Abstract: A food processor includes a base, a motor disposed within the base, a drive shaft operatively connected to the motor and extending outwardly from the base, the output shaft being rotatable upon actuation of the motor, a bowl mounted on the base for containing food items, a modular lid for covering the bowl and having an opening therein, and a removable attachment receivable by said opening.

Abstract: A cargo area within a delivery vehicle can include a storage area storing items for destinations along a route. A staging area may be accessible from inside and outside of the cargo area. A dispenser within the cargo area may provide item transfer from the storage area and to the staging area. For example, the dispenser may include a carriage for aligning an extendable and retractable arm operable to transfer an item hanging from a channel onto the arm and from the arm to the staging area. A controller may access route information about proximity to a delivery destination, access item information about an item assigned for that delivery destination, and cause the dispenser to move the assigned item from the storage area to the staging area for making the assigned item accessible from outside the cargo area in response to the proximity to the delivery destination.

Abstract: A weigh scale unit may be used in conjunction with a beverage preparation machine to prepare beverages efficiently. The weigh scale unit may provide the status of ingredient addition to a beverage receptacle. The weigh scale unit may send instructions and/or data to the beverage preparation machine. In some embodiments, the beverage preparation machine sends instructions and/or data to the weigh scale unit.

Abstract: A method of processing a semiconductor wafer is provided. The method includes introducing the wafer to a main chamber via a loading port, using a transfer mechanism to transfer the wafer to a first wafer processing module in a stack so that the wafer is disposed substantially horizontally in the first wafer processing module with a front face facing upwards, and performing a processing step on the front face of the wafer in the first wafer processing module.

Abstract: An apparatus for electrochemically processing a semiconductor substrate includes a processing chamber of the type that is sealable to a peripheral portion of a semiconductor substrate so as to define a covered processing volume. The semiconductor substrate is supported by a substrate support. A magnetic arrangement is disposed outside of the processing chamber and produces a magnetic field. The magnetic field is changed using a controller for controlling the magnetic arrangement. An agitator is disposed within the processing chamber. The agitator comprises a magnetically responsive element which is responsive to changes in the magnetic field of the magnetic arrangement so as to provide a reciprocating motion to the agitator.

Abstract: A method of processing a semiconductor wafer is provided. The method includes introducing the wafer to a main chamber via a loading port, using a transfer mechanism to transfer the wafer to a first wafer processing module in a stack so that the wafer is disposed substantially horizontally in the first wafer processing module with a front face facing upwards, and performing a processing step on the front face of the wafer in the first wafer processing module.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing a front face of a semiconductor wafer is provided. The apparatus includes a main chamber, at least one loading port connected to the main chamber for introducing the wafer to the main chamber, at least one stack of wafer processing modules, and a transfer mechanism for transferring the wafer between the loading port and the processing modules. The at least one stack of wafer processing modules includes three or more substantially vertically stacked wafer processing modules, wherein adjacent wafer processing modules in the stack have a vertical separation of less than 50 cm, and each processing module is configured to process the wafer when disposed substantially horizontally therein with the front face of the wafer facing upwards, and at least one wafer processing module is an electrochemical wafer processing module.

Abstract: A weigh scale unit may be used in conjunction with a beverage preparation machine to prepare beverages efficiently. The weigh scale unit may provide the status of ingredient addition to a beverage receptacle. The weigh scale unit may send instructions and/or data to the beverage preparation machine. In some embodiments, the beverage preparation machine sends instructions and/or data to the weigh scale unit.

Abstract: A weigh scale unit may be used in conjunction with a beverage preparation machine to prepare beverages efficiently. The weigh scale unit may provide the status of ingredient addition to a beverage receptacle. The weigh scale unit may send instructions and/or data to the beverage preparation machine. In some embodiments, the beverage preparation machine sends instructions and/or data to the weigh scale unit.

Abstract: A food processor includes a base, a motor disposed within the base, a drive shaft operatively connected to the motor and extending outwardly from the base, the output shaft being rotatable upon actuation of the motor, a bowl mounted on the base for containing food items, a modular lid for covering the bowl and having an opening therein, and a removable attachment receivable by the opening.

Abstract: An apparatus for electrochemically processing a semiconductor substrate includes a processing chamber of the type that is sealable to a peripheral portion of a semiconductor substrate so as to define a covered processing volume. The semiconductor substrate is supported by a substrate support. A magnetic arrangement is disposed outside of the processing chamber and produces a magnetic field. The magnetic field is changed using a controller for controlling the magnetic arrangement. An agitator is disposed within the processing chamber. The agitator comprises a magnetically responsive element which is responsive to changes in the magnetic field of the magnetic arrangement so as to provide a reciprocating motion to the agitator.

Abstract: A food processor includes a base, a motor disposed within the base, a drive shaft operatively connected to the motor and extending outwardly from the base, the output shaft being rotatable upon actuation of the motor, a bowl mounted on the base for containing food items, a lid for covering the bowl and having an opening therein, at least one storage container receivable within said bowl, and an indexing mechanism engageable with the at least one storage container and being operable to selectively index the storage container within the bowl.

Abstract: A food processor includes a base, a motor disposed within the base, a drive shaft operatively connected to the motor and extending outwardly from the base, the output shaft being rotatable upon actuation of the motor, a bowl mounted on the base for containing food items, a lid for covering the bowl and having an opening therein, and a sidewall cleaning mechanism operable to scrape an interior sidewall of the bowl while the lid is engaged with the bowl.

Abstract: A weigh scale unit may be used in conjunction with a beverage preparation machine to prepare beverages efficiently. The weigh scale unit may provide the status of ingredient addition to a beverage receptacle. The weigh scale unit may send instructions and/or data to the beverage preparation machine. In some embodiments, the beverage preparation machine sends instructions and/or data to the weigh scale unit.

Abstract: According to the invention there is provided a method of producing a structure comprising the steps of: a) providing a substrate comprising one or more features that correspond to the shape of the structure to be produced, wherein the one or more features comprise a hydrophobic polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) surface; b) exposing at least a part of the hydrophobic PDMS surface to a plasma so that the part of the hydrophobic PDMS surface that is exposed to the plasma forms a hydrophilic PDMS surface; c) depositing a seed layer onto the hydrophilic PDMS surface by electroless deposition; d) depositing one or more metallic layers onto the seed layer by electrochemical deposition to form the structure; and e) removing the structure from the substrate.

Abstract: A food processor includes a base, a motor disposed within the base, a drive shaft operatively connected to the motor and extending outwardly from the base, the output shaft being rotatable upon actuation of the motor, a bowl removably coupled to the base, a lid removably coupled to the bowl so as to define a processing chamber, a slicing assembly positioned within the processing chamber and driven by the motor, the slicing assembly being positionable in a plurality of slicing positions to produce sliced food items of varying thicknesses, and a slice thickness adjustment mechanism operable to move the slicing assembly between the plurality of slicing positions. The slice thickness adjustment mechanism includes a cartridge mounted to the bowl, the cartridge including an actuator drivingly coupled to a drive screw. Rotation of the drive screw causes the slicing assembly to move between the plurality of slicing positions.

Abstract: According to the invention a method of removing electrolyte from an electrochemical deposition or polishing chamber comprising the steps of: providing an electrochemical deposition or polishing chamber comprising a support for a substrate, the support having an in-use position; a housing having an interior surface and a fluid outlet pathway for removing electrolyte from the chamber, wherein the fluid outlet pathway includes one or more slots which extend into the housing from at least one slotted opening formed in the interior surface; a seal for sealing the housing to a peripheral portion of a surface of a substrate position on the support in its in-use position; and a tilting mechanism for tilting the chamber in order to assist in removing electrolyte from the housing through the fluid outlet pathway; using an electrolyte to perform an electrochemical deposition or polishing processing on a substrate positioned on the support in its in-use position; and tilting the chamber using the tilting mechanism in ord

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provide methods and apparatus for monitoring film properties on a substrate in-situ. In one embodiment, a deposition system is provided. The deposition system includes at least two deposition chambers, and a patterned mask designed specifically for each of the deposition chambers, wherein a first mask of the patterned masks has a first opening formed therethrough outside of a pattern formed thereon, and a second mask of the patterned masks has a first opening formed therethrough outside of a pattern formed thereon, the first opening of the second mask having a position on the second mask that is different than a position of the first opening on the first mask.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing a front face of a semiconductor wafer is provided. The apparatus includes a main chamber, at least one loading port connected to the main chamber for introducing the wafer to the main chamber, at least one stack of wafer processing modules, and a transfer mechanism for transferring the wafer between the loading port and the processing modules. The at least one stack of wafer processing modules includes three or more substantially vertically stacked wafer processing modules, wherein adjacent wafer processing modules in the stack have a vertical separation of less than 50 cm, and each processing module is configured to process the wafer when disposed substantially horizontally therein with the front face of the wafer facing upwards, and at least one wafer processing module is an electrochemical wafer processing module.

Abstract: According to the invention a method of removing electrolyte from an electrochemical deposition or polishing chamber comprising the steps of: providing an electrochemical deposition or polishing chamber comprising a support for a substrate, the support having an in-use position; a housing having an interior surface and a fluid outlet pathway for removing electrolyte from the chamber, wherein the fluid outlet pathway includes one or more slots which extend into the housing from at least one slotted opening formed in the interior surface; a seal for sealing the housing to a peripheral portion of a surface of a substrate position on the support in its in-use position; and a tilting mechanism for tilting the chamber in order to assist in removing electrolyte from the housing through the fluid outlet pathway; using an electrolyte to perform an electrochemical deposition or polishing processing on a substrate positioned on the support in its in-use position; and tilting the chamber using the tilting mechanism in ord