Author: claimsbot

1. A cathode for an ion source of an ion implanter, the cathode comprising:
a working surface having a plurality of electron production and focusing grooves positioned therein, wherein each of the plurality of electron production and focusing grooves includes an angled surface angled relative to a planar portion of the working surface.
2. The cathode of claim 1, wherein the plurality of electron production and focusing grooves includes a plurality of substantially concentric grooves.
3. The cathode of claim 1, wherein the angle of the angled surface of each of the plurality of the grooves is substantially identical.
4. The cathode of claim 1, wherein the angled surface of each of the plurality of electron production and focusing grooves faces a focal point at a distance from the working surface.
5. The cathode of claim 4, wherein the distance is approximately 30 mm from the working surface.
6. The cathode of claim 1, wherein a central region of the working surface is thicker than an outer region of the working surface.
7. The cathode of claim 1, wherein the working surface has a substantially uniform thickness.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

We claim:

1. A non-contact method for transferring a pattern from a phase mask to a photoresist layer on a substrate, comprising:
adjusting a working distance between the phase mask and the photoresist layer so that the phase mask is not in contact with the photoresist layer and that the zero order and minus first order beams produce a primary grating in the photoresist layer and so as to reduce visibility of a secondary grating in the photoresist layer produced by an indirect light beam;
directing light to expose the photoresist through the phase mask to the photoresist layer so as to produce zero order and minus first order direct light beams, the light being of a wavelength to expose the photoresist.
2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the primary grating has a visibility greater than 80%.
3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the secondary grating has a visibility less than 20%.
4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein adjusting the separation distance includes measuring the separation distance between the phase mask and the photoresist layer at one or more positions across the phase mask.
5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein an adjusted separation distance is in the range 5 m-1000 m.
6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein an adjusted separation distance is in the range 5 m-30 m.
7. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising generating the light to expose the photoresist as a light beam, conditioning the light beam to form a conditioned light beam, expanding the conditioned light beam to form an expanded light beam and directing the expanded light beam towards the phase mask.
8. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the phase mask includes a grating pattern to be transferred to the photoresist layer.
9. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein directing light to expose the photoresist includes directing the light towards the phase mask at the Bragg angle.
10. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising providing an antireflection layer between the substrate and the photoresist layer.
11. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising providing an antireflection layer on top of the photoresist layer.
12. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein adjusting the working distance includes moving a phase mask holder with respect to a substrate holder.
13. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein adjusting the working distance includes moving a substrate mask holder with respect to a phase mask holder.
14. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising measuring visibility of fringes formed by the light directed to expose the photoresist to determine a preferred working distance between the phase mask and the photoresist layer, and adjusting the working distance includes adjusting the working distance to the preferred working distance.
15. A device for non-contact transfer of a pattern from a phase mask to a photoresist layer, comprising:
means for directing light to expose the photoresist through the phase mask to the photoresist layer so as to produce zero order and minus first order direct light beams, the light being of a wavelength to expose the photoresist; and
means for adjusting a separation distance between the phase mask and the photoresist layer so that the zero order and minus first order beams produce a primary grating in the photoresist layer and so as to reduce visibility of any secondary grating in the photoresist layer produced by one of the direct light beams and an indirect light beam originating from a surface reflection of a direct light beam from a light input surface of the photoresist layer.
16. A non-contact method for transferring a pattern from a phase mask to a photoresist layer on a substrate, comprising:
adjusting a working distance between the phase mask and the photoresist layer so that the phase mask is not in contact with the photoresist layer; and
directing light to expose the photoresist through the phase mask to the photoresist layer so as to produce zero order and minus first order direct light beams.
17. A method as recited in claim 16, wherein the working distance is greater than the coherence length of an indirect beam.
18. A method as recited in claim 16, wherein adjusting the separation distance includes measuring the separation distance between the phase mask and the photoresist layer at one or more positions across the phase mask.
19. A method as recited in claim 16, wherein the working distance is greater than 5 m.
20. A method as recited in claim 16, wherein the working distance is in the range 5 m-1000 m.
21. A method as recited in claim 16, wherein the working distance is in the range 5 m-30 m.
22. A method as recited in claim 16, further comprising generating the light to expose the photoresist as a light beam, conditioning the light beam to form a conditioned light beam, expanding the conditioned light beam to form an expanded light beam and directing the expanded light beam towards the phase mask.
23. A method as recited in claim 16, wherein the phase mask includes a grating pattern to be transferred to the photoresist layer.
24. A method as recited in claim 16, wherein the phase mask has an associated Bragg angle, and directing light to expose the photoresist includes directing the light towards the phase mask at the Bragg angle.
25. A method as recited in claim 16, further comprising providing an antireflection layer between the substrate and the photoresist layer.
26. A method as recited in claim 16, further comprising providing an antireflection layer on top of the photoresist layer.
27. A method as recited in claim 16, wherein adjusting the working distance includes moving a phase mask holder with respect to a substrate holder.
28. A method as recited in claim 16, wherein adjusting the working distance includes moving a substrate mask holder with respect to a phase mask holder.
29. A method as recited in claim 16, further comprising measuring visibility of fringes formed by the light directed to expose the photoresist to determine a preferred working distance between the phase mask and the photoresist layer, and adjusting the working distance includes adjusting the working distance to the preferred working distance.
30. A non-contact device for transferring a pattern from a phase mask to a photoresist layer on a substrate, comprising:
means for adjusting a working distance between the phase mask and the photoresist layer so that the phase mask is not in contact with the photoresist layer; and
means for directing light to expose the photoresist through the phase mask to the photoresist layer so as to produce zero order and minus first order direct light beams.
31. An apparatus for near field holography, comprising:
a phase mask holder holding a phase mask;
a substrate holder holding a substrate having a photoresist layer proximate the phase mask;
a light source for delivering light to the phase mask, exposing light from the light source that has passed through the phase mask having a coherence length; and
at least one of the phase mask holder and the substrate holder being adjustable for selecting a separation distance between the substrate holder and the phase mask holder so that the phase mask is not in contact with the photoresist layer and that a first distance, corresponding to a distance traveled by a direct beam between the phase mask and the photoresist layer, is shorter than a second distance traveled by an indirect beam between the phase mask and the photoresist layer, by more than the coherence length of the indirect beam.
32. Apparatus as recited in claim 31, further comprising a phase mask held by the phase mask holder and a substrate held by the substrate holder, the substrate having a photoresist layer proximate, and out of contact with, the phase mask.
33. Apparatus as recited in claim 31, wherein the mechanism for adjusting the separation distance between the substrate holder and the phase mask holder is adjustable so as to produce a working distance ranging from 5 m to 30 m between the substrate when the substrate in held in the substrate holder and the phase mask when the phase mask is held in the phase mask holder.
34. Apparatus as recited in claim 31, further comprising a distance measuring system disposed to measure a separation distance between the phase mask and the photoresist layer when the phase mask holder holds a phase mask and when the substrate holder holds a substrate having a photoresist layer proximate the phase mask.
35. Apparatus as recited in claim 34, wherein the distance measuring system includes a light source to direct measuring light towards the phase mask and the substrate and a detector unit to detect light fringes formed by measuring light reflected from the phase mask and the substrate.
36. Apparatus as recited in claim 35, wherein the detector unit of the distance measuring system includes a spectrometer to wavelength analyze the reflected light.
37. Apparatus as recited in claim 31, wherein the light source includes a light emitter emitting light, a light conditioning unit to condition the light emitted by the light emitter and produce a conditioned light beam and a beam expanding telescope disposed to expand the conditioned light beam.
38. Apparatus as recited in claim 37, wherein the light conditioning unit includes a filter having a passband of less than about 10 nm.
39. An apparatus for near field holography, comprising:
a phase mask holder;
a substrate holder for holding a substrate having a photoresist layer proximate the phase mask when the phase mask holder holds a phase mask;
a light source for delivering light to the phase mask when the phase mask holder holds a phase mask; and
at least one of the phase mask holder and the substrate holder being adjustable for selecting a separation distance between the substrate holder and the phase mask holder so that, when the phase mask holder holds a phase mask and when the substrate holder holds a substrate having a photoresist layer proximate the phase mask, and not in contact with the phase mask, light from the light source directly incident on the photoresist layer through the phase mask produces substantially no overlapping grating in the photoresist layer with light from the light source indirectly incident on the photoresist layer.
40. Apparatus as recited in claim 39, further comprising a phase mask held by the phase mask holder and a substrate held by the substrate holder, the substrate having a photoresist layer proximate, and out of contact with, the phase mask.
41. Apparatus as recited in claim 39, wherein the mechanism for adjusting the separation distance between the substrate holder and the phase mask holder is adjustable so as to produce a working distance ranging from 5 m to 30 m between the substrate when the substrate in held in the substrate holder and the phase mask when the phase mask is held in the phase mask holder.
42. Apparatus as recited in claim 39, wherein the mechanism for adjusting the separation distance between the substrate holder and the phase mask holder is adjustable so as to produce a working distance ranging from 5 m to 1000 m between the substrate when the substrate in held in the substrate holder and the phase mask when the phase mask is held in the phase mask holder.
43. Apparatus as recited in claim 39, further comprising a distance measuring device disposed to measure a separation distance between the phase mask and the photoresist layer when the phase mask holder holds a phase mask and when the substrate holder holds a substrate having a photoresist layer proximate the phase mask.
44. Apparatus as recited in claim 39, wherein the light source includes a light emitter emitting light, a light conditioning unit to condition the light emitted by the light emitter and produce a conditioned light beam and a beam expanding telescope disposed to expand the conditioned light beam.
45. Apparatus as recited in claim 44, wherein the light conditioning unit includes a filter having a passband of less than about 10 nm.
46. Apparatus as recited in claim 40, further comprising a distance measuring device to measure distance between the phase mask and the photoresist layer on the substrate.
47. Apparatus as recited in claim 46, wherein the distance measuring device includes a light source to direct measuring light towards the phase mask and the substrate and a detector to detect light fringes formed by the phase mask and the substrate.

1. A device for delivery of water and at least one further compound, the device comprising:
at least one first part containing at least one first compound;
at least one second part substantially surrounding said first part, the or each second part being at least partially permeable to water and to the or at least one first compound; and
at least one third part substantially surrounding said second part, the or each third part including a water absorbent material.
2. A device according to claim 1, wherein at least one said first compound is chemically active.
3. A device according to claim 1, wherein at least one said first compound is biologically active.
4. A device according to claim 1 wherein at least one said first compound comprises a respective nutrient.
5. A device according to claim 4, wherein at least one said nutrient comprises a plant nutrient.
6. A device according to claim 1 wherein said second part is selectively permeable.
7. A device according, claim 6 wherein said permeability is dependent upon environmental conditions.
8. A device according to claim 7, wherein at least one said environmental condition is temperature.
9. A device according to claim 1 wherein second part is a thermo-elastic material.
10. A device according claim 1 wherein said third part is a super-absorbent polymer.
11. A device according to claim 1 further comprising at least one fourth part substantially surrounding said third part.
12. A device according to claim 11, wherein said fourth part comprises a protective coating.
13. (canceled)
14. A method for producing a device for delivery of water and at least one further compound, the method comprising the steps of:
applying a coating of a least one water absorbent material to a substrate comprising at least one first part containing at least one first compound and at least one second part substantially surrounding said first part, the or each second part being at least partially permeable to the or at least one first compound.
15. A method according to claim 14, further comprising the step of applying said second part to said first part prior to the application of said water absorbent material.
16. (canceled)
17. A device for delivery of water and at least one further compound, the device comprising:
at least one first part containing at least one first compound; and
at least one second part substantially surrounding said first part including a water absorbent material.
18. A device according to claim 17, wherein said second part is a super-absorbent polymer.

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. Apparatus having a probe for interacting with a surface of a sample, wherein the apparatus comprises:
a Z actuator assembly having first and second extendable and retractable members, wherein the probe is attached to and moved by the first member;
the second member oriented and arranged on the Z actuator assembly with respect to the first member to synchronously move in a direction opposite that of movement of the first member such that a net momentum of the Z actuator is substantially zero upon actuation of the first and second members.
2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the first and second members comprise piezo actuators.
3. The apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein the piezo actuators comprise one of piezoelectric tubes, piezoelectric stacks, and piezoelectric bimorphs.
4. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the first and second member comprise one of voice coil actuators, electrostatic actuator, electrostrictive actuator, or magnetostrictive actuators.
5. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising a common central support, the first and second members being supported on opposite sides of the common central support.
6. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising a probe mount, the probe mount being carried by the first member.
7. The apparatus as defined in claim 6, further comprising a counterbalance, the counterbalance being carried by the second member.
8. The apparatus as defined in claim 7, wherein the probe mount and the first member together have a momentum substantially the same as a momentum of the counterbalance and the second member together.
9. The apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein a mass of the first member and the probe mount is substantially the same as a mass of the second member and the counterbalance.
10. The apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein a mass of the first member and the probe mount is not the same as a mass of the second member and the counterbalance.
11. Apparatus for measuring a surface of a sample, the apparatus comprising:
a scanning member having an X actuator, a Y actuator, and a Z actuator; and
opposed first and second members mounted on the Z actuator, each of which is extendable and retractable in the Z direction, wherein the second member is operated to balance a momentum of the first member when the first member is extended and retracted.
12. The apparatus as defined in claim 11, further comprising a probe mount mounted on the first member, the probe mount mounting a cantilever probe.
13. The apparatus as defined in claim l, wherein the X, Y, and Z actuators comprise one of a scanning tube and a scanning flexure.
14. The apparatus as defined in claim 12, further including a counterbalance mounted on the second member.
15. The apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein the momentum of the first member and the probe mount together is substantially equal to the momentum of the second member and counterbalance together.
16. The apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein the mass of the first member and the probe mount together is substantially equal to the mass of the second member and counterbalance together.
17. The apparatus as defined in claim 16, wherein the mass of the first member and the probe mount together is not the same as the mass of the second member and counterbalance together.
18. Apparatus having an actuator for characterizing a surface of a sample with a probe, the actuator being extensible and retractable in a direction either toward or away from the surface, the apparatus comprising:
a common central support carried by the actuator;
a first member carried by the common central support and having a distal end which is extensible and retractable in a direction either toward or away from the surface;
a second member carried by the common central support and having a distal end which is extensible and retractable in a direction either toward or away from the surface, wherein the distal ends of the first and second members substantially synchronously either both extend or both retract.
19. The apparatus as defined in claim 18, wherein the first and second members comprise piezo actuators.
20. The apparatus as defined in claim 19, wherein the piezo actuators comprise one of piezoelectric tubes, piezoelectric stacks, and piezoelectric bimorphs.
21. The apparatus as defined in claim 18, wherein the first and second member comprise one of voice coil actuators, electrostatic actuator, electrostrictive actuator, or magnetostrictive actuators.
22. The apparatus as defined in claim 18, further comprising a mount assembly carried by the distal end of the first member, wherein the mount assembly comprises (i) a probe mount and (ii) a cantilever probe having a fixed end carried by the mount and including a stylus spaced from the fixed end and disposed toward the sample; and further comprising a counterbalance carried by the distal end of the second member.
23. The apparatus as defined in claim 22, wherein a momentum of the first member and the mount assembly together is substantially the same as a momentum of the second member and counterbalance together.
24. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising a base connected to the actuator, the common central support connected to the base and wherein the common central support is electrically non-conducting, wherein the actuator is hollow and elongated, has an end portion, and includes a plurality of pins extending away from the end portion thereof, and wherein the base defines a corresponding plurality of apertures dimensioned for receiving the pins and operatively connecting the actuator and the base.
25. A method of reducing parasitic oscillations in an apparatus having a fast Z actuator coupled to a slow Z actuator, the fast Z actuator moving a probe which interacts with the surface of a sample, the method comprising the steps of:
balancing a momentum of the fast Z actuator, the momentum being generated when the fast Z actuator moves the probe relative to the surface, with an equal and opposite momentum synchronously generated in the fast Z actuator.
26. The method as defined in claim 25, wherein the equal and opposite momentum is generated by moving a mass equal to the mass of the fast Z actuator at a velocity equal to the velocity of the fast Z actuator.
27. The method as defined in claim 25, wherein the equal and opposite momentum is generated by moving a mass equal to 1X times the mass of the fast Z actuator at a velocity equal to X times the velocity of the fast Z actuator.