Abstract: A sealable housing for an optical scanner includes at least one surface operable to float with respect to other housing surfaces. An O-ring can be situated about a perimeter of a lid an inserted into a container to define a sealed volume. The lid can serve to remove heat while one or more container surfaces are used to establish optical axis directions for one or more optical systems.

Abstract: A sheet of flexible material can be deployed or stored by unfurling or furling the sheet using one or more inflatables. After the sheet is deployed to, for example, cover a load on a flatbed trailer, the inflatable can be deflated for storage. A sheet that has been removed from the load can be stored by placing an inflatable along an edge of the sheet. The inflatable is pressurized, and the sheet is furled onto the inflatable by rolling the inflatable. The inflatable is deflated and rolled up with the sheet for storage.

Abstract: Provided herein are metal structures that may include a cobalt alloy, a nickel alloy, or nickel, as well as related devices and methods. The metal structures may be formed by chemical vapor deposition (CVD), and may include trace amounts of precursor materials used during the CVD process.

Abstract: A sealable housing for an optical scanner includes at least one surface operable to float with respect to other housing surfaces. An O-ring can be situated about a perimeter of a lid an inserted into a container to define a sealed volume. The lid can serve to remove heat while one or more container surfaces are used to establish optical axis directions for one or more optical systems.

Abstract: Adjustable rotation stages include a dual-axis flexure that define first and second axes of rotation A clamp secures a laser diode beam generator or other components to the dual-axis flexure and provides adjustable rotation about a third axis that if different from the first and second axes. Rotation adjustments can be made with screws facing in a common direction.

Abstract: A sheet of flexible material can be deployed or stored by unfurling or furling the sheet using one or more inflatables. After the sheet is deployed to, for example, cover a load on a flatbed trailer, the inflatable can be deflated for storage. A sheet that has been removed from the load can be stored by placing an inflatable along an edge of the sheet. The inflatable is pressurized, and the sheet is furled onto the inflatable by rolling the inflatable. The inflatable is deflated and rolled up with the sheet for storage.

Abstract: Provided herein are metal interconnects that may include a cobalt alloy, a nickel alloy, or nickel. Also provided herein are methods of making metal interconnects. The metal interconnects may include a barrier and/or adhesion layer, a seed layer, a fill material, a cap, or a combination thereof, and at least one of the barrier and/or adhesion layer, the seed layer, the fill material, or the cap may include a cobalt alloy, a nickel alloy, nickel, or a combination thereof.

Abstract: Technologies for selectively etching oxide and nitride materials on a work piece are described. Such technologies include methods for etching a work piece with a remote plasma that is produced by igniting a plasma gas flow. Microelectronic devices including first and second fins that are laterally offset by a fin pitch to define a first field there between are also described. In embodiments the microelectronic devices include a conformal oxide layer and a conformal nitride layer on at least a portion of the first and second fins, where the conformal nitride layer is on at least a portion of the conformal oxide layer and a sacrificial oxide material is disposed within the first field.

Abstract: In an example, there is disclosed a chemical compound, including a transition metal, a post-transition metal, a metalloid, and a nonmetal. By way of non-limiting example, the post-transition metal may be aluminum. The transition metal is selected from the group consisting of tungsten, tantalum, hafnium, molybdenum, niobium, zirconium, vanadium, and titanium. The metalloid may be boron or silicon. The nonmetal may be carbon or nitrogen. The compound may be used, for example, as a barrier material in an integrated circuit.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention include a microelectronic device that includes a substrate having a layer of dielectric material that includes a feature with a depression, a Tungsten containing barrier liner layer formed in the depression of the feature, and a Cobalt conductive layer deposited on the Tungsten containing barrier liner layer in the depression of the feature. The Tungsten containing barrier liner layer provides adhesion for the Cobalt conductive layer.

Abstract: Provided herein are metal structures that may include a cobalt alloy, a nickel alloy, or nickel, as well as related devices and methods. The metal structures may be formed by chemical vapor deposition (CVD), and may include trace amounts of precursor materials used during the CVD process.

Abstract: In an example, there is disclosed a chemical compound, including a transition metal, a post-transition metal, a metalloid, and a nonmetal. By way of non-limiting example, the post-transition metal may be aluminum. The transition metal is selected from the group consisting of tungsten, tantalum, hafnium, molybdenum, niobium, zirconium, vanadium, and titanium. The metalloid may be boron or silicon. The nonmetal may be carbon or nitrogen. The compound may be used, for example, as a barrier material in an integrated circuit.

Abstract: An aspect of the present disclosure relates to a method of forming a barrier layer on a semiconductor device. The method includes placing a substrate into a reaction chamber and depositing a barrier layer over the substrate. The barrier layer includes a metal and a non-metal and the barrier layer exhibits an as-deposited thickness of 4 nm or less. The method further includes densifying the barrier layer by forming plasma from a gas proximate to said barrier layer and reducing the thickness and increasing the density of the barrier layer. In embodiments, during densification 300 Watts or less of power is applied to the plasma at a frequency of 350 kHz to 40 MHz.

Abstract: Technologies for selectively etching oxide and nitride materials on a work piece are described. Such technologies include methods for etching a work piece with a remote plasma that is produced by igniting a plasma gas flow. By controlling the flow rate of various components of the plasma gas flow, plasmas exhibiting desired etching characteristics may be obtained. Such plasmas may be used in single or multistep etching operations, such as recess etching operations that may be used in the production of non-planar microelectronic devices.

Abstract: An aspect of the present disclosure relates to a method of forming a barrier layer on a semiconductor device. The method includes placing a substrate into a reaction chamber and depositing a barrier layer over the substrate. The barrier layer includes a metal and a non-metal and the barrier layer exhibits an as-deposited thickness of 4 nm or less. The method further includes densifying the barrier layer by forming plasma from a gas proximate to said barrier layer and reducing the thickness and increasing the density of the barrier layer. In embodiments, during densification 300 Watts or less of power is applied to the plasma at a frequency of 350 kHz to 40 MHz.

Abstract: An aspect of the present disclosure relates to a method of forming a barrier layer on a semiconductor device. The method includes placing a substrate into a reaction chamber and depositing a barrier layer over the substrate. The barrier layer includes a metal and a non-metal and the barrier layer exhibits an as-deposited thickness of 4 nm or less. The method further includes densifying the barrier layer by forming plasma from a gas proximate to said barrier layer and reducing the thickness and increasing the density of the barrier layer. In embodiments, during densification 300 Watts or less of power is applied to the plasma at a frequency of 350 kHz to 40 MHz.

Abstract: Technologies for selectively etching oxide and nitride materials on a work piece are described. Such technologies include methods for etching a work piece with a remote plasma that is produced by igniting a plasma gas flow. By controlling the flow rate of various components of the plasma gas flow, plasmas exhibiting desired etching characteristics may be obtained. Such plasmas may be used in single or multistep etching operations, such as recess etching operations that may be used in the production of non-planar microelectronic devices.

Abstract: An aspect of the present disclosure relates to a method of forming a barrier layer on a semiconductor device. The method includes placing a substrate into a reaction chamber and depositing a barrier layer over the substrate. The barrier layer includes a metal and a non-metal and the barrier layer exhibits an as-deposited thickness of 4 nm or less. The method further includes densifying the barrier layer by forming plasma from a gas proximate to said barrier layer and reducing the thickness and increasing the density of the barrier layer. In embodiments, during densification 300 Watts or less of power is applied to the plasma at a frequency of 350 kHz to 40 MHz.

Abstract: A laser marking method and system, and laser marked object are disclosed. The method includes directing a pulsed laser beam towards an object such that an interface between an oxidized layer and non-oxidized substrate is in a mark zone of the pulsed laser beam, and scanning the pulsed laser beam across the object in a predetermined pattern to create a mark having an L value of less than 40 and a surface roughness that is substantially unchanged compared to adjacent unmarked areas. The system includes a fiber laser generating amplified pulses that are directed towards a galvo-scanner and focusing optic, while the object includes an oxidized surface layer, an underlying non-oxidized substrate, and a mark having an L value of less than 40 with substantially unchanged roughness features.

Abstract: A system for homogenizing the intensity profile of light includes a plurality of fiber coupled light sources for emitting fiber output beams from fiber output ends, and a light pipe optically coupled to the fiber output beams for producing a uniform light pipe output beam, an interleaver that transmits a first set of fiber output beams and reflects a second set of fiber output beams so that the principal rays of the fiber output beams propagate in a common plane, a first optical element for converging the principal rays, and a second optical element for telecentrically imaging the beams into the light pipe such that the principal rays of the beams propagate parallel to each other and the beams are focused in the light pipe in a focal plane transverse to the direction of propagation.