Abstract: A cover arrangement comprised of at least two pieces for covering a crucible within an electron beam source assembly. The cover includes a cover body and a cover insert to be separate from and carried by the cover body, when the cover body is raised and lowered. This arrangement also allows the cover insert to be lowered until it comes to rest on top of the crucible. Upon contact between the cover insert and the crucible, the cover insert can partially decouple from the cover body, allowing the cover body to travel down slightly further, allowing it to come into contact with the water-cooled body that surrounds the crucible, while insuring that the crucible insert is in good contact with the crucible. Closing this gap helps stop material that is evaporating from the active crucible pocket from migrating to inactive pockets, located under the cover, during the evaporation process.

Abstract: A cover arrangement comprised of at least two pieces for covering a crucible within an electron beam source assembly. The cover includes a cover body and a cover insert to be separate from and carried by the cover body, when the cover body is raised and lowered. This arrangement also allows the cover insert to be lowered until it comes to rest on top of the crucible. Upon contact between the cover insert and the crucible, the cover insert can partially decouple from the cover body, allowing the cover body to travel down slightly further, allowing it to come into contact with the water-cooled body that surrounds the crucible, while insuring that the crucible insert is in good contact with the crucible. Closing this gap helps stop material that is evaporating from the active crucible pocket from migrating to inactive pockets, located under the cover, during the evaporation process.

Abstract: A cover arrangement comprised of at least two pieces for covering a crucible within an electron beam source assembly. The cover includes a cover body and a cover insert to be separate from and carried by the cover body, when the cover body is raised and lowered. This arrangement also allows the cover insert to be lowered until it comes to rest on top of the crucible. Upon contact between the cover insert and the crucible, the cover insert can partially decouple from the cover body, allowing the cover body to travel down slightly further, allowing it to come into contact with the water-cooled body that surrounds the crucible, while insuring that the crucible insert is in good contact with the crucible. Closing this gap helps stop material that is evaporating from the active crucible pocket from migrating to inactive pockets, located under the cover, during the evaporation process.

Abstract: A fluid heat exchanger has an impeller assembly with first and second impeller bodies mated together, each having a substantially circular shape and at least one opening therethrough. Impeller vanes extend axially from the first impeller body and away from the second impeller body. Impeller vanes extend axially from the second impeller body away from the first impeller body. A thermoelectric module is disposed between the first impeller body and the second impeller body. Heat sinks are connected to each side of the thermoelectric module and extend through at least one opening in the first and second impeller bodies, where the impeller vanes are configured to move a fluid through the heat sinks during rotation of the first and second impeller bodies. Electrically-conductive windings disposed in the impeller assembly are configured to deliver induced electric current to the thermoelectric module(s).

Abstract: A fluid heat exchanger has an impeller assembly with first and second impeller bodies mated together, each having a substantially circular shape and at least one opening therethrough. Impeller vanes extend axially from the first impeller body and away from the second impeller body. Impeller vanes extend axially from the second impeller body away from the first impeller body. A thermoelectric module is disposed between the first impeller body and the second impeller body. Heat sinks are connected to each side of the thermoelectric module and extend through at least one opening in the first and second impeller bodies, where the impeller vanes are configured to move a fluid through the heat sinks during rotation of the first and second impeller bodies. Electrically-conductive windings disposed in the impeller assembly are configured to deliver induced electric current to the thermoelectric module(s).

Abstract: A fluid heat exchanger has an impeller assembly with first and second impeller bodies mated together, each having a substantially circular shape and at least one opening therethrough. Impeller vanes extend transversely from the first impeller body and away from the second impeller body. Impeller vanes extend transversely from the second impeller body away from the first impeller body. A thermoelectric module is disposed between the first impeller body and the second impeller body. Heat sinks are connected to each side of the thermoelectric module and extend through at least one opening in the first and second impeller bodies, where the impeller vanes are configured to move a fluid through the heat sinks during rotation of the first and second impeller bodies. Electrically-conductive windings disposed in the impeller assembly are configured to deliver induced electric current to the one or more thermoelectric modules.

Abstract: A non-contact magnetic drive assembly with mechanical stop elements for a vacuum deposition system employing a lift-off process having a HULA configuration featuring a plurality of magnets coupled in an annular orientation to a central ring and an orbital ring, each magnet of the orbital ring becomes superposed with a magnet of the central ring as the orbital ring rotates, and a central drive component driving either the central ring, the orbital ring around the central ring or both simultaneously, the central drive component provides a rotational speed allowing non-contact, magnetic drive rotation of the orbital ring around the central ring until a difference between a magnetic drive torque of the superposed magnets and the rotational speed of the central drive component causes the superposed magnets to decouple enabling mechanical drive rotation by interactive contact between a plurality of central ring teeth and a plurality of orbital ring.

Abstract: A multi-vane throttling valve for a vacuum process chamber includes a reciprocal vane pivotally connected to and extending backwardly away from a back side of each of a plurality of rotatable vanes, and a stationary reciprocal vane angling assembly fixed in a predefined position and having an assembly pin extending transversely toward the reciprocal vane a predefined distance sufficient to support the reciprocal vane whereby the stationary angling assembly causes the reciprocal vane to pivot in a range between a substantially parallel position with the respective rotatable vane and a transverse position with the respective rotatable vane when the respective rotatable vane is rotated.

Abstract: A vapor deposition device using a lift-off process includes an evaporation source, a support frame mounted for rotation about a first axis that passes through the evaporation source, a central dome-shaped wafer holder mounted to the support frame wherein a centerpoint of the central dome-shaped wafer holder is aligned with the first axis, an orbital dome-shaped wafer holder mounted to the support frame in a position offset from the first axis and rotatable about a second axis that passes through a centerpoint of the orbital dome-shaped wafer holder and the evaporation source, and a plurality of wafer positions on the central dome-shaped wafer holder and the orbital dome-shaped wafer holder where each of the wafer positions are offset from the first axis and the second axis.

Abstract: A fluid heat exchanger has an impeller assembly with first and second impeller bodies mated together, each having a substantially circular shape and at least one opening therethrough. Impeller vanes extend transversely from the first impeller body and away from the second impeller body. Impeller vanes extend transversely from the second impeller body away from the first impeller body. A thermoelectric module is disposed between the first impeller body and the second impeller body. Heat sinks are connected to each side of the thermoelectric module and extend through at least one opening in the first and second impeller bodies, where the impeller vanes are configured to move a fluid through the heat sinks during rotation of the first and second impeller bodies. Electrically-conductive windings disposed in the impeller assembly are configured to deliver induced electric current to the one or more thermoelectric modules.

Abstract: A multi-vane throttling valve for a vacuum process chamber includes a throttle chamber body having an inside exposed to the vacuum process chamber and an outside exposed to atmospheric pressure, the chamber body defining a through-opening for controlling vacuum within the vacuum process chamber, a plurality of rotatable vanes mounted within the through-opening for controlling a flow of gases through the through-opening where each rotatable vane includes a cooling flow pathway in fluid communication with and disposed longitudinally along each rotatable vane, and a drive mechanism disposed on and connected to an outside of the throttle chamber body for rotating the plurality of rotatable vanes to vary the flow of process gases.

Abstract: An electrical breakdown limiter circuit and method for a high voltage power supply includes an inductor having an inductor input and an inductor output wherein the inductor is electrically coupled in series between a high voltage output of the high voltage power supply and a load, and a controllable switch electrically coupled in series with the inductor between the high voltage output of the high voltage power supply and the inductor input wherein the controllable switch is opened when an electrical breakdown event at the load is detected downstream from the inductor output that causes a high voltage at the inductor output to decrease, the controllable switch returning to a normally closed position upon clearing of the electrical breakdown.

Abstract: A failure indicator seal includes a nonmagnetic housing, a plurality of annular pole pieces having distal ends, the plurality of annular pole pieces disposed within the nonmagnetic housing, an annular, non-conducting magnet disposed between the pole pieces, a predefined quantity of magnetic fluid disposed between each of the distal ends of the plurality of annular pole pieces and the rotary shaft of a rotary feedthrough forming a plurality of magnetic fluid O-ring seals, and means for measuring resistance through the plurality of annular pole pieces, the plurality of magnetic fluid O-ring seals and the rotary shaft.

Abstract: A method of using a high-strength bonding and coating mixture is disclosed. The mixture includes a silicon compound having a polycarbosilane backbone and a powder having a plurality of individual powder grains. Each of the powder grains has a diameter substantially between 0.05 micrometers and 50 micrometers. The mixture is applied to one or more work pieces and the work piece(s) is (are) heated in either an inert or reduction environment to a temperature sufficient to decompose the silicon compound into gaseous atoms and radicals of silicon and carbon.

Abstract: A non-contact magnetic drive assembly with mechanical stop elements for a vacuum deposition system employing a lift-off process having a HULA configuration featuring a plurality of magnets coupled in an annular orientation to a central ring and an orbital ring, each magnet of the orbital ring becomes superposed with a magnet of the central ring as the orbital ring rotates, and a central drive component driving either the central ring, the orbital ring around the central ring or both simultaneously, the central drive component provides a rotational speed allowing non-contact, magnetic drive rotation of the orbital ring around the central ring until a difference between a magnetic drive torque of the superposed magnets and the rotational speed of the central drive component causes the superposed magnets to decouple enabling mechanical drive rotation by interactive contact between a plurality of central ring teeth and a plurality of orbital ring.

Abstract: A multi-vane throttling valve for a vacuum process chamber includes a throttle chamber body having an inside exposed to the vacuum process chamber and an outside exposed to atmospheric pressure, the chamber body defining a through-opening for controlling vacuum within the vacuum process chamber, a plurality of rotatable vanes mounted within the through-opening for controlling a flow of gases through the through-opening where each rotatable vane includes a cooling flow pathway in fluid communication with and disposed longitudinally along each rotatable vane, and a drive mechanism disposed on and connected to an outside of the throttle chamber body for rotating the plurality of rotatable vanes to vary the flow of process gases.

Abstract: A method of joining two silicon members, the adhesive used for the method, and the joined product, especially a silicon tower for supporting multiple silicon wafers. A flowable adhesive is prepared comprising silicon particles of size less than 100 ?m and preferably less than 100 nm and a silica bridging agent, such as a spin-on glass. Nano-silicon crystallites of about 20 nm size maybe formed by CVD. Larger particles maybe milled from virgin polysilicon. If necessary, a retardant such as a heavy, preferably water-insoluble alcohol such as terpineol is added to slow setting of the adhesive at room temperature. The mixture is applied to the joining areas. The silicon parts are assembled and annealed at a temperature sufficient to link the silica, preferably at 900° C. to 1100° C. for nano-silicon but higher for milled silicon.

Abstract: A thermoelectric module capable of minimizing thermally and physically induced stress includes a pair of substrates having a plurality of electrically conductive contacts disposed on opposing faces, a plurality of P-type and N-type thermoelectric elements interposed between the pair of substrates forming a thermoelectric element circuit, and one or more of a stress minimizing structural element interposed between the pair of substrates where the stress minimizing structural element has a first surface fixed to one of the pair of substrates and a second surface fixed to the other of the pair of substrates in locations between the pair of substrates that minimize the effects of physical and thermal stresses on the plurality of P-type and N-type thermoelectric elements.