Abstract: A camera includes a photocathode operable in a night mode wherein electrons are generated in response to incident light, an active pixel sensor including an array of pixels for sensing electrons in the night mode, a power supply for energizing the photocathode in the night mode in response to a control signal, and a power supply control circuit for providing the control signal to the power supply in response to a sensed incident light level. The control signal may be a gating signal having a duty cycle that increases as the sensed incident light level decreases. The camera may be operable in a day mode wherein a fraction of the incident light is transmitted through the photocathode and is sensed by the active pixel sensor. The camera may further include an electron shielded light detector. A light detector signal generated by the electron shielded light detector may be used to control switching between the day mode and the night mode.

Abstract: A low light level system is described wherein electrons, created by images directed to a photocathode, directly bombard active pixel sensors. Both the active pixel sensors and the output end of the photocathode are positioned in a vacuum envelop. The electron released from the photocathode are directed to and at the active pixel sensors. The output of the active pixel sensor detector may be stored, viewed or displayed at a remote location. Various applications are described including a novel camera.

Abstract: A rapid thermal processing system for large area substrates, such as glass panels for flat panel displays, includes a processing chamber having a loading/unloading zone and a processing zone, a heating assembly for heating a substrate in the processing zone, and a transport assembly for transporting the substrate through the processing chamber. The transport assembly includes a feed conveyor for transporting the substrate from the loading/unloading zone through the processing zone and a substrate return assembly for transporting the substrate from the feed conveyor to the loading/unloading zone after the substrate is transported through the processing zone. The substrate return assembly may include a return conveyor for transporting the substrate to the loading/unloading zone and a substrate reverser for transferring the substrate from the feed conveyor to the return conveyor.

Abstract: A disk gripper for gripping an insulating disk, such as a glass disk, at its edge during processing includes a contact device for contacting the edge of the insulating disk and a mechanism for moving the contact device between a contact position, in contact with the edge of the disk, and a retracted position. In a first processing station, a conductive coating is applied to a disk held by the gripper, with the contact device in the retracted position. In a second processing station, ions are generated in a plasma adjacent to the surface of the disk held by the gripper. The contact device is in the contact position in contact with the conductive coating, and a bias voltage is applied to the contact device in the second processing station. The ions are accelerated from the plasma toward the disk by the bias voltage applied to the conductive coating.

Abstract: A substrate processing system includes a processing chamber, a substrate holder positioned in the chamber, a gas source for supplying a process gas to the chamber, first and second ion sources located in the chamber, and a power source for energizing the first and second ion sources. Each ion source ionizes the process gas to produce ions for processing a substrate disposed on the substrate holder. The first and second ion sources include first and second anodes, respectively. The power source energizes the first and second anodes in a time multiplexed manner, such that only one of the first and second ion sources is energized at any time and interactions between ion sources are eliminated.

Abstract: A rapid thermal processing system for large area substrates, such as glass panels for flat panel displays, includes a processing chamber, a transport assembly for transporting a substrate through the processing chamber, and a heating assembly for heating the substrate. The heating assembly includes a bank of elongated heating elements disposed in the processing chamber. The heating elements have longitudinal axes aligned with the substrate transport direction. In one embodiment, heating elements on one side of the substrate have longitudinal axes aligned perpendicular to the substrate transport direction and heating elements on the opposite side of the substrate have longitudinal axes aligned parallel to the substrate transport direction.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system for transporting disks in vacuum to a vacuum station whereat a lubricant film is applied uniformly to the surfaces of the disks by evaporation. Thickness uniformity is achieved by directing the evaporate through a multi-hole aperture plate. Described is equipment for manufacture, the process of manufacture and the novel disks created.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for testing a magnetic disk and a read head are provided. A reference track is written on the magnetic disk. The read head is scanned laterally with respect to the reference track while the magnetic disk is rotating. The reference track is sensed with the read head as the read head is scanned across the reference track to produce a scanned read signal that is representative of disk and read head performance. The scanned read signal may be processed to provide parameters such as track average amplitude, signal-to-noise ratio, and pulse width of write transitions.

Abstract: A substrate processing system includes a processing chamber, a substrate holder positioned in the chamber, a gas source for supplying a process gas to the chamber, at least one ion source located in the chamber, and a power source for energizing the ion source by positively biasing the anode and negatively biasing the cathode, the bias in each instance being relative to the chamber. The ion source ionizes the process gas producing ions for processing a substrate disposed on a substrate holder in the chamber. One embodiment includes two such ion sources. In this case, the power source energizes the first and second anodes and the cathodes in a time multiplexed manner, such that only one of the first or second ion sources is energized at any time and interactions between ion sources are eliminated.

Abstract: A soft docking system is provided for a medical treatment system, such as an intraoperative electron beam therapy system. The medical treatment system includes a treatment head, an applicator having a fixed position relative to a patient and apparatus for adjusting the position of the treatment head relative to the applicator. The soft docking system includes one or more sensing assemblies for sensing a position of the treatment head relative to the applicator and providing one or more position signals representative thereof, and a display responsive to the position signals for indicating the position of the treatment head relative to the applicator. The position of the treatment head may be adjusted so that the display indicates a desired postion. The docking system may provide an interlock signal to prevent application of the electron beam until the treatment head and the applicator are correctly aligned.

Abstract: An electron beam microscope includes an electron beam pattern source, a vacuum enclosure, electron optics, a detector and a processor. The electron beam pattern source generates a sequence of electron beam patterns for illuminating a set of pixels on a specimen. The electron optics directs the sequence of electron beam patterns to the specimen. The detector detects a result of an interaction between each of the electron beam patterns and the specimen and produces a sequence of detector signals. The processor, in response to the sequence of detector signals, generates an image including a pixel value representative of each of the illuminated of pixels on the specimen. The electron beam microscope preferably includes a deflector for deflecting each of the electron beam patterns relative to the specimen.

Abstract: An electron source includes a negative electron affinity photocathode on a light-transmissive substrate and a light beam generator for directing a light beam through the substrate at the photocathode for exciting electrons into the conduction band. The photocathode has at least one active area for emission of electrons with dimensions of less than about two micrometers. The electron source further includes electron optics for forming the electrons into an electron beam and a vacuum enclosure for maintaining the photocathode at high vacuum. The photocathode is patterned to define emission areas. A patterned mask may be located on the emission surface of the active layer, may be buried within the active layer or may be located between the active layer and the substrate.

Abstract: A transferred-electron photocathode or other opto-electronic device having one light-receiving side and one electronic side, in which multiple photocathodes are processed concurrently on a wafer for front and back side contacts and anti-reflection layers. After the wafer-level processing, the individual cells are diced, and each is placed in a rectangular recess formed in a window body with the light-receptive part of the photocathode facing the window. The integration is aided by several novel processes including coining a chip recess into a window, selective etching of titanium over chromium, and using a single metal sheet member for electrically contacting the photocathode, forming part of the vacuum envelope, and providing an exterior electrical tab.

Abstract: An electron beam source includes a cathode having an electron emission surface including an active area for emission of electrons and a cathode shield assembly including a conductive shield disposed in proximity to the electron emission surface of the cathode. The shield has an opening aligned with the active area. The electron beam source further includes a device for stimulating emission of electrons from the active area of the cathode, electron optics for forming the electrons into an electron beam and a vacuum enclosure for maintaining the cathode at high vacuum. The cathode may be a negative electron affinity photocathode formed on a light-transmissive substrate. The shield protects non-emitting areas of the emission surface from contamination and inhibits cathode materials from contaminating components of the electron beam source. The cathode may be moved relative to the opening in the shield so as to align an new active area with the opening.

Abstract: Apparatus for depositing a film on a substrate includes a housing that encloses a sputtering chamber, a substrate holder for positioning a substrate in the sputtering chamber and a sputtering gun, including a sputtering target, for depositing a film of atoms of the target on a surface of the substrate. The chamber contains a gas which forms a plasma. An electrical potential is applied to the substrate for accelerating ions from the plasma toward the substrate. The apparatus includes a substrate electrode for controlling trajectories of ions accelerated from the plasma toward the substrate. The substrate electrode permits movement of the substrate by the substrate holder and establishes a substantially uniform electrical potential around the periphery of the substrate as viewed from the plasma. The substrate electrode may be biased so that ions substantially uniformly bombard the surface of the substrate.

Abstract: A rod of etchable core glass material is inserted within a lead glass sleeve and heated in a furnace to drawing temperature and drawn from the furnace into a fiber. The lower end of the glass sleeve is collapsed around the core glass, thereby sealing the sleeve to the core rod. A vacuum is drawn on the space between the rod and the sleeve while in the furnace for outgassing the rod and sleeve and for eliminating gas tending to be trapped between the core fiber and its sleeve. In a subsequent step, a multitude of such glass fibers are assembled in a bundle, inserted within an evacuable glass sleeve, and heated to the softening point while drawing a vacuum on the bundle of fibers and the interior of the sleeve for further outgassing of the fibers. While the assembly is in the furnace, the exterior of the sleeve is pressurized to fuse the assembly of glass fibers together and to the sleeve to form a final boule which is subsequently transversely sliced to form plates which are etched to remove the core glass.

Abstract: A magnetron sputtering source for depositing a material onto a substrate includes a target from which the material is sputtered, a magnet assembly disposed in proximity to the target for confining a plasma at the surface of the target and a drive assembly for scanning the magnet assembly relative to the target. The sputtering source may further include an anode for maintaining substantially constant plasma characteristics as the magnet assembly is scanned relative to the target. The anode may be implemented as variable voltage stationary electrodes positioned at or near the opposite ends of the scan path followed by the magnet assembly, spaced-apart anode wires positioned between the target and the substrate or a movable anode that is scanned with the magnet assembly. The magnet elements of the magnet assembly may have different spacings from the surface of the target to enhance depositional thickness uniformity.

Abstract: A magnetron sputtering source for forming a sputtered film on a substrate in a magnetron sputtering apparatus includes a target having a surface from which material is sputtered and a magnet assembly that is rotatable about an axis of rotation with respect to the target. The magnet assembly produces on the target an erosion profile that is calculated to yield a desired depositional thickness distribution and inventory. A method for configuring the rotatable magnet assembly includes the steps of determining an optimal erosion profile that yields the desired depositional thickness distribution and inventory, determining a plasma track on the surface of the target that produces an acceptable approximation to the optimal erosion profile, and determining a magnet structure that produces the plasma track.

Abstract: A linear accelerator for charged particles includes a plurality of accelerating stages in a linear arrangement along a central axis. Each accelerating stage has at least one passageway radially spaced from the central axis for transmitting a beam of charged particles. Electromagnetic wave energy is coupled to the accelerating stages to produce an accelerating electric field in a region of the passageway of each of the accelerating stages. Coupling circuits couple the electromagnetic wave energy between adjacent accelerating stages. Each accelerating stage may be configured as an annular accelerating cavity or as two or more accelerating cavities disposed around the central axis. The passageway may be configured as two or more discrete apertures or a single annular aperture. Beam bending devices may be used to direct the charged particle beam through the accelerator two or more times. The linear accelerator produces a high current, high energy charged particle beam.

Abstract: An evacuation system (1) with exhaust gas cleaning, consists of at least one vacuum pump unit (4) and at least one cleaning unit (10) in series as to enable the continuous flow of fluid media supplied by the vacuum pump unit (4). In order to prevent condensates in a gas connection pipe (9) and in order to decrease the surface area, the at least one vacuum pump unit (4) and the at least one cleaning unit (10) are compressed into substantially one component, and the gas connection pipe (9) which runs between the vacuum pump unit (4) and the cleaning unit (10) is run in the shortest possible path and is, as a result, kept at a temperature which is above the condensation temperature of constituents in the fluid media capable of condensation, essentially without the addition of external heat, with only the compression heat of the vacuum pump unit (4). Further, a central control unit (16) for the vacuum pump unit (4) and the cleaning unit (10) can be placed over the at least one vacuum pump unit (4).