Abstract: A method and apparatus for fabricating a wafer spacing mask on a substrate support chuck. Such apparatus is a stencil containing a plurality of apertures and at least one high aspect ratio opening that is positioned atop the substrate support chuck while material is deposited onto the stencil and through the apertures and high aspect ratio openings onto the chuck. Upon completion of the deposition process, the stencil is removed from the workpiece support chuck leaving deposits of the material of various widths but the same heights to form the wafer spacing mask.

Abstract: A substrate handling apparatus includes a transfer arm having a substrate support. The apparatus includes at least one image acquisition sensor configured to acquire images of a substrate supported by the substrate support. In addition, the apparatus includes a controller coupled to the image acquisition sensor and configured to control the image acquisition sensor to acquire at least one image of the substrate supported on the substrate support. The controller is further configured to receive the images acquired by the image acquisition sensor and to determine an initial position of the substrate based on the acquired images. The controller is further coupled to the substrate support to control movement thereof to move the substrate to a new position based on the substrate's initial position. The apparatus also can be used to determine a substrate identification and to detect certain substrate defects either before or after processing the substrate in a thermal processing chamber.

Abstract: The invention provides an apparatus for excluding unwanted deposition at the edge of a substrate which prevents excess purge gas from flowing over the surface of the substrate at the region adjacent a notch on a substrate. Another aspect of the invention provides a wider purge gas channel that prevents excess purge gas from flowing over the surface of the substrate. Still another aspect of the present invention provides a purge gas guide that includes a notch therein to prevent excess purge gas from adversely affecting deposition at the vicinity of the substrate notch.

Abstract: The present invention provides an effective barrier layer for improved via fill in high aspect ratio sub-micron apertures at low temperature, particularly at the contact level on a substrate. In one aspect of the invention, a feature is filled by first depositing a barrier layer onto a substrate having high aspect ratio contacts or vias formed thereon. The barrier layer is preferably comprised of Ta, TaNx, W, WNx, or combinations thereof. A CVD conformal metal layer is then deposited over the barrier layer at low temperatures to provide a conformal wetting layer for a PVD metal. Next, a PVD metal layer is deposited onto the previously formed CVD conformal metal layer at a temperature below that of the melting point temperature of the metal to allow flow of the CVD conformal layer and the PVD metal layer into the vias.

Abstract: A more linear duty cycle modulator is made by converting the sine wave bias into a triangle wave bias utilizing a sample and hold circuit as the base band signal is added; on readout, low pass filtering of the high frequency content of the duty cycle modulated waveform, the base band signal is recovered at full amplitude as if saturation recording was being utilized. In a further preferred approach, quadature amplitude modulation and demodulation is utilized.

Abstract: The present invention generally provides a vacuum processing system with a process chamber and a rotating member, such as a magnetron in a PVD chamber, disposed in a cooling cavity of the process chamber, where the rotating member includes a deflection member for deflecting cooling fluid in the cooling cavity toward interior portions of the rotating member. In one embodiment, a base plate of the rotating member defines an upper surface of the rotating member and a magnet retainer defines a lower surface of the rotating member. Magnets are mounted between the base plate and the magnet retainer. The deflection member is mounted between the magnets and can be coupled to the magnets on one or both ends. One end of the deflection member is disposed toward the outer perimeter of the magnetron and the other end of the deflection member is disposed toward the interior portions of the rotating member.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing an interactive menu structure within an interactive information distribution system. The menu structure is embodied in a combination of software, which provides a so-called navigator and a set top terminal that provides certain functionality for the navigator and a video session manager which provides support functionality for the set top terminal. The menu structure has each menu (e.g., menu instructions, graphics and video) contained in downloadable applets which are sent upon request from the service provider equipment to the set top terminal for display. As such, the navigator functions are actually distributed between the service provider equipment and the subscriber's equipment. Such distribution provides an enjoyable, real-time interactive session that allows the user to rapidly navigate through a plethora of menus to find particular information which they desire to view.

Abstract: A load lock chamber includes a chamber body having an aperture to allow a substrate to be transferred into or out of the chamber. The load lock chamber is configurable in several configurations, including a base configuration for providing a transition between two different pressures, a heating configuration for heating the substrate and providing a transition between two different pressures, and a cooling configuration for cooling the substrate and providing a transition between two different pressures. Various features of the chamber configurations help increase the throughput of the system by enabling rapid heating and cooling of substrates and simultaneous evacuation and venting of the chamber, and help compensate for thermal losses near the substrate edges, thereby providing a more uniform temperature across the substrate.

Abstract: An apparatus and concomitant method of reducing the number of synchronization pulses transmitted to the alarm units for increasing the reliability of the overall alarm system is disclosed. The synchronization signal is implemented as a reference or reset signal from which the alarm units derive a reference time to begin activation of the alarm units. Thus, when an alarm unit receives a reference synchronization pulse, the alarm unit applies the reference synchronization pulse as a reference point in time to trigger a series of flashes or audio tones.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and method for measuring the temperature of a moving radiant object. A probe, such as a pyrometer, is disposed in an opening of a vacuum chamber adjacent a radiation transparent window. The probe defines an optical path which intercepts the radiant object entering or exiting a processing chamber. The radiant object is moved through the optical path and emits electromagnetic waves. The electromagnetic waves are collected by the probe and transmitted to a signal processing unit where the waves are detected and converted to a temperature reading. If desired, the accumulated data may then be used to generate a cooling curve representing the thermal effects experienced by the radiant object. Extrapolation or correlation methods may be used to extend the cooling curve to points in time prior to or after the data collected by the probe.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and method for sequential deposition of regular series of layers on consecutive substrates in a modular assembly-line like system. The apparatus and method are especially used processing large glass or metal substrates such as are employed in solar panels. The apparatus includes a load lock chamber and a processing chamber coupled to the load lock chamber. Both the load lock chamber and the processing chamber include a platen to support the substrate. Each platen includes slots therein. A substrate transfer shuttle is provided which is moveable along a shuttle path between one position in the load lock chamber and another position in the processing chamber for transferring the substrate between the load lock chamber and the processing chamber. The shuttle may be moved below the level of the platen and may be maintained in the processing chamber during processing.

Abstract: In an interactive information distribution system that utilizes open sessions to provide requested information to users, a method for sharing the use of open sessions between a plurality of set top terminals associated with a common account number or user.

Abstract: A cover for a rain gutter that prevents the gutter from becoming clogged with leaves or other debris while facilitating water entry to the gutter is disclosed. Specifically, the cover comprises a flange which may be disposed beneath the shingles of a roof, an substantially vertical apertured front portion containing aperture which divert the rain water into the gutter, a trough for collecting the water which fails to enter the apertures, and a second flange for connection to the gutter.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for managing the personal identification numbers of customers as well as customer authorization access to an interactive information distribution system. The apparatus comprises an interactive session manager containing a central processing unit that is programmed to implement the method includes. The method of the present invention is a personal identification number (PIN) assignment routine for assigning various types of PINs to various customers of the information distribution system. The method also includes an access authorization routine for restricting access to only those customers with authorized access to particular services.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for forming an interconnect with application in small feature sizes (such as quarter micron widths) having high aspect ratios. Generally, the present invention provides a method and apparatus for depositing a wetting layer for subsequent physical vapor deposition to fill the interconnect. In one aspect of the invention, the wetting layer is a metal layer deposited using either CVD techniques or electroplating, such as CVD aluminum (Al). The wetting layer is nucleated using an ultra-thin layer, denoted as .di-elect cons. layer, as a nucleation layer. The .di-elect cons. layer is preferably comprised of a material such as Ti, TiN, Al, Ti/TiN, Ta, TaN, Cu, a flush of TDMAT or the like. The .di-elect cons. layer may be deposited using PVD or CVD techniques, preferably PVD techniques to improve film quality and orientation within the feature. Contrary to conventional wisdom, the .di-elect cons.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for purifying crude aromatic polycarboxylic acids having one or more condensed rings, wherein two or more carboxylic acid groups can be at any position of the aromatic ring or rings. The process uses solvents consisting of two families of organic compounds as major solvent: a monocyclic compound containing two hetero-atoms and alkylamine compound, and two families of co-solvent: water and alcohol, to separate impurities from the crude acids. The product purity from the instant invention can be achieved to a level that is significantly better than the current state of the art.

Abstract: A method for reducing particulate generation from regeneration of cryogenic vacuum pumps. The method comprises controlling a pressure ramp rate inside the cryopump during an initial introduction of a regeneration gas into the cryopump. Preferably, the pressure ramp rate is controlled by maintaining a first pressure ramp rate, preferably between about 0.03 T/s and 0.15 T/s, until a first pressure of about 0.3 T is reached inside the cryopump and maintaining a second pressure ramp rate between about 1 T/s and 5 T/s until the surface in the cryopump reaches an intermediate temperature between about 40 K and 100 K. Preferably, the temperature ramp rate is also controlled by heating the surface at a temperature ramp rate between about 0.1 K/s and about 0.5 K/s until the intermediate temperature has been reached. Preferably, the temperature ramp rate is controlled by regulating the flow of an inert gas into the cryopump using a flow restriction device.