Abstract: A method for exchanging heat with a patient's spinal column incident to spinal surgery or to relieve a patient for a hypoxia condition of the spine. A closed loop heat exchange catheter is percutaneously advanced into the retroperitoneal space of the patient, and then heat exchange fluid is circulated through the catheter to cool the spinal column.

Abstract: A method for exchanging heat with a patient's spinal column incident to spinal surgery or to relieve a patient for a hypoxia condition of the spine. A closed loop heat exchange catheter is percutaneously advanced into the retroperitoneal space of the patient or into the vasculature, and then heat exchange fluid is circulated through the catheter to cool the spinal column.

Abstract: A process for conformally doping through the vertical and horizontal surfaces of a 3-dimensional vertical transistor in a semiconductor-on-insulator structure employs an RF oscillating torroidal plasma current to perform either conformal ion implantation, or conformal deposition of a dopant-containing film which can then be heated to drive the dopants into the transistor. Some embodiments employ both conformal ion implantation and conformal deposition of dopant containing films, and in those embodiments in which the dopant containing film is a pure dopant, the ion implantation and film deposition can be performed simultaneously.

Abstract: Device-enhancing coatings are deposited on CMOS devices by successively masking with photoresist each one of the sets of N-channel and P-channel devices while unmasking or leaving unmasked the other set, and after each step of successively masking one of the sets of devices, carrying out low temperature CVD steps with a toroidal RF plasma current while applying an RF plasma bias voltage. The temperature of the workpiece is held below a threshold photoresist removal temperature. The RF bias voltage is held at a level at which the coating is deposited with a first stress when the unmasked set consists of the P-channel devices and with a second stress when the unmasked set consists of N-channel devices.

Abstract: A plasma immersion ion implantation reactor for implanting a species into a workpiece includes an enclosure which has a side wall and a ceiling defining a chamber, and a workpiece support pedestal within the chamber for supporting a workpiece having a surface layer into which the species are to be ion implanted, the workpiece support pedestal facing an interior surface of the ceiling so as to define therebetween a process region extending generally across the diameter of the wafer support pedestal. The reactor further includes an RF plasma source power generator connected across the ceiling or the sidewall and the workpiece support pedestal for capacitively coupling RF source power into the chamber. A gas distribution apparatus is provided for furnishing process gas into the chamber and a supply of process gas is provided for furnishing to the gas distribution devices a process gas containing the species.

Abstract: A system for exchanging heat with primary coolant flowing through an intravascular catheter or externally-applied pad to warm or cool a patient. A secondary heat transfer element can be engaged with a primary heat transfer element and is not grounded when the primary heat transfer element is fully engaged with the secondary heat transfer element during operation. In contrast, the secondary heat transfer element is grounded when the primary heat transfer element is at a predetermined disengaged position relative to the secondary heat transfer element.

Abstract: An integrated microelectronic circuit has a multi-layer interconnect structure overlying the transistors consisting of stacked metal pattern layers and insulating layers separating adjacent ones of said metal pattern layers. Each of the insulating layers is a dielectric material with plural gas bubbles distributed within the volume of the dielectric material to reduce the dielectric constant of the material, the gas bubbles being formed by ion implantation of a gaseous species into the dielectric material.

Abstract: A method of processing a thin film structure on a semiconductor substrate using an optically writable mask, the method includes placing the substrate in a reactor chamber, the substrate having on its surface a target layer to be exposed to a light source in accordance with a predetermined pattern, depositing an optically writable carbon-containing mask layer on the substrate by (a) introducing a carbon-containing process gas into the chamber, (b) generating a reentrant toroidal RF plasma current in a reentrant path that includes a process zone overlying the workpiece by coupling plasma RF source power to an external portion of the reentrant path, (c) coupling RF plasma bias power or bias voltage to the workpiece.

Abstract: A method of processing a thin film structure on a semiconductor substrate using an optically writable mask includes placing the substrate in a reactor chamber, the substrate having on its surface a target layer to be etched in accordance with a predetermined pattern, and depositing a carbon-containing hard mask layer on the substrate by (a) introducing a carbon-containing process gas into the chamber, (b) generating a reentrant toroidal RF plasma current in a reentrant path that includes a process zone overlying the workpiece by coupling plasma RF source power to an external portion of the reentrant path, and (c) coupling RF plasma bias power or bias voltage to the workpiece. The method further includes photolithographically defining the predetermined pattern in the carbon-containing hard mask layer, and etching the target layer in the presence of the hard mask layer.

Abstract: A method of forming a conductor in a thin film structure on a semiconductor substrate includes forming high aspect ratio openings in a base layer having vertical side walls, depositing a dielectric barrier layer comprising a dielectric compound of a barrier metal on the surfaces of the high aspect ratio openings including the vertical side walls, depositing a metal barrier layer comprising the barrier metal on the first barrier layer, depositing a main conductor species seed layer on the metal barrier layer and depositing a main conductor layer. The method further includes annealing the main conductor layer by (a) directing light from an array of continuous wave lasers into a line of light extending at least partially across the thin film structure, and (b) translating the line of light relative to the thin film structure in a direction transverse to the line of light.

Abstract: A method of forming a barrier layer for a thin film structure on a semiconductor substrate includes forming high aspect ratio openings in a base layer having vertical side walls, depositing a dielectric barrier layer comprising a dielectric compound of a barrier metal on the surfaces of the high aspect ratio openings including the vertical side walls and depositing a metal barrier layer comprising the barrier metal on the first barrier layer. The method further includes reflowing the metal barrier layer by (a) directing light from an array of continuous wave lasers into a line of light extending at least partially across the thin film structure, and (b) translating the line of light relative to the thin film structure in a direction transverse to the line of light.

Abstract: An externally-applied heat exchange pad has three layers laminated together, an inner and outer non-conductive layer and a middle conductive layer.

Abstract: A system for exchanging heat with primary coolant flowing through an intravascular catheter or externally-applied pad to warm or cool a patient. A secondary heat transfer element can be engaged with a primary heat transfer element and is not grounded when the primary heat transfer element is fully engaged with the secondary heat transfer element during operation. In contrast, the secondary heat transfer element is grounded when the primary heat transfer element is at a predetermined disengaged position relative to the secondary heat transfer element.

Abstract: A patient temperature control catheter or pad is warmed or cooled by coolant circulating through it. The coolant in turn is warmed or cooled as it flows through a cartridge that is placed against a control system TEC. For cooling, heat is removed from the TEC by tap water flowing through a reservoir that is in contact with the TEC. If desired, a small turbine can be disposed in the reservoir to be driven by the flowing tap water, and the turbine is coupled to a pump element that pumps the coolant through the catheter or pad.

Abstract: Various methods are disclosed for measuring patient temperature for input as a feedback signal into a temperature management system.

Abstract: A method of processing a workpiece includes introducing an optical absorber material precursor gas into a chamber containing the workpiece, generating an RF oscillating toroidal plasma current in a reentrant path that includes a process zone overlying the workpiece by applying RF source power, so as to deposit a layer of an optical absorber material on the workpiece, and exposing the workpiece to optical radiation that is at least partially absorbed in the optical absorber layer.

Abstract: A method of depositing a carbon layer on a workpiece includes placing the workpiece in a reactor chamber, introducing a carbon-containing process gas into the chamber, generating a reentrant toroidal RF plasma current in a reentrant path that includes a process zone overlying the workpiece by coupling plasma RF source power to an external portion of the reentrant path, and coupling RF plasma bias power or bias voltage to the workpiece.

Abstract: An integrated system for processing a semiconductor wafer includes a toroidal source plasma reactor for depositing a heat absorbing layer, the reactor including a wafer support, a reactor chamber, an external reentrant toroidal conduit coupled to said chamber on generally opposing sides thereof, an RF source power applicator for coupling power to a section of said external reentrant conduit and a process gas source containing a heat absorbing material precursor gas. The integrated system further includes an optical annealing chamber.

Abstract: A lift pin assembly for use in a reactor for processing a workpiece includes plural lift pins extending generally parallel with a lift direction, each of the plural lift pins having a top end for supporting a workpiece and a bottom end. A lift table faces the bottom ends of the pins and is translatable in a direction generally parallel with the lift direction. A small force detector senses a force exerted by the lift pins that is sufficiently large to indicate a chucked wafer and sufficiently small to avoid dechucking a wafer A large force detector senses a force exerted by the lift pins in a range sufficient to de-chuck the wafer.

Abstract: A valve system having high maximum gas flow rate and fine control of gas flow rate, includes a valve housing for blocking gas flow through a gas flow path, a large area opening through said housing having a first arcuate side wall and a small area opening through said housing having a second arcuate side wall, and respective large area and small area rotatable valve flaps in said large area and small area openings, respectively, and having arcuate edges congruent with said first and second arcuate side walls, respectively and defining therebetween respective first and second valve gaps. The first and second valve gaps are sufficiently small to block flow of a gas on one side of said valve housing up to a predetermined pressure limit, thereby obviating any need for O-rings.