Abstract: Rough, conductive diamond film regions are formed on a substrate for establishing electrical contact with a surface mount semiconductor package, or the like. The substrate base is heated in a diamond film gas phase deposition reactor. Molecular hydrogen, a carbon-bearing gas and a dopant source are introduced into the reactor at a temperature conducive to producing a conductive polycrystalline diamond film with sharp facets extending from the film. The diamond film is patterned by etching to remove regions where no electrical contact with the surface mount package is desired.

Abstract: Conductive diamond film regions on a substrate for establishing electrical contact with a surface mount semiconductor package, or the like, is formed by heating the substrate base in a diamond film gas phase deposition reactor, then introducing molecular hydrogen, a carbon bearing gas, and a dopant source into the reactor at a temperature sufficient to produce a conductive polycrystalline diamond layer. Then the polycrystalline diamond layer is etched down to the substrate base in regions where no contact will exist with the surface mount packages to define a desired pattern of conductive polycrystalline diamond in regions of the packages where electrical contact is desired. The substrate is then brought into pressure contact with a surface mount semiconductor package, or the like.

Abstract: A probe for electrical contact with a metal layer of an integrated circuit wherein the probe features a polycrystalline diamond layer coating a fine conductive wire. The diamond coating has exposed pyramidal facets having a density of at least 2000 per square millimeter. The substrate has a radius exceeding one micrometer.

Abstract: In an apparatus for rounding the edges of semiconductive wafers, the wafers are loaded onto two parallel counter rotating screws one having a right hand thread and the other having a left hand thread. The grooves of respective ones of said screw engage the edges of the semiconductive wafer to be rounded. The grooves of the respective screws are of rounded cross-section and an abrasive slurry is introduced into the grooves to facilitate abrading of the edges of the wafers. A pressure roller engages the edges of the wafers and forces the wafers into the grooves to further facilitate rounding of the edges. Due to the action of the screws, the wafers, as they are being rounded are caused to traverse the length of the screws to provide a continuous processing of the wafers.

Abstract: Wafers are unloaded from a hot wafer processing boat of the type having a plurality of elongated parallel electrodes defining elongated processing gaps therebetween with the wafers being serially spaced apart lengthwise of the gap. A wafer carrier, into which the wafers are to be unloaded from the hot boat, has elongated receiving means, preferably formed by folds of the wafer carrier, extending lengthwise of the elongated electrodes of the boat. The wafer carrier is positioned over the boat and the boat and the carrier are inverted so that the wafers drop from the hot boat into the receiving means of the wafer carrier. In a preferred embodiment, once the wafers have been unloaded onto the folded wafer carrier, the wafer carrier is unfolded to facilitate access to the wafers.

Abstract: In a lead screw drive, such as that used in a lightweight lathe or milling machine for driving the workpiece relative to the cutting tool, the core of a drive nut is made of a material having a relatively low melting temperature, such as babbitt metal or a relatively rigid thermoplastic material. The low melting point material is contained within a nut housing as of steel. The openings in the nut housing for passage of the lead screw are scaled in a fluid type relation by means of elastic sealing members as of silicone rubber having a melting point above that of the relatively low melting point core portion of the nut. An electrical heating cartridge element is contained within the nut housing in good thermally conductive relation with the low melting point core material.

Abstract: In a probe head for an automatic semiconductive wafer prober, the probe head includes a probe body means for coupling the probe head to the probe holder surrounding a chuck which carries the wafer. The chuck is moveable in the plane of the wafer (horizontal) and orthogonal to the plane of the wafer (vertical) for sequentially moving a pattern of probe heads into testing engagement with corresponding patterns of test points on the wafer under test. The probe head includes a testing head having a probe portion (blade, needle or point) for making electrical contact with a respective test point on the wafer. The test head is coupled to the probe body by means of a way for guiding the initial vertical adjustable movement of the testing head in the vertical direction, whereas the probe body is pivotably and slideably coupled to the probe holder so as to permit a second initial adjustment of the probe body in the horizontal plane for establishing the test probe pattern.

Abstract: In a rotary vacuum sealed wafer transport system for transporting semiconductive wafers between ambient atmosphere and subatmospheric pressure within a wafer processing station, the wafers, on a conveyor web pass through a slot in the vacuum chamber of the processing station. The evacuable envelope of the processing station has an external concave face portion intersecting with a generally planar face portion with the slot being positioned generally at the intersection of the concave and planar face portions. A deformable elastic roller, preferably pneumatically inflated, is disposed for rolling sealing engagement with the conveyor web and wafer and for wiping sealing engagement with portions of the planar and concave faces to provide a gas tight seal of the slot while permitting passage of the conveyor web with the wafers thereon into the evacuated wafer processing station. In a preferred embodiment, the conveyor web passes through input and output slots with pneumatic rollers sealing the pair of slots.

Abstract: In a method for chasing game, a set of portable sound generators are set out in the field in accordance with a predetermined pattern for chasing the game in a predetermined direction when the sound generators are actuated. Each of the sound generators has a clock associated therewith and means for setting the turn-on time to an accuracy of plus or minus at least a few seconds, such that precise timing of the turn-on time of respective ones of the sound generators is settable, as desired. The turn-on times are then set in accordance with the positions of the respective sound generators in the predetermined pattern so that the sound generators turn on in a predetermined sequence for chasing the game in the predetermined direction.

Abstract: The water-tight watch case is disclosed wherein the case provides a water-tight enclosure for an electronic watch module and wherein the case includes a removable cover portion for providing physical access to the interior of the case for replacement of batteries and the like. The removable cover portion includes a truncated conically tapered sealing ring surface having an angle of taper less than 8.degree. and preferably in the range of 7.degree. to 3.degree. for providing an interference-contact axial press fit with a mating truncated conically tapered surface of the case. A water-tight seal is formed between the cover and the case essentially solely due to the axially pressed interference-contact fit between the pair of mated tapered sealing ring surfaces.