International Business Machines Corporation

Charles H Locke

Alfred Mack

Charles A Gaston

Alan D Wilson

Brian C O'Neill

Warren J Pinckney

Karl W Beumer

A high precision, high throughput submicrometer workpiece positioning system, particularly useful as a workpiece positioning means in electron beam lithography tools. The positioning system increases mechanical stability by essentially eliminating mechanical hysteresis, which allows state of the art electron beam lithography systems to provide the repeatable, accurate and dense circuit patterns that modern semiconductor trends demand. The positioning system in preferred form comprises a movable positioning table, a workpiece supporting superstructure which is elastically joined to the movable positioning table by three geometrically distinct kinematic support means and a two-stage coupling means which mounts a workpiece (i.e., semiconductor mask or wafer) to the workpiece supporting superstructure. A laser interferometer locating-positioning system is utilized to position the workpiece. The interferometer mirrors are integral with the workpiece supporting superstructure. The coupling means mounts a workpiece to the workpiece supporting superstructure with a minimum of mechanical distortion. Three two-stage coupling means are utilized in preferred form. The first stage is removable from the positioning, and allows for workpiece loading and unloading outside of the positioning system. The removable stage comprises an integral unit which includes two opposing arms with large radii spherical ends and a tab member. The spherical end center lines are collinear, providing for vertical clamping of the workpiece. The second stage is stationary and integral with the workpiece supporting superstructure. The stationary stage comprises two opposing arms with large radii spherical ends and clamps the tab of the removable stage by vertical clamping.

Workpiece mounting and clamping system having submicron positioning

Described is an improved common faced terminated multi-layer ceramic capacitor structure capable of embodying multiple capacitors of various maximum voltage and capacitance rating and method for its making. The structure features a ceramic body including multiple sections having a dielectric element and companion plate of one or more types, the types defined by the number and placement on the plate of plate tabs. The sections are aligned in the body such that the plates are located at displaced intervals in the direction of the body length while the plate tabs are located at displaced intervals in the direction of the body width and exposed at a common body face. Buses interconnect the tabs and plate in groups at common face. By selectively connecting the buses, one or more capacitors may be formed in the body. A structure is improved by providing grooves in the common face to align tabs in groups and to maintain the groups separated with the effect that the maximum voltage the structure can withstand is not reduced to mis-alignment of tabs during formation of the body. The method features steps for grooving the common face and simultaneously aligning tabs in the body.

Low inductance ceramic capacitor and method for its making

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Poughkeepsie, NY, United States of America

Charles H Locke