Abstract: A wafer transfer robot for a wafer processing system, such as a wet bench system, and a method for utilizing the robot. The wafer transfer robot can be constructed by a robot arm that is equipped with a plurality of wafer blades each adapted for picking-up and carrying one of a plurality of wafers. The plurality of wafer blades each has a predetermined thickness, a top surface, a bottom surface and a predetermined spacing from adjacent wafer blades. A plurality of sensors, such as optical sensors, capacitance sensors or magnetic sensors, with at least one mounted on the bottom side of one of the plurality of wafer blades for sensing the presence of metal on a wafer carried on an adjacent wafer blade immediately below the one of the plurality of wafer blades.

Abstract: A method of wiring formation includes forming a feeder film partially on a substrate, forming on the substrate a plating base film via a physical film making method so that the plate base film partially overlaps the feeder film, forming a plated wiring on the plating base film using an electrolytic plating, and selectively removing at least an area of the feeder film which is exposed from the plated wiring, using a wet etching process.

Abstract: A process to form a capillary that is well insulated from its environment is described. Said process has two stages. The first stage, which is the same for both of the invention's two embodiments, comprises forming a micro-channel in the surface of a sheet of glassy material. For the first embodiment, this sheet is bonded to a layer of oxide, that lies on the surface of a sheet of silicon, thereby sealing in the capillary. After all silicon has been selectively removed, a thin membrane of oxide remains. Using a low temperature bonding process, a second sheet of glassy material is then bonded to this membrane. In the second embodiment, the silicon is not fully removed. Instead, the oxide layer of the first embodiment is replaced by an oxide/nitride/oxide trilayer which provides improved electrical insulation between the capillary and the remaining silicon at a lower level of inter-layer stress.

Abstract: A method for replicating a high resolution three-dimensional imprint pattern on a compliant media is disclosed. The compliant media carries an imprint stamp that includes three-dimensional features that can be used as an imprint stamp in a roll-to-roll transfer printing process. The compliant media can be made to any size and can be connected with a belt or a cylinder. The compliant media can be optically transparent and the belt or cylinder can be optically transparent so that a light source positioned inside or outside the belt or the cylinder can irradiate another media that is urged into contact with the compliant media.

Abstract: This invention has an object of providing a method for producing a multilayer substrate or an electronic part wherein decrease in the thickness has been enabled without causing the problem of insufficient strength or the like in the handling, as well as the electronic part. Such object has been attained by a method for producing a multilayer substrate or an electronic part comprising the steps of adhering a conductor layer to a transfer film, patterning the conductor layer to form a predetermined pattern, placing the transfer film overlaid with the patterned conductor layer on a prepreg so that the side of the conductor layer faces the prepreg, and then adhering the transfer film to the prepreg by applying heat and pressure and peeling the transfer film to produce the prepreg having the conductor layer formed thereon; and the multilayer electronic part produced by such method.

Abstract: A vapor generator (19, 62) and connected chemical vapor deposition chamber (28) for providing a vapor for operations such as chemical vapor deposition has an atomizer (16, 16A, 38, 50) for forming an aerosol or droplet spray (36, 58, 74, 80) separate from a vaporization chamber (19, 62). The aerosol is passed into a heated vaporization chamber (19, 62) wherein the particles or droplets are flash vaporized and larger droplets are vaporized by direct contact with heated surfaces. The resulting gas/vapor stream is then used for chemical vapor deposition, in a separate chemical vapor deposition chamber (26). The vapor and gas stream is preferably passed through a restricted passageway (22, 44, 68) for mixing before being introduced into the chemical vapor deposition chamber (26).

Abstract: A method of making a microstructure includes forming a pattern in a surface of a silicon-containing elastomer, oxidizing the pattern, contacting the pattern with a substrate; and bonding the oxidized pattern and the substrate such that the pattern and the substrate are irreversibly attached. The silicon-containing elastomer may be removably attached to a transfer pad.

Abstract: Two load lock chambers 130 and 132 are arranged between a first transfer chamber 122 and a second transfer chamber 133. Each of the load lock chambers is capable of accommodating a single wafer W. The first transfer chamber 122 is provided with a first transfer unit 124 having two substrate holders 124a, 124b each capable of holding a single object to be processed, in order to transport the wafer W among a load port site 120, the first load lock chamber 130, the second load lock chamber 132 and a positioning unit 150. The second transfer chamber 133 is provided with a second transfer unit 156 having two substrate holders 156a, 156b each capable of holding the single object to be processed, in order to transport the wafer between the first load lock chamber 130, the second load lock chamber 132 and respective vacuum processing chambers 158 to 164. Since the volume of each load lock chamber can be minimized, it is possible to perform the prompt control of atmospheres in the load lock chambers.

Abstract: A method for removing voids in a ceramic substrate includes steps of preparing a ceramic substrate and defining holes of different dimensions in the ceramic substrate, sputtering a titanium/copper film onto opposite sides of the ceramic substrate, chemical copper plating, forming a dry film onto the ceramic substrate, forming an image, plating copper leads, plating nickel and gold, removing the dry film, and etching titanium/copper.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system to facilitate using selective etching to form optical components on a circuit device. The system operates by receiving a substrate composed of a first material including a buffer layer composed of a second material. The system forms a sacrificial layer composed of a third material on the buffer layer. Next, the system forms an optical fiber core composed of a fourth material on the sacrificial layer. After the optical fiber core has been formed, the system performs an etching operation using a selective etchant to remove the sacrificial layer. The system also applies a cladding layer to the optical fiber core.

Abstract: A wafer carrier assembly for a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus and a polishing method using the same are provided. The present wafer carrier assembly comprises a first plate, a second plate and a flexible membrane. The first plate has a plurality of protrusions formed on a bottom surface thereof and the second plate has a plurality of apertures passing through. Each of the protrusions is matched with one of the apertures to enable the first plate and the second plate to detachably combine together. The flexible membrane is positioned under the second plate and contacts it. A surface of the flexible membrane opposite to the surface of the flexible membrane contacting the second plate provides a wafer-receiving surface.

Abstract: On the top wall of a processing vessel 1 of a plasma processing system, a transmission window 10 capable of transmitting microwaves is provided. On the top of the transmission window 10, a microwave antenna 2 is mounted. Microwaves are supplied from a microwave supply source 3 to the antenna 2 through a connecting waveguide 4. The antenna 2 has two ring-shaped antenna waveguides 5a and 5b which are substantially concentrically arranged. Each of the antenna waveguides 5a and 5b comprises a rectangular waveguide having a bottom wall in which a plurality of slots 6a and 6b are formed at intervals, and the proximal end portion of each of the antenna waveguides 5a and 5b is connected to the connecting waveguide 4. The proximal end portions 7a and 7b of the antenna waveguides 5a and 5b are provided with control gates 9a and 9b for varying the size of apertures, respectively.

Abstract: A gas driven rotation apparatus for use with a flow of drive gas includes a base member having an upper surface, a main platter overlying the upper surface of the base member, and a satellite platter overlying the main platter. The apparatus is adapted to direct the flow of drive gas between the upper surface of the base member and the main platter such that the main platter is rotated relative to the base member by the flow of drive gas. At least a portion of the flow of drive gas is directed from between the upper surface of the base member and the main platter to between the main platter and the satellite platter such that the satellite platter is rotated relative to the main platter by the at least a portion of the flow of drive gas.

Abstract: A method for dispensing a chemical, such as an edge bead removal solvent, onto a semiconductor wafer comprising the steps of dispensing the chemical selectively onto the wafer and applying a suction to the area immediately surrounding the location at which the chemical is dispensed onto the wafer. Preferably, the suction is applied substantially simultaneously with the dispensing of the chemical. One specific version of the invention provides an edge bead removal system wherein suction is applied to the area immediately surrounding the solvent dispensing nozzle to remove dissolved coating material and excess solvent from the wafer. In one aspect of this system, an apparatus for removing the edge bead includes a mechanism for dispensing a solvent selectively onto the edge of the wafer, and a mechanism surrounding the dispensing mechanism for vacuuming excess solvent and dissolved coating material from the edge of the wafer.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus injects gas from an injection port formed on a shielding surface of an atmosphere shielding part and sucks a substrate by Bernoulli effect. The substrate is sucked in a state coming into contact with a contact supporting surface of a support member provided on the atmosphere shielding part, and rotated with the upper surface shielded by a shielding surface of the shielding part. A solution supply part supplies a chemical solution to the lower surface of the substrate. Therefore, mist of a processing solution or the processing solution can be reliably prevented from reaching the upper surface of the substrate. Thus provided is a substrate processing apparatus capable of reliably preventing the mist of the processing solution or the processing solution from reaching the upper surface of the substrate.

Abstract: A heater chip for use in an inkjet printer which includes a single conductive layer to provide electrical connectivity between power and ground inputs. Wherein the unique power distribution architecture is possible by the formation of a plurality of ink vias in the heater chip which provides for an increase in the chip surface area available for electrical connectivity.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a semiconductor thermal processing system and an apparatus for thermally cooling a semiconductor substrate. According to one aspect of the present invention, a semiconductor thermal processing system and associated apparatus and method are disclosed which provides a segmented cold plate situated within a process chamber, wherein a plurality of segments of the cold plate are operable to radially translate between an engaged position and a disengaged position, wherein a substrate holder may pass between the plurality of segments when the segments are in the disengaged position. According to another aspect, an elevator is operable to linearly translate a substrate residing on a substrate holder between a heating position proximate to a heater assembly and a cooling position proximate to the segmented cold plate.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus comprises a grounded housing, a thin RF plate electrode, an opposite electrode facing the RF plate electrode, and a RF power source for applying a radio frequency to either the RF plate electrode or the opposite electrode to produce plasma between the two electrodes. If the radio frequency applied to the electrode is f (MHz), the parasitic capacity C (pF) between the grounded portion of the housing and a conductive portion through which the radio frequency propagates is less than 1210*f−0.9. The thickness of the RF plate electrode is 1 mm to 6 mm, and it is supported by a heat sink. The heat sink has a coolant passage in the proximity to the RF plate electrode. The heat sink also has a groove or a cavity in addition to the coolant passage, thereby reducing the value of the dielectric constant of the heat sink as a whole.

Abstract: A continuous ink jet print head is formed using a combination of traditional CMOS technology to form the various controlling electrical circuits on a silicon substrate having insulating layer(s) which provide electrical connections and a MEMS technology for forming nozzle openings. A blocking structure is formed in the insulating layer(s) between a first ink channel formed in the silicon substrate and a second ink channel formed in the insulating layer(s). The blocking structure causes ink to flow around the blocking structure and thereby develop lateral flow components to the liquid entering the second channel so that, for droplets selected for printing, as the stream of droplets emanates from the bore of the nozzle, there is provided a reduced amount of heat needed for operating a heating element adjacent each nozzle opening.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a first holder made of silicon carbide or silicon and a second holder made of quartz. Each of the first and the second holder is of a ring shape and the second ring shaped holder is mounted on the first holder. The second holder is used to mount a substrate thereon while the substrate is being processed.