All The Claims

1. A method of generating an optical spike at an arbitrarily selected location within an arbitrary optical link, the method comprising steps of:
deriving a spike signal having a plurality of components, an initial phase relationship between the components being selected such that the components will be phase aligned at the selected location; and
launching the spike signal into a transmitter end of the optical link.
2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the initial phase relationship between the components is selected to offset dispersion induced phase changes between the transmitter end of the link and the selected location.
3. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the spike signal is designed to form an optical spike at two or more selected locations within the optical link.
4. A method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the two or more selected locations within the optical link comprises a receiver end of the link and at least one other location within the link.
5. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the spike signal is designed to form an optical spike at exactly one selected location within the optical link.
6. A method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the step of launching the spike signal comprises steps of:
combining two or more spike signals into a composite spike signal; and
launching the composite spike signal into the transmitter end of optical link.
7. A method of monitoring performance of an arbitrary optical link, the method comprising steps of:
generating an optical spike within the optical link;
scanning a position of the optical spike between transmitter and receiver ends of the link; and
monitoring an optical power level at the receiver end of the link.
8. A method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the step of generating an optical spike within the optical link comprises steps of:
deriving a spike signal having a plurality of components, an initial phase relationship between the components being selected such that components will be phase aligned at a desired position of the optical spike; and
launching the spike signal into the transmitter end of the optical link.
9. A method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the initial phase relationship between the components is selected to offset dispersion induced phase changes between the transmitter end of the link and the desired position of the optical spike.
10. A method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the step of scanning a position of the optical spike comprises a step of adjusting the initial phase relationship between the components.
11. A method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the step of monitoring an optical power level at the receiver end of the link comprises a step of monitoring a residual power level of the spike signal at the receiver end of the link.
12. A method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the step of monitoring a residual power level of the spike signal at the receiver end of the link comprises a steps of:
selecting component frequencies such that the spike signal generates a second optical spike within the optical link, the second optical spike being substantially fixed at the receiver end of the link; and
monitoring a power level of the second optical spike.
13. A method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the step of monitoring an optical power level at the receiver end of the link comprises steps of:
launching a predetermined test signal into the transmitter end of the link; and
monitoring the test signal at the receiver end of the link.
14. A method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the test signal comprises a second spike signal for generating a respective second optical spike within the optical link, the second optical spike being substantially located at a substantially fixed location proximal the receiver end of the link.
15. A method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the step of monitoring the test signal comprises a step of monitoring a power level of the second optical spike.
16. A method of controlling an arbitrarily selected one of a plurality of optical elements of an optical link, each of the plurality of optical elements being responsive to an elevated optical peak power vs. RMS, the method comprising steps of:
generating an optical spike within the optical link, the optical spike being positioned proximal the selected optical element.
17. A method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the step of generating the optical spike within the optical link comprises steps of:
deriving a spike signal having a plurality of components, an initial phase relationship between the components being selected such that the components will be phase aligned proximal the selected optical element, and not phase aligned elsewhere; and
launching the spike signal into a transmitter end of the optical link.
18. A method as claimed in claim 17, wherein the initial phase relationship between the components is selected to offset dispersion induced phase changes between the transmitter end of the link and the selected optical element.
19. A method as claimed in claim 17, wherein respective component frequencies are selected to define a periodicity of the spike signal sized to ensure that exactly one spike is generated within the link.

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

What is claimed is:

1. A method of forming a feature on a substrate, comprising:
a) depositing a barrierwetting layer over the surfaces of an aperture in the substrate, the barrierwetting layer having a thickness of between about 5 and about 700 Angstroms;
b) physical vapor depositing a conformal metal layer over the surface of the barrierwetting layer without capping or filling the aperture at a chamber pressure less than about 1 milliTorr, the physical vapor deposited metal layer having a thickness between about 200 Angstroms and about 1 micron; and
c) filling the aperture with metal.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein filling the aperture with metal comprises reflowing a second deposited metal layer into the aperture.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein filling the aperture with metal comprises physical vapor depositing a bulk PVD metal layer on the conformal PVD met al layer and reflowing the bulk metal layer.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein a) through c) are performed sequentially in an integrated processing system with a common vacuum mainframe.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein a) through c) are performed in separate chambers.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the metal is not exposed to air prior to filling the aperture.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the metal is sputtered from a target located from about 150 mm to about 190 mm from the substrate.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the metal layer is an aluminum layer.
9. A process for filling a via, trench, or dual damascene structure on a substrate, comprising:
a) depositing a conformal barrierwetting layer on the substrate;
b) depositing a conformal PVD metal layer over the barrierwetting layer at a chamber pressure less than about 1 milliTorr; and
c) reflowing a bulk PVD metal layer deposited on the conformal PVD metal layer.
10. The process of claim 9, wherein the conformal PVD metal layer has a blanket thickness from about 200 Angstroms to about 1 micron.
11. The process of claim 10, wherein the barrierwetting layer has a thickness from about 5 Angstroms to about 700 Angstroms.
12. The process of claim 9, wherein the barrierwetting layer is titanium.
13. The process of claim 9 wherein the barrierwetting layer is selected from a group consisting of tungsten (W), niobium (Nb), aluminum silicates, tantalum (Ta), tantalum nitride (TaN), titanium nitride (TiN), PVD TiN2-stuffed, TiSiN, WSiN, or a combination thereof.
14. The process of claim 9, wherein the conformal PVD metal layer is a conformal PVD aluminum layer.
15. The process of claim 9, wherein the bulk PVD metal layer is maintained at a temperature less than 500 C. while reflowing the bulk metal layer.
16. The process of claim 9, wherein the conformal PVD metal layer is sputtered from a target located from about 150 mm to about 190 mm from the substrate.
17. The process of claim 16, wherein the conformal PVD metal layer is sputtered at a chamber pressure less than about 0.35 milliTorr.
18. An apparatus for depositing metal layers, comprising:
a substrate transfer chamber;
a barrierwetting layer chamber connected to the transfer chamber;
a long throw physical vapor deposition chamber connected to the transfer chamber, the physical vapor deposition chamber comprising a target and a substrate separated by a long throw distance of at least 100 mm; and
a hot metal physical vapor deposition chamber connected to the transfer chamber.
19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the long throw distance is from about 150 mm to about 190 mm.
20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the hot metal physical vapor deposition chamber is also a metal reflow chamber.

1. A vertical-cavity surface light emitting element comprising:
an active layer comprising alternately laminated quantum well layers and barrier layers; and
reflective layers respectively disposed above and below said active layer, wherein:
a center-to-center distance of said quantum well layers is L,
a light emission wavelength of said surface light emitting element is \u03bb,
an average refractive index of an optical length of a resonator, being a distance between said reflective layers, is n,
a condition of \u03bb(15\xd7n) \u2266L\u2266\u03bb(10\xd7n) is satisfied, and
a bandgap of at least one of said quantum well layers is different from that of another of said quantum well layers.
2. The vertical-cavity surface light emitting element according to claim 1, wherein a distance between said reflective layers is an optical length of approximately 1, 1.5 or 2 times a light emission wavelength of a quantum well layer having the smallest bandgap among said quantum well layers.
3. The vertical-cavity surface light emitting element according to claim 1, wherein no node of a standing wave of light to be generated between said reflective layers is positioned in said active layer, and at least one of said quantum well layers is located in a position of an anti-node of said standing wave.
4. The vertical-cavity surface light emitting element according to claim 1, further comprising a current-narrowing layer.
5. The vertical-cavity surface light emitting element according to claim 1, wherein:
said active layer includes at least three quantum well layers; and
among the quantum well layers are included outermost quantum well layers and one or more inside quantum well layers, and bandgaps of the outermost quantum well layers are substantially the same or smaller than bandgaps of the inside quantum well layers; and
a bandgap of at least one of the inside quantum well layers is larger than that of at least one of the outside quantum well layers.
6. The vertical-cavity surface light emitting element according to claim 5, wherein at least one of said one or more inside quantum well layers is provided at an anti-node of a standing wave of light in a vertical resonator.
7. The vertical-cavity surface light emitting element according to claim 5, wherein a length of said vertical resonator is approximately (m\xb7\u03bb) 2(where m is an integer), with respect to a light emission wavelength (\u03bb) of at least one of said outermost quantum well layer.
8. The vertical-cavity surface light emitting element according to claim 5, further comprising a current-narrowing layer.

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

What is claimed is:

1. A brick panel assembly comprising:
a plurality of bricks;
a substratum for supporting said plurality of bricks thereon, said substratum comprising a plurality of retaining projections spaced apart in a plurality of rows, said plurality of retaining projections defining a plurality of channels therebetween for accepting said plurality of bricks therein, each of said plurality of projections having a dovetail-shaped transverse cross section prior to acceptance of said plurality of bricks therebetween;
a mortar tie disposed between said plurality of bricks and said substratum, said mortar engagement tie comprising an aperture; and
mortar disposed between said plurality of bricks and through said aperture of said mortar tie to permanently hold said plurality of bricks and said substratum together.
2. The brick panel assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of bricks has a predetermined height, and further wherein said plurality of retaining projections are generally parallel and spaced apart a distance less than said predetermined height of each of said plurality of bricks, such that said plurality of retaining projections interferingly engage said plurality of bricks in longitudinal engagement to retain said plurality of bricks within said plurality of retaining channels.
3. The brick panel assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said plurality of retaining projections include a plurality of interruptions disposed in a diagonal pattern across said substratum for allowing water to drain down between said plurality of retaining projections when said substratum is in a generally vertical orientation such that said plurality of retaining projections are in a generally horizontal orientation.
4. The brick panel assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein said mortar tie is respectively aligned with one of said plurality of interruptions, each said mortar tie further comprising:
a flat plate portion adapted to accept a fastener therethrough;
a substratum engagement extension extending in one direction from said flat plate portion; and
a mortar engagement extension comprising said aperture, said mortar engagement extension extending from said flat plate portion in a direction opposite that of said substratum engagement extension, said mortar engagement extension being disposed within a respective interruption of said plurality of interruptions.
5. The brick panel assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said plurality of bricks each comprise a back surface having a plurality of grooves for enabling water drainage, and said back surface of said plurality of bricks is adhesively attached to said substratum.
6. The brick panel assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said substratum further comprises polystyrene foam such that a portion of said plurality of retaining projections of said substratum yield and partially crush during the insertion of said plurality of bricks to thereby frictionally retain said plurality of bricks.
7. A brick panel assembly adapted for paneling a building structure, said brick panel assembly comprising:
a plurality of thin bricks, wherein each of said plurality of thin bricks has a predetermined height;
a substratum for supporting said plurality of thin bricks thereon, said substratum comprising a retaining channel for accepting said plurality of thin bricks therein, said retaining channel being defined by a pair of retaining projections, each of said pair of retaining projections having a dovetail-shaped transverse cross section prior to insertion of said plurality of thin bricks therebetween, said pair of retaining projections being generally parallel and spaced apart a distance less than said predetermined height of said plurality of thin bricks such that said pair of retaining projections interferingly engage said plurality of thin bricks to retain said plurality of thin bricks within said retaining channel, at least one of said pair of retaining projections having an interruption;
a mortar tie disposed between said plurality of thin bricks and said substratum, said mortar tie being aligned with said interruption, said mortar tie comprising:
a flat plate portion;
a substratum engagement extension inserted into said substratum such that said flat plate portion lies flat against said substratum in said retaining channel; and
a mortar engagement extension disposed within said interruption; said mortar engagement extension comprising an aperture; and

mortar disposed between said plurality of thin bricks and through said aperture of said mortar tie to permanently hold said plurality of thin bricks and said substratum together.
8. The brick panel assembly as claimed in claim 7, further comprising adhesive disposed between said plurality of thin bricks and said substratum.
9. The brick panel assembly as claimed in claim 7, further comprising a fastener extending through said flat plate portion of said mortar tie, through said substratum, and into said building structure for fastening said mortar tie and said substratum to said building structure.
10. The brick panel assembly as claimed in claim 7, wherein said substratum is composed of polystyrene foam.
11. The brick panel assembly as claimed in 7, wherein each of said plurality of thin bricks comprise a back surface having grooves for enabling water drainage.
12. A brick panel assembly adapted for mounting to a building structure, said brick panel assembly comprising:
a plurality of thin bricks, said plurality of thin bricks each having a front surface, a back surface opposite said front surface, a top surface, a bottom surface opposite said top surface, and two opposed side surfaces, said plurality of thin bricks each having a width defined between said two opposed side surfaces, a height defined between said top and said bottom surfaces, and a depth defined between said front and said back surfaces;
a substratum for supporting said plurality of thin bricks thereon, said substratum comprising a plurality of retaining channels for accepting said plurality of thin bricks therein, said plurality of retaining channels being defined by a plurality of retaining projections, said plurality of retaining projections having a dovetail-shaped transverse cross section prior to acceptance of said plurality of thin bricks therebetween, said plurality of retaining projections being disposed in a generally parallel pattern of rows, said plurality of retaining projections being spaced apart a distance that is less than said height of each of said plurality of thin bricks such that said plurality of retaining projections interferingly engage said top and said bottom surfaces of said plurality of thin bricks along the lengths thereof to retain said plurality of thin bricks in said plurality of retaining channels, said plurality of retaining projections having a plurality of interruptions, said plurality of interruptions being arranged in a diagonal pattern across said substratum;
a plurality of mortar ties disposed between said plurality of thin bricks and said substratum, said plurality of mortar ties being respectively aligned with said plurality of interruptions, said plurality of mortar ties each comprising:
a flat plate portion;
a substratum engagement extension terminating one end of said flat plate portion; and
a mortar engagement extension terminating another end of said flat plate portion, said mortar engagement extension having at least one aperture therethrough, said mortar engagement extension being disposed within said plurality of interruptions of said plurality of retaining projections such that said flat plate portion lies flat against said substratum in one of said plurality of retaining channels and such that said substratum engagement extension extends into said substratum; and

mortar disposed between said plurality of thin bricks and through said at least one aperture of said mortar engagement extension of said plurality of mortar ties to permanently hold said plurality of thin bricks together and to said substratum.
13. The brick panel assembly as claimed in claim 12, wherein said plurality of interruptions are arranged in a vertically-overlapping diagonal pattern to enhance the drainage of water.
14. The brick panel assembly as claimed in claim 12, wherein said back surface of said plurality of thin bricks comprises at least one groove therein to enhance the drainage of water.
15. The brick panel assembly as claimed in claim 12, wherein said substratum is composed of polystyrene foam.
16. The brick panel assembly as claimed in claim 15, wherein at least a portion of each of said plurality of retaining projections yields and crushes upon acceptance of said plurality of thin bricks.
17. The brick panel assembly as claimed in claim 12, further comprising adhesive disposed between said plurality of thin bricks and said substratum.
18. The brick panel assembly as claimed in claim 12, further comprising a fastener extending through each of said flat plate portions of said plurality of mortar ties to fasten said plurality of mortar ties and said substratum to said building structure.
19. A method of installing thin brick veneer to a building, said method comprising the steps of:
providing a substratum having a plurality of spaced apart projections disposed in vertically spaced apart rows, said plurality of spaced apart projections defining a plurality of retaining channels therebetween, each of said plurality of spaced apart projections having a dovetail-shaped transverse cross section, said plurality of spaced apart projections having a plurality of interruptions defining a diagonal pattern of interruptions;
applying a mortar tie to said substratum such that a mortar engagement portion of said mortar tie is disposed in a corresponding interruption of said plurality of interruptions;
driving a fastener through said mortar tie and said substratum and into a portion of said building;
snap fitting a plurality of thin bricks into said plurality of retaining channels between vertically adjacent pairs of projections of said plurality of spaced apart projections, such that each thin brick of said plurality of thin bricks deforms corresponding portions of said plurality of spaced apart projections to retain said plurality of thin bricks in frictional interference between said plurality of spaced apart projections; and
applying mortar between said plurality of thin bricks.
20. The method of installing thin brick veneer to a building as claimed in claim 19, further comprising the steps of:
applying adhesive between said building and said substratum; and
applying adhesive between said plurality of thin bricks and said plurality of retaining channels.