Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods, systems and therapeutics concerning radiotherapy of microscopic disease based on realtime imaging. The system comprises an intra-corporeal component and an extra-corporeal component. The intra-corporeal component comprises a detector/imaging subunit and a treatment subunit, where both subunits are placed in a cavity of a patient. The extra-corporeal component comprises a detector that is placed outside any cavity of the patient. Through this system, a treatment can be applied to a target tissue in a patient concurrently or within a short period time to signal detections.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for controlling production or manufacturing costs by obtaining yield measurements of unit manufacturing for a multiplicity of products or production lines having a plurality of processes which includes determining a started units number for the plurality of processes. The method further includes determining a cost per unit for each unit of the plurality of processes, and calculating an expected approved units number for the plurality of processes. The expected approved units number is calculated by multiplying the started units number by an expected yield measurement. The method next includes calculating an actual approved units number for each of the plurality of processes by multiplying the started units number by an actual yield measurement, and calculating an unapproved units number for each of the plurality of processes by subtracting the expected approved units number from the actual approved units number.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for controlling production or manufacturing costs by obtaining yield measurements of unit manufacturing for a multiplicity of products or production lines having a plurality of processes which includes determining a started units number for the plurality of processes. The method further includes determining a cost per unit for each the unit of the plurality of processes, and calculating an expected approved units number for the plurality of processes. The expected approved units number is calculated by multiplying the started units number by an expected yield measurement. The method next includes calculating an actual approved units number for each of the plurality of processes by multiplying the started units number by an actual yield measurement, and calculating an unapproved units number for each of the plurality of processes by subtracting the expected approved units number from the actual approved units number.

Abstract: A phase-shifting optical lithographic mask has a set of phase shifting features and a set of alignment marks, all having a common thickness and being made of a common material, such as chromium oxynitride, that is partially transparent to optical radiation used in an optical lithographic system. Both of these sets are located on a slab of quartz. An alignment shutter layer laterally intervenes between the alignment marks and the phase-shifting features, in order to suppress optical radiation leakage from the phase-shifting features to the alignment areas. A portion of the top surface of the alignment shutter layer and the entire top surface of the reinforced alignment marks are reinforced by an opaque layer, such as chrome. In addition, another similarly reinforced layer, a chip shutter layer, can be laterally located at an extremity of the reinforced alignment marks, in order to suppress optical radiation leakage from one chip area to another in step-and-repeat lithography.

Abstract: An attenuating phase-shifting optical lithographic mask is fabricated, in a specific embodiment of the invention, by first depositing a uniformly thick molybdenum silicide layer on a top planar surface of quartz. The molybdenum silicide layer has a thickness sufficient for acting as an attenuating (partially transparent) layer in a phase-shifting mask. A uniformly thick chromium layer is deposited on the molybdenum silicide layer. The chromium layer has a thickness sufficient for acting as an opaque layer in the phase-shifting mask. Next, the chromium layer is patterned by dry or wet etching, while the chromium is selectively masked with a patterned resist layer. Then the molybdenum silicide is patterned by dry or wet etching, using the patterned chromium layer as a protective layer, whereby a composite layer of molybdenum silicide and chromium is formed having mutually separated composite stripes. Any remaining resist is removed.

Abstract: A phase-shifting optical lithographic mask is made by a method that produces a set of phase shifting features (11) located in phase-shifting areas and a set of reinforced alignment marks (13, 33) located in alignment areas of the mask. Both of these sets are located on a single slab of quartz (10). The method involves a lift-off step that results in the self-alignment of the alignment marks with respect to the phase-shifting features. All of the phase-shifting features together with all of the alignment marks are patterned during a single step, and all of them comprise a bottom layer (11) of common material and common thickness so as to be partially transparent to optical radiation used in an optical lithographic system. Typically the bottom layer is essentially chromium oxynitride.

Abstract: A direct-writing electron beam is used for defining features in a resist layer and hence ultimately in an underlying workpiece, such as in a phase-shifting mask substrate or a semiconductor integrated circuit wafer. The resist layer is located on a top major surface of the workpiece.In a specific embodiment, the resist layer is located underneath a protective layer of polyvinyl alcohol ("PVA"); and a grounded conductive layer, such as a conductive organic layer, is located on the protective layer. After exposing the top major surface of the resulting structure to the direct-writing electron beam, the following steps are performed:(1) a plasma etching completely removes the entire thickness of the conductive layer as well as a small fraction of the thickness of the PVA layer;(2) the PVA layer is then completely removed by dissolving it in water;(3) another plasma etching removes a small fraction of the thickness of the resist layer, including any unwanted residues; and(4) the resist layer is developed.