A method and apparatus for encoding data on a work piece. The method includes engraving a plurality of first features (e.g., circular features) on the work piece, wherein the plurality of first features are arranged in a first pattern. The method also includes engraving a plurality of second features (e.g., rings) on the work piece within a selected one of the plurality of first features. The plurality of second features are arranged in a second pattern according to a data encoding schema such as binary code or code 39.

An execution plan segment of an execution plan can be received at a control unit of a computer numerically controlled machine from a general purpose computer. The execution plan segment can define operations for causing movement of a moveable head of the computer numerically controlled machine to deliver electromagnetic energy to effect a change in a material within an interior space of the computer numerically controlled machine. The execution plan segment can include a predefined safe pausing point from which the execution plan can be restarted while minimizing a difference in appearance of a finished work-product relative to if a pause and restart are not necessary. Operations of the computer numerically controlled machine can be commenced only after determining that the execution plan segment has been received up to and including the predefined safe pausing point by the computer numerically controlled machine.

A system for controlling an etch process includes an etching tool, a metrology tool, and a controller. The etching tool is controllable via a set of control parameters and may execute a plurality of etch recipes containing values of the set of control parameters. The controller may direct the etching tool to execute a plurality of etch recipes on a plurality of metrology targets; direct the metrology tool to generate metrology data indicative of two or more etch characteristics on the plurality of metrology targets; determine one or more relationships between the two or more etch characteristics and the set of control parameters based on the metrology data; and generate, based on the one or more relationships, a particular etch recipe to constrain one of the two or more etch characteristics and maintain the remainder of the two or more etch characteristics within defined bounds.

Disclosed are methods of optimizing a computerized model which relates etched feature profile on a semiconductor device to a set of independent input parameters via the use of a plurality of model parameters. The optimization methods may include modifying the model parameters so that an etch profile generated with the model is such that it reduces a metric indicative of the combined differences between experimental etch profiles resulting from experimental etch processes performed using different sets of values for sets of independent input parameters and computed etch profiles generated from the model and corresponding to the experimental etch profiles. Said metric may be calculated by projecting computed and corresponding experimental etch profiles onto a reduced-dimensional subspace used to calculate a difference between the profiles. Also disclosed herein are systems employing such optimized models, as well as methods of using such models to approximately determine the profile of an etched feature.

A moveable head of a computer numerically controlled machine may deliver electromagnetic energy sufficient to cause a first change in a material at least partially contained within an interior space of the CNC machine. A feature of the material may be imaged using at least one camera present inside the interior space to update a position of the material, and the moveable head may be aligned to deliver electromagnetic energy sufficient to cause a second change in the material such that the second change is positioned on the material consistent with the first change and with an intended final appearance of the material. Methods, systems, and article of manufacture are described.

A key-cutting machine includes: a support structure; a front operational area which is accessible by an operator; at least one milling and/or cutting unit which is positioned in the front operational area and which includes at least one end mill, and/or another cutting member, to carry out a bitting processing of a key. The key-cutting machine also includes at least one clamp, which is positioned in the front operational area, to hold the key to be machined, so that a face of the key to be engraved is arranged substantially horizontally. The key-cutting machine also includes a device for engraving at least one face of the head of said key, said device being positioned inside the front operational area of said duplicating machine; and at least one pair of engraving tools mounted on a support unit. Each engraving tool includes cutting sections for engraving a corresponding face of a key.

An execution plan segment of an execution plan can be received at a control unit of a computer numerically controlled machine from a general purpose computer. The execution plan segment can define operations for causing movement of a moveable head of the computer numerically controlled machine to deliver electromagnetic energy to effect a change in a material within an interior space of the computer numerically controlled machine. The execution plan segment can include a predefined safe pausing point from which the execution plan can be restarted while minimizing a difference in appearance of a finished work-product relative to if a pause and restart are not necessary. Operations of the computer numerically controlled machine can be commenced only after determining that the execution plan segment has been received up to and including the predefined safe pausing point by the computer numerically controlled machine.

A method includes providing, to a trained machine learning model configured to determine a recommended adjustment to an equipment constant of a substrate manufacturing system, first input data indicative of a state of the substrate manufacturing system. The method further includes providing, to the trained machine learning model as second input data, an indication of a performed adjustment to the equipment constant. The method further includes retraining the trained machine learning model based on a difference between the recommended adjustment to the equipment constant and the performed adjustment to the equipment constant to generate a retrained machine learning model.

Provided is a rising and lowering method and apparatus and a computer readable storage medium. The rising and lowering method is used to adjust the distance between a panel and an electrode that are spaced apart from and parallel with each other. The method includes steps of: detecting a position of a geometric center of a panel and manipulating geometric center to move along a first direction by a first predetermined distance, wherein the first direction is perpendicular to a direction of panel; and setting up a first area and a second area which are symmetrical with respect to geometric center on panel, and manipulating first area and second area to move along a first direction by a second predetermined distance. The first predetermined distance is not equal to second predetermined distance. The invention can suppress the occurrence of warp on panel and ensure the panel to endure uniform force.

An etching method includes: disposing a target substrate which includes silicon and silicon-germanium in a chamber; supplying the chamber with processing gas which comprises H.sub.2 gas and Ar gas in an excited state; and selectively etching the silicon with respect to the silicon-germanium by the processing gas which is in the excited state. Due to this configuration, silicon can be etched, with high selectivity, with respect to the silicon-germanium.