In the present invention, a pressure measurement device for determining the vacuum level within the evacuated housing of a vacuum electrode device is provided that includes an electrically conductive enclosure secured to an interior surface of the housing, an electrically conductive electrode extending through an aperture in the housing, the electrode having a tip at one end positioned within the interior of the housing inside the enclosure to define a gap between the tip and the enclosure and a conductive lead at a second end disposed outside of the housing, and a voltage source connected to the conductive lead to supply a voltage potential to the tip of the electrode. A voltage difference produced between the electrode and the enclosure ionizes gas within the enclosure causing a measurable current to flow between the electrode and the enclosure which can be used to determine the vacuum level in the housing.

Nanoscale field-emission devices are presented, wherein the devices include at least a pair of electrodes separated by a gap through which field emission of electrons from one electrode to the other occurs. The gap is dimensioned such that only a low voltage is required to induce field emission. As a result, the emitted electrons energy that is below the ionization potential of the gas or gasses that reside within the gap. In some embodiments, the gap is small enough that the distance between the electrodes is shorter than the mean-free path of electrons in air at atmospheric pressure. As a result, the field-emission devices do not require a vacuum environment for operation.

Nanoscale field-emission devices are presented, wherein the devices include at least a pair of electrodes separated by a gap through which field emission of electrons from one electrode to the other occurs. The gap is dimensioned such that only a low voltage is required to induce field emission. As a result, the emitted electrons energy that is below the ionization potential of the gas or gasses that reside within the gap. In some embodiments, the gap is small enough that the distance between the electrodes is shorter than the mean-free path of electrons in air at atmospheric pressure. As a result, the field-emission devices do not require a vacuum environment for operation.

Embodiments disclosed herein include a method for cleaning a bevel area of a substrate support disposed within a plasma processing chamber. In one example the method begins by placing a cover substrate on a substrate support disposed in an interior volume of a processing chamber. A cleaning gas is provided into the interior volume of the processing chamber. A plasma is struck in the interior volume of the processing chamber. A cleaning gas is provided through the substrate support to a bevel edge area defined between an outer diameter of the cover substrate and an edge ring disposed on the substrate support.

A laminated body is provided in a circumferential shape with a gap formed in a part of a circumferential direction on a semiconductor layer. In the laminated body, a first insulating layer, a gate layer, a second insulating layer, and a drain layer are layered in this order from the semiconductor layer side. An impurity diffusion layer is formed on a surface of the semiconductor layer, and a backside electrode on a backside surface. The impurity diffusion layer extends from a position in contact with side walls in a channel space to an outside of the laminated body through a region corresponding to the gap on the surface of the semiconductor layer. A portion of the impurity diffusion layer beyond the laminated body is a contact region to which a wiring for applying a predetermined voltage is connected. A cover layer made of an insulating material is formed in an upper portion and a periphery of the annular portion including the laminated body and the gap.

A nano-vacuum tube (NVT) transistor comprising a source having a knife edge, a drain, and a channel formed between the source and the drain, the channel having a width to provide a pseudo-vacuum in a normal atmosphere. The NVT transistor utilizing a space charge plasma formed at the knife edge within the channel.

Apparatuses for multi-station semiconductor deposition operations with RF power frequency tuning are disclosed. The RF power frequency may be tuned according to a measured impedance of a plasma during the semiconductor deposition operation. In certain implementations of the apparatuses, a RF power parameter may be adjusted during or prior to the deposition operation. Certain other implementations of the semiconductor deposition operations may include multiple different deposition processes with corresponding different recipes. The recipes may include different RF power parameters for each respective recipe. The respective recipes may adjust the RF power parameter prior to each deposition process. RF power frequency tuning may be utilized during each deposition process.

Nanoscale field-emission devices are presented, wherein the devices include at least a pair of electrodes separated by a gap through which field emission of electrons from one electrode to the other occurs. The gap is dimensioned such that only a low voltage is required to induce field emission. As a result, the emitted electrons energy that is below the ionization potential of the gas or gasses that reside within the gap. In some embodiments, the gap is small enough that the distance between the electrodes is shorter than the mean-free path of electrons in air at atmospheric pressure. As a result, the field-emission devices do not require a vacuum environment for operation.

Nanoscale field-emission devices are presented, wherein the devices include at least a pair of electrodes separated by a gap through which field emission of electrons from one electrode to the other occurs. The gap is dimensioned such that only a low voltage is required to induce field emission. As a result, the emitted electrons energy that is below the ionization potential of the gas or gasses that reside within the gap. In some embodiments, the gap is small enough that the distance between the electrodes is shorter than the mean-free path of electrons in air at atmospheric pressure. As a result, the field-emission devices do not require a vacuum environment for operation.

A magnet system comprising: a supplied magnetic field producer configured for creating a supplied magnetic field (SMF) or a supplied radial electric field producer configured for creating a supplied radial electric field (SREF); and an electron gun positioned so as to fire electrons into the SMF or the SREF such that the electrons fired from the electron gun form an electron coil, wherein the electron coil creates a self-generated magnetic field (SGMF), wherein the electron coil is formed in a vacuum.