Abstract: A substrate etching system includes a support to hold a wafer in a face-up orientation, a dispenser arm movable laterally across the wafer on the support, the dispenser arm supporting a delivery port to selectively dispense a liquid etchant onto a portion of a top face of the wafer, and a monitoring system comprising a probe movable laterally across the wafer on the support.

Abstract: Embodiments herein describe a DTG printing environment that uses autonomous robots to move garments between DTG processing stages (e.g., retrieval stages, pretreatment stages, printing stages, drying stages, etc.). Doing so removes the dependency of DTG printing process on the stage that consumes the most time. In one embodiment, the DTG processing stages or the autonomous robot include an actuator for moving the garment and the DTG processing stage closer together. In one embodiment, the processing stage includes a lift (e.g., an actuator) that lifts a detachable carrier from the robot on which the garment is mounted. The lift can level and rotate the detachable carrier to provide a fine alignment between the garment and the DTG processing stage. While a lift is specifically disclosed, in other embodiments, the actuator could be disposed on the robot to lift up the garment.

Abstract: Embodiments of process kits for use in a process chamber are provided herein. In some embodiments, a process kit includes a slit door having an arcuate profile and including a first plate coupled to a second plate, wherein the first plate is configured to be coupled to an actuator, and wherein the second plate has a processing volume facing surface that includes silicon.

Abstract: Systems and methods for coating a thin film with a viscous material, such as a liquid, a paste, or an adhesive, at a desired thickness. In such a system, two films move adjacent to one another, optionally in opposite directions, atop two rollers separated by a known gap that defines a coating thickness, with the material being transferred from one film to the other. The rollers may be maintained in their relative positions by springs and/or linear actuators and positioned using linear encoders. In alternative arrangements, the material to be coated could be low viscosity material such as a polymeric solution. Air knives may be provided near the gap to create an air flow that aids in preventing the free flow of low viscosity materials outside the bounds of the film during coating.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a thin-film-deposition equipment for detecting shielding mechanism, which includes a reaction chamber, a carrier, a shielding mechanism and two distance sensors. The carrier and the shielding mechanism is partially disposed within the reaction chamber. The shielding mechanism includes two shield unit and a driver. The driver interconnects and drives the two shield units to sway in opposite directions and into an open state and a shielding state. Each of the two shield unit is disposed with a reflective surface for each of the two distance sensors to respectively project optical beams onto and detect a distances therebetween when the two shield units are operated in the shielding state, such that to confirm that the shielding mechanism is in the shielding state.

Abstract: There is provided a method for manufacturing a three-dimensional shaped object by a continuous formation of a plurality of solidified layers through a light beam irradiation, the three-dimensional shaped object being provided with a hollow portion in an interior of the shaped object. The manufacturing method performs the formation of the solidified layer by irradiating a raw material with a light beam at the time of suppling the raw material, thereby allowing a sintering of the raw material or a melting and subsequent solidification of the raw material. In particular, a solidified foundation portion is provided as a part of the three-dimensional shaped object, the solidified foundation portion being used for a platform for a formation of a subsequent layer provided as the solidified layer. An orientation of the solidified foundation portion is changed prior to the formation of the subsequent solidified layer.

Abstract: Methods of and systems for performing leak checks of gas-phase reactor systems are disclosed. Exemplary systems include a first exhaust system coupled to a reaction chamber via a first exhaust line, a bypass line coupled to a gas supply unit and to the first exhaust system, a gas detector coupled to the bypass line via a connecting line, a connecting line valve coupled to the connecting line, and a second exhaust system coupled to the connecting line. Methods include using the second exhaust system to exhaust the connecting line to thereby remove residual gas in the connecting line that may otherwise affect the accuracy of the gas detector.

Abstract: An imprint apparatus includes: a substrate stage configured to move a substrate; an ejection unit including a plurality of nozzles and configured to eject an ejection material from the nozzles onto the substrate in synchronization with movement of the substrate stage; and a mold driving mechanism configured to drive a mold on which a pattern is formed to press down the mold onto the substrate. The imprint apparatus determines a relative ejection timing of an abnormal nozzle with respect to a normal nozzle based on ejection properties of the nozzles and a moving direction of the substrate stage, determines an ejection timing of the normal nozzle based on the determined relative ejection timing, and controls a synchronization timing of the substrate stage and the ejection unit based on the determined ejection timing of the normal nozzle.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus having an improved exhaust structure includes a reaction space formed between a processing unit and a substrate support unit, an exhaust unit surrounding the reaction space, an exhaust port with a channel inside, a partition wall with an exhaust line inside, wherein the channel of the exhaust port connects the exhaust unit and the exhaust line.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a plasma generation system with a dielectric window, an inductive coil disposed on the dielectric window, a gas distribution element disposed on the dielectric window, and a gas conditioning system coupled to the gas distribution element. The gas distribution element is configured to discharge a thermally conditioned gas on the dielectric window and regulate a temperature across the dielectric window. The gas conditioning system is configured to supply the thermally conditioned gas to the gas distribution element.

Abstract: The apparatus and methods include moving an optical fiber over a fiber path that includes a marking location at which resides a marking unit that dispenses an ink-jet stream. A centering method is performed whereby the optical fiber is incrementally moved in a lateral direction through the path of the ink-stream and the mark number density of marks formed on the optical fiber is measured along with the optical fiber position. A process window is defined by the range of lateral fiber positions over which a target mark number density is formed on a consistent basis. A controller calculates an optimum fiber path position and stores it memory for future reference while also moving the fiber path to the optimum position. The initially wet ink marks are dried and the fiber coated with a transparent protective overcoat to form a coated and marked optical fiber.

Abstract: Various approaches can be used to interrogate a surface such as a surface of a layered semiconductor structure on a semiconductor wafer. Certain approaches employ Second Harmonic Generation and in some cases may utilize pump and probe radiation. Other approaches involve determining current flow from a sample illuminated with radiation. Decay constants can be measured to provide information regarding the sample. Additionally, electric and/or magnetic field biases can be applied to the sample to provide additional information.

Abstract: The present apparatus relates to an electronic cigarette manufacturing apparatus, and more particularly, to an electronic cigarette manufacturing apparatus with which electronic cigarettes each composed of a plurality of segments can be easily and quickly manufactured without defects and thus productivity improvement and cost reduction can be achieved.

Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus includes a head configured to discharge a liquid onto a print target, a carriage configured to hold the head and reciprocally movable in a main-scanning direction, a sealing configured to seal a nozzle surface of the head, and a support configured to hold the print target and movable in a sub-scanning direction perpendicular to the main-scanning direction, the support including a space configured to accommodate the sealing in the support.

Abstract: The invention relates to an impregnation device (1) for trickle impregnation of a stator (2) or armature of an electric machine with a synthetic resin (5) curing under temperature increase, comprising a holding device (32) which can be tilted vertically relative to the horizontal (16) and to which a drive motor (12) is attached as a rotary drive for the stator (2) or the armature, a drive shaft (58) operatively connected to the drive motor (12), a clamping device (34) which is non-rotatably connected to the drive shaft (58) and capable of detachably connecting the stator (2) or the armature to the drive shaft (58), a trickle device (24) capable of applying a synthetic resin (5) onto at least one axial end of the windings (4) of the stator (2) or the armature, and a heating device capable of heating the windings (4) of the stator (2) or the armature to a trickle temperature and to a comparatively higher curing temperature.

Abstract: An impedance matching device includes: a variable capacitor connected between a radio-frequency power supply and a load; a first detector that detects an index value that determines impedance matching between the radio-frequency power supply and the load, and a first state value that indicates a state of a radio-frequency power; a second detector that detects a second state value that indicates a state of radio-frequency power output to the load; an adjustment unit that adjusts a capacitance value of the variable capacitor such that the index value detected by the first detector falls within a target range; and a diagnosis unit configured to diagnose an abnormality of the variable capacitor, the first detector, or the second detector based on the capacitance value adjusted by the adjustment unit, the first state value detected by the first detector, and the second state value detected by the second detector.

Abstract: A method of performing visualized measurement on thickness distribution of a paint film and an apparatus therefor. A measurement target region is heated by a heating unit that applies a light beam while moving relative to the measurement target region of a measurement target structure. A sensing unit moving together with the heating unit generates a plurality of thermal images related to a phenomenon in which thermal energy is propagated in the measurement target region by scanning and photographing the heated measurement target region. The thermal images in a dynamic state are converted into time-spatial-integrated thermal images in a static state by performing coordinate transformation according to a time-spatial-integrated coordinate transformation algorithm. A thickness of the paint film is calculated by using a Fourier thermal conduction equation.

Abstract: A device and a system for a lacquer transfer with a frame, transfer roller with a circumferential lateral wall, a drive unit, a slit nozzle, the slit nozzle at least indirectly connected to the frame, an outside contact surface of the lateral wall including depressions, the transfer roller mounted rotatably about an axis of rotation at the frame, the drive unit configured to drive the transfer roller for the transfer roller to rotate about the axis of rotation. The slit nozzle includes a supply connection, nozzle-cavity, slit-shaped nozzle-channel and at least one limiter, the supply connection coupled to the nozzle-cavity for supplying lacquer to the nozzle-cavity, the nozzle-channel extending from the nozzle-cavity to a muzzle end formed by the slit nozzle at the end of the nozzle-channel for dispensing lacquer, the slit nozzle configured by the limiter to adjust a cross-section in a restriction area of the nozzle-channel.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a substrate supporting device and a substrate processing apparatus. The substrate supporting device, the substrate supporting device of the substrate processing apparatus, may include: a disk; and a plurality of substrate supporting parts disposed radially from a center of the disk, a substrate being supported by each of the plurality of substrate supporting parts. An upper surface of each of the plurality of substrate supporting parts may protrude more upward than an upper surface of the disk.

Abstract: A three-dimensional object model is divided into a plurality of slices that are targeted for an additive manufacturing process having a minimum printable feature size. For each of the slices, a thinning algorithm is applied to one or more contours of the slice to form a meso-skeleton, where topological features of the thinned slice that are smaller than the minimum printable feature size are reduced to skeletal paths. A corrected slice is formed using the meso-skeleton by sweeping the meso-skeleton with the minimum printable feature size. The corrected slices are assembled into a corrected object model and the corrected object model is used in the additive manufacturing process.

Abstract: The disclosed technology generally relates to semiconductor processing and more particularly to placing a substrate in a semiconductor manufacturing equipment for processing, and to apparatuses for placing the substrate in the semiconductor manufacturing equipment. In one aspect, a method of calibrating a process position of a semiconductor substrate in a process chamber comprises securing a calibration substrate on a susceptor in a processing chamber under an open chamber condition using a securing device, wherein securing comprises preventing the substrate from sliding laterally on the susceptor by more than a predefined tolerance from a centered position relative to a susceptor center. The method additionally comprises subjecting the calibration substrate under a process condition different from the open chamber condition. The method additionally comprises transferring the calibration substrate from the susceptor using a robot arm.

Abstract: A method of coating a component includes attaching the component to a support that is configured to hold a plurality of components and placing a base of the support in a holder that is attached to rotatable member of a fixture, wherein an axis of the holder is parallel to an axis of rotation of the rotatable member. The method also includes transporting the fixture into a coating chamber wherein a direction of an exit stream of a coater in oriented perpendicularly to the axis of rotation, exposing the fixture and the component to a reverse transfer arc cleaning/pre-heating procedure, and exposing the fixture and the component to a coating procedure during which a coating is directed at the component in a direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation while the rotatable member is rotating. The method further includes transporting the fixture and removing the component from the support fixture.

Abstract: Generation of dust from a peripheral portion of a substrate can be suppressed, and a processed substrate can be suppressed from being adversely affected by a pre-processed substrate. Further, an actual elevation state of the member configured to be moved up and down to support the substrate can be investigated. A substrate transfer device includes a first supporting portion, a second supporting portion and an elevating mechanism. The first supporting portion and the second supporting portion are configured to support a substrate from below the substrate. The elevating mechanism is configured to elevate the second supporting portion up and down between a first position higher than a height of the first supporting portion and a second position lower than the height of the first supporting portion. The substrate transfer device further includes a detecting mechanism configured to detect an elevation state of the second supporting portion.

Abstract: Provided herein is an improved spin coating system and a method of using the spin coating machine to produce an optical article. The system includes at least one dispensing arm assembly. The holder assembly is moveable along a substantially vertical axis. The dispensing arm assembly has a base and at least one arm having a first end and a second end and is moveable along a horizontal axis. The at least one arm is operably coupled to the base at the first end and operably coupled to at least one applicator at the second end, and the applicator is capable of being positioned along the substantially vertical axis. The method includes depositing a primer layer onto a lens using the dispensing arm assembly, followed by a hard coating, and drying and cooling the substrate using a drying/cooling station that is positioned substantially along the substantially vertical axis.

Abstract: A dispenser and methods for transferring liquids are disclosed. The dispenser may include a capillary tube with tip having an aperture, a piezoelectric actuator coupled to the capillary tube at a location. Actuation of the piezoelectric actuator causes a pressure wave to propagate along the capillary tube toward the tip such that radial motion at the location is transmitted as distally extending axial motion of the tip, thereby causing a droplet of a predetermined volume to be ejected from the aperture. In some embodiments, the capillary tube has a modulus of elasticity in a range which dampens acoustical noise from the actuation and provides single drop stability over a range of drop sizes.

Abstract: A sealant discharging apparatus includes a sealing gun, a movement controller, and a discharge controller. The sealing gun discharges sealant to an object. The movement controller causes the sealing gun and the object to move relatively. The discharge controller controls a discharge amount of the sealant discharged from the sealing gun. The movement controller controls a movement velocity of the sealing gun based on a volume of post-sealing sealant that has been discharged from the sealing gun and used to seal the object, and an amount of volume change in a sealant pool that has been discharged from the sealing gun and is yet to be used to seal the object.

Abstract: A plasma power supply device includes an AC power supply configured to generate an AC voltage of a predetermined frequency for application to a pair of electrodes by way of a power supply harness which is replaceable partially or wholly to change a wiring length and which is flexible, and a control section configured to set the predetermined frequency of the AC power supply so that the frequency becomes lower as the power supply harness becomes longer.

Abstract: Various approaches can be used to interrogate a surface such as a surface of a layered semiconductor structure on a semiconductor wafer. Certain approaches employ Second Harmonic Generation and in some cases may utilize pump and probe radiation. Other approaches involve determining current flow from a sample illuminated with radiation. Decay constants can be measured to provide information regarding the sample. Additionally, electric and/or magnetic field biases can be applied to the sample to provide additional information.

Abstract: Methods and systems are described for cleaning a support such as a clamp of a chuck that holds a patterning device or a wafer in a lithographic apparatus. The method includes loading a electrostatic cleaning substrate into a lithographic apparatus. The electrostatic cleaning substrate includes at least one electrode. The method further includes bringing the electrostatic cleaning substrate near to the clamping surface to be cleaned and connecting the electrode to a voltage source. Particles present on the support are then transferred to the electrostatic cleaning substrate.

Abstract: During a teaching operation regarding a transport mechanism, a hand of the transport mechanism is moved to a tentative target position in a substrate supporter, and a substrate supported at a reference position in the substrate supporter is received by the hand. A positional relationship between the substrate held by the hand and the hand is detected. A deviation between the tentative target position and the reference position is acquired as correction information based on the detected positional relationship. During the teaching operation or during substrate processing, the tentative target position is corrected to a true target position to coincide with the reference position based on the acquired correction information. During the substrate processing, the hand is moved to the true target position, so that the substrate is transferred to the substrate supporter by the hand, or the substrate is received from the substrate supporter by the hand.

Abstract: A method for monitoring gas in a wafer processing system is provided. The method includes producing an exhaust flow in an exhausting conduit from a processing chamber. The method further includes placing a gas sensor in fluid communication with a detection point located in the exhausting conduit via a sampling tube that passes through a through hole formed on the exhausting conduit. The detection point is located away from the through hole. The method also includes detecting a gas condition at the detection point with the gas sensor. In addition, the method also includes analyzing the gas condition detected by the gas sensor to determine if the gas condition in the exhausting conduit is in a range of values.

Abstract: A crystal oscillation probe structure and an evaporation device are provided. The crystal oscillation probe structure includes a guide cover, a crystal oscillation probe and a mesh screen structure, the guide cover includes a chamber with a guide opening, the crystal oscillation probe is fixed in the chamber, the crystal oscillation probe includes at least one crystal oscillation sheet, the mesh screen structure includes a plurality of openings, and the mesh screen structure is located on a traveling path of a material traveling toward the at least one crystal oscillation sheet and disposed on a side of the at least one crystal oscillation sheet facing the guide opening.

Abstract: A box coating apparatus for coating of substrates comprises a vacuum chamber which contains an evaporation source. A substrate holder is disposed vis-à-vis to the evaporation source so that evaporated material can impinge on substrates held by the substrate holder. Besides the evaporation source and the substrate holder, at least one further functional component is provided, namely a Meissner trap and/or a high vacuum valve mechanism, to which a shield arrangement is assigned to prevent evaporated material from impinging on said component. This shield arrangement has a shutter portion which can be moved from a closed shielding position in which it covers a passageway through the shield arrangement and serves to shield said component, to an open pumping position in which it substantially clears the passageway to allow essentially free passage for gases and vapor, and vice versa.

Abstract: A deposition apparatus comprises: an infeed chamber; a preheat chamber; a deposition chamber; and optionally at least one of a cooldown chamber and an outlet chamber. At least a first of the preheat chamber and the cooldown chamber contains a buffer system for buffering workpieces respectively passing to or from the deposition chamber.

Abstract: A plasma processing system having a plurality of stations is provided. Each station has a substrate support and a showerhead for supplying process gases. A radio frequency (RF) power supply and a distribution system is provided, where the distribution system is coupled to the RF power supply. A plurality of voltage probes is provided. Each of the plurality of voltage probes is connected in-line between the distribution system and each showerhead of each of the stations. A controller is configured to receive sensed voltage values from each of the plurality of voltage probes and compare the sensed voltage values against a plurality of voltage check bands. Each voltage check band is predefined for a process operation, and the controller is configured to generate an alert when the comparing detects that a sensed voltage value is outside of a voltage check band.

Abstract: There is provided a film forming method of forming a metal film, which includes: alternately supplying a metal chloride gas and a reducing gas for reducing the metal chloride gas to a substrate arranged inside a processing vessel a plurality of times, wherein the alternately supplying the metal chloride gas and the reducing gas includes a period of time during which a flow rate of the metal chloride gas gradually increases.

Abstract: In a method of detecting a defect on a substrate, an incident beam may be radiated to a surface of the substrate to generate reflected light beams. A second harmonic generation (SHG) beam among the reflected light beams may be detected. The SHG beam may be generated by a defect on the substrate. A nano size defect may be detected by examining the SHG beam.

Abstract: Provided is a slot die with variable nozzles.

Abstract: Disclosed is a printing apparatus. In an exemplary embodiment, the printing apparatus includes a nozzle for ejecting ink, a driving device for moving the nozzle, an imaging device for capturing an image displaying an ink printing process, and an automatic positioning controller for automatically setting a position of the nozzle based on the image captured by the imaging device while moving the nozzle by means of the driving device.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for evaluating the quality of steam-treated products, allowing easy, quick and precise evaluation of the quality of oxide films in steam-treated products such as black coated steel sheets. Specifically, the present invention provides a method for evaluating the quality of steam-treated products with a surface oxide film formed during steam treatment, wherein test pieces (100) are cut out from said steam-treated products to measure the amount of oxygen in said test pieces (100) as a basis for evaluating the brightness of the surface(s) of said test pieces and/or the thickness of the oxide film of said test pieces.

Abstract: The present invention is a data processing apparatus including a data input/output device for receiving data, a storage for storing the data received by the data input/output device, a data processing program storage for storing a data processing program that includes the steps of calculating, using a double exponential smoothing method, a first predicted value that is a predicted value of smoothed data and a second predicted value that is a predicted value of the gradient of the smoothed data, and calculating, using a double exponential smoothing method in which the second predicted value is set as input data, a third predicted value that is a predicted value of smoothed data and a fourth predicted value that is a predicted value of the gradient of the smoothed data, and a data calculation processing apparatus for performing the data processing under the data processing program.

Abstract: A droplet dispensing apparatus includes a droplet ejection device, a microplate holder, a sheet stand, an image capturing device and a controller. The image capturing device is configured to move to a position above the sheet stand. The controller is configured to perform image processing on image data generated from an image captured by the image capturing device when the image capturing device is at the position above the test sheet on the sheet stand, to determine a size of each of test patterns formed by droplets dropped on the test sheet from the array of nozzles. The controller is further configured to generate a data file including the determined size of each of the test patterns. The test sheet colors or discolors at a place receiving a light-transmissive droplet.

Abstract: A layer-forming device includes a feeding mechanism that feeds a substrate during layer formation, an injector unit having a plurality of injectors that supplies a layer-forming gas to the substrate, along a feeding passage of the substrate, and a reactant supply unit which generates a reactant. The injector unit supplies the reactant through gaps between the injectors to a layer of the layer-forming component. A substrate opposing surface of the injector includes a layer-forming gas supply slot through which the layer-forming gas is output, first gas exhaust slots that suck an excess gas such as the layer-forming gas, the first gas exhaust slots being provided on both sides of the layer-forming gas supply slot in a feeding direction of the substrate, and inert gas supply slots that supply an inert gas provided on far sides of the respective first gas exhaust slots away from the layer-forming gas supply slot.

Abstract: Systems and methods provide for detection and controlled interaction with one or more objects. The system can include an imaging subsystem (20), a tool subsystem (26) containing one or more tools, a stage subsystem (16) and a control system (40). The control system (40) can integrate controls for each of the other subsystems, which controls can be implement desired functions over a variety of process parameters to perform the controlled interaction.

Abstract: The invention relates to the field of electrical engineering. An electricity supply system for a transport vehicle contains an electric network (1) with negative and positive wires, to which are connected an accumulator battery (2) and an electric starter (3); a capacitor bank (4); a bidirectional converter (5), which is connected between the capacitor bank and the electric network; a regulator (6); and a temperature sensor (11). Voltage from the capacitor bank is fed to an input (10) of the regulator, an additional input (12) of the regulator is connected to the temperature sensor, and outputs of the regulator are connected to control inputs (7, 8, 9) of the bidirectional converter, which bidirectional converter, in accordance with a signal at the control inputs, is capable of changing the parameters of its own volt-ampere characteristics at the outputs on the side of the electric network.

Abstract: A preventive maintenance system includes a sensor attached to a movable part, and a preventive maintenance device which accumulates data on the operation of the movable part detected with the sensor, detects an indication of a malfunction of the movable part from a correlation between the operation data and a malfunction mode of the movable part, and notifies an operator of an indication of the malfunction when the indication of the malfunction of the movable part is found, or orders a replacement part for a component part which is a cause of the indication of the malfunction.

Abstract: An apparatus for probing an interface via second harmonic generation (SHG) spectroscopy is provided.

Abstract: Self-aligned via and plug patterning for back end of line (BEOL) interconnects are described. In an example, a structure for directed self-assembly includes a substrate and a block co-polymer structure disposed above the substrate. The block co-polymer structure has a polystyrene (PS) component and a polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) component. One of the PS component or the PMMA component is photosensitive.

Abstract: A control circuit for a impedance matching circuit having first and second capacitor arrays receives as input one or more RF parameters of the impedance matching circuit, and in response thereto: determines a first match configuration for the first capacitor array and a second match configuration for the second capacitor array to create an impedance match between a fixed RF source impedance and a variable RF load impedance, the first match configuration and the second match configuration being determined from one or more look-up tables and based upon the detected one or more RF parameters; and alters at least one of the first array configuration and the second array configuration to the first match configuration and the second match configuration, respectively, by controlling the on and off states of (a) each discrete capacitor of the first capacitor array and (b) each discrete capacitor of the second capacitor array.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process and structure of microfabricated air bridges for planar microwave resonator circuits. In an embodiment, the invention includes depositing a superconducting film on a surface of a base material, where the superconducting film is formed with a compressive stress, where the compressive stress is higher than a critical buckling stress of a defined structure, etching an exposed area of the superconducting film, thereby creating the at least one bridge, etching the base material, thereby forming a gap between the at least one bridge and the base material, depositing the at least one metal line on at least part of the superconducting film and at least part of the base material, where the at least one metal line runs under the bridge.