Optics: measuring and testing inventions 05/07

20070121094 - Detecting objects of interest in digital images: A method of detecting an object of interest having a known size in a digital image, includes providing a range information including two or more range values indicating the distance of objects in the scene from a known reference frame; detecting a candidate object of interest in the image; determining... Agent: Pamela R. Crocker Patent Legal Staff

20070121095 - Distance measurement device with short range optics: Technology is disclosed for measuring distances. A measurement device emits a beam that reflects on the surface of an object. The measurement device determines the distance to the object, based on the time of flight of the beam from transmission to capture by the measurement device. The device includes a... Agent: Vierra Magen Marcus & Deniro LLP

20070121096 - Method and device for ensuring interaction between a distance meter and a surveying application: The invention relates to a method for ensuring interaction between a distance meter and a surveying application. The system used for carrying out the inventive method comprises a computer unit (la) for executing the surveying application (2a), a distance-measuring element for measuring the distance to an object (4a) and recording... Agent: Mcculloch

20070121097 - Method and system for range measurement: A method (200) and system (220) for range detection is provided. The system can include a sensing unit (110) for detecting a location and movement of a first object (401), and a processor (107) for providing a measure of the movement. The processor can convert the measure to a coordinate... Agent: Marc Boillot

20070121098 - High performance fingerprint imaging system: A system for optically imaging an object includes an optical platen having an object receiving surface. The object receiving surface is illuminated by a multi-color light source, and a color imaging system forms an image of the object on the object receiving surface.... Agent: Beyer Weaver LLP

20070121099 - Method and system for measuring the concentrations of fluorescent dyes: The concentrations of fluorescent dyes in a target sample (1) are measured using an imaging device (). This imaging device has detection wavelength bands. Reference samples each containing only one of the fluorescent dyes respectively at predetermined unit concentrations, and a measured intensity of fluorescence emitted from each reference sample... Agent: Drinker Biddle & Reath (dc)

20070121100 - Device and a method of automatically detecting various characteristics of an ophthalmic lens: Device (100) for automatically detecting various characteristics of an ophthalmic lens (10), the device includes a support (110) adapted to receive the lens. The support is displaceable in translation along two mutually perpendicular axes, and include elements for forming a positioning image on first acquisition and analysis elements.... Agent: Young & Thompson

20070121101 - Target plate for positioning components: A target plate (Z) according to the invention for positioning components, in particular pipes (R1, R2), has a holographic optical element as a holographic diffusor. By means of the diffusor, radiation striking the target plate (Z) in the form of a reference beam (RS) can be guided very accurately and... Agent: Oliff & Berridge, PLC

20070121102 - Positioning a first surface in a pre-determined position relative to a second surface: A method and an apparatus for positioning a first device in relation to a second device. An optical signal from a first device is sent to a second device. A reflection of the optical signal from the second device is received. A position of one of the devices relative to... Agent: Williams, Morgan & Amerson, P.C.

20070121103 - Radiometers: Radiometers detect radio wavelength electromagnetic radiation and typically have an antenna (16), an amplifier (18) and a detector (20). All three of these components have response characteristics that may be dependent on temperature, and in the case of systems using radiometer arrays dependent upon temperatures throughout the system. Different temperatures... Agent: Nixon & Vanderhye, PC

20070121106 - Apparatus and method for optical inspection: The present invention provides a variety of optical functions so as to be applicable to various kinds of objects to be inspected. For each of the optical functions, the invention accumulates contrasts (brightness differences), etc. of defects to be detected (DOI) and false defects not to be detected (nuisance), and... Agent: Antonelli, Terry, Stout & Kraus, LLP

20070121107 - Excimer laser inspection system: A system and method for inspecting a specimen, such as a semiconductor wafer, including illuminating at least a portion of the specimen using an excimer source using at least one relatively intense wavelength from the source, detecting radiation received from the illuminated portion of the specimen, analyzing the detected radiation... Agent: Smyrski Law Group, A Professional Corporation

20070121105 - Optical sample characterization system: Systems and techniques for characterizing samples using optical techniques. Coherent light may be incident on a sample, and a diffraction pattern detected. Information indicative of diffraction pattern intensity may be used to determine one or more sample characteristics and/or one or more pattern characteristics. For example, sample characteristics such as... Agent: Macpherson Kwok Chen & Heid LLP

20070121108 - Surface inspection apparatus and method thereof: An apparatus for detecting defects, including: a first illumination optical unit which illuminates from a normal direction or in the vicinity of the normal direction; a second illumination optical unit which illuminates from a first elevation angle; a first detection optical unit which detects light reflected by the illumination of... Agent: Antonelli, Terry, Stout & Kraus, LLP

20070121104 - Techniques for reducing optical noise in metrology systems: A first method for fabricating low-noise optical components for use in optical metrology systems includes shaping a glass substrate to obtain a desire shape and then coating the glass substrate with a reflective coating. A second method includes shaping a glass master die to a desired shape and then using... Agent: Stallman & Pollock LLP

20070121109 - Lens inspection: The invention relates to a method for the automatic inspection of tinted contact lenses, in an automatic lens manufacturing process. The method comprises the use of a dark-field inspection unit, which allows to effectively detecting cosmetic defects even in correspondence of the iris print.... Agent: Ciba Vision Corporation Patent Department

20070121111 - Imaging of biological samples: A system and method using an electronic light detector array, e.g., a CCD or a CMOS-based detector array, is used to acquire a visual image of a biological sample that includes biological material associated with a biological material holding structure (e.g., a DNA spot array on a DNA chip, protein... Agent: Fish & Richardson P.C.

20070121110 - Wide dynamic range chemical array reader: A system for detecting a predetermined wavelength of light emitted from an area on the surface of a chemical array is provided. Aspects of the system include: a beam splitter for splitting emitted light into two or more light beams and a detector for detecting photons in each of the... Agent: Agilent Technologies Inc.

20070121112 - Spectroscopic device: Detected light is made incident to a dichroic mirror (hereinafter referred to as “mirror”) DM1 along the perpendicular direction of a photoelectric surface 7. Accordingly, light transmitted through the mirror DM1 is made incident substantially perpendicular to the photoelectric surface 7. On the other hand, light reflected from the mirror... Agent: Drinker Biddle & Reath (dc)

20070121113 - Transmission-based optical detection systems: A system that employs transmission-based detection techniques to determine the presence or concentration of an analyte within a test sample is provided. Specifically, the optical detection system contains an assay device that is positioned in the electromagnetic radiation path defined between an illumination source and solar panel. To enhance the... Agent: Kimberly-clark Worldwide, Inc.

20070121114 - Flow cell and methods of use thereof: This invention provides devices and apparatuses comprising the same, for windowless optical detection of particle-laden samples, for example aerosols or fluid suspensions. The devices make use of passive sheath flow as a mechanism for containing aerosol/fluid suspension flow. The operation of the device reduces particle loss inherent to conventional windowless... Agent: Pearl Cohen Zedek Latzer, LLP

20070121115 - Apparatus and method for reducing effects of coherent artifacts and compensation of effects of vibrations and environmental changes in interferometry: An interferometric method including: generating a variable frequency source beam; from the source beam, generating a collimated beam propagating at an angle Ω relative to an optical axis; introducing the collimated beam into an interferometer that includes a reference object and a measurement object, wherein at least a portion of... Agent: Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale And Dorr LLP

20070121117 - Method and system for calibrating a fiber optic gyroscope: According to one aspect of the present invention, a method for calibrating a fiber optic gyroscope is provided. A method is provided for calibrating a fiber optic gyroscope. First and second portions of light from a first light source are propagated through a fiber optic line in respective first and... Agent: Honeywell International Inc.

20070121116 - Minimal bias switching for fiber optic gyroscopes: A system and method is provided for reducing the sensitivity of the rotation rate measurement to the frequency dependence of the feedback modulator. Specifically, the system and method uses a minimal bias switching technique to reduce rate errors associated with the low frequency 2π resets in a closed loop fiber... Agent: Honeywell International Inc.

20070121118 - White interferometric modulators and methods for forming the same: An iterferometric modulator array is configured to reflect a broad band spectrum of optical wavelengths by arranging a reflector and a partially transparent substrate in a non-parallel relationship.... Agent: Knobbe, Martens, Olson & Bear, LLP

20070121119 - Spatial heterodyne wide-field coherent anti-stokes raman spectromicroscopy: Methods for chemically-resolved optical microscopy are presented. The methods can provide a wide-field, spatial interference imaging using multiple nonlinear scattering channels to produce multiple, spatially coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS).... Agent: Fulbright & Jaworski L.L.P.

20070121120 - Apparatus and method for measuring scleral curvature and velocity of tissues of the eye: An apparatus and method for measuring the scieral curvature, velocity and resonant frequency of the tissues of the eye is disclosed. The device preferably comprises a laser with a narrow frequency that is directed at selected tissue of the eye to determine the displacement, phase and frequency shift of the... Agent: Timothy F. Mills

20070121121 - Method and apparatus for detecting the deformation of objects: In a method for detecting the deformation of objects (1), a sequence of pictures of the object (1) is taken with a measurement method during the deformation of the object (1). From the pictures, phase images are determined. To improve such method, there is formed the difference between the current... Agent: Dilworth & Barrese, LLP

20070121122 - Method for the automatic parameterization of measuring systems: A method for the automatic parameterization of measuring systems for the measurement of objects transported by means of a transport device, in particular volume measurement systems, wherein at least one image, which is at least one-dimensional and comprises picture elements, of a test object known at least in part to... Agent: Harness Dickey And Pierce PLC

20070121123 - End point detection in workpiece processing: In a workpiece process end point detection system, light is diffused and then light intensity or color is sensed. Optical noise is greatly reduced and more accurate end point detection can be made. A light emitter and a light sensor may be located within a workpiece process chamber. A housing... Agent: Perkins Coie LLP/semitool

20070121124 - End point detection in workpiece processing: Light is irradiated onto a glass substrate of an organic EL element, and the characteristics of an organic film are analyzed. In the sample analyzing apparatus, in such a way that the glass substrate is located on the upper side, the organic EL element is placed on a stage. The... Agent: Snell & Wilmer LLP (oc)

20070115454 - Environmental detection system with two spaced-apart emitters and receivers: Disclosed is an environment detection system having two emitters of electromagnetic waves and two correspondingly directed receivers for receiving reflections of the emitted waves. The first emitter and first receiver are directed towards a first target area while the second emitter and second receiver are directed towards a second target... Agent: Continental Teves, Inc.

20070115455 - Particle image velocimetry system having an improved hollow-waveguide-based laser illumination system: An illumination system for a particle image velocimetry system has an illumination source, a hollow tapered optical funnel arranged to receive illumination light from the illumination source, a hollow optical waveguide optically coupled to an output end of the hollow tapered optical funnel, and a beam shaping optical system optically... Agent: Venable LLP

20070115456 - System and method for monitoring an optical fiber: A system and method are disclosed for monitoring a fiber optic network between a managed location and a remote location. In a particular embodiment of the method the monitoring wavelength signal is separated from the communication wavelength signal at the remote location and coupled on to the optical fiber carrying... Agent: Gilbreth Roebuck Bynum Darrington Schmidt Walker & Tran, LLP

20070115457 - Lens evaluation device: This lens evaluation device comprises a plurality of point light sources arranged on the plane, an imaging unit for picking up an object and obtaining its image, a movement unit for changing the relative distance between the point light source or the imaging unit and the optical system to be... Agent: Scully Scott Murphy & Presser, PC

20070115458 - Optical apparatus, method of determining position of optical element in optical system, and device manufacturing method: An optical apparatus including an image forming optical system having a movable optical element, and a driving mechanism which moves the optical element is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a first block which obtains a linear evaluation value by normalizing, by a first tolerance, an aberration expressed by a linear function... Agent: Fitzpatrick Cella Harper & Scinto

20070115459 - Compound-eye imaging device: A compound-eye imaging device comprising: an optical lens array with multiple integrated optical lenses having mutually parallel optical axes; a photodetector array placed at a predetermined distance from the optical lens array for imaging multiple images (referred to as single-eye images) formed by the optical lenses; and a microprocessor for... Agent: Crowell & Moring LLP Intellectual Property Group

20070115460 - Method for examining molds and apparatus for accomplishing the same: Disclosed herein is a defect detection apparatus comprising a first light source that emits light in a direction parallel to an apex of prismatic structures disposed on a mold; wherein an angle between a central axis of a beam of light emitted by the first light source and a vertical... Agent: Cantor Colburn, LLP

20070115461 - High throughput darkfield/brightfield wafer inspection system using advanced optical techniques: The broadband brightfield/darkfield wafer inspection system provided receives broadband brightfield illumination information via a defect detector, which signals for initiation of darkfield illumination. The defect detector forms a two dimensional histogram of the defect data and a dual mode defect decision algorithm and post processor assess defects. Darkfield radiation is... Agent: Smyrski Law Group, A Professional Corporation

20070115462 - Method for inspecting the quality criteria of flat textile structures embodied in a multi-layer form according to a contour: The invention relates to a method for inspecting quality criteria of flat textile structures embodied in a multi-layer form according to a contour, in particular woven, stitched, knitted, sewn or non-woven finished structures, preferably provided with cut areas or holes, separated or forming a material web, in particular when said... Agent: Merchant & Gould PC

20070115463 - Oblique transmission illumination inspection system and method for inspecting a glass sheet: An oblique illumination inspection system and method are described herein that are used to identify a defect (e.g., inclusion, onclusion, scratch, stain, blister, cord or other imperfection associated with a surface discontinuity or material non-homogeneity) on or within a glass sheet (e.g., LCD glass substrate).... Agent: Corning Incorporated

20070115465 - Method and apparatus for measuring prism characteristics: Disclosed herein is a method comprising illuminating a microstructured prism, or linear array of prisms of a prism sheet with an incident beam. The method further comprises making measurements of the refracted image of the beam on a measuring device to measure the distance disposed on an opposing side of... Agent: Cantor Colburn, LLP

20070115464 - System and method for inspection of films: Disclosed herein is a method for inspection of light management films with a plurality of light refractive surface structures, including positioning at least one illumination source, and at least one imaging device are configured to be in a substantially bright field configuration and imaging at least portion of the light... Agent: General Electric Company Global Research

20070115467 - Apparatus and method for ensuring rotation of a container during inspection: Apparatus for inspecting a container includes an optical inspection device having at least one light source for directing light energy onto the container as the container is rotated around an axis, and at least one light sensor for receiving light energy from the light source following interaction with the container.... Agent: Owens-illinois, Inc.

20070115466 - Method and apparatus for inspecting container sidewall contour: Apparatus for inspecting contour of a container sidewall includes at least one light source for directing light energy onto the container sidewall and at least one light sensor disposed to receive light energy from the light source reflected from the container sidewall. The light sensor is responsive to such reflected... Agent: Owens-illinois, Inc.

20070115468 - Spectrometer for surface analysis and method therefor: A spectrometer (10) for sample surface analysis by irradiation of the surface by primary particles and a corresponding method of surface analysis spectroscopy. The spectrometer (10) provides sample viewing and secondary charged particle collection substantially normal to the sample surface. A collection chamber (22) comprises a secondary charged particle lens... Agent: Thermo Finnigan LLC

20070115469 - Applications of laser-processed substrate for molecular diagnostics: Surface enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) and related modalities offer greatly enhanced sensitivity and selectivity for detection of molecular species through the excitation of plasmon modes and their coupling to molecular vibrational modes. One of the chief obstacles to widespread application is the availability of suitable nanostructured materials that exhibit strong... Agent: Mark J. Pandiscio Pandiscio & Pandiscio, P.C.

20070115470 - Automated laser-assisted positioning method and system for a display production line: An automated laser-assisted display positioning system includes a data storage medium for storing a database that contains a plurality of sets of coordinate data, each of which corresponds to outer configuration of a respective distinct display device model. A control module is coupled to the data storage medium, and is... Agent: Schwegman, Lundberg, Woessner & Kluth, P.A.

20070115471 - Wafer, exposure mask, method of detecting mark and method of exposure: A wafer, exposure mask, method for detecting an alignment mark and method for exposure, which make it possible to improve accuracy of the alignment as well as correction of a gap between the wafer and the exposure mask, are provided. There is provided a wafer having alignment marks (wafer marks)... Agent: David R. Metzger Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal

20070115472 - Apparatus and method for measuring optical characteristics of an object: Color/optical characteristics measuring systems and methods are disclosed. Perimeter receiver fiber optics/elements are spaced apart from a central source fiber optic/element and received light reflected from the surface of the object is measured. Light from the perimeter fiber optics pass to a variety of filters. The system utilizes the perimeter... Agent: Alan R. Loudermilk Loudermilk & Associates

20070115473 - Optical method and device for detecting surface and structural defects of a travelling hot product: l

20070115474 - Microsensors and nanosensors for chemical and biological species with surface plasmons: A surface plasmon microsensor or a nanosensor for chemical or biological species including pads distributed on the surface of a support, the pads including an electrically conductive material and being capable of immobilizing the chemical or biological species. The pads have a dimension less than 1 μm.... Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland, Maier & Neustadt, P.C.

20070115475 - System and method for chemical sensing using trace gas detection: A system and method is proposed for chemicals detection such as explosives and others, which are based on sensing of trace gases associated with the chemical. This sensing includes detection of spectrum and relative concentration of the trace gases followed by the chemical identification based on these data. The sensing... Agent: Celight, Inc.

20070115476 - Common path frequency domain optical coherence reflectometry/tomography device: Common path frequency domain optical coherence reflectometry/tomography devices include a portion of optical fiber with predetermined optical properties adapted for producing two eigen modes of the optical radiation propagating therethrough with a predetermined optical path length difference. The two replicas of the optical radiation outgoing from the portion of the... Agent: Tucker, Ellis & West LLP

20070115477 - Optical probe and optical tomography system: An optical probe includes a tubular outer envelope and a optical fiber which extends in the longitudinal direction of the outer envelope inside the outer envelope. By fixing a light deflecting element to the optical fiber and rotating the optical fiber by a driver, the light deflecting element is rotated.... Agent: Sughrue Mion, PLLC

20070115478 - Monolithic displacement measuring interferometer: An interferometer and corresponding system are provided having several aspects. In a first aspect, there is provided an interferometer adapted to receive separate first and second beams f1 and f2 therein, the interferometer comprising substantially equivalent and separate first and second optical pathways for the first and second beams f1... Agent: Agilent Technologies Inc.

20070115479 - Light-receiving/emitting composite unit, method for manufacturing the same, and displacement detection device: A displacement detection device having excellent stability with the lapse of time and suitable for reduction in size and weight includes: a light source for emitting light; polarizing light splitting unit for splitting the light emitted from the light source into two light beams having difference polarized components, radiating the... Agent: Haverstock & Owens LLP Attn: Jonathan O. Owens

20070115480 - Multi-cavity fabry-perot interferometric thin-film sensor with built-in temperature compensation: A fiber optic sensor includes at least two Fabry-Perot (FP cavities) defined by at least three partially reflecting surfaces which individually and together are capable of generating different interference spectra which are affected by temperature. One of the FP cavities is formed at an end of the sensor and includes... Agent: Whitham, Curtis & Christofferson & Cook, P.C.

20070115481 - Method and system of coregistrating optical coherence tomography (oct) with other clinical tests: A method/system preserves annotations of different pathological conditions or changes that are recognized on cross-sections within a three dimensional volume of a patient's eye so that the annotations are maintained in a visible state in an en face projection produced with a SVP technique. It is thus possible to coregister... Agent: Nixon & Vanderhye, PC

20070115482 - Flatness tester for optical components: wherein y represents a distance along the brightness enhancing display film that represents a location of the deviation from flatness; θ1 is a light box angle; θ2 is the slope of the deviation from flatness in the brightness enhancing display film; and θ3 is a camera angle.... Agent: Cantor Colburn, LLP

20070115483 - Surface finish roughness measurement: A method comprises generating a data set comprising first surface roughness data from a first orientation and second surface roughness data from a second orientation and determining a roughness bias parameter from the first surface roughness data and the second surface roughness data.... Agent: Caven & Aghevli LLC

20070115484 - 3d shape measurement system and method including fast three-step phase shifting, error compensation and calibration: A structured light system for object ranging/measurement is disclosed that implements a trapezoidal-based phase-shifting function with intensity ratio modeling using sinusoidal intensity-varied fringe patterns to accommodate for defocus error. The structured light system includes a light projector constructed to project at least three sinusoidal intensity-varied fringe patterns onto an object... Agent: Peter I. Bernstein Scully, Scott, Murphy & Presser

20070115485 - Optical position/motion tracking system: A system for tracking the spatial position/motion of an article conveyed along a feed path. The system comprises a reflective surface disposed along the feed path of the article and an optical scanning device disposed remotely from the reflective surface such that the moving article is interposed therebetween. The optical... Agent: Pitney Bowes Inc. 35 Waterview Drive

20070115486 - Film forming device, and production method for optical member: The optical member used in an actual-use wavelength region in the infrared region has a substrate and an optical thin film consisting of a plurality of layers that are formed on the substrate. The film forming apparatus comprises an optical monitor which measures the spectroscopic characteristics in a specified wavelength... Agent: Frishauf, Holtz, Goodman & Chick, PC

20070109527 - System and method for generating position information: A system for generating position information includes a computing device and a position determination system that is configured to determine the position of a passive pointing element. In an embodiment, the position determination system is integrated into the computing device and includes two detectors that determine the linear or angular... Agent: Avago Technologies, Ltd.

20070109528 - Optical air data systems and methods: A method for remotely sensing air outside a moving aircraft includes generating laser radiation within a swept frequency range. A portion of the laser radiation is projected from the aircraft into the air to induce scattered laser radiation. Filtered scattered laser radiation, filtered laser radiation, and unfiltered laser radiation are... Agent: Lathrop & Gage Lc

20070109529 - Engraved gemstone viewer: The present invention is an engraved gemstone viewer for viewing a flat, smooth surface of a gemstone that has been micro or nano etched with an inscription such as an identification number. The gemstone is mounted on a piece of jewelry or can remain unmounted when placed inside or otherwise... Agent: Cook & Franke S.c.

20070109530 - Blood analyzer and blood analyzing method: A blood analyzer, comprising a sample preparing part; a flow cell; a light source; a scattered light detector for detecting scattered light from a measurement sample irradiated by the light source; a fluorescence light detector comprising an avalanche photo diode for detecting fluorescence light from the measurement sample irradiated by... Agent: Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione

20070109531 - Method for evaluating anti-contamination level on a surface of optical recording medium, the apparatus and the optical recording medium: A method for evaluating an anti-contamination level on a surface of optical recording medium is disclosed. The method includes forming an artificial fingerprint on the surface by contacting a stamp having an artificial material adhered thereto on an optical recording medium, and measuring a symbol error rate (SER) of the... Agent: Harness, Dickey & Pierce, P.L.C

20070109532 - Grid image with one or several grid fields: The present invention relates to a grating image having one or more grating fields, each of which includes an electromagnetic radiation-influencing grating pattern comprising a plurality of grating lines, the grating lines being characterized by the parameters orientation, curvature, spacing and profile. According to the present invention, in the grating... Agent: Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP

20070109533 - Apparatus and method of non-sampling-based q-factor measuring: A non-sampling-based Q-factor measuring apparatus and method use a power conversion module to transform the power variation of inputted optical signals in time domain into the variation in other domains, such as optical wavelength, optical polarization and different output ports of optical elements. Taking optical wavelength as an example, different... Agent: Lin & Associates Intellectual Property

20070109534 - Systems for managing production information: A system for managing production information includes a defect information database, a defect information collection unit, and a manufacturing apparatus information managing unit. The defect information database stores defect information including a coordinate value of a defect portion and a defect feature amount which are detected by inspecting a specimen... Agent: Antonelli, Terry, Stout & Kraus, LLP

20070109535 - Spectral imaging of biofilms: A spectroscopic method and system to identify a biofilm of a microorganism. A sample containing a sample microorganism is irradiated with substantially monochromatic radiation. A Raman data set is obtained based on radiation scattered from the irradiated sample. A database is searched in accordance with the Raman data set in... Agent: Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP

20070109536 - Modulated excitation fluorescense analysis: Fluorescence, spectroscopy is used to analyze small numbers of molecules that are present in a relatively small detection volume or zone. Information regarding physical and chemical properties of these molecules is determined by rapidly modulating the wavelength, intensity and/or polarization of laser energy to excite fluorophores that are attached either... Agent: Venable LLP

20070109537 - Real-time calibration for downhole spectrometer: An apparatus for performing real-time analysis of a subterranean formation fluid includes a light source configured to transmit at least a sample signal through a sample of the subterranean formation fluid and a reference signal, at least one photodetector configured to continuously detect the sample and reference signals, and an... Agent: Schlumberger K.k.

20070109538 - Determing a media feature using a photovoltaic cell and an electroluminescent light panel: This invention relates to an apparatus for determining a media feature, comprising: a plurality of light filters such that the filters include a media measurement aperture and a calibration aperture and wherein the filters are spaced a predetermined distance apart to allow media to be introduced between the filters; a... Agent: Hewlett Packard Company

20070109539 - Method and apparatus for detecting defects using focus compensation: A method and apparatus for detecting a defect in an article that causes deflection of a beam when the beam strikes the defect. A beam used for detecting defects may be directed across at least a portion of the article. The distance traveled by the beam changes as the beam... Agent: Pamela R. Crocker Patent Legal Staff

20070109540 - Method for measuring thin films: The present invention provides a new method of laser-based metrology of very thin solid films (22) based on the generation of the refractive index grating in the gas or liquid medium in contact with the film (22). In a primary embodiment, excited acoustic waves (25) in the gas or liquid... Agent: Goodwin Procter LLP Patent Administrator

20070109541 - Differential surface plasmon resonance measuring device and its measuring method: Light (41) is emitted from a light source having a specific wavelength so as to form a line focus on a sensor including a prism (42) and a glass substrate (44). A sample cell and a reference cell are disposed such that their sensing portions lie on the line focus... Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland, Maier & Neustadt, P.C.

20070109543 - Method and appartus for identifying photocatalytic coatings: A method of and apparatus for identifying the presence of thin photocatalytic (PCAT) coatings on glass surfaces. An apparatus is disclosed that can determine whether a PCAT coating (which may comprise titanium dioxide, for example) having a thickness of less than about 100 Å is present on the surface of... Agent: Intellectual Property Group Fredrikson & Byron, P.A.

20070109542 - Optical resonance analysis unit: An optical analysis unit especially suitable for performing grating coupled surface plasmon resonance (SPR) imaging features a pivoting light source capable of scanning through a range of angles of incident light projected onto a stationary target sensor, such as an SPR sensor. The reflected image from the illuminated sensor is... Agent: Leon R Yankwich Yankwich & Associates

20070109546 - Scanning microscopy: Apparatus for imaging a surface, including scanning optics, which are configured to scan and focus one or more traveling beams onto the surface so as to form one or more traveling spots thereon. The apparatus also includes collection optics, which are arranged to collect radiation scattered from the one or... Agent: Applied Materials, Inc. C/o Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal LLP

20070109544 - Surface plasmon resonance sensing system: A surface plasmon resonance sensing system comprised of an incidence illuminant, a modified optical fiber, a layer of gold nanoparticles, a micro-fluidic module, and an illuminant detector; the modified optical fiber related to an optical fiber stripped off a portion of its protection layer and a cladding layer; the layer... Agent: Law Offices Of Lai & Associates, P.C.

20070109545 - Surface plasmon resonance sensing system and method thereof: A surface plasmon resonance sensing system and method thereof are disclosed. The system comprises an incident light source, a sensing element, a noble metal nanoparticle layer, a sample loading unit, and a light detector. The noble metal nanoparticle layer is composed of one of noble metal nanoballs, noble metal nanorods... Agent: Law Office Of Lai & Associates, P.C.

20070109547 - Scanning, self-referencing interferometer: A scanning, self-referencing interferometer may include a scanning mechanism to scan a path length of a test beam portion of a laser beam. The scanning, self-referencing interferometer may also include a beam adjustment mechanism to control positioning of a centroid of a reference beam portion of the laser beam in... Agent: Moore And Van Allen PLLC For Boeing

20070109548 - Semiconductor imaging instrument and manufacturing method thereof, and camera and manufacturing method thereof: A semiconductor imaging instrument is disclosed, including a prescribed substrate, an imaging device array provided on the substrate and having plural semiconductor imaging devices and electrodes for outputting a signal charge upon photoelectric conversion of received light, and a color filter layer provided on the imaging device array, with an... Agent: Rader Fishman & Grauer PLLC

20070109549 - Optical gyro with free space resonator and method for sensing inertial rotation rate: Methods and apparatus are provided for a low cost optical gyro with a free space closed optical path. A ring resonator comprises a substrate and reflectors formed or placed on the substrate. The reflectors comprise a closed optical path and are configured to direct each of first and second light... Agent: Honeywell International Inc.

20070109550 - System and deconvolution process for an optical filtering device based on wgm resonance: A system and method for detecting the optical spectrum of an optical input signal. The system includes a tunable optical filter having a microresonator that is tunable across a plurality of states and a processor. The input signal is coupled into the microresonator, which is continuously tuned across a spectral... Agent: Dunlap, Codding & Rogers P.C.

20070109551 - Self referencing heterodyne reflectometer and method for implementing: The present invention is directed to a self referencing heterodyne reflectometer system and method for obtaining highly accurate phase shift information from heterodyned optical signals, without the availability of a reference wafer for calibrations. The self referencing heterodyne reflectometer rapidly alternates between a heterodyne reflectometry (HR) mode, in which an... Agent: Rudolph J. Buchel Jr., Law Office Of

20070109552 - Optical interferometer: An optical interferometer includes a monolithic optical element.... Agent: Agilent Technologies Inc.

20070109554 - Polarization sensitive optical coherence device for obtaining birefringence information: Polarization-sensitive optical coherence devices for obtaining birefringence information are presented. The polarization state of the optical radiation outgoing from the optical radiation source is controlled such that the polarization state of the optical radiation incident on a sample has a 45 degrees angle with respect to the anisotropy axis of... Agent: Tucker, Ellis & West LLP

20070109553 - Polarization-sensitive common path optical coherence reflectometry/tomography device: Polarization sensitive common path OCT/OCR devices are presented. Optical radiation from a source is converted into two cross-polarized replicas propagating therethrough with a predetermined optical path length difference. The two cross-polarized replicas are then delivered to an associated sample by a delivering device, which is, preferably, an optical fiber probe.... Agent: Tucker, Ellis & West LLP

20070109555 - Method and apparatus for holographic refractometry: A method and device for determining refractive index of an object compared to a refractive index of a surrounding medium. The object is exposed to a laser object beam and the scattered light interferes with a laser reference beam to obtain a hologram. The hologram is analyzed for phase information,... Agent: Merchant & Gould PC

20070109556 - Methods and apparatus for reducing error in interferometric imaging measurements: Described is a fringe generator for an interferometric measurement system having improved fringe stability and reproducibility. The fringe generator includes a light source at a characteristic wavelength and a diffractive element to generate a pair of diffracted beams from light received from the light source. The fringe generator also includes... Agent: Guerin & Rodriguez, LLP

20070109557 - Method for optically detecting height of a specimen and charged particle beam apparatus using the same: The present invention provides an optical height detection method and electron beam apparatus to which the method is applied, in which the focusing accuracy of the CD-SEM apparatus, a SEM inspection apparatus, and others is improved by reducing detection errors and improving detection accuracy so as to improve the accuracy... Agent: Antonelli, Terry, Stout & Kraus, LLP

20070109558 - Optical edge break gage: A projector (20) projects a structured light pattern (46) along a first optical axis (44) onto a surface (80). A viewer (50) attached to the projector (20) receives a reflection of the structured light pattern (46) from the surface (80) along a second optical axis (54), and digitizes a two-dimensional... Agent: General Electric Company Global Research

20070109559 - Method and apparatus for imaging three-dimensional structure: Determining surface topology of a portion (26) of a three-dimensional structure is provided. An array of incident light beams (36) passing through a focusing optics (42) and a probing face is shone on said portion. The focusing optics defines one or more focal planes forward the probing face in a... Agent: Nath & Associates

20070103668 - System, method and apparatus for fiber sample preparation for image analysis: The present invention is an apparatus, system and method for preparing samples for analysis including a mechanical fiber cutting apparatus. The mechanical fiber cutting apparatus has two or more cutter blades under the control of a blade moving mechanism. A fiber chamber is positioned to receive the one or more... Agent: Chalker Flores, LLP

20070103669 - Method for determining the conjugated diolefin content of a sample from its near-infrared spectrum and application of the method to the monitoring of units: This invention describes a method for determining the content of conjugated diolefins by means of the measurement of the MAV of a sample of catalytic cracking gasoline or thermal cracking gasoline, from its NIR (near-infrared) spectrum, and the application of said method for monitoring a unit for selective hydrogenation of... Agent: Millen, White, Zelano & Branigan, P.C.

20070103670 - Fault detection in optical fibers: A system and method for remotely detecting and reporting faults in optical fibers is provided. Using a device similar to an Optical Time Domain Reflectometer (OTDR), breaks or sharp bends in an optical fiber can be detected, and the location of such events precisely determined, based on the time required... Agent: Jones, Tullar & Cooper, P.C.

20070103671 - Passive-optical locator: A passive-optical locator including a passive-optical range-finder to generate information indicative of a distance to a target and a sensor to generate information indicative of an azimuth and an elevation of an optical axis of the passive optical range-finder. The passive-optical locator uses information indicative of a geographic location associated... Agent: Honeywell International Inc.

20070103672 - Laser surveying instrument: A laser surveying instrument, comprising a laser projector for projecting a laser beam by rotary irradiation and designed as tiltable, a tilting unit for tilting the laser projector, a rotating unit for integrally rotating the tilting unit and the laser projector in horizontal direction, a tilt setting unit for tilting... Agent: Nields & Lemack

20070103673 - Passive-optical locator: A system comprising an imaging device and a passive-optical range-finder to focus, on the imaging device, a magnified image of a target positioned in a focal plane of the passive-optical range-finder. The system receives information indicative of a target type and generates information indicative of an absolute geographic location for... Agent: Honeywell International Inc.

20070103674 - Pass-line and tilt insensitive sensor: Devices, systems and methods for continuously detecting surface characteristics of a sample surface at a tilt are disclosed. The exemplary system may have a conveying device for moving a sample surface, a light source for reflecting a beam of light off the sample surface, and a light detector with a... Agent: Honeywell International Inc.

20070103675 - Method and an apparatus for simultaneous 2d and 3d optical inspection and acquisition of optical inspection data of an object: The present invention relates to optical inspection of manufactured products, such as integrated circuits wafer bumps. There are provided methods and apparatus for acquisition of optical inspection data of said object, as well as for optical inspection and manufacturing of said object. The invention comprises a 2D optical scanning system... Agent: Goudreau Gage Dubuc

20070103676 - Process and assembly for non-destructive surface inspections: A light beam is directed towards a surface along a direction normal to the surface. The surface is caused to move so that the beam scans the surface along a spiral path. An ellipsoidal mirror is placed with its axis along the surface normal to collect light scattered by the... Agent: Parsons Hsue & De Runtz LLP

20070103677 - Method for determining reflections in an area: For ray tracing it is necessary to determine the region of visibility between at least a first reflector and a second reflector by means of the following phases: representing said first and second reflector in a system of coordinates (x, y, z); said method is characterised in that it further... Agent: Wenderoth, Lind & Ponack, L.L.P.

20070103678 - Analyte detection system with interferent identification and correction: An apparatus for analyzing the composition of bodily fluid. The apparatus comprises a fluid handling network including a patient end configured to maintain fluid communication with a bodily fluid in a patient. The apparatus further comprises a pump unit in operative engagement with the fluid handling network. The pump unit... Agent: Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP

20070103680 - Method and device for chemical component spectrum analysis: A medium is analysed for the search for an odorous biological molecule characteristic of a specific substance in an environment to be studied comprising the steps of: exposing a component containing at least one olfactory biological receptor, capable of selectively attaching the type of odorous molecule sought, to an atmosphere... Agent: Cohen, Pontani, Lieberman & Pavane

20070103679 - Spectroscopy system: Systems and techniques for improved spectroscopy. In some embodiments, mechanical and/or optical zoom mechanisms may be provided for monochromator systems. For example, movable detector systems allow a detector to be positioned with respect to a dispersive element in order to obtain a first resolution. The detector systems may then allow... Agent: Macpherson Kwok Chen & Heid LLP

20070103681 - Optical device for measuring optical properties of a sample and method relating thereto: A device and method for measuring optical properties of a sample are provided. The device comprises a housing surrounding a flow-through flow-cell. The flow-cell has a sample inlet positioned proximate to a first end of the flow-cell and a sample outlet positioned proximate to a second end of the flow-cell.... Agent: Joy L Bryant, P.C.

20070103682 - Spectroscopy system: Systems and techniques for improved spectroscopy. In some embodiments, mechanical and/or optical zoom mechanisms may be provided for monochromator systems. For example, movable detector systems allow a detector to be positioned with respect to a dispersive element in order to obtain a first resolution. The detector systems may then allow... Agent: Macpherson Kwok Chen & Heid LLP

20070103683 - Optically measuring substances using propagation modes of light: This application describes designs, implementations, and techniques for controlling propagation mode or modes of light in a common optical path, which may include one or more waveguides, to sense a sample.... Agent: Fish & Richardson, PC

20070103684 - Phase wavelength and polarization insensitive optical devices: An optical chopper includes an optical loop having first and second terminals and includes first and second nonlinear elements. The optical loop is arranged to receive, at the first and the second terminals, a pulse-modulated signal and a continuous beam, respectively. The optical loop is arranged to cause the pulse-modulated... Agent: David Pressman, Esq.

20070103685 - Methods and apparatus for generating a mask: A method for generating a mask for use with a light measurement system that includes a light source for projecting light onto a surface of an object, and an imaging system for receiving light reflected from the surface of the object. The method includes determining a profile of the object... Agent: John S. Beulick (12729) C/o Armstrong Teasdale LLP

20070103686 - Apparatus for non-invasive analysis of gas compositions in insulated glass panes: An apparatus for non-destructively measuring gas compositions in insulated glazing units has an integrated structure that houses circuitry to generate a localized high voltage discharge utilizing a floating ground plane. The localized high voltage discharge is discharged via an integrally arranged discharge head such that an optical emission from an... Agent: Patterson, Thuente, Skaar & Christensen, P.A.

20070103687 - Measuring apparatus: A measuring apparatus which applies light, emitted from a light source, to a sample contained in a container, and detects light emitted from the sample to measure physical or chemical properties of the sample, includes a measuring optical system which measures the sample, and a position detection optical system which... Agent: Scully, Scott, Murphy & Presser

20070103688 - Pass-line insensitive sensor: Devices, systems and methods for detecting surface characteristics of a sample surface are disclosed. The exemplary system may have a conveying device for moving a sample surface and a light source for reflecting a beam of light off the sample surface. A light detector may receive the beam of light... Agent: Honeywell International Inc.

20070103689 - Projection optical system, exposure apparatus and device fabricating method: v

20070103690 - Multi-mode sampling probes: An optical probe for use in infrared, near infrared, Raman, and other spectrometers includes a probe outer surface with a cavity defined therein. The probe emits light into a sample via emission locations on the probe outer surface, at least one being in the cavity. The light emitted into the... Agent: Thermo Finnigan LLC

20070103691 - Fiber optic gyroscope asynchronous demodulation: A clock system for a fiber optic gyroscope is provided that includes a highly-tunable clock for the bias modulation and a separate asynchronous high-speed clock for the photodetector sampling. By separating the two clocks rather than using two derivatives of the same clock, the clock system and method can provide... Agent: Honeywell International Inc.

20070103692 - Method and system of using odd harmonics for phase generated carrier homodyne: A method and system for providing fast interrogation of a signal received from a fiber optic sensor array using a low drive voltage, by modulating the array signal with a phase generated carrier optical signal having an odd harmonic modulation frequency, sending it to an interferometric system, and demodulating the... Agent: Snell & Wilmer L.L.P. Suite 1400

20070103693 - Method of bioimage data processing for revealing more meaningful anatomic features of diseased tissues: The present invention discloses a method for generating elevation maps or images of a tissue layer/boundary with respect to a fitted reference surface, comprising the steps of finding and segmenting a desired tissue layer/boundary; fitting a smooth reference surface to the segmented tissue layer/boundary; calculating elevations of the same or... Agent: Stallman & Pollock LLP

20070103694 - Interferometry system: Beams having wavelengths of λ1 and λ2 individually emitted from two light sources are combined through an optical fiber. The combined beam is emitted from an output end face of the optical fiber and then separated by a polarizing beam splitter. A first separated beam is reflected by a measurement... Agent: Canon U.s.a. Inc. Intellectual Property Division

20070103695 - Wavefront sensor using hybrid optical/electronic heterodyne techniques: A hybrid optical/electronic wavefront sensor includes an electro-acoustical device used to upshift an optical reference signal. An optical test signal and the frequency upshifted optical reference signal are optically heterodyned to create a signal having a frequency equivalent to the beat frequency of the two signals, for example, the RF... Agent: Patent Administrator Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP

20070103696 - Apparatus for measuring the position of an object with a laser interferometer system: The present invention relates to an apparatus for measuring the position of an object (30), comprising at least one laser interferometer system (29) for determining a position displacement of the object (30) in at least one spatial direction, wherein the at least one laser interferometer system (29), together with the... Agent: Houston Eliseeva

20070103697 - Integrated displacement sensors for probe microscopy and force spectroscopy: In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, there is a force sensor for a probe based instrument. The force sensor can comprise a detection surface and a flexible mechanical structure disposed a first distance above the detection surface so as to form a gap between the flexible mechanical structure... Agent: Georgia Tech Research Corp. C/o Bryan W. Bockhop

20070103698 - Fanned laser beam metrology system: Systems and techniques for laser metrology. A system may include a laser source and a fanning apparatus configured to generate a fanned laser beam. The fanned laser beam may be scanned across the surface of an object, and may reflect off a plurality of targets positioned on the surface. A... Agent: Macpherson Kwok Chen & Heid, LLP

20070103699 - Multiple fanned laser beam metrology system: Systems and techniques for laser metrology. Two or more fanned probe beams are scanned relative to a surface including one or more targets. A position detection module receives return beam information from the fanned probe beams, and determines a position of at least a first target of the one or... Agent: Macpherson Kwok Chen & Heid, LLP

20070103700 - Moving device: An accurate moving device (100) for use in precision machinery includes a moving member (10), a light emitter (20), a light receiver (30) and a driving element (40). The light emitter is disposed on the moving member in a manner so as to emit light. The light receiver is configured... Agent: PCe Industry, Inc. Att. Cheng-ju Chiang Jeffrey T. Knapp

20070103701 - Displacement sensor: In a sensor head, parallel rays or approximately parallel rays are generated by a pair of condenser lenses that reciprocate according to vibrations of a collimate lens and a tuning fork, and go out from a light port. To the light port, a lens holder in which an objective lens... Agent: Foley And Lardner LLP Suite 500

20070097348 - Distance and/or speed measuring device and accelerometer based relative position sensing: A new technology combination that uses a distance or speed measuring device such as the proven time-of-flight based laser measuring devices with Magneto-Inductive (MI) bearing sensing and a Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) Accelerometers to measure the relative position and relationship in space of objects individually or to other objects. This combination... Agent: James Kelly

20070097349 - Optical distance measuring apparatus: In an optical distance measuring apparatus, a transmitter has a light-emitting device emitting an optical signal synchronized with a modulating signal having a predetermined repetition frequency, and a modulating signal generator outputting the modulating signal to the light-emitting device. A receiver has a photodetector receiving an optical beam reflected by... Agent: Nixon & Vanderhye, PC

20070097350 - Variable polarization attenuator: A laser transmitting system includes a laser source configured to transmit a laser beam at an original transmit intensity. The system also includes a laser intensity adjusting mechanism positioned in the path of the transmitted laser beam. The laser intensity adjusting mechanism is controllable to reduce the intensity of the... Agent: Westman Champlin & Kelly, P.A.

20070097351 - Rotary menu display and targeting reticles for laser rangefinders and the like: An interactive menu system and method of operating a menu display are disclosed. User-configurable targeting reticles and rangefinder information display methods are also disclosed. The systems and methods described herein are particularly suited for use with an aimed optical device, such as a laser rangefinder or riflescope, for example.... Agent: Stoel Rives LLP

20070097352 - Amplitude-weighted spatial coherent processing for ladar system: A laser radar (LADAR) system is provided with amplitude-weighted spatial coherent processing. An amplitude-weighted sum of time domain signals arising from several detectors within a detector array is formed and used for range doppler processing. Weighting coefficients are chosen to be proportional to the signal amplitude present for each of... Agent: Mark D. Saralino (general) Renner, Otto, Boisselle & Sklar, LLP

20070097353 - Optical device using narrow pass-band filter with multiple transmission peaks in combination with color image sensor for spectral imaging: The invention is directed to an optical device for imaging of astronomical objects, comprising a filter in front of an imaging sensor, wherein the filter is designed to pass simultaneously at least two narrow-band wave length ranges. Such device enables reduction of exposure time up to the three-fold compared to... Agent: Liebrecht R. Venter

20070097355 - Reticle and optical characteristic measuring method: A wavefront aberration measuring method for measuring wavefront aberration of a projection optical system. The method includes providing a reticle having lines and spaces in which, with respect to a repetition direction thereof and from a center to a periphery, a pitch of the spaces is substantially constant while widths... Agent: Fitzpatrick Cella Harper & Scinto

20070097354 - Support mechanism, exposure apparatus having the same, and aberration reducing method: A support mechanism for supporting an optical element includes a first support member for supporting the optical element, a second support member coupled to the first support member via an elastic member, and a forcing member for applying a force to the elastic member to adjust a position and/or an... Agent: Morgan & Finnegan, L.L.P.

20070097356 - Method and device for three-dimensionally determining the refractive index of transparent or partially transparent layers: The present invention relates to a method and a device for three-dimensionally determining the refractive index and, if necessary, the layer thickness of transparent or partially transparent layers in which the layer (1) is irradiated at different angles of incidence (5) with polarised light, and variations in the polarisation of... Agent: Venable LLP

20070097357 - Position detection based on two-directional correlation: A method of determining position information, the method having detecting—along a first direction—a value of a geometry parameter related to a structure formed on and/or in a substrate, and determining—with regard to a second direction—a value of a position parameter based on the detected value of the geometry parameter and... Agent: Perman & Green

20070097358 - System and method for obtaining multi-color optical intensity feedback: In LED back-lighted display systems where the LED driving signals are pulse width modulated, brightness of the LED is determined by the duty cycle (length of the “on” pulse). In such systems, it is possible to, from time to time, skip an LED driving pulse without the human eye detecting... Agent: Avago Technologies, Ltd.

20070097359 - Apparatus and methods for inspecting a composite structure for defects: A system and method of inspecting material laid by a material placement machine. Light is directed onto the material in a direction essentially normal to the material to illuminate a section of the material. Laser energy is projected onto the section at an angle predetermined to reveal imperfections in the... Agent: Harness Dickey & Pierce, PLC

20070097360 - Diagnosing or determining parameters for an installation for detecting open defects in the surfaces of parts by sweating: A method of diagnosing or determining parameters for an installation for detecting open defects in the surfaces of parts by sweating, the method comprising passing at least one standard testpiece through the installation, the testpiece having a surface possessing at least one pattern representative of the type of defect that... Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland, Maier & Neustadt, P.C.

20070097361 - Fiber coupling into bent capillary: A fluidic device is provided which is adapted to subject a fluid to light. It generally comprises a capillary that is adapted for conducting the fluid and which furthermore and comprises at least one bending and at least one waveguide having an end face that is adapted for at least... Agent: Paul D. Greeley, Esq. Ohlandt, Greeley , Ruggiero & Perle, L.L.P.

20070097362 - Optical displacement sensor structure with one light source, and external force detecting device incorporating the same: An optical displacement sensor structure includes a plurality of light receiving elements and a plurality of optical fibers together with one light source, wherein light emitted from the one light source is efficiently introduced into the plurality of optical fibers from the circumferences of the optical fibers, well kept inside... Agent: Fay Sharpe LLP

20070097363 - Coding and modulation for hyperspectral imaging: Embodiments of the present invention relate to systems and methods for spectral imaging. In one embodiment, an image of the scene is formed on a coded aperture of a spectrometer. A coded image from the coded aperture is detected on a two-dimensional detector array of the spectrometer through a spectrally... Agent: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP

20070097364 - Active cmos biosensor chip for fluorescent-based detection: An active CMOS biosensor chip for fluorescent-based detection is provided that enables time-gated, time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy. Analytes are loaded with fluorophores that are bound to probe molecules immobilized on the surface of the chip. Photodiodes and other circuitry in the chip are used to measure the fluorescent intensity of the... Agent: Wilmerhale/columbia University

20070097365 - Optically excited atomic frequency standard: An optically-excited atomic frequency standard that subjects alkali metal atoms (111) to circularly-polarized optical radiation. The atomic frequency standard is improved by the use of a circular polarizer (202) to control the intensity of the circularly-polarized optical radiation. The circular polarizer includes a linear polarizer (203) and a quarter-wave retarder... Agent: Gordon E Nelson

20070097366 - Optical system and method for detecting particles: Embodiments of the invention include a particle detection system that includes a light emitting source, a non-collimating reflector, a collimating reflector, and a detector. Light from the light emitting source is directed by the non-collimating reflector to an area through which a particle stream may be transmitted. Fluorescent light from... Agent: General Electric Company Global Research

20070097367 - Exposure apparatus and exposure method: Disclosed is an exposing apparatus which projects an image of a pattern by a projection optical system, comprising a measuring unit having a sensor which measures a positional relationship between the projection optical system and a member which is positioned in relation to the projection optical system, and a first... Agent: Oliff & Berridge, PLC

20070097368 - System and method for calibrating a feeder for a surface mounting device: A method for calibrating a feeder for a surface mounting device (SMD) includes the steps of: reading a standard coordinate value; setting controlling parameters including a predefined amount of materials to be delivered and a predefined range of a coordinate deviation; booting the feeder (22) to deliver materials via an... Agent: PCe Industry, Inc. Att. Cheng-ju Chiang Jeffrey T. Knapp

20070097369 - Fluorescence photometric apparatus: A fluorescence photometric apparatus which includes a light source, a light irradiating unit configured to condense light from the light source on a sample by means of an objective lens and irradiating the sample with the condensed light, and a photodetector which detects fluorescence emitted from the sample, includes an... Agent: Scully, Scott, Murphy & Presser

20070097370 - Method of photo-reflectance characterization of strain and active dopant in semiconductor structures: A new method of photo-reflectance characterization of strain and active dopant in semiconductor structures has been developed for characterization of physical properties of semiconductor structures. The underlying principle of the strain and active dopant characterization technique is to measure photo-reflectance signals occurring nearby to interband transitions in the semiconductor bandstructure... Agent: William W. Chism, Ii

20070097371 - Laser sensing apparatus and method: An apparatus for eliminating speckle noise from retro reflectors. A polyethylene film is introduced in an optical path between a retro reflector and a radiation receiver to reduce coherence length of collected light and eliminate sparkle noise.... Agent: Thompson Lambert LLP C/o Berger & Altmann

20070097372 - Particle detection apparatus and particle detection method used therefor: A particle detection apparatus and a detection method used therefor, which can detect dust, pollen and smoke particles at a high sensitivity with a sufficiently simple configuration. A particle detection apparatus has a light source and a detection device for detecting light from the light source, and detects particles floating... Agent: Avago Technologies, Ltd.

20070097373 - System for and method of investigating the exact same point on a sample substrate with multiple wavelengths: Disclosed are system for and method of analyzing a sample at substantially the exact same small spot point on a sample with a plurality of wavelengths.... Agent: James D. Welch

20070097374 - Ifog modulation technique for real-time calibration of wavelength reference under harsh environment: An interferometric fiber optic gyroscope (IFOG) includes a fiber light source, a multi-function integrated optic chip (IOC) and corresponding fiber sensing coil, and a wavelength division multiplexor connected to each other via a coupler, along with servo loop closure processing electronics. In addition, an absolute wavelength reference, such as an... Agent: Honeywell International, Inc.

20070097375 - Transmission mode rfog and method for detecting rotation with rfog: Methods and apparatus are provided for sensing a rotation rate of a ring resonator in a transmission mode. A ring resonator for circulating light beams in counter-propagating directions comprises an optical fiber coil having a hollow core and first and second ends, a first optical element configured to receive an... Agent: Honeywell International Inc.

20070097376 - System and method for generating beams of light using an anisotropic acousto-optic modulator: A light source system includes a beam source generating a first input beam of light. An anisotropic acousto-optic modulator (AOM) is positioned to receive the first input beam. The AOM includes a plurality of transducers for receiving control signals and generating corresponding acoustic waves that operate on the first input... Agent: Agilent Technologies Inc.

20070097377 - System and method for generating beams of light using an anisotropic acousto-optic modulator: A light source system includes a beam source generating a first input beam of light with first and second beam components. The first component has a first linear polarization and a first frequency. The second component has a second linear polarization and a second frequency. The first and second linear... Agent: Agilent Technologies Inc.

20070097378 - Interferometer: The present invention relates to an interferometer, comprising at least a beamsplitter (10), at least one end reflector (11) for returning beams (S2, S3), and a set of reflectors (14, 15) for reflecting the beams (S2, S3) between the beamsplitter (10) and the end reflector (11) or the end reflectors,... Agent: Buchanan, Ingersoll & Rooney PC

20070097379 - Integrated interference scanning method: An integrated interference scanning method, mainly used to integrate the respective advantages of VSI and PSI measurements, hereby achieving the characteristic of high precision and limitless measurement range. In particular, the slope correction factor and the displacement correction factor between the VSI measurement and PSI measurement may be utilized to... Agent: Birch Stewart Kolasch & Birch

20070097380 - Profiling complex surface structures using height scanning interferometry: A method including comparing information derivable from a scanning interferometry signal for a first surface location of a test object to information corresponding to multiple models of the test object, wherein the multiple models are parametrized by a series of characteristics for the test object. The derivable information being compared... Agent: Fish & Richardson PC

20070097381 - Hand-size structured-light three-dimensional metrology imaging system and method: A hand-size structured-light three-dimensional metrology imaging system and method. Laser illumination stripes are scanned across a workpiece surface for obtaining z-height and x-coordinate information. A Scheimpflug configuration is used. Utilizing this configuration, a laser illumination stripe across a raised workpiece portion will be shown in a contour image at the... Agent: Christensen, O'connor, Johnson, Kindness, PLLC

20070097382 - System for identifying the position of three-dimensional machine for measuring or machining in a fixed frame of reference: The invention relates to a system for identifying the position of a machine for three-dimensional measuring or machining in a fixed frame of reference. In accordance with the invention, the system comprises: a first base for resting at an identified point on a support wall associated with the machine stand,... Agent: Mccormick, Paulding & Huber LLP

20070097383 - Method and apparatus for integrating metrology with etch processing: An apparatus for integrating metrology and etch processing is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a multi-chamber system having a transfer chamber, an etch chamber and a metrology chamber, and a robot configured to transfer a substrate between the etch chamber and the metrology chamber. A method of processing a substrate and... Agent: Patterson & Sheridan, LLP