Abstract: Components of semiconductor processing apparatus comprise thermal sprayed yttria-containing coatings that provide erosion, corrosion and/or corrosion-erosion resistance in plasma atmospheres. The coatings can protect substrates from physical and/or chemical attack.

Abstract: A cylindrical pump baffle fitted to a semiconductor processing chamber is disclosed. The pump baffle contains a screen with bores therethrough to allow process gasses from the process chamber to be exhausted from the chamber at a reduced rate. This decreases process discrepancies to the wafer due to the prejudice of gas concentration as a result of the pressure differential imposed upon the gas and thereby the wafer brought about by the rapid and relatively unimpeded exit flow of process gasses when no restrictive member is in place. The pump baffle is also machined such that it does not block the placement and removal of wafers by the platform robot arm.

Abstract: A colorant sample comprising a flexible pouch with a portion of the colorant, paint, or stain therein, wherein the pouch may have an opaque area and a transparent window and may have removable label thereon, and the portion of colorant may be dispensed into the pouch from a reservoir that is agitated.

Abstract: A corrosion resistant component of semiconductor processing equipment such as a plasma chamber comprises a cerium oxide containing ceramic material as an outermost surface of the component. The cerium oxide containing ceramic material comprises one or more cerium oxides as the single largest constituent thereof. The component can be made entirely of the cerium oxide containing ceramic material or, alternatively, the cerium oxide containing ceramic can be provided as a layer on a substrate such as aluminum or an aluminum alloy, a ceramic material, stainless steel, or a refractory metal. The cerium oxide containing ceramic layer can be provided as a coating by a technique such as plasma spraying. One or more intermediate layers may be provided between the component and the cerium oxide containing ceramic coating.

Abstract: A buttress for use with circular surgical staplers that does not require adhesive to securely fasten the buttress to the stapler. Following cutting and stapling by the circular stapler, the buttress has an adaptive opening through its central region with a diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the stapler anvil. Because of relief features built into the buttress, the stapler anvil may be pulled through the buttress material without causing permanent alteration to the buttress. These relief features may be provided regardless of whether the buttress is made of inelastic or elastic materials. The buttress is generally circular in shape with an outer diameter sized to coincide with the outer diameter of the stapler body staple compression surface and the outer diameter of the anvil compression surface of a circular stapler with which it is used. Prior to surgical use, the buttress is attached to the stapler with disruptable portions extending from outer perimetal areas of the buttress.

Abstract: A buttress for use with circular surgical staplers that does not require adhesive to securely fasten the buttress to the stapler and that self-aligns onto the stapler. Following cutting and stapling by the circular stapler, the buttress has an adaptive opening through its central region with a diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the stapler anvil. Because of relief features built into the buttress, the stapler anvil may be pulled through the buttress material without causing permanent alteration to the buttress. These relief features may be provided regardless of whether the buttress is made of inelastic or elastic materials. The buttress is generally circular in shape with an outer diameter sized to coincide with the outer diameter of the stapler body staple compression surface and the outer diameter of the anvil compression surface of a circular stapler with which it is used.

Abstract: A cylindrical pump baffle fitted to a semiconductor processing chamber is disclosed. The pump baffle contains a screen with bores therethrough to allow process gasses from the process chamber to be exhausted from the chamber at a reduced rate. This decreases process discrepancies to the wafer due to the prejudice of gas concentration as a result of the pressure differential imposed upon the gas and thereby the wafer brought about by the rapid and relatively unimpeded exit flow of process gasses when no restrictive member is in place. The pump baffle is also machined such that it does not block the placement and removal of wafers by the platform robot arm.

Abstract: A method of reducing aluminum fluoride deposits in a plasma etch reactor. The deposits can be reduced during a cleaning step wherein the cleaning gas includes BCl3 energized into a plasma such that dissociated and undissociated BCl3 are formed and the undissociated BCl3 reacts with aluminum fluoride deposits and forms volatile products which are removed from the chamber. The introduction of Cl2 into the cleaning gas allows control of the degree of BCl3 dissociation. The deposits can also be reduced during etching of an aluminum layer by controlling the amount of fluorocarbon used in the main etch and adding BCl3 during the overetch. The cleaning step may be performed without a substrate in the chamber and may be followed by a conditioning step.

Abstract: A cover for a portable food container comprising a cover body and a utensil. The utensil includes a head piece and a handle piece. The head piece and the handle piece are each detachably secured to the cover body and are configured for assembly to each other upon detachment from the cover body to form the utensil. In one preferred embodiment, the handle piece includes a reinforcement for limiting longitudinal bending thereof. In an alternative embodiment, the cover further includes a protective film resealably secured to the cover body.

Abstract: A method of reducing aluminum fluoride deposits in a plasma etch reactor. The deposits can be reduced during a cleaning step wherein the cleaning gas includes BCl3 energized into a plasma such that dissociated and undissociated BCl3 are formed and the undissociated BCl3 reacts with aluminum fluoride deposits and forms volatile products which are removed from the chamber. The introduction of Cl2 into the cleaning gas allows control of the degree of BCl3 dissociation. The deposits can also be reduced during etching of an aluminum layer by controlling the amount of fluorocarbon used in the main etch and adding BCl3 during the overetch. The cleaning step may be performed without a substrate in the chamber and may be followed by a conditioning step.

Abstract: A cover for a portable food container comprising a cover body and a utensil. The utensil includes a head piece and a handle piece. The head piece and the handle piece are each detachably secured to the cover body and are configured for assembly to each other upon detachment from the cover body to form the utensil. In one preferred embodiment, the handle piece includes a reinforcement for limiting longitudinal bending thereof. In an alternative embodiment, the cover further includes a protective film resealably secured to the cover body.

Abstract: A cover for a portable food container comprising a cover body and a utensil. The utensil includes a head piece and a handle piece. The head piece and the handle piece are each detachably secured to the cover body and are configured for assembly to each other upon detachment from the cover body to form the utensil. In one preferred embodiment, the handle piece includes a reinforcement for limiting longitudinal bending thereof. In an alternative embodiment, the cover further includes a protective film resealably secured to the cover body.

Abstract: Methods of thermal annealing of plastic pieces immediately after hot melt forming are disclosed to accelerate the time required to achieve dimensional stability. The present methods include the essential steps of: (A) forming molten plastic into molded plastic pieces and rapidly cooling to below the melting point of the plastic in a mold to form shaped cooled plastic pieces; (B) immediately thereafter, heating the plastic pieces to a temperature of about 150° to 170° F. (65.5° to 80° C.) to form heated plastic pieces; and, thereafter, (C) cooling the heated plastic pieces to room temperature to form thermally annealed plastic pieces. Tn its product aspect, the present invention resides in physically aged thermoplastic pieces having reduced rates of age shrinkage.

Abstract: Ionizable gas supplied to an electron cyclotron resonance vacuum plasma processor chamber for semiconductor wafers is excited to a plasma state by microwave energy coupled to the chamber. The level of microwave power reflected from the chamber controls the level of microwave power derived from a source driving the ionizable gas in the chamber.

Abstract: The assembly is for use with closures located in top and bottom tracks, wherein at least one of the closures is slidable in the tracks between an open and a closed position. The assembly includes an elongated rod member which is swingably attached to the top track and has up and down positions. The assembly is designed such that when the rod member is in the down position, it extends between the edge of the slidable closure and the side of the opening in which the closures are located. This prevents the slidable closure from being moved from the closed to the open position. The security latch assembly also includes a latching assembly which is attached to a wall adjacent to the closures. There is an extension member which is attached to the rod member and extends beyond the closures to the latching assembly. The extension member engages the latching assembly and holds the rod member in either the up or down position.