Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for determining the coordinates of an arbitrarily shaped pattern in a deflector system. The method basically comprises the steps of: moving the pattern in a first direction (X), calculating the position of the edge of the pattern by counting the number of micro sweeps, performed in a perpendicular direction (Y), until the edge is detected, determining a correction function for the surface reflecting variations in a third direction (Z) perpendicular to both the first (X) and the second (Y) directions, and determining the coordinates by relating the number of counted micro sweeps to the speed of the movement of the pattern using the correction function to compensate for variations in the third direction. The invention also relates to software implementing the method.

Abstract: The present invention relates to preparation of patterned workpieces in the production of semiconductor and other devices. Methods and devices are described utilizing resist and transfer layers over a workpiece substrate. The methods and devices produce small feature dimensions in masks and phase shift masks. The methods described may apply to both masks and direct writing on other workpieces having similarly small features, such as semiconductor, cryogenic, magnetic and optical microdevices.

Abstract: A method and system for a high-speed datapath for a high-performance pattern generator such as an analog SLM for generating the image is disclosed. The data path has provisions for completely independent parallel data flows giving true scalability to arbitrarily high throughput. In an exemplary embodiment areas on the SLM are assigned to specific rasterizing and fracturing processors. There is an overlap between fields for blending of the edges in the pattern and for computation of interaction between features in the pattern. The datapath has data integrity checks and a recovery mode when an error condition is raised, allowing it to recover from most errors without creating new errors.

Abstract: An electrical test probe comprises a probe tip portion and a probe main body portion having a pedestal portion on which the probe tip portion is formed to be protruded. The probe main body portion is made of a conductive material that is greater in toughness than the probe tip portion, and the probe tip portion is made of a conductive material that is higher in hardness than the material of the probe main body portion. On the pedestal portion is provided a probe tip reinforcement portion that contacts at least one side surface of the probe tip portion, extends toward a tip of the probe tip portion, and permits the tip of the probe tip portion to be protruded from its extending end in the extending direction. Also, the probe tip portion may be in a multi-layer structure having a first metal material layer that is higher in hardness than the tough metal material forming the probe main body portion and a second metal material layer that is greater in toughness than the first metal material layer.

Abstract: A mounting apparatus that does not compromise the strength of a probe board. The apparatus comprises a probe board spaced from a support member by a spacer. A fixed portion with a female screw hole is mounted on one surface of the probe board. A male screw member is threaded into the screw hole for the purpose of tightening the support member to the probe board at a fixed distance defined by the length of the spacer. The probe board has a support plate. Pluralities of conductive paths penetrate the support plate. A wiring plate wherein wiring paths are connected to corresponding conductive paths, and whose one surface is fixed to the support plate. The other surface is provided with probes corresponding to the wiring paths. The fixed portion includes a female screw member at an area where no conductive paths are formed.

Abstract: A method, apparatus for and a device manufactured by the same, for printing a microlithographic pattern with high fidelity and resolution using simultaneously optimized illuminator and pupil filters having semi-continuous transmission profiles. The optimization can be further improved if the illuminator and pupil filters are polarization selective. The optimization method becomes a linear programming problem and uses a set of relevant features in the merit function. With a suitably chosen merit function and a representative feature set both neutral printing without long-range proximity effects and good resolution of small features can be achieved. With only short-range proximity effects OPC correction is simple and can be done in real time using a perturbation method.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to prevent an operator from touching electronic elements arranged on an upper surface of a probe assembly of an electrical connecting apparatus at the time of carrying the electrical connecting apparatus and to restrict bowing of the probe assembly caused by the temperature difference between the upper surface and the lower surface of the probe assembly. An electrical connecting apparatus 10 comprises a probe assembly having a plurality of contactors 14 on a lower surface and a plurality of electronic elements 18 arranged on an upper surface, a cover 32 arranged on the upper surface of the probe assembly so as to close a space 30 in which the electronic elements are arranged, and two grippers 42 attached to the cover. Each gripper 42 has one end 42a and the other end 42a, has a region ranging from one end to the other end formed approximately in a U-shape, and is attached to a main body portion 33 of the cover at both the ends.

Abstract: An aspect of the present invention includes a method for patterning a workpiece covered at least partly with a layer sensitive to electromagnetic radiation by simultaneously using a plurality of exposure beams. In an example embodiment it is determined if any of the beams have an actual position relative to a reference beam which differs from its intended position. An adjustment of the exposure dose for a wrongly positioned beam is performed if said beam is printed at en edge of a feature. Other aspects of the present invention are reflected in the detailed description, figures and claims.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a MEMS device, including the actions of: providing a substrate having a back and front surface essentially in parallel with each other, defining in said substrate at least one hidden support by removing material from said substrate, connecting said at least one hidden support onto a wafer with at least one actuation electrode capable to actuate at least a part of said substrate, wherein a rotational axis of said reflective surface is essentially perpendicular to said hidden support. The invention also relates to the MEMS as such.

Abstract: Microfluidic methods and devices for heterogeneous binding and agglutination assays are disclosed, with improvements relating to mixing and to reagent and sample manipulation in systems designed for safe handling of clinical test samples.

Abstract: The present invention prevents damage of adjacent mounting portions caused by heat at the time of mounting of contactors and further reduces the arrangement pitch of the contactors. An electrical connecting apparatus uses at least four types of contactors different in terms of at least the shapes of seat portions and the height positions of arm portions. Each of such contactors has a seat portion mounted on a mounting portion of a board, an arm portion extending in the left-right direction from the lower end of the seat portion, and a probe tip portion extending downward from the tip end portion of the arm portion and having a probe tip at the lower end. These contactors are mounted in parallel in a cantilevered manner alternately in the front-back direction with the mounting positions to the board displaced in the left-right direction.

Abstract: A probe for electrical test comprises a probe body having a base end attached to a support base plate through a solder and a front end continuous with said base end and a surface layer showing a conductivity higher than that of the probe body and a solder wettability higher than that of the probe body and extending on the surface of the probe body from the base end to the front end. In the vicinity of the base end of the surface layer, a shield region having a smaller solder wettability than that of the surface layer is formed across the surface layer.

Abstract: An aspect of the present invention includes a method for patterning a workpiece covered at least partly with a layer sensitive to electromagnetic radiation by using a plurality of exposure beams having a predetermined separation in at least a first direction for exposing a pattern onto said workpiece, where said predetermined separation is fixed to an initial system pitch in said first direction, comprising the actions of: scaling a pattern pitch in said first direction to be an integer multiple of said system pitch, adjusting the initial system pitch in said first direction to be an adjusted system pitch to maintain a scale of said pattern, adjusting said predetermined separation of exposure beams to said adjusted system pitch.

Abstract: An electrical test contactor comprises a contactor main body including a plate-shaped attachment portion extending in the up-down direction, a plate-shaped arm portion extending from the lower end portion of the attachment portion at least to one side in the right-left direction, and a plate-shaped pedestal portion projecting downward from the tip end portion of the arm portion, a contact portion projecting downward from the lower end of the pedestal portion and having the lower end of the contact portion acting as a probe tip, and a resistor having a higher resistance value than the contactor main body and the contact portion and arranged at the contactor main body so as to heighten the resistance value of the contactor.

Abstract: In an electrical connecting apparatus, a thermal deformation restriction member, a reinforcing plate, and an auxiliary member are made of materials having smaller thermal expansion coefficients in this order, and a wiring board supporting a probe assembly is coupled with the reinforcing plate. The auxiliary member has a void inside the coupling region with the reinforcing plate. The void receives the deformed part when the center portion of the wiring board is deformed toward the reinforcing plate. Thus, the thermal deformation restriction member, the reinforcing plate, and the auxiliary member function as a three-layer bimetal having a sandwich structure, and the thermal deformation of the wiring board is restricted effectively.

Abstract: The receiver unit includes a receiver body, a housing containing this receiver body, a cord connected to the receiver body, and a cord protector for protecting the cord. The cord protector is a plate-like member having a substantially rectangular shape, and includes an engaging portion and a semicircular portion. The cord protector is formed of soft material such as urethane rubber having Shore hardness of about A90, and its wall thickness is set to be 0.3 to 0.6 mm (0.5 mm, for example).

Abstract: Disclosed is an improvement in methods for nucleic acid and immunological bioassays. The methods comprise a step for “sweeping” paramagnetic bead: target molecule complexes so as to capture them with an affinity capture agent on a test pad by moving a magnetic force field from outside to inside the test pad area so as to bring into contact the paramagnetic complexes with the capture agent, while sweeping any unbound paramagnetic material off the test pad by moving the magnetic field from inside to outside the test pad area. Surprisingly, the paramagnetic complexes are rapidly affinity-extracted from the moving magnetic field.

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: An integrated heat exchange system on a microfluidic card. According to one aspect of the invention, the portable microfluidic card has a heating, cooling and heat cycling system on-board such that the card can be used portably. The microfluidic card includes one or more reservoirs containing exothermic or endothermic material. Once the chemical process of the reservoir material is activated, the reservoir provides heat or cooling to specific locations of the microfluidic card. Multiple reservoirs may be included on a single card to provide varying temperatures. The assay chemicals can be moved to the various reservoirs to create a thermal cycle useful in many biological reactions, for example, Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) or rtPCR.