Abstract: A method and apparatus for heating and cooling a substrate are provided. A chamber is provided that comprises a heating mechanism adapted to heat a substrate positioned proximate the heating mechanism, a cooling mechanism spaced from the heating mechanism and adapted to cool a substrate positioned proximate the cooling mechanism, and a transfer mechanism adapted to transfer a substrate between the position proximate the heating mechanism and the position proximate the cooling mechanism.

Abstract: An apparatus and method is provided for analyzing or conditioning an electrochemical bath. One aspect of the invention provides a method for analyzing an electrochemical bath in an electrochemical deposition process including providing a first electrochemical bath having a first bath composition, utilizing the first electrochemical bath in an electrochemical deposition process to form a second electrochemical bath having a second bath composition and analyzing the first and second compositions to identify one or more constituents generated in the electrochemical deposition process. Additive material having a composition that is substantially the same as all or at least some of the one or more constituents generated in the electrochemical deposition process may be added to another electrochemical bath to produce a desired chemical composition.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for heating and cooling a substrate. A chamber is provided that comprises a heating mechanism adapted to heat a substrate positioned proximate the heating mechanism, a cooling mechanism spaced from the heating mechanism and adapted to cool a substrate positioned proximate the cooling mechanism, and a transfer mechanism adapted to transfer a substrate between the position proximate the heating mechanism and the position proximate the cooling mechanism.

Abstract: The present invention provides an electrochemical deposition system that is designed with a flexible architecture that is expandable to accommodate future designs and gap fill requirements and provides satisfactory throughput to meet the demands of other processing systems. The electrochemical deposition system generally comprises a mainframe having a mainframe wafer transfer robot, a loading station disposed in connection with the mainframe, one or more processing cells disposed in connection with the mainframe, and an electrolyte supply fluidly connected to the one or more electrical processing cells. Preferably, the electrochemical deposition system includes a spin-rinse-dry (SRD) station disposed between the loading station and the mainframe, a rapid thermal anneal chamber attached to the loading station, and a system controller for controlling the electrochemical deposition process and the components of the electrochemical deposition system.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for heating and cooling a substrate are provided. A chamber is provided that comprises a heating mechanism adapted to heat a substrate positioned proximate the heating mechanism, a cooling mechanism spaced from the heating mechanism and adapted to cool a substrate positioned proximate the cooling mechanism, and a transfer mechanism adapted to transfer a substrate between the position proximate the heating mechanism and the position proximate the cooling mechanism. The heating mechanism preferably comprises a heated substrate support adapted to support a substrate and to heat the supported substrate to a predetermined temperature, and the cooling mechanism preferably comprises a cooling plate. The transfer mechanism may comprise, for example, a wafer lift hoop having a plurality of fingers adapted to support a substrate, or a plurality of wafer lift pins. A dry gas source may be coupled to the chamber and adapted to supply a dry gas thereto.

Abstract: The present invention provides an electro-chemical deposition system that is designed with a flexible architecture that is expandable to accommodate future designs and gap fill requirements and provides satisfactory throughput to meet the demands of other processing systems. The electro-chemical deposition system generally comprises a mainframe having a mainframe wafer transfer robot, a loading station disposed in connection with the mainframe, one or more processing cells disposed in connection with the mainframe, and an electrolyte supply fluidly connected to the one or more electrical processing cells. Preferably, the electro-chemical deposition system includes a spin-rinse-dry (SRD) station disposed between the loading station and the mainframe, a rapid thermal anneal chamber attached to the loading station, and a system controller for controlling the electro-chemical deposition process and the components of the electro-chemical deposition system.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a system that provides for electroless deposition performed in-situ with an electroplating process to minimize oxidation and other contaminants prior to the electroplating process. The system allows the substrate to be transferred from the electroless deposition process to the electroplating process with a protective coating to also minimize oxidation. The system generally includes a mainframe having a mainframe substrate transfer robot, a loading station disposed in connection with the mainframe, one or more processing facilities disposed in connection with the mainframe, an electroless supply fluidly connected to the one or more processing applicators and optionally includes a spin-rinse-dry (SRD) station, a rapid thermal anneal chamber and a system controller for controlling the deposition processes and the components of the electro-chemical deposition system.

Abstract: A compact shield gradient coil system has a first set of gradient coils surrounded by a conducting shield. A second set of gradient coils is provided around the outside of the conducting shield. The first and second set of gradient coils and the conducting shield produce a linear gradient field inside the imaging volume and protect the imaging volume from interference, such as eddy current interference.

Abstract: A hybrid shielding arrangement for solenoid type cryogenic magnets used in MR systems uses both active and passive shielding elements to improve the effective shielding.

Abstract: Shim holding independently accessible open cavities are attached to the magnet bore. The holding independently accessible open cavities are arranged in rows and columns to provide readily identifiable locations. The shim holding indpendently accessible open cavities increase the effeciency of shimming to improve the homogeneity of magnets in magnetic resonance systems.