Patents by Inventor Christian Wald

Christian Wald has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20230121697
    Abstract: What is suggested is a micromembrane pumping device for pumping a fluid, having: a pump chamber to which an inlet valve, an outlet valve, and a membrane device for varying a volume of the pump chamber are associated, wherein the membrane device has a plate-shaped actuator for deforming the membrane device; and influencing means for influencing the plate-shaped actuator and the volume of the pump chamber; wherein the membrane device has a plate-shaped membrane body limiting the pump chamber; wherein the plate-shaped actuator is arranged on a side of the plate-shaped membrane body facing away from the pump chamber; wherein the plate-shaped actuator is mounted to and electrically insulated from the plate-shaped membrane body by an electrically insulating glue layer; wherein at least one embedded portion of a support body at or in which a deformation sensor for detecting a deformation of the membrane device is arranged, is arranged within the glue layer to detect the volume of the pump chamber; wherein the influe
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2022
    Publication date: April 20, 2023
    Inventors: Agnes BUSSMANN, Lorenz GRUENERBEL, Christian WALD, Sebastian KIBLER
  • Patent number: 11555725
    Abstract: A microstructured fluid flow control device includes a substrate with a piezo-actuated first membrane arranged on a first substrate side, and a fluid channel that extends through the substrate between the first substrate side and an opposite second substrate side. In addition, the microstructured fluid flow control device includes a microvalve that extends through the fluid channel and is configured to close the fluid channel in an unactuated state, and a second membrane arranged on the first substrate side and spaced apart from the membrane and arranged between the fluid channel and the first piezo-actuated membrane. The second membrane is joined to the microvalve and is mechanically biased towards the first membrane so that a biasing force is applied to the microvalve, wherein the biasing force is part of a restoring force that causes the microvalve to close the fluid channel in an unactuated state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
    Inventors: Christian Wald, Sebastian Kibler, Martin Wackerle, Yuecel Congar
  • Patent number: 11399978
    Abstract: A free jet dosage system serves for administering a fluid into an eye. The free jet dosage system includes a micropump having an inlet and an outlet, the micropump being configured to transfer the fluid from the inlet to the outlet and to dispense the fluid at the outlet to the eye as a free jet. The free jet dosage system further includes a sensor configured to sense the eye and to controller a control, and a micropump, wherein the controller is configured to activate the micropump as soon as the eye is sensed by the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
    Inventors: Martin Richter, Axel Wille, Christian Wald
  • Patent number: 11111911
    Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus having a pressure chamber and a micropump in fluid connection with the pressure chamber. The pressure chamber includes a gas-carrying region and a liquid-carrying region. The micropump is configured to generate a pneumatic pressure within the gas-carrying region that is lower than a fluid pressure of a liquid flowing through the liquid-carrying region. According to the invention, a gas-permeable and liquid-impermeable separating element separates, at least in sections, the gas-carrying region and the liquid-carrying region. According to the present invention, the micropump is disposed on the pressure chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
    Inventors: Martin Richter, Axel Wille, Simone Strohmair, Christian Wald
  • Publication number: 20210041280
    Abstract: A microstructured fluid flow control device includes a substrate with a piezo-actuated first membrane arranged on a first substrate side, and a fluid channel that extends through the substrate between the first substrate side and an opposite second substrate side. In addition, the microstructured fluid flow control device includes a microvalve that extends through the fluid channel and is configured to close the fluid channel in an unactuated state, and a second membrane arranged on the first substrate side and spaced apart from the membrane and arranged between the fluid channel and the first piezo-actuated membrane. The second membrane is joined to the microvalve and is mechanically biased towards the first membrane so that a biasing force is applied to the microvalve, wherein the biasing force is part of a restoring force that causes the microvalve to close the fluid channel in an unactuated state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2020
    Publication date: February 11, 2021
    Inventors: Christian WALD, Sebastian KIBLER, Martin WACKERLE, Yuecel CONGAR
  • Patent number: 10852642
    Abstract: A control apparatus controls at least one manipulator for modifying a parameter of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus by generating a target for a travel variable, which defines a modification of the parameter to be undertaken via the manipulator. The control apparatus is configured to generate the target from a state characterization of the projection exposure apparatus by optimizing a merit function. A merit function includes at least one penalty term for taking account of a limit for a property of the projection exposure apparatus as an implicit constraint and the penalty term is formulated in such a way that the function value thereof tends to “infinity” as the property approaches the limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH
    Inventors: Bjoern Butscher, Christian Wald
  • Patent number: 10845274
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device having an opening defining a fluid connection between a fluid channel in the device and ambient air, a sensor coupled to the fluid channel, configured to sense at least one component of the ambient air, and a micro fluid actuator connected downstream of the sensor, configured, in the suction stroke, to suck in fluid through the fluid channel and to transport the same towards the sensor, and, in the pressure stroke, to transport the sucked-in fluid through said fluid channel back towards the opening. According to the invention, the sensor is arranged spaced apart from the opening, and the volume of the fluid channel between the sensor and the opening is equal to or smaller than the stroke volume which the micro fluid actuator may convey with a single suction stroke.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
    Inventors: Martin Richter, Christian Wald, Yuecel Congar
  • Patent number: 10792430
    Abstract: A free-jet dosing system for administering a fluid into or under the skin having a micropump and a nozzle arranged on the outlet side. The micropump has an inlet and an outlet and is configured to transport a fluid from the inlet to the outlet and to generate a blocking pressure of at least 20 bar at the outlet. The nozzle is configured to output the fluid output at the outlet as a free jet at a fluid pressure so that the fluid of the free jet may be injected into the skin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
    Inventors: Martin Richter, Martin Wackerle, Christian Wald
  • Publication number: 20200225587
    Abstract: A control apparatus controls at least one manipulator for modifying a parameter of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus by generating a target for a travel variable, which defines a modification of the parameter to be undertaken via the manipulator. The control apparatus is configured to generate the target from a state characterization of the projection exposure apparatus by optimizing a merit function. A merit function includes at least one penalty term for taking account of a limit for a property of the projection exposure apparatus as an implicit constraint and the penalty term is formulated in such a way that the function value thereof tends to “infinity” as the property approaches the limit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2020
    Publication date: July 16, 2020
    Inventors: Bjoern Butscher, Christian Wald
  • Publication number: 20190232230
    Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus having a pressure chamber and a micropump in fluid connection with the pressure chamber. The pressure chamber includes a gas-carrying region and a liquid-carrying region. The micropump is configured to generate a pneumatic pressure within the gas-carrying region that is lower than a fluid pressure of a liquid flowing through the liquid-carrying region. According to the invention, a gas-permeable and liquid-impermeable separating element separates, at least in sections, the gas-carrying region and the liquid-carrying region. According to the present invention, the micropump is disposed on the pressure chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2019
    Publication date: August 1, 2019
    Inventors: Martin RICHTER, Axel WILLE, Simone STROHMAIR, Christian WALD
  • Publication number: 20190154551
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device having an opening defining a fluid connection between a fluid channel in the device and ambient air, a sensor coupled to the fluid channel, configured to sense at least one component of the ambient air, and a micro fluid actuator connected downstream of the sensor, configured, in the suction stroke, to suck in fluid through the fluid channel and to transport the same towards the sensor, and, in the pressure stroke, to transport the sucked-in fluid through said fluid channel back towards the opening. According to the invention, the sensor is arranged spaced apart from the opening, and the volume of the fluid channel between the sensor and the opening is equal to or smaller than the stroke volume which the micro fluid actuator may convey with a single suction stroke.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2019
    Publication date: May 23, 2019
    Inventors: Martin RICHTER, Christian WALD, Yuecel CONGAR
  • Patent number: 10254466
    Abstract: An optical waveguide serves for guiding illumination light. The waveguide has a waveguide main body for guiding the illumination light between a main body entrance region and a main body exit region. At least one coupling-out device is provided in the main body exit region. Via the coupling-out device, at least one coupling-out illumination light partial beam is coupled out from the illumination light emerging from the waveguide main body. This is done such that the coupling-out illumination light partial beam can be separated from the rest of the illumination light beam emerging from the waveguide main body. This results in a waveguide having improved possibilities for use when guiding illumination light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH
    Inventors: Christian Wald, Stefan Schaff, Markus Deguenther, Daniel Runde
  • Patent number: 10241423
    Abstract: A method of operating a projection exposure tool for microlithography is provided. The projection exposure tool has a projection objective for imaging object structures on a mask into an image plane using electromagnetic radiation, during which imaging the electromagnetic radiation causes a change in optical properties of the projection objective.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH
    Inventors: Olaf Conradi, Michael Totzeck, Ulrich Loering, Dirk Juergens, Ralf Mueller, Christian Wald
  • Patent number: 10135272
    Abstract: A switched mode power supply circuit includes a switching converter receiving an input voltage and generating an output voltage from the input voltage in accordance with a switching signal. A switching controller unit is configured to generate the switching signal in accordance with a control parameter set such that the output voltage matches a set-point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AUSTRIA AG
    Inventors: Marc Fahlenkamp, Martin Krueger, Doris Keitel-Schulz, Sergio Rossi, Christian Wald
  • Patent number: 10001631
    Abstract: A film element of an EUV-transmitting wavefront correction device is arranged in a beam path and includes a first layer of first layer material having a first complex refractive index n1=(1??1)+iß1, with a first optical layer thickness, which varies locally over the used region in accordance with a first layer thickness profile, and a second layer of second layer material having a second complex refractive index n2=(1??2)+iß2, with a second optical layer thickness, which varies locally over the used region in accordance with a second layer thickness profile. The first and second layer thickness profiles differ. The deviation ?1 of the real part of the first refractive index from 1 is large relative to the absorption coefficient ß1 of the first layer material and the deviation ?2 of the real part of the second refractive index from 1 is small relative to the absorption coefficient ß2 of the second layer material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH
    Inventors: Boris Bittner, Norbert Wabra, Sonja Schneider, Ricarda Maria Schoemer, Hendrik Wagner, Christian Wald, Rumen Iliew, Thomas Schicketanz, Toralf Gruner, Walter Pauls, Holger Schmidt, Matthias Roesch
  • Publication number: 20180115174
    Abstract: A switched mode power supply circuit includes a switching converter receiving an input voltage and generating an output voltage from the input voltage in accordance with a switching signal. A switching controller unit is configured to generate the switching signal in accordance with a control parameter set such that the output voltage matches a set-point.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2017
    Publication date: April 26, 2018
    Inventors: Marc Fahlenkamp, Martin Krueger, Doris Keitel-Schulz, Sergio Rossi, Christian Wald
  • Patent number: 9939730
    Abstract: An optical assembly, in particular for a lithography system for imaging lithographic micro- or nanostructures, includes at least two optical elements arranged successively in a beam path of the optical assembly, an acquisition device designed to acquire radiation signals from marking elements on or at the at least two optical elements, and a control device coupled to the acquisition device and which is designed to determine the plurality of properties of the optically active surface of the at least two optical elements as a function of the information contained in the radiation signals originating from the marking elements. The disclosure also relates to a method for operating the optical assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH
    Inventors: Walter Pauls, Hendrik Wagner, Florian Ahles, Christian Wald, Steffen Fritzsche, Norbert Wabra, Boris Bittner, Sonja Schneider, Ricarda Schoemer
  • Patent number: 9887564
    Abstract: A switched mode power supply circuit includes a switching converter receiving an input voltage and generating an output voltage from the input voltage in accordance with a switching signal. A switching controller unit is configured to generate the switching signal in accordance with a control parameter set such that the output voltage matches a set-point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AUSTRIA AG
    Inventors: Marc Fahlenkamp, Martin Krueger, Doris Keitel-Schulz, Sergio Rossi, Christian Wald
  • Patent number: 9841685
    Abstract: A method for determining a corrected variable, which depends on at least one parameter, in a parameter range of the parameter, includes carrying out a measurement, measurement values of the variable being made available in a plurality of separate and non-overlapping subranges of the parameter range; correcting measurement values of the variable using an approximation, in which measurement values of the variable are approximated with a smooth function and with subrange functions of the subranges of the parameter range. The smooth function allows reproduction of the progression of the variable over the parameter range. The subrange functions permit an individual change of the variable in the subranges. Also disclosed are methods for adjusting imaging optics of an optical system, devices for determining a corrected variable, which depends on at least one parameter in a parameter range, and methods for determining a plurality of corrected wavefront errors in an image field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH
    Inventors: Christoph Petri, Christian Wald, Daniel Runde
  • Publication number: 20170261730
    Abstract: A film element of an EUV-transmitting wavefront correction device is arranged in a beam path and includes a first layer of first layer material having a first complex refractive index n1=(1??1)+i?1, with a first optical layer thickness, which varies locally over the used region in accordance with a first layer thickness profile, and a second layer of second layer material having a second complex refractive index n2=(1??2)+i?2, with a second optical layer thickness, which varies locally over the used region in accordance with a second layer thickness profile. The first and second layer thickness profiles differ. The deviation ?1 of the real part of the first refractive index from 1 is large relative to the absorption coefficient ?1 of the first layer material and the deviation ?2 of the real part of the second refractive index from 1 is small relative to the absorption coefficient ?2 of the second layer material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2014
    Publication date: September 14, 2017
    Inventors: Boris Bittner, Norbert Wabra, Sonja Schneider, Ricarda Schneider, Hendrik Wagner, Christian Wald, Rumen Iliew, Thomas Schicketanz, Toralf Gruner, Walter Pauls, Holger Schmidt