Abstract: An improved reaction chamber for use in an epitaxial deposition process for processing a single wafer-at-a-time includes a cold-wall reactor having a substantially rectangular cross-section. The cross-sectional area of the reaction chamber is substantially reduced to increase the efficiency of the system. Apparatus is provided to maintain the wall temperature within a predetermined range for insuring that only readily cleanable deposits are formed. The susceptor assembly is mounted within a wall distending vertically downward from the bottom of the chamber or within a second portion of a duel height chamber having a greater cross-sectional area. A method and apparatus is provided for supplying purge gas to prevent the flow of reactant gas and the undesirable deposits resulting therefrom from forming beneath the susceptor.

Abstract: A heating system for use in chemical vapor deposition equipment of the type wherein a reactant gas is directed in a horizontal flow for depositing materials on a substrate which is supported in a reaction chamber on a susceptor which is rotatably driven for rotating the substrate about an axis which extends normally from its center. The heating system works in conjunction with a special heat sensing arrangement and includes an upper heating element assembly, a lower heating element assembly and a heat concentrator mechanism which interact to provide rapid temperature build-up at the beginning of a processing cycle, rapid temperature attenuation at the end of a processing cycle and a controlled flat temperature profile during the processig cycle.

Abstract: This invention discloses a system for chemically depositing various materials carried by a reactant gas onto substrates for manufacturing semiconductor devices. The system includes special loading and unloading sub-system for placement of substrates to be processed into the system and subsequent extraction without contamination of the system. A special substrate handling sub-system is provided for moving the substrates to and from at least one processing sub-system without physically contacting the planar surfaces of the substrates. The processing sub-system includes a horizontal gas flow reaction chamber having a rotatable susceptor therein for rotating the single substrate supportable thereon about an axis that is normal to the center of the substrate for averaging of the temperature and reactant gas concentration variables.

Abstract: In order to manipulate semiconductor wafers with high functional reliability, a tactile sensor based wafer handling apparatus designed to attach to a commercially available industrial robotic arm is herein described. The apparatus has three rod-like projections called fingers, one finger of which is extendable, the other which are fixed. All fingers are instrumented with strain gauge sensors in order to allow the monitoring of all forces applied to the fingers during wafer handling operations. All sensors provide proportional data. The wafer handling apparatus enables a monitoring computer to direct the motions of a satisfactorily equipped robot arm to operate in the following modes of operation. Force controlled grasping of the wafer can be provided to insure adequate grasp for transport and to limit forces exerted on the wafer. Force monitoring while releasing a wafer can be provided to insure safe hand off to another device or surface thus minimizing the likelihood of dropping a wafer.

Abstract: In a chemical vapor deposition chamber, an improved technique for providing deposition materials to the growth surface is described. The gas carrying deposition materials is constrained to have axial symmetry thereby providing a uniform deposition of materials on the substrate. The gas can be initially directed toward the substrate with a generally uniform perpendicular velocity. The gas can be introduced into the deposition chamber through a multiplicity of apertures and is extracted from the vicinity of the substrate in a manner to preserve the axial symmetry. The apparatus permits convenient control of the deposition process by varying the distance between apparatus introducing the gas carrying the deposition materials and the substrate. The flow of gas minimizes the problems arising from autodoping of the growth layer of material. The flow of gas and generally small size of the deposition chamber minimize particulate contamination of the growing film.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for heating a substrate and associated rotatable susceptor in an epitaxial deposition reactor with an axially symmetric gas flow carrying deposition material include at least one chamber having a plurality of heat lamps. The chamber is generally symmetric with respect to an axis of the substrate. The chamber walls are coated to reflect light from the heat lamps. The outermost heat lamps can be energized to produce a higher temperature than the centrally located lamps to compensate for regions of the reactor which provide access to the substrate and, therefore, promote thermal losses. The spacing of the heat lamps may be varied to compensate for thermal non-uniformity of the heating cavity. The substrate may be rotated, on the rotatable susceptor, to average the thermal environment to which the substrate is exposed.

Abstract: A closed circuit process for the production of expanded polystyrene foam is described, comprising the steps of: (a) pre-expanding raw polystyrene beads containing a blowing agent in a pre-expansion vessel; (b) storing the beads in one or more closed storage containers to allow the expanded beads to return to substantially atmospheric pressure; (c) molding the expanded beads to a desired configuration in a closed mold with steam; and (d) removing the thus-formed article from the mold and placing such in an aging room, wherein at each stage the blowing agent released from the beads is recovered, separated from any residual steam by means of a condensing system, and introduced into the burner of a steam generator, thereby serving as fuel for the process.

Abstract: In an epitaxial deposition reactor with an axially symmetric gas flow carrying the deposition materials, apparatus and method for heating the substrate and associated susceptor uniformly is described. The apparatus includes at least one chamber having a plurality of heat lamps passing therethrough, the chamber being generally disposed symmetrically with respect to an axis of the substrate. The walls of the chamber are appropriately coated to reflect the light from the heat lamps and the outermost lamps can be energized to produce a higher temperature than the centrally located lamps to compensate for regions of the reactor that provide access to the substrate and therefore promote thermal losses. The spacing of the lamps can be varied also to compensate for thermal non-uniformity of the heating cavity. In a first embodiment, a lower chamber can be a chamber similar to the first chamber with the exception that the lamps are rotated 90.degree..

Abstract: Insular waveguide band reject ring resonator filter and band pass ring resonator filter built for use in the frequency range from about 1 GHz to about 1,000 GHz, which filters may be used either with a single pole or multiple poles.

Abstract: An insular waveguide directional coupler for use in the frequency range from about 1 GHz to about 1,000 GHz including a conductive image plane, a first length of elongated high permittivity dielectric waveguide of finite cross section adjacent to the conductive image plane, a second length of elongated high permittivity dielectric waveguide of finite cross section adjacent to the conductive image plane and spaced from the first length of waveguide to provide a coupling region therebetween, and a thin film of synthetic organic resin disposed between and secured to the conductive image plane and the lengths of waveguide, the thin film being low loss in character and having a low permittivity compared with that of the lengths of waveguide, the first length of waveguide having an inlet port at one end of the coupling region and spaced away from the second length of waveguide a distance substantially greater than the distance between the lengths of waveguide in the coupling region, the first and second lengths of

Abstract: A receiver module including a mode launcher, a band pass filter, a local oscillator and a balanced mixer for use in the frequency range 1 GHz to 1,000 GHz, wherein the components are all connected by an insular waveguide transmission line having a conductive image plane, a dielectric waveguide attached to the image plane by a thin film of plastic, the thin film being low loss in character and having a low permittivity compared with that of the dielectric waveguide, the ratio between the thickness of the thin film and the square root of the cross-sectional area of the dielectric waveguide being in the range from about 0.02 to about 1.0.

Abstract: A receiver module including a mode launcher, a band pass filter, a local oscillator and a balanced mixer for use in the frequency range 1 GHz to 1,000 GHz, wherein the components are all connected by an insular waveguide transmission line having a conductive image plane, a dielectric waveguide attached to the image plane by a thin film of plastic, the thin film being low loss in character and having a low permittivity compared with that of the dielectric waveguide, the ratio between the thickness of the thin film and the square root of the cross-sectional area of the dielectric waveguide being in the range from about 0.02 to about 1.0.

Abstract: A ferrite circulator for use in the frequency range 1 GHz to 1,000 GHz, wherein a ferrite cylinder is disposed in a junction of three equiangularly arranged high permittivity dielectric waveguides that are adjacent to a conductive image plane with a plastic film therebetween and a magnet establishing magnetic field in the ferrite cylinder normal to the image plane; also disclosed is a ferrite isolator for use in the frequency range from 1 GHz to 1,000 GHz including a ferrite slab disposed adjacent to one side of a high permittivity dielectric waveguide disposed adjacent to a conductive image plane with a plastic film therebetween, a resistance film disposed adjacent to a conductive image plane, a resistance film disposed adjacent to the ferrite slab, and a magnet for establishing a magnetic field in the waveguide and the ferrite slab disposed normal to the image plane; there further are disclosed switches, modulators, phase shifters and transceivers incorporating such ferrite circulators and isolators.

Abstract: A receiver module including a mode launcher, a band pass filter, a local oscillator and a balanced mixer for use in the frequency range 1 GHz to 1,000 GHz, wherein the components are all connected by an insular waveguide transmission line having a conductive image plane, a dielectric waveguide attached to the image plane by a thin film of plastic, the thin film being low loss in character and having a low permittivity compared with that of the dielectric waveguide, the ratio between the thickness of the thin film and the square root of the cross-sectional area of the dielectric waveguide being in the range from about 0.02 to about 1.0.