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The user support model at the ING telescopes has evolved considerably over the last 20 years, mainly in response to improvements in the reliability and efficiency of the observing systems. Observers at the 4.2-m William Her- schel Telescope (WHT) currently get first-night (afternoon + evening) support from staff support astronomers, and all-night support from telescope operators. As of 2010, the telescope operators also provide engineering sup- port at night. Observers at the 2.5-m Isaac Newton Telescope (INT) get first-night support from student support astronomers, but no night-time operator/engineering support. Feedback from observers indicates a continuing high level of satisfaction with the support they receive.

This paper presents a novel approach for obstacle representation method when robotic manipulation task system understand real indoor environment for 3D workspace modeling. When many objects scattering on the table in workspace, if the robot want to grasp only one object, the robot system should has a path planning to approach the object. In this case, the obstacle representation in cluttered-environment is an important role for robot system. The research area of 3D workspace modeling, the research of step by step accumulating environment observation method is more difficult than the entire environment observing method and the research is not reported sufficiently. In this paper, we can contribute the two issues for real-time 3D workspace modeling to using the sequential input stereopsis scenes information. First, we can suggest a method to estimate the transformation matrix from using SIFT feature and Epipolar Geometry Constraint characteristics in the continuous process of accumulating sequential input stereopsis scenes for more fast and accurate than recently research. This method guarantees a feasible transformation matrix result better than the using traditional ICP and general SIFT method. Second, we can suggest a method for octree-based obstacle representation and we can also suggest an octree update method for real-time. It is faster than entire workspace observation method, and if the robot doesn't know about the objects and obstacles information in workspace, we can help the robot to understand environment himself from practical information. Taking the obstacle information from above method can help the robot system possible to do path planning for robotic manipulation task in 3D workspace. Through the experimental result, we can show that our method is well-performing and well-modeling the obstacle in 3D real environment workspace modeling in real-time.

As device geometries shrink, tolerances for critical dimension, focus, and overlay control decrease. For the stable manufacture of semiconductor devices at (and beyond) the 65nm node, both performance variability and drift in exposure tools are no longer negligible factors. With EES (Equipment Engineering System) as a guidepost, hopes of improving productivity of semiconductor manufacturing are growing. We are developing a system, EESP (Equipment Engineering Support Program), based on the concept of EES. The EESP system collects and stores large volumes of detailed data generated from Canon lithographic equipment while product is being manufactured. It uses that data to monitor both equipment characteristics and process characteristics, which cannot be examined without this system. The goal of EESP is to maximize equipment capabilities, by feeding the result back to APC/FDC and the equipment maintenance list. This was a collaborative study of the system's effectiveness at the device maker's factories. We analyzed the performance variability of exposure tools by using focus residual data. We also attempted to optimize tool performance using the analyzed results. The EESP system can make the optimum performance of exposure tools available to the device maker.

The surface contamination analysis technology (SCAT) team was originated as a working roup of NASA civil service, Space Shuttle contractor, and university groups. Participating members of the SCAT Team have included personnel from NASA Marshall Space Flight Center's Materials and Processes Laboratory and Langley Research Center's Instrument Development Group; contractors-Thiokol Corporation's Inspection Technology Group, AC Engineering support contractor, Aerojet, SAIC, and Lockheed MArtin/Oak Ridge Y-12 support contractor and Shuttle External Tank prime contractor; and the University of Alabama in Huntsville's Center for Robotics and Automation. The goal of the SCAT team as originally defined was to develop and integrate a multi-purpose inspection head for robotic application to in-process inspection of contamination sensitive surfaces. One area of interest was replacement of ozone depleting solvents currently used for surface cleanliness verification. The team approach brought together the appropriate personnel to determine what surface inspection techniques were applicable to multi-program surface cleanliness inspection. Major substrates of interest were chosen to simulate space shuttle critical bonding surface or surfaces sensitive to contamination such as fuel system component surfaces. Inspection techniques evaluated include optically stimulated electron emission or photoelectron emission; Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy; near infrared fiber optic spectroscopy; and, ultraviolet fluorescence. Current plans are to demonstrate an integrated system in MSFC's Productivity Enhancement Complex within five years from initiation of this effort in 1992. Instrumentation specifications and designs developed under this effort include a portable diffuse reflectance FTIR system built by Surface Optics Corporation and a third generation optically stimulated electron emission system built by LaRC. This paper will discuss the evaluation of the various techniques on a number of substrate materials contaminated with hydrocarbons, silicones, and fluorocarbons. Discussion will also include standards development for instrument calibration and testing.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.

The validity of a photolithographic develop process in a manufacturing environment is measured by critical-dimension control, photo defects, chemical usage, cycle time, functional test yield, and rework. Due to the rapid pace of change in the semiconductor industry and the trend toward ever tighter ground rules, the demands that these parameters place on the develop process are never constant. A process that worked in the past may suddenly become inadequate for a new product design with specific performance, throughput and cost requirements. This paper details the techniques used for engineering support of the photocluster single-wafer develop processes in the IBM Microelectronics Division's semiconductor production facility near Burlington, Vermont. Unique analysis procedures have been established for baselining spray- and puddle-develop processes and for identifying the sources of sudden process deviations or defect occurrences. Effective engineering support can maintain the required process performance while also ensuring that all other production considerations are met.

Micronic Laser Systems AB, a developer of laser pattern generator systems based in Sweden, and Align-Rite Limited, a maskmaker based in the United Kingdom, decided in early of 1989 to cooperate on a project intended to utilize Micronic's laser scanner systems and Align-Rite's maskmaking experience to develop a system tailored specifically for 5X reticle manufacture. However, it was also found that the initial design was reliant upon a high degree of engineering support and was not well suited to a production environment. Based on the experience of Align- Rite; modifications were introduced into a prototype system that was installed at Align-Rite, Bridgend for evaluation. Continuing work by Align-Rite and Micronic identified areas where further design and process modifications were required in order to qualify the system as a heavy duty production tool. These changes are incorporated int eh production version of the machine, Micronic LSR-18, that is now being built in Sweden. The presentation intends to give the audience an understanding of the principal features and operational characteristics of the laser pattern generator, to discuss the results achieved thus far, and the process that is being used to generate 5x reticles. Finally, the future path and expectation of the project will be given.

The complexity ofcomputing 3D workspaces forjoint limited redundant manipulators is examined.Different types of reachable workspace volume and reachable workspace boundary problems aredefined. Each type of volume problem is at least as hard as its corresponding type of boundaryproblem, and each problem type is at least NP hard. New efficient and adaptive workspace pointcomputation techniques are proposed (e.g. based on nonlinear programming) after complexityanalyses of the corresponding decision problems. 1 Introduction The complexity analysis for a given problem is considered a fundamental step that should be un-dertaken before attempting to solve it since it affects the algorithms that can be developed to solveit efficiently. Although the workspace problem has applications in a wide variety of fields such asrobotics, computer aided design, and computer graphics, its complexity had never been analyzed. Inthis paper, we analyze the computational complexity of both the reachable workspace volume andthe reachable workspace envelope (boundary) problems and prove that they are at least NP-hard.Reachable workspace volume computation is important for visualizing the 3D workspace with theholes and voids that are buried inside the workspace. Reachable workspace boundary computationis important for applications that only require 2D cross sections.