Abstract: A system involving a pair of oppositely disposed sight glass units wherein each unit includes an inner glass and an outer glass. One application of these sight glasses is in continuous vulcanization of multiconductor cables in a saturated steam atmosphere. The cable is steam wiped prior to its travel through a chamber between the sight glass units to remove accumulated condensation therefrom. Since the inner surfaces of the glasses of each sight glass unit may be clouded or dirty, wiping means is provided for each wet-side surface to provide and maintain clear and unobstructed viewing to permit scanning of the cable as it passes through the chamber between the sight glass units, and means for sealing the glasses in the units.

Abstract: A laser measuring system for industrial inspection having a laser producing a narrow beam of coherent light which is focused by telescope onto an article. The focused beam of light from the telescope is directed by a scanning means across the article at a known rate. The light reflected from the article is focused by an imaging lens offset from the scanning means onto an optical grating which is provided with alternate transparent and opaque bars. The collected light which passes through the transparent bars of the optical grating is sensed by a photomultiplier detector. A processor which sees the output of the photomultiplier detector determines the time interval between selected points of the output signal of the photomultiplier detector. As the scanning beam moves across the article it causes the laser spot observed by the photomultiplier to traverse the surface faster or slower depending on whether the scanning is proceeding up a portion of the surface of the article or down, respectively.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for measuring the linear extent and hence the concentration of several constituent blood cell types which are contained in the buffy coat of a centrifuged sample of anticoagulated blood.

Abstract: A system comprising a detector for detecting a shift of a optical pattern formed on a semiconductor pellet at a distance from the datum point set on both sides of the pattern and giving a signal indicative of said shift, and a bonding device for wire-bonding said pellet with the shift compensated which has been shifted correspondingly to the shift of the pellet.

Abstract: In an electro-optical light shutter device using a solid-solution ceramic material for alternate transmission and interception of light, a first voltage is applied to the solid-solution ceramic material in the operating (open) position of the shutter, and a second voltage of polarity opposite to that of the first voltage and having an absolute value smaller than that of the first voltage is applied to the solid-solution ceramic material in the non-operating (closed) position of the shutter. The solid-solution ceramic material has a composition in which a ferroelectric phase and a non-ferroelectric phase adjoin each other through a morphotropic phase boundary.

Abstract: Small reference marks near two corners of a circuit chip in the form of optical gratings in which the grating lines of both reference marks are parallel are illuminated alternately by a laser beam which is projected in the location the reference marks would have if the chip is properly located. Detectors are arranged to pick up the first secondary maximum of each diffraction pattern when the chip is properly located on its carrier plate. Failure of the detectors to respond indicates a chip that must be removed. With a beam-splitting arrangement producing four closely bunched light spots, straddling each of the reference marks, and an appropriate number of detectors, directional error signals are obtainable by which mechanical correction movements can be controlled for automatic localization of the chip.

Abstract: A mask alignment method of the reduction-projection type comprising the steps of illuminating only regions of alignment patterns formed on a mask and a wafer, before a circuit pattern formed on the mask is projected onto the chips of the wafer through a reduction-projection lens, and aligning the mask and the wafer with each other by detecting the reflected images of both the alignment patterns. The alignment pattern region is illuminated by the light having the same wavelength as the exposure light. In addition, a mask alignment apparatus of the reduction-projection type comprising an illumination device for illuminating the mask. The mask is disposed at a distance from the wafer. The illumination light includes g-line or h-line or a combination of g-line and h-line. The projection lens is interposed between the mask and the wafer so that the circuit pattern formed on the mask is projected on the chips of the wafer on a reduced scale thereby to give the optical printing of the circuit pattern to the wafer.

Abstract: The device comprises a lens and a source for emitting a beam of parallel light rays or ultrasonic rays at right angles to a flat dioptric element. The lens surface which is located opposite to the radiation-emitting source is flat and the lens surface located opposite to the dioptric element is such that the refracted rays are incident upon the dioptric element at a constant angle. The wave which is incident upon the dioptric element and corresponds to the beam refracted from the lens and the wave refracted from the dioptric element and corresponding to the incident wave are in phase along a predetermined path on the surface of the dioptric element.

Abstract: A relatively compact, inexpensive and portable viewer for reading photogric reductions, such as microfiche film cards, includes a cylindrical translucent diffuser tube which provides for entry of sufficient light under usual ambient conditions for viewing the film; a transparent cylindrical mounting tube axially centered within the diffuser tube; and a slide tube axially and longitudinally movable, by hand operation, within the transparent mounting tube. The slide tube forms an optical path comprising a rectangular opening in its wall near one of its ends which acts as a film gate, a reflecting mirror positioned in line with the wall opening, a magnification lens and an eyepiece lens. The film is inserted in the cylindrical gap formed between the diffuser tube and the mounting tube and the slide tube is moved so that the desired portion of the film may be viewed, enlarged and read.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for utilizing the opto-galvanic effect to perform spectroscopic or analytic investigations of atomic or molecular species. A sample of the substance to be analyzed is vaporized in an analytical flame, gas discharge tube, high temperature furnace or the like, and the vapor is irradiated with chopped or pulsed variable wavelength monochromatic light. The electrical resistance of the vapor is monitored as the frequency of the radiation is tuned through one or more electronic transition frequencies of the substance. The resistance spectrum resembles the optical absorption spectrum of the species in the vapor. The opto-galvanic effect may also be used to frequency lock a laser to a transition frequency of a substance in a gas discharge cell.

Abstract: According to the invention, a helicoid mechanism is provided at each side of a supporting member of the lens barrel fixed by a tripod seat or the like, the front one being intended for effecting the displacement of the lens while the rear one being intended for displacing the camera, whereby a larger stroke of the lens displacement which is materially twice the conventional one is obtained with machining precision of conventional helicoid means.Means are provided for representing accurately the photo-taking distance, irrespective of whether either one of the front and rear helicoid mechanisms is solely adjusted, both of these helicoid mechanisms are individually adjusted or both of them are simultaneously operated, so as to render the operation of these helicoids free and to ensure an easier and more exact reading of the photo-taking distance.

Abstract: A device to assist in threading needles includes a holder which is manually supported and which provides a support for a magnifying glass. A needle is detachably mounted in the holder with the eye exposed. The device includes means for varying the spacing between the magnifying glass and needle eye to locate the needle eye at the correct focal length of the magnifying glass for the particular user.

Abstract: A partial pressure gauge utilizes an efficient electron collision excitation source yielding de-excitation radiation characteristic of residual gases. The intensity of a given spectral line is proportional to the partial pressure of the gas having such spectral line, and the current drawn from the excitation source provides a measure of the total pressure. A calibration technique based upon comparing the emitted light intensity with the ion currents associated with the excitation process yields an accurate measure of the relative partial pressure. Use of a filter to selectively pass radiation from a known constituent in known proportion in ambient gas provides an indication of the presence of a leak without the need for probing with a test gas. Provision for passing an evaporant stream through the excitation region permits accurate monitoring of the evaporant flux from which depostion rate is determined.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for inspecting the contour of an article is disclosed. Nondestructive viewing techniques including the projection of a light pattern onto the article to be inspected and the imaging of said light pattern to a display screen are discussed. The concepts taught enable the viewing of article regions which were formerly obstructed in conventional viewing systems.

Abstract: An arrangement for locating points on a surface, in which the surface is irradiated selectively and subdivided into a number of sections. The subdivided sections are made to overlap so that a region of one section overlaps the region of a neighboring section. Images of the irradiated sections are recorded, and then scanned for purposes of defining the location of predetermined points within overlapping regions of the subdivided sections. The location of the points within overlapping regions is dependent on a predetermined relationship of irradiated intensities of the points obtained during the scanning procedure.

Abstract: An optical instrument for locating the focal point of a smooth surface concave reflector of a signal lamp unit. The optical instrument includes a cylindrical metallic base member for insertion into the electrical socket of a light bulb. A translucent sighting target member is carried by the base member and includes a reticle for focusing in a distant image whereby the filament of a light bulb will be located at the focal point of the concave reflector for maximizing the illuminative efficiency of the signal lamp unit.

Abstract: Apparatus for use in compensating for gun sighting errors due to misalignment between the muzzle axis of a gun and the optical axis of an associated gun sighting system is described, comprising a marker and a collimator mounted on the gun remotely from the muzzle and in fixed relation to one another, a reflector fixed to the muzzle portion of the gun barrel so as to be capable of reflecting into the collimator an uncollimated marker beam emanating from the marker, and means for defining an initial coincidence mark whose position is fixed in relation to the said optical axis so that after leaving the collimator the reflected marker beam can form a marker image superimposed upon the said initial coincidence mark, whereby any subsequent deviation of the muzzle axis from the said optical axis results in a corresponding movement of the marker image away from the initial coincidence mark.

Abstract: A collimated beam of light is directed onto a face of a microcircuit chip. If the configuration side of the chip is up and if the chip has a typical pattern predominantly comprised of two orthogonal sets of lines, the light reflected from the chip will be formed in a cross shaped diffraction pattern with most of the light concentrated in the center of the cross. If, however, the chip is upside down so that a plain face is exposed to the light, the light will be reflected fairly uniformly from the chip. By measuring the reflected light in a small center zone as well as in a larger zone and the light measurements are compared, it can be determined whether the diffraction pattern is present thereby revealing whether the chip is right side up, i.e. configuration side up.

Abstract: This invention relates to the use of a birefringent crystal as the sensing element in a probe thermometer constructed of certain basic optical components utilized in three separate modes. Thus, all of the modes of the invention are directed to a probe thermometer which uses the temperature dependence of the birefringence of certain single crystals as the temperature sensitive parameter. One such crystal is a Y-cut single crystal of LiTaO.sub.3. Alternative crystals having adequate sensitivity in the desired temperature range may be constructed from LiNbO.sub.3 or BaTiO.sub.3. Polarized light propagates through the crystal in two modes, the ordinary ray and the extraordinary ray, which have indices of refraction n.sup.o and n.sup.e. For LiTaO.sub.3 at room temperature, n = 2.2, B = n.sup.e - n.sup.o = 0.004, and dB/dT = 4.4 .times. 10.sup.-5 /.degree. C.

Abstract: Recognizing and counting geometrically distant objects, such as objects of a particular morphological type (e.g., reticulated red blood cells), located in a field of objects of varying types is disclosed. Coherent light is directed toward a monolayer of objects of various types. The light scattered by the objects is collected by a collecting lens and forms a composite Fourier spectrum at the focal plane of the lens. The Fourier spectrum is selectively analyzed on the basis that each object creates a unique portion of the composite Fourier spectrum, and that a family of objects that are geometrically similar have additive spectrums, when their population is large, randomly located, and nonoverlapping. The analysis is performed by making intensity measurements at radial points in the Fourier plane, weighting the measurements, and summing the result. The radial points and weighting factors are determined using regression techniques.