Abstract: A self-shielded and computer controlled system for performing non-invasive stereotactic radiosurgery and precision radiotherapy using a linear accelerator mounted within a two degree-of-freedom radiation shield coupled to a three-degree of freedom patient table is provided. The radiation shield can include an axial shield rotatable about an axial axis and an oblique shield independently rotatable about an oblique axis, thereby providing improved range of trajectories of the therapeutic and diagnostic radiation beams. Such shields can be balanced about their respective axes of rotation and about a common support structure to facilitate ease of movement. Such systems can further include an imaging system to accurately deliver radiation to the treatment target and automatically make corrections needed to maintain the anatomical target at the system isocenter.

Abstract: Devices, systems and method that allow for delivery of therapeutic radiation beams of differing sizes or shapes during a radiation treatment are provided herein. Such devices can include a rotatable collimator body having multiple collimator channels of differing size or shape defined therein, the channels extending through the collimator body substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation. The collimator body can include markers thereon to facilitate detection of an alignment position by a sensor of a control system to allow the collimator body to be rapidly and accurately moved between alignment positions to facilitate delivery of differing therapy beams during a treatment.

Abstract: An x-ray system for at least one of breast examinations and procedures includes a base component, a table configured to support a patient in a prone position and disposed proximate to the base component with a space reserved therebetween, a rotatable x-ray assembly disposed between the base component and the table, and a linear motor assembly operatively connected to the rotatable x-ray assembly and the base component so as to effect rotation of the rotatable x-ray assembly relative to the base component during operation. The rotatable x-ray assembly rotates at least partially around an active spatial region, and the table defines an opening that is positioned for a breast to extend downwards therethrough at least partially into said active spatial region.

Abstract: A system for breast computed tomography includes a table supporting a patient in a prone position with an opening positioned for a breast of the patient to extend downwards therethrough, a gantry assembly positioned beneath the table with a platform driven to rotate by a motor, an x-ray source assembly coupled to the platform to rotate therewith and positioned to irradiate with an x-ray beam at least a portion of the breast, and a detector assembly coupled to the platform to rotate therewith and positioned to receive the x-ray beam from the x-ray source assembly. The system includes a shielding enclosure rigidly mounted atop the platform to rotate therewith, enclosing during rotation of the platform the detector assembly, the breast, and the x-ray beam, and having walls composed of a material and a thickness to attenuate an x-ray beam of a predetermined energy and intensity by a predetermined amount.

Abstract: A self-shielded and computer controlled system for performing non-invasive stereotactic radiosurgery and precision radiotherapy using a linear accelerator mounted within a two degree-of-freedom radiation shield coupled to a three-degree of freedom patient table is provided. The radiation shield can include an axial shield rotatable about an axial axis and an oblique shield independently rotatable about an oblique axis, thereby providing improved range of trajectories of the therapeutic and diagnostic radiation beams. Such shields can be balanced about their respective axes of rotation and about a common support structure to facilitate ease of movement. Such systems can further include an imaging system to accurately deliver radiation to the treatment target and automatically make corrections needed to maintain the anatomical target at the system isocenter.

Abstract: Devices, systems and method that allow for delivery of therapeutic radiation beams of differing sizes or shapes during a radiation treatment are provided herein. Such devices can include a rotatable collimator body having multiple collimator channels of differing size or shape defined therein, the channels extending through the collimator body substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation. The collimator body can include markers thereon to facilitate detection of an alignment position by a sensor of a control system to allow the collimator body to be rapidly and accurately moved between alignment positions to facilitate delivery of differing therapy beams during a treatment.

Abstract: Devices, systems and method that allow for delivery of therapeutic radiation beams of differing sizes or shapes during a radiation treatment are provided herein. Such devices can include a rotatable collimator body having multiple collimator channels of differing size or shape defined therein, the channels extending through the collimator body substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation. The collimator body can include markers thereon to facilitate detection of an alignment position by a sensor of a control system to allow the collimator body to be rapidly and accurately moved between alignment positions to facilitate delivery of differing therapy beams during a treatment.

Abstract: A self-shielded and computer controlled system for performing non-invasive stereotactic radiosurgery and precision radiotherapy using a linear accelerator mounted within a two degree-of-freedom radiation shield coupled to a three-degree of freedom patient table is provided. The radiation shield can include an axial shield rotatable about an axial axis and an oblique shield independently rotatable about an oblique axis, thereby providing improved range of trajectories of the therapeutic and diagnostic radiation beams. Such shields can be balanced about their respective axes of rotation and about a common support structure to facilitate ease of movement. Such systems can further include an imaging system to accurately deliver radiation to the treatment target and automatically make corrections needed to maintain the anatomical target at the system isocenter.

Abstract: A self-shielded and computer controlled system for performing non-invasive stereotactic radiosurgery and precision radiotherapy using a linear accelerator mounted within a two degree-of-freedom radiation shield coupled to a three-degree of freedom patient table is provided. The radiation shield can include an axial shield rotatable about an axial axis and an oblique shield independently rotatable about an oblique axis, thereby providing improved range of trajectories of the therapeutic and diagnostic radiation beams. Such shields can be balanced about their respective axes of rotation and about a common support structure to facilitate ease of movement. Such systems can further include an imaging system to accurately deliver radiation to the treatment target and automatically make corrections needed to maintain the anatomical target at the system isocenter.

Abstract: A self-shielded and computer controlled system for performing non-invasive stereotactic radiosurgery and precision radiotherapy using a linear accelerator mounted within a two degree-of-freedom radiation shield coupled to a three-degree of freedom patient table is provided. The radiation shield can include an axial shield rotatable about an axial axis and an oblique shield independently rotatable about an oblique axis, thereby providing improved range of trajectories of the therapeutic and diagnostic radiation beams. Such shields can be balanced about their respective axes of rotation and about a common support structure to facilitate ease of movement. Such systems can further include an imaging system to accurately deliver radiation to the treatment target and automatically make corrections needed to maintain the anatomical target at the system isocenter.

Abstract: Devices, systems and method that allow for delivery of therapeutic radiation beams of differing sizes or shapes during a radiation treatment are provided herein. Such devices can include a rotatable collimator body having multiple collimator channels of differing size or shape defined therein, the channels extending through the collimator body substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation. The collimator body can include markers thereon to facilitate detection of an alignment position by a sensor of a control system to allow the collimator body to be rapidly and accurately moved between alignment positions to facilitate delivery of differing therapy beams during a treatment.

Abstract: In one aspect, a substrate processing apparatus is provided. The apparatus comprises a mechanism for forming a meniscus on a surface of a substrate by moving the substrate through a fluid; an air knife apparatus positioned to apply an air knife to shorten the meniscus formed on the surface of the substrate; and a drying vapor nozzle positioned to direct a drying vapor to the meniscus shortened by the air knife. Numerous other aspects are provided.

Abstract: In a first aspect, a module is provided that is adapted to process a wafer. The module includes a processing portion having one or more features such as (1) a rotatable wafer support for rotating an input wafer from a first orientation wherein the wafer is in line with a load port to a second orientation wherein the wafer is in line with an unload port; (2) a catcher adapted to contact and travel passively with a wafer as it is unloaded from the processing portion; (3) an enclosed output portion adapted to create a laminar air flow from one side thereof to the other; (4) an output portion having a plurality of wafer receivers; (5) submerged fluidnozzles; and/or (6) drying gas flow deflectors, etc. Other aspects include methods of wafer processing.

Abstract: A scrubber box is provided that includes a tank adapted to receive a substrate for cleaning, supports outside of the tank and adapted to couple to ends of scrubber brushes disposed within the tank, a motor mounted to each of the supports and adapted to rotate the scrubber brushes, a base to which the supports are pivotally mounted via spherical bearings adapted to permit toe-in of the scrubber brushes, a brush gap actuator adapted, via a crank and rocker mechanism, to substantially simultaneously pivot the supports toward or away from each other so as to permit the scrubber brushes to substantially simultaneously achieve or break contact with the substrate, and a toe-in actuator adapted to move two of the spherical bearings toward or away from each other so as to adjust a toe-in angle between the scrubber brushes.

Abstract: In a first aspect, a module is provided that is adapted to process a wafer. The module includes a processing portion having one or more features such as (1) a rotatable wafer support for rotating an input wafer from a first orientation wherein the wafer is in line with a load port to a second orientation wherein the wafer is in line with an unload port; (2) a catcher adapted to contact and travel passively with a wafer as it is unloaded from the processing portion; (3) an enclosed output portion adapted to create a laminar air flow from one side thereof to the other; (4) an output portion having a plurality of wafer receivers; (5) submerged fluid nozzles; and/or (6) drying gas flow deflectors, etc. Other aspects include methods of wafer processing.

Abstract: In a first aspect, a module is provided that is adapted to process a wafer. The module includes a processing portion having one or more features such as (1) a rotatable wafer support for rotating an input wafer from a first orientation wherein the wafer is in line with a load port to a second orientation wherein the wafer is in line with an unload port; (2) a catcher adapted to contact and travel passively with a wafer as it is unloaded from the processing portion; (3) an enclosed output portion adapted to create a laminar air flow from one side thereof to the other; (4) an output portion having a plurality of wafer receivers; (5) submerged fluid nozzles; and/or (6) drying gas flow deflectors, etc. Other aspects include methods of wafer processing.

Abstract: In a first aspect, a first method of drying a substrate is provided. The first method includes the steps of (1) lifting a substrate through an air/fluid interface at a first rate; (2) directing a drying vapor at the air/fluid interface during lifting of the substrate; and (3) while a portion of the substrate remains in the air/fluid interface, reducing a rate at which a remainder of the substrate is lifted through the air/fluid interface to a second rate. The drying vapor may form an angle of about 23° with the air/fluid interface and/or the second rate may be about 2.5 mm/sec.

Abstract: In one aspect, an apparatus is provided. The apparatus comprises a chamber; a plurality of rollers adapted to support a wafer in a vertical orientation within a chamber; a pair of brushes adapted to scrub a first and a second side of the wafer respectively; a first spray bar adapted to spray a liquid on the wafer to form a meniscus on the wafer as the wafer is lifted out of the chamber; and a second spray bar adapted to direct a vapor to the meniscus, the vapor being adapted to lower a surface tension of the liquid at the meniscus to perform Marangoni drying of the wafer as the wafer is lifted out of the chamber. Numerous other aspects are provided.

Abstract: In one aspect, a substrate processing apparatus is provided. The apparatus comprises a mechanism for forming a meniscus on a surface of a substrate by moving the substrate through a fluid; an air knife apparatus positioned to apply an air knife to shorten the meniscus formed on the surface of the substrate; and a drying vapor nozzle positioned to direct a drying vapor to the meniscus shortened by the air knife. Numerous other aspects are provided.