Abstract: An apparatus for connecting collar components to an elongate member is disclosed. The apparatus includes a frame structure having a central opening that is configured to receive an elongate member and that includes at least a first gripping station and a second gripping station. Each gripping station includes a reference surface and a clamp device that is configured to force a collar component against the reference surface. The first and second gripping stations are configured to control relative spatial location of a first collar component held by the first gripping station relative to a second collar component gripped by the second gripping station, prior to connecting the first and second collar components to the elongate member.

Abstract: Methods of fabricating dimensional silica-based substrates or structures comprising a porous silicon layers are contemplated. According to one embodiment, oxygen is extracted from the atomic elemental composition of a silica glass substrate by reacting a metallic gas with the substrate in a heated inert atmosphere to form a metal-oxygen complex along a surface of the substrate. The metal-oxygen complex is removed from the surface of the silica glass substrate to yield a crystalline porous silicon surface portion and one or more additional layers are formed over the crystalline porous silicon surface portion of the silica glass substrate to yield a dimensional silica-based substrate or structure comprising the porous silicon layer. Embodiments are also contemplated where the substrate is glass-based, but is not necessarily a silica-based glass substrate. Additional embodiments are disclosed and claimed.

Abstract: Methods of fabricating dimensional silica-based substrates or structures comprising a porous silicon layers are contemplated. According to one embodiment, oxygen is extracted from the atomic elemental composition of a silica glass substrate by reacting a metallic gas with the substrate in a heated inert atmosphere to form a metal-oxygen complex along a surface of the substrate. The metal-oxygen complex is removed from the surface of the silica glass substrate to yield a crystalline porous silicon surface portion and one or more additional layers are formed over the crystalline porous silicon surface portion of the silica glass substrate to yield a dimensional silica-based substrate or structure comprising the porous silicon layer. Embodiments are also contemplated where the substrate is glass-based, but is not necessarily a silica-based glass substrate. Additional embodiments are disclosed and claimed.

Abstract: A substrate includes an opaque chrome coating on a surface of the substrate dry-etched to form an aperture, wherein chrome in the aperture is below detectable limit. A method of forming an opaque chrome coating on a substrate includes depositing an initial thickness of the opaque chrome coating on the substrate without ion-assist or with undetectable ion-assist and depositing the remainder of the opaque chrome coating with or without ion-assist. In one embodiment the invention is directed to an apertured optical element having a substrate transmissive to light and an opaque chrome coating on the substrate defining an aperture. Three- and four-layer opaque coatings of various materials are disclosed, including three-layer chrome/chrome oxide/chrome coatings.

Abstract: A substrate includes an opaque chrome coating on a surface of the substrate dry-etched to form an aperture, wherein chrome in the aperture is below detectable limit.

Abstract: A substrate includes an opaque chrome coating on a surface of the substrate dry-etched to form an aperture, wherein chrome in the aperture is below detectable limit. A method of forming an opaque chrome coating having at least two layers on a substrate includes depositing an initial chrome layer having a thickness of less than 10 nm on the substrate without ion-assist or with undetectable ion-assist, and then depositing the remainder of the at least two layers, with or without ion-assist, to form an opaque chrome coating.

Abstract: A planar waveguide grating (PWG) sensor is described herein which exhibits a low signal drift and an enhanced sensitivity due to the use of a fully dense silicon-rich nitride surface layer. In the preferred embodiment, the silicon rich silicon nitride surface layer has a composition which includes Si and N, and optionally H, Ge and/or O, where a Si/N atomic ratio is greater than 0.75. In addition, the silicon rich nitride surface layer has a refractive index that is greater than 2.45 and less than 3.2 at a wavelength of operation. A method is also described herein for manufacturing the PWG sensor with acceptable costs and high yields by utilizing well known semiconductor processes and tools.

Abstract: A planar waveguide grating (PWG) sensor is described herein which exhibits a low signal drift and an enhanced sensitivity due to the use of a fully dense silicon-rich nitride surface layer. In the preferred embodiment, the silicon rich silicon nitride surface layer has a composition which includes Si and N, and optionally H, Ge and/or O, where a Si/N atomic ratio is greater than 0.75. In addition, the silicon rich nitride surface layer has a refractive index that is greater than 2.45 and less than 3.2 at a wavelength of operation. A method is also described herein for manufacturing the PWG sensor with acceptable costs and high yields by utilizing well known semiconductor processes and tools.

Abstract: A substrate with a patterned opaque coating formable into an opaque aperture in one process is provided. The opaque coating includes at least a bottom layer and a top layer. The bottom and top layers each include a material selected from the group consisting of chrome and chrome oxide. The top layer has a compressive stress, which makes the opaque coating more resistant to pinhole formation during downstream processing.

Abstract: A substrate includes an opaque chrome coating on a surface of the substrate dry-etched to form an aperture, wherein chrome in the aperture is below detectable limit. A method of forming an opaque chrome coating on a substrate includes depositing an initial thickness of the opaque chrome coating on the substrate without ion-assist or with undetectable ion-assist and depositing the remainder of the opaque chrome coating with or without ion-assist.

Abstract: A substrate includes an opaque chrome coating on a surface of the substrate dry-etched to form an aperture, wherein chrome in the aperture is below detectable limit. A method of forming an opaque chrome coating on a substrate includes depositing an initial thickness of the opaque chrome coating on the substrate without ion-assist or with undetectable ion-assist and depositing the remainder of the opaque chrome coating with or without ion-assist. In one embodiment the invention is directed to an apertured optical element having a substrate transmissive to light and an opaque chrome coating on the substrate defining an aperture. Three- and four-layer opaque coatings of various materials are disclosed, including three-layer chrome/chrome oxide/chrome coatings.

Abstract: A substrate with a patterned opaque coating formable into an opaque aperture in one process is provided. The opaque coating includes at least a bottom layer and a top layer. The bottom and top layers each include a material selected from the group consisting of chrome and chrome oxide. The top layer has a compressive stress, which makes the opaque coating more resistant to pinhole formation during downstream processing.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of manufacturing optical devices which includes the steps of providing a substrate and forming at least one optical layer on the substrate. The optical layer is formed by a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process which includes a deuterated source gas. The present invention also provides an optical device which includes a substrate and an optical layer including deuterium.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of manufacturing optical devices which includes the steps of providing a substrate and forming at least one optical layer on the substrate. The optical layer is formed by a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process which includes a deuterated source gas. The present invention also provides an optical device which includes a substrate and an optical layer including deuterium.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a process of purifying metal fluoride materials used to make metal fluoride single crystals suitable for making optical elements used in the transmission of wavelengths below 200 nm, and in particular to a process of purifying such materials by the use of a halogen containing plasma to convert metal oxygenates contaminating the feedstocks used in the preparation of the crystals to metal fluorides. The invention also is directed to a process of growing a metal fluoride single crystal using a crystal growth furnace to carry out the foregoing purification procedure followed by the steps of melting the purified material and cooling it using s selected time and temperature cycle to from a metal fluoride single crystal.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a process of purifying metal fluoride materials used to make metal fluoride single crystals suitable for making optical elements used in the transmission of wavelengths below 200 nm, and in particular to a process of purifying such materials by the use of a halogen containing plasma to convert metal oxygenates contaminating the feedstocks used in the preparation of the crystals to metal fluorides. The invention also is directed to a process of growing a metal fluoride single crystal using a crystal growth furnace to carry out the foregoing purification procedure followed by the steps of melting the purified material and cooling it using s selected time and temperature cycle to from a metal fluoride single crystal.

Abstract: Disclosed are phase-shift photomask and method for its fabrication. The phase-shift features of the photomask are formed by using electron-curing sol-gel coatings. Ultra-fine phase-shift features can be created according to the method. The process disclosed is simpler than conventional method for producing phase-shift photomasks.

Abstract: The invention is directed to improving the lifetime of optical assemblies by placing such assemblies in a housing and placing a “getter” material within the housing to remove substances that affect the surface of the optical elements used in such assemblies. The “getter” materials are those materials that can remove H2O and O2 from the operating environment of the optical element. The invention is useful in protecting the optical elements of below 250 nm laser lithography systems from damage due to pitting.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for making thin hard pellicle for photomasks used in projection photolithography. The process can be used for making thin hard pellicles comprising a pellicle layer having a thickness in the range of about 5 to 120 ?m and a mount frame attached to the peripheral area of a surface of the pellicle layer. The pellicle layer can consist essentially of a material selected from silica, fluorine doped silica, aluminum doped silica, methylated silica, fluorinated and methylated silica, fluorinated aluminum doped silica, CaF2, MgF2, BaF2 and SiC. The mount frame is preferred to have substantially the same CTE of the pellicle layer to minimize stress caused by temperature change. The mount frame is preferred to be porous to the purging gas.

Abstract: Disclosed are thin hard pellicle for projection photolithography and process for making the same. The thin hard pellicle comprises a pellicle layer having a thickness in the range of about 5 to 120 ?m and a mount frame attached to the peripheral area of a surface of the pellicle layer. The pellicle layer can consist essentially of a material selected from silica, fluorine doped silica, aluminum doped silica, methylated silica, fluorinated and methylated silica, fluorinated aluminum doped silica, CaF2, MgF2, BaF2 and SiC. The mount frame is preferred to have substantially the same CTE of the pellicle layer to minimize stress caused by temperature change. The process for making the hard pellicle involves ion implantation of a silicon wafer, deposition of the pellicle layer on the silicon wafer, mounting the frame to the pellicle layer and the separation of the pellicle from the wafer by heat treatment.