Abstract: A pattern generation system includes an optical system and a rotor. The optical system is configured to project a laser image onto an optical scanner. The rotor has a plurality of optical arms arranged at a first angle relative to one another, and further includes the optical scanner. The laser image is sequentially reflected by the optical scanner into each of the plurality of optical arms of the rotor to generate a pattern on a workpiece.

Abstract: The present invention relates to laser ablation microlithography. In particular, we disclose a new SLM design and patterning method that uses multiple mirrors per pixel to concentrate energy to an energy density that facilitates laser ablation, while keeping the energy density on the SLM mirror surface at a level that does not damage the mirrors. Multiple micro-mirrors can be reset at a very high frequency, far beyond current DMD devices.

Abstract: A contact according to the present invention comprises a plate-shaped first plunger contacting one member, a plate-shaped second plunger contacting the other member in a state of being overlapped with the first plunger and conducting electricity between the one member and the other member in cooperation with the first plunger, and a compression coil spring which is a member coupling the first plunger with the second plunger in a state where contact pieces thereof are in opposite directions from each other, covering outer circumferences of coupling portions of the first plunger and the second plunger, abutting on spring receiving portions of the respective plungers, and supporting the respective plungers to be relatively slidable. In an electrical connecting apparatus, the contacts are incorporated.

Abstract: The present invention provides a probe assembly for inspecting power semiconductor devices, which comprises (1) a probe block having more than one probe holding hole, (2) more than one probe, each of which is contained in one of the probe holding holes with its outer surface being in contact with the inner surface of the probe holding hole, and which has lower end protruding from the probe block and coming into contact with the power semiconductor device on inspection, and (3) one or more cooling means which cool the probe block. According to the probe assembly and the inspection apparatus having the prove assembly of the present invention, it is possible to inspect characteristics of power semiconductor devices accurately by suppressing temperature rises of the probes as well as the power semiconductor device under test.

Abstract: The present invention provides an inspection apparatus, which comprises probes for front side electrodes, probes for back side electrodes, and a chuck stage, wherein the probes for front side electrodes and the probes for back side electrodes are formed on the upper surface of the chuck stage, and the probe contact area electrically continues to the wafer holding area, and the probes for front side electrodes and the probes for back side electrodes are located leaving a distance in horizontal direction between them so that the probes for back side electrodes move relatively within the probe contact area when the probes for front side electrodes are moved relatively within the wafer under test by the movement of the chuck stage. According to the inspection apparatus of the present invention, it is possible to inspect characteristics of semiconductor devices having electrodes on both side of a wafer more accurately in wafer state.

Abstract: Microfluidic cartridges for agglutination reactions are provided. The cartridges include a microfluidic reaction channel with at least two intake channels, one for an antigen-containing fluid and the other for an antibody-containing fluid, conjoined to a reaction channel modified by incorporation of a downstream flow control channel. At low Reynolds Number, the two input streams layer one on top of the other in the reaction channel and form a flowing, unmixed horizontally-stratified laminar fluid diffusion (HLFD) interface for an extended duration of reaction. Surprisingly, the design, surface properties, and flow regime of microfluidic circuits of the present invention potentiate detection of antibody mediated agglutination at the stratified interface. Antigen:antibody reactions involving agglutination potentiated by these devices are useful in blood typing, in crossmatching for blood transfusion, and in immunodiagnostic agglutination assays, for example.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to lithography using pulsed laser illumination. In particular it relates to lithography for producing electronic devices on wafers using multi-mode excimer and molecular lasers, e.g. KrF, ArF, and F2 lasers. It may also apply to illumination systems where several single-mode sources are mixed or one single-mode laser beam is split and recombined with time delays, thereby creating an equivalent multimode source and to EUV lithography. Particular aspects of the present invention are described in the claims, specification and drawings.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a probe card is provided wherein probes are held in a holding plate such that the respective probes correspond to through holes with their connecting end portions projected from one surface of the holding plate. A plate-like member including openings having larger diameters than diameters of the through holes and housing the connecting end portions in the openings is arranged by making one surface of the plate-like member abut the one surface of the holding plate. After supplying solder cream in the respective openings from the other surface of the plate-like member, a connection base plate and the holding plate are relatively fixed so that the solder cream, burying the connecting end portions of the respective probes held in the holding plate with the plate-like member removed, may abut the respective corresponding connection pads, and the solder cream is heated to melt the solder cream.

Abstract: The technology disclosed relates to scanning of large flat substrates for reading and writing images. Examples are flat panel displays, PCB's and photovoltaic panels. Reading and writing is to be understood in a broad sense: reading may mean microscopy, inspection, metrology, spectroscopy, interferometry, scatterometry, etc. of a large workpiece, and writing may mean exposing a photoresist, annealing by optical heating, ablating, or creating any other change to the surface by an optical beam. In particular, we disclose a technology that uses a rotating or swinging arm that describes an arc across a workpiece as it scans, instead of following a traditional straight-line motion.

Abstract: The present invention provides a probe block, which comprises 1) a conductive base on which a first groove is formed, 2) a pair of signal transmitting probes which have dielectric covers and are placed parallel to each other in the first groove, and 3) a ground probe which is in contact with the conductive base, wherein front portions of the signal transmitting probes and the ground probe protrude from the conductive base to form signal transmitting probe needles and a ground probe needle, respectively. The probe block of the present invention has excellent high frequency responses characteristics and is easy for maintenance.

Abstract: The present invention heightens positional accuracy of a plurality of conductive paths provided in a resilient connecting board and having connected thereto a plurality of probes. An electrical connecting apparatus includes a connecting board and a plurality of probes arranged on a lower side of the connecting board. The connecting board includes a first board having resiliency, a first sheet-like member arranged on a lower side of the first board, and a plurality of conductive paths passing through the first sheet-like member in an up-down direction. The probes are connected to lower ends of the conductive paths. The first sheet-like member is made of a photosensitive resin.

Abstract: An instrument for fluorometric assays in liquid samples is disclosed. The instrument may include multiple optical channels for monitoring a first fluorophore associated with a target analyte and a second fluorophore associated with a control. The disclosed instrument finds utility in any number of applications, including microfluidic molecular biological assays based on PCR amplification of target nucleic acids and fluorometric assays in general.

Abstract: A test apparatus according to the present invention includes a probe card recognition unit that recognizes positions of at least two probe card marks formed to a probe card and assumes a probe card mark connection line connecting the positions of the probe card marks, a backing material recognition unit that recognizes positions of at least two backing material marks formed to a backing material where a semiconductor chip is fixed thereto and assumes a backing material mark connection line connecting the positions of the backing material mark, a positional relationship recognition unit that recognizes a positional relationship between the probe card and the backing material according to the probe card mark connection line and the backing material mark connection line, and a correction unit that corrects the position of at least one of the probe card and the backing material according to the positional relationship.

Abstract: An inspection apparatus and an inspection method is provided having a wafer chuck stage equipped with one or more wafer chucks; a position measurement unit for measuring the positions of the light emitting devices on each of the expanded wafers loaded respectively on the wafer chucks; a photodetector and at least one probe provided corresponding to each of the expanded wafers; and a control unit provided with means for moving the wafer chuck stage in the X axis and/or Y-axis directions such that the light emitting devices on each of the expanded wafers are sequentially brought under the corresponding probes, means for moving each of the probes to a place corresponding to the electrodes in the light emitting devices, and means for bringing the probes into contact with the corresponding electrodes.

Abstract: An electrical connecting apparatus 10 comprises: a base plate 16 provided on its underside 14 with a plurality of pedestals 12 at intervals in a front-back direction; and multiple contact groups, each of which has a first contact 18 and a second contact 19. Each first contact 18 includes a needle body portion 24 having a rear end portion 20 supported on the pedestal 12 and a front end portion 22 which is a free end and extending leftward. Each second contact 19 includes a needle body portion 25 having a rear end portion 21 supported on the pedestal 12 and a front end portion 23 which is a free end and extending rightward. When the first contact 18 is broken, the second contacts 19 can be used.

Abstract: A computer program generates a wire routing pattern that connects one driver with a plurality of receivers. The overlapping length of each vector pair, which consists of any two vectors headed from the driver to the receivers, is calculated. One vector pair that has the greatest overlapping length is selected. For the selected vector pair, three kinds of common nodes are created, each of which is used to make a common path part of the way to the receivers, to generate three kinds of renewed vector patterns. The operations are repeated and plural candidate routing patters are acquired. One candidate routing pattern having the smallest total wiring length is selected as the optimum routing pattern. If there exist plural patterns that have the same smallest total wiring length, one pattern can be selected that has the smallest one of the greatest. D-R path lengths.

Abstract: An instrument for fluorometric assays in liquid samples is disclosed. The instrument may include multiple optical channels for monitoring a first fluorophore associated with a target analyte and a second fluorophore associated with a control. The disclosed instrument finds utility in any number of applications, including microfluidic molecular biological assays based on PCR amplification of target nucleic acids and fluorometric assays in general.

Abstract: The current invention relates to writing or reading a pattern on a surface, such as in microlithography or inspection of mircrolithographic patterns. In particular, Applicant discloses systems recording or reading images by scanning sparse 2D point arrays or grids across the surface, e.g., multiple optical, electron or particle beams modulated in parallel. The scanning and repeated reading or writing creates a dense pixel or spot grid on the workpiece. The grid may be created by various arrays: arrays of light sources, e.g., laser or LED arrays, by lenslet arrays where each lenslet has its own modulator, by aperture plates for particle beams, or arrays of near-field emitters or mechanical probes. For reading systems, the point grid may be created by a sparse point matrix illumination and/or a detector array where each detector element sees only one spot. The idea behind the use of large arrays is to improve throughput.

Abstract: Integrated microfluidic cartridges for nucleic acid extraction, amplification, and detection from clinical samples are disclosed. The devices are single-entry, sanitary, and disposable. The devices enable simplex or multiplex nucleic acid target detection, as for example: assay panels for multiple infectious agents, or assay panels for cancerous cell types. Methods for use of microfluidic cartridges in a fully automated, pneumatically controlled apparatus are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method is for setting configuration data to a print data supplying device. The print data supplying device is operable to: store data associated with at least one of a plurality of items of group information in a first storage area; generate print data based on: (1) internal print data generated by an internal print data generation program; and (2) configuration data associated with one of the items of group information corresponding to a printer to which the print data is supplied; and supply the print data to the printer. The method includes: determining whether or not a target printer is connected; generating a new item of group information corresponding to the target printer when the target printer is connected; and storing reference configuration data that is stored in a second storage area to the first storage area, as the configuration data, in association with the new item of the group information.