By Comparison Patents (Class 356/448)
  • Patent number: 11898957
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods are provided for quantitative detection of mercury vapor in gas samples using a film of nanoparticles. The localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) of an amalgam nanoparticle is sensitive to adsorbed mercury mass. The equilibrium mass of mercury on a gold nanoparticle is a function of the surrounding vapor concentration and the temperature of the gold. A device that introduces a temperature-controlled gold nanoparticle film to a controlled flow of sample gas responds predictably to a given mercury vapor concentration when optically probed in situ. Controlling the temperature of the film allows for control of adsorption and desorption rates. Equilibrium plasmonic mercury detection, described herein, removes the cycling necessary for many gold-based mercury analyses. Methods are given for the operation and analysis of the temperature-stabilized gold nanoparticle mercury sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Inventors: Jay James, Jeffrey Scott Crosby
  • Patent number: 11876006
    Abstract: Film information about a thin film formed on the front surface of a semiconductor wafer, substrate information about the semiconductor wafer, and an installation angle of an upper radiation thermometer are set and input. Emissivity of the front surface of the semiconductor wafer formed with a multilayer film is calculated based on the various kinds of information. Further, a weighted average efficiency of the emissivity of the front surface of the semiconductor wafer is determined based on a sensitivity distribution of the upper radiation thermometer. Front surface temperature of the semiconductor wafer at the time of heat treatment is measured using the determined weighted average efficiency of the emissivity. The emissivity is determined based on the film information and the like, so that the front surface temperature of the semiconductor wafer can be accurately measured even when thin films are formed in multiple layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomohiro Ueno, Takahiro Kitazawa, Yoshihide Nozaki
  • Patent number: 11808569
    Abstract: This disclosure provides photonic integrated chip that has an optical waveguide located on a photonic circuit substrate that includes a photonic circuit that is optically coupled to the waveguide. A microfluidic channel is in a silicon substrate and is attached to the photonic circuit substrate. The microfluidic channel is positioned over the optical waveguide such that its side surfaces and an outermost surface extend into the microfluidic channel. The microfluidic channel extends along a length of the optical waveguide, and nanoparticles are located on or adjacent the optical waveguide located within the microfluidic channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Strike Photonics, Inc.
    Inventor: Daniel Carothers
  • Patent number: 11709133
    Abstract: A solid surface wettability determination method is disclosed. A liquid is sprayed on a surface of an object. A light beam is projected toward the surface, wherein the light beam is reflected by the liquid on the surface to generate a reflected light. The reflected light is received by an optical detector, and the optical detector outputs a determining signal related to a wettability of the surface according to the reflected light. A corresponding signal-angle relation is selected from a database according to type of the liquid and material of the object. The contact angle of the liquid on the surface is obtained by applying the determining signal to the corresponding signal-angle relation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Jen-You Chu, Yun-Hsin Wang, Feng-Sheng Kao, Siou-Cheng Lou
  • Patent number: 11516884
    Abstract: A carrier containing a plurality of semiconductor wafers in a lot is transported into a heat treatment apparatus. Thereafter, a recipe specifying treatment procedures and treatment conditions is set for each of the semiconductor wafers. Next, a reflectance of each of the semiconductor wafers stored in the carrier is measured. Based on the set recipe and the measured reflectance of each semiconductor wafer, a predicted attainable temperature of each semiconductor wafer at the time of flash heating treatment is calculated, and the calculated predicted attainable temperature is displayed. This allows the setting of the treatment conditions with reference to the displayed predicted attainable temperature, to thereby easily achieve the setting of the heat treatment conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomohiro Ueno, Takayuki Aoyama, Mao Omori, Takahiro Kitazawa, Katsuichi Akiyoshi
  • Patent number: 11366063
    Abstract: One variation of a method for identifying stressors in crops based on fluorescence of sensor plants includes: accessing a set of spectral images of a sensor plant sown in a crop, the sensor plant of a sensor plant type including a set of promoters and a set of reporters configured to signal a set of stressors present at the sensor plant, the set of promoters and set of reporters forming a set of promoter-reporter pairs; accessing a reporter model linking characteristics extracted from the set of spectral images of the sensor plant to the set of stressors based on signals generated by the set of promoter-reporter pairs in the sensor plant type; and identifying a first stressor, in the set of stressors, present at the sensor plant based on the reporter model and characteristics extracted from the set of spectral images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: InnerPlant, Inc.
    Inventors: Shely Aronov, Roderick Kumimoto, Nicholas Koshnick, Ari Kornfeld
  • Patent number: 11326997
    Abstract: A surface wettability determination system includes a sprayer, a light emission device and an optical detector. The sprayer is provided to spray a liquid on a detected surface of a detected object. The light emission device is provided to emit a light beam toward the detected surface. The light beam is reflected by the liquid on the detected surface to generate a reflected light. The optical detector is provided to receive the reflected light and output a determining signal, and the determining signal is related to a wettability of the detected surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Jen-You Chu, Feng-Sheng Kao, Yun-Hsin Wang
  • Patent number: 10527539
    Abstract: A humidity sensing method and system comprising a transmitter, comprising a fiber optic head and a light source comprising a single LED emitting a measuring light, a receiver, and a sensing assembly comprising a plurality of optical fibers each comprising a first end fed the measuring light, a transducer positioned along a length thereof, the transducer comprising a side-polished portion of the optical fiber, the side polished portion coated with a gold layer and a film of a hydrophilic material wherein the transducer modifies an intensity of the measuring light dependent on an ambient humidity, and a second end for feeding the modified measuring light to the receiver, wherein the receiver compares an intensity of the measuring light with an intensity of the modified measuring light deriving therefrom a corresponding humidity level and dew point temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique
    Inventors: Hamid E. Limodehi, François Légaré, Mohamed Chaker
  • Patent number: 10503954
    Abstract: A photosensitive module includes a plurality of photosensitive cells. Each of the photosensitive cells includes a selective light director having a first surface including a light entry region and a light exit region different from the light entry region, the selective light director being configured to selectively direct a collimated portion of light incident towards the light entry region to the light exit region to exit from the selective light director; and a photoelectric converter arranged in the light exit region and having a light receiving surface facing the light exit region to receive the collimation portion of the light exiting from the selective light director.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Rui Xu, Haisheng Wang, Yingming Liu, Pinchao Gu, Changfeng Li, Xueyou Cao, Wei Liu
  • Patent number: 10484555
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a printer, a sensor that measures a measurement image, and a controller that selects a layout including a plurality of test images and a separator, controls the printer to print the plurality of test images and the separator on the sheet, controls the sensor to measure the plurality of test images, and obtains measurement data related to the plurality of test images. The controller also generates a conversion condition based on the measurement result of the plurality of test images and the obtained measurement data. The conversion condition is used to convert the measurement result of the plurality of test images into a measurement result of an external measurement device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tomohisa Itagaki
  • Patent number: 10399203
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a polishing method and a polishing apparatus for polishing a substrate such as a wafer while measuring a film thickness based on optical information included in reflected light from the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: EBARA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoichi Kobayashi, Keita Yagi, Masaki Kinoshita, Yoichi Shiokawa
  • Patent number: 10324034
    Abstract: A self-referencing localized plasmon resonance sensing device and a system thereof are disclosed. The reference optical waveguide element is modified with a noble metal nanoparticle layer. The sensing optical waveguide element is modified with a noble metal nanoparticle layer, which is further modified with a recognition unit. The incident light is guided into the reference and the sensing optical waveguide elements to respectively generate localized plasmon resonance sensor signals. The reference and the sensing optical waveguide elements respectively have a calibration slope. The processor utilizes the calibration slopes to regulate the second difference generated by detecting with the sensing optical waveguide element. The processor utilizes a difference between the first difference, which is generated by detecting with the reference optical waveguide element, and the regulated second difference to obtain a sensor response.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: National Chung Cheng University
    Inventors: Lai-Kwan Chau, Chin-Wei Wu, Chang-Yue Chiang, Chien-Hsing Chen
  • Patent number: 10199985
    Abstract: A method for detecting a defect in a multi-junction solar cell is presented. The multi-junction solar cell comprises at least two vertically stacked p-n junctions. The method comprises exciting a first p-n junction of the at least two vertically stacked p-n junctions by illuminating the solar cell with excitation light in a first excitation wavelength range, detecting photoluminescence light emitted by photoluminescence of the first p-n junction, and generating a spatially resolved first photoluminescence image of the photoluminescence light emitted by the first p-n junction. Further, a computer program product and an apparatus for detecting a defect in a multi-junction solar cell are presented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: AIRBUS DS GMBH
    Inventors: Claus Zimmermann, Helmut Nesswetter, Martin Rutzinger
  • Patent number: 9470641
    Abstract: A system for measuring optical distortion in a contoured glass sheet includes a conveyor for conveying the glass sheet in a first direction, at least one display projecting a preselected multi-phase non-repeating contrasting pattern, and at least one camera, each one of the cameras uniquely paired with one of the displays. The system may also include a control programmed to execute logic for controlling each of the cameras to acquire the desired images, and logic for analyzing and combining the data acquired by the cameras to construct a definition of the surface of the glass sheet, and logic for performing one or more optical processing operations on the surface data to analyze the optical characteristics of the glass sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: Glasstech, Inc.
    Inventors: Jason C. Addington, Michael J. Vild, Benjamin L. Moran
  • Patent number: 9301626
    Abstract: A classification device (2) for identification of articles (3) in an automated checkout counter is presented. The device comprises a memory unit (5) capable of storing digital reference signatures, each of which digital reference signatures corresponds to an article identity, a processor (6) connected to the memory unit (5), and at least one sensor (4, 7, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 24) configured to determine a measured signature of an article (3) wherein said processor (6) is configured to compare said measured signature with the digital reference signatures, and to calculate a matching probability of a predetermined number of article identities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: ITAB Scanflow AB
    Inventors: Magnus Tornwall, Carl Von Sydow, Johan Moller, Erik Kooi, Hugo Boiten
  • Patent number: 9087697
    Abstract: A method for crystallizing a silicon substrate includes manufacturing a crystallized silicon test substrate that is crystallized by scanning excimer laser annealing beams with different energy densities on respective areas of an amorphous silicon test substrate, irradiating a surface of the crystallized silicon test substrate using a light source, and measuring reflectivity corresponding to the respective areas of the crystallized silicon test substrate in a visible light wavelength range, extracting average reflectivities of the respective areas of the crystallized silicon test substrate in wavelength ranges corresponding to respective colors, calculating an optimum energy density (OPED) index per energy density by using a value acquired by subtracting average reflectivity of red-based colors from average reflectivity of blue-based colors, selecting an optimal energy density, and crystallizing an amorphous silicon substrate using the optimal energy density.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sung-Ho Kim, Min-Hwan Choi, Min-Ji Baek, Sang-Kyung Lee, Sang-Ho Jeon, Jong-Moo Huh
  • Patent number: 9065465
    Abstract: A Power Line Communications (PLC) device includes a PLC interface, a wireless interface, a processing module, and memory. The PLC device communicates with a second PLC device via the PLC interface to establish a wireless transmission timing base, communicates with the second PLC device via the power mains to coordinate simultaneous wireless data transmissions to a client device from the PLC device and the second PLC device, wirelessly transmits data to the client device based upon the wireless transmission timing base and the coordination with the second PLC device. In combination the PLC devices' simultaneous wireless data transmissions may be Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) transmissions, diversity transmissions, and/or beam formed transmissions. In another operation, the PLC device characterizes its surroundings based upon concurrent directional transmission and receipt of wireless transmissions by the PLC device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Jose Abad Molina, Jonathan Ephraim David Hurwitz
  • Patent number: 9036153
    Abstract: An apparatus for testing the reflectivity of a material under test includes a rotating carriage, a light source, and a light detector. At least two sample units are mountable to the rotating carriage. Each sample unit includes a planar surface disposed under a portion of a hemispherical surface. The light source is mounted on a pivoting boom and generates light. The light detector is mounted to measure optical power of the light emitted from the light source and reflected from a selected one of the at least two sample units. The pivoting boom and the rotating carriage rotate through different angular positions to obtain reflectance signatures as a function of incident angles for the at least two sample units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Anurag Gupta, Amber M. Luttmann, Michael R. Sears, Evan M. Richards
  • Patent number: 9035785
    Abstract: A graphic may include a consumable and having optically encoded information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Kirk M. Dunsbergen, Kaustav Ghosh, Robert J. Pinkowski
  • Patent number: 9030551
    Abstract: A reflectivity absorption system for identifying a target precious or semi-precious material can include a detector, a filter system, and an output display. The detector system is capable of detecting a reflected electromagnetic radiation at a primary wavelength and a secondary wavelength. The reflected electromagnetic radiation can be produced from sunlight or other light source. The primary wavelength corresponds to an upper reflectivity of the target material while the secondary wavelength corresponds to a lower reflectivity of the target material. Reflectivity is a function of wavelength such that identifiable variations in wavelength can be observed for certain materials over specific wavelength ranges which are then compared to a known standard reflectivity response for the indicated wavelengths. These systems can be used in portable, handheld, or stationary configurations and can identify exposed target materials in real-time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Discovery Metals, LLC
    Inventors: Dorn Schmidt, Brad Wilson
  • Patent number: 9013272
    Abstract: A security document is disclosed which includes an electrical circuit embedded in a document substrate, where the electrical circuit includes a power source with at least one electroactive polymer power generator, and an optical display including at least one electroluminescent display element and at least one nanohole array which forms a layer of the electroluminescent display element. Security features comprising nanohole arrays are also provided. A method of authenticating a security document is disclosed, including illuminating an encoded nanohole array in the security document with a focused light beam or laser light source emitting at least one defined wavelength of incident light, detecting a transmitted portion of the incident light transmitted through the nanohole array with an optoelectronic sensor, analyzing at least one wavelength of the transmitted portion of light to produce a detected signal, and comparing the detected signal with an authentication signal to authenticate the security document.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Simon Fraser University
    Inventors: Bozena Kaminska, Clinton K. Landrock
  • Publication number: 20150098087
    Abstract: An object detection method comprises transmitting a plurality of signals from a transmitter into a region; measuring a plurality of signals, each corresponding to a respective one of the plurality of the transmitted signals, received by a sensor; determining whether each of the plurality of received signals satisfies a condition (such as that a received signal is above a threshold level for indicating that an object is located in the region, or below a threshold level for indicating that an object is not located in the region); determining whether noise of at least a threshold amount is present; and determining whether an object is located within the region depending on whether at least a number of received signals meet the condition, the number being different when noise of at least a threshold amount is determined to be present than not present. For example, the required number of received signals that meet the condition when noise is present can be higher than when noise is absent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2013
    Publication date: April 9, 2015
    Inventors: John Alyn Stecker, Keith Donald Carlsten, David Steven Anderson
  • Publication number: 20150085287
    Abstract: The invention relates to an attachment for placement onto an optical sensor having a housing with an inlet opening for the entry of detection light into the attachment, a test light receiver for receiving light incident at the test light receiver and for a power measurement of the light incident at the test light receiver as test light and having a signal outputting device for outputting an output signal correlated to the test light power. The invention moreover relates to a combination of an optical sensor and such an attachment and to a method for operating an optical sensor which method can be carried out with such an attachment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2014
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Inventor: Martin WUSTEFELD
  • Patent number: 8976361
    Abstract: A measuring apparatus includes an illumination device including a surface light source, a detector configured to detect a light intensity distribution formed on a light-receiving surface by reflected light, and a processor configured to obtain the reflection characteristic based on first data of the light intensity distribution detected by the detector. The processor is configured to estimate, based on the first data, second data of a light intensity distribution formed by specular reflected light and third data of a light intensity distribution formed by diffuse reflected light in a case where a point light source is disposed at each position in a light-emitting region of the surface light source, and to estimate, based on the second data and the third data, a light intensity distribution formed by reflected light from the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shigeki Kato
  • Patent number: 8964186
    Abstract: Optical sensor structure senses the presence of liquid in a sealed conservator tank. The sensor structure includes a sensor head having a body with first and second opposing ends, a plurality of perforations through the body and spaced between the first and second ends, and a mirror disposed at the second end. The perforations are constructed and arranged to receive and hold fluid therein. The sensor head is constructed and arranged to rest on a surface of a bladder. The sensor structure includes a light source, a first fiber optic cable between the light source and the first end of the body, a light detector, and a second fiber optic cable between the light detector and the first end of the body. The amount of light received by the light detector is reduced when liquid, instead of air, is in at least some of the perforations in the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: ABB Technology AG
    Inventor: Luiz A. V. Cheim
  • Patent number: 8963113
    Abstract: An optoelectronic sensor for recognizing object edges of objects moved relative to the sensor, has a light transmission device with at least one light transmitter, in particular at least two light transmitters, for generating a respective collimated or focused transmitted light beam. The sensor has at least two light receivers for imaging a light spot produced by the respective transmitted light beam on an object, wherein the two light receivers are arranged on two mutually opposite sides of the light transmission device, and has an evaluation unit which is designed to compare the two reception intensities of the two images of the respective light spot taken by the two light receivers with one another and to evaluate the result of the respective comparison to recognize an object edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Sick AG
    Inventors: Gerhard Merettig, Roland Bergbach, Matthias Goetz, Kai Waslowski, Ingolf Hörsch
  • Publication number: 20150036143
    Abstract: A rain sensor equipped to a transparent substrate includes a light emitter emitting irradiation lights toward the transparent substrate, light receivers receiving reflected lights of the irradiation lights being reflected on the transparent substrate, a defining section defining an incident angle of each reflected light with respect to each light receiver, and a detection section detecting rainfall amount based on signals output from the light receivers. The light emitter emits the irradiation lights toward an irradiation region defined on the transparent substrate. The irradiation region is divided into multiple detection regions. The detection regions correspond to respective light receivers. The defining section defines the incident angle of each reflected light reflected on the detection region such that each reflected light enters corresponding light receiver. The detection section detects the rainfall amount based on the signals output from the light receivers corresponding to the irradiation regions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2013
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Inventors: Makiko Sugiura, Yasuaki Makino, Junichi Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 8934102
    Abstract: A system and method for measuring the quality of a fluid includes an optical body forming a measurement surface configured for contacting the fluid to be measured; a light source for projecting radiant energy into the optical body and toward the measurement surface at a predetermined angle; an optical sensor module arranged for detecting an image of at least reflected radiant energy from the measurement surface, the optical sensor module includes a two-dimensional array of light sensors or pixels, each pixel having a plurality of brightness levels; and a processor for setting a brightness threshold value, comparing the threshold value to the brightness level of each pixel, and counting the number of pixels above and/or below the brightness threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Intellectual Reserves, LLC
    Inventors: Alvin R Wirthlin, Leon Brown
  • Publication number: 20140368823
    Abstract: A system and method for measuring the quality of a fluid includes an optical body forming a measurement surface configured for contacting the fluid to be measured; a light source for projecting radiant energy into the optical body and toward the measurement surface at a predetermined angle; an optical sensor module arranged for detecting an image of at least reflected radiant energy from the measurement surface, the optical sensor module includes a two-dimensional array of light sensors or pixels, each pixel having a plurality of brightness levels; and a processor for setting a brightness threshold value, comparing the threshold value to the brightness level of each pixel, and counting the number of pixels above and/or below the brightness threshold value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2014
    Publication date: December 18, 2014
    Inventors: Alvin R. Wirthlin, Leon Brown
  • Patent number: 8913244
    Abstract: A testing box for testing light sources, the testing box comprising: an enclosure comprising an opening for receiving a light source; a sensor of a light property for light emitted inside the enclosure; and a comparator of the light property sensed by the sensor and a shifted test box boundary for the light property, wherein the shifted test box boundary is based on a correlation between a measured light property of a test light source in an integrating sphere and a measured light property of the test light source in the testing box.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Cooper Technologies Company
    Inventor: Kevin Charles Broughton
  • Publication number: 20140339209
    Abstract: The disclosure is a method and system for monitoring the condition of an optical protective component in a laser system associated with a data processor. In one embodiment, the method begins with directing light from the process head of a laser through the optical protective component onto a workpiece. A return light via the workpiece causes light signals coupled through the protective component and into to a fiber which extends proximate the protective component and thereafter flexibly to a sensor. The sensed signals allow monitoring the condition of the protective component during use. The method and system is operative for use with optical protective elements downstream of the process head.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2013
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Applicant: IPG Photonics Corporation
    Inventors: Valentin Gapontsev, Michael Digiantomasso, Yuri Grapov
  • Publication number: 20140312779
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for determining presence of objects in an area (207) surrounding a luminaire (200). The luminaire (200) includes a first light source (203), a second light source (205), and a sensor (216). The first light source (203) is configured to emit a first light beam (204) adapted to illuminate a first predefined area. The second light source (205) is configured to emit a second light beam (206) adapted to illuminate a background area surrounding the first predefined area. The sensor (216) is configured to detect a back-reflected first light beam (210) and a back-reflected second light beam (212). The method includes determining whether objects are present in the area surrounding the luminaire based on a comparison of information indicative of a signal strength of the detected back-reflected first light beam (210) and information indicative of a signal strength of the detected back-reflected second light beam (212).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2012
    Publication date: October 23, 2014
    Inventors: Michel Cornelis Josephus Marie Vissenberg, Willem Franke Pasveer, Antonius Petrus Marinus Dingemans
  • Patent number: 8867041
    Abstract: An optical metrology apparatus for measuring nanoimprint structures using Vacuum Ultra-Violet (VUV) light is described. Focusing optics focus light onto the sample and collect the light reflected from the sample so as to record an optical response from nanoimprint structures on the sample, wherein the nanoimprint structures have an orientation that varies over a surface of the sample. A sample stage is configured to support the sample. At least one computer is connected to the metrology instrument and the sample stage and is configured to run a computer program which causes the sample stage to rotate the sample so as to present multiple different locations on the sample to the optical metrology instrument such that the orientation of the nanoimprint structures at the multiple different locations remains fixed with respect to a plane of the focusing optics of the metrology instrument in order to eliminate polarization effects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Jordan Valley Semiconductor Ltd
    Inventors: Phillip Walsh, Jeffrey B. Hurst, Dale A. Harrison
  • Patent number: 8834229
    Abstract: A method of controlling polishing includes polishing a substrate and receiving an identification of a selected spectral feature, a wavelength range having a width, and a characteristic of the selected spectral feature to monitor during polishing. A sequence of spectra of light from the substrate is measured while the substrate is being polished. A sequence of values of the characteristic of the selected spectral feature is generated from the sequence of spectra. For at least some spectra from the sequence of spectra, a modified wavelength range is generated based on a position of the spectral feature within a previous wavelength range used for a previous spectrum in the sequence of spectra, the modified wavelength range is searched for the selected spectral feature, and a value of a characteristic of the selected spectral feature is determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Drue David, Harry Q. Lee
  • Patent number: 8836944
    Abstract: Systems and methods for opto electric properties are provided. A light source illuminates a sample. A reference detector senses light from the light source. A sample detector receives light from the sample. A positioning fixture allows for relative positioning of the sample or the light source with respect to each other. An electrical signal device measures the electrical properties of the sample. The reference detector, sample detector and electrical signal device provide information that may be processed to determine opto-electric properties of the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Uchicago Argonne, LLC
    Inventors: Maxim Nikiforov, Seth B. Darling, Ozgun Suzer, Jeffrey Guest, Andreas Roelofs
  • Patent number: 8823944
    Abstract: To reduce the effect of directly reflected light on a contact-surface side of a contact member, a biological information detector includes a light-emitting part, a light-receiving part, a reflecting part, a protecting part for protecting the light-emitting part, and a substrate. The protecting member is formed from a material that is transparent with respect to a wavelength of the light emitted by the light-emitting part and has a contact member provided with a contact surface in contact with the detection site. Light emitted from the light-emitting part is inhibited from reflecting once on a contact-surface side of the contact member of the protecting part and being incident on a light-receiving region of the light-receiving part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hideto Yamashita, Yoshitaka Iijima
  • Patent number: 8823945
    Abstract: The invention relates to a measuring device for determining a vegetation index value (REIP) of plants. The measuring device comprises a plurality of light emitting elements, each of which emits substantially monochromatic light at a predetermined wavelength, a light receiving element which receives light from the light emitting elements reflected by the plants and generates a signal indicating the respective intensity of the received light, and a control means which successively activates the light emitting elements in a cyclical sequence, determines the respective intensity of the reflected light based on the output signal of the light receiving element, and calculates the vegetation index value based on the determined intensities of the overall measurement cycle. According to the invention, a light frequency converter is provided as the light receiving element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Georg Fritzmeier GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Tobias Haas
  • Patent number: 8825448
    Abstract: In a spectroscopic reflectometer, in order to make it possible to omit a supplementary measurement (specifically, measurement of a calibration sample) which has been needed every time a light reflectance of an inspection work is measured to promote the reduction in measurement time and simplification in measurement configuration, an internal reflection mechanism having a constant light reflectance is arranged inside a head so that light reflected by the internal reflection mechanism is received by a photo-detector, whereby the light reflectance of the inspection work is calculated based on an output value of the photo-detector in a state of having substantially no light introduced, an output value of the photo-detector when a dark sample that substantially reflects no light is used, an output value that is an output value of the photo-detector when a calibration sample of a known light reflectance is used as the object, and an output value of the photo-detector when an inspection work to be measured is used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Horiba, Ltd.
    Inventor: Fumitaka Fujii
  • Publication number: 20140238605
    Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, a film thickness monitoring method includes applying light to a laminated body, detecting reflected light from the laminated body and outputting signals corresponding to the detected light, and judging whether a film thickness of an opaque film which is a polishing target has reached a desired film thickness. The laminated body includes a transparent film and the opaque film on the transparent film. A comparison value between the signal before polishing the opaque film and the signal after starting the polishing is obtained at predetermined time intervals, and whether the film thickness of the opaque film has reached the desired film thickness is judged based on a relationship between the comparison value of the signals and a predetermined threshold value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2013
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Toru MIKAMI
  • Publication number: 20140242731
    Abstract: A system and method for performing a wet etching process is disclosed. The system includes multiple processing stations accessible by a transfer device, including a measuring station to optically measure the thickness of a substrate, a controller to calculate an etch recipe for the substrate, in real time, and cause a single wafer wet etching station to etch the substrate according to the recipe. In addition, the system can measure the after etch thickness and calculate etch recipes, in real time, as a function of the final measurements of a previous substrate. The system can also include an in situ end point detection device for detecting the TSV reveal point while etching TSVs substrates. The system provides an automated solution to adjust etch recipe parameters in real time according to feedback concerning previously etched wafers and precisely control the TSV reveal height and etch duration using end point detection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2013
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Applicant: Solid State Equipment LLC
    Inventors: Laura Mauer, Elena Lawrence, John Taddei, Ramey Youssef
  • Publication number: 20140198316
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for measuring reflective intensity of display surface, including: obtaining a luminance value of a first display and a luminance value of a second display when displaying, the first display and the second display having the same observed luminance, the peripheral of the surface of the first display being surrounded by light-shielding object, the first display and the second display being placed side by side; and obtaining the reflective intensity of the display surface in the ambient based on the luminance value of the first display and the luminance values of the second display when displaying. As such, the present invention provides convenient and accurate means to measure the reflective intensity of display surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2013
    Publication date: July 17, 2014
    Inventors: Lixuan Chen, Chih-tsung Kang
  • Publication number: 20140192362
    Abstract: An optical measurement apparatus includes: a recording unit that records therein a value of a ratio of a first detection intensity to a second detection intensity, the first detection intensity being an intensity of the returned light detected when a first medium having a refractive index that is the same as that of a specimen is irradiated with illumination light by a measurement probe, and the second detection intensity being an intensity of the returned light detected when a second medium is irradiated with the illumination light by the measurement probe; and a calculation unit that calculates, from a product of a third detection intensity and the value of the ratio, a background intensity of background light to be used in correcting the returned light from the specimen, the third detection intensity being an intensity of the returned light detected when the second medium is irradiated with the illumination light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2014
    Publication date: July 10, 2014
    Applicant: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hideyuki TAKAOKA, Ryosuke ITO
  • Patent number: 8773272
    Abstract: A light scattering type smoke sensor includes a sensor body, light-emitter for emitting light toward an open smoke-sensing space and outputting a light-received signal according to the amount of scattering light received, and a fire judging unit for judging whether fire occurs or not on the basis of the amount of received light determined on the basis of the outputted light-received signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Hochiki Corporation
    Inventor: Tetsuya Nagashima
  • Publication number: 20140176955
    Abstract: A method for determining overlay error includes measuring asymmetry of radiation reflected from each of a plurality of targets on a substrate. The plurality of targets include a predetermined overlay offset. The method also includes comparing the measured asymmetry of the radiation reflected from each of the plurality of targets to the corresponding predetermined overlay offset of the respective target. Additionally, the method includes determining the overlay error of a point on the substrate as a function of measured asymmetry reflected from the point. The function is determined by fitting a polynomial or a Fourier series to a comparison of the measured asymmetry of the radiation reflected from each of the plurality of targets to the corresponding predetermined overlay offset of the respective target. The function limits an effect of linearity error.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2014
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Andreas FUCHS, Maurits Van Der Schaar, Scott Anderson Middlebrooks, Panagiotis Pieter Bintevinos
  • Patent number: 8760660
    Abstract: A process for predicting an amount of coarse flakes, such as metallic aluminum flakes, present in a coating composition, such as automotive paint. The process includes measuring flop of a layer of the coating composition applied over a test substrate by using a flop prediction device. The process is repeated with varying amounts of one or more different types of coarse flakes added to the composition and the flop vs. amount of coarse flakes present in the coating composition is plotted on a graph. By using a curve fitting equation, a flake amount prediction curve then is obtained. By measuring the flop of a wet layer of a target coating composition, the amount of coarse flakes present in the target coating composition can be predicted by using the flake amount prediction curve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Axalta Coating Systems IP Co., LLC
    Inventors: Anthony Moy, Rajesh Gopalan Saliya, Ayumu Yokoyama
  • Publication number: 20140129179
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to an apparatus and method for determining a set of gloss measurement values of a sample to be measured. The invention includes a plurality of light sources having a light output, the plurality of sources configured to project light in the direction of a single sample having a gloss characteristic to be measured, wherein the planes of incidence of the light sources are arrayed at different azimuthal angles about the perpendicular direction of the sample. Furthermore, the invention includes a plurality gloss-sensitive sensors, each positioned at 180 degrees of azimuthal angle from the plurality of light sources so as to receive light reflected off a sample and output a plurality of measured gloss sample channel values and a processor configured to compare the outputs of the plurality of sample channel values and generate a plurality of angle-indexed gloss measurement values.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2013
    Publication date: May 8, 2014
    Applicant: Datacolor, Inc.
    Inventors: Zhiling Xu, Michael H. Brill
  • Patent number: 8717570
    Abstract: A method and system for optically determining a substantially fully activated doping profile are disclosed. The substantially fully activated doping profile is characterized by a set of physical parameters. In one aspect, the method includes obtaining a sample comprising a fully activated doping profile and a reference, and obtaining photomodulated reflectance (PMOR) offset curve measurement data and DC reflectance measurement data for the sample including the fully activated doping profile and for the reference. The method also includes determining values for the set of physical parameters of the doping profile based on both the photomodulated reflectance offset curve measurements and the DC reflectance measurements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignees: IMEC, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
    Inventors: Janusz Bogdanowicz, Trudo Clarysse, Wilfried Vandervorst
  • Patent number: 8687197
    Abstract: A method of monitoring progress of polishing of a substrate having at least two regions including a first region and a second region with different structures is provided. The method includes: applying light to plural measurement points on the substrate during polishing of the substrate; receiving reflected light from each measurement point; measuring intensity of the reflected light; producing a spectrum of the reflected light from the intensity; classifying the spectrum as spectrum of the reflected light from the first region or as spectrum of the reflected light from the second region based on a shape of the spectrum or the intensity of the reflected light; and monitoring progress of polishing of the substrate based on a temporal change in the spectrum of the reflected light from the first region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Ebara Corporation
    Inventor: Toshifumi Kimba
  • Publication number: 20140085638
    Abstract: Systems and methods for opto electric properties are provided. A light source illuminates a sample. A reference detector senses light from the light source. A sample detector receives light from the sample. A positioning fixture allows for relative positioning of the sample or the light source with respect to each other. An electrical signal device measures the electrical properties of the sample. The reference detector, sample detector and electrical signal device provide information that may be processed to determine opto-electric properties of the same.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2012
    Publication date: March 27, 2014
    Inventors: Maxim NIKIFOROV, Seth B. DARLING, Ozgun SUZER, Jeffrey GUEST, Andreas ROELOFS
  • Patent number: 8680993
    Abstract: An apparatus and system for providing a solution that enables technicians or other technical professionals obtain both an accurate color value for a sample as well as an accurate gloss value while using a spectrophotometer and an integrated gloss meter device. The present invention allows for accurate color and gloss value analysis of samples using improved compensation values by using a reference sensor to correct the variations in intensity of a light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Datacolor Holding AG
    Inventors: Zhiling Xu, Taeyoung Park