Abstract: A method for forming a trimmed upper pole piece for a magnetic write head, said pole piece having a uniform width above and below a write gap layer. Prior art methods of trimming pole pieces to a final width using ion-beam etches produce pole pieces with thickness differentials due to the etch resistant nature of the alumina write-gap filling material. The present method uses NiCr, NiFeCr or Ru as write gap filling materials which have an etch rate which is substantially equal to the etch rate of the other layers forming the pole piece and are highly corrosion resistant.

Abstract: A method for applying a coating (23) to a part of a surface of a lamp (20). The aim is to provide a simple manner of applying exact coatings to parts of surfaces with complicated designs. To this end, the lamp is vacuum-coated. The parts of the surface of the lamp (20) that are not to be coated are covered by a mask (3) and at least one coat is applied to the non-covered parts of the surface. The mask (3) is located at a predetermined distance (d) from the part of the surface of the lamp (20) and the mask (3) is oriented in relation to an illumination element (2) or a base (21) of the lamp (20). The invention also relates to a coated lamp that is produced according to a method of this type.

Abstract: Magnetic films are annealed by radio frequency (RF) radiation. During the RF annealing process, the layers may be subjected to a magnetic field in order to control their anisotropy axes. The RF annealed layers are useful for applications such as longitudinal and perpendicular magnetic recording layers of magnetic data storage media.

Abstract: A method of filling copper into a high-aspect ratio via by a plasma sputter process and allowing the elimination of electrochemical plating. In one aspect of the invention, the sputtering is divided into a first step performed at a low temperature of no more than 100° C. and with at least portions of high wafer bias, thereby filling a lower half of the hole, and a second step performed at a higher temperature, e.g., at least 200° C. and with at least portions of low wafer bias to complete the hole filling. In another aspect of the invention, diffusion promoting gas such as hydrogen is added to the copper sputter plasma. In still another aspect, copper sputtering, even in the final fill phase, is performed through multiple cycles of low-level and high-level pedestal bias to deposit copper on exposed corners and to sputter from the corners.

Abstract: A process for forming a mode size converter with an out-of-plane taper formed during deposition with a shadow mask is disclosed. Mode-size converters according to the present invention can have any number of configurations. Measured coupling efficiencies for waveguides with mode size converters according to the present invention show marked improvement.

Abstract: The invention is directed to an apparatus and method for reducing particulates in a semiconductor processing chamber. The apparatus comprises a shield for lining at portion of the interior of a vacuum processing chamber. The interior of the shield defines a shield passage. A heater element is disposed within the shield passage. A gas inlet is used for providing gases to the interior of the shield passage. The range of temperatures which may be used is wide and generally fitted to the process. For example, the invention may be used to provide a rapid cooldown or bakeout. Once the temperature is chosen, isothermal conditions can be maintained so as to minimize the thermal cycle stress, reducing cracking, peeling, etc.

Abstract: Sputtering particles emitted from a target are ionized by the Penning ionization process. And the sputtering particles ionized are caused to fly in the direction of the substrate by a magnetic field formed by ambipolar diffusion due to a magnetic field generating means without scattering the particles to deposit the particles on the substrate. The partial pressure of a sputtering discharge gas in a discharge space is set to 1.3 Pa or less and a distance from the target to an ionization space is within twice the mean free path of the partial pressure of the sputtering discharge gas.

Abstract: A sputtering system is provided with a substrate and a sputtering material layer that are located in a sputtering chamber. The sputtering material layer has a sputtering surface where atoms of the material are sputtered and the substrate has a forming surface with a site where atoms of the sputtered material are to be formed. The sputtering material layer has a sputtering center which is located at a center of the atoms to be sputtered and the aforementioned site has a periphery with a forming center at a center of the periphery. The sputtering center is offset from the forming center so that shadowing at outer extremities of photoresist masks near the periphery of the substrate is minimized.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing an optically effective system of layers on a substrate, such as a lens for use in an optical device. A plasma supported sputter deposition process is employed which, for the purpose of reducing damage to the rear side (1b) first applies a protective layer (2) to the rear side and then applies a system of layers (3) on the front side (1a) of the substrate (1). The apparatus includes an evacuable sputter chamber and a substrate holder (5) with receiving elements (6) for the substrates, and the receiving elements are mounted to permit rotation about two mutually perpendicular axes.

Abstract: A rotating sputtering target(s) is segmented so as to include a plurality of different sputtering material portions or segments radially dispersed around the outer periphery of the target. This enables a plurality of different layers to be sputter-deposited, one after the other, using the same sputtering target as the target rotates. The thicknesses of the different layers can be controlled by the radially extensive size of the different segments, the rotation speed of the target, the material sputter rate, the sputtering power used, and/or the line speed of the sputter coater in which the target(s) is located. One or more such targets may be used in a coater according to different embodiments of this invention.

Abstract: A method of making an OLED device capable of emitting light through the top electrode of such device includes providing a substrate and an anode over the substrate; providing an emissive layer disposed over the anode; providing first and second layers over the emissive layer with the first layer being in contact with the emissive layer or electron-transport layer and having a compound that includes an electron-injecting element, and the second layer having a reactive metal, and wherein such reactive metal reacts with the compound to release the electron-injecting element that dopes the interfacial region of the emissive layer or electron-transport layer to improve electron-injection and also reduces the reflectivity of the first and second layers is reduced; and providing a transparent conducting non-metallic top electrode over the second layer.

Abstract: An array of auxiliary magnets is disclosed that is positioned along sidewalls of a magnetron sputter reactor on a side towards the wafer from the target. The magnetron preferably is a small, strong one having a stronger outer pole of a first magnetic polarity surrounding a weaker outer pole of a second magnetic polarity and rotates about the central axis of the chamber. The auxiliary magnets preferably have the first magnetic polarity to draw the unbalanced magnetic field component toward the wafer. The auxiliary magnets may be either permanent magnets or electromagnets.

Abstract: A sputtering target having a sprayed coating at least on the side face thereof and producing few particles. The deposit produced on the side face of the sputtering target is prevented from separating and flying.

Abstract: A method of constructing increased life sputter targets and targets made by the method are disclosed. The method comprises starting with a precursor target design or profile and making magnetic field strength measurements along the radial surface of same and at a plurality of vertical dimensions above the surface. An optimal magnetic field strength ratio is provided between the erosion tracks of the target. The vertical dimension of the material to be added to one of the erosion tracks is determined and then the height of the other erosion track is calculated by utilizing this optimal magnetic field strength ratio.

Abstract: The invention relates to an arc source or a source for vaporizing or sputtering of materials and a method for operating a source. The source comprises an insulated counter-electrode and/or an AC magnet system. Thereby, dependent on the requirement, any desired potential can be applied to the counter-electrode and/or the source can be operated with different magnet systems, in particular as arc or sputter source.

Abstract: A charged particle generating method in which mode is changeable between an ion generation mode and an electron generation mode. In the ion generation mode, a raw material is supplied to a tip end of a charged particle generating electrode through a raw-material passage formed in the charged particle generating electrode. A first electric field, in which the charged particle generating electrode is positive and the charged particle extract electrode is negative, is generated to emit ions from the raw material at the charged particle generating electrode. In the electron generation mode, supplying the raw material from the raw-material supply section is stopped. A second electric field, in which the charged particle generating electrode is negative and the charged particle extract electrode is positive, is generated to emit electrons from the raw material at the charged particle generating electrode.

Abstract: A PVD process and apparatus (120) for depositing a coating (132) from multiple sources (110, 111) of different materials. The process and apparatus (120) are particulaity intended to deposit a beta-nickel aluminide coating (132) containing one or more elements whose vapor pressures are lower than NiAl. The PVD process and apparatus (120) entail feeding at least two materials (110, 111) into a coating chamber (122) and evaporating the materials (110, 111) at different rates from separate molten pools (114, 115) thereof. Articles (130) to be coated are suspended within the coating chamber (122), and transported with a support apparatus (118) relative to the two molten pools (114, 115) so as to deposit a coating (132) with a controlled composition that is a mixture of the first and second materials (110, 111).

Abstract: A photocatalysis apparatus has at least one unit structure (2). The unit structure has a photocatalyst module (6) and a pair of discharge electrodes (5) sandwiching the photocatalyst module. The photocatalyst module includes a photocatalyst and a three-dimensional ceramic mesh base carrying the photocatalyst. At least one of the discharge electrodes is a three-dimensional discharge electrode having an electrode body (3) and a conductive frame (4). The electrode body consists of cells made of a conductive foil and has front, back, and side faces. The front and back faces are separated from each other by a predetermined distance and have a shape selected from a group including a honeycomb, a lattice, and a mesh. The side faces of the electrode body is covered with the conductive frame.

Abstract: A method of improving focused ion beam milling particularly suitable for uniformly removing multiple layers of conductor and dielectric, such as the removal of multiple layers consisting of dummy copper pads and SiO2 on a semiconductor device. Variable Pixel Milling is first used to more uniformly remove most of a layer of conductor and dielectric. The use of Variable Pixel Milling may also be used in conjunction with a technique whereby incoming ions pass through a sacrificial layer formed on the surface of the layer being removed in order to further increase uniformity of material removal. Focused ion beam sputtering in conjunction with an oxygen containing gas, such as H2O vapor or oxygen, is then used to smooth out the trench floor before the next layer is removed.

Abstract: A plasma processing system for processing a substrate is disclosed. The system includes a process component capable of effecting a plasma inside a process chamber. The system also includes a gear drive assembly for moving the process component in a linear direction during processing of the substrate.