Abstract: Substrates such as silicon wafers, flat panel displays, and hard disk drive head substrates are electrostatically gripped using power derived from a physically separated source. Noncontacting coupling permits operation in vacuum as a result of its efficient energy conversion. Bidirectional communications between a controller and the remote gripper electronics along its power coupling lines is enabled. Inclusion of a communications link allows monitoring of system status and full control over the substrate sensing, grip, and release processes. The system of the present invention provides freedom from rf bias filtering considerations, and enables installation of grippers on robot arms without stretching, bending, or sliding electrical connections.

Abstract: The present invention relates in particular to electrostatic holding devices for holding semiconductor wafers and other materials during processing operations, such as vacuum sputtering, for example.One problem with such holding devices is that a residual electrostatic charge tends to build up on the surface of the device. This can lead to problems in the release of the wafer when processing is completed, as this electrostatic charge will tend to grip the wafer.The present invention overcomes this problem by determining a value of drive voltage to be applied to the electrostatic chuck to cancel out the holding effects of at least most of the residual electrostatic charge and thus enable release of the wafer. The value of drive voltage to be applied to allow release is determined by monitoring motion of the wafer as the drive voltage is varied, the motion of the wafer being indicative of whether it is being gripped by the body or not.

Abstract: An electrostatic chuck for semiconductor wafers (10) uses at least three electrodes (12, 13, 14). Two electrodes (13, 14) defining a substantially planar surface and embedded in a thin dielectric film (11), are respectively excited by a low-frequency A.C. supply (15, 16, 17, 18, 23) to produce sinewave fields of controlled amplitude and phase, provided a low resultant voltage on the wafer surface. A third electrode (12) acts as a shield electrode or as a reference point for the other two electrodes (13, 14). In addition, by controlled rates of voltage application and removal, low voltage gradients are obtained on the wafer (10); and no retentive forces exist in the dielectric medium (11). A low A.C. amplitude excitation of the chuck enables capacitive current sensing of the relative positions of the wafer (10) and the dielectric film (11), enabling simple control of voltage application to the two electrodes (13, 14).

Abstract: A new logic circuit construction in which gates are formed by appropriate interconnections of complementary current-mirror cells. With a signal applied, the resulting logic circuit draws a current drain which rises with power supply voltage, as does the speed of the circuit. With no signal the current drain of the circuit is small. Clocked circuits using this logic can use one clock line. With three states available in the clock line, a non-overlapping two-phase clock is automatically obtained with a simple oscillating signal. This logic circuit is also capable of providing a weighted input or output, enabling threshold logic ("multiple-valued logic") to be performed.

Abstract: There is disclosed a dry process etching or deposition chamber which allows an improvement in process speed and control of directionality over prior art dry process chambers. The etching or deposition chamber is provided with a hollow cathode electrode comprising two parallel electrode surfaces which are maintained at substantially the same electrical potential while a radio frequency potential is applied between the hollow cathode electrode and an anode electrode which is also located within the chamber. During the etching or deposition process, a partial vacuum is maintained in the dry process chamber and a gas is introduced into the chamber to provide a source of halogen ions and carbon or silicon ions under radio frequency excitation these ions forming a chemically reactive plasma. Products of the etching or deposition process can be pumped out of the chamber during the processing step if greater performance is required.

Abstract: A process for selectively etching an aluminum-containing coating in preference to a masking material on a surface of the aluminum-containing coating by positioning a patterned masking material on the aluminum-containing coating in a radio frequency plasma etching chamber and introducing an etchant gas and a source of oxygen and silicon to the interior of the chamber under conditions where silicon dioxide is deposited selectively on masking material layer while the unmasked aluminum-containing coating is etched.

Abstract: Into the surface of a material a microstructure determined by an agglomerated thin film is reactively sputter-etched forming a graded-index layer which is useful in optical reflection reduction.The layer is also useful in the formation of directed crystalline surfaces because of the small structure sizes which can be attained, and because of the anisotropy (directionality) which can be introduced into the etched surface.

Abstract: A process for selectively etching an aluminum-containing coating in preference to a masking material on a surface of the aluminum-containing coating by positioning a patterned masking material on the aluminum-containing coating in a radio frequency plasma etching chamber and introducing an etchant gas and a source of oxygen and silicon to the interior of the chamber under conditions where silicon dioxide is deposited selectively on masking material layer while the unmasked aluminum-containing coating is etched.

Abstract: A process is provided for selectively etching silicon by means of a plasma etching composition wherein an etching target is connected to a radio frequency voltage and a source of silicon and oxygen is provided with the plasma etching composition in order to minimize etching of a masking composition.