Abstract: A platen apparatus includes a housing having multiple vents; a turbine wheel rotatably attached to a rear section of the housing, the wheel having a circular body and a circumferential face without a coating thereon, the body includes vanes, each vane being a hole which extends through the body from one side to an opposing side of the wheel; a support belt engaged in tension about the circumferential face of the wheel; and the rear section of the housing is at least partially open so that a portion of the circumferential face of the wheel is exposed outside the housing. The vanes are arranged adjacent to the vents, and each provide a flow channel through which air is drawn in from a first side of the housing through the wheel body and released at a second, opposite side of the housing.

Abstract: An electric transmission line support structure. A crossarm depending perpendicularly from a vertical shaft has a first and a second mounting point. A central support depends from the crossarm between the first and the second mounting point. A first conductor bundle is attached to the first mounting point by a first structural string and to the central support by a second structural string. A second conductor bundle is connected to the central support by a third structural string and to the second mounting point by a fourth structural string. A fifth structural string, perpendicular to the crossarm and extending between the first conductor bundle and the second conductor bundle, connects the central mounting point to a third conductor bundle that is further from the crossarm than the first conductor bundle and the second conductor bundle. A sixth structural string connects the vertical shaft to the third conductor bundle.

Abstract: An electric transmission line support structure. A first vertical shaft and a parallel second vertical shaft are connected by a crossarm. A first conductor attachment point is connected to the first vertical shaft at a first vertical shaft attachment by a first structural string. A second conductor attachment point is connected to the second vertical shaft at a second vertical shaft attachment point by a second structural string and to the first conductor attachment point by a third structural string. A third conductor attachment point connected to the first vertical shaft at a third vertical shaft attachment point by a fourth structural string and to the second vertical shaft at a fourth vertical shaft attachment point by a fifth structural string. The third vertical shaft attachment point is below the first vertical shaft attachment point, and the fourth vertical shaft attachment point is below the second vertical shaft attachment point.

Abstract: A server receives over a network from a mobile computing device recipient reaction information. The recipient reaction information includes encoded information obtained by the mobile computing device. The encoded information is obtained by the mobile computing device from a machine-readable representation of the encoded information affixed to a physical package. The server associates the recipient reaction information to a record for a transaction. The physical package contains at least a first product shipped as part of the transaction. The associating is performed using the encoded information. The server transmits to the mobile computing device transaction information. The transaction information is usable to perform a user interaction function related to the transaction via the mobile device.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes providing a substrate upon which the semiconductor device is to be disposed, heating the substrate to a first temperature that exceeds at least one of a softening point or glass transition temperature of the substrate, and depositing a polysilicon layer onto the substrate. A semiconductor device includes a substrate having at least one of a softening point, Ts, that is less than 600 degrees Celsius and a polysilicon layer disposed on an upper surface of the substrate such that the polysilicon layer abuts the substrate.

Abstract: A computer generates encoded information to associate a physical package to a transaction. The transaction comprises an order for one or more items to be shipped in the package. The encoded information is provided for inclusion in a machine-readable representation of the encoded information for shipping with the physical package. Subsequent to delivery of the physical package to a recipient, recipient reaction information containing the encoded information obtained from the machine-readable representation is received over a network. The encoded information is used to associate the recipient reaction information to a record for the transaction.

Abstract: An application executing on a mobile computing device retrieves encoded information from a physical package by invoking a scanning function of the mobile computing device. The encoded information associates the physical package with a transaction. The mobile computing device transmits, using the encoded information, an item of recipient reaction information to a server at a network location. The mobile computing device receives from the server an item of transaction information associated with the transaction. The item of transaction information is usable by the application to perform a user interaction function related to the transaction. The mobile computing device performs the user interaction function.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for real-time tracking of a target in a human body. In one embodiment of the invention, positron emission marker may be implanted into a target, the positron emission marker having a low activity positron isotope. In one embodiment, annihilation gamma rays associated with the low activity positron isotope may be detected using a plurality of position-sensitive detectors. In another embodiment, the target may be tracked in real-time based on a position of the positron emission marker.

Abstract: A concrete filled pole includes longitudinally aligned reinforcing rods secured to the casing along vertices of its polygonal cross-sectional shape so as to improve the flexural load carrying ability of the pole.

Abstract: There is provided a method used for processing an organic low dielectric constant insulating film to a desired shape for enabling facilitated stripping of an organic film formed on top of the organic low dielectric constant insulating film. Specifically, there is provided a method for stripping an organic film formed on a layered unit having at least an organic low dielectric constant insulating film. This method includes generating radicals in a gas mainly composed of fluorine-based gas, and stripping the organic film by the generated radicals.

Abstract: A general method of the invention is to provide a polymer-hardening precursor piece (such as silicon, carbon, silicon carbide or silicon nitride, but preferably silicon) within the reactor chamber during an etch process with a fluoro-carbon or fluoro-hydrocarbon gas, and to heat the polymer-hardening precursor piece above the polymerization temperature sufficiently to achieve a desired increase in oxide-to-silicon etch selectivity. Generally, this polymer-hardening precursor or silicon piece may be an integral part of the reactor chamber walls and/or ceiling or a separate, expendable and quickly removable piece, and the heating/cooling apparatus may be of any suitable type including apparatus which conductively or remotely heats the silicon piece.

Abstract: A general method of the invention is to provide a polymer-hardening precursor piece (such as silicon, carbon, silicon carbide or silicon nitride, but preferably silicon) within the reactor chamber during an etch process with a fluoro-carbon or fluoro-hydrocarbon gas, and to heat the polymer-hardening precursor piece above the polymerization temperature sufficiently to achieve a desired increase in oxide-to-silicon etch selectivity. Generally, this polymer-hardening precursor or silicon piece may be an integral part of the reactor chamber walls and/or ceiling or a separate, expendable and quickly removable piece, and the heating/cooling apparatus may be of any suitable type including apparatus which conductively or remotely heats the silicon piece.

Abstract: A method of etching openings in a dielectric layer of a semiconductor device by utilizing a novel etchant gas system of sulfur hexafluoride/chlorine such that sloped sidewalls can be formed in the openings having a desired taper of between about 20.degree. and about 85.degree. for achieving improved step coverage and profile control of the TFT fabrication process.

Abstract: A chamber for processing substrates includes a support member therein which is suspended from a sidewall of the chamber. The support member includes multiple planar faces for receiving substrates thereon, and is rotatable about a horizontal axis to position the multiple planar faces in a horizontal position to place the substrates on the planar faces or remove the substrates from the planar faces, and a second position to place the substrates in a non-horizontal position for processing. A clamping and lifting apparatus is provided on the support member. The clamping and lifting apparatus is positionable, with respect to the support member, in an extended position to permit a substrate to be positioned between the clamping and lifting assembly and the support member, and in a retracted position to clamp the substrate to the support member. A clamp actuator is disposed on the chamber wall to move the clamping and lifting assembly between the extended and retracted positions.

Abstract: A method of etching openings in a dielectric layer of a semiconductor device by utilizing a novel etchant gas system of sulfur hexafluoride/chlorine such that sloped sidewalls can be formed in the openings having a desired taper of between about 20.degree. and about 85.degree. for achieving improved step coverage and profile control of the TFT fabrication process.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for determining the concentration of a fluid. In one aspect of the invention an apparatus for detecting the ionic concentration of a fluid is provided. The ionic concentration detecting apparatus may include a resonance coil or other suitable receiver that arranged to be influence by the fluid being monitored. The resonance coil is driven by a high frequency signal having a frequency in the range of 10-100 MHz. A detector is provided to measure the losses experienced by the resonance coil. In another aspect of the invention, an ultrasonic based density detecting apparatus for detecting the density of the fluid is provided. The ionic concentration detecting device may be used in conjunction with the density determining device to provide concentration detecting capabilities for solutions having multiple constituents.

Abstract: Method for determining temperature ranges at which a selected gas evolves from a specimen of a selected material, bulk or surface of a metal, semiconductor, or insulator, and the probable source of that gas in each such temperature range. A specimen is placed in an evacuated and baked-out tube, and the specimen temperature T is increased according to a selected time-dependent temperature pattern over a temperature range. As temperature T(t) increases, pressure p(t) of any gas evolving in the tube is measured for a sequence of times t. A total pressure derivative, dp/dT=(dp/dt)(dT/dt).sup.-1, is determined, identifying one or more peak temperatures, each having a peak temperature range corresponding to specimen emission of at least one gas by breaking a bond containing an atom or molecule of that emitted gas. Partial pressure rises in the tube at each peak temperature are monitored and converted to an equivalent gas concentration.

Abstract: An improved process is described for forming one or more vias through an insulation layer by plasma etching to an underlying metal layer without depositing etch residues, including metal sputtered from the underlying metal layer, onto the sidewalls of the vias, which comprises, in one embodiment, using in the gaseous etchant one or more 3-6 carbon fluorinated hydrocarbons having the formula C.sub.x H.sub.y F.sub.z, wherein x is 3 to 6, y is 0 to 3, and z is 2x-y when the fluorinated hydrocarbon is cyclic and z is 2x-y+2 when the fluorinated hydrocarbon is noncyclic. One or more other fluorine-containing gases may also be used as long as the 3-6 carbon fluorinated hydrocarbons comprise at least 10 volume % of the fluorine-containing gas mixture. The fluorinated hydrocarbon gas or fluorine-containing gas mixture also may be mixed with up to 90 volume % total of one or more inert gases to control the taper of the via walls.

Abstract: A reactor chamber self-cleaning process is disclosed which uses a fluorocarbon-containing gas and, preferably, C.sub.2 F.sub.6 in combination with oxygen. The two-step process involves, first, a chamber-wide etch at relatively low pressure and with relatively large separation between the gas inlet manifold and the wafer supports which are the RF electrodes and, second, a local etch step which uses a relatively high chamber pressure and smaller electrode spacing, to complete the cleaning of the RF electrodes.

Abstract: An improvement in a method for cleaning a CVD deposition chamber in a semiconductor wafer processing apparatus is described. The improvement comprises the treatment of fluorine residues in the CVD deposition chamber, left from a prior fluorine plasma cleaning step, by contacting such fluorine residues with one or more reducing gases which will react with the fluorine residues to form one or more gaseous or solid reaction products or a mixture of same.