Abstract: A retainer frame for holding a standard printed circuit board or other electronic card is sized and adapted for insertion and removal in tight places. In particular, the retainer frame, together with an actuator bar, is employed in conjunction with a cabinet with guides and a stop mechanism to produce an initially horizontal insertion motion followed immediately by a vertical motion during which electrical connection is made between the card and a corresponding connector in the cabinet.

Abstract: A contactless method and apparatus for real-time in-situ monitoring of a chemical etching process during etching of at least one wafer in a wet chemical etchant bath are disclosed. The method comprises the steps of providing two conductive electrodes in the wet chemical bath, wherein the two electrodes are proximate to but not in contact with a wafer; monitoring an electrical characteristic between the two electrodes as a function of time in the etchant bath of the at least one wafer, wherein a prescribed change in the electrical characteristic is indicative of a prescribed condition of the etching process; and recording a plurality of values of the electrical characteristic as a function of time during etching. From the plurality of recorded values and corresponding times, instantaneous etch rates, average etch rates, and etching end points may be determined. Such a method and the apparatus therefor are particularly useful in a wet chemical etch station.

Abstract: An apparatus for rotary signal coupling in in-situ monitoring of a chemical-mechanical polishing process by a polisher is provided with a sensor fixed to a rotatable wafer carrier for creating a signal responsive to the chemical mechanical polishing process, a conductor coupled to the sensor for receiving the signal, the conductor fixed to the rotatable wafer carrier, a contact coupled to the conductor, the contact fixed to a stationary drive arm, and signal transfer means coupled to the contact for transferring the signal to a monitoring means.

Abstract: A combustor liner includes an inner layer for facing combustion gases, and an opposite outer layer for facing a cooling fluid. The outer layer has a greater coefficient of thermal conductivity than the inner layer for reducing temperature gradients in the liner. In a preferred embodiment, the outer layer significantly reduces temperature gradients in the liner which are caused by the varying cooling ability of impingement cooling air jets for more uniformly cooling the combustor liner and reducing the maximum temperature thereof.

Abstract: The change in thickness of a film on an underlying body such as a semiconductor substrate is monitored in situ by inducing a current in the film, and as the thickness of the film changes (either increase or decrease), the changes in the current are detected. With a conductive film, eddy currents are induced in the film by a generating an alternating electromagnetic field with a sensor which includes a capacitor and an inductor.

Abstract: An apparatus in a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) system monitors the actual wafer/substrate temperature during the deposition process. The apparatus makes possible the production of high quality aluminum oxide films with real-time wafer/substrate control. An infrared (IR) temperature monitoring device is used to control the actual wafer temperature to the process temperature setpoint. This eliminates all atmospheric temperature probing. The need for test runs and monitor wafers as well as the resources required to perform the operations is eliminated and operating cost are reduced. High quality, uniform films of aluminum oxide can be deposited on a silicon substrates with no need for additional photolithographic steps to simulate conformality that are present in a sputtered (PVD) type application. The result is a reduction in required process steps with subsequent anticipated savings in equipment, cycle time, chemicals, reduce handling, and increased yield of devices on the substrate.

Abstract: A silver halide photographic element comprises a silver halide emulsion layer sensitized with a sensitizing dye of Formula I: ##STR1## wherein each of X.sub.1 and X.sub.2 is an oxygen atom, a sulfur atom, or a selenium atom, with the proviso that one of X.sub.1 and X.sub.2 is an oxygen atom and the other is a sulfur or selenium atom; V.sub.1 and V.sub.2 together or V.sub.2 and V.sub.3 together represent the atoms necessary to complete a fused benzene ring; each of V.sub.4 and V.sub.5 is independently a hydrogen or halogen atom, or an alkyl, alkoxy or aryl group; R.sub.1 is an acid substituted alkyl group; R.sub.2 is a 2-sulfoethyl group; and M is a counterion as necessary to balance the charge.

Abstract: The invention comprises a hydrogenated hydrocarbon resin suitable as tackifier for acrylic adhesive polymers, having greater than 20% aromatic protons after hydrogenation, a z-average molecular weight of less than about 1800, a narrow molecular weight distribution, typically of less than or equal to 2.1, and a softening point of from 40.degree. C. to about 120.degree. C. It additionally comprises a method for preparing a hydrogenated aromatic tackifier resin suitable as tackifier for acrylic adhesive polymers comprising the steps of: a) polymerizing under Friedel-Crafts polymerization conditions steam-cracked petroleum distillates, or fractions thereof; having boiling points between about 135.degree. C. and 220.degree. C. and containing at least 40% of by weight vinyl aromatic monomer contents, in the presence of a chain transfer agent; and b) catalytically hydrogenating the results of a) such that at least 75% of the aromaticity is retained.

Abstract: The invention comprises a hydrogenated hydrocarbon resin suitable as tackifier for acrylic adhesive polymers, having greater than 20% aromatic protons after hydrogenation, a z-average molecular weight of less than about 1800, a narrow molecular weight distribution, typically of less than or equal to 2.1, and a softening point of from 40.degree. C. to about 120.degree. C. It additionally comprises a method for preparing a hydrogenated aromatic tackifier resin suitable as tackifier for acrylic adhesive polymers comprising the steps of: a) polymerizing under Friedel-Crafts polymerization conditions steam-cracked petroleum distillates, or fractions thereof, having boiling points between about 135.degree. C. and 220.degree. C. and containing at least 40% of by weight vinyl aromatic monomer contents, in the presence of a chain transfer agent; and b) catalytically hydrogenating the results of a) such that at least 75% of the aromaticity is retained.

Abstract: A method and system for processing multiple requests for data residing at the same memory address. The multiple requests are associated with an individual duplicate bit flag that indicates whether the request can be processed. Thus, manipulation of the duplicate bit flag controls the order of processing for each of the received requests, thereby maintaining data coherency and integrity.

Abstract: Rotary signal coupling in in-situ monitoring of a chemical-mechanical polishing process. A sensor fixed to a rotatable wafer carrier for creating a signal responsive to the chemical mechanical polishing process is coupled to a bottom half of a rotary transformer fixed to a rotating portion of the polisher. A top half of the rotary transformer, coupled to the bottom half of the rotary transformer, is fixed to a stationary portion of the polisher. The signal from the sensor is thus coupled through the rotary transformer to a process monitor.

Abstract: The change in thickness of a film on an underlying body such as a semiconductor substrate is monitored in situ by inducing a current in the film, and as the thickness of the film changes (either increase or decrease), the changes in the current are detected. With a conductive film, eddy currents are induced in the film by a generating an alternating electromagnetic field with a sensor which includes a capacitor and an inductor.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for determining the endpoint for chemical mechanical polishing a film on a wafer. First, a reference point polishing time indicating when a breakthrough of the film has occurred is determined, then an overpolishing time indicating an interval between the reference point polishing time and when the film has been completely polished is determined. To get the total polishing time to the endpoint, the reference point polishing time and the overpolishing time are added.

Abstract: The invention comprises a hydrogenated hydrocarbon resin suitable as tackifier for acrylic adhesive polymers, having greater than 20% aromatic protons after hydrogenation, a z-average molecular weight of less than about 1800, a narrow molecular weight distribution, typically of less than or equal to 2.1, and a softening point of from 40.degree. C. to about 120.degree. C. It additionally comprises a method for preparing a hydrogenated aromatic tackifier resin suitable as tackifier for acrylic adhesive polymers comprising the steps of: a) polymerizing under Friedel-Crafts polymerization conditions stem-cracked petroleum distillates, or fractions thereof, having boiling points between about 135.degree. C. and 220.degree. C. and containing at least 40% of by weight vinyl aromatic monomer contents, in the presence of a chain transfer agent; and b) catalytically hydrogenating the results of a) such that at least 75% of the aromaticity is retained.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 CVD on silicon wafers using aluminum tri-isopropoxide in a high-volume production environment is presented. The conditions required to use ATI in a production environment and provide maximum utilization of ATI are first of all delivery of ATI via direct evaporation. The ATI source bottle is pumped out (bypassing substrates) until propene and isopropanol signals are reduced to 1% of process pressure before start of aluminum oxide deposition. Either IR spectroscopy or mass spectrometry can be used to provide a control signal to the microprocessor controller. Heating the supplied tetramer to 120.degree. C. for two hours assures complete conversion to trimer. The ATI is stored at 90.degree. C. to minimize decomposition during idle periods and allow recovery of trimer upon return to 120.degree. C. for two hours. During periods of demand, the ATI is held at 120.degree. C. to minimize decomposition.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for endpoint detection in removal of a film from a semiconductor wafer is provided, with a sensor for creating a signal responsive to the film removal process, a positive feedback amplifier coupled to the sensor, the positive feedback amplifier having a mode selector, and an analyzer coupled to the positive feedback amplifier.