Abstract: A tactile pick includes a base and a lever attached beneath the base by a pivot. A load sensing device including a strain gauge is located between the base and the portion of the lever on one side of the pivot; the portion of the lever on the other side of the pivot is adapted to receive a semiconductor wafer. Rotation of the lever about the pivot induced by the weight of a wafer causes an actuator to depress a flexible member on which a strain gauge is mounted. The output signal of the strain gauge is processed by a controller to provide an output signal which varies monotonically with the magnitude of the weight placed on the wafer receiving portion of the lever. The pick is employed in connection with the wafer transport system which transfers wafers from a cassette to the pick lever.

Abstract: In a vacuum chamber wafer treating apparatus a wafer is heated or cooled by introducing a gas at a pressure of approximately 100 to 1000 microns in a region between the wafer and a heating element or heat sink. The gas conducts thermal energy between the wafer and heating element or heat sink.

Abstract: A pressure sealed waveguide to coaxial line connection formed with a low cost, non-pressurizable waveguide to coaxial line adapter, an elastomeric sealing boot, and a specially configured mounting seat on a housing which contains a pressurizable waveguide cavity. The connection provides a low cost alternative to hermetically sealed waveguide to coaxial line adapters.

Abstract: An NMR spinner having a separate drive pressure and radial bearing pressure includes a differential pressure actuated valve for bleeding a portion of the radial bearing gas to the drive jets to provide for a slow rotation.

Abstract: A helium mass spectrometer leak detector includes a spectrometer tube connected to the inlet of a high vacuum pump. Helium tracer gas passes in reverse direction through the high vacuum pump from the foreline to the spectrometer tube. Relatively high pressure gross leak tests are performed, while maintaining the foreline of the high vacuum pump at the required operating pressure of about 100 millitorr, by passing the tracer gas in reverse direction through one or two stages of a mechanical vacuum pump. Test port pressures up to about atmosphere can be accommodated, with only a single mechanical vacuum pump required. According to another feature, high test port pressures are accommodated using a variable flow restrictor and reverse-connected mechanical vacuum pump in combination.

Abstract: A wafer is introduced into a processing chamber on a transport device. Lifting pins receive the wafer from the transport device and lower the wafer to the surface of a chuck. Clamping pins lower and hold the wafer by means of enlargements on the ends of the clamping pins. Grooves on the surface of the chuck and internal channels in the chuck are used to supply gas to the back of the wafer for temperature control.

Abstract: A radiotherapy machine includes a microwave powered accelerator to produce an energetic beam of charged particles, bending and focussing magnets to parallel scan the beam in a plane and collimators to make the resulting parallel scanned beam into paraxial rays of charged particles or X-rays. The beam is intensity modulated as it is scanned to control dosage spatial distribution. The subject is moved perpendicular to the scanning plane in order to treat a 3-dimensional shape.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for locating the centroid along a line section of an ion beam in a vacuum chamber, requiring no moving parts and requiring only two electrical conductors passing through the wall of the vacuum chamber. An array of Faraday cup current sensors is positioned along a line in the path of the beam at predetermined distances from a reference point, so that each sensor intercepts a component of the beam. A first plurality of resistors each has one end connected to one of the beam current sensors, has a value proportional to the distance between the beam current sensor to which it is connected and the reference point, and has its other end connected to a first common point. A second plurality of resistors having values equal to each other each has one end connected to one of the beam current sensors, has a value much greater than the largest of the first plurality of resistors, and has its other end connected to a second common point.

Abstract: A platen and beam setup assembly for use in an ion implanter includes a platen for wafer mounting and a beam setup flag for beam measurement. The platen and the setup flag are angularly displaced with respect to a common mounting shaft perpendicular to the ion beam. The assembly can be rotated about the shaft between a first position wherein the wafer is exposed to the ion beam and a second position wherein the setup flag is exposed to the ion beam. In a preferred embodiment, the platen is positioned for wafer exchange when the setup flag is exposed to the ion beam.

Abstract: Refractory metals or ceramics are diffusion bonded or densified by assembling the workpieces to be bonded, wrapping the assembly with carbon yarn, heating the wrapped assembly, cooling the assembly and unwrapping. The expansion of the workpieces together with the shrinking of the carbon yarn produces tremendous pressures which cause bonding and densifying of the workpiece.

Abstract: A logarithmic rf amplifier includes a plurality of cascaded stages each including a differential amplifier which performs full-wave rectification of the rf signal and a circuit for providing a video signal representative of the full-wave rectified rf signal. The logarithmic amplifier further includes a circuit for supplying rf signals of equal amplitude and opposite polarity to the inputs of the first differential amplifier stage and a circuit for summing the video signals from each of the stages and providing a logarithmic video output. The amplifier exhibits extremely fast pulse response and clean limiting.

Abstract: A modular wafer processing system requires a gate valve of minimum thickness. A gate valve is provided in which the gate is an assymetric wedge on an assymetrically mounted drive shaft.

Abstract: A planar magnetron sputtering device has an extended flat circular target source in opposed spaced parallel relationship with a generally flat article to be coated, placed within an evacuated coating chamber. Crossed electric and magnetic fields in the chamber are established in order to set up a plasma adjacent the target. The magnetic field is provided by a magnetic assembly of permanent magnets on the non-vacuum side of the target. The magnetic assembly is smaller in diameter than the target, but is mounted to a means for moving the assembly laterally over the entire area of the target. This means for moving sweeps the magnetic assembly in an eccentric path generally centered on the target center, with the path being non-reentrant and precessing about the target center with time. In this manner, the path sweeps different areas on successive rotations about the center, and a given area of target is exposed to the magnetic field at many successively different orientations.

Abstract: A ferromagnetic film for magnetic recording comprises a copper substrate having particles of iron and iron oxides dispersed in the surface layer of the copper. The particles have maximum dimensions in the range between 50 and 500 Angstroms. The ferromagnetic film can be formed by ion implantation of iron ions into the copper substrate followed by heat treatment to permit growth of ferromagnetic particles to the desired size. As an alternative to ion implantation, the iron can be deposited on the copper substrate by sputtering or evaporation and mixed with the copper by ion beam mixing.

Abstract: An improved microprocessor-controlled autosampler for use in liquid chromatography is shown. The autosampler is fully programmable by the operator and capable of performing complex sample preparation routines. A spring-loaded sample needle is employed to ensure that the needle makes contact with the bottom of the sample vial as required, for example, when handling extremely small samples. A hollow vial lifter serves as the receptacle for waste wash solvent eliminating the need for a special waste receptacle mechanism. Other improved features include a plurality of interchangeable, codable sample racks, a four-way valve in the syringe line enabling rapid priming/purging of the hydraulics, and as improved vial stabilizer design.

Abstract: In order to compensate for worn or distorted wafer cassettes and missing wafers, the cassette of wafers is scanned through a beam. The timing of the interruptions of the beam is used to inventory the wafers present and measure the exact position of each wafer relative to the base of the cassette.

Abstract: An automatic sample injector for high pressure liquid chromatography, utilizing a cassette-like holder of a plurality of sample columns and an automatic injection unit which sequentially and successively advances the cassette and removes each sample therefrom in accordance with the test to be conducted on the sample. The cassette-like sample carrier utilizes a plurality of sample columns disposed in line with each other, with the body of the cassette being unsymmetrical to prevent reversal thereof in the injection machine. The injection machine, when a sample cassette is placed thereon, automatically advances the cassette to the first sample column, connects the column to the chromatographic or other system, removes the sample therefrom, decouples the sample tube from the system and again advances the cassette to the next sample tube therein for similar processing thereof.

Abstract: Increased spatial sensitivity (FIGS. 4) or spatial tolerance (FIGS. 1) in selectively manipulated NMR sample analysis is excited from a spatially inhomogeneous FR field using pulse sequences which operate to exclude all spins deviating from a selected initial orientation (FIGS. 4 and 5) or to inclusively extend the applicable flip angles over a range of initial spin orientation (FIGS. 1).

Abstract: A chemical vapor deposition apparatus includes a gas mixing chamber and a water-cooled reaction chamber with adjustable water-cooled baffle between them. A wafer is clamped face down to a chuck and an inert gas such as helium is forced between the chuck and the wafer to insure proper heat conduction from chuck to wafer. The chuck can be radiantly heated from above and operated in a plasma-enhanced mode. A wafer loading apparatus driven by a computer is isolated by a loadlock during deposition to enhance cleanliness. The chamber can be plasma cleaned to reduce downtime.

Abstract: A wafer processing system including wafer handling arms incorporated into vacuum isolation valves is described. A loadlock with elevator and optical sensors is used to inventory and position a cassette of wafers. The wafers in the cassette can be randomly accessed. A computer is used to control the system according to a task status table independent of time sequence.