Abstract: A non-reactive fluid connection device for cooled mirrors comprising a non-reactive, non-rigid connection joint (10) including at least two manifold blocks (20) oriented orthogonally to each other and containing a free floating self locating sleeve (22) which is pressure balanced to be non-reactive to fluid flowing through the manifold block (10). Each manifold block-sleeve combination (20/22) provides constraint for the mirror (10) and decouples the mirror from influence of the flow of fluid through the connection devices thus eliminating mirror jitter.

Abstract: The described invention is a precisely adjustable transporter for moving a reticle past an optical slit as a step in the production of semiconductor wafers. The reticle stage rides along a pair of optically flat planar, intersecting, bearing surfaces supported by air bearings on each bearing surface. Pressurized air and vacuum may be simultaneously employed to effect substantially friction-free motion while preventing displacement from the bearing surfaces. Axial adjustments on each air bearing permit precise adjustment of the reticle stage and reticle.

Abstract: The circuit includes an inverter to be connected to a source of d.c. power. The inverter has a transformer with a center-tapped primary winding. Separate controllable switching devices are connected to the respective ends of the primary winding. Both switching devices are arranged to be connected in common to one output terminal of the d.c. power source. The center tap of the transformer primary winding is arranged for connection to the other output terminal of the d.c. power source. The transformer has a laminated silicon steel core, and includes a secondary winding arranged for connection across the input terminals of a gaseous discharge lamp. A control circuit is connected to control conduction by the separate controllable switching devices in alternating sequence at a desired frequency of operation.

Abstract: A semiconductor source of high power, spatially and temporally coherent light including means to prevent damage to the output face. A laser diode is disposed in optical contact with a power amplifier having a diverging active area which causes emitted light to be distributed over a large facet area.

Abstract: A system for detecting flaws in printed circuit boards. The circuit board is scanned by a video camera to provide a serial stream of bits each indicative of a picture element within a particular scan line. The serial stream of bits is formulated into binary numbers each representative of a contiguous path of picture elements composed of n.times.n picture elements. Each of these binary numbers are compared with a corresponding one of a set binary numbers stored in memory representative of a perfect master printed circuit board. Failure of the printed circuit board to match the stored master indicates a flaw. The invention also includes means to generate overlapping patches to insure detection of defects which occur in adjacent patches.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to new and improved apparatus for measuring overlay error between a wafer pattern and a mask pattern projected onto the wafer pattern by a lithographic exposure instrument, which includes a grating mask; a grating wafer having reflective lines alternating with non-reflective spaces patterned like the mask pattern; the lithographic instrument having projection optics mounted to project an image of the mask on the wafer, and a mechanism for moving the grating mask and grating wafer relative to the projection optics; the grating on the wafer being offset from the grating on the mask forming Moire fringes corresponding to the overlay error between the wafer pattern and a mask pattern projected onto the wafer; a photodiode array wherein each photodiode corresponds to a pixel on the grating wafer; viewing optics mounted to project the Moire fringes onto the photodiode.

Abstract: A fixture is provided for holding a cable end connector to which wires are to be attached. The fixture includes an indicating element for each of the connection elements of the connector to be wired. A separate fiber-optic cable extends from each indicating element to a separate light source for individually providing illumination to the separate indicating elements. A means is provided for making an electrical connection to individual electrical elements to separately identify each of the different wires to be assembled, and an electrical driving means is connected to respond to the electrical connection means for energizing the corresponding one of the light sources corresponding to the connection element to which the associated wire is to be assembled.

Abstract: Described is a method and apparatus for adjustment of an image-forming optical system to correct for manufacturing and assembly defects by providing a pair of refractive elements symmetrically disposed about the image plane or conjugate image plane of the system and mounted for translation and/or rotation about one or more of three orthogonal axes.

Abstract: This invention is directed to a digital wavelength calibration system for a spectrophotometer, which includes a photodiode array that forms an output detector for the spectrophotometer, a light source for generating at least one reference emission line of known peak wavelength, a computer controlled mechanism for causing the peak of said reference line to fall in close proximity to the center of a preselected pixel of said photodiode array, peak location computing apparatus for computing the exact position data of the peak relative to the pixel center in terms of the pixel spacing and the ordinal number of the preselected pixel and for retaining this position data for subsequent wavelength computation, wavelength identification computing apparatus for computing the numerical relationship data of the ordinate number of each pixel to the wavelength falling on that pixel and for retaining this relationship data for subsequent correlation with data generated by the pixel, and apparatus for computational processin

Abstract: A method and apparatus to optimize a characteristic of measured data in an adjustable instrument for chemical analysis. The characteristic is measured at a plurality of adjustment points about a start point. Through parabolic interpolation of the data a conjugate vector is formed and the best operating point thereon is selected. Then measurements of the characteristic are taken as a function of the adjustable parameters about the best point on the conjugate vector. These data are used in a parabolic interpolation to define a second conjugate vector. The best operating point on the second conjugate vector is the optimum point of the instrument.

Abstract: The bearing structure includes a cylindrical air bearing for supporting the optical instrument element carrier, a linear drive motor for determining the translational position of the carrier, and a frictionless magnetic repulsion positioning structure for determining the rotational versus translational position of the carrier.

Abstract: In an interferometric apparatus the path of the output beam of a rotary Optical Path Difference scanning assembly leading to an electrically responsive detector is maintained substantially fixed in space for any scan angle within predetermined limits, thus obviating a serious drawback of a prior art proposal wherein the output beam translates significantly over the detector face with changes in scan angle, with the result that the detector output is vitiated by totally spurious variations of the energy reaching it.In one embodiment, the scanning assembly comprises a beam splitter having a semi-reflective layer the output face of which cooperates with the face of an output mirror normal thereto, the axis of rotation being substantially coincident with the line of intersection between the prolongation planes of the two faces. A Fourier Transform spectrophotometer embodying the assembly is also described.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a gas control device for controlling the fuel gas and the oxidizing agent supplied to a burner in an atomic absorption spectrometer. The device includes a pressure controller and a downstream flowmeter, connected to the aforesaid pressure controller in each of the device's supply conduits to an atomizer, oxidizing agent port and full gas port of the burner. Each flowmeter employed in the preferred embodiment of the invention is comprised of a turbine wheel which is exposed to the gas flowing through the flowmeter. By the rotation of the turbine wheel output, signals are generated depending on the angular rate thereof and thus as a function of the gas flow rate. These output signals are input into a control unit and a set of servomotors, each associated with one of said pressure controllers, are reproducibly adjusted under the control of said control unit, even under unstable pressure conditions, to selected gas flow rates.

Abstract: A self-contained automatic computer controlled system for checking and recalibrating the wavelength scale of both monochromators of a fluorescence spectrophotometer is described. No operator adjustments are required. The system sets the wavelength of each monochromator to within 0.1 nanometers. Besides automatic indexing at turn-on the operation can be repeated at any desired time. The system is applicable to single or double monochromator instruments.

Abstract: A preamplifier network or circuit for converting non-linear signal information, such as is produced by a mercury cadmium tellurium (MCT) detector, to a substantially linear voltage signal output corresponding to the incident light levels on the MCT detector. Conceptually speaking, the subject preamplifier functions as a constant-voltage variable-current source to the MCT detector, and incorporates positive feedback for being effective as a negative resistance to nullify the MCT detector resisance introduced signal component of the signal information being monitored.

Abstract: A beam of radiation is directed into a liquid sample cell containing a sample to be analyzed in solution. The illumination emanating from the sample cell as a result of the beam of radiation from the radiation source is diffracted into a polychromatic spacially divergent beam and directed to a linear array of photovoltaic photodetectors with different spectral segments of the beam being intercepted by different photodetectors of the array. The signals from the photodetectors are separately and substantially simultaneously sampled and held to thereby obtain data usable for a high-accuracy wide-spectrum chromatogram.

Abstract: The effective range of an analog linear-log converter is extended above the number of output decades over which this converter is reasonably linear to cover several additional decades of log conversion. This is made possible by adding a variable gain amplifier having several decades of switchable gain to the input of the converter. Switching between decades to utilize the added decades of output is controlled by a microcomputer which monitors the output level. This switching restores the signal level of each of the added decades to the same level as that of an earlier decade thus maintaining the same slope accuracy and noise levels of the earlier decades throughout the whole conversion range. The microcomputer also provides slope corrections from a lookup table for each of the different output decades as well as also applying to the output corrections for offsets due to the circuit components. Ambient temperature compensation is also provided following the linear-log converter for increased precision.

Abstract: An apparatus for periodically monitoring the composition of a plurality of samples includes a plurality of stationary flow-through sample vials through which sample fluid is periodically passed. A sampling probe withdraws fluid from the vial for subsequent analysis.

Abstract: Output data from a spectrophotometer may be presented as a series of data values representative of the intensity amplitude of pass bands having equal bandwidths (resolution) and spaced at wavelength intervals equal to the bandwidth. For some purposes it is desirable to increase the bandwidth of said data, and this invention discloses method and apparatus for converting such data to equivalent data having a selected greater bandwidth.

Abstract: An adjustment device is provided having a block with two longitudinal bores therethrough joined by a slot. A movable member, having a threaded hole therethrough, is slidingly disposed in one bore, and a movable ball and a fixed member, having a curvilinear surface, are disposed in the other. A set screw, having a conical point, is inserted through the slot and screwed through the movable member so that the conical point engages both the fixed member and the movable ball. Further movement of the set screw forces the cone point between the fixed and movable balls, thus causing the movable ball to move away from the fixed ball.