A rotary sputtering cathode assembly is provided that comprises a rotatable target cylinder having a first end and an opposing second end. A first power transfer apparatus is configured to carry radio frequency power to the first end of the target cylinder, and a second power transfer apparatus is configured to carry radio frequency power to the second end of the target cylinder. Radio frequency power signals are simultaneously delivered to both of the first and second ends of the target cylinder during a sputtering operation.

Conventional electrochromic devices frequently suffer from poor reliability and poor performance. Improvements are made using entirely solid and inorganic materials. Electrochromic devices are fabricated by forming an ion conducting electronically-insulating interfacial region that serves as an IC layer. In some methods, the interfacial region is formed after formation of an electrochromic and a counter electrode layer. The interfacial region contains an ion conducting electronically-insulating material along with components of the electrochromic and/or the counter electrode layer. Materials and microstructure of the electrochromic devices provide improvements in performance and reliability over conventional devices. In various embodiments, a counter electrode is fabricated to include a base anodically coloring material and one or more additives.

A device, a method, and a use for coating lenses are proposed, wherein the lenses to be coated are arranged in pairs over parallel, tubular targets. The distance of the targets to each other and/or to the lenses is varied for individual adaption. Further, the lenses are coated from both sides.

An installation, a carrier, and a method for coating eyeglass lenses are proposed, wherein a carrier with eyeglass lenses held in a rotatable manner is conveyed in succession in different coating devices or coating lines, in order to coat in an alternating manner opposite sides of the eyeglass lenses and/or to apply different coatings. In particular, the carriers with the eyeglass lenses are conveyed from a coating device or coating line by means of an evacuated transfer chamber to another coating device or coating line.

Oxygen controlled PVD AlN buffers for GaN-based optoelectronic and electronic devices is described. Methods of forming a PVD AlN buffer for GaN-based optoelectronic and electronic devices in an oxygen controlled manner are also described. In an example, a method of forming an aluminum nitride (AlN) buffer layer for GaN-based optoelectronic or electronic devices involves reactive sputtering an AlN layer above a substrate, the reactive sputtering involving reacting an aluminum-containing target housed in a physical vapor deposition (PVD) chamber with a nitrogen-containing gas or a plasma based on a nitrogen-containing gas. The method further involves incorporating oxygen into the AlN layer.

A method for treating a micro electro-mechanical system (MEMS) component is disclosed. In one example, the method includes the steps of providing a first wafer, treating the first wafer to form cavities and at least an oxide layer on a top surface of the first wafer using a first chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process, providing a second wafer, bonding the second wafer on a top surface of the at least one oxide layer, treating the second wafer to form a first plurality of structures, depositing a layer of Self-Assembling Monolayer (SAM) to a surface of the MEMS component using a second CVD process.

Conventional electrochromic devices frequently suffer from poor reliability and poor performance. Improvements are made using entirely solid and inorganic materials. Electrochromic devices are fabricated by forming an ion conducting electronically-insulating interfacial region that serves as an IC layer. In some methods, the interfacial region is formed after formation of an electrochromic and a counter electrode layer. The interfacial region contains an ion conducting electronically-insulating material along with components of the electrochromic and/or the counter electrode layer. Materials and microstructure of the electrochromic devices provide improvements in performance and reliability over conventional devices. In various embodiments, a counter electrode is fabricated to include a base anodically coloring material and one or more additives.

A magnet assembly is disclosed for steering ions used in the formation of a material layer upon a substrate during a pulsed DC physical vapour deposition process. Apparatus and methods are also disclosed incorporating the assembly for controlling thickness variation in a material layer formed via pulsed DC physical vapour deposition. The magnet assembly comprises a magnetic field generating arrangement for generating a magnetic field proximate the substrate and means for rotating the ion steering magnetic field generating arrangement about an axis of rotation, relative to the substrate. The magnetic field generating arrangement comprises a plurality of magnets configured to an array which extends around the axis of rotation, wherein the array of magnets are configured to generate a varying magnetic field strength along a radial direction relative to the axis of rotation.

A feedback system for controlling properties of a single layer or multiple layer stack is applied on a substrate by means of a vacuum coating process controlled by a plurality of process controlling means. The system includes at least one monitoring device for at least implementing at least two distinct measurement techniques for determining measurement signals at each of a plurality of locations spatially distributed over the coated substrate; at least one processing unit adapted for at least receiving the measurement signals; and a controller for at least providing actuation signals for actuating the plurality of process controlling means.

Methods, systems, and apparatuses for erosion rate monitoring for wafer fabrication equipment are described to support determining a real-time edge ring erosion rate for an edge ring used in manufacturing memory devices or other semiconductor devices. A manufacturing system may support a real-time edge ring erosion rate determination using force sensors, which may measure the weight of the edge ring. The controller may correlate the measured weight to a height of the edge ring. The controller may use the height to adjust a vertical placement of the edge ring, or one or more other manufacturing variables, during manufacturing operations, which may compensate for edge ring erosion and reduce or eliminate yield loss when manufacturing a memory device or other semiconductor device.