Abstract: A vapor generator (19, 62) and connected chemical vapor deposition chamber (28) for providing a vapor for operations such as chemical vapor deposition has an atomizer (16, 16A, 38, 50) for forming an aerosol or droplet spray (36, 58, 74, 80) separate from a vaporization chamber (19, 62). The aerosol is passed into a heated vaporization chamber (19, 62) wherein the particles or droplets are flash vaporized and larger droplets are vaporized by direct contact with heated surfaces. The resulting gas/vapor stream is then used for chemical vapor deposition, in a separate chemical vapor deposition chamber (26). The vapor and gas stream is preferably passed through a restricted passageway (22, 44, 68) for mixing before being introduced into the chemical vapor deposition chamber (26).

Abstract: A deposition chamber is formed in a housing that has a substrate carrier on the interior. The substrate carrier is rotatable about a central axis, and a particle deposition head is mounted in the chamber on a support that can be moved linearly along lines that are substantially radial to the central axis of the substrate carrier. The deposition head thus can be moved to different radial positions of a substrate carried on the substrate carrier as the carrier rotates during deposition from the head to provide for a wide variety of deposition patterns on the substrate. The deposition head has a pair of aerosol discharge openings, one being the end of a substantially tubular central passageway and the other being the end of an annular passageway that surrounds the central tubular passageway.

Abstract: A deposition system is used for depositing particles onto a substrate, such as a wafer in a deposition chamber. The particles are carried in an aerosol that is generated by an atomizer that includes an impaction plate for removing large particles before the aerosol is discharged, and which has an output that is provided through a particle classifier to the deposition chamber. Various branches of flow lines are used such that the aerosol that has classified particles in it, is mixed with a clean dry gas prior to discharge into the deposition chamber, and selectively the aerosol can be directed to the deposition chamber without having the particles classified. The lines carrying the aerosol can be initially connected to a vacuum source that will quickly draw the aerosol closely adjacent to the deposition chamber to avoid delays between deposition cycles.

Abstract: A container for containing a liquid that has suspended particles used for depositing on a substrate is formed of an electrically conductive material, and has a bottom wall. An atomizer for atomizing the liquid and particles to form an aerosol is mounted at an upper end thereof. A bottom wall of the container has a piezoelectric ultrasonic transducer attached to the wall. A high voltage connection to the piezoelectric transducer is in a recess formed by a lower skirt on the container and is mounted in an insulating block in the recess. A cup shaped insulating sleeve slips over the lower portions of the container and shields the high voltage connection from the exterior.

Abstract: An automatic condensed oil remover for an intercooler of a diesel engine has a flow restrictor that is positioned between the intercooler and the diesel engine, an oil sump in the intercooler, and an oil tube carrying condensed oil from the oil sump to the diesel engine. The flow restrictor creates a pressure drop sufficient to force the oil to flow from the oil sump through the oil tube to the diesel engine.

Abstract: A vapor generator (19, 62) and connected chemical vapor deposition chamber (28) for providing a vapor for operations such as chemical vapor deposition has an atomizer (16, 16A, 38, 50) for forming an aerosol or droplet spray (36, 58, 74, 80) separate from a vaporization chamber (19, 62). The aerosol is passed into a heated vaporization chamber (19, 62) wherein the particles or droplets are flash vaporized and larger droplets are vaporized by direct contact with heated surfaces. The resulting gas/vapor stream is then used for chemical vapor deposition, in a separate chemical vapor deposition chamber (26). The vapor and gas stream is preferably passed through a restricted passageway (22, 44, 68) for mixing before being introduced into the chemical vapor deposition chamber (26).

Abstract: A deposition system is used for depositing particles onto a substrate, such as a wafer in a deposition chamber. The particles are carried in an aerosol that is generated an atomizer that includes an impaction plate for removing large particles before the aerosol is discharged, and which has an output that is provided through a particle classifier to the deposition chamber. Various branches of flow lines are used such that the aerosol that has classified particles in it, is mixed with a clean dry gas prior to discharge into the deposition chamber, and selectively the aerosol can be directed to the deposition chamber without having the particles classified. The lines carrying the aerosol can be initially connected to a vacuum source that will quickly draw the aerosol closely adjacent to the deposition chamber to avoid delays between deposition cycles.

Abstract: A deposition chamber is formed in a housing that has a substrate carrier on the interior. The substrate carrier is rotatable about a central axis, and a particle deposition head is mounted in the chamber on a support that can be moved linearly along lines that are substantially radial to the central axis of the substrate carrier. The deposition head thus can be moved to different radial positions of a substrate carried on the substrate carrier as the carrier rotates during deposition from the head to provide for a wide variety of deposition patterns on the substrate. The deposition head has a pair of aerosol discharge openings, one being the end of a substantially tubular central passageway and the other being the end of an annular passageway that surrounds the central tubular passageway.

Abstract: A container for containing a liquid that has suspended particles used for depositing on a substrate is formed of an electrically conductive material, and has a bottom wall. An atomizer for atomizing the liquid and particles to form an aerosol is mounted at an upper end thereof. A bottom wall of the container has a piezoelectric ultrasonic transducer attached to the wall. A The high voltage connection to the piezoelectric transducer is in a recess formed by a lower skirt on the container and is mounted in an insulating block in the recess. A cup shaped insulating sleeve slips over the lower portions of the container and shields the high voltage connection from the exterior.

Abstract: An electrostatic precipitator has a high voltage electrode including multiple wire segments that are positioned within, a surrounding electrically conductive porous media having a central axis and wherein the electrode assembly extends along the central axis. The electrode assembly has a plurality of wire lengths positioned to extend in a direction along the longitudinal axis of the porous media, and the wire segments being arranged to have a substantially longer total length than the length of extension along the longitudinal axis. An aerosol containing droplets is passed into the interior of the porous media, and across the electrode, which is charged with a high voltage. The porous media is at a substantially lower or different voltage from the high voltage electrodes. Flow of the aerosol containing particles charged by the electrode passes through the porous media to the outlet and the charged particles are precipitated by the porous media.

Abstract: A vapor generator (19, 62) and connected chemical vapor deposition chamber (28) for providing a vapor for operations such as chemical vapor deposition has an atomizer (16, 16A, 38, 50) for forming an aerosol or droplet spray (36, 58, 74, 80) separate from a vaporization chamber (19, 62). The aerosol is passed into a heated vaporization chamber (19, 62) wherein the particles or droplets are flash vaporized and larger droplets are vaporized by direct contact with heated surfaces. The resulting gas/vapor stream is then used for chemical vapor deposition, in a separate chemical vapor deposition chamber (26). The vapor and gas stream is preferably passed through a restricted passageway (22, 44, 68) for mixing before being introduced into the chemical vapor deposition chamber (26).

Abstract: A method and system are provided which receive information from a non-standard source, in a relatively standardized manner. The received information is operated upon using an artificial intelligence module to translate the received information into a standardized internet protocol, such as XML (extensible Mark-Up Language).

Abstract: An electrostatic precipitator has a high voltage electrode including multiple wire segments that are positioned within a surrounding electrically conductive porous media having a central axis and wherein the electrode assembly extends along the central axis. The electrode assembly has a plurality of wire lengths positioned to extend in a direction along the longitudinal axis of the porous media, and the wire segments being arranged to have a substantially longer total length than the length of extension along the longitudinal axis. An aerosol containing droplets is passed into the interior of the porous media, and across the electrode, which is charged with a high voltage. The porous media is at a substantially lower or different voltage from the high voltage electrodes. Flow of the aerosol containing particles charged by the electrode passes through the porous media to the outlet and the charged particles are precipitated by the porous media.

Abstract: A thin film deposition apparatus is used for applying thin films onto substrates, such as large panel displays, as well as integrated circuit devices, and includes a source of an ionized gas that is intermixed with an aerosol prior to deposition. The ionized gas causes the aerosol particles to take on an electrical charge. The aerosol containing the charged particles is concentrated in a virtual impactor and then provided to a shower head or orifice that is used for depositing the aerosol material onto the substrate. The shower head can be moved in a selected pattern to uniformly deposit aerosol particles as a thin film on the substrate.

Abstract: An electrostatic precipitator has a high voltage electrode including multiple wire segments that are positioned within a surrounding electrically conductive porous media having a central axis and wherein the electrode assembly extends along the central axis. The electrode assembly has a plurality of wire lengths positioned to extend in a direction along the longitudinal axis of the porous media, and the wire segments being arranged to have a substantially longer total length than the length of extension along the longitudinal axis. An aerosol containing droplets is passed into the interior of the porous media, and across the electrode, which is charged with a high voltage. The porous media is at a substantially lower or different voltage from the high voltage electrodes. Flow of the aerosol containing particles charged by the electrode passes through the porous media to the outlet and the charged particles are precipitated by the porous media.

Abstract: An electrostatic precipitator has a high voltage electrode including multiple wire segments that are positioned within a surrounding electrically conductive porous media having a central axis and wherein the electrode assembly extends along the central axis. The electrode assembly has a plurality of wire lengths positioned to extend in a direction along the longitudinal axis of the porous media, and the wire segments being arranged to have a substantially longer total length than the length of extension along the longitudinal axis. An aerosol containing droplets is passed into the interior of the porous media, and across the electrode, which is charged with a high voltage. The porous media is at a substantially lower or different voltage from the high voltage electrodes. Flow of the aerosol containing particles charged by the electrode passes through the porous media to the outlet and the charged particles are precipitated by the porous media.

Abstract: An inspection system for inspecting products that have a flat, reflective surface, such as a wafer or a flat panel display on which a thin film is to be deposited, includes an inspection chamber connected to a processing chamber with both of the chambers being under vacuum. The inspection equipment performs the inspection with the product in the inspection chamber without removing the product from the vacuum environment. In a preferred form of the invention, the inspection chamber includes a wall portion that will transmit light, and the inspection equipment is a laser source directed to the reflective surface of the product and a receiver for receiving reflected light to determine changes in the character of the surface caused by the deposited film or by imperfections, haze or particles.

Abstract: An atomizer has a chamber holding a liquid containing particles of a desired material. Aerosol particles are formed by using an aspirating nozzle or ultrasonic vibrator and the aerosol particles are carried in a gas flow. The aerosol particles are treated by increasing the charge on the aerosol particles by contact with a high voltage electrode and the aerosol particles are passed through inertial separator stages to remove large aerosol particles from the flow so they are not discharged from the atomizer.