Abstract: A method and an apparatus of plasma-assisted semiconductor processing is provided. The method comprises: a) providing substrates at each of the multiple stations; b) distributing RF power including a first target frequency to multiple stations to thereby generate a plasma in the stations, wherein the RF power is distributed according to a RF power parameter configured to reduce station to station variations; c) tuning an impedance matching circuit for a first station included in the multiple stations while distributing RF power to the first station by: i) measuring a capacitance of a capacitor in the impedance matching circuit without disconnecting the capacitor from the impedance matching circuit; and ii) adjusting, according to the capacitance measured in (i) and the RF power parameter, a capacitance of the capacitor; and d) performing a semiconductor processing operation on the substrate at each station.

Abstract: A polymer-based sensor for detecting agricultural analytes is disclosed, including stable polymer-based sensing films such as molecular imprinted polymers (MIPs) that can be incorporated in sensors for detecting herbicides and pesticides, as well as methods of making the sensing films.

Abstract: A method for task mobilization may include a server receiving user inputs from a desktop application. A user input may correspond to a respective function performed by a user on the desktop application. A processor may identify the respective functions of the user inputs. Further, the method may include translating the respective functions into respective mobile view functions. Based on the respective mobile view functions, the processor may generate a mobile application and provide the mobile application to a mobile user device.

Abstract: The invention provides materials presenting a biologically active matrix comprising a physiological fibrillar fibronectin network, such as implantable constructs, and their use for modulating cell behaviour and fate, including cell growth, proliferation and/or differentiation, such as for promoting tissue regeneration, for example, bone regeneration or vascularization. Also provided are constructs presenting a biologically active matrix comprising a physiological fibrillar fibronectin network for sustaining growth of stem cells or maintaining stem cells (maintaining stemness).

Abstract: Bacterial cultures are provided that comprise a modified Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacterium missing or deficient in two or more virulence factors. The two or more virulence factors can be selected from exotoxin A, hemolytic phospholipase C, phenazine-specific methyltransferase, alpha-1,3-rhamnosyltransferase, and 3-phosphoshikimate 1-carboxyvinyltransferase. Certain of the modified Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria are also missing or deficient in one or more alginate acetylation enzymes including the alginate Oacetyltransferases AlgI, AlgJ, AlgF, AlgX, and/or the C5-mannuronan epimerase AlgG. Methods of producing alginate are also provided along with compositions comprising alginate produced by the modified Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria.

Abstract: Example systems and methods for biometric authentication that can bridge fuzzy extractors with deep learning and achieve the goals of preserving privacy and providing recoverability from zero are disclosed. Embeddings comprising a face or speaker embedding in a non-Hamming distance space can be processed to create a personal reliable bit map and a reliable locality-sensitive hash (LSH) for mapping the non-Hamming distance space to a Hamming distance space. A fuzzy extractor can be applied to create metadata that can be stored on a computing device. A secret can be recovered from the metadata and can be used for identification.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer programs are presented for selective deposition of etch-stop layers for enhanced patterning during semiconductor manufacturing. One method includes an operation for adding a photo-resist material (M2) on top of a base material (M1) of a substrate, M2 defining a pattern for etching M1 in areas where M2 is not present above M1. The method further includes operations for conformally capping the substrate with an oxide material (M3) after adding M2, and for gap filling the substrate with filling material M4 after the conformally capping. Further, a stop-etch material (M5) is selectively grown on exposed surfaces of M3 and not on surfaces of M4 after the gap filling. Additionally, the method includes operations for removing M4 from the substrate after selectively growing M5, and for etching the substrate after removing M4 to transfer the pattern into M1. M5 adds etching protection to enable deeper etching into M1.

Abstract: A substrate support for a plasma chamber includes a base plate arranged along a plane, a first layer of an electrically insulating material arranged on the base plate along the plane, a plurality of heating elements arranged in the first layer along the plane, and a plurality of diodes arranged in respective cavities in the first layer. The plurality of diodes are connected in series to the plurality of heating elements, respectively. Each of the plurality of diodes includes a die of a semiconductor material arranged in a respective one of the cavities. The semiconductor material has a first coefficient of thermal expansion. A first side of the die is arranged on the first layer along the plane. A first terminal of the die is connected to a first electrical contact on the first layer.

Abstract: An exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure provides a robot comprising a body, a processor, and a memory. The memory further comprising instructions that, when executed by the processor cause the body to engage a first wire to support the robot from the first wire, traverse the first wire, engage a second wire simultaneously while engaging the first wire, the second wire branching from the first wire, then after engaging the second wire, disengage the first wire and traverse the second wire.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are prosthesis simulator devices comprising a first restraint configured to restrain one or more fingers of a wearer of the simulator, a second restraint configured to restrain a thumb of the wearer, and a plurality of artificial digits configured to move in a manner to simulate one or more prosthetic fingers and a prosthetic thumb of a prosthesis. The first restraint can be attached to a roof plate connected to a base plate and defining a dorsal side of the prosthesis simulator. The second restraint can be attached to a holster connected to the base plate on a palmar side of the prosthesis simulator. Also disclosed herein are methods of using the same.

Abstract: Methods for treating uremic cardiomyopathy are provided and include the step of administering a polypeptide antagonist of a Na/K ATPase/Src receptor complex to a subject in need thereof. The polypeptide anatagonist can further include a cell penetrating polypeptide. Methods of treating anemia, including anemia-associated with chronic kidney disease, are also provided.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are novel Pichia pastoris strains for expression of exogenous proteins with substantially homogeneous N-glycans. The strains are genetically engineered to include a mutant OCH1 allele which is transcribed into an mRNA coding for a mutant OCH1 gene product (i.e., ?-1,6-mannosyltransferase, or “OCH1 protein”). The mutant OCH1 protein contains a catalytic domain substantially identical to that of the wild type OCH1 protein, but lacks an N-terminal sequence necessary to target the OCH1 protein to the Golgi apparatus. The strains disclosed herein are robust, stable, and transformable, and the mutant OCH1 allele and the ability to produce substantially homogeneous N-glycans are maintained for generations after rounds of freezing and thawing and after subsequent transformations.

Abstract: A method for reducing bending of word lines in a memory cell includes a) providing a substrate including a plurality of word lines arranged adjacent to one another and above a plurality of transistors; b) depositing a layer of film on the plurality of word lines using a deposition process; c) after depositing the layer of film, measuring word line bending; d) comparing the word line bending to a predetermined range; e) based on the word line bending, adjusting at least one of nucleation delay and grain size of the deposition process; and f) repeating b) to e) one or more times using one or more substrates, respectively, until the word line bending is within the predetermined range.

Abstract: Various embodiments include an apparatus to supply gases to a tool. In various examples, the apparatus includes a point-of-use (POU) valve manifold that includes a manifold body to couple to a chamber of the tool. The manifold body has multiple gas outlet ports. A purge-gas outlet port of the manifold body is directed substantially toward the outlet ports. For each of multiple gases to be input to the POU-valve manifold, the POU-valve manifold further includes: a first valve coupled to the manifold body and a divert valve coupled to the first valve. The first valve can be coupled to a gas supply and has a separate gas flow path internal to the manifold body and separate from remaining ones of the gas flow paths. The divert valve diverts the gas during a period when the precursor gas is not to be directed into the chamber by the first valve. Other examples are disclosed.

Abstract: Methods and electroplating systems for controlling plating electrolyte concentration on an electrochemical plating apparatus for substrates are disclosed. A method involves: (a) providing an electroplating solution to an electroplating system; (b) electroplating the metal onto the substrate while the substrate is held in a cathode chamber of an electroplating cell of electroplating system; (c) supplying the make-up solution to the electroplating system via a make-up solution inlet; and (d) supplying the secondary electroplating solution to the electroplating system via a secondary electroplating solution inlet. The secondary electroplating solution includes some or all components of the electroplating solution. At least one component of the secondary electroplating solution has a concentration that significantly deviates from its target concentration.

Abstract: A system includes an electrode. The electrode includes a showerhead having a first stem portion and a head portion. A plurality of dielectric layers is vertically stacked between the electrode and a first surface of a conducting structure. The plurality of dielectric layers includes M dielectric layers arranged adjacent to the head portion and P dielectric portions arranged around the first stem portion. The plurality of dielectric layers defines a first gap between the electrode and one of the plurality of dielectric layers, a second gap between adjacent ones of the plurality of dielectric layers, and a third gap between a last one of the plurality of dielectric layers and the first surface. A number of the plurality of dielectric layers and sizes of the first gap, the second gap, and the third gap are selected to prevent parasitic plasma between the first surface and the electrode.

Abstract: A mass flow controller assembly includes a housing defining a cavity, a plurality of internal passages, a first inlet, a first outlet, a second inlet, and a second outlet. A valve is connected to the housing, has an inlet fluidly coupled to the second outlet of the housing and an outlet fluidly coupled to the second inlet of the housing. The valve is configured to control fluid flow from the second outlet of the housing to the second inlet of the housing. A microelectromechanical (MEMS) Coriolis flow sensor is arranged in the cavity, includes an inlet fluidly coupled by at least one of the plurality of internal passages to the first inlet of the housing and is configured to measure at least one of a mass flow rate and density of fluid flowing through the MEMS Coriolis flow sensor. An outlet of the MEMS Coriolis flow sensor is fluidly coupled by at least one of the plurality of internal passages to the second outlet of the housing.

Abstract: Removing a stimuli responsive polymer (SRP) from a substrate includes controlled degradation. In certain embodiments of the methods described herein, removing SRPs includes exposure to two reactants that react to form an acid or base that can trigger the degradation of the SRP. The exposure occurs sequentially to provide more precise top down control. In some embodiments, the methods involve diffusing a compound, or a reactant that reacts to form a compound, only to a top portion of the SRP. The top portion is then degraded and removed, leaving film the remaining SRP intact. The exposure and removal cycles are repeated.

Abstract: A plasma processing system is provided. The system includes a chamber, a controller and a showerhead disposed in the chamber. A first gas manifold is connected to the showerhead for providing a first gas from a first gas source responsive to control from the controller. A shower-pedestal is disposed in the chamber and oriented opposite the showerhead. A second gas manifold is connected to the shower-pedestal for providing a second gas from a second gas source responsive to control from the controller. A substrate support for holding a substrate at a spaced apart relationship from the shower-pedestal is provided. A radio frequency (RF) power supply for providing power to the showerhead to generate a plasma is provided. The plasma is used for depositing a film on a back-side of the substrate, when present in the chamber. The substrate is held by the substrate support in the spaced apart relationship from the shower-pedestal, during backside deposition.