1319 results about "Free space" patented technology

A plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) system is described, wherein the system comprises a processing space and a high vacuum, ultra-clean transfer space. During processing, the substrate to which the thin conformal film is formed is exposed to the processing space. During substrate transfer, the substrate is exposed to the high vacuum space. Processing gases are introduced sequentially and alternately to the process chamber and the pressures and gas flows within, to and from, and between the process chamber and the high vacuum transfer space are controlled to keep the transfer space ultra-clean.

A substrate support structure comprising a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface. The substrate support structure also comprises a plurality of proximity pins projecting to a first height above the first surface, the first height being less than 100 μm. In addition, the substrate support structure further comprises a plurality of purge ports passing from the second surface to the first surface and a plurality of vacuum ports passing from the second surface to the first surface. In one embodiment, the plurality of purge ports are arranged in a first circular pattern, the first circular pattern having a first radial dimension less than the radius of the substrate support, and the plurality of vacuum ports are arranged in a second circular pattern, the second circular pattern having a second radial dimension less than the first radial dimension.

A semiconductor processing system includes an intermediate structure disposed between an atmospheric pressure entrance transfer chamber and a vacuum common transfer chamber. The intermediate structure includes a transfer passage for a target substrate to pass therein. The transfer passage includes a first buffer chamber a middle transfer chamber and a second buffer chamber detachably connected. An additional processing apparatus is detachably connected to the middle transfer chamber. The intermediate structure is selectively arranged in first or second state. In the first state, the additional processing apparatus performs a vacuum process, while the first buffer chamber is a load-lock chamber. In the second state, the additional processing apparatus performs an atmospheric pressure process, while the second buffer chamber is a load-lock chamber.

A vacuum processing apparatus includes a vacuum processing chamber having a processing table for supporting an object to be processed and carrying out processing using a gas. The vacuum processing chamber has an axisymmetric structure, including a double wall structure, and a gate valve for sealing an opening through which the object enters the processing chamber.

A wound therapy device is disclosed. The wound therapy device may include a housing for covering at least a portion of a wound and for sealing to a body surface of a patient. The housing may also include a liquid-retention chamber for retaining liquid therein and a vacuum connection for coupling to a vacuum source. The vacuum connection may be in gaseous communication with the liquid-retention chamber. The vacuum connection may be separated from the liquid-retention chamber by a liquid barrier.

A multilayer circuit substrate for multi-chip modules or hybrid circuits includes a dielectric base substrate, conductors formed on the base substrate and a vacuum deposited dielectric thin film formed over the conductors and the base substrate. The vacuum deposited dielectric thin film is patterned using sacrificial structures formed by shadow mask techniques. Substrates formed in this manner enable significant increases in interconnect density and significant reduction of over-all substrate thickness.

An analyte test device is constructed as an integrated, single-use, disposable cartridge which can be releasably installed into a compatible analyte test monitor. In use, the device can be used in conjunction with the monitor to lance the skin of a patient to create a blood sample, express the blood sample from the wound site using vacuum forces and calculate the concentration of a particular analyte in the expressed blood sample. In one embodiment, the device includes a base which includes a top surface and a bottom surface. The base is also shaped to define an aperture which extends transversely through its top and bottom surfaces. An electrochemical test sensor is affixed to the base in such a manner so that a vacuum path is at least partially defined between the base and the test sensor, the vacuum path being in fluid communication with the aperture. A cover is affixed to the top surface of the base over the aperture, the cover comprising a flexible dome-shaped member and a lancet coupled to the member, the lancet being orientated such that its longitudinal axis extends at an approximate right angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the test sensor. The bottom surface of the base is shaped to include a skin receiving surface which at least partially defines the aperture in the base, the skin receiving surface having a steep inward contour to distend the skin of the patient when pressed thereagainst.

A system for processing substrates in plasma chambers, such that all substrates transport and loading/unloading operations are performed in atmospheric environment, but processing is performed in vacuum environment. The substrates are transported throughout the system on carriers. The system's chambers are arranged linearly, such that carriers move from one chamber directly to the next. A conveyor, placed above or below the system's chambers, returns the carriers to the system's entry area after processing is completed. Loading and unloading of substrates may be performed at one side of the system, or loading can be done at the entry side and unloading at the exit side.

A plasma reactor for PECVD treatment of large-size substrates according to the invention comprises a vacuum process chamber as an outer chamber and at least one inner reactor with an electrode showerhead acting as RF antenna, said inner reactor again comprising a reactor bottom and a reactor top, being sealingly connected at least during treatment of substrates in the plasma reactor and separated at least during loading/unloading of the substrates. Further embodiments comprise a sealing for said reactor to/bottom and a suspender for the RF antenna/electrode showerhead.

A film forming method, for depositing a thin film on a surface of a substrate mounted on a mounting table disposed in a vacuum processing chamber, includes an adsorption process for adsorbing a film forming material on the substrate by introducing a source gas into the processing chamber; and a reaction process for carrying out a film forming reaction, after the adsorption process, by introducing an energy transfer gas into the processing chamber and supplying thermal energy to the film forming material adsorbed on the substrate. By repeating the above process, the thin film is formed on the substrate in a layer-by-layer manner.

An apparatus constructed with a plural of independent reactors for depositing thin films is provided. The apparatus includes a chamber consisting of a base plate, a chamber wall and a chamber cover. A plural of identical and independent reactors are mounted inside the chamber, and each reactor has two parts; a reactor lower body and a reactor upper body, where the reactor upper body is fixed to the chamber cover and the reactor lower body is fixed to the base plate and moves up and down, thereby the up position of the reactor lower body makes a contact with the reactor upper body and thus providing a vacuum-tight processing space. Since a plural of identical and independent reactors are used, the processing steps and conditions developed for a single substrate type of reactor can be used for multiple reactors with minor adjustments, by utilizing a relatively symmetrical process gas supply inlet tube and process gas inlet tube and process gas exhaust tube arrangements. Such an arrangement also leads to high throughput, low cost and compact designs with tight footprints.

The present invention provides a vacuum processing apparatus which is small-sized and requires a small installation area. The vacuum processing apparatus includes a vacuum container which has a processing chamber inside thereof, wherein the pressure inside the processing chamber is reduced and plasma used for processing a sample is formed inside the processing chamber, a bed portion which is arranged below the vacuum container and stores a device for supplying electricity and electric signals used for processing inside the vacuum container, and a transport chamber which is connected with the vacuum container and includes a transport device for transporting the sample inside thereof. The vacuum processing apparatus further includes a connector portion which is mounted on the bed portion in a state that the connector portion faces a lower portion of the transport chamber, wherein the bed portion is configured to be detachably mounted on the vacuum processing apparatus in a state that the bed portion performs the connection and the disconnection at the connector portion.

A wound dressing apparatus includes a wound dressing member dimensioned for positioning relative to a wound bed. The wound dressing member including an internal vacuum reservoir and has a port in communication with the vacuum reservoir for applying subatmospheric pressure to the vacuum reservoir to facilitate removal of fluid from the wound bed. The wound dressing member includes a visual pressure indicator associated therewith for indicating a level of pressure within the vacuum reservoir. The visual pressure indicator includes color indicia having a plurality of colors corresponding to a condition of the pressure within the vacuum reservoir. The wound dressing member includes a lower absorbent member positionable adjacent the wound bed and an upper member which at least partially defines the vacuum reservoir. At least one of the top member and the lower absorbent member has the visual pressure indicator mounted thereto. The preferred visual pressure indicator includes an electronic position sensor. The visual pressure indicator further includes circuit means and visible alarm means. The circuit means is adapted to actuate the visible alarm means when the position sensor detects a relative positioning of the top member of the wound dressing member to provide a visual indication of the condition of the subatmospheric pressure within the vacuum reservoir.

An object of the present invention is to provide a small solid-state image sensor which realizes significant improvement in sensitivity. The solid-state image sensor of the present invention includes a semiconductor substrate in which photoelectric conversion units are formed, a light-blocking film which is formed above the semiconductor substrate and has apertures formed so as to be positioned above respective photoelectric conversion units, and a high refractive index layer formed in the apertures. Here, each aperture has a smaller aperture width than a maximum wavelength in a wavelength of light in a vacuum converted from a wavelength of the light entering the photoelectric conversion unit through the apertures, and the high refractive index is made of a high refractive index material having a refractive index which allows transmission of light having the maximum wavelength through the aperture.

A technique for acquiring and tracking terminals in a free-space laser communication system involves exchanging beacon laser beams between the terminals to acquire and then track the terminals such that data laser beams exchanged by the terminals for communication are steered based on feedback from detection of the beacon laser beams. The beacon laser beams used for acquisition have a greater beam divergence than those used for tracking. Gimbals provide coarse steering of the data laser beams, and steering mirrors provide fine steering. GPS position data exchanged via an RF link can be used for initial pointing of the beacon laser beams for acquisition. The beacon laser beams can be chopped such that all terminals can use the same beacon wavelength and are distinguished by using different chopping frequencies. By detecting a chopped signal, the position sensor detector can be AC coupled to reduce sensitivity to solar radiation and glint.

An electrosurgical apparatus for treating body tissue, comprising an active and a return electrode, a vacuum inlet located near the active electrode, and at least one pinhole defined on the apparatus near the return electrode that is adapted to provide a conductive fluid bridge between the active and return electrodes during use regardless of the orientation of the electrodes relative to the tissue, without flooding the electrodes or the tissue. Also, a method and system of performing a dry field surgical procedure comprising applying ablative energy to a target tissue wherein the target tissue is not flooded or submerged in electrically conductive fluid; and maintaining a fluid bridge between the electrodes regardless of the orientation of the shaft. Advantageously, since the conductive fluid bridge is maintained for any orientation of the electrodes relative to the tissue without flooding, the instrument can be used to treat tissue from any orientation without breaking the fluid bridge.

An organic electroluminescent device including a substrate, the substrate includes, laminated thereon, an anode layer; an organic structure including at least one light- emissive layer or at least one light-emissive unit having at least one light-emissive layer; a low resistance electron-transporting layer including a mixed layer of an electron-donating metal dopant and an organic compound; an organometallic complex-contained layer including an organometallic complex compound containing at least one metal ion selected from the group having an alkaline metal ion, an alkaline earth metal ion and a rare earth metal ion; a reducing reaction generating layer; and a cathode layer, in that order. At least one of the anode layer and the cathode layer is transparent. The reducing reaction generating layer is a layer produced by depositing on the organometallic complex- contained layer a thermally reducible metal capable of reducing a metal ion in the organometallic complex compound in a vacuum to the corresponding metal, followed by causing an oxidation-reduction reaction therebetween.

An interventional catheter assembly comprises an operating head for removing obstructive material from a target site in a body lumen or cavity and at least one aspiration port located proximal to the operating head and penetrating the catheter assembly, the aspiration port being in communication with a sealed lumen that communicates with a vacuum system for withdrawing aspirate fluid and obstructive material from the target site. A rotatable member is positioned inside the catheter assembly at the site of the aspiration port and rotates during operation of the vacuum system. The rotatable member is provided with at least one upstanding bar that is sized to cooperate with the walls of the aspiration port and the inner surface of the catheter assembly to macerate debris that is drawn into the aspiration port.

The present invention relates generally to a multi-reflecting time-of-flight mass spectrometer (MR TOF MS). To improve mass resolving power of a planar MR TOF MS, a spatially isochronous and curved interface may be used for ion transfer in and out of the MR TOF analyzer. One embodiment comprises a planar grid-free MR TOF MS with periodic lenses in the field-free space, a linear ion trap for converting ion flow into pulses and a C-shaped isochronous interface made of electrostatic sectors. The interface allows transferring ions around the edges and fringing fields of the ion mirrors without introducing significant time spread. The interface may also provide energy filtering of ion packets. The non-correlated turn-around time of ion trap converter may be reduced by using a delayed ion extraction from the ion trap and excessive ion energy is filtered in the curved interface.

A plasma reactor includes a vacuum enclosure including a side wall and a ceiling defining a vacuum chamber, and a workpiece support within the chamber and facing the ceiling for supporting a planar workpiece, the workpiece support and the ceiling together defining a processing region between the workpiece support and the ceiling. Process gas inlets furnish a process gas into the chamber. A plasma source power electrode is connected to an RF power generator for capacitively coupling plasma source power into the chamber for maintaining a plasma within the chamber. The reactor further includes at least a first overhead solenoidal electromagnet adjacent the ceiling, the overhead solenoidal electromagnet, the ceiling, the side wall and the workpiece support being located along a common axis of symmetry. A current source is connected to the first solenoidal electromagnet and furnishes a first electric current in the first solenoidal electromagnet whereby to generate within the chamber a magnetic field which is a function of the first electric current, the first electric current having a value such that the magnetic field increases uniformity of plasma ion density radial distribution about the axis of symmetry near a surface of the workpiece support.

A biopsy device and method are provided for obtaining a tissue sample, such as a breast tissue biopsy sample. The biopsy device includes a disposable probe assembly with an outer cannula having a distal piercing tip, a cutter lumen, and a cutter tube that rotates and translates past a side aperture in the outer cannula to sever a tissue sample. The biopsy device also includes a reusable handpiece with an integral motor and power source to make a convenient, untethered control for use with ultrasonic imaging. The reusable handpiece incorporates a probe oscillation mode to assist when inserting the distal piercing tip into tissue. The motor also actuates a vacuum syringe in coordination with movement of the cutter tube to provide vacuum assistance in prolapsing tissue and retracting tissue samples.