Abstract: A method of forming a conductive device includes forming a conductive layer on a substrate; etching the conductive layer to form a plurality of conductive traces; etching the conductive layer to form at least one mask feature; and removing substrate material that is not covered by the at least one mask feature so as to form at least one mechanical alignment feature.

Abstract: A technique for fabricating precisely machined micro devices and micro systems that facilitates the fabrication of three-dimensional device features and reduces the need for final micro assembly. The technique includes providing a layer of base material on which the micro device/system is to be formed. The base layer optionally undergoes mechanical micro machining such as ultra-precision milling, drilling, turning, or grinding, and/or non-mechanical micro machining including lithography and etching. Next, at least one layer of structural material is deposited on the micro-machined sacrificial layer. The structural layer then optionally undergoes mechanical and/or non-mechanical micro machining. Next, any excess material of the structural layer is removed. Finally, the material of the sacrificial layer is removed to at least partially free the final micro device/system from the base layer.

Abstract: This invention describes improved polishing pads useful in the manufacture of semiconductor devices or the like. The pads of the present invention have an advantageous hydrofoil polishing material and have an innovative surface topography and texture which generally improves predictability and polishing performance.

Abstract: Techniques for fabricating an inkjet printhead include providing a printhead substrate, fabricating a thinfilm structure on the substrate, forming a break trench in a surface region of the substrate in which a feed slot is to be formed, and subsequently abrasively machining the substrate through the break trench to form the feed slot. The break trench can be formed by an etch process, prior to applying a barrier layer to the thinfilm structure in a preferred embodiment.

Abstract: Embedded flush circuitry features are provided by depositing a conductive seed layer on the front side of a sacrificial carrier; plating a layer of conductive metal onto the seed layer and personalizing circuitry features. The front side of the carrier film is embedded into a dielectric material and the sacrificial carrier film is removed.

Abstract: A scanning probe microscope probe is formed by depositing probe material in a mold that has a cavity in a shape and of a size of the desired form of the scanning probe microscope probe that is being fabricated. In the preferred embodiment, the cavity is formed by lithographically defining, in the body of the mold, the shape and the size of the desired scanning probe microscope probe and etching the body of the mold to form the cavity. Prior to depositing the probe material in the cavity in the mold, the cavity is lined with a release layer which, upon activation after the probe has been formed, permits removal of the probe.

Abstract: A maskant plate is described which allows for protection of textured, diffusion-hardened surfaces on prosthetic devices while not interfering with common post-oxidation mass finishing procedures which are often used to form the finished product after surface oxidation.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for cleaning the slider air bearing surface of a head gimbal assembly is disclosed. A plurality of carriers may position and hold a plurality of head gimbal assemblies to be polished. A cloth strip may be rubbed against the slider air bearing surface. A movable cylinder unit coupled to the plurality of carriers may move the carriers. A polish tank may provide cleaning solution to the movable cylinder unit. A pump may recirculate the cleaning solution. A filter canister with a filter cartridge may filter the cleaning solution.

Abstract: A method of forming a manifold through a substrate of a printhead substructure is disclosed. The substrate has an ink reservoir-facing side and an opposing transducer-supporting side. The transducer-supporting side of the substrate is introduced to an etchant. A laser beam is used to irradiate the etchant contacting side of the substrate. The irradiated areas of the substrate are thereby etched to define a first portion of the manifold therein. A second portion of the manifold is formed, preferably by sand blasting, to connect to the first portion. A printhead substructure that includes a substrate having a manifold formed according to the method is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for surface marking a solid substrate (1), according to which, during an exposures sequence, said substrate is exposed to coherent monochromatic light (2) in order to strip said substrate over an indented surface (3), wherein the exposure conditions, including duration, are set in order to restrict said indented surface to simple abrasion designed for the bonding of a printing medium, and the exposure sequence is followed by a sequence of projecting in discrete form, during which particles (6) of said printing medium, the deposition of which subsequently defines a printing element (4), are projected in targeted fashion into the indented surface (3, 31). A device for marking a surface of a substrate is also provided.

Abstract: Method for making a mesh-and-plate surgical implant includes the steps of applying maskant to first and second faces of a metal sheet, selectively ablating the maskant on both faces, affixing a first tape to the first face to cover same and maskant thereon, but leaving an exposed portion for a screw hole, affixing a second tape to the second face to cover same and maskant thereon, etching the first face screw hole portion to form a crater, removing the first tape, etching the crater and other exposed portions of the first face, removing the second tape, etching opposite the crater and other exposed portions of the second face to provide openings in communication with the crater, and other second face openings extending to the first face, and removing remaining maskant to provide the implant configured to include a pliable mesh portion and a rigid plate portion, and having a screw hole therein.

Abstract: The invention is a method of introducing porous membranes into MEMS elements by supporting the membranes by frames to form an heterostructure. This is achieved by attaching to a structured or porous substrate one or more monolithically fabricated frames and membranes. Having membranes disposed on frames enables them to be batch processed and facilitates separation, handling and mounting within MEMS or nanofluidic systems. Applications include, but are not limited to, filters for gases or liquids, electron transmissive windows and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) accessible arrays of nanotest tubes containing liquid phases and other sample states. The invention includes the apparatus made by the method.

Abstract: Provided are a method of forming a magnetic layer pattern and a method of manufacturing a thin film magnetic head, which can reduce the number of manufacturing steps and thus reduce the manufacturing time. A precursory nonmagnetic layer and a precursory bottom pole layer are formed in this sequence so as to cover a frame pattern formed on an underlayer (a top shield layer) and having an opening. Then, the precursory nonmagnetic layer and the precursory bottom pole layer are patterned by polishing the overall surface by CMP until at least the frame pattern is exposed, and thus a nonmagnetic layer and a bottom pole are selectively formed. The number of manufacturing steps can be reduced and thus the manufacturing time can be reduced, as compared to the case of forming the nonmagnetic layer and the bottom pole without forming the frame pattern.

Abstract: Methods for finishing or refurbishing surfaces on protective covers encapsulating microelectronic dies. In one embodiment, a method for fishing a surface of a protective package on a microelectronic device includes abrading the surface of the package by engaging an abrasive media with the surface of the package, terminating the abrasion when a surface blemish has been at least partially removed from the package, and cleaning residual materials from the package after terminating the abrasion of the package surface. The abrasive media can include a fixed-abrasive member, a fixed-abrasive member and a solution, a non-abrasive member and a chemical solution having abrasive particles, or an abrasive blasting media.

Abstract: A gas at an extremely low temperature is jet-sprayed onto a warped concave surface of a wafer to correct this warped concave surface flat.

Abstract: Disclosed is a production method of an aluminum support for a lithographic printing plate, capable of stable and low-cost production of an aluminum support for a lithographic printing plate, the support being scarcely subject to generation of treatment unevenness called streaks or grainy unevenness ascribable to the different in the aluminum dissolving rate due to the difference in the orientation of the crystal grain. The aluminum support is produced by surface graining and then polishing an aluminum plate or by polishing an aluminum plate while etching it in an aqueous acid or alkali solution. The aluminum plate may be subjected to polishing and then to anodization or may be subjected to polishing, to surface graining, again to or not to polishing and then to anodization. A production method for producing a high-quality support for a lithographic printing plate, free of local unevenness is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for removing the circumferential edge of a dielectric layer on a semiconductor wafer is disclosed. First, a semiconductor wafer having a dielectric layer on its upper surface is provided. Second, the semiconductor wafer is placed and secured on a susceptor. Third, the circumferential edge of the dielectric layer is removed by a ring cutter. Then, the semiconductor wafer is cleaned from its central portion to its edge portion by water jets.

Abstract: Provided is a reactive ion etching (RIE) method for use in altering the flatness of a slider, whereby a slider or row of sliders is placed within a RIE apparatus. The apparatus comprises essentially an electrode within a chamber having an inlet and an outlet. The electrode is controlled by a bias power source. A source power is provided to the chamber to generate the plasma, wherein a gas or gas mixture is first introduced to the chamber and the source power is adjusted to maximize the plasma composition of ions and reactive neutral species. The ions and reactive neutral species are generated from reactive chemical species such as CHF3 and other F-containing species. An inert gas such as Argon may also be present. Typically, TiC within the Al2O3 matrix of the slider substrate surface is etched at a faster rate than other substrate species.

Abstract: The invention is relative to an electrode for gas evolution in electrolytic and electrometallurgical industrial applications, made of a metal substrate having a surface morphology characterized by a combination of micro-roughness and macro-roughness which favors high adherence of a superficial catalytic layer in order to prevent detachment of the same and passivation of the substrate even under critical operating conditions.

Abstract: An oxide for use in a bolometer with an oxide thin-film formed is manufactured on an insulating substrate. Metal organic compound is dissolved in solvent to form solution during manufacturing the oxide thin-film. The solution is applied on the insulating substrate, and the applied solution is dried. A bond between carbon and oxygen is cut and decomposed by irradiating a laser ray with wavelength of 400 nm or less. A generated oxide is crystallized.

Abstract: A micro-gas chromatograph column is formed by texturing a channel into a plurality of green-sheet layers, which are then sintered together to form a substantially monolithic structure. A thick-film paste may be added to the channel textured in the green-sheet layers to provide a porous plug sintered in the micro-gas chromatograph column in the substantially monolithic. A thermal conductivity detector is formed in the substantially monolithic structure by depositing a conductive thick-film paste on the surface of one of the green-sheet layers to define a resistor in an exit channel of the micro-gas chromatograph column.

Abstract: A flat display device, preferably of the PALC type, in which the plasma channels are formed by etching laterally-spaced slots in a spacer plate, attaching a thin dielectric sheet over the etched spacer plate, and bonding the etched spacer plate to a transparent substrate such that each channel is formed by the portion of the substrate between flanking walls formed by the etched slots in the spacer plate, adjacent flanking walls in the spacer plate, and the overlying portion of the thin dielectric sheet. In a modification, strengthening crossbars are formed between adjacent flanking walls.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a thin film magnetic head allowing high performance head characteristics to be achieved without complicating manufacturing steps. At the same time an insulating film pattern defining a throat height TH is formed, an insulating film pattern is formed. When a thin film coil is formed, a coil connection portion integral with the thin film coil is simultaneously formed on the insulating film pattern, so that an upper surface of the coil connection portion is positioned higher than that of thin film coil. After covering the entire surface with an insulating film, a surface of the insulating film is polished until both of an upper connection portion and the coil connection portion are exposed, so that only the coil connection portion can be exposed while the thin film coil remains unexposed.

Abstract: An etching mask with at least one etching window is applied on a glass object consisting substantially of boron silicate glass. Subsequently, the glass object is etched through the etching window by using, for instance, HF, thereby producing trapezoidal trenches or truncated pyramidal grooves in its cross-section.

Abstract: A method for parting a laminated substrate used for a liquid crystal cell and a parting device are provided which are capable of obtaining, at a time of the parting, a parting line being vertical to a face on which a scribe line is formed, thus enabling prevention of a failure in the parting of the laminated substrate. To part the laminated substrate made of a first substrate and a second substrate into a plurality of substrates used for the liquid crystal cell, the scribe line is formed on one substrate out of the first substrate and second substrate along a boundary of the substrate used for the liquid crystal cell and multiple parting force is applied by timesharing to the other substrate out of the first and second substrates along the scribe line.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for producing a liquid discharge head including a head main body provided with plural energy generation elements for generating energy for discharging liquid as a flying liquid droplet and plural flow paths in which the energy generation elements are respectively provided, and an orifice plate provided with plural discharge ports respectively communicating with the flow paths, wherein the orifice plate and the head main body are mutually adjoined, the method comprising a step of preparing a substrate consisting of a silicon-containing material for preparing the orifice plate a step of forming, by dry etching, plural recesses in positions on the surface of the substrate respectively corresponding to the discharge ports, with a depth larger by 5 to 50 &mgr;m than the depth of the discharge ports, a step of thinning the substrate from the reverse side thereof until the depth of the recesses becomes equal to the depth of the discharge apertures to form plural discharge ports on the

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for the fabrication of a wiring board, which comprises the following steps: (a) forming a first wiring pattern on a first side of a self-supporting carrier metal foil so as to obtain a self-supporting wiring sheet comprising the carrier metal foil and the first wiring pattern; (b) superposing and pressing the first side of said self-supporting wiring sheet on and against an insulating substrate so that the first wiring pattern is_embedded in the insulating substrate and constitutes a surface with the insulating substrate; and (c) etching off desired portions of said carrier metal foil to form a second wiring pattern made of said carrier metal foil remaining on the surface constituted by the insulating substrate and the first wiring pattern. The present invention also provides the wiring board for electrical tests so fabricated.

Abstract: A method of processing a semiconductor substrate to increase fracture strength and a semiconductor substrate formed by that method. In a preferred embodiment, the semiconductor substrate is utilized in a printhead. The semiconductor substrate has a feature such as an ink feed channel machined therein, and following machining the die is processed to remove material adjacent the machined feature to reduce micro-cracks or other defects that may have been created during the feature machining process. The crack containing material may be removed by several procedures. A preferred procedure is etching with a solution containing TMAH.

Abstract: A process of chemical-mechanical contouring (CMC) using a stair-step etch involves formation of an elevated layer of substrate overlying a device, in the illustrative example a thin-film magnetic head. The elevated layer of substrate is formed into a stair-step structure with the height and width of the stair-steps selected to attain a predetermined shape and size.

Abstract: The addition of thin coatings (less than and approaching monomolecular coatings) of persistent release materials comprising preferred compounds of the formula:

Abstract: The addition of thin coatings (less than and approaching monomolecular coatings) of persistent release materials comprising preferred compounds of the formula:

Abstract: Disclosed is a grinding-and-etching system using a dry-etching for removing strains from plate-like objects such as semiconductor wafers, which are caused in grinding such objects. The system includes chuck table means (11) for fixedly holding plate-like objects, grinder means (12a, 12b) for grinding plate-like objects held on the chuck table means, washing means (13) for washing the post-grinding plate-like objects, and dry-etching means (14) for dry-etching the plate-like objects thus washed. The dry-etching does not require any strong acid which will produce an unwholesome gas to cause environmental pollution.

Abstract: The method and apparatus manufacture a liquid drop ejecting head. The method and apparatus blast particles on a substrate having on an upper layer a patterned mask layer made of an organic material and on a lower layer a driver circuit for ejecting a liquid drop to thereby perform an etching process on parts of the substrate exposed from the mask layer. The etching process is performed in an ionic atmosphere ionized with a polarity opposite to a charged polarity generated in the substrate when the substrate is subjected to etching.

Abstract: A book cover paper that is to be glued to a book block back has material scooped out on the side facing the book back, reducing the thickness of the cover paper at least over the width of the book block back, before the cover paper is joined to the book block back.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a microstrip termination is provided, the microstrip termination containing a transmission line, a tapered edge ground and a thin film resistor connecting a transmission line to the tapered edge ground. Circuits are manufactured by first cutting holes in a substrate forming alignment holes for dicing the substrate into separate circuits. A saw is then used to cut tapered grooves along the alignment holes for forming tapered edges. The substrate is then plated and etched to form the transmission lines, thin film resistors, and ground planes. Finally, the substrate is diced into the separate termination circuits.

Abstract: A process is described for the manufacture of flexible tubular elements, particularly stents for the medical field, the process comprising the steps of: a) providing a hollow metal tube (or metal coated tube) with an open pattern of a chemical-etch-resistant coating layer; b) supporting the hollow metal tube with a coating thereon onto a chemical etch resistant support element; c) contacting the open pattern with a solution capable of etching the metal of the hollow metal tube so that said metal is etched away from physically exposed surfaces of the metal tube and openings in the metal tube corresponding to the open pattern of the coating layer are created in the metal tube element without etching the chemical etch resistant support element; and d) removing the metal tube from the chemical etch resistant support element.

Abstract: A process for the wet-chemical surface treatment of a semiconductor wafer following a mechanical surface treatment, in particular following a mechanical surface treatment in a lapping machine, includes a sequence of treatment steps. The process essentially includes a wet-chemical surface cleaning, preferably for neutralizing and eliminating the lapping slurry, an acid etching treatment, preferably for eliminating the mechanically imposed damage and for surface smoothing and removal of metals. There is a final step of drying and rendering the cleaned and etched surface hydrophilic.

Abstract: A chemical-mechanical jet etching method rapidly removes large amounts of material in wafer thinning, or produces large-scale features on a silicon wafer, gallium arsenide substrate, or similar flat semiconductor workpiece, at etch rates in the range of 10-100 microns of workpiece thickness per minute. A nozzle or array of nozzles, optionally including a dual-orifice nozzle, delivers a high-pressure jet of machining etchant fluid to the surface of the workpiece. The machining etchant comprises a liquid or gas, carrying particulate material. The liquid may be a chemical etchant, or a solvent for a chemical etchant, if desired. The areas which are not to be etched may be shielded from the jet by a patterned mask, or the jet may be directed at areas from which material is to be removed, as in wafer thinning or direct writing, depending on the size of the desired feature or etched area.

Abstract: The addition of thin coatings (less than and approaching monomolecular coatings) of persistent release materials comprising preferred compounds of the formula:

Abstract: A method and apparatus for the manufacture of thin film magnetic transducers using a compliant pad or mat or surface in a lapping process is disclosed. The lapping process is applied to heads to eliminate both ductile element connections between the MR and shields and poletip and shield protrusion. A lapping media is dispensed onto an interface surface of a compliant pad. Then, the interface surface is engaged to the surface of a head outside a region comprising transducers defining a head gap. The pad is then moved over the head in a direction parallel to the head gap while using a head rail to guide the pad. The soft, compliant pad conforms to the head rail to ensure parallel movement. The pad is typically not stopped at the elements, but rather moves from one end of the head to the other to prevent bridging and damage that might occur during start/stop on the delicate elements.

Abstract: A non-magnetic substrate having a super-clean and defect-free smooth surface for ultra high-density GMR recording is produced by a surface treatment called a “ZP” process. The term “ZP” means zap cutting with photon ozone treatment of the cut surface. “Zap cutting” is a process for cutting asperity of the non-magnetic substrate's surface. The ZP process could be applied to the whole substrate or certain areas of the non-magnetic substrate. The non-magnetic substrate could be used for disk drives that use either a landing zone design or a load/unload mechanism. The resulting magnetic recording medium exhibits improved flying stability, glide performance, reliability, tribology and long term durability for providing zero glide hits.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a thin-film magnetic head, includes a first step of forming a second magnetic pole layer (an upper magnetic pole layer) on a magnetic gap layer formed on a first magnetic pole layer (a lower magnetic pole layer) so that the second magnetic pole layer opposes to the first magnetic pole layer via the magnetic gap layer, and a second step of dry etching a part of an upper surface of the first magnetic pole layer surrounding the second magnetic pole layer used as an etching mask to make a width of the dry-etched part of the first magnetic pole layer equal to a width of the second magnetic pole layer. The first step includes shaping at least part of the second magnetic pole layer so that the width of the second magnetic pole layer increases as a throat height becomes large.

Abstract: A method of smoothing a silicon surface formed on a substrate. According to the present invention a substrate having a silicon surface is placed into a chamber and heated to a temperature of between 1000°-1300° C. While the substrate is heated to a temperature between 1000°-1300° C., the silicon surface is exposed to a gas mix comprising H2 and HCl in the chamber to smooth the silicon surface.

Abstract: The lithographic process described herein involves aligning a patterned mold with respect to an alignment mark that is disposed on a substrate based upon interaction of a scanning probe with the alignment mark. By this method, the patterned mold may be aligned to an atomic accuracy (e.g., on the order of 10 nm or less), enabling nanometer-scale devices to be fabricated. A device formed by this lithographic method and a system for implementing this lithographic method with alignment also are described.

Abstract: The addition of thin coatings (less than and approaching monomolecular coatings) of persistent release materials comprising preferred compounds of the formula:

Abstract: The present invention relates to a polishing method using a grindstone comprising abrasive grains and a bonding resin for bonding the abrasive grains, as well as to a polishing apparatus to be used for the polishing method. By using a resin for bonding abrasive grains, it is possible to obtain a grindstone having a desired modulus of elasticity. With such a grindstone, the surface of a substrate having concave and convex portions can be rendered uniformly flat, irrespective of the size of the concave and convex portions. Further, by first polishing the substrate surface with a polishing tool of a small elastic modulus and thereafter polishing it with a polishing tool of a large elastic modulus, it is possible to obtain a polished surface of reduced damage. The method of the invention is effective in planarizing various substrate surfaces having concave and convex portions.

Abstract: In a semiconductor device having a front surface where circuits are formed and a back surface, a hemishperical solid immersion lens is formed at the back surface of the semiconductor device in a body with the semiconductor device.

Abstract: A pressure suppression device for a chemical mechanical polishing machine. The chemical mechanical polishing machine includes a polishing table and a polishing head. The polishing table has a polishing pad and a polishing gas input through which a polishing gas is charged. The polishing head holds a wafer and has a wafer gas input through which a wafer gas is charged. The pressure suppression device has a pressure releasing component and a gas input tube coupled to the wafer gas input and the pressure releasing component. When a polishing pressure applied to the polishing pad is smaller than a wafer pressure applied to the wafer, the pressure releasing component releases a part of the wafer pressure until the wafer pressure is smaller than the polishing pressure. As a result, this prevents the wafer slippage or broken wafer that occur when the wafer is blown off from the polishing head by too much wafer pressure.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of making a magnetic disk having a uniform textured structure with micro-waviness of fabrication depth of less than 20 nm, preferably less than 10 nm, and a local depth deviation of less than 5%, in which texture patterns are characterized by the fact that lateral surfaces of the structure are sloped or curved. The object has been achieved in a method for making a magnetic disk, having micro-waviness on a fabrication surface of a substrate for reducing dynamic friction and controlling head float, by rotating and irradiating the fabrication surface with a high energy beam from a beam surface at an inclined angle to the substrate surface. The surface is irradiated through a shielding mask having a specific pattern, so as to produce a transcription pattern on the substrate surface to produce a textured structure with micro-waviness having sloped or curved side surfaces.

Abstract: Methods are disclosed for manufacturing segmented reticle blanks for use in fabricating segmented reticles for charged-particle-beam (e.g., electron beam) microlithography. The reticle blank includes a grillage of support struts having a substantially uniform depth and width throughout the reticle blank. A reticle substrate is prepared from a silicon substrate wafer. Beginning on a second major surface of the wafer, discharge-machining is performed part way into the thickness dimension of the silicon substrate so as to form from the silicon substrate a grillage of intersecting struts separating respective subfield regions from one another. In regions not occupied by respective struts, further machining into the thickness dimension is performed by dry-etching until each subfield region includes a respective membrane formed by a residual portion of the reticle substrate extending into the thickness dimension from the first major surface.