Abstract: The invention relates to a method suitable for raising the breakdown voltage of a capacitor of the integrated circuit type formed on a semiconductor substrate and characterized in that the lower plate of the capacitor is under etched so that an air wedge is obtained. As a result of the air wedge, the electric current passed through the semiconductor material is lengthened and the breakdown phenomena at the edges of the capacitor are reduced. The invention also relates to capacitors obtained in this manner.

Abstract: At least three spring-mounted members disposed around the periphery of an aperture in a wafer-mounting plate are arranged to engage and securely hold edge portions of a semiconductor wafer to be processed. When the spring-mounted members are actuated toward the front side of the plate, a wafer can be freely moved into or out of the aperture from the back side of the plate by means of a vacuum chuck that contacts only the back side of the wafer. After a wafer to be held is inserted within the aperture, the actuated members are released. The released members move toward the back side of the plate and thereby engage the edges of the inserted wafer and exert radial holding forces thereon. The back side of a wafer so mounted is adapted to be brought into resilient engagement with a pedestal element in a processing chamber, thereby ensuring good thermal and electrical contact between the wafer and the pedestal element.

Abstract: A PFA Teflon carrier for silicon wafers being processed in hot baths in the production of integrated circuit chips with sidewalls having wafer spacing webs and grooves receiving the wafers in confronting and spaced relation. The sidewalls having outboard channel supports or stiffening bars extending substantially to the ends of the sidewalls and adjacent offsets in the sidewalls which connect to the end walls of the receptacle, one end wall being H-shaped and having a cross bar panel with elongate parallel stiffener bars thereon at the level of the bottom edge of the wafer confining panels in the sidewalls, the stiffener bars in the end walls having their ends spaced from the sidewalls.

Abstract: For the loading of evaporators in vapor coating plants with shaped pieces made of vapor coating materials there is used an apparatus which is characterized by rolls having indentations for receiving the shaped pieces, centered on a rotatable shaft and surrounded by a closely fitting housing by a moving part having gradual feed fastened on the shaft and by a swivelable shaft moveable into a resting position and into a loading position, on which there is mounted the shaft having rolls via fastening elements. Thereby the housing of the rolls is provided with a recess corresponding to the shaped pieces, which is located in the loading position directly above the evaporator. Because there is only a short time loading process there is no need to cool and there is avoided influencing of the vaporization by the action of moving.

Abstract: Apparatus for developing a substantially uniform temperature distribution across the entire transverse width of a relatively thin, relatively large area substrate onto which a plurality of amorphous semiconductor layers will be deposited in a glow discharge deposition chamber. The apparatus includes a plurality of spaced heating elements, the filaments of which are suspended above and angled relative to the plane of the substrate so as to direct radiation onto that portion of the substrate which loses heat at the greatest rate with at least the same intensity as, and preferably greater intensity than, radiation is directed onto those portions of the substrate which lose heat at lesser rates. By establishing the greatest intensity of radiation adjacent that portion of the substrate which most readily loses heat, a uniform distribution of temperature across the transverse width of the substrate may be achieved.

Abstract: A method for controlling the slope of the edge gradient of a layer of vapor deposition material onto a substrate from an evaporation source of vapor deposition material comprising the steps of forming a flux of vapor deposition material having an effective source cross-sectional area and shape from an evaporation source of a vapor deposition material located at a known position, indexing a deposition mask having a plurality of apertures extending therethrough such that the mask is in a spaced relationship from the source defining a source-to-mask distance and positioned in the flux of vapor deposition material to permit the flux of vapor deposition to pass through the apertures, registering a substrate in a spaced relationship from the deposition mask defining a mask-to-substrate distance to permit the flux of the vapor deposition material passing through the apertures in the deposition mask to impinge onto the substrate forming a layer of vapor deposit material thereon, controlling at least one of the effect

Abstract: Clamp-like guides are arranged in the interior of a soldering bath container at a distance from each other and distributed across the width of the soldering bath container. Each guide has two guide rods which are spaced from each other by a certain distance and which are connected with each other at their lower ends. The upper final sections of the guide rods project upward from a soldering bath and have deflections at their upper ends which form a narrowing therebetween. The final sections can be elastically deflectable and are supported by support springs. Above the guides, two blast nozzles extend across the width of the soldering bath container and direct hot air jets against the surfaces of printed circuit boards leaving the soldering bath. The width of the narrowing is somewhat larger than the thickness of the printed circuit boards.

Abstract: This invention is directed to an apparatus for preparing semiconducting and photoelectronic devices comprised of a first electrode means, a second counter electrode means, a receptacle means for the first electrode means and the second counter electrode means, a substrate means to be coated contained on the first electrode means, which substrate is in the form of a cylindrical member, and a gas inlet means, a gas exhaust means, wherein a silane gas is introduced into the receptacle in a crossflow direction, perpendicular to the axis of the cylindrical member.

Abstract: A system for introducing, confining and evacuating process gases adjacent the cathode region of glow discharge deposition apparatus, said apparatus adapted to deposit at least one layer of semiconductor material onto a substrate. The deposition apparatus includes at least one dedicated deposition chamber into which process gases are introduced for glow discharge disassociation into species. The system of the present invention includes a baffling manifold adjacent the cathode, said manifold adapted to substantially reduce areas of localized rarification and compression of process gases flowing through the plasma region for substantially preventing adjacent stagnant and rapidly moving areas of process gases from forming nonuniform flow patterns as the semiconductor layer is deposited on the surface of the substrate. The system is also adapted to expose the entire transverse width of the substrate for the deposition of semiconductor material thereunto.

Abstract: A magnetic gas gate adapted to operatively connect two adjacent dedicated chambers, in the first chamber of which a first layer is deposited upon a magnetic web of substrate material and in the second chamber of which a second layer is deposited onto the first layer. The first chamber has introduced thereinto gas constituents used to form the first layer while the second chamber (1) has introduced thereinto gas constituents used to form the second layer which constituents include at least one gas not introduced into the first chamber; and (2) is operatively associated with a mechanism for unidirectionally drawing the gases from the first chamber side of the gas gate toward the second chamber side of the gas gate. It is important that the second chamber gas constituents be substantially prevented from backflowing or diffusing through the gas gate to contaminate the gas constituents in the first chamber.

Abstract: A reduced capacitance electrode assembly for use in an alternating current plasma system provides reduced input capacitance to an associated tuning network. The assembly includes an electrode adapted to receive alternating current power for maintaining a plasma region and a plurality of electrically conductive plates. The plates are closely spaced apart by less than a predetermined distance on one side of the electrode for precluding the formation of a plasma region on the one side of the electrode and for providing a plurality of series capacitances to present a substantially reduced capacitance to the alternating current power.The reduced capacitance electrode assembly is particularly useful in a system for making photovoltaic devices wherein a plurality of amorphous semiconductor materials is deposited onto a continuous conductive substrate moving through a corresponding plurality of deposition chambers.

Abstract: The process for preparing a resin-coated casting sand by coating sand grains with a binder comprising a liquid phenolic resin component and a polyisocyanate component, the improvement of which comprises coating sand grains with an organic solvent prior to coating of the sand grains with the binder, thereby prolonging the bench life of the resulting resin-coated casting sand and enhancing the strength of a casting mold prepared from this resin-coated casting sand. Furthermore, this process enables the utilization of sand of a low grade or reclaimed sand having a high alkaline component content, that has not been used in the conventional process, and the supply of an excellent resin-coated casting sand which is capable of providing a casting mold having a high strength and has a long bench life.

Abstract: A maskless process is disclosed for applying a patterned solder mask coating to a circuit board (31). In accordance with the process, there is applied to the surface (30) of the circuit board an uncured material (32) having a cure reaction which is susceptible to inhibition by the presence of oxygen. The surface of the circuit board is covered with the material to a first predetermined thickness. This first predetermined thickness of material on land areas (34) surrounding holes (36) in the circuit board is diminished to a second predetermined thickness by allowing a portion of the material on the land areas to flow into the holes. The uncured material is exposed to a first energy source which delivers a quantity of energy such that a surface layer (38) having the second predetermined thickness has its cure reaction substantially inhibited due to the presence of oxygen.

Abstract: A mount for handling and conveying optical material is disclosed. The mount includes an elastic band disposed around the circumference of the optical material and a hanger. The hanger includes an upper generally "T" shaped suspension portion and a lower engagement hook. The engagement hook slips between the elastic band and the surface of the optical material such that the material may be suspended and conveyed by the hanger. Where a thin edge plastic lens is to be conveyed which cannot support an elastic band disposed around its circumference, a small hole is provided near the edge of and through the lens. The engagement hook of the hanger is passed through the hole and the lens may then be conveyed by the hanger. An alternate embodiment is disclosed for use where only one side of a lens is to be coated.

Abstract: An apparatus for vacuum evaporating magnetic material onto a base. Cylindrical cans are disposed parallel to one another and rotated either in the same or opposite directions. A tape-shaped base is wound around the cans passing from an upper vacuum chamber to a lower vacuum chamber. A vacuum evaporation source is positioned in the lower chamber and directed to the tape-shaped base in a predetermined area on both sides of a gap between the cans or a line contact area between the cans.

Abstract: A holder holding capacitor elements is transported by a conveyor and brought into an electrolyte impregnating tank, which is then closed up by a cover which is secured to a carrier movable laterally by a linkage and is moved vertically by a swingable link. A vacuum pump is operated to vacuumize the electrolyte impregnating tank, and then an electrolyte to supplying circuit is operated to supply the electrolyte into the tank of a predetermined vacuum, so that the capacitor elements may be impregnated with the electrolyte by the minus pressure of vacuum. An absorbing device with a pump is operated to absorb the extra electrolyte around the capacitor elements which are placed in the device.

Abstract: An improved magnetic gas gate is adapted to operatively interconnect two adjacent chambers, in the first chamber of which process gases are introduced for depositing a first layer upon a magnetic substrate and in the second chamber of which process gases are introduced for depositing a second layer atop the first layer. Since it is important to prevent the second chamber gases from contaminating the first chamber gases, a constant pressure differential established between the chambers is employed to provide a substantially unidirectional flow of gases from the first chamber into the second chamber. Magnetic gas gates have been used in the prior art to reduce the size of gas gate passageways by creating a magnetic field which urges the unlayered surface of the substrate toward a wall of the passageway.

Abstract: A beryllium oxide (BeO) film is disclosed, which is produced by impinging partially ionized vapor of metal beryllium and oxygen upon a substrate.

Abstract: A support fixture for holding irregular shaped nonconductive articles for electrostatic paint spraying on a conveyer line, particularly plastic molded articles usable as components in the manufacture of automobiles, having a conductive bracket for grounded attachment to a conveyor line, a conductive frame attached to the bracket and molded into a nonconducting surface area generally conforming to the irregular shape of the articles to be painted, and having electrically conductive sheets molded into the nonconducting surface area and electrically coupled to the grounded bracket for enhancing the electrostatic forces and thereby improving paint deposition over the irregular shaped article.

Abstract: An arrangement for coating substrates in an apparatus for vacuum deposition comprises a rotatable substrate holding structure in the form of a circular plate provided with holders for the substrates. The holders are arranged in circular rows around the axis of rotation of the plate so that the substrates held in the holder are arranged at axes such that those substrates in a single circular row have axes which intersect a single point along the axis of rotation of the plate. A vapor beam correction screen is mounted for rotation adjacent to the plate in an opposite direction about the same axis. A vapor beam correction screen is conformed in a stepwise manner to an even coating of spherical zones which have their center of curvature at the point of intersection of the substrate axes and are tangent to the poles of the respective substrates and cover the surface areas thereof.