All The Claims

1. A method for forming an interconnect in a workpiece, the method comprising:
(a) obtaining a workpiece substrate including a feature;
(b) depositing a metal conductive layer in the feature to partially or fully fill the feature;
(c) depositing a metal fill to complete the filling of the feature if the feature is partially filled by the metal conducting layer;
(d) applying a copper overburden;
(e) annealing the workpiece; and
(f) using CMP to remove the overburden and reduce the height of the workpiece to expose the workpiece substrate and the metalized feature.
2. (canceled)
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the metal conductive layer is deposited by a method selected from the group including electrochemical deposition, chemical vapor deposition, and atomic layer deposition.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the metal conductive layer is deposited using a chemistry including at least one copper complex selected from the group consisting of copper, ethylenediamine, citrate, tartrate, and urea.
5. The method of claim 1:
wherein the metal conductive layer partially fills the feature; and
further comprising depositing a metal alloy layer to further partially fill or completely fill the feature before the metal fill andor copper overburden is applied.
6-8. (canceled)
9. The method of claim 5, wherein the metal alloy is selected from the group consisting of a copper alloy, a cobalt alloy, a nickel alloy, a gold alloy, a silver alloy, a manganese alloy, a tin alloy, and an aluminum alloy, on etch stop material, an alloy of the conductive layer, a transition metal, a noble metal.
10-11. (canceled)
12. The method of claim 5, wherein the annealing of the workpiece is carried out in a controlled manner to limit the diffusion of the alloying element of the metal alloy to an upper portion of the feature.
13. The method of claim 5, wherein the annealing of the workpiece is carried out to cause the alloying element of the metal layer to uniformly diffuse throughout the feature.
14. The method of claim 1, further comprising thermally treating the workpiece to induce reflow of the metal conductive layer into the feature to create a first conformal conductive layer.
15. The method of claim 14, further comprising depositing at least one additional conductive layer after the first conductive conformal layer, and thermally treating the workpiece to induce reflow of each additional conductive layer.
16. The method of claim 1, further comprising depositing a conductive seed layer in the feature before the metal conductive layer is deposited.
17-18. (canceled)
19. The method of claim 1, further comprising depositing a barrier layer in the feature before the metal conductive layer is deposited.
20. (canceled)
21. A method for filling a feature in a workpiece, the method comprising:
(a) obtaining a workpiece substrate including a feature for an interconnect;
(b) depositing a metal conductive layer in the feature to partially or fully fill the feature;
(c) depositing a metal fill if the feature is partially filled by the metal conductive layer;
(d) applying a metal overburden to the workpiece, including to overlie the feature;
(e) thermally treating the workpiece under conditions to anneal the workpiece; and
(f) using CMP to remove the metal overburden and expose an upper surface of the workpiece substrate.
22. The method of claim 21, wherein the metal for the metal conductive layer is selected from the group consisting of copper, cobalt, nickel, gold, silver, manganese, tin, aluminum, and alloys thereof.
23. The method of claim 21:
wherein the metal conductive layer partially fills the feature; and
further comprising depositing a metal alloy layer to further partially fill or completely fill the feature before the metal fill andor the metal overburden is applied.
24-25. (canceled)
26. The method of claim 23, wherein the metal alloy is selected from the group consisting of a copper alloy, a cobalt alloy, a nickel alloy, a gold alloy, a silver alloy, a manganese alloy, a tin alloy, an aluminum alloy, an etch stop material, an alloy of the conductive layer, a transition metal, a noble metal.
27-28. (canceled)
29. The method of claim 23, wherein the thermal treating of the workpiece is carried out in a controlled manner to limit the diffusion of the alloying element to the upper portion of the feature.
30. The method of claim 23, wherein the thermal treating of the workpiece is carried out to cause the alloying element of the metal layer to uniformly diffuse throughout the feature.
31. (canceled)
32. The method of claim 21, further comprising thermally treating the workpiece to induce reflow of the metal conductive layer into the feature.
33. The method of claim 21, further comprising depositing a barrier layer in the feature before the metal conductive layer is deposited.
34. The method of claim 21, further comprising depositing a conductive seed layer in the feature before the metal conductive layer is deposited.
35. (canceled)

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 packaged microphone comprising:
a base having a top face;
a lid coupled to the base and forming an interior;
a MEMS microphone secured to the top face of the base within the interior;
a circuit chip secured to the top face of the base within the interior, the circuit chip having a top surface with a top pad, a bottom surface with a bottom pad, and a via, the bottom pad being electrically connected to the base, the via electrically connecting the top pad with the bottom pad; and
a wire bond connected between the MEMS microphone and the top pad on the circuit chip, the MEMS microphone being electrically connected to the bottom pad and the base through the via,
wherein circuitry is positioned on the top surface of the circuit chip.
2. The packaged microphone as defined by claim 1 wherein the lid and base form an interior area on the top face of the base, the circuit chip forming a circuit chip area of the interior area underneath the circuit chip and a remaining area, the remaining area being the rest of the interior area other than the circuit chip area, the remaining area being substantially free of traces.
3. The packaged microchip as defined by claim 1 wherein the lid and base form an interior area on the top face of the base, the microphone and circuit chip covering more than about 70 percent of the interior area.
4. The packaged microphone as defined by claim 1 wherein no wire bonds extend directly from the top face of the base and the MEMS microphone.
5. The packaged microphone as defined by claim 1 wherein the MEMS microphone electrically connects to the base through the wire bond only.
6. The packaged microphone as defined by claim 1 wherein the circuit chip comprises a plurality of additional vias extending between the top surface and bottom surface of the circuit chip.
7. The packaged microphone as defined by claim 1 wherein the circuit chip and MEMS microphone form a plan region that is generally parallel to the base, the plan region including a space between the circuit chip and MEMS microphone, the wire bond being within the plan region only.
8. A packaged microphone comprising:
a base having a top face;
a lid coupled to the base and forming an interior;
a MEMS microphone secured to the top face of the base within the interior;
a circuit chip having a via and a pad and being within the interior, the via being electrically connected to the base and the pad; and
a wire bond connected between the MEMS microphone and the pad on the circuit chip, the MEMS microphone being electrically connected to the base through the via of the circuit chip,
wherein the circuit chip has a top surface and a bottom surface, circuitry being positioned on the top surface.
9. The packaged microphone as defined by claim 8 wherein the circuit chip is surface mounted to the base.
10. The packaged microphone as defined by claim 8 wherein the base comprises printed circuit board material.
11. The packaged microphone as defined by claim 8 wherein the lid and base form at least a partial electromagnetic shield about the interior.
12. The packaged microphone as defined by claim 8 wherein the circuit chip is an integrated circuit with a top surface, the pad being on the top surface of the circuit chip and being connected to the wire bond.
13. The packaged microphone as defined by claim 8 wherein one or both the lid and base form an aperture for receiving an input audio signal.
14. The packaged microphone as defined by claim 8 wherein the MEMS microphone electrically connects to the base through the wire bond only.
15. The packaged microphone as defined by claim 8 wherein the lid and base form an interior area on the top face of the base, the circuit chip forming a circuit chip area of the interior area underneath the circuit chip and a remaining area, the remaining area being the rest of the interior area other than the circuit chip area, the remaining area being substantially free of traces.
16. A method comprising:
mounting a MEMS microphone onto the top face of a base formed from circuit board material;
surface mounting an integrated circuit chip onto the top face of the base, the integrated circuit having a top surface with a top pad, a bottom surface with a bottom pad, and a via extending between the top and bottom surfaces, the via being electrically connected to the base through the bottom pad with a surface mount connection, the integrated circuit chip including a circuit chip with circuitry, the circuit chip having a top surface;
mounting the circuitry on the top surface of the circuit chip;
connecting a wire bond between the MEMS microphone and the top pad on the top surface of the integrated circuit chip; and
securing a lid to the base.
17. The method as defined by claim 16 wherein the integrated circuit chip and MEMS microphone form a plan region that is generally parallel to the base, the plan region including a space between the integrated circuit chip and MEMS microphone, the wire bond being within the plan region only.
18. The method as defined by claim 16 wherein securing the lid to the base comprises forming an electromagnetic shield about the MEMS microphone.
19. A packaged microphone comprising:
a base having a top face;
a lid coupled to the base and forming an interior;
a MEMS microphone secured to the top face of the base within the interior;
a circuit chip secured to the top face of the base within the interior, the circuit chip having a top surface with a top pad, a bottom surface with a bottom pad, and a via, the bottom pad being electrically connected to the base, the via electrically connecting the top pad with the bottom pad; and
a wire bond connected between the MEMS microphone and the top pad on the circuit chip, the MEMS microphone being electrically connected to the bottom pad and the base through the via,
wherein circuitry is positioned, at least in part, on the bottom surface of the circuit chip.
20. The packaged microphone as defined by claim 19 wherein the lid and base form an interior area on the top face of the base, the circuit chip forming a circuit chip area of the interior area underneath the circuit chip and a remaining area, the remaining area being the rest of the interior area other than the circuit chip area, the remaining area being substantially free of traces.
21. The packaged microchip as defined by claim 19 wherein the lid and base form an interior area on the top face of the base, the microphone and circuit chip covering more than about 70 percent of the interior area.
22. The packaged microphone as defined by claim 19 wherein no wire bonds extend directly from the top face of the base and the MEMS microphone.
23. The packaged microphone as defined by claim 19 wherein the MEMS microphone electrically connects to the base through the wire bond only.
24. The packaged microphone as defined by claim 19 wherein the circuit chip comprises a plurality of additional vias extending between the top surface and bottom surface of the circuit chip.
25. The packaged microphone as defined by claim 19 wherein the circuit chip and MEMS microphone form a plan region that is generally parallel to the base, the plan region including a space between the circuit chip and MEMS microphone, the wire bond being within the plan region only.
26. A packaged microphone comprising:
a base having a top face;
a lid coupled to the base and forming an interior;
a MEMS microphone secured to the top face of the base within the interior;
a circuit chip having a via and a pad and being within the interior, the via being electrically connected to the base and the pad; and
a wire bond connected between the MEMS microphone and the pad on the circuit chip, the MEMS microphone being electrically connected to the base through the via of the circuit chip,
wherein the circuit chip has a top surface and a bottom surface, circuitry being positioned, at least in part, on the bottom surface of the circuit chip.
27. The packaged microphone as defined by claim 26 wherein the circuit chip is surface mounted to the base.
28. The packaged microphone as defined by claim 26 wherein the base comprises printed circuit board material.
29. The packaged microphone as defined by claim 26 wherein the lid and base form at least a partial electromagnetic shield about the interior.
30. The packaged microphone as defined by claim 26 wherein the circuit chip is an integrated circuit with a top surface, the pad being on the top surface of the circuit chip and being connected to the wire bond.
31. The packaged microphone as defined by claim 26 wherein one or both the lid and base form an aperture for receiving an input audio signal.
32. The packaged microphone as defined by claim 26 wherein the MEMS microphone electrically connects to the base through the wire bond only.
33. The packaged microphone as defined by claim 26 wherein the lid and base form an interior area on the top face of the base, the circuit chip forming a circuit chip area of the interior area underneath the circuit chip and a remaining area, the remaining area being the rest of the interior area other than the circuit chip area, the remaining area being substantially free of traces.
34. A method comprising:
mounting a MEMS microphone onto the top face of a base formed from circuit board material;
surface mounting an integrated circuit chip onto the top face of the base, the integrated circuit having a top surface with a top pad, a bottom surface with a bottom pad, and a via extending between the top and bottom surfaces, the via being electrically connected to the base through the bottom pad with a surface mount connection, the integrated circuit chip including a circuit chip with circuitry, the circuit chip having a bottom surface;
mounting the circuitry, at least in part, on the bottom surface of the circuit chip;
connecting a wire bond between the MEMS microphone and the top pad on the top surface of the integrated circuit chip; and
securing a lid to the base.
35. The method as defined by claim 34 wherein the integrated circuit chip and MEMS microphone form a plan region that is generally parallel to the base, the plan region including a space between the integrated circuit chip and MEMS microphone, the wire bond being within the plan region only.
36. The method as defined by claim 34 wherein securing the lid to the base comprises forming an electromagnetic shield about the MEMS microphone.

1. A measurement assembly for reading out in parallel SPR sensors that in form of a plurality of waveguides (13) form a waveguide array (10), in which the distances between the individual waveguides (13) correspond to a regular matrix and each individual waveguide (13) has an SPR-compatible sensor area (16), which may be associated with a respective sample, characterized in that a wavelength-selective assembly (5) and an optical imaging system (L2, L3) are arranged downstream of a light source (3), said optical imaging system (L2, L3) being configured so that it ensures a parallel illumination of the light entrance sides of said waveguides (13) at a first wavelength, and the light emerging from the individual light waveguides (13) may simultaneously be imaged onto a CCD chip (20) via an optical system (L4; L6, L7) in such a way that the light emerging from each individual light waveguide (13) is respectively detectable by several adjacent CCD pixels of the CCD chip (20), and from these pixel areas a respective light intensity value is calculable by means of image processing software, and, after data storage of an intensity value, a set wave length and coordinate in the waveguide array (10), an adjustment of the wavelength-selective assembly (5) to a second, arbitrarily providable, further light wavelength is performable by means of a computer (30) via a control line (31).
2. The measurement assembly as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that a polarisator (6) is arranged downstream of said wavelength-selective assembly (5).
3. The measurement assembly as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that said waveguides (13) are configured comb-shaped and their matrix is adapted to the well arrangement of a microtiter plate (60), at least the bottom portion (62) of said wells being configured optically transparent so that light from said waveguide array (10) incident in said wells (61) is detected.
4. The measurement assembly as set forth in claim 1 or 3, characterized in that dispersing means (9) are assigned to the light exit side of said waveguide array (10).
5. The measurement assembly as set forth in any of the claims 1, 3 or 4, characterized in that masking andor absorption means are assigned to the light entrance side of said waveguide array (10).
6. The measurement assembly as set forth in claim 5, characterized in that masking means in the form of a perforated mask (8) are assigned to said light entrance side of said waveguide array (10).
7. The measurement assembly as set forth in claim 3 or 5, characterized in that said masking andor absorption means are assigned to ensure that the light enters only the bottom portion (62) of said wells of a microtiter plate (60) in which the SPR-compatible sensors are arranged.
8. The measurement assembly as set forth in claim 3 or 5, characterized in that said absorption means assigned to said light entrance side of said waveguide array (10) take the form of a microtiter plate whose well sidewalls are fabricated of a light-absorbing material.
9. The measurement assembly as set forth in claim 5, characterized in that said absorption means assigned to said light entrance side of said waveguide array (10) take the form of a light-absorbing cast separating said waveguides (13) from each other.
10. The measurement assembly as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that said wavelength-selective assembly (5) is formed by an incrementally variable monochromator and said optical imaging system (L2, L3) is followed by a folding mirror (7) ensuring parallel illumination of said light entrance side of said waveguides (13) at a suitable angle.
11. The measurement assembly as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that said wavelength-selective assembly (5) is formed by an incrementally variable monochromator and said optical imaging system (L2, L3) ensures parallel perpendicular illumination of said light entrance side of said waveguide array (10), each optical waveguide (13) being provided upstream with a lens (L5) ensuring divergent illumination of said SPR-compatible layers (16) of said waveguides (13).
12. The measurement assembly as set forth in claim 10, characterized in that said light exit side end of said waveguide array (10) is additionally provided directly downstream with a further folding mirror (71) ensuring imaging of said waveguide array (10) on a CCD chip (20) inclined to the optical axis.

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 construction machine, having a frame as a support structure which is provided with a working mechanism and a counterweight in front and rear sides thereof, respectively, a cab which is built on a front side of said frame and forms an operator’s room, and a machine room which is built on said frame at a position between said cab and said counterweight to accommodate an engine,
said machine room being built of a front support member erected on said frame on the rear side of said cab, a rear support member erected on said frame at a position on the rear side of said front support member, an engine cover swingably hinged on said front support member and extended transversely between said cab and counterweight to cover said engine from above, a connecting support member connecting said front support member with said rear support member, and a housing door extended in forward and rearward direction between said counterweight and cab and openably fitted between said front and rear support members, characterized in that:
said housing door is located continuously at one lateral side of said engine cover;
said connecting support member is located under said engine cover and inward of said housing door; and
said connecting support member is formed with a grip portion used as a hand-rail while said housing door is in an open state, permitting a servicing worker to hold on to said grip portion no matter whether said engine cover is in an open or closed position.
2. A construction machine as defined in claim 1, wherein said connecting support member is fixedly attached to said front and rear support members at fore and rear ends, respectively, and formed with a longitudinally extending grip portion in an intermediate section between said fore and rear ends.
3. A construction machine as defined in claim 1, wherein said connecting support member is formed by bending a hollow metal pipe into a suitable shape.
4. A construction machine as defined in claim 1, wherein an air cleaner is attached to said engine to supply clean air to said engine, and a heat exchanger is mounted on said frame at a position between said engine and said housing door, said rear support member being adapted to support said air cleaner, and said connecting support member being located transversely between said heat exchanger and said housing door.
5. A construction machine as defined in claim 4, wherein an equipment room is defined beneath said connecting support member by said front support member, rear support member, heat exchanger and housing door to accommodate said air cleaner and other onboard equipments.
6. A construction machine as defined in claim 1, wherein said connecting support member is formed with a horizontal grip portion extended horizontally rearward from said front support member and held in abutting engagement with the lower side of said engine cover when the latter is closed, and an inclined grip portion extended downward toward said rear support member from a rear end of said horizontal grip portion in such a way as to leave an ample space under said engine cover to let a servicing worker grab said inclined grip portion readily even when said engine cover is closed.