Abstract: The subject matter disclosed herein relates to additive manufacturing techniques, and more specifically, to additive manufacturing techniques that involve binder jet printing. A disclosed additive manufacturing system for fabricating an article includes a build unit and a positioning system operably coupled to the build unit. The positioning system is configured to move the build unit in at least three dimensions. The build unit includes a recoater portion configured to deposit a layer of powder within a build area of the additive manufacturing system. The build unit also includes a binder jetting portion configured to selectively deposit and cure a binder within a periphery of the deposited layer of powder to form a dynamic build envelope around the article being fabricated in the build area.

Abstract: A process for effectively reducing reactivity of a surface of a semiconductor substrate is described. The process includes: (1) oxidizing in an oxidizing environment the semiconductor substrate surface, the semiconductor substrate having a dopant concentration profile that extends across a depth of the semiconductor substrate; and (2) annealing the semiconductor substrate surface in an inert gas environment, wherein the oxidizing and the annealing of the semiconductor substrate surface are performed at a temperature that is sufficiently low to substantially preserve the dopant concentration profile in the semiconductor substrate. A surface passivation apparatus is also described. The apparatus includes: a heating source for heating a substrate surface; an ozone generator; and a chamber for exposing a substrate surface to an oxidizing environment that includes a gas composition, wherein the ozone generator is configured to produce ozone within the chamber using the gas composition.