Abstract: Compositions and methods for enabling sputter deposition from targets containing high vapor pressure compounds are describe. An element or compound with a high vapor pressure may be combined with an element or compound with a lower vapor pressure to form a low vapor pressure compound. An alloy sputtering target may then be formed by combining the low vapor pressure compound with a metal that serves as the main material of the sputter target. In some instances, the low vapor pressure compound may comprise MgB2, MgB4, or MgB7. Additionally, the metal that serves as the main material of the sputter target may comprise copper. As a result, the alloy target may comprise Cu(MgB2), Cu(MgB4), or Cu(MgB7). Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: The method renders unobservable cross images with low light intensity that appear in the combined reproduction of various different images. It consists of adding a percentage in negative of each of these cross images to the positive of the correct image prior to reproduction, so that as a result of this addition it is possible to obtain, instead of the cross image, a uniform, contrastless image, i.e. where all the points have the same light intensity, which is generally so small as to be unobservable.

Abstract: Organometallic precursors and methods for deposition on a substrate in seed/barrier applications are herein disclosed. In some embodiments, the organometallic precursor is a ruthenium-containing, tantalum-containing precursor or combination thereof and may be deposited by atomic layer deposition, chemical vapor deposition and/or physical vapor deposition.

Abstract: Provided is a cell culture apparatus for culturing cells, that provides enhanced oxygen delivery and supply to cells without the need for stirring or sparging. Oxygen diffusion occurs on both sides of the culture vessel, top and bottom. A gas-permeable membrane that includes perfluorocarbons in its composition allows for the rapid, enhanced and uniform transfer of oxygen between the environment of cells or tissues contained in the cell culture container apparatus and the atmosphere of the incubator in which the cell culture apparatus is incubated.

Abstract: A method for forming a metal interconnect comprises providing a dielectric layer on a substrate within a reaction chamber where the dielectric layer includes a trench, conformally depositing a barrier layer on the dielectric layer within the trench, conformally depositing a Cu—Al alloy layer on the barrier layer within the trench, depositing a copper layer to fill the trench, and planarizing the copper layer to form the metal interconnect. The Cu—Al alloy layer may be formed by sequential ALD or CVD deposition of an aluminum layer and a copper layer followed by an annealing process. Alternately, the Cu—Al alloy layer may be formed in-situ by co-pulsing the aluminum and copper precursors.

Abstract: A copper interconnect oh a semiconductor substrate comprises a dielectric layer having a trench, a noble metal layer on the dielectric layer within the trench, and a copper interconnect on the noble metal layer. The noble metal layer has a thickness that is between 3 ? and 100 ? and a density that is greater than or equal to 5 g/cm3. The copper interconnect may be formed by etching a trench into the dielectric layer, pulsing a noble metal containing precursor proximate to the semiconductor substrate, and pulsing a reactive gas proximate to the semiconductor substrate, wherein the reactive gas reacts with the precursor to form a noble metal layer on the dielectric layer. A copper layer may then be deposited atop the noble metal layer and planarized. The noble metal layer functions as a barrier to copper diffusion and provides a surface upon which the copper metal can nucleate.

Abstract: A method for carrying out a damascene process to form an interconnect comprises providing a semiconductor substrate having a trench etched into a dielectric layer, wherein the trench includes a barrier layer and an adhesion layer, depositing a copper seed layer onto the adhesion layer using an ALD process, depositing an iodine catalyst layer onto the copper seed layer using an ALD process, and depositing a copper layer onto the copper seed layer using an ALD process. The iodine catalyst layer causes the copper layer to fill the trench by way of a bottom-up fill mechanism. The trench fill is performed using a single ALD process, which minimizes the creation of voids and seams in the final copper interconnect.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide methods for the fabrication of carbon nanotubes using composite metal films. A composite metal film is fabricated to provide uniform catalytic sites to facilitate the uniform growth of carbon nanotubes. Further embodiments provide embedded nanoparticles for carbon nanotube fabrication. Embodiments of the invention are capable of maintaining the integrity of the catalytic sites at temperatures used in carbon nanotube fabrication processes, 600 to 1100° C.

Abstract: A method including forming an interconnect of single-walled carbon nanotubes on a sacrificial substrate; transferring the interconnect from the sacrificial substrate to a circuit substrate; and coupling the interconnect to a contact point on the circuit substrate. A method including forming a nanotube bundle on a circuit substrate between a first contact point and a second contact point, the nanotube defining a lumen therethrough; filling a portion of a length of the lumen of the nanotube bundle with an electrically conductive material; and coupling the electrically conductive material to the second contact point. A system including a computing device comprising a microprocessor, the microprocessor coupled to a printed circuit board, the microprocessor including a substrate having a plurality of circuit devices with electrical connections made to the plurality of circuit devices through interconnect structures including carbon nanotube bundles.

Abstract: Chemical phase deposition processes utilizing organometallic precursors to form thin films are herein described. The organometallic precursors may include a single metal center or multiple metal centers. The chemical phase deposition may be chemical vapor deposition (CVD), atomic layer deposition (ALD), or hybrid CVD and ALD. The use of these chemical phase deposition processes with the organometallic precursors allows for the conformal deposition of films within openings having widths of less than 100 nm and more particularly less than 50 nm to form thin films such as barrier layers, seed layers, and adhesion layers.

Abstract: A method comprising introducing an organometallic precursor according to a first set of conditions in the presence of a substrate; introducing the organometallic precursor according to a different second set of conditions in the presence of the substrate; and forming a layer comprising a moiety of the organometallic precursor on the substrate according to an atomic layer deposition process. A system comprising a computing device comprising a microprocessor, the microprocessor coupled to a printed circuit board, the microprocessor comprising a substrate having a plurality of circuit devices with electrical connections made to the plurality of circuit devices through interconnect structures formed in a plurality of dielectric layers formed on the substrate and each of the plurality of interconnect structures separated from the plurality of dielectric layers by a barrier layer formed according to an atomic layer deposition process.

Abstract: A method for forming a metal carbide layer begins with providing a substrate, an organometallic precursor material, at least one doping agent such as nitrogen, and a plasma such as a hydrogen plasma. The substrate is placed within a reaction chamber; and heated. A process cycle is then performed, where the process cycle includes pulsing the organometallic precursor material into the reaction chamber, pulsing the doping agent into the reaction chamber, and pulsing the plasma into the reaction chamber, such that the organometallic precursor material, the doping agent, and the plasma react at the surface of the substrate to form a metal carbide layer. The process cycles can be repeated and varied to form a graded metal carbide layer.

Abstract: The present invention describes a system that is able to reproduce images in three dimensions, that is, stereoscopic, three-dimensional or integral, without the need for glasses or any other device in front of observer's eyes. The number of images necessary is small because the system is able to direct the images to the eyes of each observer. In the case of stereoscopic reproductions, this number is only two and in the case of three-dimensional or integral reproductions it is ten or several tens. Its fundamental characteristics are: it has a great focus field depth of the images which allows these to be directed to the observers' eyes wherever the latter are situated, it uses a single discriminating element of these images for each observer, it is able to reproduce bi-dimensional images both by transparency and by diffusion and it does not use movable elements.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a barrier layer and a barrier layer is described which employs a metal selected from the group of Ru, Ir, Pd, Pt, Rh, Os, Au, Ag, W, Ta and Ti. A graded region is formed to cause the metal to adhere to an underlying substrate. Direct plating is enabled without a seed layer.

Abstract: A method for forming an interconnect on a semiconductor substrate comprises providing at least one carbon nanotube within a trench, etching at least one portion of the carbon nanotube to create an opening, conformally depositing a metal layer on the carbon nanotube through the opening, and forming a metallized contact at the opening that is substantially coupled to the carbon nanotube. The metal layer may be conformally deposited on the carbon nanotube using an atomic layer deposition process or an electroless plating process. Multiple metal layers may be deposited to substantially fill voids within the carbon nanotube. The electroless plating process may use a supercritical liquid as the medium for the plating solution. The wetting behavior of the carbon nanotube may be modified prior to the electroless plating process to increase the hydrophilicity of the carbon nanotube.

Abstract: Chemical phase deposition processes utilizing organometallic precursors to form thin films are herein described. The organometallic precursors may include a single metal center or multiple metal centers. The chemical phase deposition may be chemical vapor deposition (CVD), atomic layer deposition (ALD), or hybrid CVD and ALD. The use of these chemical phase deposition processes with the organometallic precursors allows for the conformal deposition of films within openings having widths of less than 100 nm and more particularly less than 50 nm to form thin films such as barrier layers, seed layers, and adhesion layers.

Abstract: A barrier and seed layer for a semiconductor damascene process is described. The seed layer is formed from a noble metal with an intermediate region to prevent oxidation of the barrier between the barrier and noble metal layers to prevent oxidation of the barrier layer.

Abstract: A mask useful for photolithography that can be electronically reconfigured is described. In one embodiment, a photolithography system has an illumination system, a reticle scanning stage, a wafer scanning stage, and a reticle mounted to the reticle scanning stage, the reticle having an electronically reconfigurable mask.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods of fabricating a microelectronic interconnect having an underlayer which acts as both a barrier layer and a seed layer. The underlayer is formed by co-depositing a noble metal and a barrier material, such as a refractory metal, or formed during thermal post-treatment, such as thermal annealing, conducted after two separately depositing the noble metal and the barrier material, which are substantially soluble in one another. The use of a barrier material within the underlayer prevents the electromigration of the interconnect conductive material and the use of noble material within the underlayer allows for the direct plating of the interconnect conductive material.

Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention is a technique to generate particles for use in a slurry solution for chemical mechanical planarization (CMP). Reverse micelles are formed using at least one of an oxide and a metal in a mixture. The size of the reverse micelles is tuned to a desired size. The particles are formed inside the reverse micelles. The particles are precipitated and transferred to a slurry solution.