With Alignment Detection Patents (Class 250/559.3)
  • Patent number: 11937951
    Abstract: A method of generating corrected fluorescence data of concentrations of a targeted fluorophore in tissue of a subject includes administering first and second fluorescent contrast agents to the subject, the first contrast agent targeted to tissue of interest, the second agent untargeted. The tissue is illuminated with light of a first stimulus wavelength and first data is acquired at an appropriate emissions wavelength; the tissue is illuminated at a second stimulus wavelength and second data is acquired at a second emissions wavelength associated with the second agent, the first and second emissions wavelength differ. Difference data is generated by subtracting the second data from the first data. A system provides for stimulus and capture at multiple wavelengths, with image storage memory and subtraction code, to perform the method. Corrected data may form an fluorescence image, or is used to generate fluorescence tomographic images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: The Trustees of Dartmouth College
    Inventors: Kenneth Tichauer, Robert W. Holt, Frederic Leblond, Pablo Valdes, Brian W. Pogue, Keith D. Paulsen, David W. Roberts
  • Patent number: 11899116
    Abstract: According to one aspect, a relatively low-cost sensor for use on an autonomous vehicle is capable of detecting moving objects in a range or a zone that is between approximately 80 meters and approximately 300 meters away from the autonomous vehicle. A substantially single fan-shaped light beam is scanned for a full 360 degrees in azimuth. Using frequency-modulated-continuous-wave (FMCW) or phase coded modulation on the beam, with back end digital signal processing (DSP), moving objects may effectively be distinguished from a substantially stationary background.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: NURO, INC.
    Inventors: Russell Smith, Hao Li
  • Patent number: 11842905
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a stacked substrate by bonding a first substrate and a second substrate, including a step of determining, based on information about curving of each of the first substrate and the second substrate, whether or not the first substrate and the second substrate satisfy a predetermined condition, and, a step of bonding the first substrate and the second substrate if the predetermined condition is satisfied. The stacked substrate manufacturing method described above includes a step of estimating, based on the information, an amount of misalignment which occurs after the first substrate is bonded to the second substrate and the predetermined condition may include that the amount of misalignment is equal to or less than a threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Isao Sugaya, Hajime Mitsuishi
  • Patent number: 11721011
    Abstract: The present invention provides an information processing apparatus comprising: an obtainer configured to, in a process of supplying a curable composition onto a substrate or a mold and forming a film of the curable composition in a space between the substrate and the mold, obtain the captured image of the curable composition; a generator configured to generate a predicted image representing a prediction result of a behavior of the curable composition on the substrate in the process; and a display controller configured to display, on a display unit, the captured image and the predicted image to be comparable to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takahiro Nakayama, Yuichiro Oguchi
  • Patent number: 11573497
    Abstract: A system and method of measuring misregistration in the manufacture of semiconductor device wafers is disclosed. A first layer and the second layer are imaged in a first orientation with a misregistration metrology tool employing light having at least one first wavelength that causes images of both the first periodic structure and the second periodic structure to appear in at least two planes that are mutually separated by a perpendicular distance greater than 0.2 ?m. The first layer and the second layer are imaged in a second orientation with the misregistration metrology tool employing light having the at least one first wavelength that causes images of both the first periodic structure and the second periodic structure to appear in the at least two planes. At least one parameter of the misregistration metrology tool is adjusted based on the resulting analysis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: KLA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Daria Negri, Amnon Manassen, Gilad Laredo
  • Patent number: 11564639
    Abstract: A method of generating corrected fluorescence data of concentrations of a targeted fluorophore in tissue of a subject includes administering first and second fluorescent contrast agents to the subject, the first contrast agent targeted to tissue of interest, the second agent untargeted. The tissue is illuminated with light of a first stimulus wavelength and first data is acquired at an appropriate emissions wavelength; the tissue is illuminated at a second stimulus wavelength and second data is acquired at a second emissions wavelength associated with the second agent, the first and second emissions wavelength differ. Difference data is generated by subtracting the second data from the first data. A system provides for stimulus and capture at multiple wavelengths, with image storage memory and subtraction code, to perform the method. Corrected data may form an fluorescence image, or is used to generate fluorescence tomographic images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: THE TRUSTEES OF DARTMOUTH COLLEGE
    Inventors: Kenneth Tichauer, Robert W. Holt, Frederic Leblond, Pablo Valdes, Brian W. Pogue, Keith D. Paulsen, David W. Roberts
  • Patent number: 11506053
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a system for controlling a mining machine within an underground mine. A rotatable laser source sends laser light and return light sensor receives reflected laser light and provides an indication of distance and return light intensity at multiple different rotation angles. A co-ordinate reference point comprises a pattern of varying reflectivity and provides at least a 2D co-ordinate position. A processor determines an absolute co-ordinate position in space of the mining machine as the mining machine moves through the underground mine. The processor collects intensity values of reflected laser light for multiple respective rotation angles and detects the pattern of the reference point in the multiple intensity values of reflected laser light, and determines the absolute co-ordinate position in space of the mining machine based on spatial information of the detected pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
    Inventors: Mark Dunn, Peter Reid, Jeremy Thompson, Camrin Peacock, Kevin Saric
  • Patent number: 11307307
    Abstract: A reflector matching algorithm based on triangle perimeter matching includes recording the position information of known reflectors in a map one by one, generating a scene coordinate point layout, taking points of the recorded reflectors and freely combining basic triangles with all side lengths not exceeding twice of the maximum detection distance of a laser sensor; recording all the combined basic triangles, then recording the corresponding side lengths, the position of each vertex, and the perimeter of each basic triangle, and saving the records in an AGV; reading the angle and distance information of the reflectors and freely combining detection triangles for the detected reflectors; and respectively calculating the side lengths and perimeters of the detection triangles, and searching and pairing in the basic triangle combination to determine the real-time position of the laser sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: Guangdong Jaten Robot & Automation Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jiehui Zhong
  • Patent number: 11046539
    Abstract: An apparatus having a first aligner rigidly connected to a first sensor component. The apparatus having a second aligner rigidly connected to a second sensor component. The apparatus having a gap positioned to receive media, wherein the first aligner is configured to attract the second aligner across the gap to align the first sensor component with the second sensor component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: Zebra Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel P. Lanigan, Karl Torchalski
  • Patent number: 11003159
    Abstract: A numerical control device includes a drive-shaft movement-amount estimation unit to estimate a first movement amount of a first object that is a target to be moved by a first drive shaft by using a first drive signal, an undriven-object movement-amount estimation unit to estimate a second movement amount of a second object in a three dimensional space, which is generated due to a drive force of the first drive shaft, by using the first drive signal, a correction-amount calculation unit to calculate a correction amount for the first drive signal on the basis of the first movement amount and the second movement amount, and a first correction-signal output unit to output a first corrected drive signal obtained by correcting the first drive signal by the correction amount to a drive unit to drive the first drive shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshihiro Azuma, Tomoya Fujita, Masayuki Uematsu, Goh Sato
  • Patent number: 10991883
    Abstract: A deposition mask has a central axis extending in a first direction, arranged at a central position in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. Spaced apart point P1 and Q1 are provided on one side of the central axis, and spaced apart points Q1 and Q2 are provided on another side of the central axis. When a dimension from point P1 to point Q1 is X1, a dimension from point P2 to a point Q2 is X2, and a design value is ?x, the deposition mask satisfies the following.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chikao Ikenaga
  • Patent number: 10811294
    Abstract: Provided are a substrate transfer apparatus and a control method thereof. The substrate transfer apparatus includes a body having a gate through which a substrate passes; a substrate transfer robot provided inside the body and including an end effector that includes a first seating portion and a second seating portion horizontally spaced apart from each other; a sensing portion including a light emitting portion and a light receiving portion spaced apart from each other in a diagonal direction with respect to a longitudinal direction of the first and second seating portions with reference to the end effector, and detecting the position of at least one of the first seating portion and the second seating portion when the end effector moves; and a control unit for determining whether the end effector is misaligned or sagged by using a measured value measured by the sensing portion and a predetermined reference value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: WONIK IPS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hyun Soo Jung, Yong Baek Jeon
  • Patent number: 10741764
    Abstract: A method for producing a frame-equipped vapor deposition mask sequentially includes preparing a vapor deposition mask including a metal mask having a slit and a resin mask having an opening corresponding to a pattern to be produced by vapor deposition at a position overlapping the slit, the metal mask and the resin mask being stacked, retaining a part of the vapor deposition mask by a retainer and stretching the vapor deposition mask retained by the retainer outward, and fixing the vapor deposition mask in a state of being stretched to a frame having a through hole. During stretching, any one or both adjustments of a rotating adjustment and a moving adjustment of the vapor deposition mask are performed with respect to the vapor deposition mask in the state of being stretched or with the vapor deposition mask being stretched.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsunari Obata, Toshihiko Takeda, Yoshiyuki Honma, Hideyuki Okamoto
  • Patent number: 10613448
    Abstract: A method of and an apparatus for use in determining one or more alignment properties of an illumination beam of radiation emitted by a radiation source are provided. The illumination beam is for irradiating a target area on a substrate in a metrology apparatus. The method comprises: (a) obtaining a first set of intensity data; (b) obtaining a second set of intensity data; (c) processing said first and second sets of intensity data to determine said one or more alignment properties of said illumination beam of radiation; wherein said processing involves comparing said first and second sets of intensity data to calculate a value which is indicative of a translation of said illumination beam of radiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventor: Sietse Thijmen Van Der Post
  • Patent number: 10561318
    Abstract: Methods, devices and systems for quantifying fluorescence and optical properties in a turbid medium such as tissue are disclosed. One of the methods comprises: providing fluorescence emission and reflectance wavelengths detected from a target surface where each of the detected wavelengths is associated with a respective known distance between a respective excitation source giving rise to the respective detected wavelength and a detector detecting the respective detected wavelength; and calculating the optical properties based on the detected wavelengths and the respective known distances. The known distances may be predetermined to enable calculation of a desired range of values for the optical properties. The calculation of the optical properties may be based on a model of light interaction with the turbid medium where the model limits a range of calculated values for the optical properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: University Health Network
    Inventors: Anthony Taywon Kim, Brian Campbell Wilson
  • Patent number: 10559710
    Abstract: A system for transporting substrates and precisely alignment the substrates to shadow masks. The system decouples the functions of transporting the substrates, vertically aligning the substrates, and horizontally aligning the substrates. The transport system includes a carriage upon which plurality of pedestals are loosely positioned, each of the pedestals includes a base having vertical alignment wheels to place the substrate in precise vertical alignment. Two sidebars are configured to freely slide on the base. Each of the sidebars includes a set of horizontal alignment wheels that precisely align the substrate in the horizontal direction. Substrate support claws are attached to the sidebars in precise alignment to the vertical alignment wheels and the horizontal alignment wheels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: INTEVAC, INC.
    Inventors: William Eugene Runstadler, Jr., Babak Adibi, Terry Bluck
  • Patent number: 10515446
    Abstract: The image inspection device includes a reference height setting part configured to set a reference height as a reference of vibration component estimation, a vibration estimation part configured to estimate a vibration component in an inspection environment, based on the two-dimensional profile generated by the two-dimensional profile generation part and the reference height set by the reference height setting part, a profile correction part configured to remove, from the two-dimensional profile, the vibration component estimated by the vibration estimation part, a three-dimensional data generation part configured to generate three-dimensional data of the inspection object from a plurality of the two-dimensional profiles from which the vibration component is removed by the profile correction part, and an inspection part configured to conduct outer appearance inspection of the inspection object, based on the three-dimensional data generated by the three-dimensional data generation part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignee: Keyence Corporation
    Inventor: Norimasa Mayumi
  • Patent number: 10268125
    Abstract: A device including a light source, illumination system, objective lens, and detector. The light source produces measurement light beams, the illumination system directs measurement light beams into the objective lens, and the objective lens directs measurement light beams onto an overlay marker, collects main maximums of diffracted light beam diffracted from the overlay marker, and focuses main maximums of diffracted light beam onto a pupil plane of the objective lens. The detector is positioned on the pupil plane of the objective lens and used for detecting the position of each main maximums of diffracted light beam on the detector, to obtain the overlay error of said overlay marker. Diffracted-light position information is used to measure overlay error, and measurement signals are not affected by illumination uniformity, transmissivity uniformity, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: SHANGHAI MICRO ELECTRONICS EQUIPMENT (GROUP) CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Bofang Peng, Hailiang Lu, Fan Wang
  • Patent number: 10134650
    Abstract: A wafer cutting apparatus comprises a wafer positioning device for holding a wafer that is substantially covered with an opaque material such as molding compound and that has an exposed peripheral area, and for displacing the wafer relative to a wafer inspection system comprising a camera having a field of view. To perform visual data acquisition of said dicing street portions, the wafer is displaced such that a center of the camera's field of view follows a path along the exposed peripheral area of the wafer. A processing unit analyzes the visual data acquired for detecting or calculating locations and directions of the dicing streets. A wafer cutting tool cuts the wafer along straight lines between the dicing street portions which have been detected or calculated by the processing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: ASM TECHNOLOGY SINGAPORE PTE LTD
    Inventors: Guido Knippels, Geert Ubink, Jianfei Yang, Eric Meng Meng Tan, Marcel Boeren
  • Patent number: 10123469
    Abstract: A substrate process system which includes a plurality of arranged process machines, and in which a circuit substrate is transported from an upstream process machine to a downstream process machine is provided. One process machine inspects small electronic components, and another process machine 90 inspects large electronic components. The small mounted components are inspected in detail. When the large mounted components are inspected, it is not necessary to inspect the large electronic components in detail to the degree that the small electronic components are inspected. It is possible to reliably inspect the small mounted components even though the inspection process requires a certain length of time, and it is possible to inspect the large components in less detail than the inspection process for the small components. Accordingly, it is possible to reliably perform an inspection process, and to decrease an inspection time at the same time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: FUJI CORPORATION
    Inventor: Mitsuo Imai
  • Patent number: 10042150
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for evaluating a fresh tissue sample, prepared as to fluoresce under illumination, during a medical procedure. A structured light source is configured to project a spatially patterned light beam onto the fresh tissue sample. An imaging system is configured to produce an image from fluorescence emitted from the illuminated fresh tissue sample. A system control is configured to provide a human-comprehensible clinically useful output associated with the medical procedure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: The Administrators of the Tulane Educational Fund
    Inventor: Jonathon Quincy Brown
  • Patent number: 9971351
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device and method for the orientation of electrically driven transport vehicles, especially so-called AGVs (automatic guided vehicles), automatically guided in factory buildings, the invention having the following features: a) a camera for identifying the reference points of a planned route using markers, in particular on the basis of the data matrix code, wherein a position marker is made up of an arrangement of nine data matrix codes arranged in a square, and wherein the diagonals of 3 individual codes are located on a straight line; b) a front ultrasound sensor and a rear ultrasound sensor; c) a laser scanner; and d) a light-field sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: GRENZEBACH MASCHINENBAU GMBH
    Inventors: Reiner Deutscher, Gunar Baier
  • Patent number: 9905317
    Abstract: A nuclear fusor apparatus includes magnetically conductive spherical shell, solid iron ball, annular ferromagnetic guide rails, orbiting members, ignition, and gas outlet for transmitting mixed gas of deuterium and tritium, wherein the annular ferromagnetic guide rails are symmetrically fixed on an outer wall of the spherical shell; the orbiting members are located above the annular ferromagnetic guide rails; the orbiting members cooperate with the annular ferromagnetic guide rails to generate magnetic levitation force and propelling force; a water pipe is positioned inside the spherical shell, an end of the water pipe is connected to a water pump, another end of the water pipe is connected to an air extraction unit; the ignition and the gas outlet are both fixed on the outer wall of the spherical shell, an ignition end of the ignition extends into the spherical shell, and an end of the gas outlet extends into the spherical shell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: Jackal Growl Publishing Co. Limited
    Inventor: Sik Kau Leung
  • Patent number: 9829891
    Abstract: The disclosed technology relates to a method and system for localizing and confining an autonomous mobile work system or systems for performing work in a user defined space is disclosed. The system can include two or more variable reflective base stations at first and second locations that can modify their optical or electromagnetic reflectivity based upon either an external command via wired or wireless communications interface, or automatically on a regular or asynchronous time schedule under programmed or user settable control. The system also can include one or more autonomous mobile work systems capable of sensing the state of the variable reflectance base stations via sensors such as electromagnetic or optical sensors capable of measuring distance to the reflective base stations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: MTD PRODUCTS INC
    Inventors: Steven W. Smith, Micah Wolf, Maynard S. Guadiz
  • Patent number: 9830501
    Abstract: The present technology provides methods, systems, and apparatuses to achieve high throughput and high speed acquisition of partial wave spectroscopic (PWS) microscopic images. In particular, provided herein are high-throughput, automated partial wave spectroscopy (HT/A-PWS) instruments and systems capable of rapid acquisition of PWS Microscopic images and clinical, diagnostic, and research applications thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Vadim Backman, Hariharan Subramanian, John E. Chandler, Craig White, Jeremy D. Rogers, Lusik Cherkezyan
  • Patent number: 9765428
    Abstract: A deposition apparatus includes a sheet, an edge portion of which is integrally combined with a sheet frame, an electrostatic chuck attached to a bottom surface of the sheet, the electrostatic chuck adhering a substrate by a force of static electricity, a metal mask located below the electrostatic chuck, an edge portion of the metal mask being combined with a mask frame, the metal mask having a predetermined patterned opening, and the substrate being mounted to the upper surface of the metal mask, a transfer member coupled to a side surface of the sheet frame, the transfer member flattening the sheet by pulling the sheet to side directions, and a magnetic plate located above the sheet, the magnetic plate closely attaching the substrate to the electrostatic chuck by pulling the metal mask using a magnetic force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Jeong Won Han
  • Patent number: 9759953
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a sealant curing device and a mask plate thereof. The mask plate includes a light transmission region and a light shielding region. The light transmission region includes at least one through hole defined in the light transmission region. After the completion of exposing and curing sealant, at the beginning of the downward movement of the liquid crystal panel away from the mask plate, the presence of the through holes increases an area of air inlet, thereby increasing air inflow and reducing flow speed of intake air, so as to reduce a pressure difference of an air pressure between the mask plate and the liquid crystal panel and an air pressure of ambient air. Under conditions of same action area, a pressure force generated by the pressure difference and applied to the mask plate may be reduced, thereby reducing load for adsorbing the mask plate via vacuum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignees: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD., BEIJING BOE DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Cheng Liang, Bin Wen, Yansheng Song, Huan Zhang
  • Patent number: 9690214
    Abstract: A partial section of an aerial image measuring unit is arranged at a wafer stage and part of the remaining section is arranged at a measurement stage, and the aerial image measuring unit measures an aerial image of a mark formed by a projection optical system. Therefore, for example, when the aerial image measuring unit measures a best focus position of the projection optical system, the measurement can be performed using the position of the wafer stage, at which a partial section of the aerial image measuring unit is arranged, in a direction parallel to an optical axis of the projection optical system as a datum for the best focus position. Accordingly, when exposing an object with illumination light, the position of the wafer stage in the direction parallel to the optical axis is adjusted with high accuracy based on the measurement result of the best focus position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yuichi Shibazaki
  • Patent number: 9657392
    Abstract: A mask assembly includes a frame for forming an opening, and a mask fixed to the frame while a tensile force is applied thereto and forming a plurality of pattern openings. The frame includes a frame main body for forming an opening, and a plurality of moving members installed to be movable in at least one direction on the frame main body. The mask is fixed to the moving members while a tensile force is applied thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jeong-Won Han
  • Patent number: 9496525
    Abstract: A method of aligning a mask assembly includes: providing a mask assembly including a mask and a mask frame; and adjusting the mask frame by independently moving at least a position of a lower portion of the mask frame and an upper portion of the mask frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jeong Won Han
  • Patent number: 9342878
    Abstract: For inspection of a pattern such as a semiconductor device, it is useful to selectively detect a defect on the specific pattern in order to estimate the cause of the occurrence of the defect. An object of the invention is to provide a charged particle beam apparatus capable of setting, on the basis of the shape of the pattern on a sample, a region to be inspected. The invention is characterized in that the contour of the pattern on the sample is extracted using a template image obtained on the basis of an image of the sample, the region to be inspected is set on the basis of the contour of the pattern, a defect candidate is detected by comparing the image to be inspected with a comparative image, and the sample is inspected using a positional relationship between the region to be inspected and the defect candidate included in the region to be inspected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Kohei Yamaguchi, Takehiro Hirai, Fumihiko Fukunaga
  • Patent number: 9255945
    Abstract: Methods and structures for testing a microelectronic packaging structure/device are described. Those methods may include placing a device in a floating carrier, wherein the floating carrier is coupled to a socket housing by pin dowels disposed in four corners of the socket housing, and wherein at least two actuating motors are disposed within the socket housing, and micro adjusting the device by utilizing a capacitive coupled or a fiber optic alignment system wherein a maximum measured capacitance or maximum measured intensity between alignment structures disposed in the socket housing and alignment package balls disposed within the device indicate optimal alignment of the device. Methods further include methods for active co-planarity detection through the use of a capacitive-coupled techniques.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Abram M. Detofsky, Todd P. Albertson, David Shia
  • Patent number: 9257351
    Abstract: Cut spacer reference marks, targets having such cut spacer reference marks, and methods of making the same by forming spacer gratings around grating lines on a first layer, and fabricating a template mask that extends across and perpendicular to such spacer gratings. Cut spacer gratings are etched into a second layer using the template mask to superimpose at least a portion of the spacer gratings of the first layer into the second layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES INC.
    Inventors: Christopher P. Ausschnitt, Nelson M. Felix, Scott S. Halle
  • Patent number: 9195902
    Abstract: To detect a straight line using the Hough transform taking into consideration not only the number of points but also other properties of the straight line, the Hough transform unit performs a Hough transform on contour-enhanced binary image data. The Hough table stores a count after the Hough transform. The adjustment unit adjusts the count. The straight line detection unit detects a straight line based on the adjusted count. Additionally, to detect a straight line, independent of its direction or location in the image, for each straight line in the binary image data, the straight line calculation unit determines the intersections where that straight line cuts up the binary image data to calculate the intersection distance. The normalization unit divides the count stored in the Hough table by the intersection distance to normalize the count. The straight line detection unit detects a straight line based on the normalized count.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: MegaChips Corporation
    Inventor: Hiromu Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 9110038
    Abstract: An apparatus for inspection of a surface of a device comprises a projection module operative to project a pattern along a projection axis of the projection module onto the device. An imaging module receives an image of the pattern reflected from the device along an imaging axis of the imaging module onto an image sensor. A lens comprised in the imaging module has a first magnification in a first direction orthogonal to the imaging axis and a second magnification different from the first magnification in a second direction orthogonal to both the first direction and the imaging axis, which produces different fields of view of the image sensor and resolutions of the image in the first and second directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: ASM TECHNOLOGY SINGAPORE PTE LTD
    Inventors: Zhuanyun Zhang, Ran Shi Wang
  • Patent number: 8967461
    Abstract: There is provided a tube connector for connecting between a fluid sampling tube and a fluid analyzer, the tube connector includes an end face adapted to identify the tube connector, said end face comprising a reflecting surface having one or more reflective regions adapted to reflect light at a predetermined range of wavelengths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Oridion Medical (1987) Ltd.
    Inventors: Joshua Lewis Colman, Zion Botesazan, Gal Itzhak
  • Patent number: 8910574
    Abstract: A mark detecting device detects a positioning mark on a transfer medium based on light that is emitted to and then reflected from the transfer medium. The mark detecting device includes a light emitting unit that emits light to a target position on the transfer medium; a light receiving unit that receives light reflected from the target position; and an adjusting unit that rotatably supports a detecting unit including at least one of the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit about a center of rotation, which passes through the target position, on the transfer medium and adjusts the rotation angle of the detecting unit with respect to the center of rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventor: Mitsunobu Gouda
  • Patent number: 8778779
    Abstract: A method for producing semiconductor device includes: performing first, second and third exposures of a photoresist film formed on a semiconductor wafer via a mask; wherein: first, second and third shot regions respectively defined by the first, second and third exposures are aligned in a first direction; the mask has a shot region including a peripheral scribe region having a first and second side crossing the first direction; the photoresist film is of positive type, a first pattern is formed as a light shielding pattern disposed on the first side, and a second pattern is formed as a light transmitting region disposed on the second side; the first and second exposures are performed in such a manner that the first and second patterns do not overlap each other; and the second and third exposures are performed in such a manner that the first and second patterns overlap each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Fujitsu Semiconductor Limited
    Inventor: Mitsufumi Naoe
  • Patent number: 8780406
    Abstract: A visible laser beam scanned by a galvano-scanner system is aligned at each of positioning points on the top surface of a master work by manual operation to record sensor position signals of position sensors on galvano-scanners. The sensor position signals on each positioning point are recorded to create a drive pattern in accordance with recorded sensor position signals. The drive pattern no longer has optics system error sources including focus error and attachment error as well as errors caused by scale, offset and the like, also eliminating the need for entering a distance as far as the top surface of the work. Therefore, the drive pattern with error components removed can be created with ease.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Harmonic Drive Systems Inc.
    Inventor: Nozomu Tanioka
  • Patent number: 8748857
    Abstract: An off-axis telescope having a primary optical element configured to reflect an energy beam from an optical reference source that emits the energy beam along an optical path. The telescope includes angle sensors arranged on a periphery of the primary optical element to determine angular motion of the energy beam from the optical reference source. The angle sensors are operable to be biased to positional settings associated with a desired pointing direction of the energy beam. A secondary optical element is arranged in the optical path and translated along three orthogonal axes. A plurality of steering mirrors arranged between the optical reference source and the secondary optical element is configured to be tilted in response to a control signal. A controller auto-aligns the telescope by at least translating the secondary optical element and tilting the steering mirrors via the control signal using at least inputs from the plurality of angle sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: William B. King, Peter V. Messina, Ronald George Hegg, Chaunchy F. McKearn
  • Patent number: 8735825
    Abstract: In an optical position detection device, when light source sections emit detection light, a light detecting section detects detection light reflected from a object to detect the coordinates of the object. When seen from the detection space, the light detecting section is located inward from a plurality of light source sections, and each of the plurality of light source sections includes first and second light emitting elements. Therefore, the position of the object can be detected on the basis of a comparison result of the received light intensity in the light detecting section when the first light emitting element is turned on and the received light intensity in the light detecting section when the second light emitting element is turned on in both the case where the object is located outside a region between the light source sections and the case where the object is located inside the region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Daisuke Nakanishi, Kanechika Kiyose
  • Patent number: 8687200
    Abstract: Measurement of motion errors of a linear stage is performed to enable accurate measurement of motion errors in linear directions and a rotational direction in the linear stage using a diffraction grating. A first beam splitter splits a laser beam emitted from a light emitting unit. A first measurement unit measures a unidirectional linear motion error of the linear stage using one laser beam component split by the first beam splitter and a second measurement unit measures an angular motion error and another unidirectional linear motion of the linear stage error using a diffracted beam component obtained by diffracting another laser beam component split by the first beam splitter through the diffraction grating. A third measurement unit circularly polarizes the beam component diffracted through the diffraction grating to measure a third unidirectional linear motion error of the linear stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology
    Inventors: Sun-Kyu Lee, ChaBum Lee, Gyu Ha Kim
  • Patent number: 8648320
    Abstract: Disclosed are a photoelectric sensor and a photoelectric sensor system capable of accurately detecting an object without being affected by disturbance even though the object is very thin. A photoelectric sensor according to an embodiment of the invention includes a light emitting unit and a light receiving unit. The photoelectric sensor detects whether there is an object between the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit based on a variation in the intensity of a light signal received by the light receiving unit. The light receiving unit receives a light signal that is emitted from the light emitting unit to the light receiving unit without intersecting the object and a light signal that is emitted from the light emitting unit to the light receiving unit through the object, and is operated in synchronization with a light emission timing signal of the light emitting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Anywire Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshitane Saitou, Kenji Nishikido
  • Patent number: 8559001
    Abstract: Inspection guided overlay metrology may include performing a pattern search in order to identify a predetermined pattern on a semiconductor wafer, generating a care area for all instances of the predetermined pattern on the semiconductor wafer, identifying defects within generated care areas by performing an inspection scan of each of the generated care areas, wherein the inspection scan includes a low-threshold or a high sensitivity inspection scan, identifying overlay sites of the predetermined pattern of the semiconductor wafer having a measured overlay error larger than a selected overlay specification utilizing a defect inspection technique, comparing location data of the identified defects of a generated care area to location data of the identified overlay sites within the generated care area in order to identify one or more locations wherein the defects are proximate to the identified overlay sites, and generating a metrology sampling plan based on the identified locations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: KLA-Tencor Corporation
    Inventors: Ellis Chang, Amir Widmann, Allen Park
  • Patent number: 8514382
    Abstract: A method and optical device measures the rotation of an object, including a light source emitting a collimated incident light beam, and a reflecting plane optical interface to be fastened to the object and forming a first reflected beam. The device includes a corner reflector fastened to the object, and having reflecting plane faces forming a second reflected beam, and a detection system capable of measuring the displacement ?1 of the first reflected beam, and the displacement ?2 of the second reflected beam. A processing system calculates, as a function of ?1 and of the distance D1 between the detection system and the reflecting plane optical interface, and of the measurement of ?2 and of the distance D2 between the detection system and the corner reflector, a measurement of the rotation ? of the object between an initial position and a measurement position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives
    Inventor: Olivier Bach
  • Patent number: 8345242
    Abstract: Imprint lithography benefits from precise alignment between a template and a substrate during imprinting. A moiré signal resulting from indicia on the template and the substrate are acquired by a system comprising a line-scan camera and a digital micromirror device (DMD) which provides a high bandwidth, low-latency signal. Once acquired, the moiré signal may be used directly to align the template and the substrate without need for discrete position/angle encoders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Molecular Imprints, Inc.
    Inventors: Philip D. Schumaker, Babak Mokaberi
  • Patent number: 8321167
    Abstract: The present invention provides a surveying instrument, which comprises rotating units operated rotatably, supporting units to support the rotating units, a reflection mirror portion provided on one of the supporting unit or the rotating unit, tilt sensors arranged on the other of the supporting unit and the rotating unit and for projecting a detecting light and for detecting a relative tilting of the reflection surface of the reflection mirror portion with respect to the supporting unit by receiving the detecting light reflected by the reflection mirror portion, and a control unit for calculating an unsteadiness of rotation of the rotating unit based on a signal from the tilt sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha TOPCON
    Inventors: Yasuhito Haijima, Kaoru Kumagai
  • Patent number: 8294130
    Abstract: A method for optimizing the alignment of an optical package includes directing a beam spot of a laser along a folded optical path and onto a waveguide portion of a wavelength conversion. The output intensity of the wavelength conversion device is measured as a position of an adjustable optical component is adjusted about a first scanning axis and a second scanning axis thereby traversing the beam spot along a first and second scan lines on the waveguide portion of the wavelength conversion device. The change in the output intensity of the wavelength conversion device is then determined based on the adjusted position of the adjustable optical component. The adjustable optical component is then positioned on the first scanning axis and the second scanning axis based on the determined changes in the output intensity of the wavelength conversion device such that the output intensity of the wavelength conversion device is maximized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Jacques Gollier, Garrett Andrew Piech, Daniel Ohen Ricketts
  • Patent number: 8203131
    Abstract: An apparatus for aligning and inserting a plate stack (112) into an automatic plate loader (100) in a predefined position. A plate pallet (116) carries the plate stack. A plate pallet adapter (128) adapted to carry the plate pallet, a centering element (236, 264) attached to the plate pallet adapter aligns the plate stack in a center position relative to the plate pallet adapter. A guiding unit (216, 220, 224, 228, 232, 504, 712) is attached to the plate pallet adapter, configured to align to the plate pallet and guide the plate pallet adapter into the automatic plate loader. In one embodiment, a plate adapter positioning sensor (268) is configured to sense and notify (124) an operator when the pallet adapter reaches the predefined position (248).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Mark Silverman, Pavel Korolik
  • Patent number: 8193517
    Abstract: Observation is performed with a fluorescence image having high quantitativeness by satisfactorily eliminating dependencies on distance and angle that remain in an image subjected to division. Provided is a fluoroscopy system 1 including a fluoroscopy apparatus (100); a calibration device (101) equipped with a standard specimen (30) and an observation-state setting mechanism (31), (32) that sets, in a variable manner, an observation distance D and an observation angle ? of the fluoroscopy apparatus (100) relative to the standard specimen (30); and an observation-conditions adjusting portion (10) that adjusts observation conditions on the basis of the set observation distance D and observation angle ? and a reference image G1 and a fluorescence image G2 acquired by capturing the standard specimen (30) with the fluoroscopy apparatus (100).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventor: Yasushige Ishihara