Abstract: A micro-fluidic device includes a plurality of heaters on a substrate for heating the substrate. The plurality of heaters define a plurality of temperature regions having distinct temperatures on the substrate. A flow feature layer is formed above the substrate to define a channel extending across the substrate through each temperature region. As fluid is repeatedly pumped within the channel, it flows from one temperature region to a next temperature region to undergo thermal cycling.

Abstract: A chip having a substrate for amplifying genetic material includes a substrate heater having a plurality of substrate heating resistors. The heating resistors define a first temperature zone for maintaining a first temperature, a second temperature zone for maintaining a second temperature below the first temperature, and a third temperature zone for maintaining a third temperature between the first and second temperatures, on the substrate. A flow path formed on the substrate allows conveying of reactions to the first temperature zone, the third temperature zone, and the second temperature zone so as to undergo denaturing, annealing, and extension, respectively, according to a polymerase chain reaction process, for at least one cycle.

Abstract: A micro-fluidic device includes a plurality of heaters on a substrate for heating the substrate. The plurality of heaters define a plurality of temperature regions having distinct temperatures on the substrate. A flow feature layer is formed above the substrate to define a channel extending across the substrate through each temperature region. As fluid is repeatedly pumped within the channel, it flows from one temperature region to a next temperature region to undergo thermal cycling.

Abstract: A chip having a substrate for amplifying genetic material includes a substrate heater having a plurality of substrate heating resistors. The heating resistors define a first temperature zone for maintaining a first temperature, a second temperature zone for maintaining a second temperature below the first temperature, and a third temperature zone for maintaining a third temperature between the first and second temperatures, on the substrate. A flow path formed on the substrate allows conveying of reactions to the first temperature zone, the third temperature zone, and the second temperature zone so as to undergo denaturing, annealing, and extension, respectively, according to a polymerase chain reaction process, for at least one cycle.

Abstract: The present application is directed to a method for determining photolithography focus errors during production of a device. The method comprises providing a substrate and forming a photoresist pattern on the substrate. The photoresist pattern comprises a device pattern and one or more blocking scheme patterns. The process further comprises performing a device manufacturing process using the photoresist pattern as a mask to form sensor windows on the substrate. One or more focus error sensors are formed in the sensor windows. Focus errors are determined using the focus error sensors. Other embodiments of the present application are directed to wafers comprising one or more focus error sensors positioned in sensor windows.

Abstract: The present application is directed to a method for determining photolithography focus errors during production of a device. The method comprises providing a substrate and forming a photoresist pattern on the substrate. The photoresist pattern comprises a device pattern and one or more blocking scheme patterns. The process further comprises performing a device manufacturing process using the photoresist pattern as a mask to form sensor windows on the substrate. One or more focus error sensors are formed in the sensor windows. Focus errors are determined using the focus error sensors. Other embodiments of the present application are directed to wafers comprising one or more focus error sensors positioned in sensor windows.

Abstract: Characterizing an exposure tool involves receiving data describing a pattern formed at a wafer. The pattern is formed by illuminating the wafer using an exposure tool, and the data has a scan direction and slit direction. An image field is mapped according to the data to determine an image field error of the data, and the image field error is separated from the data to reduce variation of the data in the scan direction. The data is reduced to the slit direction. Errors associated with the exposure tool are determined from the data in order to characterize the exposure tool.

Abstract: Characterizing an exposure tool involves receiving data describing a pattern formed at a wafer. The pattern is formed by illuminating the wafer using an exposure tool, and the data has a scan direction and slit direction. An image field is mapped according to the data to determine an image field error of the data, and the image field error is separated from the data to reduce variation of the data in the scan direction. The data is reduced to the slit direction. Errors associated with the exposure tool are determined from the data in order to characterize the exposure tool.

Abstract: A method is provided for aligning a silicon wafer (20) in a fabrication tool (37) having a stage (22) involving the steps of producing a digital image of a portion of wafer (20) in a scope-of-view window (48), converting the digital image to image primitives, comparing the image primitives to grammar template primitives to locate a known intersection on wafer (20); and moving the stage (22) to align wafer (20). A method and apparatus are disclosed for determining the misregistration of two layers of a wafer (20) by converting targets (158, 160) to primitives and determining the relative displacement in symbolic space. The misregistration apparatus involves a camera (34), a video-to-digital converter (32), a computer (28), and a stage adjuster (24).