text:
|Publication number
|Publication type
|Application number
|Publication date
|Sep 6, 2005
|Filing date
|Nov 14, 2003
|Priority date
|Nov 14, 2003
|Fee status
|Also published as
|Publication number
|Tom A. van Kesteren, Jan Zinger
|Original Assignee
|Asm International N.V.
|Export Citation
|BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan
|Patent Citations (59), Non-Patent Citations (1), Referenced by (13), Classifications (32), Legal Events (5)
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet
This application is related to U.S. application Ser. No. 10/151,207, METHOD AND DEVICE FOR THE HEAT TREATMENT OF SUBSTRATES, filed May 16, 2002; U.S. application Ser. No. 10/186,269, METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE TREATMENT OF SUBSTRATES, filed Jun. 27, 2002; U.S. application Ser. No. 10/141,517, TEMPERATURE CONTROL FOR SINGLE SUBSTRATE SEMICONDUCTOR PROCESSING REACTOR, filed May 8, 2002; U.S. application Ser. No. 10/410,699, TEMPERATURE CONTROL FOR SINGLE SUBSTRATE SEMICONDUCTOR PROCESSING REACTOR, filed Apr. 8, 2003; U.S. application Ser. No. 10/619,383, HYBRID CASCADE MODEL-BASED PREDICTIVE AND PROPORTIONAL-INTEGRAL-DERVATIVE TEMPERATURE CONTROL SYSTEM FOR VERTICAL THERMAL REACTORS, filed Jul. 14, 2003; and the patent application entitled METHOD FOR THE HEAT TREATMENT OF SUBSTRATES, filed Oct. 31, 2003, Ser. No. 10/700,298.
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to heat treatment apparatuses for processing semiconductor substrates and, more particularly, to thermal reactors and their temperature control systems.
2. Description of the Related Art
Reactors which can process a substrate while suspending the substrate without directly mechanically contacting the substrate, e.g., by floating the substrate on gas cushions, have relatively recently been developed for semiconductor processing. These reactors may be called floating substrate reactors. Such a reactor is commercially available under the trade name Levitor� from ASM International N.V. of Bilthoven, The Netherlands.
In the Levitor� reactor, which is also described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,183,565 B1, a substrate, such as a wafer, is supported by two opposite gas flows emanating from two heated and relatively massive reactor blocks located on opposite sides of the substrate. Each reactor block preferably also includes a heated section, or furnace body, for transferring heat to the substrate during processing. The furnace body preferably forms part of a boundary surface of the reactor block. The boundary surface is oriented to face the substrate and is preferably substantially flat. A small gap of less than about 1 mm is typically maintained between each block and the corresponding substrate surface. The small gap results in a rapid heat transfer from the furnace bodies to the substrate by conduction through the gas when the substrate is processed, e.g., during a heat treatment, or exposure to elevated temperatures. An advantage of reactors such as the Levitor� reactor is that the relatively massive reactor blocks of the reactor act as thermal "fly-wheels," resulting in a very stable temperature and reproducible performance.
In addition, the heat-up of the substrate is very uniform, as the substrate is not mechanically contacted during the heat treatment. In comparison, where a transport arm transports a substrate into the reactor and then continues to support the substrate during processing, mechanical contact by support fingers of the transport arm can result in cold spots at their points of contact with the substrate during heat-up, as the support fingers represent extra thermal mass that must be heated and that locally slows down the heat-up rate during processing. Alternatively, where a substrate is transported to the reactor and then handed off to support pins that remain in the reactor after processing, mechanical contact by support pins during processing can result in hot spots on the substrate at their contact positions, as the support pins may already have been heated by a previous process. Advantageously, by floating a substrate during processing, these cold or hot spots can be avoided and thermal stresses, possibly resulting in crystallographic slip, can also be avoided.
Floating substrate reactors and methods for using such reactors for successive heat treatment of a series of planar substrates, one by one, is described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0027094 A1, published Feb. 6, 2003, and assigned to ASM International, N.V., the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. In those methods, a furnace body of a reactor block is typically continuously heated. After the furnace body has reached a desired temperature, as measured at a boundary surface of the furnace body, a relatively cold substrate is placed for heat treatment in the vicinity of the furnace body. Because it is generally colder than the furnace body, the substrate will withdraw heat from the furnace body. This heat withdrawal can be measured by measuring the temperature of the furnace body close to the boundary surface. The substrate is then heat treated. Because of the typically relatively short heat treatment time as compared to the thermal recovery time of the furnace body, the substrate is removed from the vicinity of the furnace body before the temperature of the continuously heated furnace body rises to the desired temperature again. After the temperature of the boundary surface rises to the desired temperature, another substrate is placed in the vicinity of the furnace body for heat treatment.
A purpose of the methods described in U.S. patent application Publication 2003/0027094 A1 is to achieve a reproducible heat treatment of each of the substrates. In the preferred embodiments of that application, this is achieved by having the furnace body at the desired temperature when a substrate is positioned for heat treatment, then removing the substrate from the vicinity of the furnace body before the temperature of the furnace body has recovered, and then waiting until the furnace body reaches the desired temperature again before positioning the next substrate in the vicinity of the furnace body for heat treatment. Thus, each substrate experiences roughly the same profile of heat treatment temperatures over time during the course of the heat treatment.
In addition, to make the temperatures over the boundary surface of the reactor block more uniform, the boundary surface typically comprises multiple heating zones, which can be controlled independently. By appropriately controlling the temperatures of these zones, a uniform temperature can be achieved over the part of the reactor block facing the substrate. Alternatively, the independent controls allow for a desired temperature gradient to be set up over the part of the reactor block facing the substrate.
Although the above-described methods and apparatuses allow for a reproducible thermal treatment of a series of substrates, the timing for treating successive substrates is relatively fixed, limiting the throughput flexibility of the reactor. In addition, even with independently controlled heating zones, the thermal recovery time may differ between the different heating zones, resulting in non-uniformities in the heat treatment temperature profile over the boundary surface.
Accordingly, there exists a need for apparatuses and methods of controlling the throughput of a floating substrate reactor and of making the temperature across a boundary surface of the reactor block more uniform.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a solution for the problems described above. A heat treatment apparatus is provided comprising a heated furnace body wherein not only the temperature of the furnace body, and any heating zones of the furnace body, can be controlled but wherein also the thermal recovery rate of the furnace body, after placing a cold substrate in its vicinity for heat treatment, is controllable.
According to one aspect of the invention, a heat treatment apparatus is provided for successively heat treating a series of planar substrates one by one. The apparatus comprises a furnace body having a boundary surface oriented to face one of the series of substrates upon positioning of the substrate in the heat treatment apparatus for heat treatment. A time from positioning one of the series of substrates to positioning a next one of the series of substrates constitutes a heat treatment cycle and heat treating the series of substrates comprises a plurality of heat treatment cycles. A controllable heater is configured to heat the furnace body at a power level set by a power setting of the heater. A heat treatment temperature sensor is configured to measure a treatment temperature experienced by the substrate during heat treatment. The apparatus also comprises a temperature regulator for controlling the treatment temperature. The temperature regulator is configured to receive a heat treatment temperature reading from the treatment temperature sensor, to receive a desired temperature input for a desired treatment temperature and to generate and to output the power setting for the heater. The temperature regulator comprises a first computational component configured to generate one or more trigger signals resonant with a frequency of the heat treatment cycles. The temperature regulator also comprises a second computational component configured to calculate a control set-point that at least partially determines the power setting for the heater. The second computational component is further configured to receive the trigger signals and to calculate, upon receiving the trigger signals, a new control set-point using the treatment temperature readings and to hold the new control set-point until the calculation is triggered again by a next trigger signal.
According to another aspect of the invention, a semiconductor processing reactor is provided for individually treating a series of substrates. The reactor comprises a boundary surface for facing one of the series of substrates during heat treatment, wherein the boundary surface comprises a plurality of heating zones. A plurality of temperature sensors are proximate the boundary surface. The plurality of temperature sensors is configured to measure a boundary surface temperature of each heating zone. A plurality of independently controlled heaters heats each of the plurality of heating zones to a desired processing temperature, with each heater having a control set point for determining a power level of that heater. The reactor also comprises a substrate loading signal generator configured to trigger a loading of one of the series of substrates into the reactor about when one or more of the plurality of heating zones reaches a desired processing temperature. In addition, the reactor includes one or more temperature controllers for regulating the boundary surface temperature. The one or more temperature controllers is configured to receive the temperature readings and to calculate, at a recalculation frequency resonant with a loading frequency of each of the series of substrates, a next control set-point for each heating zone for a next one of the series of substrates.
According to yet another aspect of the invention, an apparatus configured to process a plurality of substrates one by one is provided for semiconductor processing. The apparatus comprises a heating body having a surface delimiting a substrate processing position. A controllable heater is provided for heating the heating body, wherein the heater is proximate the heating body and has a control set-point controlling a heater temperature. A heat treatment temperature sensor is configured to trigger a loading of one of the series of substrates when a temperature at the substrate processing position reaches a desired temperature. A timer is configured to determine an instantaneous actual throughput of the apparatus. The apparatus also comprises a temperature regulator for controlling the processing temperature. The temperature regulator is configured to receive a throughput input indicating a desired processing throughput and to calculate and to output, after the loading of the one of the series of substrates is triggered, a new control set-point to the heater based at least partially upon the throughput input and the instantaneous actual throughput.
According to another aspect of the invention, a method is provided for semiconductor processing. The method comprises providing a reactor having a process chamber that has a process temperature. The reactor has a heater for heating the chamber to a desired process temperature. The heater has a control set-point for determining a power level of the heater.
Each of the series of substrates is successively loaded into the chamber and then unloaded out of the chamber. Loading of a substrate into the chamber reduces the process temperature and the heater set at the control set-point heats the chamber back up to the desired process temperature after loading the substrate reduces the process temperature. The loading is performed about when the chamber is at the desired process temperature and unloading is performed before the substrate reaches the desired process temperature again. The method also comprises monitoring the chamber for a calculation condition, wherein meeting the calculation condition triggers a calculation of a new control set-point based upon one or more process temperature readings before or during about when the calculation condition is met. Calculation of the new control set-point is performed at a frequency resonant with a substrate loading or unloading frequency, wherein the control set-point is held until the calculation condition is met again.
According to yet another aspect of the invention, a method for individually heat treating a series of semiconductor substrates is provided. The method comprises providing a reactor having a heat treatment position for heat treating each of the series of substrates. The reactor has a throughput input indicating a desired heat treatment throughput of substrates and a treatment temperature input indicating a desired treatment temperature. The reactor also has a heater with a control set-point for establishing the desired treatment temperature at the heat treatment position.
The method further comprises successively positioning each of the series of substrates at and removing each of the series of substrates from the heat treatment position, wherein a time from loading one substrate to a next substrate constitutes a substrate cycle. The treatment temperature as a function of time is measured and only one new control set-point is calculated and applied during each substrate cycle. The new control set-point is determined at least partially based upon the desired treatment temperature, the measured treatment temperature, and the desired heat treatment throughput for the series of substrates.
The invention will be better understood from the detailed description of the preferred embodiments and from the appended drawings, which are meant to illustrate and not to limit the invention, and wherein:
While the methods and apparatuses described in U.S. patent application Publication No. 2003/0027094 A1 allow for a reproducible heat treatment, the decrease in temperature caused by the loading of a substrate limits the processing throughput because time is needed for a furnace body to thermally recover to the desired process temperature. In particular, the time between the moment a substrate is removed from the vicinity of the furnace body and the moment when the furnace body reaches the desired temperature again often constitutes an unproductive waiting time in which the treatment apparatus is not being utilized to process a substrate. Ideally, the waiting time is not too long so as not to lose valuable throughput. This is an especially significant concern where substrates are processed one by one, since any increase or decrease in waiting time is multiplied by all the substrates that are to be processed. On the other hand, the waiting time is preferably not so short that the system logistics cannot cope with the required timing of the movement of substrates. It has been found, however, that the ability to vary throughput, e.g., in response to system demands or other processing conditions, is limited in previous methods and apparatuses because, among other things, the temperature control systems of those methods and apparatuses heat the furnace bodies in a relatively constant manner, resulting in a particular thermal recovery rate that, in turn, dictates a particular duration for thermal recovery.
In addition, where a reactor block boundary surface has multiple heating zones, all these zones ideally reach their desired temperatures at the same time. This is important since a wafer is preferably not loaded for treatment until all zones reach their desired temperature, or until an average temperature of all the zones is a desired temperature. It has been found, however, that the thermal recovery rate, or heating rate, of a heating zone can depend on various factors, including its design, its location and the temperature controller used to regulate its temperature. For example, the heating of neighboring zones can affect the heating of a particular heating zone in a non-linear manner. In addition, some zones will be surrounded by more neighboring zones than other zones, with the heat from these neighboring zones causing the zones with more neighbors to heat more quickly than the zones with fewer neighbors. Also, while the temperatures of each zone can be actively monitored and independently controlled, because of the lag between a change in the power of a heater and the temperature at the surface of a furnace, or heating, body, it is difficult to account for the contributions of neighboring zones and to precisely control the temperatures at the surface of a particular zone. Additionally, the amount of heat withdrawn from a heating zone in relation to its thermal mass may vary between zones.
Because of these variables, the recovery rate of each heating zone is typically not the same, causing unintended temperature non-uniformity across the boundary surface of a reactor block, e.g., a zone at the center of the boundary surface and a zone in a peripheral area of the boundary surface can reach their desired temperature at different times. In particular, some heating zones can overshoot its desired temperature in the time that other zones are still being heated to their desired temperatures, even if the desired temperatures of all the zones are set to be the same.
The preferred embodiments address these concerns by providing apparatuses and methods that allow dynamic control of the heating of the furnace bodies, preferably including individual heating zones within the furnace bodies. To control the rate at which a furnace body recovers to a desired temperature after loading of a cold substrate into the apparatus cools the furnace body, the preferred embodiments provide, among other things, an advantageous arrangement for varying and timing the variation of the heating power applied to the furnace body. It will be appreciated that the substrate is preferably removed from the apparatus before the desired temperature is reached again and that a new substrate is preferably processed when the desired temperature is reached again.
Preferably, the heating power intensity for a particular substrate is calculated by a temperature controller or regulator based upon the desired processing throughput and the actual processing throughput and/or the desired process temperature and the actual process temperature reached by the furnace body during processing. It will be appreciated that the actual throughput and the actual process temperatures are a function of the recovery behavior, or recovery rate, of the furnace body and can be measured by using a timer and temperature sensor to determine the temperature of the furnace body over time. In a preferred embodiment, the temperature reached by the furnace body before a temperature decrease caused by the loading of a substrate, along with the time required for the furnace body to reach the desired temperature after the loading of a previous substrate for processing, are measured. Taking into account these inputs, the heating power intensity for processing the next substrate can be increased or decreased based upon whether the recovery rate is required to be increased or decreased, respectively. Thus, based upon the feedback provided by these inputs, the heating power intensity can be varied to arrive at the desired throughput and to more accurately control the temperature of a furnace body.
Preferably, the change in the intensity of the heating power is also made at a consistent time within a wafer cycle after taking the sampled data to ensure consistency of thermal budget from substrate to substrate. In addition, for ease of computation and to ensure that the data accurately reflects the process conditions at the moment the intensity is changed, the temperature data is preferably taken immediately before the calculation of a new intensity and the change of the heating power to that intensity.
More preferably, the heating power intensity is recalculated and reset by a computational component of the temperature controller or regulator at a frequency resonant with the frequency at which a series of substrates is processed. For example, a substrate positioning indicator can be used to sense the loading or unloading of a substrate to trigger a recalculation and resetting of the intensity. In other embodiments, the recalculation and resetting can occur at one or more intervals between loading of successive substrates, such as at the moment of loading, at the moment of reaching the minimum temperature, or at the moment of unloading. Preferably, however, the intensity is changed once per cycle and the temperature data are taken immediately before making this change.
The heating power itself is preferably applied to the furnace body after placement of a substrate in the vicinity of the furnace body and preferably continues until about when the furnace body reaches the desired temperature, which triggers the positioning of another wafer for processing. As discussed below, in some preferred embodiments, the recalculation of the heating power intensity and the application of heating power of that intensity to the furnace body is triggered by the positioning of a wafer for processing or by a reduction in temperature caused by the positioning of a wafer for processing.
Thus, by use of a heating power having an intensity that can vary from substrate to substrate, the preferred embodiments are not bound by the fixed thermal recovery waiting time that can result from relatively constant heating of the furnace body over the course of processing a series of substrates. Advantageously, processing throughput can be controlled by varying the intensity of the heating power. For example, heating power of a higher intensity can be applied to decrease the time required to reach the desired temperature, while heating power of a lower intensity can be applied to increase the waiting time between heat treatment of substrates, i.e., the time between unloading of a substrate and loading of the next substrate. This variability allows the rate at which substrates can be positioned in a reactor for heat treatment to be varied, permitting control over the throughput of the reactor and also giving adequate time for the processing system logistics to function. For example, the thermal recovery rate can be increased to increase processing throughput, or the recovery rate can be decreased if the thermal recovery duration is otherwise too short for, e.g., substrate transport functions to be complete before a new substrate is to be treated. Also, the ability to vary the heating power intensity over the course of processing a series of substrates advantageously allows throughput to be actively varied in the course of treating a series of substrates, depending on, e.g., the needs and processing capabilities of associated processing tools.
In addition, feedback provided by sampling data from each wafer processing cycle allows the heating power intensity to be set more accurately to more accurately control the thermal recovery rate and the heat treatment temperature at the moment of placing the next substrate in the vicinity of the furnace body. It will be appreciated that a wafer processing cycle spans the time from loading of a particular wafer to the unloading of that wafer and the subsequent loading of the next wafer for processing. To ensure a consistent reference point to make accurate comparisons with the sampled data, e.g., temperature measurements, the data is preferably sampled at a predetermined time relative to the beginning or ending of each wafer cycle. For example, the data can be sampled at a predefined duration after the beginning or before the end of a cycle or a predefined fraction of the duration of a cycle. As discussed below, rather than taking a measurement instantaneously, the sampling preferably takes place over a particular window of time. In some arrangements, this window can be one or several seconds. In other arrangements, the window can have the length of the entire wafer cycle, such that temperature data for setting the heating power intensity of a new wafer cycle is simply the average temperature of a heating zone over the course of the previous wafer cycle.
For even greater control over the temperatures experienced by a substrate, in the preferred embodiments, multiple heating zones are preferably provided at the boundary surface which faces a substrate during heat treatment. It will be appreciated that the heating zones can be physically separate masses that together constitute a furnace body or can be separately heated parts of a single furnace body. In either case, each heating zone preferably has a separate heater which is preferably individually controlled and, so, has an independently variable heating power intensity. Consequently, the heating power intensity of each heating zone can be chosen to account for the different thermal recovery rates of the various zones (as determined by the temperature measurements taken at about the time when positioning of a substrate was triggered and by the length of a wafer cyle), so that all zones reach a desired temperature at the same time. In other arrangements, different heating zones can be set to reach different temperatures at a particular time, e.g., where a temperature gradient over a substrate surface is desired. In such cases, the variable heating power intensity allows for more accurate control over the temperatures of the gradient.
It will be appreciated that the heating power intensity is determined by the power setting of the heater and that the power setting is preferably determined by a control set-point. In some embodiments, the control set-point is an input to an intermediate controller that, e.g., ensures that the heater provides the correct heating power to a furnace body, as indicated by the control set-point. For example, the control set-point can be the desired temperature for a part of the furnace body near the heater and the intermediate controller can be used to regulate the power setting of the heater to ensure that that part is at about the desired temperature. For this purpose the intermediate controller will also receive temperature measurements for a part of furnace body near the heater as an input. In other preferred embodiments, the control set-point is the power setting itself and the heater is maintained at that power setting until the calculation and application of a new power setting. In such arrangements, no intermediate controller is needed to modify the control set-point value to output a power setting to the heater.
In the illustrated embodiments, the temperature of the furnace body, or of an individual heating zone of a furnace body having multiple heating zones, is preferably controlled by two temperature control loops arranged in a cascade temperature control configuration. Preferably, at least two temperature sensors are provided, a first temperature sensor for measuring a temperature of a furnace body near a heater providing the heating power and a second temperature sensor for measuring a temperature of the furnace body near a boundary surface facing the substrate. The first temperature sensor is connected to a first temperature control loop and the second temperature sensor is connected to a second temperature control loop.
The first, or inner, loop regulates the temperature of the furnace body adjacent the heat source by monitoring the temperature at the first sensor and by controlling the power delivered to the heat source by outputting a power setting to the heater, thereby controlling the intensity of the heat generated by the heater. The second, or outer, loop regulates the temperature at the boundary surface by monitoring the temperature at the boundary surface and by outputting a control set-point to the first control loop to determine the temperature set-point, or backside set-point, of the first loop. The second loop also has a temperature set-point, which is preferably the desired temperature for heat treatment of a substrate. Thus, the second control loop ensures that the boundary surface is at the desired temperature for heat treatment by controlling the backside set-point of the first control loop, thereby at least partially determining the heater's power setting and controlling the heating power supplied to the furnace body.
The first control loop monitors the readings of the first temperature sensor and sets the power setting of the heat source at a high frequency, e.g., at intervals of about every second or less, to ensure real-time control of the temperature of the furnace body at the first temperature sensor. Because of the mass of the furnace body and the distance between the heat source and the boundary surface of the furnace body facing the substrate, there is a substantial lag between a rise in the temperature of the heat source and the temperature at the furnace body surface. Thus, since changes in the temperature of the heat source are not transmitted instantly to the boundary surface, the second control loop can monitor the readings of the second temperature sensor at the same or a lower frequency than the first control loop.
Preferably, the second control loop has a loading input indicating when a substrate is positioned adjacent to the furnace body for heat treatment. The second control loop preferably also has a trigger and suspend function to regulate the calculation and outputting of a set-point for the first control loop. The positioning of a substrate for treatment, or the detection of a decrease in temperature at the boundary surface preferably triggers the calculation of a new control set-point for the first control loop, which new control set-point is applied and maintained until a next substrate is positioned for treatment.
The measurements from the second temperature sensor are preferably stored in a memory and the second control loop set-point calculations preferably only take into account the measurements during a time period immediately before the temperature of the furnace body drops due to positioning a substrate for treatment or upon positioning of the substrate for treatment. A time window filter is preferably provided to filter out temperature readings outside of this time period. In other embodiments, the time window filter can simply determine the highest temperature reached by the boundary surface during the course of processing and filter out readings outside of a predefined time window which includes this highest temperature.
Thus, by reference to this filtered data, the control set-point calculations can be based upon the feedback gained from a comparison of the process temperature set-point and the actual temperature of the furnace body at its boundary surface at the trigger moment. Assuming similar conditions, such as uniformity in substrate thermal properties, this feedback helps to provide data concerning whether the new set-point temperature must be set to increase or decrease the thermal recovery rate and/or furnace body temperature.
It will be appreciated that processing can lead to differences in the filtered data for several reasons, including thermal interactions amongst the various heating zones combined with the use of an composite number to trigger positioning of another substrate for treatment. Thus, the temperatures of some zones can be above or below the composite number. In addition, the filtered data typically encompasses a window while the number to trigger positioning is an exact value. As such, the temperatures within this window can differ due to differences in the heating rate of different zones of the furnace body.
In addition, in other embodiments, the second control loop is in communication with a throughput controller which receives throughput inputs or settings concerning the desired throughput of the reactor. The second control loop also takes into account this throughput input to regulate the thermal recover rate, by increasing or decreasing the control set-point, so as to arrive at the desired throughput.
Reference will now be made to the Figures, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout.
It will be appreciated that while the preferred embodiments can be applied to other reactors known to those of skill in the art, use of a floating substrate reactor is particularly advantageous. For example, the reactor design illustrated in
As shown in
The upper block 13 is made up of an upper furnace body 130, an insulating jacket 131, a heating coil or furnace body heater 132 arranged on the inside of the insulating jacket 131, and an outer jacket 133. Similarly, the lower block 14 is made up of a lower furnace body 140, an insulating jacket 141, a heating coil 142 arranged on the inside of the insulating jacket 141, and an outer jacket 143. Preferably, each furnace body 130, 140 has a mass greater than 10 times the mass of a substrate for which the reactor 1 is designed to accommodate, more preferably greater than 40 times the substrate mass.
The upper furnace body 130 is preferably provided with at least one temperature sensor 134 and the lower furnace body 140 is preferably also provided with at least one temperature sensor 144. As discussed above, in one preferred arrangement, the temperature sensors 134, 144 are arranged to measure temperatures close to the surfaces 146 and 148 of the furnace bodies 130, 140, respectively, that are adjacent to the substrate 21. The temperature sensors 134, 144 are placed sufficiently close to the furnace body surfaces 146 and 148 to gauge the process temperatures experienced by the substrate 21 during a heat treatment and to detect a reduction in temperature of the furnace bodies 130, 140 caused by positioning of the substrate 21 in its vicinity for heat treatment. Preferably, the temperature sensors 134, 144 are less than about 5 mm and, more preferably, less than about 2 mm away from the surfaces 146 and 148, respectively. Thus, the temperature sensors 134, 144 are also called "process" or "second" temperature sensors herein.
The upper furnace body 130 is also preferably provided with at least one other temperature sensor 135 that is arranged close to the heater side 147 of the upper furnace body 130 that faces the heating coil 132. In a similar manner, the lower furnace body 140 can be provided with a temperature sensor 145 arranged close to the side 149 of the lower furnace body 140 that faces the heating coil 132. Because they are placed close to the heating coils 132, 142, the temperature sensors 135, 145 are called "backside" or "first" temperature sensors herein.
Process gases (including inert gases) are supplied both from the upper furnace body 130 through openings 25 and the lower furnace body 140 through openings 24. The gases can be discharged through a discharge opening 26 formed in the reactor housing 23.
The upper block 13 and the lower block 14 are preferably moved apart before introducing the substrate 21 into the reactor 1, as shown in
In some preferred embodiments, the furnace bodies 130, 140 each comprise multiple heating zones so that the lateral temperature profile across the furnace body can be adjusted. An example of a multiple heating zone configuration is shown in
The upper furnace body 130 and the lower furnace body 140 can be configured to have an identical multiple zone arrangement, e.g., each having zones 401, 402, 403 and 404 as described above. In other arrangements, the multiple zones of the upper and the lower furnace bodies 130 and 140, respectively, can be rotated relative to each other. The rotation can be chosen such that, e.g., their respective centerlines 410 make an angle of about 90 degrees with each other and opposite angles of about 45 degrees with the loading and unloading directions 420 and 430, respectively. Alternatively, the rotation can be chosen such that their respective center-lines 410 make an angle of about 120 degrees with each other. In addition, other multiple zone configurations can be chosen, having more or fewer zones or having zones of different shapes and/or spatial orientations. Preferably, as discussed below, each heating zone has separate temperatures sensors 134, 144, 135 or 145 and independently controlled heaters 132, 142.
When regulating the temperature at the backside temperature sensor 135 or 145, the first controller 220 operates at a relatively high control frequency of typically one calculation per second or faster to achieve real-time temperature control performance. The second controller 230 can operate at the same high frequency as the first controller, but can also operate at a lower control frequency. A frequency of one calculation per about 2 to 10 seconds would be adequate, since the second control loop reacts intrinsically slower due to the larger distance between the heater 132 or 142 and the corresponding process temperature sensor 134 or 144, respectively.
Conventional temperature control systems, like that of
Advantageously, the preferred embodiments allow control of both a steady state condition and a dynamic situation where no steady state condition is achieved. For example, in sequentially processing a series of substrates 21, the control action of the second temperature controller 530 is optimized to supply an extra amount of heat during the treatment cycle of a substrate 21 to compensate for the withdrawal of heat by that substrate 21 and the heat loss by opening the housing 23 for loading and unloading that substrate 21. The control objective is a constant processing temperature just prior to loading each substrate 21 during the processing of an entire series of substrates 21. Thus, preferably both the temperature and the thermal recovery rate of the furnace bodies 130, 140 are controlled.
A temperature control configuration according to a preferred embodiment is shown in
The second, outer control loop comprises the second controller 530 and uses a signal, Pr, from the process temperature sensor 134 or 144 (
The second, outer control loop also has a substrate detector and timer 540 that provides a signal indicating the moment in time when a substrate 21 is placed adjacent to the heated furnace bodies 130, 140 (
The second controller 530 itself also comprises several features. A time window filter 536 is provided for filtering the process temperature values that are evaluated by the second controller 530 for control purposes. The process temperature values are preferably limited to those values recorded in a time window shortly before the placement of the substrate 21 adjacent to the furnace body 130, 140 or, more preferably, shortly before a drop in temperature is detected due to the placement of the cold substrate adjacent the heated furnace bodies 130, 140. In other arrangements, the process temperature values are those contained in a specified time window containing the highest measured temperature value.
Additionally, a trigger and suspend function 538 is provided. According to this function, positioning of the substrate 21 for heat treatment triggers the calculation of a new control or backside set-point output value Bsset based upon the process temperature values transmitted by the time window filter 536. Once the new Bsset, has been calculated, this value is maintained as an output value until the substrate 21 is unloaded and the loading of the next substrate 21 is detected. This loading triggers the controller 530 to perform the Bsset calculation again, using as inputs the process temperatures measured shortly before placement of the next substrate 21, as transmitted by the time window filter 536. Consequently, the second control loop preferably performs one Bsset calculation per treated substrate 21.
The processing system 500 is particularly advantageous when multiple heating zones are present, each heating zone having its own process temperature sensor, backside temperature sensor and nested control loops. It is also particularly advantageous for methods of processing in which substrates are loaded for treatment after a desired process temperature is reached, causing a decrease in the process temperature, and unloaded before the process temperature is increased to the desired temperature again. In such a method, a substrate 21 (
The correct moment in time to load the next substrate 21 can be determined from the temperature of a main heating zone, such as a center zone 401 (
The thermal recovery rate of the plurality of heating zones 401, 402 403, and 404, however, can differ and some zones can reach the desired process temperature sooner or later than other zones. As the furnace body 130, 140 (
In another preferred embodiment, shown in
When the actual throughput is lower than the desired throughput, an output signal is fed into the second temperature controller 530 via the line 554 to increases the backside temperature set-point for all zones 401, 402 403, and 404 simultaneously. This increase can, e.g., be a certain percentage of the actual temperature set-point or a certain percentage of the maximum temperature set-point. It will be appreciated that increasing the backside temperature set-point (for each heating zone) results in a larger temperature difference between the side of the furnace body that is facing the wafer and the side of the furnace body that is facing away from the wafer. This larger temperature difference results in a larger heat flow through the furnace body towards the side that is facing the wafer and, hence, in a faster recovery of the heating zones. This in turn allows loading the next substrate 21 sooner and, hence, results in a higher throughput. Conversely, when the actual throughput is higher than the desired throughput, a reduction in backside set-point for all zones can be applied. It will be appreciated that the maximum throughput is limited by the maximum capacity of the logistics of the system such as substrate handling robots, etc. and the maximum desired throughput preferably does not exceed this maximum capacity of the system logistics. It will also be appreciated that the precise amount of an increase or decrease in the backside temperature set-point can be determined based upon a relationship derived empirically from processing a plurality of wafers at different backside temperature set-points, or can be determined more theoretically based upon the thermal properties of a wafer 21 and of the reactor 1.
It will also be appreciated that the controllers 520 and 530 used in the control systems of
When multiple heating zones are present, each zone is preferably provided with a backside temperature sensor, a process temperature sensor and its own independent control loops. However, because the moment of wafer loading and the throughput of the reactor are the same for all heating zones, only one substrate detector and timer 540 and one throughput controller 550, providing inputs for all heating zone control loops, need be provided.
It will be appreciated that the functionality of the invention has been described schematically with reference to
With reference to
After processing four or more wafers, the complete cycle time for one wafer is about 55 seconds. For the first few wafers the thermal recovery is slower and the cycle time is correspondingly longer as the temperature profile in the furnace body and the corresponding heat flow towards the side of the furnace body that faces the wafer still has to be established at the appropriate level to anticipate the withdrawal of heat from the furnace body by the insertion of a relatively cold wafer.
At the end of the series of wafers no additional wafers are loaded, so that no heat is withdrawn from the furnace body, and a temperature overshoot can occur. Preferably, the temperature profile established by the first and second control loops can anticipate this and reduce Bsset after the last wafer has been loaded or even a few wafers earlier. The last wafer to be processed might be determined, for example, by an input from a logistics controller indicating that the last wafer has been processed. Additionally, the second temperature controller can be set to reduce Bsset if the wafer detector and timer 540 does not detect a wafer for a set period or if the processing temperature exceeds a predefined threshold.
If the measured process temperature at the boundary surface rises above the desired process temperature to the temperature of the heater, it takes time for the extra heat, accumulated in the furnace body at the heater side, to level out and for a steady state temperature profile to be established after Bsset is lowered to the standby temperature. As a result, at the end of the series of wafers, the processing temperature is above the desired processing temperature for about 4 minutes in the illustrated example. The processing temperature is then maintained at the standby temperature until processing of a new series of wafers is to commence.
The process temperature overshoot can be reduced by applying a lower backside temperature set-point during the processing of the series of wafers. This, however, will slow the temperature recovery during processing and the cycle time for processing a wafer will be increased, thereby negatively affecting process throughput. On the other hand, an overshoot decreases the maximum number of wafers that can be processed, since the temperature preferably is reduced to the desired process temperature value, or lower, before processing of the next series of wafers can be started. A flattening out of the overshoot, however, occurs only once during the processing of a series of wafers, whereas thermal recovery after loading a wafer occurs for each wafer. Consequently, a certain overshoot at the end of the processing of a series of wafers is preferably accepted to maximize the number of wafers that can be processed in the reactor over time.
With reference to
Two different conditions are considered. In
Preferably, a profiling procedure is performed before a series of wafers is processed. Without processing any wafers, such a procedure determines the required backside temperature set-points for achieving a desired process temperature in a steady state condition. During processing, this pre-determined backside temperature set-point is taken as a starting point for the backside temperature control.
In cases where a temperature gradient is desired over the furnace body, for optimum results, the profiling procedure preferably approximates such a gradient and determines particular backside temperature set-points for each heating zone. The respective heating zones influence each other's heat-up rate in a non-linear way and such a profiling procedure is desirable for ensuring that the initial set-points are appropriate for the desired values.
It will be appreciated that although the preferred embodiments have been described with resistive heating coils directly adjacent a furnace body, the embodiments of the invention are not limited to such as arrangement. For example, the heating coils can be arranged in or on the furnace body or directly adjacent to the furnace body. It is also possible for the heater to comprise lamps or an induction coil and to be arranged some distance away from the furnace body. Moreover, while the reactor preferably is provided with two furnace bodies, each with a heater, in other arrangements, only one furnace body may be present or only one of the furnace bodies may be heated.
In addition, while the temperature controllers are described as being connected to one backside or one process temperature sensor, in other embodiments, each control loop can be connected to multiple temperature sensors, e.g., multiple backside or multiple process temperature sensors. In such an arrangement, the outputs of the sensors are preferably averaged or otherwise composited before or upon being received by the control loops.
It will also be appreciated that before or after being placed in the heat treatment position, a substrate need not be removed from the reactor. For example, after the substrate has been moved away from the heated furnace body after completion of a heat treatment, e.g., by opening the reactor as shown in
In addition, in some embodiments, the calculation condition for triggering a recalculation of the heating power intensity need not be the loading or unloading or a substrate. For example, a local temperature minimum (e.g., caused when the positioning of a wafer for processing causes a reduction in the furnace body temperature) or maximum between loading of successive substrates can be the triggering condition for a recalculation. Also, a change in gas flows (e.g., flowing a less conductive gas to minimize further heating of a substrate) can be the calculation. Preferably, the calculation condition occurs at the same frequency as the wafer cycles.
It will also be appreciated that although the present invention is described in relation to the Levitor� reactor, having two facing furnace bodies between which a substrate is accommodated, the invention can also be embodied by a reactor having only one furnace body, wherein a substrate is placed adjacent the furnace body for the duration of the treatment.
Accordingly, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that other various omissions, additions and modifications can be made to the processes described above without departing from the scope of the invention. All such modifications and changes are intended to fall within the scope of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.
|Cited Patent
|Filing date
|Publication date
|Mar 21, 1974
|Mar 30, 1976
|Lasch Jr Cecil A
|Fluid bearing transfer and heat treating apparatus and method
|Mar 11, 1980
|Aug 24, 1982
|Phillips Petroleum Company
|Process control
|Oct 20, 1980
|May 24, 1983
|Leeds & Northrup Company
|Filter arrangement for elimination of unwanted bias in a model reference process control system
|Aug 25, 1982
|Jan 22, 1985
|Edward Bok
|Method for deposition of fluid and gaseous media on substrates for their transport
|Feb 21, 1983
|Dec 24, 1985
|Edward Bok
|Method for applying a coating on a substrate
|Aug 23, 1983
|Mar 11, 1986
|Edward Bok
|Method for floating transport of substrates
|Jun 8, 1984
|Dec 16, 1986
|Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
|System for determining abnormal plant operation based on whiteness indexes
|Jun 1, 1984
|Jan 27, 1987
|Omron Tateisi Electronics Co.
|Time-discrete adaptive switching on-off controller
|Mar 16, 1987
|Aug 29, 1989
|U.S. Philips Corporation
|Device comprising a flat susceptor rotating parallel to a reference surface about a shift perpendicular to this surface
|Mar 3, 1989
|Dec 4, 1990
|Epsilon Technology Inc.
|Heating system for substrates
|Jun 28, 1991
|Jan 12, 1993
|Tokyo Electron Sagami Limited
|Vertical heat-treating apparatus
|Oct 9, 1990
|Jan 19, 1993
|Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
|Apparatus for transferring semiconductor wafers
|Sep 24, 1991
|May 24, 1994
|Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
|Method for manufacturing a semiconductor device using a heat treatment according to a temperature profile that prevents grain or particle precipitation during reflow
|Nov 12, 1992
|Jul 26, 1994
|Tokyo Electron Kabushiki Kaisha
|Surface processing apparatus
|Mar 8, 1993
|Apr 18, 1995
|Asm International N.V.
|Device for treating micro-circuit wafers
|Feb 7, 1994
|May 2, 1995
|Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co., Ltd. Corp. Of Japan
|Substrate cooling device and substrate heat-treating apparatus
|Apr 21, 1994
|May 9, 1995
|Tokyo Electron Limited
|Semiconductor wafer heat treatment apparatus
|Dec 13, 1993
|Jul 4, 1995
|Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co., Ltd.
|Method of heat treating a substrate with standby and treatment time periods
|Mar 30, 1994
|Jul 11, 1995
|Fsi International, Inc.
|Vertical multi-process bake/chill apparatus
|Feb 4, 1994
|Nov 7, 1995
|Tokyo Electron Kabushiki Kaisha
|Heat treating apparatus
|Oct 28, 1994
|Jun 3, 1997
|Texas Instruments Incorporated
|Real-time multi-zone semiconductor wafer temperature and process uniformity control system
|Jun 7, 1995
|Jul 22, 1997
|Applied Materials, Inc.
|Profiled substrate heating
|Oct 20, 1995
|Aug 4, 1998
|Applied Materials, Inc.
|Profiled substrate heating utilizing a support temperature and a substrate temperature
|Nov 18, 1996
|Jan 5, 1999
|Applied Materials, Inc.
|Ultra high throughput wafer vacuum processing system
|Oct 11, 1996
|Dec 7, 1999
|Advanced Semiconductor Materials America, Inc.
|Semiconductor processing system with gas curtain
|Mar 4, 1996
|Dec 14, 1999
|Maruyama; Mitsuhiro
|Crystal producing method and apparatus therefor
|Feb 23, 1998
|Jan 25, 2000
|Applied Materials, Inc.
|Thermal cycling module and process using radiant heat
|Apr 30, 1998
|May 16, 2000
|Applied Materials, Inc.
|Method and apparatus for controlling the radial temperature gradient of a wafer while ramping the wafer temperature
|Mar 5, 1998
|Jun 6, 2000
|Fsi International Inc.
|Combination bake/chill apparatus incorporating low thermal mass, thermally conductive bakeplate
|May 27, 1998
|Jun 27, 2000
|Smc Corporation
|Apparatus for and method of thermally processing substrate
|Aug 19, 1999
|Aug 1, 2000
|Tokyo Electron Limited
|Substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing method
|May 21, 1997
|Aug 8, 2000
|Ipec Precision, Inc.
|Non-contact holder for wafer-like articles
|Feb 21, 1997
|Aug 29, 2000
|Tokyo Electron Limited
|Wafer processing apparatus with a processing vessel, upper and lower separately sealed heating vessels, and means for maintaining the vessels at predetermined pressures
|Dec 16, 1996
|Oct 3, 2000
|Siemens Ag
|Method and device for controlling a self-regulating, delayed process
|Jan 8, 1999
|Feb 6, 2001
|Asm International N.V
|Method and apparatus for supporting a semiconductor wafer during processing
|Jan 30, 1997
|Mar 27, 2001
|Asm America, Inc.
|Model-based predictive control of thermal processing
|Jul 8, 1999
|Apr 10, 2001
|Applied Materials, Inc.
|Thermally processing a substrate
|Aug 31, 1999
|Apr 24, 2001
|Semitool, Inc.
|Temperature control system for a thermal reactor
|Nov 4, 1999
|May 22, 2001
|Applied Science And Technology, Inc.
|Disk furnace for thermal processing
|Jul 30, 1998
|Aug 14, 2001
|Kokusai Electric Co., Ltd.
|Substrate feed control
|Apr 21, 2000
|Dec 11, 2001
|A.S.M. International N.V.
|Floating wafer reactor and method for the regulation of the temperature thereof
|Jun 27, 2000
|Apr 16, 2002
|Asm America, Inc.
|Model-based predictive control of thermal processing
|Mar 17, 1998
|Jun 25, 2002
|Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha
|Self-organizing control system
|Oct 6, 1999
|Dec 17, 2002
|Kokusai Electric Co., Ltd.
|Semiconductor producing apparatus and temperature control method therefor
|May 22, 1998
|Dec 31, 2002
|Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
|Method for controlling a time-lagged process with compensation, and a controlling device for carrying out said method
|May 16, 2002
|Feb 6, 2003
|Arjen Storm
|Method and device for heat treating substrates
|Jun 27, 2002
|May 15, 2003
|Granneman Ernst Hendrik August
|Method and apparatus for the treatment of substrates
|Apr 8, 2003
|Nov 13, 2003
|Vladimir Kuznetsov
|Temperature control for single substrate semiconductor processing reactor
|May 8, 2002
|Nov 13, 2003
|Vladamir Kuznetsov
|Temperature control for single substrate semiconductor processing reactor
|Title not available
|Title not available
|Title not available
|Title not available
|Title not available
|Title not available
|May 7, 1990
|Nov 15, 1990
|N.V. Philips' Gloeilampenfabrieken
|Apparatus and method for treating flat substrates under reduced pressure
|Jul 8, 1997
|Jan 15, 1998
|Advanced Semiconductor Materials International N.V.
|Method and apparatus for contactless treatment of a semiconductor substrate in wafer form
|Jan 13, 2000
|Jul 20, 2000
|Asm International N.V.
|Device for positioning a wafer
|May 8, 2000
|Nov 16, 2000
|Asm International N.V.
|Method for transferring wafers and ring
|Porter, et al., Fast ramp rapid vertical processor for 300-mm Si wafer processing, SPIE vol. 3507, Sep. 1998, p 42-53.
|Citing Patent
|Filing date
|Publication date
|Nov 22, 2004
|May 15, 2007
|Asm International N.V.
|Dummy substrate for thermal reactor
|Dec 23, 2004
|Jan 27, 2009
|Au Optronics Corporation
|Substrate transportation device (air)
|Apr 13, 2007
|Aug 24, 2010
|Cabot Corporation
|Production of silicon through a closed-loop process
|Oct 11, 2006
|Oct 25, 2011
|Raytheon Company
|Methods and apparatus for thermal development of large area solids
|Aug 6, 2013
|Dec 1, 2015
|Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
|Battery heater device
|Nov 22, 2004
|May 25, 2006
|Asm International N.V.
|Dummy substrate for thermal reactor
|Dec 23, 2004
|Jun 29, 2006
|Au Optronics Corporation
|Substrate transportation device (air)
|Apr 13, 2007
|Oct 25, 2007
|Cabot Corporation
|Production of silicon through a closed-loop process
|Oct 11, 2006
|Jun 19, 2008
|Oleg Efimov
|Methods and apparatus for thermal development of large area solids
|Feb 6, 2009
|May 27, 2010
|Ronald Alan Davidson
|Methods For Continuous Firing Of Shaped Bodies And Roller Hearth Furnaces Therefor
|Feb 6, 2009
|May 27, 2010
|Dabich Ii Leonard Charles
|Bi-directional flow for processing shaped bodies
|Feb 6, 2009
|May 27, 2010
|Dabich Ii Leonard Charles
|Methods For Processing Shaped Bodies
|Aug 6, 2013
|Apr 23, 2015
|Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
|Battery heater device
|U.S. Classification
|219/390, 438/799, 427/482, 219/411, 392/418, 438/795, 392/416, 118/725, 432/5, 219/405, 118/50.1, 118/724
|International Classification
|Cooperative Classification
|European Classification
|Apr 12, 2004
Owner name: ASM INTERNATIONAL N.V., NETHERLANDS
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:VAN KESTEREN, TOM A.;ZINGER, JAN;REEL/FRAME:015202/0114;SIGNING DATES FROM 20040315 TO 20040317
|May 23, 2006
|Certificate of correction
|Mar 5, 2009
|Fee payment
Year of fee payment: 4
|Feb 6, 2013
|Fee payment
Year of fee payment: 8
|Feb 23, 2017
|Fee payment
Year of fee payment: 12


text:
Two Designers Recreated the New York City Subway Map to Make a "City of Women"
"Walking down the city streets, young women get harassed in ways that tell them that this is not their world, their city, their street... He's someone; you're no one," Rebecca Solnit began in her essay for The New Yorker in October.
And in many cases, specifically in New York City, this holds very true. Even in the street signs whose "names perpetuate the gendering" of the so-called Big Apple.
Because in this city, as in many, "women are anonymous people who changed fathers' names for husbands' as they married."
In fact, of the statues in all five boroughs — Manhattan, Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island — there are only five statues and memorials dedicated to heroic and historic real women — Joan of Arc, Golda Meir, Gertrude Stein, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Harriet Tubman.
Despite the fact that the city's biggest and most iconic Statue of Liberty is a woman who welcomes and bids farewell to all who come and go, the street names, buildings, and bridges do not reflect the women of our past or present.
At least until now. Solnit and Joshua Jelly-Schapiro created a "City of Women" map of the New York subway system, which reflects the names of prominent women of our world then and now.
The map features MAKERS like Alicia Keys, Serena Williams, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Joan Rivers, and more. Their transit creation will appear in "Nonstop Metropolis," coming soon.
In the meantime, check it out in The New Yorker.
What if New York's streets celebrated the city's great women, Rebecca Solnit asks? https://t.co/L9W8vdUzBqpic.twitter.com/WotucjVMTi— The New Yorker (@NewYorker) October 12, 2016
NEXT: Girls Scouts Are Raising Money to Make a Major Change in Central Park »
Related Stories:
• The 5 Female Mapmakers That History Forgot
• 11 Inspiring Quotes to Get You Through the Day
Photo Credit: omersukrugoksu via Getty Images

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Retrieve practice management reports by any date range quickly and easily.
Access real-time reports for accounting, billing, and general practice management indicators at the push of a button.
Generate specific report and contract details in any state with any payer type or configuration (from Medicare to Workers Comp, and more).


text: Hello, all! I have put the text of my Linrad article from DUBUS on my webpage at http://www.qsl.net/w3sz/DUBUSLinradFinal.doc [Word document] and http://www.qsl.net/w3sz/DUBUSLinrad2002.pdf [pdf file]. Let me know if you have problems downloading or viewing. They are also accessible as links from http://www.qsl.net/w3sz/start.htm . Use the figure at http://www.qsl.net/w3sz/i3dlifinal.gif for figure 1 in the article; it is in color, whereas those in the pdf and doc files are all in black and white. 73, Roger Rehr W3SZ FN20ah http://www.qsl.net/w3szLINRADDARNIL


text:
Putin/Bush On The Ritz
Two (well one) lame duck leader and one classic song. This is a well done composition. If you ever wonder why should buy a composting and a rotoscoping package, now you know why. Credits: Directors: Andrey Mudrov, Yaroslav Kemnits (Director of Special Effects) Producer: Dmitry Lesnevsky
Thorsten Meyer Monday, 7 July 2008 0


text:
Supermarkets know a good photo opportunity when they see one. Fueled by consumer demand, the chance to draw repeat business and to further entrench
themselves as one-stop shopping solutions, supermarkets are shifting from overnight processing to one-hour, photo-finishing services in stores.
"You have to have one-hour photo to remain competitive in the business," said Denis Oldani, director of video, Schnucks Markets. The St. Louis-based chain houses photo-finishing labs in 18


text:
Forums > Digital Art and Retouching > Blending skin tone...
Posts: 322
Wilmington, Delaware, US
Any good youtube videos that demonstrate how to blend skin tone in Photoshop? I have CS6. I had a shoot with a model that had a tan line and I was trying to remove the tan line and couldn't get the blend just right.
Dec 22 12 02:15 pm Link
Posts: 6308
Lodi, California, US
I can't remember seeing a youtbe tut for it, my methodbut method is to
write down numbers from info pallette and use a curves layer to match
w/ black mask and paint in white whee needed.
Dec 22 12 02:39 pm Link
Posts: 377
Cheltenham, England, United Kingdom
Just to save Peano a hearnia Tan Lines
Dec 22 12 02:47 pm Link
Posts: 578
Lawndale, California, US
Chuck Purnell wrote:
Dec 22 12 03:14 pm Link


text:
In 1960, more than 50 years ago, the Faculty of Education was established to provide initial teacher education programmes. We were the first institute in the Waikato to do this. Our first programme was a two-year diploma in primary school teaching. Later programmes in secondary school teaching and early childhood followed. In latter years we also provided training to youth police officers and qualifications for Māori Medium teachers.
Originally the Faculty was called Hamilton Teachers' Training College. In 1991 the name changed to the School of Education, after merging with the University of Waikato. The merger was a historic moment in the institute's history, as it allowed for higher education opportunities for its students and staff. In 2010 the name changed to Faculty of Education to align with the University's policy. In 2010 we also celebrated 50 years of teacher education with a reunion.
Today the role of the Faculty is more than just delivering initial teacher education programmes. Since its inception the Faculty of Education has introduced a diverse range of postgraduate and undergraduate programmes. Examples include the Doctor in Education for professionals, the innovative Bachelor of Teaching (Mixed Media Presentation) programme for distance online learners, programmes in Sport and Leisure and Counsellor Education.
In addition to our programmes, our strong research networks cater for the national and international educational researcher and those completing research degrees. As leaders in our field we annually attract significant research contracts that are committed to making a difference to teaching and learning. We welcome you to join us and be part of the Faculty's history.


text:
Already a print subscriber? Get Access Already a digital subscriber? Log In
Never Miss a Story Subscribe Today
Toomey rips Obama corporate tax plan
0 CommentsWASHINGTON -- Pennsylvania Sen. Pat Toomey had a prime role Tuesday in the Republican push back against President Obama's plan to overhaul... Read more
Booker: Iowa speech was supposed to be canceled
0 CommentsCory Booker raised eyebrows among political watchers today when news came out that he was scheduled to speak in Iowa Aug. 29 -- just two-and-a-half... Read more
Casey tops Toomey in Senate softball
0 CommentsWASHINGTON – In a Pennsylvania summer tradition, Sen. Bob Casey and Sen. Pat Toomey met on the National Mall Tuesday for a softball game... Read more
Eck challenges Lonegan on debate
0 CommentsWASHINGTON -- Doctor Alieta Eck accused conservative leader Steve Lonegan of ducking her in a debate as the two run for the Republican nomination... Read more
Lott says he'd allow a House immigration vote
0 CommentsFrom Inquirer staff writer Theodore Schleifer: If former U.S. Sen. Majority Leader Trent Lott had House Speaker John Boehner's job,... Read more
Booker, Pallone step up TV battle
0 CommentsWASHINGTON -- With just three weeks to go until New Jersey's Senate primary, the Democratic candidates signaled a new wave of intensity on... Read more
Guardian's Glenn Greenwald endorses Holt
0 CommentsWASHINGTON -- Glenn Greenwald, the Guardian writer near the center of the storm over leaks of U.S. surveillance programs, endorsed U.S. Rep... Read more
Lonegan takes early aim at Booker
0 CommentsNew Jersey's Senate primaries are still a few weeks away, but conservative Republican Steve Lonegan is already taking aim at Democratic Newark... Read more
Jonathan Tamari is the Inquirer's Washington correspondent. He writes about the lawmakers, politics and policy that affect Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Tamari previously covered the Philadelphia Eagles and the NFL. Before that he worked in Trenton, reporting on the characters and color of New Jersey state government. He lives in Washington.
Follow Jonathan on Twitter: @JonathanTamari. Reach Jonathan at email@example.com.


text:
CDC: Childhood obesity decreases across nation
By MIKE STOBBE
Associated Press
ATLANTA — For many years, doctors have been wringing their hands as more and more U.S. children grew fat. Now, that may be changing, with the first evidence of a national decline in childhood obesity.
In 18 states, there were at least slight drops in obesity for low-income preschoolers, health officials said Tuesday.
After decades on the rise, childhood obesity rates recently have essentially been flat. A few places — Philadelphia, New York City and Mississippi — reported improvements in the last couple of years. But the report from the Centers for Disease and Control Prevention shows signs of wider-ranging progress.
"Now, for the first time, we're seeing a significant decrease in childhood obesity" nationally, said Dr. Thomas Frieden, CDC director.
But rates are still too high, he added. One in 8 preschoolers is obese in the United States, and it's even more common in black and Hispanic kids.
"It's not like we're out of the woods," he said during a conference call with reporters Tuesday.
Obesity continues to be one of the nation's leading public health problems — health officials call it a longstanding epidemic. A third of U.S. children and teens and more than two-thirds of adults are obese or overweight.
Some hope the report marks a turning point.
"I really do think this is a pivotal moment," said Sam Kass, executive director of a White House initiative to reduce childhood obesity.
Preschoolers who are overweight or obese are five times more likely than other children to be heavy as adults, which means greater risks of high cholesterol, high blood sugar, asthma and even mental health problems.
Tuesday's study used height and weight measurements from nearly 12 million low-income children in 40 states. The data was collected from 2008 through 2011.
Most of the children ages 2 to 4 were enrolled in the federal Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program which provides food vouchers and other services.
It's harder to get national data on preschoolers of more affluent families, so it's not clear if the trend applies to all young children. But experts note that low-income kids tend to be heavier.
"If you're going to look at the problem of obesity early in childhood, the group at highest risk are low-income kids. That's what makes this data so valuable for understanding trends in this major public health problem," said Dr. Matthew Davis, a University of Michigan researcher who tracks health policy and children's health issues.
The biggest declines were in Florida, Georgia, Missouri, New Jersey and South Dakota. Each saw their obesity numbers fall at least 1 percentage point.
Other states showing improvement: California, Iowa, Idaho, Kansas, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, New Hampshire, New Mexico and Washington. A substantial decline was also seen in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
"These signs of progress tell a clear story: we can reverse the childhood obesity epidemic. It isn't some kind of unstoppable force," said Dr. James S. Marks, in a statement. He's senior vice president at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, a philanthropy that supports programs to tackle obesity.
Despite the improvements, the numbers are still disappointing. Hawaii was the best, with about 9 percent of low-income preschoolers estimated to be obese in 2011. Even with some progress, California was worst, at nearly 17 percent.
Ten states were not included. One of the missing states is Texas, which has one of the largest populations of low-income children and is known to have a significant problem with childhood obesity.
Of the remaining 40 states, 18 showed at least slight improvement and 19 states and Puerto Rico had no significant change. Three states — Colorado, Pennsylvania and Tennessee — increased.
Childhood obesity has been a focus of the Obama White House, with first lady Michelle Obama leading a campaign called "Let's Move!" Kass, the program's chief administrator, said thousands of preschools across the country have pledged to increase physical playtime and serve healthier foods.
"While this announcement reflects important progress, we also know that there is tremendous work still to be done to support healthy futures for all our children," Michelle Obama said in a statement.
Rules for posting comments
Comments posted below are from readers. In no way do they represent the view of Oahu Publishing Inc. or this newspaper. This is a public forum.
Comments may be monitored for inappropriate content but the newspaper is under no obligation to do so. Comment posters are solely responsible under the Communications Decency Act for comments posted on this Web site. Oahu Publishing Inc. is not liable for messages from third parties.
IP and email addresses of persons who post are not treated as confidential records and will be disclosed in response to valid legal process.
Do not post:
- Potentially libelous statements or damaging innuendo.
- Obscene, explicit, or racist language.
- Copyrighted materials of any sort without the express permission of the copyright holder.
- Personal attacks, insults or threats.
- The use of another person's real name to disguise your identity.
- Comments unrelated to the story.
If you believe that a commenter has not followed these guidelines, please click the FLAG icon below the comment.


text:
VideoHive Corporate Video Display 2572749
After Effects Project \ Video Displays \ Corporate
After Effects Project - Corporate Video Display 2572749 by ariefputra @ VideoHive
After Effects Project \ Video Displays \ Corporate
After Effects Version: CS4, CS5; File Size: 13.5mb; Requires Plugins: No; Resolution: 1920x1080.
Brand new AE CS4 Template – Corporate Video Display
Suit for products show off for any business activity field, it's meant to be elegant, modern, clean and minimalist.
- Full HD 1920 x 1080
- No plugin needed
- Easy to customize
- With video tutorial on how to edit the file
- Audio : here
- Font : here
If you need help about my project file, please contact me via my profile page
Dont forget to rate if you like my work
Screen shot .
You can easily change the color .
Keywords: basic, bright, business, clean, corporate, display, frame, fresh, minimalist, portfolio, product demonstration, simple, video display, video showcase, white.


text:
Moving Equality Forward: The Power of Allies
The Great Hall of the Robert F. Kennedy Building, 11:00 a.m.
Ted Olson, Speaker
I invariably experience a rush of awe and nostalgia when I return to the Department of Justice. I am extraordinarily grateful for the privilege of having worked here for nearly eight years during the Reagan and Bush Administrations. This is a very special place, populated by so many talented and dedicated individuals. And by so many dear friends. For me, it is very much like returning to a family.
I am especially pleased to participate in the Department's LGBT Pride Month Program and to be your keynote speaker. This is a tribute to a segment of our society that continues to struggle, every single day, to achieve equality, respect and justice. It is important to pause and consider where that struggle has been and where it is today.
Your theme today is "Moving Equality Forward: The Power of Allies." That is a timely subject and an important reminder. We are currently experiencing a phenomenal shift in peoples' attitudes in this country in the direction of equality for the LGBT community and understanding of the issues it faces. I do not recall, in my lifetime, a more rapid change in public opinion on an issue that has in the past been so intensely controversial and regrettably divisive.
I have been tracking this transformation with particular attention during the last 30 months or so that I have been involved in the legal effort to overturn California's Constitutional Amendment, Proposition 8, which declares that only marriage between a man and woman will be recognized and valid in our nation's most populated state.
Just two years ago, last month, our legal team, consisting of a number of lawyers from my law firm, as well as David Boies and several lawyers from his firm, filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California on behalf of two gay men and two lesbians, who wished to be married. We had a 12 day trial seven months later in January of 2010. A judgment striking down California's Proposition 8 was rendered in August of last year and we are now winding our way through the labyrinth of appeals. We're quite a ways from the finish line, but anyone who has read the 136 page findings, conclusions and opinion by the trial court has recognized what a gratifying milestone that decision represents.
I began both my opening statement in the Perry v. Schwarzenegger, now Perry v. Brown, case with the same words. "This case is about marriage and equality." We emphasized in the trial court and in the Ninth Circuit that the people of California had voted to engrave discrimination on the basis of sex and sexual orientation into their fundamental governing charter, eliminating a California constitutional right that the California Supreme Court had recognized four months earlier. By this act, Californians marginalized over a million gay and lesbian Californians by denying their access to what the Supreme Court of the United States has repeatedly characterized as "the most important relation in life." Californians thus created a "second class of citizens," branded them as different, separate, unequal, disfavored and as legally permissible objects of discrimination, and implicitly sanctioned targets of harassment and even violence.
This form of state-sanctioned discrimination against and hostility toward LGBT individuals is invidious and incredibly damaging—as those of you in this Great Hall particularly know, in a thousand different ways. And yet, this brand of prejudice has been accepted in our society for so long that it has seemed commonplace and unremarkable to many of our citizens. An immense part of the problem has therefore been education—making people understand the wrong that we are doing and the harm that we are inflicting by these attitudes.
We recognized from the very beginning of our Prop. 8 case that our job was not just to change the law, but to attempt in whatever way possible to assist in changing the culture that tolerates this form of discrimination. Of course, our case had to be exceedingly well grounded legally, from the foundation, if we were ultimately going to persuade the courts of this nation that discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in the vital institution of marriage was a violation of the fundamental rights of liberty, privacy, association, and equality. But a victory in court would be a hollow one indeed if the public regarded such a decision as unwarranted, ill-founded or illegitimate.
We believed that, at the core, the legal issues and the public's perception of this case and the issues it presented were interrelated and inseparable. The legal case can help educate the public about the nature of sexual orientation discrimination; its historical origins; the political, social, and psychological harm it causes; and the absence of any legitimate governmental interest creating, supporting or sanctioning such discrimination. On the other hand, the more public opinion shifts against discrimination and favors equality, the easier it will be for judges to conclude that a decision striking down Proposition 8 is right, acceptable, in the mainstream and constitutionally compelled. Everyone knows that the judiciary is not isolated from the attitudes of the society in which it operates. Judges undoubtedly do their best to be impartial and just, but they live in the same world we do, and the more an outcome appears to be radical, the less it is likely to be reached; the more it is perceived to be consistent with public opinion, the more natural it seems.
In 1948, California was the first Supreme Court to strike down miscegenation statutes as unconstitutional. At that time over 30 states had such laws. By the time the issue reached the U.S. Supreme Court, twenty years later, Virginia was one of 16 states that still prohibited interracial marriages. The Court unanimously struck down Virginia's law in 1967. Today—just over forty years later, the public finds it incredible that such laws existed and that, when our President was born, if his parents had been living in Virginia, they would have been felons.
We hope that someday the United States Supreme Court will conclude that marriage can no more be denied to individuals because they are marrying someone of the "wrong" sex than it can be denied for marrying someone of the "wrong" race. When that day comes, we hope that the public will be as accepting of that decision as it now is of Loving v. Virginia.
We have taken several steps to recruit allies and help move the public's perception of Proposition 8 and the injustice of state sponsored sexual orientation discrimination.
First, we considered the composition of legal team. The message we wanted to send by including David Boies along with me at the top of our legal effort was that the issues in this case are not conservative or liberal, Republican or Democratic, but American—values that are fundamental to all Americans. The additional advantage is that, as opponents in the Bush v. Gore case, we presented enough of a novelty ("odd couple," "strange bedfellows") that the media wanted to hear from us and to explore with us our explanation as to why we were together on this venture. That, of course, gave us, and still gives us, innumerable opportunities to explain to wide audiences why Proposition 8 and similar measures are wrong, unlawful and why attitudes should change. We have taken full advantage of these openings, appearing on national media with Bill Moyers, on NBC, CNN, Fox, MSNBC, NPR, and so forth. We have written op-eds and essays such as this cover feature for Newsweek. And we have appeared at corporate-sponsored events such as The New York Times, Time-Warner and many more.
Second, we created a 501(c)(3) to help fund the case, including an advisory board consisting of prominent liberals such as Chad Griffin, Rob and Michele Reiner, and John Podesta, but also conservatives such as former RNC Chairman Ken Mehlman, Margaret Hoover and Cato Board Chairman Bob Levy. The message is obvious—this issue spans the entire political spectrum.
Third, we urged live television of the trial and the Ninth Circuit arguments. Even though the trial was not televised, bloggers from the overflow courtroom kept the nation informed from moment to moment. Reenactments in public parks and auditoriums.
Fourth, the trial itself. Our plaintiffs [describe]. Our lay witnesses Ryan Kendall and Helen Zia, the Mayor of San Diego, Jerry Sanders, a former cop and conservative. Dr. Hah-Shing William Tam, a proponent. Nine experts from UCLA, Harvard, Columbia, Stanford, Yale, University of California, Cambridge. Leading experts in the history of marriage; social history and legal discrimination in America; an economist on the economic effects of discrimination; psychologists—concerning the social/psychological benefits of marriage, the damage to individuals from being denied that relationship; a social psychologist on the emotional and social damage caused by stigma and discrimination; a psychologist on the nature of sexual orientation and the effects of prejudice; and a political scientist, describing the history and impact of discrimination against gays and lesbians. In short, our trial was a remarkable education experience for everyone. The trial court's findings and conclusions created a strong foundation on which other cases can be built. We anticipate documentaries, plays and perhaps a movie based on the case.
Fifth, fundraisers and public events: New York (bankers, investment community) (art auction), Los Angeles (Elton John concert) Aspen, San Francisco, a rally in West Hollywood. We keep widening our support by encouraging and recruiting personal involvement in this case.
The result is that the case and its issues have been widely publicized. We have a treasure trove of anecdotal reports of minds being opened and opinions changing. For example, Ken Mehlman coming out. Lady Gaga declared one of the songs on her album inspired by Prop 8 case. Marissa Tomei readings in parks.
We, of course, cannot begin to quantify the degree to which the Proposition 8 has contributed to changes in public opinion. Other events have been exceedingly important. Litigation in other states; court decisions such as the DOMA litigation; President Obama and Attorney General Holder's decision not to defend DOMA; Congressional repeal of DADT. What we do know is that attitudes are changing, opinions are snowballing.
Recent polls—for what they are worth, all show enormous and rapid change: Post/ABC; Gallup; CNN, Pew, CBS, AP/Nat'l Const. Center. Polls in Virginia, Maine, Minnesota, New York. From '09-'11, up an average of more than ten points. The most dramatic, the Post/ABC poll that went from 40 in favor and 57% against to 53% in favor to 45% oppose. That's a negative 17% to a plus 8%, a net gain of 25% in 24 months!
We must not overstate the significance of these polls. When people vote, they often express less sympathetic views than they do when they respond to polls. There is a long way to go. But the polls are uniformly moving in the right direction and the momentum is rapid unmistakable. And the poll numbers, for people under 30, are overwhelmingly supportive. Even Republicans changing rapidly. One poll showed a shift from 15% support to 30% support among Republicans over a short period.
We have learned what most of you already know. That the more members of the public realize that their brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews, their co-workers, their friends, their doctors, their grocers, their booksellers, and their neighbors are part of the LGBT community. The more they understand what it is to be gay, the more they understand the damage that discrimination does, the more they will appreciate that values of equality, fairness, decency and dignity, must be extended to all, the more they will contribute to the eradication of this sad vestige of discrimination.


text:
European Collision Center
Review for European Collision Center
Diana K. on 07/01/2014
Diana said that they have great service, and the job was done very well. She wanted to tell them good job and keep doing what they are doing.
Category: Collision
Review Created: 07/01/2014
This review was collected via phone interview by Customer Research Inc.


text:
Postgraduate Study
Postgraduate degree courses at Lancaster University are designed to challenge and inspire you, opening your eyes to the possibilities that new learning can make available.
"Our leading academics use state-of-the-art technology to tackle today's world problems and open new frontiers in cutting-edge research. We collaborate with local and international universities and companies, and our excellent teaching is kept current by this pioneering research, allowing us to offer up-to-date programmes relevant for industry."
Professor Claudio Paoloni, Head of Department
Masters Degrees
As a Masters student in the Engineering Department, you will be able to develop your technical and professional skills to the next level and get the opportunity to apply your abilities to real problems.
Academic staff with international reputations in their discipline are available to supervise and guide you to a Doctorate of Engineering.
Current PhD Studentships
Browse our list of funded PhD opportunities giving you real-world experience of Engineering and research.
All current Engineering students and recent graduates can apply for relevant paid work experience through the Faculty of Science and Technology Internship Programme to enhance their employability.
Open Days
We organise regular campus tours to enable potential applicants and their parents to visit our superb facilities. Your visit will give you a flavour of life at Lancaster, and we're confident that it will inspire you to pick Lancaster as your chosen university.
Fees and Funding
There are two main costs for postgraduate students – academic fees and living expenses. Within these pages, you can view details of our fee levels and funding opportunities, and also find out more about what your living costs as a postgraduate might be whilst studying at Lancaster.


text:
The iRig Keys I/O production station from IK Multimedia is a music controller that is available in either a 25 or 49 key version. This ultra portable music production station is compatible with iOS, Mac, and PC and features 24-bit audio with up to a 96kHz sampling rate, a combo input jack for line in… Read More
Music Gear
When I played the piano growing up, I remembered the days when I needed an extra person to turn the pages in my sheet music so that I could play uninterrupted. Nowadays, sheet music can be displayed on tablets giving rise to an accessory device that can signal a page turn using your feet. The… Read More
I've seen hundreds of ukuleles made of all sorts of exotic woods and even carbon fiber, but these one of a kind musical instruments from Tyde Music use reclaimed materials from piers, boat houses, old barns, and more. Tyde Music builds ukuleles in the four sizes including soprano, concert, tenor, and baritone. The images shown… Read More
A lot of people who enjoy playing guitar for fun and profit don't just own one instrument. They are always seeking something new, better and different. The problem is that owning multiple guitars takes a lot of money to buy them and a lot of space to store them. Somnium guitars look like they could… Read More
We have several wind chimes hanging from our front porch including the one shown in the image above. I love the relaxing sound of a wind chime as the breeze blows against it. But my wind chimes don't play a recognizable tune. They make more of a tinkling, pinging, dinging, and donging type of sound… Read More
There hasn't been a whole lot of innovation in stringed instrument tuners in the last few years if you don't count that they continue to shrink in size like the D'Addario NS Micro which clips to the edge of a guitar or ukulele's sound hole. That's why I was surprised to hear about the Cling… Read More
Fender, the iconic guitar manufacturer, has released an Android version of their Fender Tune guitar and bass tuner application. Larry talked about the iOS version of this app last summer, and now it's available for free for Android devices. The app uses the mobile device's microphone to listen to a plucked string's pitch and then… Read More
Making music on the fly has become commonplace today and with various music apps like GarageBand you have a virtual band in your pocket. There are a lot of devices on the market that capitalize on the portability of music making with devices that simulate guitars and keyboards, but no one has really addressed the… Read More
If you've ever wanted to create music but felt you didn't have the aptitude or ability to play a physical instrument, the BLOCKS system from ROLI looks like a simple and fun way to make your dreams come true without needing a huge budget. ROLI BLOCKS is a scalable music creation system that connects together… Read More
Sandworms. Admiral Ackbar. Dual-lens Camera. These are a few of the things folks said this Bluetooth speaker looks like. I thought the speaker market was nearing its endpoint with different designs, but this tubular doughnut came out of nowhere. SumSonic calls it the LLX-01 – which is not helpful in imagining what it looks like. But, the… Read More
This beautiful stool with built-in guitar stand is handmade in the US by fillingham, an Etsy store. The Guitar Stool/Guitar Stand is made to order from "wood, walnut, ash, felt, cork, and yacht braid." fillingham says: "Hardwood surfaces (walnut and ash) are finished with a custom, hand rubbed finish that improves with age and use… Read More
We like to cover IK Multimedia products because they consistently offer powerful tech music accessories that are fun and easy to use. Today they announced the iRig HD 2 pro-quality digital guitar and bass interface for iOS. The iRig HD 2 features 24-bit analog-to-digital conversion and 96kHz sample rate. The device connects directly to your… Read More
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xznRcpGe53E The Mogees sensor will turn a table into a drumkit, a skateboard into a harp, a shovel into a guitar, etc. The sensor is a contact microphone that connects to an iPad or iPhone and creates music from the vibrations within a variety of materials such as woods, metals, plastics, and glass. But it… Read More
Wow, now I think I've seen everything… Apparently, fingertip protectors for playing guitar, ukulele and other stringed instruments is a thing. The protectors come in a package of four and are made of food-grade silicone material that stretches to fit the size of your index through ring fingers. Each fingertip protector has an opening in… Read More
Fender music, you know the folks who make cool guitars and amps, have entered the mobile app market with the new self-produced Fender Tune iOS app. This free app has been designed for beginners and seasoned players alike and offers an auto-tuning mode, pre-set and customizable custom tuning options. The Fender Tune app also has… Read More


text:
Das Tub Trailer (2010)
Lost in the frozen depths of the Atlantic a German U-Boat crew find themselves on a collision course with objects stranger than they can fathom. The truth leaves them bathed in confusion in this submarine drama of domestic proportions.
Watch the official Das Tub 2010 trailer in HD below or find more Das Tub videos on Vidimovie.


text:
Contact Info / Websites
Hello NGers,
Today I released the mobile port of my game "My Critter" on Newgrounds with hopes to get some exposure towards the mobile Android port. It's a game that originally started development early Jan 2014 using the Construct 2 engine, but later was ported over to Stencyl's game engine within two weeks. My Critter features the ability to design your own critter with different features such as eyes, noses, and mouth and perform daily activites such as feed, sleep, clean, etc.
I recently updated the mobile game with Valentine's Day content(as you can see with the image below) such as a Valentine-theme wallpaper, theme skins, etc.
This game is still new, so I still have alot of idea/content that I want to add-in over time. Like a garden where you can check your crops daily and use crops to craft various items. I have plans for a "Stock Market" system where you can buy low, sell high stocks and it will update everyday in real-time. Other plans include visiting other critter's homes, battling other critters (via turn-based), etc etc. So please check out the current version and leave your feedback, ideas, suggestions.. Also, don't leave your critter asleep when your about to log off Newgrounds. Let's just say your critter will die permanently. I need to fix that.. -_- Thanks to Yasufusa for informing me. (http://yatsufusa.newgrounds.com/)
I don't normally make news posts on here, but hopefully this will be worthwhile.. My next game Deadly Space Boss Arena will be released on Christmas Day (12/25/13) as a Open Beta. The game is not perfect and we would like everyone input and suggestions to make the game better. After all, only two people are working on this game. Deadly Space Boss Arena is a unique type of game where you must aid Alyssa or Ben (main characters) to defeat the evil Slicer who has spawn many mini-bosses in the Galaxy.
- Boss Generator: Will be able to fight different bosses. Some stronger or weaker than others. Plan to include new bosses in each update.
- Weapon/Hat : Collect bounty cash gained from killing bosses to buy awesome and powerful weapons and hats (armors) you can use on your main character. Plan to include new weapons and hats in each update.
- Gear Enhance System: Use your bounty cash to enhance your weapons and make stronger (Ex. +5 Dragon Gun)
- Ability to take screenshots and share on Facebook and Twitter.
- Online Co-op Multiplayer: In the works..
- Audio Jukebox containing great works from a few Newground Artists.
and more...
Play it now!!
Play my latest game now!! Mazify!
Hey guys!! Try out The World of Pitluff Demo. It features two levels. I know it's a bit buggy, so please bare with me as I correct them in a future update. Please continue to post your bug reports in the form of a comment.
Version 1.0.6( Feb 8th, 2012)
-First Extras Pack "Valentine's Day Mini Pack"
-Newgrounds Leaderboards added (Valentine's Day Pack Only)
-1 New Medal (More medals coming the future.)
Don't worry more medals and more level packs will be added in the future :)
New Pitluff Update
- Featuring First "Extras" pack featuring Valentine's Day based levels.
- Newgrounds scoreboard fix (and hopefully medals..)
This update launches on Saturday, Feb 11th, 2012.
Also, a new game is now in the works called "Galaxier", I don't have any further information other than a new artist aka Bazmak will be working on the game's graphics. You can view his portfolio by clicking the link below..
Just wanted to mention that starting next week, I will take the time to improve the " Newgrounds Version" of Pitluff. This update will include the true implementation of the Newgrounds leaderboards API and potentially medals will be added. Also, the first "Extras" pack will come soon relating to upcoming Valentine's Day. Stay tuned.
Happy New Year guys!!! I don't normally use this Newgrounds account, but when a new year comes, it means it's usually time for a change. So I will finally come on this website more and upload my games and play other Flash based games. Speaking of which, I'm uploading my first Flash Game "Pitluff", this weekend. Stay tuned.. ;)


text:
KT Astrologer
Vedic Astrology Horoscope
This month is not looking great since Jupiter getting into forward motion. You may see unexpected bad things happening around May 25, 2016. Since your time is looking very good in the long term, stay calm and avoid taking important decisions in this month and you will become alright.
Disclaimer: This web site is for educational and informational purposes only. Click here to read the Disclaimer.
Content copyright 2010-2017. Betelgeuse LLC. All rights reserved.


text:
My order arrived as hoped for and that`s the bottom line. Quick delivery to Canada also. Thanks MJM and I will return someday.
Read More ->
If there is really magic, this site is it! I have never seen a better site for magic products. I had my doubts for free shipping, but my products...
Read More ->