Abstract: Semiconductor processing tools with wafer back-side processing capabilities are disclosed. Such tools may be configured to only contact wafers being processed through edge contact, as opposed to underside/planar contact. Such tools may also include wafer-centering features that may allow such wafers to be precisely centered with regard to a particular wafer processing station thereof.

Abstract: A video encoding/decoding method and an apparatus use selective transmission of subblock partitioning information. The video encoding/decoding method and apparatus selectively encode and decode the splitting direction of a subblock to reduce the overhead of signal transmission for using subblock partitioning while effectively performing intra prediction per subblock basis.

Abstract: In an example, a showerhead pedestal assembly for a substrate processing chamber is provided. The showerhead pedestal assembly includes a faceplate. A platen is disposed within the faceplate and includes a heater element extending through at least one groove in the faceplate. The at least one groove is profiled to accept at least one portion of the heater element. A periphery of the platen is joined to an interior surface of the faceplate by a friction stir welded joint.

Abstract: Methods for reducing warpage of bowed semiconductor substrates, including providing a first substrate to a first station in a semiconductor processing chamber, providing a second substrate to a second station in the semiconductor processing chamber, concurrently depositing a first bow compensation layer of material on the backside of the first substrate at the first station and a first bow compensation layer of material on the backside of the second substrate at the second station, and depositing a second bow compensation layer of material on the backside of the first substrate, while the first substrate is at the first station and the second substrate is at the second station, and while not concurrently depositing material on the backside of the second substrate.

Abstract: A system comprises an equipment front end module (EFEM), a vacuum transfer module (VTM), a plurality off quad station process modules (QSMs). The EFEM is configured to receive a plurality of wafers. The EFEM comprises an EFEM transfer robot. The vacuum transfer module (VTM) is configured to receive the plurality of wafers from the EFEM. The VTM comprises a VTM transfer robot. The plurality of quad station process modules (QSMs) is coupled to the VTM. The VTM transfer robot is configured Oto transfer wafers between the VTM and the plurality of QSMs. The EFEM transfer robot is configured to transfer wafers between the EFEM and the VTM.

Abstract: Several designs of a gas distribution device for a substrate processing system are provided. The gas distribution device includes a dual plenum showerhead. Additionally, designs for a light blocking structure used with the showerheads are also provided.

Abstract: A smartphone-based hemoglobin (Hgb) assessment application quantitatively analyzes pallor in patient-sourced photos using image analysis algorithms to enable a noninvasive, accurate quantitative smartphone app for detecting anemia. A user takes a photo of his/her fingernail beds using the app and receives an accurate displayed Hgb level. Since fingernails do not contain melanocytes, the primary source of color of these anatomical features is blood Hgb. At the same time, quality control software minimizes the impact of common fingernail irregularities (e.g. leukonychia and camera flash reflection) on Hgb level measurement. Metadata recorded upon capturing the image is leveraged for determining a users' Hgb level thereby eliminating the need for external equipment. A personalized calibration of image data with measured Hgb levels improves the accuracy of the application.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring contamination on a critical surface of a part is provided. A vessel for mounting the part is provided. An inert gas source is in fluid connection with the vessel and adapted to provide an inert gas to the vessel. At least one diffuser receives the inert gas from the vessel, wherein the critical surface of the part is exposed to the inert gas when the part is mounted in the vessel. At least one analyzer is adapted to receive inert gas from the at least one diffuser and measures contaminants in the inert gas.

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: Methods and apparatuses for depositing thin films using plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) with ramping radio-frequency (RF) power are provided herein. Embodiments involve increasing the RF power setting of PEALD cycles after formation of initial screening layers at low RF power settings.

Abstract: A process for producing propylene involves dehydration of isopropanol. The dehydration process includes a step of subjecting a starting material containing isopropanol to a dehydration reaction in the presence of a dehydration catalyst comprising alumina to produce a product containing propylene. The starting material has a water content of 0.1 to 10.0 wt % (relative to 100 wt % of the total mass of the starting material), and the product has a total content of C2 unsaturated impurities and C3-C4 unsaturated impurities of 80 ppm or less (relative to 100 wt % of the total mass of the product).

Abstract: A centralizer device includes a body collar and a tail collar each extending circumferentially around a central axis to define a longitudinal channel. The central axis extends from an up-hole direction towards a downhole direction of the centralizer device. The centralizer device includes a body extending between the body collar and the tail collar. The body includes a first portion, a second portion, and a bow portion that extends radially outward from the central axis to define at least one apex. The body further defines at least one opening. The centralizer device may include a tail extending (i) longitudinally from the tail collar or the body collar and (ii) radially outward from the central axis, the tail comprising a tail tip at a distal end thereof.

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: Several designs of a gas distribution device for a substrate processing system are provided. The gas distribution device includes a dual plenum showerhead. Additionally, designs for a light blocking structure used with the showerheads are also provided.

Abstract: Dry development of resists can be useful, for example, to form a patterning mask in the context of high-resolution patterning. Dry development may be advantageously accomplished by a method of processing a semiconductor substrate including providing in a process chamber a photopatterned resist on a substrate layer on a semiconductor substrate, and dry developing the photopatterned resist by removing either an exposed portion or an unexposed portion of the resist by a dry development process comprising exposure to a chemical compound to form a resist mask. The resist may be an EUV-sensitive organo-metal oxide or organo-metal-containing thin film EUV resist.

Abstract: A temperature-controlled pedestal includes a pedestal, a temperature sensor to sense N temperature in N zones, and N temperature control devices arranged in the N zones, respectively. A voltage source selectively supplies power to the N temperature control devices. A controller is configured to cause the voltage source to control a temperature in the N zones by a) determining a hottest one of the N zones based on the N temperatures; b) if the hottest one of the N zones is not already cooling, increasing cooling to the hottest one of the N zones using one of the N temperature control devices; c) decreasing cooling to the N zones when a temperature of the N zones is less than a first temperature setpoint; and d) repeating a) to c) until all of the N zones have a temperate less than or equal to the first temperature setpoint.

Abstract: An exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure provides an MRI-compatible robot comprising one or more fiducial markers, a first planar stage comprising a first joint configured to receive a surgical tool and a first mechanism configured to move the surgical tool, a second planar stage comprising a second joint configured to receive the surgical tool and a second mechanism configured to move the surgical tool, and wherein the second planar stage is generally parallel with the first planar stage.

Abstract: A method for achieving uniformity in an etch rate is described. The method includes receiving a voltage signal from an output of a match, and determining a positive crossing and a negative crossing of the voltage signal for each cycle of the voltage signal. The negative crossing of each cycle is consecutive to the positive crossing of the cycle. The method further includes dividing a time interval of each cycle of the voltage signal into a plurality of bins. For one or more of the plurality of bins associated with the positive crossing and one or more of the plurality of bins associated with the negative crossing, the method includes adjusting a frequency of a radio frequency generator to achieve the uniformity in the etch rate.

Abstract: Contactor structures are provided that can allow for improved heat management while reducing or minimizing the potential for contamination of process gas streams with heat transfer fluids. The contactor structures can include one or more sets of flow channels for process gas flows, such as gas flows introduced to allow adsorption of components from a gas stream or gas flows introduced to facilitate desorption of previously adsorbed components into a purge gas stream. The process gas flow channels can correspond to flow channels defined by a structural material of unitary structure. The unitary structure can correspond to the entire contactor, or the unitary structure can correspond to a monolith that forms a portion of the contactor. The contactor structures can also include one or more sets of flow channels for heat transfer fluids. The heat transfer flow channels can also be defined by the structural material of a unitary structure.