main memory which is coupled to a plurality of parallel virtual access channels. Each of the virtual access channels provides a set of memory access resources for controlling the main memory. These memory access resources include cache resources (including cache chaining), burst mode operation control and precharge operation control. A plurality of the virtual access channels are cacheable virtual access channels, each of which includes a channel row cache memory for storing one or more cache entries and a channel row address register for storing corresponding cache address entries. One or more non-cacheable virtual access channels are provided by a bus bypass circuit. Each virtual access channel is addressable, such that particular memory masters can be assigned to access particular virtual access channels.

Abstract: A calibration disk for calibrating the fly height of a head, includes spaced circumferencial bands on the disk extending in a concentric fashion from adjacent an outer diameter of the disk to near an inner diameter of the disk. Each of the bands include radial and circumferencial spaced asperity emulating bumps having a population sufficient to produce a constant and continuous output signal from a glide head when the glide head flies lower than a maximum height of the bumps. The height of the bumps within individual bands are substantially uniform, and the average heights of the bumps in each band differ from each other. The configuration of the bumps on the calibration disk advantageously avoids errors caused by disk waviness, runout, and contamination. Further, using the differing heights of the bumps on the calibration disk, a glide head can be calibrated on the glide tester without using an independent fly height measurements for the glide head.

Abstract: An autofocus system for use for instance in a photolithography machine (but not so limited) uses oblique incident optics which transform a defocus of the plane of the wafer whose location is being detected to a lateral shear of the beam. A common path interferometer measures the lateral shear. The common path interferometer is for instance a triangular path interferometer. Since both the signal (object) light beam and the reference light beams transverse almost exactly the same optical path, the system is thereby independent of mechanical vibration or other environmental influence such as temperature variations. Compensation is provided for refractive effects caused by local atmospheric heating immediately above the wafer surface.