Abstract: A pipe fusion machine including a track mounted chassis supporting a horizontal turntable for unlimited, reversible rotation relative to the chassis. A boom pivotally attached at a rear end of, and extending forwardly of, the turntable enables manipulation of elevations and distances of the free end of the boom. The free end of the boom is adapted to permit pivotal mounting thereon of a pipe fusion tool such as an indexer configured to articulate and support a pipe-end facer and a pipe-end heater for respective independent orientation into and out of alignment with the ends of pipes to be fused. A carriage supports fixed and sliding jaws adapted to grip the ends of pipes to be fused for relative reciprocal movement during a pipe fusion process. Each of the jaws may include an upper half jaw and lower left and right quarter jaws.

Abstract: A fluid delivery system capable of delivering a precise amount of fluid, such as a fluid required for medical treatment. The delivery system makes use of an inline sensing unit that includes a housing comprising an inlet for receiving a fluid from a fluid source, an outlet for discharging the fluid from the housing, and at least one cavity between the inlet and the outlet. A sensing element and electronic circuitry are disposed within the at least one cavity. The electronic circuitry is adapted to produce an electrical output based on at least one response of the sensing element. The sensing unit is further equipped with a communication element for providing communication between the electronic circuitry and an electronic device remote from the housing.

Abstract: A method for forming a motion sensor for sensing motion or acceleration of a body, such as the type used in VCR cameras and onboard automotive and aerospace safety control system or navigational system. The motion sensor includes a sensing structure, such as a resonating metal ring and spring structure, which is supported above a substrate and circumscribed by an electrode pattern. The sensing structure is supported above the substrate by an electrically-conductive post located at the axis of motion. The electrodes serve to drive the ring into resonance, balance the sensing structure by inducing stiffness in the ring and springs, and sense rotary motion of the ring. To electrically interconnect the ring with the electrodes, three non-dielectric layers are formed on the substrate to form a radial conductor pattern, a concentric conductor pattern and a bias plane beneath the sensing structure.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for micromachining the surface of a silicon substrate which encompasses a minimal number of processing steps. The method involves a preferential etching process in which a chlorine plasma etch is capable of laterally etching an N+ buried layer beneath the surface of the bulk substrate. Such a method is particularly suitable for forming sensing devices which include a small micromachined element, such as a bridge, cantilevered beam, membrane, suspended mass or capacitive element, which is supported over a cavity formed in a bulk silicon substrate. The method also permits the formation of such sensing devices on the same substrate as their controlling integrated circuits. This invention also provides novel methods by which such structures can be improved, such as through optimizing the dimensional characteristics of the micromachined element or by encapsulating the micromachined element.

Abstract: A method for micromachining the surface of a silicon substrate which encompasses a minimal number of processing steps. The method involves a preferential etching process in which a chlorine plasma etch is capable of laterally etching an N+ buried layer beneath the surface of the bulk substrate. Such a method is particularly suitable for forming sensing devices which include a small micromachined element, such as a bridge, cantilevered beam, membrane, suspended mass or capacitive element, which is supported over a cavity formed in a bulk silicon substrate. The method also permits the formation of such sensing devices on the same substrate as their controlling integrated circuits. This invention also provides novel methods by which such structures can be improved, such as through optimizing the dimensional characteristics of the micromachined element or by encapsulating the micromachined element.

Abstract: A method for dielectrically isolating a semiconductor integrated circuit is provided. Each integrated circuit is substantially surrounded by silicon oxide sidewalls which have been appropriately doped to be of an opposite conductivity type as the surrounding substrate. The doped silicon oxide sidewalls are formed prior to the growth of epitaxial silicon within the sidewalls. Upon deposition of the epitaxial silicon the dopant within the oxide sidewalls diffuses into the adjacent epitaxial silicon, thereby resulting in a heavily doped, low resistivity region of epitaxial silicon adjacent to and along the entire length of the oxide sidewall. This heavily doped region results in the substantial elimination of charge-depleting parasitic currents along the sidewalls during use of the integrated circuit. In addition, the heavily doped, low resistivity epitaxial region provides an electrically conductive contact to a buried layer within an integrated circuit having such a buried layer.

Abstract: A method for dielectrically isolating a semiconductor integrated circuit is provided. Each integrated circuit is substantially surrounded by silicon oxide sidewalls which have been appropriately doped to be of an opposite conductivity type as the surrounding substrate. The doped silicon oxide sidewalls are formed prior to the growth of epitaxial silicon within the sidewalls. Upon deposition of the epitaxial silicon the dopant within the oxide sidewalls diffuses into the adjacent epitaxial silicon, thereby resulting in a heavily doped, low resistivity region of epitaxial silicon adjacent to and along the entire length of the oxide sidewall. This heavily doped region results in the substantial elimination of charge-depleting parasitic currents along the sidewalls during use of the integrated circuit. In addition, the heavily doped, low resistivity epitaxial region provides an electrically conductive contact to a buried layer within an integrated circuit having such a buried layer.

Abstract: A trench capacitor within an integrated circuit is provided which is filled with solid elemental metal. This metal-filled trench capacitor is formed by the following steps. First a trench is conventionally formed within a silicon substrate. A dielectric film is then blanket deposited onto the substrate and within the trench, so that the walls and bottom surface of the trench are completely covered. A metal-containing liquid solution is next deposited within the trench, and heated to a temperature sufficient to thermally decompose the metal compound within the liquid solution and drive off any solvent from the solution, thereby leaving a plate of elemental metal within the trench capacitor. The metal-filled capacitor is accordingly characterized by high electrical conductivity. The method may also be utilized to form a metal contact to a buried layer within an integrated circuit; a rectifying contact or Schottky diode; contacts to the substrate; metal diffusion barrier layer; and interconnection metallization.

Abstract: Rapid thermal annealing, involving rapid heating to a temperature of between 550 degrees C. and 750 degree C. for between 30 and 90 seconds and rapid cooling, is used to dissolve the precipitates of transition metals which tend to occur in a silicon wafer and to keep such metals in solution after cooling. Such annealing can be used in the manufacture of bipolar transistors to limit the emitter-collector shorting caused by metallic precipitates. It is also useful more generally to improve the leakage current of p-n junctions either in diodes or as parts of bipolar or field-effect transistors.