Abstract: A method and apparatus for soldering a chip (1a) to a substrate (3). A chip carrier (8) is provided between a flash lamp (5) and the substrate (3). The chip (1a) is attached to the chip carrier (8) on a side of the chip carrier (8) facing the substrate (3). A solder material (2) is disposed between the chip (1a) and the substrate (3). The flash lamp (5) generates a light pulse (6) for heating the chip (1a). The heating of the chip (1a) causes the chip (1a) to be released from the chip carrier (8) towards the substrate (3). The solder material (2) is at least partially melted by contact with the heated chip (1a) for attaching the chip (1a) to the substrate (3).

Abstract: The invention relates to an optical system for providing on-axis destructive interference of light received from an object along a predetermined system optical axis. The system comprises a receiving and guiding optical structure and a combining optical structure. The receiving and guiding optical structure is for receiving and guiding at least three beams of light received from the receiving and guiding optical structure arranged to provide a relative optical path difference between the at least three beams; the combining optical structure is for combining the at least three beams. According to the invention, a polarization varying optical structure is arranged between the receiving and guiding optical structure and the combining optical structure, for varying a polarization state of the beams relative to each other in order to provide on-axis destructive interference.