Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for delivering one or more rinse agents to a surface, such as a polishing pad surface and preferably one or more polishing fluids. The invention also provides a method of cleaning one or more surfaces, such as a polishing pad surface and a substrate surface, by delivering a spray of one or more rinse agents to the surface and, preferably, causing the rinse agent to flow across the surface from a central region to an outer region where unwanted debris and material is collected.

Abstract: A bearing assembly including a bearing cone (50) having a crowned bearing surface (56) with V-shaped grooves (60) that are shallow at their apex (62) and deepest at the outer edges (52, 54). When mated with a female bearing seat, lubricating fluid builds up along the midline of the bearing surface as the bearing seat rotates about the bearing cone.

Abstract: A bent capillary flow cell with protruding end bulbs coaxial with centerline of an elongated center cylindrical section of capillary tubing. The bulbs provide a high light throughput entrance window for the cell. Light is piped along the elongated center section by total internal reflection at the outside surface of the cell wall. An external light absorbing band is placed in optical contact with outer surface of the cell wall over a transition cone region between the bulb and center cylindrical section of the cell. Each of the external light absorbing bands extend a short prescribed distance over the cylindrical wall to absorb light rays that would otherwise be light piped within the cell wall and have little exposure to the liquid in the cell.

Abstract: A method of defining extent for storing a plurality data streams having different bit rates. The method calculates the size of the extent for a given data stream then periodically inserts at least one null packet into the extents to enable any bit rate to be able to be stored using a fixed extent size for the stream.

Abstract: A computer system for determining traffic patterns and congestion and using the determined traffic patterns and congestion to determine an appropriate route using a global positioning system and related route map calculator. A vehicle is provided with an onboard computer system adapted to determine travel time of a vehicle in a road segment and calculate a route based on this information. In addition, this information can be distributed to or otherwise shared with other vehicles and similar information can be received from other vehicles to provide a distributed network for generating and sharing experienced traffic patterns. The information can also be used to predict traffic patterns as well.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for etching of a substrate comprising both a polysilicon layer and an overlying tungsten layer. The method comprises etching the tungsten layer in a chamber using a plasma formed from a gas mixture comprising a fluorinated gas (such as CF4, NF3, SF6, and the like) and oxygen.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for clamping and shielding the edge of a substrate useful in electronic device fabrication. A shadow ring is formed by an inward radial extension of the top surface of a generally annular shaped clamp ring. The shadow ring portion overhangs but does not contact the top surface of a substrate being processed. A smoothly tapered substrate contact surface extending from the outer diametrical extent of the shadow ring bottom surface to the bottom surface of the clamp ring is sized and adapted to engage the outer edge of a substrate. The substrate contact surface aligns the clamp ring to a substrate support member and a substrate to the substrate support member and the clamp ring as the substrate is lifted vertically.

Abstract: The present invention provides a semiconductor fabrication process and cluster tool utilizing individual gas boxes for each of the processing chambers. These individual gas boxes provide an enclosure where groupings of related gas components may be positioned above and/or adjacent to the semiconductor processing chamber requiring those objects or components. The proximity of the individual gas boxes to the respective processing chambers facilitates the delivery of gases to the chamber as needed. Furthermore, the individual gas panels enable a modular design comprising a processing chamber and gas panel combination. This modular design allows individual chambers and their respective gas panels to be run through various pre-installation tests.

Abstract: Apparatus and method of polishing substrates using a carrier that does not contact the backside of the substrate during polishing. The apparatus preferably forms an air bearing between the substrate and the carrier plate during polishing. Alternatively, liquids, or combinations of liquids and gases may be used to form the bearing layer. When a water layer is formed, at least a portion of the carrier plate is formed as a microporous force applicator. The apparatuses are also capable of adjusting the force profile that is applied to the substrate so as to differentially polish different areas of the substrate. A containment ring is provided for horizontal containment of the substrate during polishing and to define an area within which the substrate precesses during polishing. A containment ring or barrier is also provided for precessing with a substrate during polishing.

Abstract: Apparatus for supporting a workpiece and method of making same. The apparatus comprises a flex circuit laminated to a contoured support pedestal. The flex circuit includes a reinforced layer to improve puncture resistance of the flex circuit. The top surface of the chuck has a contoured topography that is achieved by machining the upper surface of the pedestal prior to lamination of the flex circuit to the pedestal. The contoured topography improves the flow of backside cooling gas resulting in a more uniform wafer temperature profile.

Abstract: A valve assembly comprises a valve body having an interior valve seat and a plurality of adapter ports. A non-metallic sealing material provides a vacuum seal between mating surfaces of adjacent vacuum components, and direct physical contact between mating surfaces ensures good thermal conduction within the valve assembly.

Abstract: A vacuum processing system has a wafer handling chamber, such as a mini-environment, for moving wafers therethrough. The wafer handling chamber has a wafer aligner, or orienter, for aligning the wafers according to the requirements of a process that the wafer is to undergo in the system. The wafer aligner is disposed at a location in the wafer handling chamber to minimize the number of movements that the wafer makes as it passes through the wafer handling chamber, to minimize interference between wafer handlers, or robots, when more than one wafer handler is used in the wafer handling chamber and to minimize the footprint area of the system. The presence of the wafer aligner in the wafer handling chamber eliminates the need to provide a separate wafer aligning chamber in the system.

Abstract: A universal coupler for a self aligning linear actuator for a valve assembly. The self aligning linear actuator utilizes a drive screw or other threaded drive means to drive a plunger for a throttle valve. The drive screw rotates within a frame while a threaded collar or ball screw coupled to a drive coupler drives the plunger parallel to the drive screw. The universal coupler relieves any bending strain induced by misalignment between the drive screw and the plunger by allowing pivotal movement of the drive coupler relative to the drive screw.

Abstract: A vacuum processing system has a load lock chamber for transitioning wafers between an ambient environment pressure and a transfer chamber vacuum pressure. The load lock chamber has wafer supports for two wafers, but contains only one wafer during pressure transitioning. The load lock chamber further has a processing element, so that the load lock chamber performs a pre-processing or post-processing process on the wafer. The processing element may be a wafer heater, so that the load lock chamber may heat the wafer before or after the system performs a primary process on the wafer. The processing element may be a wafer cooler, so that the load lock chamber may cool down a wafer that has been heated before, during or after the primary process. The load lock chamber may have either a wafer heater or a wafer cooler or both.

Abstract: The bases of an audible alarm unit and an audible/visible alarm unit are configured to be used interchangeably with a single cover. The cover has an opening that receives a projecting wall portion on the base of the audible alarm unit and a receptacle for a strobe lamp unit on the base of the audible/visible alarm unit. The bases have mounting holes that enable the alarm units to be mounted on several types of standard backboxes, the cover concealing the screw holes for good appearance of the installed units.

Abstract: The present invention provides an electro-chemical deposition system that is designed with a flexible architecture that is expandable to accommodate future designs and gap fill requirements and provides satisfactory throughput to meet the demands of other processing systems. The electro-chemical deposition system generally comprises a mainframe having a mainframe wafer transfer robot, a loading station disposed in connection with the mainframe, one or more processing cells disposed in connection with the mainframe, and an electrolyte supply fluidly connected to the one or more electrical processing cells.

Abstract: Apparatus for defining patterns electrochemically on conductive materials by forming the patterns as conductive features of a tool, providing insulative properties about the conductive features so the patterns are defined; then providing an immersive medium including an etchant or plating material for defining the pattern on a workpiece, providing an electric direct current so that the immersive medium is concentrated at desired locations defined by the conductive features on the conductive materials; and etching the conductive materials by applying the electric current in a quantity and for an elapsed time to etch or plate patterns in or on the conductive materials.