Abstract:
The invention is directed to an apparatus, method and system for a seed planter. The seed planter has a planting, dispensing and metering assembly operatively attached to a mobile supporting structure. The metering assembly has separated seed pre-staging and/or staging positions for staging pre-specified counts of seed separated from other counts in the batch and maintaining separation of the pre-specified counts of seed from other counts in the batch for planting. Alternatively, the metering assembly has separated seed staging positions for staging a batch of seed in singulated form for planting.
Abstract:
The orientation of a wafer with respect to the surface of an electrolyte is controlled during an electroplating process. The wafer is delivered to an electrolyte bath along a trajectory normal to the surface of the electrolyte. Along this trajectory, the wafer is angled before entry into the electrolyte for angled immersion. A wafer can be plated in an angled orientation or not, depending on what is optimal for a given situation. Also, in some designs, the wafer's orientation can be adjusted actively during immersion or during electroplating, providing flexibility in various electroplating scenarios.
Abstract:
Methods of preparing a low stress porous low-k dielectric material on a substrate are provided. The methods involve the use of a structure former precursor and/or porogen precursor with one or more organic functional groups. In some cases, the structure former precursor has carbon-carbon double or triple bonds. In other cases, one or both of the structure former precursor and porogen precursor has one or more bulky organic groups. In other cases, the structure former precursor has carbon-carbon double or triple bonds and one or both of the structure former precursor and porogen precursor has one or more bulky organic groups. Once the precursor film is formed, the porogen is removed, leaving a porous low-k dielectric matrix with high mechanical strength. Different types of structure former precursors and porogen precursors are described. The resulting low stress low-k porous film may be used as a low-k dielectric film in integrated circuit manufacturing applications.
Abstract:
A seat gantry system and method are provided for handling, installing, and removing heavy seat assemblies, and the components thereof prevent manual lifting of a heavy seat assembly during installation. A seat gantry system or method may include an outside seat gantry, a seat cart, an inside seat gantry, and an artificial lifting torso. An outside seat gantry is used for lifting a seat assembly off a shipping platform, moving and positioning a seat assembly over a seat cart, and lowering the seat assembly onto the seat cart. A seat cart is used for transporting a seat assembly. An inside seat gantry is used for lifting a seat assembly from a seat cart and positioning and lowering the seat assembly for installation. An artificial lifting torso is used to provide a common lifting point at a balanced fore-aft center of gravity of a seat assembly.
Abstract:
The construction of a film on a wafer, which is placed in a processing chamber, may be carried out through the following steps. A layer of material is deposited on the wafer. Next, the layer of material is annealed. Once the annealing is completed, the material may be oxidized. Alternatively, the material may be exposed to a silicon gas once the annealing is completed. The deposition, annealing, and either oxidation or silicon gas exposure may all be carried out in the same chamber, without need for removing the wafer from the chamber until all three steps are completed. A semiconductor wafer processing chamber for carrying out such an in-situ construction may include a processing chamber, a showerhead, a wafer support and a rf signal means. The showerhead supplies gases into the processing chamber, while the wafer support supports a wafer in the processing chamber. The rf signal means is coupled to the showerhead and the wafer support for providing a first rf signal to the showerhead and a second rf signal to the wafer support.
Abstract:
The construction of a film on a wafer, which is placed in a processing chamber, may be carried out through the following steps. A layer of material is deposited on the wafer. Next, the layer of material is annealed. Once the annealing is completed, the material may be oxidized. Alternatively, the material may be exposed to a silicon gas once the annealing is completed. The deposition, annealing, and either oxidation or silicon gas exposure may all be carried out in the same chamber, without need for removing the wafer from the chamber until all three steps are completed. A semiconductor wafer processing chamber for carrying out such an in-situ construction may include a processing chamber, a showerhead, a wafer support and a rf signal means. The showerhead supplies gases into the processing chamber, while the wafer support supports a wafer in the processing chamber. The rf signal means is coupled to the showerhead and the wafer support for providing a first rf signal to the showerhead and a second rf signal to the wafer support.
Abstract:
A method and apparatus for constructing subroutines to define the behavior of simulation objects is provided. The apparatus includes a display, a processor, and an input device. The processor generates on the display a GRR set region associated with a simulation object. A user operates the input device to place visual representations of rules and/or subroutines within the GRR set region. When a visual representation of a rule or subroutine is placed within a GRR set, computer step sequences that implement the behavior specified for the rule or subroutine are generated for the simulation object. A user may operate the input device to activate a control on a visual subroutine indicator to cause a subroutine region to appear. When a visual representation of a rule or subroutine is placed within a subroutine region, the behavior specified for the rule or subroutine is incorporated into the subroutine associated with the subroutine region. Different types of subroutines are provided, where the type of a subroutine determines how the rules within the subroutine are processed during a simulation. Pretests may be specified for subroutines so that the behavior represented by the rules within the subroutine will not be exhibited unless the current state of the simulation satisfies the conditions of the pretest. During the performance of a simulation, the processor displays images associated with simulation objects on the display. The processor causes the images to behave according to the generalized computer step sequences that have been generated based upon the rules and/or subroutines represented in the GRR set regions for the respective objects.
Abstract:
An extensible simulation system and graphical programming method enable a simulation user to program the behaviors of objects in a simulation while requiring no knowledge of computer programming concepts or languages. The simulation user defines each object's behaviors by creating Graphical Rewrite Rules through programming by demonstration. The user can selectively abstract a given Graphical Rewrite Rule (GRR) such that it applies to states within the simulation according to hierarchical object types and object property conditions. The extensible simulation system comprises a Central Processing Unit (CPU), an input device, an output device, an external storage device, predetermined amounts of Random Access Memory (RAM) and Read-Only Memory (ROM), and an extensible simulator. The extensible simulator comprises an object source, a simulation viewer, a GRR editor, an action recorder, an abstractor, a drawing editor, an object property editor, an object rule viewer, a subroutine editor, and a simulation execution controller. Each element of the system has an input and an output coupled to a common system bus. Preferably, each element of the extensible simulator is a computer program step sequence stored in RAM. The graphical programming method comprises the steps of: selecting an object for which a GRR is to be defined; establishing a simulation context corresponding to the GRR; defining for the GRR a set of actions to be performed by or upon one or more objects within the simulation context, each action defined through programming by demonstration; automatically recording a computer program step sequence for each action defined; and allowing the GRR to be abstracted.
Abstract:
A telemetry system for use in controlling the operation of sensors configured on a rotating blade of a gas turbine engine includes an oscillator for generating a power carrier signal. A mechanism is included for providing command signals that select a mode of operation of the sensors and a telemetry encoder apparatus is used to generate encoder signals for modulating the power carrier signal in accordance with the selected mode of sensor operation. Also included in the present telemetry system is a programmable switch receiving the power carrier signal for modulating the power carrier signal amplitude in accordance with the encoder signals. A resistor shunts the programmable switching mechanism, and a coil transmits the modulated power carrier signal to a transceiver positioned on the turbine blade providing control signals to the sensor and transmitting sensor information to a receiver coil off of the turbine blade.