Abstract: A physical vapor deposition system includes a chamber, three target supports to targets, a movable shield positioned having an opening therethrough, a workpiece support to hold a workpiece in the chamber, a gas supply to deliver nitrogen gas and an inert gas to the chamber, a power source, and a controller. The controller is configured to move the shield to position the opening adjacent each target in turn, and at each target cause the power source to apply power sufficient to ignite a plasma in the chamber to cause deposition of a buffer layer, a device layer of a first material that is a metal nitride suitable for use as a superconductor at temperatures above 8° K on the buffer layer, and a capping layer, respectively.

Abstract: A structure including a metal nitride layer is formed on a workpiece by pre-conditioning a chamber that includes a metal target by flowing nitrogen gas and an inert gas at a first flow rate ratio into the chamber and igniting a plasma in the chamber before placing the workpiece in the chamber, evacuating the chamber after the preconditioning, placing the workpiece on a workpiece support in the chamber after the preconditioning, and performing physical vapor deposition of a metal nitride layer on the workpiece in the chamber by flowing nitrogen gas and the inert gas at a second flow rate ratio into the chamber and igniting a plasma in the chamber. The second flow rate ratio is less than the first flow rate ratio.

Abstract: Embodiments of process shield for use in process chambers are provided herein. In some embodiments, a process shield for use in a process chamber includes: an annular body having an upper portion and a lower portion extending downward and radially inward from the upper portion, wherein the upper portion includes a plurality of annular trenches on an upper surface thereof and having a plurality of slots disposed therebetween to fluidly couple the plurality of annular trenches, wherein one or more inlets extend from an outer surface of the annular body to an outermost trench of the plurality of annular trenches.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a device including a superconductive layer includes depositing a seed layer on a substrate, exposing the seed layer to an oxygen-containing gas or plasma to form a modified seed layer, and after exposing the seed layer to the oxygen-containing gas or plasma depositing a metal nitride superconductive layer directly on the modified seed layer. The seed layer is a nitride of a first metal, and the superconductive layer is a nitride of a different second metal.

Abstract: The disclosure discloses a battery module. The electrical connection between a first electrode of a first battery and a second electrode of a second battery can be realized by setting a jumper electrode connector, thereby facilitating realization of connection relationship of multiple batteries. Moreover, an insulating structure is provided between the jumper electrode connector and the battery. Also, the jumper electrode connector includes a first through hole, the orthographic projection of the first through hole and the orthographic projection of the explosion-proof valve at least partially overlap each other, and the orthographic projection of the first through hole overlaps the orthographic projection of the insulating structure.

Abstract: The automated social networking graph mining and visualization technique described herein mines social connections and allows creation of a social networking graph from general (not necessarily social-application specific) Web pages. The technique uses the distances between a person's/entity's name and related people's/entities names on one or more Web pages to determine connections between people/entities and the strengths of the connections. In one embodiment, the technique lays out these connections, and then clusters them, in a 2-D layout of a social networking graph that represents the Web connection strengths among the related people's or entities' names, by using a force-directed model.

Abstract: A battery protection apparatus power protection apparatus is configured to protect an electrochemical cell connected to a load, and includes a protection IC, a switching transistor group, and a sampling resistor. The protection IC includes two power input terminals respectively connected to positive and negative electrodes of the electrochemical cell, and an operational amplifier, where the operational amplifier includes a positive input pin, a negative input pin, and an output pin. The switching transistor group is connected between the negative electrode of the electrochemical cell and the load, and is configured to control turn-on and turn-off of a charge and discharge circuit of the electrochemical cell. The sampling detection resistor Rs is serially connected between the sampling circuit detection terminal and the output pin, where the main circuit detection terminal is connected to the positive input pin, and the sampling circuit detection terminal is connected to the negative input pin.

Abstract: The present application relates to the field of electronic product heat dissipation component and in particular, relates to a graphene thermally conductive gasket edge-wrapped process and an edge-wrapped graphene thermally conductive gasket. The process steps are: coating a layer of adhesive on the first layer of graphene film, placing the second layer of graphene film on the first layer of graphene film, repeating stacking to the target height, obtaining a graphene film block, punching a plurality of through holes penetrating two surfaces of the graphene film block; threading the carbon fiber through the through holes after coating an adhesive on the surface thereof; slicing along the direction parallel to the thickness direction of the graphene film, to obtain the graphene thermally conductive gasket with a specified thickness; and coating a layer of glue on the peripheral sides of the graphene thermally conductive gasket to form an edge-wrapped layer.

Abstract: An eyeball tracking system is provided, which includes: an illumination light source, configured to transmit an illumination light ray to a beam scanner; the beam scanner, configured to project the illumination light ray onto an entrance pupil optical apparatus; the entrance pupil optical apparatus, configured to reflect, reproduce, or refract the illumination light ray, so that the reflected, reproduced, or refracted illumination light ray illuminates an eyeball; a photoelectric detector, configured to: collect a receive optical power value of an eyeball reflection light ray, and send the receive optical power value to a controller; and the controller, configured to: receive the receive optical power value sent by the photoelectric detector, determine, based on the receive optical power value, an optical power reference value, and determine a current gaze direction of the eyeball based on the optical power reference value.

Abstract: Embodiments of process shield for use in process chambers are provided herein. In some embodiments, a process shield for use in a process chamber includes: an annular body having an upper portion and a lower portion extending downward and radially inward from the upper portion, wherein the upper portion includes a plurality of annular trenches on an upper surface thereof and having a plurality of slots disposed therebetween to fluidly couple the plurality of annular trenches, wherein one or more inlets extend from an outer surface of the annular body to an outermost trench of the plurality of annular trenches.

Abstract: A superconducting device includes a substrate, a metal oxide or metal oxynitride seed layer on the substrate, and a metal nitride superconductive layer disposed directly on the seed layer. The seed layer is an oxide or oxynitride of a first metal, and the superconductive layer is a nitride of a different second metal.

Abstract: A method of depositing a backside film layer on a backside of a substrate includes loading a substrate having one or more films deposited on a front side of the substrate onto a substrate support of a processing chamber, depositing, from the sputter target, a target material on the backside of the substrate to form a backside layer on the backside of the substrate, and applying an RF bias to an electrode disposed within the substrate support while depositing the target material. The front side of the substrate faces the substrate support and is spaced from a top surface of the substrate support, and a backside of the substrate faces a sputter target of the processing chamber.

Abstract: A physical vapor deposition processing chamber is described. The processing chamber includes a target backing plate in a top portion of the processing chamber, a substrate support in a bottom portion of the processing chamber, a deposition ring positioned at an outer periphery of the substrate support and a shield. The substrate support has a support surface spaced a distance from the target backing plate to form a process cavity. The shield forms an outer bound of the process cavity. In-chamber cleaning methods are also described. In an embodiment, the method includes closing a bottom gas flow path of a processing chamber to a process cavity, flowing an inert gas from the bottom gas flow path, flowing a reactant into the process cavity through an opening in the shield, and evacuating the reaction gas from the process cavity.

Abstract: A physical vapor deposition processing chamber is described. The processing chamber includes a target backing plate in a top portion of the processing chamber, a substrate support in a bottom portion of the processing chamber, a deposition ring positioned at an outer periphery of the substrate support and a shield. The substrate support has a support surface spaced a distance from the target backing plate to form a process cavity. The shield forms an outer bound of the process cavity. In-chamber cleaning methods are also described. In an embodiment, the method includes closing a bottom gas flow path of a processing chamber to a process cavity, flowing an inert gas from the bottom gas flow path, flowing a reactant into the process cavity through an opening in the shield, and evacuating the reaction gas from the process cavity.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to methods and apparatus for backside stress engineering of substrates to combat film stresses and bowing issues. In one embodiment, a method of depositing a film layer on a backside of a substrate is provided. The method includes flipping a substrate at a factory interface so that the backside of the substrate is facing up, and transferring the flipped substrate from the factory interface to a physical vapor deposition chamber to deposit a film layer on the backside of the substrate. In another embodiment, an apparatus for depositing a backside film layer on a backside of a substrate, which includes a substrate supporting surface configured to support the substrate at or near the periphery of the substrate supporting surface without contacting an active region on a front side of the substrate.

Abstract: A battery protection apparatus power protection apparatus is configured to protect an electrochemical cell connected to a load, and includes a protection IC, a switching transistor group, and a sampling resistor. The protection IC includes two power input terminals respectively connected to positive and negative electrodes of the electrochemical cell, and an operational amplifier, where the operational amplifier includes a positive input pin, a negative input pin, and an output pin. The switching transistor group is connected between the negative electrode of the electrochemical cell and the load, and is configured to control turn-on and turn-off of a charge and discharge circuit of the electrochemical cell. The sampling detection resistor Rs is serially connected between the sampling circuit detection terminal and the output pin, where the main circuit detection terminal is connected to the positive input pin, and the sampling circuit detection terminal is connected to the negative input pin.

Abstract: A physical vapor deposition system includes a chamber, three target supports to targets, a movable shield positioned having an opening therethrough, a workpiece support to hold a workpiece in the chamber, a gas supply to deliver nitrogen gas and an inert gas to the chamber, a power source, and a controller. The controller is configured to move the shield to position the opening adjacent each target in turn, and at each target cause the power source to apply power sufficient to ignite a plasma in the chamber to cause deposition of a buffer layer, a device layer of a first material that is a metal nitride suitable for use as a superconductor at temperatures above 8° K on the buffer layer, and a capping layer, respectively.

Abstract: Methods for forming a film stack comprising a hardmask layer and etching such hardmask layer to form features in the film stack are provided. The methods described herein facilitate profile and dimension control of features through a proper profile management scheme formed in the film stack. In one or more embodiments, a method for etching a hardmask layer includes forming a hardmask layer on a substrate, where the hardmask layer contains a metal-containing material containing a metal element having an atomic number greater than 28, supplying an etching gas mixture to the substrate, and etching the hardmask layer exposed by a photoresist layer.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to methods and apparatus for backside stress engineering of substrates to combat film stresses and bowing issues. In one embodiment, a method of depositing a film layer on a backside of a substrate is provided. The method includes flipping a substrate at a factory interface so that the backside of the substrate is facing up, and transferring the flipped substrate from the factory interface to a physical vapor deposition chamber to deposit a film layer on the backside of the substrate. In another embodiment, an apparatus for depositing a backside film layer on a backside of a substrate, which includes a substrate supporting surface configured to support the substrate at or near the periphery of the substrate supporting surface without contacting an active region on a front side of the substrate.

Abstract: Embodiments of methods and apparatus for reducing particle formation in physical vapor deposition (PVD) chambers are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method of reducing particle formation in a PVD chamber includes: performing a plurality of first deposition processes on a corresponding series of substrates disposed on a substrate support in the PVD chamber, wherein the PVD chamber includes a cover ring disposed about the substrate support and having a texturized outer surface, and wherein a silicon nitride (SiN) layer having a first thickness is deposited onto the texturized outer surface during each of the plurality of first deposition processes; and performing a second deposition process on the cover ring between subsets of the plurality of first deposition processes to deposit an amorphous silicon layer having a second thickness onto an underlying silicon nitride (SiN) layer.