A method for preparing a film carrier for sputtering of IC units placed thereon, the method comprising the steps of: providing a carrier of IC units; removing said units from the carrier; delivering said IC units to a flipper; inverting and delivering said units to a sputtering film frame; placing the units on said sputtering film frame in an array having a pre-determined clearance about adjacent units.

A method for preparing a film carrier for sputtering of IC units placed thereon, the method comprising the steps of: providing a carrier of IC units; removing said units from the carrier; delivering said IC units to a flipper; inverting and delivering said units to a sputtering film frame; placing the units on said sputtering film frame in an array having a pre-determined clearance about adjacent units.

The present invention aims to provide a reflective mask blank and a reflective mask which have a highly smooth multilayer reflective film as well as a low number of defects, and methods of manufacturing the same, and aims to prevent charge-up during a mask defect inspection using electron beams.

The present invention provides a reflective mask blank for EUV lithography in which a conductive underlying film, a multilayer reflective film that reflects exposure light, and an absorber film that absorbs exposure light are layered on a substrate, wherein the conductive underlying film is a single-layer film made of a tantalum-based material or a ruthenium-based material with a film thickness of greater than or equal to 1 nm and less than or equal to 10 nm that is formed adjacent to the multilayer reflective film, or the conductive underlying film is a multilayer film including a layer of a tantalum-based material with a film thickness of greater than or equal to 1 nm and less than or equal to 10 nm that is formed adjacent to the multilayer reflective film and a layer of a conductive material that is formed between the layer of the tantalum-based material and the substrate. The present invention also provides a reflective mask manufactured using the reflective mask blank. Furthermore, a semiconductor device is manufactured using the reflective mask.

The present invention aims to provide a reflective mask blank and a reflective mask which have a highly smooth multilayer reflective film as well as a low number of defects, and methods of manufacturing the same, and aims to prevent charge-up during a mask defect inspection using electron beams.

The present invention provides a reflective mask blank for EUV lithography in which a conductive underlying film, a multilayer reflective film that reflects exposure light, and an absorber film that absorbs exposure light are layered on a substrate, wherein the conductive underlying film is a single-layer film made of a tantalum-based material or a ruthenium-based material with a film thickness of greater than or equal to 1 nm and less than or equal to 10 nm that is formed adjacent to the multilayer reflective film, or the conductive underlying film is a multilayer film including a layer of a tantalum-based material with a film thickness of greater than or equal to 1 nm and less than or equal to 10 nm that is formed adjacent to the multilayer reflective film and a layer of a conductive material that is formed between the layer of the tantalum-based material and the substrate. The present invention also provides a reflective mask manufactured using the reflective mask blank. Furthermore, a semiconductor device is manufactured using the reflective mask.

The present invention relates to a diamond-like coating for piston ring surfaces, comprising, an underlayer, a gradient layer and an AM layer, wherein the AM layer is a diamond-like coating doped with doping elements. The doping elements are one or a combination of at least two selected from the group consisting of Cr, Si and Ti, and the content thereof shows a cyclical change in a form of a sine wave fluctuation along with the thickness change of the AM layer. As compared with the conventional single-layer structure or gradient layer structure, the AM layer of such diamond-like coating has a multi-cycle transition structure since the content of the doping elements in the AM layer of such diamond-like coating shows a cyclical change in a sine wave fluctuation form. On the basis of having high wear-resistant and low friction coefficient, it is beneficial to decrease the internal stress of the coating, increase the tenacity of the coating, ensure the increase of the thickness of diamond-like coating, and improve the durability of piston ring of diamond-like coating at the same time.

The present invention relates to a diamond-like coating for piston ring surfaces, comprising, an underlayer, a gradient layer and an AM layer, wherein the AM layer is a diamond-like coating doped with doping elements. The doping elements are one or a combination of at least two selected from the group consisting of Cr, Si and Ti, and the content thereof shows a cyclical change in a form of a sine wave fluctuation along with the thickness change of the AM layer. As compared with the conventional single-layer structure or gradient layer structure, the AM layer of such diamond-like coating has a multi-cycle transition structure since the content of the doping elements in the AM layer of such diamond-like coating shows a cyclical change in a sine wave fluctuation form. On the basis of having high wear-resistant and low friction coefficient, it is beneficial to decrease the internal stress of the coating, increase the tenacity of the coating, ensure the increase of the thickness of diamond-like coating, and improve the durability of piston ring of diamond-like coating at the same time.

A method to transfer a layer of harder thin film substrate onto a softer, flexible substrate. In particular, the present invention provides a method to deposit a layer of sapphire thin film on to a softer and flexible substrate e.g. quartz, fused silica, silicon, glass, toughened glass, PET, polymers, plastics, paper and fabrics. This combination provides the hardness of sapphire thin film to softer flexible substrates.

A method to transfer a layer of harder thin film substrate onto a softer, flexible substrate. In particular, the present invention provides a method to deposit a layer of sapphire thin film on to a softer and flexible substrate e.g. quartz, fused silica, silicon, glass, toughened glass, PET, polymers, plastics, paper and fabrics. This combination provides the hardness of sapphire thin film to softer flexible substrates.

In one aspect, the invention relates to methods to prepare markings on diamond surfaces which are encapsulated by diamond, and the marked diamonds prepared by the disclosed methods. This abstract is intended as a scanning tool for purposes of searching in the particular art and is not intended to be limiting of the present invention.

A p-type transparent conductive material can comprise a thin film of BCSF on a substrate where the film has a conductivity of at least 1 S/cm. The substrate may be a plastic substrate, such as a polyethersulfone, polyethylene terephthalate, polyimide, or some other suitable plastic or polymeric substrate.