Optics: measuring and testing inventions 01/07

20070019181 - Object detection system: An object detection system utilizing one or more thin, planar structured light patterns projected into a volume of interest, along with digital processing hardware and one or more electronic imagers looking into the volume of interest. Triangulation is used to determine the intersection of the structured light pattern with objects... Agent: Lee Weinstein

20070019182 - Arc/spark optical emission spectroscopy correlated with spark location: Two or more high-frequency microphones are used to determine where an individual spark or other excitation beam strikes a sample in an optical emission spectroscopy (OES) instrument. The position of the spark can be correlated with the elemental composition of the material in the sample vaporized by the spark. The... Agent: Bromberg & Sunstein LLP

20070019183 - Angle-measuring system: An angle-measuring system comprising at least one transmitter provided with a number of complementary signal-generating elements disposed in pairs and creating a pattern of signals. The elements create a reference mark irregularly configured at least at one spot. A device for acquiring the signals and an evaluation unit are also... Agent: Harness, Dickey & Pierce, P.L.C

20070019184 - Microchip measurement device: A microchip analysis device in which the effect of changes in the quantity of light of a discharge lamp of the short arc type can be reduced and measurement results with high reliability can be obtained is achieved in microchip measurement device which has a light source lamp and a... Agent: Roberts, Mlotkowski & Hobbes

20070019185 - Apparatus of inspecting defect in semiconductor and method of the same: When size of a defect on an increasingly miniaturized pattern is obtained by defect inspection apparatus in the related art, a value is inconveniently given, which is different from a measured value of the same defect by SEM. Thus, a dimension value of a defect detected by defect inspection apparatus... Agent: Antonelli, Terry, Stout & Kraus, LLP

20070019186 - Apparatus for feature detection: An apparatus for feature detection of a test object includes at least one light source module and at least one image capturing unit. The light source module provides light to illuminate a test region of the test object, and includes a substrate, a set of light-emitting components, and a light-focusing... Agent: Brooks Kushman P.C.

20070019187 - Method and device for non-destructive analysis of perforations in a material: Method for fabricating and inspecting small holes in a material are disclosed. The method includes directing light onto the material and through the holes formed in the material, and then collecting the light passing through the holes in the material onto a detector. The methods further include analyzing the light... Agent: Bozicevic, Field & Francis LLP

20070019188 - Method for fabricating haze noise standards comprising nano-structures on an insulating thin layer: formation on the insulating layer (102, 202) of nano-structures (114, 116, 2141, 2142, 2143, 2144) based on a second semi-conductor material and in the form of hemi-spheres, from stable seeds of the first semi-conductor material, by chemical deposition from a second precursor gas (110) of the second semi-conductor material. The... Agent: C. Irvin Mcclelland Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland, Maier & Neustadt, P.C.

20070019189 - Cuvette and cuvette cap: The invention provides a cuvette apparatus having two cavities that are in fluid communication with each other. The first cavity is larger than the second cavity an receives a fluid to be studied. The second cavity holds the fluid for analysis and is bounded by at least two thin walled... Agent: Hogan & Hartson LLPIPGroup, Columbia Square

20070019191 - On-line analysis of polymer properties for control of a solution phase reaction system: Methods and systems for analysis of the polymerization material of solution polymerization processes are provided. In certain embodiments, the methods and systems subject the polymerization material to Raman spectroscopy analysis. The Raman spectroscopy provides analysis of reaction mixtures and/or product streams in solution polymerization processes. The Raman spectroscopy analysis may... Agent: Exxonmobil Chemical Company Law Technology

20070019190 - On-line properties analysis of a molten polymer by raman spectroscopy for control of a mixing device: Method and systems for online analysis of a polymeric material within a mixing device are provided. In certain embodiments, the methods and systems subject the polymeric material to Raman spectroscopy analysis. The Raman spectroscopy provides analysis of polymer properties that may include melt index, density, viscosity, molecular weight, molecular weight... Agent: Exxonmobil Chemical Company

20070019192 - Laser scanning microscope: A Laser Scanning Microscope, preferably with line-shaped sampling, whereby illumination radiation from the Microscope is guided over a sample with at least one galvanometer scanner. The scanner has a mechanical deflection limit. A means for the determination of a current increase is provided in the scanner. On reaching a threshold... Agent: Jacobson Holman PLLC

20070019193 - System and method of aerosolized agent capture and detection: System and method of aerosolized agent detection. Multi-part collection tape is employed for capturing particles of interest for immediate analysis and optional forensic preservation and recording information related to capture and subsequent real-time analysis. Laser induced breakdown spectroscopic processing is employed and spectra attributable to known collection tape materials is... Agent: Burns & Levinson, LLP (formerly Perkins Smith & Cohen LLP)

20070019194 - Full spectral range spectrometer: A spectrometer is designed capable of effectively covering the full desired spectral range using an array of multiple diffraction gratings arranged in gradually differentiated angles to diffract certain sub-range of photon wavelengths to the target detectors without relying on mechanically changing gratings or use of any moving parts. The optically... Agent: David T. Kao

20070019195 - Particle size distribution measuring device: A particle size distribution measuring device detects, at a detecting portion, the spatial intensity distribution of diffracted light and scattered light produced by irradiating a sample including a group of particles, with laser light. The measuring device calculates the particle size distribution of the group of the particles using the... Agent: Kanesaka Berner And Partners LLP

20070019196 - Edge bead removal inspection by reflectometry: A method and apparatus for enhancing image contrast between resist-covered and bare silicon regions of a wafer, applicable to Edge Bead Removal inspection. The wafer is illuminated separately by s-polarized light and p-polarized light impinging at near the Brewster angle of silicon or resist, and an image difference between the... Agent: Deborah Wenocur, Patent Agent

20070019197 - Position detecting method and apparatus: A position detecting method includes steps of sensing an image of first and second marks, orthogonally transforming a signal obtained in the sensing step, and calculating each position of the first and second marks based on a phase of a corresponding frequency component obtained in the orthogonally transforming step.... Agent: Fitzpatrick Cella Harper & Scinto

20070019198 - Hyperspectral visible absorption imaging of molecular probes and dyes in biomaterials: A system and method for obtaining hyperspectral visible absorption images. The system includes a light source which illuminates a sample containing light absorbing material, a platform, an optical lens, a detector. The platform has a section for placement of the sample and a section devoid of sample. The transmitted photons... Agent: Daniel H. Golub

20070019199 - Methods, systems, and computer program products for optimization of probes for spectroscopic measurement in turbid media: The presently disclosed subject matter provides methods, systems, and computer program products for optimizing a probe geometry for spectroscopic measurement in a turbid medium. According to one method, a probe geometry comprising one emitting entity for emitting electromagnetic radiation into a turbid medium and at least on collecting entity for... Agent: Jenkins, Wilson, Taylor & Hunt, P. A.

20070019200 - Processor for entangled complex signals: A system for and method of processing complex signals encoded into quantum states is presented. According to an embodiment of the invention, polarized components of a pump laser beam are separated and respectively modulated with first and second signals. The modulated polarized components are directed to adjacent non-linear crystals with... Agent: Hunton & Williams LLP Intellectual Property Department

20070019201 - Method and apparatus for providing polarization insensitive signal processing for interferometric sensors: A method and apparatus that uses specific source modulation and detectors to detect a response that carries information about a system response matrix associated with each sensor in a interferometric sensor array and extracting a sensor response in a manner that eliminates polarization-induced signal fading and that is insensitive to... Agent: Patterson & Sheridan, L.L.P.

20070019202 - Method and apparatus for reducing crosstalk interference in an inline fabry-perot sensor array: A method and apparatus for reducing crosstalk between sensors in an inline Fabry-Perot (FP) sensor array. The inline FP sensor array comprises a plurality of fiber Bragg gratings arranged periodically along an optical fiber. The sensors are formed between each of the Bragg gratings. A light source provides multiplexed pulses... Agent: William B. Patterson Moser, Patterson & Sheridan, L.L.P.

20070019203 - Phase shift interferometer: A phase shift interferometer (100) has an illuminating optical system (200) that emits a P-wave and an S-wave, a collimator lens (110), a reference half mirror (120), a pinhole plate (130) having a pinhole (131), and a phase shift interference fringe acquiring section (300) that allows an object light and... Agent: Oliff & Berridge, PLC

20070019205 - Method of measuring thickness of thin layer in semiconductor device and apparatus for performing method: A method of measuring the thickness of a thin layer formed on a substrate comprises generating a measured signal spectrum by reflecting a light off of the thin layer and analyzing a resulting reflected light. The method further comprises generating a theoretical signal spectrum based on a putative thickness of... Agent: Volentine Francos, & Whitt PLLC

20070019204 - Spectrometer based multiband optical monitoring of thin films: A spectrometer based optical monitoring system is provided with a fiber optics transmission/reflection probe measuring in-situ data of a fixed and/or a rotational monitor. Single or multiple spectral bands are measured instantaneously by the spectrometer to monitor the thickness of each material layer as it is being applied. The single... Agent: Dennis G. Lapointe Lapointe Law Group, Pl

20070019206 - Etching method and apparatus: A to-be-etched substrate is illuminated by two lights each having a different wavelength coming from a light source in a light source detector section. The lights are reflected on the to-be-etched substrate. The two reflected lights as a result of reflection on the to-be-etched substrate each include an interfered light,... Agent: Morrison & Foerster LLP

20070019209 - Condition assessment system for a structure including a semiconductor material: An improved condition testing system and method includes a structure including a semiconductor material with a target portion and a second portion. The target portion has a first feature when at least one of the following occurs: an external force is received by the second portion of the structure and... Agent: Davis Wright Tremaine, LLP

20070019207 - Interferometer for measurement of dome-like objects: An interferometer is provided, comprising a source, a unit under test (UUT) with at least a first surface and second surface, a reflective optic, a detector and light from the source. The light is transmitted through the unit under test and reflects off of the reflective optic, which directs the... Agent: David W. Collins Intellectual Property Law

20070019208 - Optical tomography apparatus: Low coherence light having a central wavelength λc of 1.1 μm and a full width at half maximum spectrum Δλ of 90 nm is emitted. The low coherence light has wavelength properties suited for the light absorbing properties, the diffusion properties, and the dispersion properties of living tissue. A light... Agent: Sughrue Mion, PLLC

20070019210 - Time-delayed source and interferometric measurement of windows and domes: An interferometer comprises a time-delayed source, light emitted from the time-delayed source, a unit under test where the unit under test has a first surface and a second surface, and a detector. The light emitted from the time-delayed source has a delay length. A first portion of the light is... Agent: David W. Collins Intellectual Property Law

20070019211 - Projector unit and projection television apparatus: A projector unit is disclosed wherein a replacing operation of a light source is simplified and the quality of an image can be assured advantageously. A locking mechanism is formed from engaging pins, engaging pawls and a spring. The engaging pins are provided on a housing portion of a body... Agent: Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner LLP

20070019212 - Surveying systems and methods: The invention relates to a surveying system, comprising at least one total station unit (210,220), and at least one target (201,203), said targets having wireless communication means, each unit provided with a unique wireless communication address for wireless communication, the wireless communication to be used to activate a selected total... Agent: Bruce D. Riter

20070019213 - Systems and methods for determining the location and angular orientation of a hole with an obstructed opening residing on a surface of an article: Provided are systems 10 and methods 100 for determining both the location and angular orientation of holes 12 with openings 14 on a surface 16 of an article 18 that are at least partially obstructed. In a method of the present invention, a scanning system 10 that includes a laser... Agent: Pratt & Whitney

20070013897 - Instrument and method to measure available light energy for photosynthesis: The present invention is an accumulated light meter that generates data concerning the quantity of photosynthetically active radiation available over a measured period of time. The device can calculate a daily light integral (DLI) that corresponds to the amount of light required by certain plants in order to optimize photosynthesis.... Agent: James M. Francis

20070013901 - Optical inspection tool having lens unit with multiple beam paths for detecting surface defects of a substrate and methods of using same: An optical inspection tool used to detect surface defects of a substrate include a chuck for holding a substrate and a lens unit disposed over the chuck. The lens unit includes at least a pair of oblique beam paths therein, wherein light penetrating the beam paths travels without angular deflection.... Agent: Marger Johnson & Mccollom, P.C.

20070013899 - Systems, circuits and methods for extending the detection range of an inspection system by avoiding detector saturation: Inspection systems, circuits and methods are provided to enhance defect detection by addressing anode saturation as a limiting factor of the measurement detection range of a photomultiplier tube (PMT) detector. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a method for inspecting a specimen includes directing light to the specimen... Agent: Baker & Mckenzie LLP

20070013898 - Systems, circuits and methods for reducing thermal damage and extending the detection range of an inspection system: Inspection systems, circuits, and methods are provided to enhance defect detection by reducing thermal damage to large particles by dynamically altering the incident laser beam power level supplied to the specimen during a surface inspection scan. In one embodiment, an inspection system includes an illumination subsystem for directing light to... Agent: Baker & Mckenzie LLP

20070013900 - Wafer defect detection methods and systems: A wafer detection method. A plurality of PSL particles are sprayed on a wafer. An inspection operation is implemented on the wafer to obtain location information corresponding to a plurality of defects on the wafer, each location information corresponding to the defects comprises an error value. An inspection operation implemented... Agent: Birch Stewart Kolasch & Birch

20070013902 - Apparatus for inspecting a wafer: The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for automatically inspecting a wafer, having a light source and an illumination optics for illuminating the wafer for inspection, wherein the illumination optics comprises a variable gray filter for adjusting the illumination power.... Agent: Houston Eliseeva

20070013903 - System for detection of wafer defects: Fast on-line electro-optical detection of wafer defects by illuminating with a short light pulse from a repetitively pulsed laser, a section of the wafer while it is moved across the field of view of an imaging system, and imaging the moving wafer onto a focal plane assembly, optically forming a... Agent: Ladas & Parry

20070013904 - Apparatus and system for characterizing a target: In one embodiment, apparatus for characterizing a target is provided with a plurality of light sources that are positioned to illuminate a target. The light sources emit different wavelengths of light. A color sensor is positioned to receive and sense different wavelengths of light reflected from the target. A control... Agent: Avago Technologies, Ltd.

20070013905 - Apparatus to produce spectrums: A method of placing a grating material at an optimum distance from a sensor that will produce a reference spectrum on that sensor. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a device with a diffraction grating end will protrude into the empty lens well of a camera and with... Agent: Roger W. Brown, Ph.d.

20070013906 - Standard material for particle analyzer: A standard material that is used for judging an abnormal portion in a particle analyzer is described. The standard material comprises first standard particles to be fluorescence-stained by a fluorescence-staining treatment and second standard particles that have preliminarily contained a fluorescence dye. A method and an analyzer that can judge... Agent: Sughrue Mion, PLLC

20070013907 - Optical measurement method and device: An optical measurement of a crystalline sample to be measured. The sample is irradiated with an exciting light from the polarization direction in which the Raman scattering is prohibited by the selection rule. When a metal probe is brought to proximity to the sample to be measured, the selection rule... Agent: Patterson & Sheridan L.L.P.

20070013908 - Portable raman sensor for soil nutrient detection: An apparatus and method for detecting phosphorus in soil and vegetation are developed. In one embodiment, a portable Raman-based sensor is provided to obtain significant phosphorus absorption band in soils and to determine phosphorus concentrations. The portable sensor can have the capability to measure phosphorus concentrations in wet and dry... Agent: Saliwanchik Lloyd & Saliwanchik A Professional Association

20070013909 - Method of exciting molecules out of a first state into a second states using an optical signal: In a fluorescence-microscopic method of examining a sample with high spatial resolution, the sample is first cooled to a temperature of below 5° C.; next the cooled sample is transferred out of a ground state into a fluorescent state within an area captured by a detector using an excitation beam... Agent: Scott A. Horstemeyer Thomas, Kayden, Horstemeyer & Risley, LLP

20070013910 - Pathogen and particle detector system and method: A particle detector has a sample area of cross section no in excess of about 2 mm for containing environmental fluid, a light source on one side of the sample area for directing a collimated or nearly collimated beam of light through the sample air or water so that part... Agent: Hayes, Soloway P.C.

20070013911 - Light source for a downhole spectrometer: The present invention provides an apparatus and method for high resolution spectroscopy using a narrow light beam source such as a superluminescent diode (SLD) and a tunable optical filter (TOF) for analyzing a formation fluid sample downhole and at the surface to determine formation fluid parameters. The SLD and TOF... Agent: Gilbret Roebuck Bynum Derrington Schmidt Walker & Tran, LLP

20070013912 - Analytical method and apparatus: A method of examining thin layer structures on a surface for differences in respect of optical thickness, which method comprises the steps of: irradiating the surface with light so that the light is internally or externally reflected at the surface; imaging the reflected light on a first two-dimensional detector; sequentially... Agent: Seed Intellectual Property Law Group PLLC

20070013913 - Spectral metrology for high repetition rate gas discharge laser: A bandwidth meter apparatus and method for measuring the bandwidth of a spectrum of light emitted from a laser input to the bandwidth meter is disclosed which may comprise an optical bandwidth monitor providing a first output representative of a first parameter which is indicative of the bandwidth of the... Agent: William C. Cray Cymer, Inc.

20070013914 - Crystalline optical fiber sensors for harsh environments: A diaphragm optic sensor comprises a single crystal ferrule, preferably single crystal sapphire, including a bore having an optical fiber disposed therein and a diaphragm attached to the ferrule, the diaphragm being spaced apart from the ferrule to form a Fabry-Perot cavity. The cavity is formed by creating a pit... Agent: Dla Piper US LLP Attn: Patent Group

20070013915 - Method for correcting disturbances in a level sensor light path: A level sensor for determining a height of a substrate. In one configuration, the level sensor forms part of a lithographic apparatus that includes a projection lens system. The level sensor generates one or more measurement beams and directs the measurement beam to a measurement spot on a substrate having... Agent: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP

20070013916 - Methods and systems for ultra-precise measurement and control of object motion in six degrees of freedom by projection and measurement of interference fringes: A system and method for active visual measurement and servo control using laterally sampled white light interferometry (L-SWLI) for real-time visual tracking of six-degree-of-freedom (6 DOF) rigid body motion with near-nanometer precision. The visual tracking system is integrated with a 6 DOF motion stage to realize an ultra precision six-axis... Agent: Roetzel & Andress

20070013917 - Measuring apparatus: An apparatus for determining the topography, shape, or form of (machined) objects is disclosed. The apparatus operative to perform consecutive measurements of the optical path difference (OPD) between a reference surface on one hand and a series of laterally displaced points on one or more partially reflecting surfaces of an... Agent: Birch Stewart Kolasch & Birch

20070013918 - Optical measuring system and optical measuring method: The invention provides an optical measuring system and an optical measuring method, which are particularly useful for the acquisition of image data of a retina of an eye. Data acquisition is made by OCT measurements, wherein a quality of these measurement is improved by arranging an active optical element in... Agent: Potomac Patent Group, PLLC

20070013919 - Optical apparatus for measuring tooling position within a seaming machine: The present invention provides an optical device for measuring characteristics of toolings (116), especially chuck and roll in a seamer. The optical device comprises a radiation source (102) adapted to generate radiation, means (106, 108) for diverting the radiation so as to pass through a profile in the toolings (116),... Agent: Wolf, Block, Shorr And Solis-cohen LLP

20070013920 - Position-measuring device: In a position-measuring device for recording the relative position of a scanning unit and a measuring graduation that is movable with respect to the latter in at least one measuring direction, the scanning unit includes a plurality of grating structures as well as at least one reflector element. The elements... Agent: Kenyon & Kenyon LLP

20070013921 - Metrology apparatus, lithographic apparatus, process apparatus metrology method and device manufacturing method: A metrology apparatus for measuring a parameter of a microscopic structure on a substrate, the apparatus comprising a supercontinuum light source arranged to generate a measurement beam, an optical system arranged to direct the measurement beam onto the substrate and a sensor for detecting radiation reflected and/or diffracted by the... Agent: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP

20070013922 - Monitoring slot formation in substrates: A light beam is used to cut a slot in a first side of substrate. An optical sensor monitors a surface of a second side of the substrate that is opposite the first side while cutting the slot. If the light beam breaks through the surface of the second side,... Agent: Hewlett Packard Company

20070008514 - Ladar system with sal follower: A dual mode LADAR/SAL apparatus is disclosed. In one aspect, the apparatus includes a gimbal capable of scanning in azimuth and in elevation and a sensor mounted on the gimbal. The sensor includes a telescope, a LADAR optical path, and a SAL optical path. The telescope defines an exit pupil... Agent: Williams, Morgan & Amerson

20070008515 - Geographic data collecting system: A geographic data collecting system, comprising a distance measuring unit for projecting a distance measuring light and for measuring a distance to an object to be measured, a camera for taking an image in measuring direction, a display unit for displaying the pickup image, a touch panel provided to correspond... Agent: Nields & Lemack

20070008516 - Light beam merging and guiding device: A microscope having a device for merging different light beams, guiding them to a main beam outlet, and scrambling them in a way that a homogeneous intensity distribution is achieved there. When critical illumination is employed this carries over to a homogeneous illumination of the object plane of the microscope... Agent: Peter N. Jansson Jansson, Shupe & Munger, Ltd.

20070008517 - Systems and methods for euv light source metrology: Systems and methods for EUV Light Source metrology are disclosed. In a first aspect, a system for measuring an EUV light source power output may include a photoelectron source material disposed along an EUV light pathway to expose the material and generate a quantity of photoelectrons. The system may further... Agent: Matthew K. Hillman Cymer, Inc., Legal Dept.

20070008518 - Photoluminescence imaging with preferential detection of photoluminescence signals emitted from a specified material layer of a wafer or other workpiece: A method and apparatus uses photoluminescence to identify defects in one or more specified material layers of a sample. One or more filtering elements are used to filter out predetermined wavelengths of return light emitted from a sample. The predetermined wavelengths are selected such that only return light emitted from... Agent: Perkins Coie LLP

20070008520 - Field folding optical method for imaging system: Apparatus for inspecting a surface of a sample, including a detector and folding optics. The folding optics are configured to receive radiation arising from a first region of the surface and from a second region of the surface. The first region and the second region have a first spatial relationship... Agent: Jimmy Earl Hilton Jr.

20070008519 - Illumination system for optical inspection: Apparatus for generating optical radiation includes a laser, which is configured to operate in multiple transverse modes simultaneously so as to generate an input beam, which is characterized by a first speckle contrast. The transverse modes of the input beam are optically mixed so as to generate an output beam... Agent: Patent Counsel Applied Materials, Inc.

20070008521 - Lighting optical machine and defect inspection system: A lighting optical machine and defect inspection system having high reliability and safety when a laser beam is used as a light source. The lighting optical machine comprises: a housing, which accommodates a laser source, a beam polarization mechanism having first and second plane mirrors enabling a beam emitted from... Agent: Dickstein Shapiro LLP

20070008522 - Glazing inspection: A method of forming a shadowgraph image is described, comprising the steps of illuminating a glazing (52), e.g., a vehicle windscreen, with light from a localised light source (50), said light being expanded and collimated by a lens optical system (54) or a mirror optical system, forming a virtual shadowgraph... Agent: Buchanan, Ingersoll & Rooney PC

20070008523 - Rapid pharmaceutical identification and verification system: A prescription verification system includes a database that contains a plurality of spectral signatures corresponding to identified pharmaceuticals. A multimodal multiplex sampling (MMS) spectrometer obtains a spectra of a pharmaceutical to be identified and verified. The pharmaceutical can be inside or out of a vial. The prescription verification system includes... Agent: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP

20070008525 - Method for raman imaging of semiconductor materials: An ion implanted semiconductor surface is illuminated with a flood illumination of monochromatic radiation, and an image of the surface is taken using light which has been Raman scattered. The illumination and imaging system are calibrated by flood illuminating a uniformly Raman scattering surface.... Agent: Daniel H. Golub

20070008526 - Apparatus and method for non-contact assessment of a constituent in semiconductor workpieces: Methods and apparatus for assessing a constituent in a semiconductor workpiece are disclosed herein. Several embodiments of the invention are directed toward non-contact methods and systems for determining a dose and an implant energy of a dopant or other constituent implanted in a semiconductor workpiece. For example, one embodiment of... Agent: Perkins Coie LLP Patent-sea

20070008527 - Atomic absorption spectrometer: An atomic absorption spectrometer is disclosed which includes a monochromater and an optical path defined by a toric mirror, a flat mirror, a flat mirror, a flat mirror, a toric mirror, and a further toric mirror. The toric mirror directs light through entrance slit of the monochromater so that radiation... Agent: Michael Best & Friedrich, LLP

20070008529 - Apparatus for characterizing and measuring the concentration of opaque particles within a fluid sample: A system and method for counting opaque particles within a fluid sample. The system uses an optical lens system to focus a light beam onto a sample on a multi-dimensional translation stage. The translation stage is moved in a pattern such that the intensity of the transmitted light is measured... Agent: Wegman, Hessler & Vanderburg

20070008528 - Device and method for simultaneous optical trapping, stretching, and real-time detection and measurement for morphological deformation of micro-particles: The present invention provides a method and device for simultaneous optical trapping, stretching, and measurement of morphological deformation of a micro-particle in real-time. Using the setup of the present invention, the deformability of a living cell can be obtained in real-time by measuring the variation in coupling efficiency with optical... Agent: Bacon & Thomas, PLLC

20070008530 - Systems and methods for chiral detection and analysis: Relating to chiral detection systems, various improvements are disclosed including an improved apparatus for detecting a chiral property of a sample. It has a rugged and stable optical rail that operates as a heat sink to the systems' elements and comprises a captive guide structure of heat conductive material having... Agent: Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner LLP

20070008533 - Apparatus and methods for determining overlay of structures having rotational or mirror symmetry: Disclosed are overlay targets having flexible symmetry characteristics and metrology techniques for measuring the overlay error between two or more successive layers of such targets. In one embodiment, a target includes structures for measuring overlay error (or a shift) in both the x and y direction, wherein the x structures... Agent: Beyer Weaver & Thomas LLP

20070008532 - Center determination of rotationally symmetrical alignment marks: The invention provides a method for determining the center of a rotationally symmetrical alignment mark thereby using an image recognition software. The alignment mark is recognized by the image recognition software in different orientations by rotating the alignment mark around a symmetry angle with respect to which the alignment mark... Agent: Perman & Green

20070008531 - Substrate distortion measurement: A substrate distortion measurement apparatus comprising one or more optical detectors arranged to measure the locations of pits or holes provided in a substrate, a memory arranged to store previously determined locations of the pits or holes in the substrate, and a comparator arranged to compare the measured locations of... Agent: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP

20070008534 - Systems and methods for distinguishing reflections of multiple laser beams for calibration for semiconductor structure processing: A system determines relative positions of a semiconductor substrate and a plurality of laser beam spots on or within the semiconductor substrate in a machine for selectively irradiating structures on or within the substrate using a plurality of laser beams. The system comprises a laser source, first and second laser... Agent: Stoel Rives LLP

20070008535 - Colorimeter: A calorimeter for measuring a color of light includes a color sensing device, a suspension means and a counterweight. The suspension means suspends the color sensing device in an operative relationship relative to a color producing device, while the counterweight is secured to the suspension means and balances the color... Agent: Patterson & Sheridan L.L.P.

20070008537 - Excitation and emission filter: Systems and methods for detecting fluorescent light by providing a filter assembly including an excitation filter and an emission filter.... Agent: Mila Kasan, Patent Dept. Applied Biosystems

20070008536 - Light measurement apparatus and light measurement method: There is provided a light measurement apparatus includes a light source, a container which includes a sample tank, a lens which condenses light from a sample accommodated in the sample tank or from the container which are exited by a exciting light from the light source, a photodetector which detects... Agent: Scully, Scott, Murphy & Presser

20070008538 - Illumination system for material inspection: An illumination system for a web inspection process is provided. The illumination system cooperates with a camera system to detect defects in the web material, with the camera having a line of light sensors. The illumination system has a single light source and a lens that arranges the light into... Agent: Manuel F. De La Cerra

20070008539 - Filter function-equipped optical sensor and flame sensor: In order to provide a filter device capable of maintaining stable optical characteristics for an extended period of time and to provide also a photosensor using the filter device, a photosensor having a filter function includes a filter device having a colored glass filter and configured for permitting transmission of... Agent: The Webb Law Firm, P.C.

20070008540 - Application of visbreaker analysis tools to optimize performance: A system and method for quantifying opaque inhomogeneities within a fluid sample. The system uses an optical lens system to focus a light beam onto a stage where the sample is introduced. The light beam is directed onto the sample in a pattern such that the intensity of transmitted light... Agent: Wegman, Hessler & Vanderburg

20070008541 - Modulated reflectance measurement system using uv probe: A modulated reflectance measurement system includes lasers for generating an intensity modulated pump beam and a UV probe beam. The pump and probe beams are focused on a measurement site within a sample. The pump beam periodically excites the measurement site and the modulation is imparted to the probe beam.... Agent: Stallman & Pollock LLP

20070008542 - Method and apparatus for forming substrate for semiconductor or the like: In an apparatus which determines characteristics of a thin film according to the present invention, a temporal change in a refractive index n and an extinction coefficient k of a thin film in a period from start of a change in the thin film as a processing target (e.g., melting)... Agent: C. Irvin Mcclelland Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland, Maier & Neustadt, P.C.

20070008543 - Method for determination/compensation of bias errors/random walk errors induced by the light source in fiber-optic sagnac interferometers: A method for determination of/compensation for the bias/random walk errors induced by the light source in fiber-optic Sagnac interferometers employing a modulation method for stochastically independent shifting of the operating point to the points of highest sensitivity. A reference beam is output from the light beam emitted from the light... Agent: Elliot N. Kramsky

20070008544 - Fiber-optic seismic sensor: The invention relates to a fiber-optic seismic sensor (200) with a test body (110), characterized in that the test body (110) comprises several separate dishes (113, 114, 115, 116) that are distributed around the direction of the sensitive axis of the sensor and two star-shaped elements (120, 130) placed on... Agent: Foley And Lardner LLP Suite 500

20070008545 - Common path frequency domain optical coherence reflectometer and common path frequency domain optical coherence tomography device: Common path frequency domain optical coherence reflectometry/tomography devices with an additional interferometer are suggested. The additional interferometer offset is adjusted such, that it is ether less than the reference offset, or exceeds the distance from the reference reflector to the distal boundary of the longitudinal range of interest. This adjustment... Agent: Tucker, Ellis & West LLP

20070008546 - Optical sensing devices with spr sensors based on differential phase interrogation and measuring method using the same: Disclosed is an optical sensing device, which comprises a light source emitting a light; a beam splitter; an SPR sensor unit comprising a sensing surface; and a detecting mechanism; and a converting unit converting the first beam and the second beam from the optical device into a two-dimensional interference fringe... Agent: Darby & Darby P.C.

20070008547 - Cyclic error compensation in interferometry systems: An interference signal S(t) is provided from interference between two beams directed along different paths. The signal S(t) is indicative of changes in an optical path difference n{tilde over (L)}(t) between the different paths, where n is an average refractive index along the different paths, {tilde over (L)}(t) is a... Agent: Fish & Richardson PC

20070008548 - Reflector, optical element, interferometer system, stage device, exposure apparatus, and device fabricating method: A reflecting member has: a first reflecting surface, which extends in a second direction that includes a first direction component; a second reflecting surface, which extends in a third direction that includes the first direction component, that is substantially symmetric to the first reflecting surface; and a third reflecting surface,... Agent: Oliff & Berridge, PLC

20070008549 - Technologies for measuring thickness of an optical disc: The disclosure includes a system, device, apparatus and programmed medium of measuring thickness of an optical disc by using an interference effect of the optical disc layer. Such a system can include: a spectroscope to separate light, reflected from a surface of an optical disc, into constituent frequencies thereof; an... Agent: Harness, Dickey & Pierce, P.L.C

20070008550 - Systems and methods for tilt and range measurement: A method of determining an amount of tilt may include projecting at least two coherent wavefronts toward a target surface, the wavefronts reflecting from the target surface to create an interference fringe pattern on a detector, and transmitting a beam toward the target surface, the transmitted beam reflecting from the... Agent: Oliff & Berridge, PLC

20070008551 - Measurement of the top surface of an object with/without transparent thin films in white light interferometry: White light interferometry is used to obtain the height information of the topmost surface of an object having a transparent thin film on it. N frames of data are acquired from an interferometer while a white light fringe pattern is scanning through a field of view. The modulation fringe envelope... Agent: Lavalle D. Ptak Law Office Of Lavelle Ptak

20070008552 - Method and apparatus for measuring displacement of an object: A method for measuring displacement of an object (20) having a flat surface (21), includes the following steps. When the object is in a first position (A), a first laser beam is emitted onto the flat surface at a first incident angle, the first laser beam thereby is reflected by... Agent: PCe Industry, Inc. Att. Cheng-ju Chiang Jeffrey T. Knapp

20070002304 - Stereoscopic targeting, tracking and navigation device, system and method: A measurement system with a minimum of 2 sensors that identifies precise locations of remote objects. The sensors measure the elevation and azimuth angles to the target using the electromagnetic radiation that is either intentionally or incidentally reflected off of the object. Given the known distance between the sensors, the... Agent: Law Office Of Jay R. Yablon

20070002305 - Radar sensors for motor vehicles: A radar sensor for motor vehicles, having an optical system which subdivides a radar beam generated by a single antenna element into a plurality of beam components that are radiated in different directions, wherein the optical system has a diffraction grating.... Agent: Kenyon & Kenyon LLP

20070002306 - Ground surface cover type reflectivity variation correction in a differential absorption lidar system: A method for improving the accuracy of estimating concentration path length of a target molecule using a differential absorption LIDAR (DIAL) system. In particular, this method allows improved detection of plumes containing the target molecule against inhomogeneous background, such as uncovered ground or ground with various types of cover. In... Agent: Ratnerprestia

20070002307 - Entangled-photons range finding system and method: A method of determining a distance to an object is presented. A first photon and a second photon are simultaneously generated. The first photon is reflected off an object. The second photon is directed to an optical cavity. An arrival of the first photon is correlated with an arrival of... Agent: Hunton & Williams LLP Intellectual Property Department

20070002308 - Method of and apparatus for in-situ monitoring of crystallization state: In-situ monitoring of a crystallization state is used for laser anneal processing for applying an energy line irradiation for at least one of crystallization of a thin film and promotion of the crystallization. A method is characterized by simultaneously irradiating at least a plurality of monitoring places in a region... Agent: Graybeal, Jackson, Haley LLP

20070002309 - Analyzer and analytic system: This analyzer comprises a photoirradiation portion simultaneously photoirradiating a plurality of storage vessels storing a plurality of measurement samples respectively and a plurality of photodetection portions detecting a plurality of light components resulting from simultaneous photoirradiation on the plurality of storage vessels storing the plurality of measurement samples respectively. The... Agent: Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione

20070002310 - Method of evaluating fiber pmd using composite potdr trace: A method for screening fiber polarization mode dispersion using a polarization optical time domain reflectometer. A pulse radiation is emitted into the fiber under test, and the backscattered radiation is measured by the POTDR and used to obtain a POTDR trace. A composite trace of more than one POTDR trace... Agent: Corning Incorporated

20070002311 - Method of performing resist process calibration/optimization and doe optimization for providing ope matching between different lithography systems: A method of optimizing a process for use with a plurality of lithography systems. The method includes the steps of: (a) determining a calibrated resist model for a given process and a target pattern utilizing a first lithography system; (b) selecting a second lithography system to be utilized to image... Agent: Mcdermott Will & Emery LLP

20070002312 - Methods for reducing spherical aberration effects in photolithography: Methods to at least partially compensate for photoresist-induced spherical aberration that occurs during mask imaging used for photolithographic processing of semiconductor devices, LCD elements, thin-film magnetic heads, reticles and other substrates including photo-defined structures thereon. A photoresist or other photosensitive material may be irradiated with a mask pattern image including... Agent: Trask Britt

20070002313 - Process and apparatus for the identification of the tin side and the firing side in float glass: The invention relates to a process and an apparatus for the identification of the tin and firing sides of float glass, in particular during an automated production process, whereby a property of the float glass, in particular an optical property, differentiating the tin side and the firing side is determined... Agent: Chadbourne & Parke LLP

20070002314 - Methods and systems for in situ calibration of imaging in biological analysis: Software, methods, and systems for calibrating photometric devices are provided. These involve using a non-uniform test illumination field to approximate a photon transfer curve by calculating stable pixel values and statistical dispersions on a pixel-by-pixel basis.... Agent: Mila Kasan, Patent Dept. Applied Biosystems

20070002315 - Apparatus and method for inspecting screw portion: A screw portion inspection apparatus for inspecting, by image processing, a screw portion provided in an object. The apparatus includes an imaging section for picking up an image of a region, including a screw portion, in an object along a direction inclined with respect to a center axis of the... Agent: Drinker Biddle & Reath (dc)

20070002317 - Method of inspecting for defects and apparatus for performing the method: In a method of inspecting an object, a first light is irradiated onto a bare object and a first reflection signal is reflected from the bare object. A second light is irradiated onto a processed object and a second reflection signal is reflected from the processed object. The first and... Agent: Volentine Francos, & Whitt PLLC

20070002316 - Wafer aligner, semiconductor manufacturing equipment, and method for detecting particles on a wafer: A wafer aligner may comprise a chuck which supports a wafer thereon. The wafer aligner may also comprise a particle detector which irradiates a light onto a back surface of the wafer loaded on the chuck and receives a light reflected from the back surface of the wafer to output... Agent: Volentine Francos, & Whitt PLLC

20070002318 - Method and apparatus for inspecting pattern defects: A method and apparatus for inspecting pattern defects emitting a laser beam, adjusting a light-amount of the laser beam, converting the light-amount adjusted laser beam into a slit-like laser light flux, lowering coherency of the slit-like laser light flux, and irradiating a sample with the coherence reduced slit-like laser light... Agent: Antonelli, Terry, Stout & Kraus, LLP

20070002319 - Method and apparatus for conducting raman spectroscopy: A Raman probe assembly for analyzing a specimen, comprising: a light source for generating laser excitation light; a camera for capturing an image; a light analyzer for analyzing a Raman signature; and a light path for (i) delivering the laser excitation light from the light source to the specimen so... Agent: Mark J. Pandiscio Pandiscio & Pandiscio, P.C.

20070002320 - Birefringence calculating method and birefringence calculating apparatus: The invention is directed to accurate calculation of a birefringence of a polymer stretched and oriented. Disclosed is a method for calculating a birefringence of a polymer in an information processing apparatus, having an amorphous state generating step including accepting input of a parameter, generating a model of the polymer... Agent: Sughrue Mion, PLLC

20070002321 - Method and system for determining a polarization dependent characteristic of optical and opto-electrical devices: The present invention relates to a method for determining a polarization dependent characteristic of an optical or opto-electronic device. Using the Mueller matrix data, a matrix M corresponding to a difference between a first and a second transmission spectrum is determined. The first and the second transmission spectrum correspond to... Agent: Renner Otto Boisselle & Sklar, LLP

20070002322 - Image inspection method: Embodiments of the invention provide methods and apparatuses for detecting defects and contaminants on reticles. For one embodiment of the invention, either one or both of an aerial image database and a resist image database are created and compared to an actual scanned mask die image. For one embodiment of... Agent: Blakely Sokoloff Taylor & Zafman

20070002323 - Mark position detection apparatus: A mark position detection apparatus has an illumination optical system for illuminating a measurement mark with illumination light and an imaging optical system for converging light reflected from the measurement mark to form an image of the measurement mark on an image pickup apparatus. The mark position detection apparatus measures... Agent: Oliff & Berridge, PLC

20070002324 - Systems and methods for profiling and synchronizing a fleet of color measurement instruments: A method for adjusting a color measurement of a secondary color measurement instrument. The method includes generating a profile for the secondary color measurement instrument based on color measurements of a master color measurement instrument, and applying the profile to adjust the color measurement of the secondary color measurement instrument.... Agent: Kirkpatrick & Lockhart Nicholson Graham LLP

20070002325 - Fluorescence measurement apparatus: There is disposed, on a substrate 41 holding a sample to be detected, a dielectric multilayer 42 which reflects excitation light e1 supplied from above the substrate 41 and transmits fluorescence f1 emitted from the sample, and the excitation light e1 is reflected at the dielectric multilayer 42 while the... Agent: Wenderoth, Lind & Ponack L.L.P.

20070002326 - Multi-grade object sorting system and method: A paper sorting system allows the high speed determination of color, glossiness and the presence of printed matter for individual sheets of paper in a stream of waste paper. Sorting criteria may be selected from a plurality of predefined options to sort the paper stream.... Agent: Waddey & Patterson, P.C.

20070002327 - Fourier domain optical coherence tomography employing a swept multi-wavelength laser and a multi-channel receiver: The present invention is an alternative Fourier domain optical coherence system (FD-OCT) and its associated method. The system comprises a swept multi-wavelength laser, an optical interferometer and a multi-channel receiver. By employing a multi-wavelength laser, the sweeping range for each lasing wavelength is substantially reduced as compared to a pure... Agent: Stallman & Pollock LLP

20070002328 - Method and apparatus for measuring high-bandwidth electrical signals using modulation in an optical probing system: A system for probing a DUT is provided, the system comprising a tunable or CW laser source, a modulator for modulating the output of the laser source, a beam optics designed to point a probing beam at a designated location on the DUT, optical detector for detecting the reflected beam,... Agent: Sughrue Mion, PLLC

20070002329 - Laser probing system for integrated circuits: An apparatus and method for laser probing of a DUT at very high temporal resolution is disclosed. The system includes a CW laser source, a beam optics designed to point two orthogonally polarized beams at the same location on the DUT, optical detectors for detecting the reflected beams, collection electronics,... Agent: Sughrue Mion, PLLC

20070002330 - Apparatus and methods for reducing non-cyclic non-linear errors in interferometry: In general, in one aspect, the invention features interferometry systems that include an interferometer configured to direct a first beam and a second beam derived from common light source along different paths and to combine the two beams to form an output beam including information related to an optical path... Agent: Fish & Richardson PC

20070002331 - In line thickness measurement: This invention relates to an apparatus and method for measuring the thickness of mold components and/or lenses during a manufacturing process. In particular, the present invention uses fiber optic interferometry to measure the center thickness of ophthalmic lenses created by a double-sided molding process.... Agent: Ciba Vision Corporation Patent Department

20070002333 - Interferometric apparatus for measuring moving object and optical interferometry method for measuring moving object: A moving-object measuring interferometric apparatus comprises: a light beam output section outputting a measuring beam; an interference optical system obtaining interference light by projecting the measuring beam onto an object and by allowing light reflected from the object or transmitted light having passed through the object to interfere with reference... Agent: Birch Stewart Kolasch & Birch

20070002332 - System and methods for wavefront measurement: A method and apparatus for characterizing an object with a wavefront from the object is disclosed. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes: a reticle positioned in a path of the wavefront, the reticle comprising two superimposed linear grating patterns; at least one light detector positioned relative to the reticle to... Agent: Morrison & Foerster LLP

20070002334 - Method and system for measuring the curvature of an optical surface: A system and method of measuring the curvature of a surface of a object operate by illuminating the object surface with a light pattern having a known size to produce a virtual reflected image from the object surface; measuring a size of the virtual reflected image produced by the object... Agent: Volentine Francos, & Whitt PLLC

20070002335 - Laser index device on tool shaft of machine: A laser index device is connected to a main shaft of machine and includes a lens unit for generating a laser beam which is refracted via a prism to produce a laser mark on the product so as to guide the user to move an inspection device to inspect the... Agent: Charles E. Baxley, Esq.

20070002336 - Metrology apparatus, lithographic apparatus, process apparatus, metrology method and device manufacturing method: A metrology apparatus for measuring a parameter of a microscopic structure on a substrate, the apparatus comprising a supercontinuum light source arranged to generate a measurement beam, an optical system arranged to direct the measurement beam onto the substrate and a sensor for detecting radiation reflected and/or diffracted by the... Agent: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP

20070002337 - Modeling and measuring structures with spatially varying properties in optical metrology: The profile of a structure having a region with a spatially varying property is modeled using an optical metrology model. A set of profile parameters is defined for the optical metrology model to characterize the profile of the structure. A set of layers is defined for a portion the optical... Agent: Morrison & Foerster LLP