Abstract: Economical production of laser-drilled high-precision, ultra-miniature multiple-via-hole patterns is accomplished by multiplexing the homogenized, shaped, nearly-collimated output of a high-power excimer laser into a modular set of condenser lens/mask/projection lens beamlines. A substrate delivery subsystem provides a continuous supply of film substrate segments as blanks during production. Functional modularization permits the building and easy retooling of a hard-tooling multiple-beamline system powered by a high-power laser. Vertical modularization permits the building of a single-beamline soft-tooling pilot system, which may be used to demonstrate a production technique, or may be used for short production runs, and which may later be incremented with additional vertical subassemblies for additional beamlines.

Abstract: In the manufacturing of flexible, large-area electronic modules such as flat-panel displays (FPDs), the high cost and low yields of currently available patterning equipment represent a significant barrier to cost-effective production. This invention provides a projection imaging system that can pattern very large, flexible substrates at very high exposure speeds with almost any desired image resolution. The master pattern to be imprinted on the substrate is contained on a mask which, similar to the substrate, is made of a flexible material The mask and substrate are scanned by rollers through the object and the image field, respectively, of a 1:1 projection lens. All of the rollers are driven by identical drive systems linked to a common motor; therefore, the scanning of the mask and substrate is perfectly synchronized. Both the mask and the substrate, along with their rollers, are mounted on a linear translation stage.

Abstract: An energy saving skylight cover system operates selectively in summer and winter to optimize transfer of the sun's radiation through the skylight into an interior space. The skylight cover system comprises optical transmission modifying panels and radiation scuppers that make its functional characteristics responsive to the sun's incidence angle. In summer mode, with high average inclination of the sun, the skylight cover system absorbs or reflects back the undesirable solar heat. In winter mode, the skylight cover system permits majority of the sun's rays to enter the interior space, permitting desirable solar heat gain. The determination of rejecting or accepting solar heat gain is made by the skylight cover system according to a designed-in characteristic angle. The characteristic angle is a function of the orientation of the skylight and the roof, and the geographical location of the building.

Abstract: This single-actuator-and-cam, remotely adjustable, exterior vehicle rear-view mirror provides the driver with glare-free viewing toward the rear of the vehicle, by switching between a high-reflectivity position and a low-reflectivity position at the same view adjustment. The exterior rear-view mirrors are repositioned with only a single motor working with a rotary cam to scan all possible mirror positions. The single-motor mechanism increases the reliability of the mirror system. The single motor accomplishes both the directional alignment and the day/night reflectivity adjustment of the mirror by use of a cam which has positions for all predicted view positions, with two reflectivity positions for each view. This invention works equally well with flat wedge mirrors and wide-angle convex wedge mirrors.

Abstract: This projection imaging system is capable of simultaneously exposing both the upper and lower sides of a substrate while providing high-resolution, a large exposure area, and high exposure throughput.

Abstract: A large-format substrate patterning system, for microelectronics manufacturing, utilizes a substrate docking fixture to enable relative motion between the substrate stage and the substrate. This enables exposure of a large-format substrate which has been partitioned into different modules where each module contains an entire pattern transferred from a mask. This projection system enables patterning of a large multi-module substrate using a stage whose range of travel is smaller than the size of the substrate and using a mask whose area is smaller than the size of the substrate. This is accomplished by repositioning the substrate to expose each module sequentially. In order to reposition the substrate, its location is maintained fixed in space by a substrate docking fixture while the movable stage of the lithography system is repositioned to position a different module of the substrate in the image field of the lithography tool.

Abstract: Implantable beads which contain agarose and optionally collagen, and are coated with agarose have incorporated within cells which produce diffusible biological products. The beads may be used as implants to modulate a recipient's immune response. The beads may also be used in an in vitro context to encourage specific types of cells to grow, to produce desirable products in culture, or to suppress growth of certain cells. The implants may also suppress growth of certain cells following administration to a subject. Cancer cells such as renal cancer cells when restricted by being entrapped in the beads produce more of a material that suppresses cancer cell proliferation.

Abstract: A three-dimensional Universal Mounting Component (UMC) system of UMC blocks provides general mounting for use in optical research in constructing layouts for experiments and breadboard-type prototypes. In such optical layouts laser beams or other light beams are directed about complex paths, often on several planes or levels. Use of the invention overcomes the problem of creating three-dimensional optical layouts with less standardized, and much more expensive, mounting adapters and posts. An economical, standardized set of UMC blocks, each with a number of holes in grid configurations, enables users to construct custom three-dimensional optical layouts. Each UMC block is a right rectangular solid of substantial standardized thickness sufficient to support it on edge. Each UMC block has a set of smooth counterbored holes from front to back and has another set of such holes from back to front.

Abstract: For high-throughput, low-cost manufacturing of electronic modules, it is desirable to use a large-format, 1:1-imaging exposure system. In such a system, it is further desirable to have the capability to pattern a large substrate having multiple segments using a mask of the size of one substrate segment. The substrate is mounted on an x-y stage which moves the substrate with respect to the imaging optics, both within a segment and from segment to segment. For each mask position, moving from one substrate segment to another will result in a significant change in the length or orientation of the optical imaging path. Such problems are eliminated by using, in conjunction with the primary x-y stage, an auxiliary stage which maintains the optical parameters essentially constant for the imaging of different substrate segments.

Abstract: In numerous applications of large-area patterning systems, the preferred image magnification is unity. However, in some applications, the size of the substrate may change slightly due to various thermal and/or chemical processing steps. To compensate for scale changes of the substrate, the magnification of the imaging system must vary slightly from unit magnification (typically by a fraction of a percentage) so that a layer already patterned on the substrate will have, after processing, proper image registration with the subsequent layer.This disclosure describes a lithography system for exposing large substrates at high imaging resolution and high exposure throughput, and specifically relates to a scan-and-repeat patterning system that employs a unitary mask-substrate stage and enables projection imaging of a substrate with capability to control the image magnification to compensate for changes of substrate dimensions occurring as a result of previous process steps.

Abstract: A projection imaging system is described for patterning large, flexible substrates at high exposure speeds and desired resolution, the substrates being in the form of a continuous band fed from a roller for cost-effective electronic module manufacturing. From the continuous band, segments of one panel size are sequentially exposed one at a time. The segment being exposed is held rigidly on a scanning stage, on which is also mounted a mask containing the pattern to be formed on the substrate. The imaging subsystem is stationary and situated above the scanning stage. The mask is illuminated with a hexagonal illumination beam and a region of similar shape is imaged on the substrate. The stage is programmed to scan the mask and substrate simultaneously across the hexagonal regions so as to pattern one whole panel.

Abstract: Biological agents such as secretory cells are encapsulated in a hydrophilic gel made of agarose or collagen-agarose and gelatin sponge-agarose combinations. In a preferred embodiment, semi-solid beads are formed from a suspension containing collagen, agarose and secretory cells such as pancreatic islets, the collagen is polymerized to form solid, agarose-collagen beads and the solid beads are coated with agarose. Coating is preferably by rolling the solid beads in about 5-10% agarose, contacting the rolled beads with mineral oil and washing oil from the beads. Beads containing secretory cells can be transplanted into a mammal to treat a condition caused by impaired secretory cell function.

Abstract: A process for fabricating microchannel plates produces large area microchannel plates that have channel exit openings as small as 0.5 micron, MTF.about.1, pitch-limited resolution (a factor of 10 potential improvement in resolution) and at a cost of $0.40/sq. centimeter, and with funneling controlled as to configuration and exit opening size and shape. Microchannels may be rectangular in cross section, or rectangular, or trapezoidal, or other configuration, including straight sided, chevron or balloon sided. Microchannels of differing configurations may be interspersed, for reasons of alignment or to control pixel characteristics. Material choice may include glass, ceramic, metal, alloy and plastics, plus dopants. This materials flexibility, and the improved geometrical uniformity lead to higher signal-to-noise ratio and lower outgassing, and to a significant improvement in performance.

Abstract: This invention describes a surface profilometry system which measures the surface topography of a sample on a sub-nanometer scale. The surface profile is determined through measurement of the change in distance between two mirrors of a multi-pass resonant cavity that is referenced to a frequency stabilized laser source. The contact stylus is in contact with the sample as it is translated along the plane to be measured. As the stylus traverses the sample, it is vertically deflected and transfers the motion directly to one of the mirrors of a multi-pass resonant cavity. The cavity is referenced to a frequency stabilized laser source that is synchronized with the resonant modes of the multi-pass cavity. Very small sub-nanometer deviations of the cavity can be detected by monitoring the laser beam incident on the multi-pass cavity. There are two embodiments by which the cavity length changes can be measured.

Abstract: A Fabry-Perot resonator, also called a Fabry-Perot cavity, is a spectroscopic device of extremely high resolving power and is a very useful tool for alignment of mask and wafer for the multiple exposures necessary to make a semiconductor integrated circuit. When a Fabry-Perot cavity is used for alignment in a multi-exposure imaging procedure, the cavity itself must be very accurately aligned for each exposure. For proper alignment system operation, it is necessary that one of the mirrors of the resonant cavity be fixed with respect to the mask, and the other mirror be fixed with respect to the wafer. This invention provides a mechanical system and method to maintain the alignment of a Fabry-Perot cavity for each exposure. This invention describes a technique in which the Fabry-Perot cavity is transported from one exposure area to the next without need for realignment.

Abstract: A system is described for recycling radiation reflected by an illuminated patterning mask in a via-hole drilling or exposure tool. The mask is illuminated by high-energy laser radiation, and the illuminated region is imaged onto a substrate by a projection, proximity, or contact method. The source radiation is suitably shaped by a lens assembly and focused into an optical intensity homogenizer with the desired numerical aperture. The homogenizer has the base function of converting the focused beam to self-luminous light required for drilling of via-holes or other processes accomplished by the tool, while maintaining the numerical aperture of the beam. The homogenizer also participates in the radiation-recycling function. An apertured reflector allows radiation from the source to enter the homogenizer. The radiation passing through and exiting the homogenizer is image by a lens to illuminate a portion of the mask.

Abstract: A remotely controllable single/triple reflection glare-deflecting vehicle mirror provides remote control directional adjustment to an appropriate view, and also provides for easy and reversible toggling between single-reflection viewing and triple-reflection viewing. The mirror view adjustment is by remote control cables, selectively manually powered or powered by small linear motors. This view adjustment is maintained even during periods when glare conditions require that the wedge mirror be moved to anti-glare position, which is also done by remote control. The motor-powered version permits easy toggling from anti-glare triple-reflectivity to glare-susceptible single-reflectivity or back, by a tap switch. The manual-powered version permits easy toggling from anti-glare triple-reflectivity to glare-susceptible single-reflectivity or back, by a simple in-out motion of a glare control knob on the joystick used for view adjustment.

Abstract: This patterning system has the ability to uniformly image a mask onto a substrate having nonlinear exposure characteristics, has large-area exposure capability, and comprises: (a) a stage system capable of synchronously scanning a mask and a substrate in one dimension, and when not scanning in that dimension, capable of moving them laterally in a direction perpendicular to the scan direction so as to position the mask and substrate for another scan partially overlapping the preceding scan, thus exposing the full substrate in an overlapping scan-and-repeat fashion; (b) an illumination system capable of illuminating on the mask a region of a predetermined multisided shape which has at least one of its sides curved, the curvatures of said curved sides being so determined that adjacent scanning exposures are compensated in their overlap regions for the nonlinear response characteristics of the substrate so as to provide uniform cumulative response; (c) a projection assembly capable of imaging the illuminated regi

Abstract: This projection imaging system has large-area exposure capability, high exposure throughput, and high resolution, and comprises: (a) a stage for holding in fixed juxtaposition a mask and a substrate, and capable of scanning in one dimension, and when not scanning in that dimension, capable of moving laterally in a direction perpendicular to the scan direction so as to position itself for another scan, the stage exposing the full substrate by breaking up the substrate area into parallel strips, and exposing each strip by scanning the length of the strip across a fixed illumination region; (b) an illumination system having an effective source plane of a predetermined shape, and capable of illuminating on the mask a region of the above predetermined shape; (c) a projection assembly having an object-to-image magnification ratio of unity, having means to render the image in the same orientation as the object, and having an image field of the above predetermined shape and of an area smaller than the substrate area;

Abstract: The invention is a document security system characterized by a data substrate having photographic or printed information on a base print, and also having a personalized polarization-altering overlay sealed to the base print and encoded with additional coded information readable under the influence of a polarizing viewer. The low-security information, such as name, social security, account number and photograph, are printed on a card to form the base print. Additional information of greater security, which may be a bar code or alphanumeric characters, is imprinted in the polarization-altering overlay by an appropriate physical process, such as radiation exposure or thermal, chemical or mechanical treatment, which optically modifies localized regions of the overlay.