Abstract: Embodiments of a wet etch process and methods are disclosed herein to provide uniform wet etching of material formed within features (e.g., trenches, holes, slits, etc.), and on more planar areas of a patterned substrate, when a critical dimension (CD) of the features is relatively small compared to the more planar areas of the patterned substrate. In the present disclosure, uniform wet etching is provided by ensuring that wall surfaces adjacent to the material being etched exhibit a neutral surface charge when exposed to the etch solution used to etch the material.

Abstract: Exemplary visual processing devices and methods are disclosed. Example devices may include a visual processing aid having at least one anchoring element (76) that is attached to a housing (74) such that the anchoring element is positioned proximal to a line of sight, between an optic nerve of a user and a scene. The anchoring element has a predetermined, uniform change in the value of a property, to enable a user to assimilate visual information from a left visual field and a right visual field, quickly and accurately and produce an image of a scene. Other devices and methods are described and shown.

Abstract: An aqueous solution composition may include an organic base hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, a compound selected from the group of compounds consisting of 2-mercaptobenzimidazole, 1-Phenyl-1H-tetrazole-5-thiol and 2-MerCaptoBenzoThiazole, hydrogen peroxide and deionized water. A method for removing photoresist and anti-reflective coating from a wafer using such a solution is also disclosed.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for forming a channel wafer for a novel ink jet printhead, having an ink particle-filter layer over the ink-inlet surface thereof. The process includes the steps of applying a thin coating of a heat-curable, photopatternable polymer composition to an intermediate substrate having a release surface and drying the coating to form a semi-solid adhesive layer. The layer and supporting substrate are pressed against the ink-inlet surface of a channel wafer with an optional adhesive layer to bond the layer to the ink inlet surface. The substrate is separated to transfer the contacting area of the semi-solid layer to the ink-inlet surface as a laminate, and the semi-solid layer is exposed through a filter-forming mask and ink particle-filter openings are developed therethrough, either before or after transfer of the semi-solid adhesive layer from the intermediate substrate to the ink-inlet surface of the channel wafer, and the filter layer is cured.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for forming a channel wafer for a novel ink jet printhead, having an ink particle-filter layer over the ink-inlet surface thereof. The process comprises the steps of applying a thin coating of a heat-curable, photopatternable polymer composition to an intermediate substrate having a release surface and drying the coating to form a semi-solid adhesive layer. The layer and supporting substrate are pressed against the ink-inlet surface of a channel wafer with an optional adhesive layer to bond the layer to the ink inlet surface. The substrate is separated to transfer the contacting area of the semi-solid layer to the ink-inlet surface as a laminate, and the semi-solid layer is exposed through a filter-forming mask and ink particle-filter openings are developed therethrough, either before or after transfer of the semi-solid adhesive layer from the intermediate substrate to the ink-inlet surface of the channel wafer, and the filter layer is cured.

Abstract: Multiple-layer films in integrated circuit processing may be formed by the phase segregation of a single composition formed above a semiconductor substrate. The composition is then induced to phase segregate into at least a first continuous phase and a second continuous phase. The composition may be formed of two or more components that phase segregate into different continuous layers. The composition may also be a single component that breaks down upon activation into two or more components that phase segregate into different continuous layers. Phase segregation may be used to form, for example, a sacrificial light absorbing material (SLAM) and a developer resistant skin, a dielectric layer and a hard mask, a photoresist and an anti-reflective coating (ARC), a stress buffer coating and a protective layer on a substrate package, and light interference layers.

Abstract: A method for cleaning a substrate containing a micro-feature having a residue thereon. The method includes treating the substrate with a supercritical carbon dioxide cleaning solution containing a peroxide to remove the residue from the micro-feature, where the supercritical carbon dioxide cleaning solution is maintained at a temperature between about 35° C. and about 80° C. According an embodiment of the invention, the supercritical carbon dioxide cleaning solution can further contain ozone. According to another embodiment of the invention, the substrate can be pre-treated with an ozone processing environment.

Abstract: A basic developer/quencher solution formulated to include at least one supercritical fluid or liquid solvent and a base may be used to quench a photo-generated acid within a photoresist as well as develop the photoresist. The supercritical fluid or liquid solvent may be carbon dioxide and the base may be quaternary ammonium salt that has side groups that increase the solubility of the quaternary ammonium salt in carbon dioxide.

Abstract: A basic supercritical solution formulated to include at least one supercritical fluid and a base may be used to quench a photo-generated acid within a photoresist as well as develop the photoresist. The base may be the supercritical fluid in the basic supercritical solution. A super critical fluid is a state of matter above the critical temperature and pressure (Tc and Pc). A basic supercritical solution formulated to include at least one supercritical fluid has a low viscosity and surface tension and is capable of penetrating narrow features having high aspect ratios and the photoresist material due to the gas-like nature of the supercritical fluid.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for forming a novel ink jet printhead which comprises: (a) providing a lower substrate in which one surface thereof has an array of drop generating elements and addressing electrodes formed thereon; (b) depositing onto the release surface of an intermediate film support a photopatternable layer comprising a precursor polymer which is a phenolic novolac resin having glycidyl ether functional groups; (c) prebaking the photopatternable layer to dry, semi-solid condition; (d) laminating the dry, semi-solid layer to the surface of the lower substrate under heat and pressure and separating it from the release surface of the intermediate film support; (e) exposing the photopatternable layer to actinic radiation in an imagewise pattern corresponding to ink nozzles and developing to form a nozzle plate section, and (f) removing the precursor polymer from the unexposed areas, thereby forming ink nozzle recesses which are aligned to communicate with the drop generating elements and terminal ends o

Abstract: Anti-reflective materials such as bottom anti-reflective coatings (BARC's) and sacrificial light absorbing materials (SLAM) may be made more effective at preventing coherent light or electron beam reflection from a substrate by including in the anti-reflective material an additive to alter the radiation beam path of the reflected light or electrons. The radiation beam path altering additive may be a reflective material or a refractive material. The inclusion of such a radiation beam bath altering additive may reduce line width roughness and increase critical dimension (CD) control of interconnect lines and vias.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for forming a channel wafer for a novel ink jet printhead, having an ink particle-filter layer over the ink-inlet surface thereof. The process comprises the steps of applying a thin coating of a heat-curable, photopatternable polymer composition to an intermediate substrate having a release surface and drying the coating to form a semi-solid adhesive layer. The layer and supporting substrate are pressed against the ink-inlet surface of a channel wafer with an optional adhesive layer to bond the layer to the ink inlet surface. The substrate is separated to transfer the contacting area of the semi-solid layer to the ink-inlet surface as a laminate, and the semi-solid layer is exposed through a filter-forming mask and ink particle-filter openings are developed therethrough, either before or after transfer of the semi-solid adhesive layer from the intermediate substrate to the ink-inlet surface of the channel wafer, and the filter layer is cured.

Abstract: Line edge roughness may be reduced by treating a patterned photoresist with a plasticizer. The plasticizer may be utilized in a way to surface treat the photoresist after development. Thereafter, the plasticized photoresist may be subjected to a heating step to reflow the photoresist. The reflow process may reduce the line edge roughness of the patterned, developed photoresist.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for forming a channel wafer for a novel ink jet printhead, having an ink particle-filter layer over the ink-inlet surface thereof. The process comprises the steps of applying a thin coating of a heat-curable, photopatternable polymer composition to an intermediate substrate having a release surface and drying the coating to form a semi-solid adhesive layer. The layer and supporting substrate are pressed against the ink-inlet surface of a channel wafer with an optional adhesive layer to bond the layer to the ink inlet surface. The substrate is separated to transfer the contacting area of the semi-solid layer to the ink-inlet surface as a laminate, and the semi-solid layer is exposed through a filter-forming mask and ink particle-filter openings are developed therethrough, either before or after transfer of the semi-solid adhesive layer from the intermediate substrate to the ink-inlet surface of the channel wafer, and the filter layer is cured.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for forming a novel ink jet printhead which comprises: (a) providing a lower substrate in which one surface thereof has an array of drop generating elements and addressing electrodes formed thereon; (b) depositing onto the release surface of an intermediate film support a photopatternable layer comprising a precursor polymer which is a phenolic novolac resin having glycidyl ether functional groups; (c) prebaking the photopatternable layer to dry, semi-solid condition; (d) laminating the dry, semi-solid layer to the surface of the lower substrate under heat and pressure and separating it from the release surface of the intermediate film support; (e) exposing the photopatternable layer to actinic radiation in an imagewise pattern corresponding to ink nozzles and developing to form a nozzle plate section, and (f) removing the precursor polymer from the unexposed areas, thereby forming ink nozzle recesses which are aligned to communicate with the drop generating elements and terminal ends o