1. A hub and shaft assembly, comprising:
a substantially cylindrical shaft comprising a recessed flat portion formed on a substantially cylindrical side of the shaft, the flat portion being associated with an insertion end of the shaft; and
a hub configured to selectively receive a portion of the shaft, the hub comprising:
a body having an axial bore therethrough, the axial bore being at least partially circumferentially bounded by an axial bore wall having an axial bore inner surface, the axial bore inner surface coinciding with a region of the axial bore wall at which a diameter of the axial bore wall is at a minimum;
a shaft entry surface of the axial bore wall at least partially bounding an entry into the axial bore;
a set screw hole that extends through the axial bore wall and at least partially defines a set screw opening into the axial bore;
an alignment feature at least partially protruding from the axial bore inner surface and into the axial bore, at least a portion of the protruding portion of the alignment feature being located between the shaft entry surface of the axial bore wall and at least a portion of the set screw opening wherein upon an initial longitudinal insertion of the insertion end of the shaft into the axial bore past the shaft entry surface, a portion of the shaft is in longitudinal alignment with a portion of the axial bore inner surface and at least a portion of the protruding portion of the alignment feature is received in a space between the flat portion of the shaft and the axial bore inner surface; and
a concavity of the axial bore wall having a concavity total volume substantially similar to an alignment feature total volume of the alignment feature, wherein the concavity total volume exists contemporaneously with the alignment feature total volume and wherein the concavity total volume is open through both the axial bore inner surface and the shaft entry surface; and
wherein a longitudinal distance between at least a portion of the concavity and the set screw hole is less than a shortest longitudinal distance between the shaft entry surface and the set screw hole.
2. The hub and shaft assembly according to claim 1, further comprising:
a second alignment feature at least partially protruding from the axial bore inner surface and into the axial bore, at least a portion of the protruding portion of the second alignment feature being located between the shaft entry surface of the axial bore wall and at least a portion of the set screw opening.
3. The hub and shaft assembly according to claim 2, wherein the second alignment feature is substantially formed as a mirror image of the alignment feature.
4. The hub and shaft assembly according to claim 3, wherein the mirror image is formed relative to a bisection plane that substantially intersects at least one of a central axis of the axial bore and a central axis of the set screw hole.
5. The hub and shaft assembly according to claim 1, wherein the protrusion extends circumferentially along the axial bore inner surface, the protrusion comprising a circumferentially central peak that extends a maximum distance into the axial bore.
6. The hub and shaft assembly according to claim 1, further comprising:
a blade assembly interface of the axial bore wall at least partially located between the shaft entry surface of the axial bore wall and at least a portion of the set screw hole.
7. A hub and shaft assembly, comprising:
a shaft comprising a longitudinal flat portion associated with an insertion end of the shaft; and
a hub configured to selectively receive a portion of the shaft, the hub comprising:
a body having an axial bore therethrough, the axial bore being at least partially circumferentially bounded by an axial bore wall having an axial bore inner surface;
a shaft entry surface of the axial bore wall at least partially bounding an entry into the axial bore;
an alignment feature at least partially protruding from the axial bore inner surface and into the axial bore, the alignment feature comprising a protruding portion that extends circumferentially along the axial bore inner surface, the alignment feature being located and configured to resist receipt of the flat portion through the entry at least partially bounded by the shaft entry surface into the axial bore and into longitudinal alignment with the axial bore inner surface unless the shaft is angularly oriented relative to the alignment feature so that the flat portion generally faces the alignment feature; and
a concavity of the axial bore wall having a concavity total volume substantially similar to an alignment feature total volume of the alignment feature, wherein the concavity total volume exists contemporaneously with the alignment feature total volume, wherein the concavity extends from the drive-shaft entry surface longitudinally into the axial bore wall, and wherein the concavity total volume is accessible through both the axial bore inner surface and the shaft entry surface.
8. The hub and shaft assembly according to claim 7, further comprising:
a second alignment feature that is circumferentially offset from the alignment feature, the second alignment feature substantially being a mirror image of the alignment feature.
9. The hub and shaft assembly according to claim 8, further comprising:
a set screw hole that extends through the axial bore wall and at least partially defines a set screw opening into the axial bore;
wherein at least a portion of the alignment feature and the second alignment feature is located between the shaft entry surface of the axial bore wall and at least a portion of the set screw opening.
10. The hub and shaft assembly according to claim 7, further comprising:
a second alignment feature that is circumferentially offset from the alignment feature.
11. A hub and shaft assembly, comprising:
a shaft comprising a longitudinal flat portion associated with an insertion end of the shaft; and
a hub configured to selectively receive at least a portion of the shaft, the hub comprising:
a body having an axial bore therethrough, the axial bore being at least partially circumferentially bounded by an axial bore wall having an axial bore inner surface, the axial bore inner surface coinciding with a region of the axial bore wall at which a diameter of the axial bore wall is at a minimum;
a shaft entry surface of the axial bore wall at least partially bounding an entry into the axial bore;
an alignment feature at least partially protruding from the axial bore inner surface and into the axial bore, the alignment feature comprising a concavity that extends into the axial bore inner surface from the shaft entry surface of the axial bore wall, and a protrusion that extends into the axial bore from the axial bore inner surface, wherein the concavity has a concavity total volume substantially similar to an alignment feature total volume of the alignment feature, wherein the concavity total volume exists contemporaneously with the alignment feature total volume, and wherein the concavity extends beyond the shaft entry surface longitudinally into the axial bore wall; and
a second alignment feature at least partially protruding from the axial bore inner surface and into the axial bore, the second alignment feature being circumferentially offset from the alignment feature and the second alignment feature being substantially a mirror image of the alignment feature;
wherein the alignment feature and the second alignment feature are located and configured to resist receipt of the flat portion through the entry at least partially bounded by the shaft entry surface into the axial bore and into longitudinal alignment with the axial bore inner surface unless the shaft is angularly oriented relative to each of the alignment feature and the second alignment feature so that the flat portion generally faces each of the alignment feature and the second alignment feature; and
wherein the concavity total volume is open toward both the axial bore inner surface and the shaft entry surface.
12. The hub and shaft assembly according to claim 11, wherein at least one of the alignment feature and the second alignment feature comprises a protruding portion that extends circumferentially along the axial bore inner surface, the protruding portion comprising a substantially circumferentially central peak that extends a maximum distance into the axial bore.
13. The hub and shaft assembly according to claim 11, wherein the mirror image is formed relative to a bisection plane associated with a central axis of the axial bore.
14. The hub and shaft assembly according to claim 11, further comprising:
a set screw hole that extends through the axial bore wall and at least partially defines a set screw opening into the axial bore;
wherein the mirror image is formed relative to a bisection plane associated with a central axis of the set screw hole.
15. The hub and shaft assembly according to claim 11, further comprising:
a set screw hole that extends through the axial bore wall and at least partially defines a set screw opening into the axial bore;
wherein at least a portion of a protruding portion of at least one of the alignment feature and the second alignment feature is located between the shaft entry surface of the axial bore wall and at least a portion of the set screw opening.
16. A hub and shaft assembly, comprising:
a shaft comprising a longitudinal flat portion associated with an insertion end of the shaft; and
a hub configured to selectively receive at least a portion of the shaft, the hub comprising:
a body having an axial bore therethrough, the axial bore being at least partially circumferentially bounded by an axial bore wall having an axial bore inner surface;
a shaft entry surface of the axial bore wall at least partially bounding an entry into the axial bore;
a set screw hole that extends through the axial bore wall and at least partially defines a set screw opening into the axial bore;
an alignment feature at least partially protruding from the axial bore inner surface and into the axial bore, at least a portion of a protruding portion of the alignment feature being located between the shaft entry surface of the axial bore wall and at least a portion of the set screw opening, wherein a concavity of the axial bore wall has a concavity total volume substantially similar to an alignment feature total volume of the alignment feature, wherein the concavity total volume exists contemporaneously with the alignment feature total volume, wherein a longitudinal distance between at least a portion of the concavity and the set screw hole is less than a shortest longitudinal distance between the shaft entry surface and the set screw hole, and wherein the concavity total volume is accessible via the axial bore inner surface and the shaft entry surface; and
a second alignment feature substantially similar to the alignment feature and circumferentially offset from the alignment feature;
wherein insertion of the shaft into the axial bore and into longitudinal alignment with the axial bore inner wall through the entry at least partially bound by the shaft entry surface requires that the flat portion be oriented relative to the alignment feature and relative to the second alignment feature so that the flat portion generally faces each of the alignment feature and the second alignment feature prior to the flat portion being longitudinally aligned with a portion of the set screw hole.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A semiconductor device structure, comprising:
a first structure comprising at least one of a semiconductive material and a conductive material;
a second structure adjacent the first structure, the second structure comprising insulative material and forming an interface with at least a portion of the first structure;
passivation species permeating at least a portion of the first structure at the interface, the passivation species comprising hydrogen species derived from ammonia such that a concentration of dangling silicon bonds present at the at least a portion of the first structure is at most about 109 to about 1010 dangling silicon bonds per square centimeter; and
an encapsulant layer positioned over at least the first structure so as to substantially contain the passivation species in the presence of at least the portion of the first structure.
2. The semiconductor device structure of claim 1, wherein the second structure comprises the encapsulant layer.
3. The semiconductor device structure of claim 1, wherein the encapsulant layer comprises silicon nitride.
4. The semiconductor device structure of claim 1, wherein the first structure comprises semiconductive material and the second structure comprises a transistor gate oxide.
5. The semiconductor device structure of claim 1, wherein the first structure comprises a capacitor electrode and the second structure comprises a capacitor dielectric.
6. The semiconductor device structure of claim 1, wherein the hydrogen species prevents unwanted changes in voltage across the second structure.
7. The semiconductor device structure of claim 1, wherein the encapsulant layer substantially prevents the hydrogen species from passing therethrough at process temperatures of at least about 600\xb0 C.
8. The semiconductor device structure of claim 1, wherein the encapsulant layer substantially prevents the hydrogen species from passing therethrough at process temperatures of at least about 400\xb0 C.
9. A passivating system for use in semiconductor device structures, comprising:
hydrogen species derived from ammonia for permeating and passivating at least an interface between a first structure comprising at least one of a semiconductive material and a conductive material and a second structure comprising an insulative material, such that the hydrogen species reduces a concentration of dangling silicon bonds at the interface by about two orders of magnitude; and
an encapsulant layer positioned so as to substantially prevent the hydrogen species from escaping the interface.
10. The passivating system of claim 9, wherein the encapsulant layer comprises a silicon nitride.
11. The passivating system of claim 9, wherein the encapsulant layer is configured to substantially contain the hydrogen species at process temperatures of at least about 600\xb0 C.
12. The passivating system of claim 9, wherein the encapsulant layer is configured to substantially contain the hydrogen species at process temperatures of at least about 400\xb0 C.
13. The passivating system of claim 9, wherein the second structure comprises the encapsulant layer.
14. The passivating system of claim 9, wherein the hydrogen species substantially prevents unwanted voltage changes across the second structure.
15. The passivating system of claim 9, wherein the first structure comprises semiconductive material and the second structure comprises a transistor gate oxide.
16. The passivating system of claim 9, wherein the first structure comprises a capacitor electrode and the second structure comprises a capacitor dielectric.
17. The passivating system of claim 9, wherein the encapsulant layer has a thickness of about 20 angstroms or less.
18. The passivating system of claim 9, wherein the hydrogen species reduces a concentration of dangling silicon bonds present at the interface to at most about 109 to about 1010.