Nikon Patents

Nikon Corporation manufactures and sells semiconductor and FPD lithography equipment, digital cameras, lenses and accessories, and microscopes and other measuring instruments.

Nikon Patents by Type
  • Nikon Patents Granted: Nikon patents that have been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
  • Nikon Patent Applications: Nikon patent applications that are pending before the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
  • Publication number: 20240134295
    Abstract: A lithography system is provided with: a measurement device measuring position information of marks on a substrate held in a first stage; and an exposure apparatus on a second stage, the substrate for which the position information measurement for the marks has been completed, performs alignment measurement to measure position information for part of marks selected from among the marks on the substrate, and performs exposure. The measurement device measures position information of marks on the substrate to obtain higher-degree components of correction amounts of an arrangement of divided areas, and the exposure apparatus measures position information of a small number of marks on the substrate to obtain lower-degree components of the correction amounts of the arrangement of the divided areas and exposes the plurality of divided areas while controlling the position of the substrate by using the obtained lower-degree components and the higher-degree components obtained by the measurement device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2024
    Publication date: April 25, 2024
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yuichi SHIBAZAKI
  • Publication number: 20240134288
    Abstract: An optical device includes a plurality of laser light sources, an output module having an optical modulator, and a time divider that is disposed between the plurality of laser light sources and the output module and that is configured to divide laser beams emitted from the plurality of laser light sources in time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2023
    Publication date: April 25, 2024
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasushi MIZUNO, Masaki Kato
  • Publication number: 20240134294
    Abstract: A measurement device has: a slider which holds a substrate and is movable parallel to the XY plane; a drive system that drives the slider; a position measurement system which emits beams from a head section to a measurement surface in which grating section are provided on the slider, which receives respective return beams of the beams from the measurement surface, and which is capable of measuring position information in at least directions of three degrees of freedom including the absolute position coordinates of the slider; a mark detection system that detects a mark on the substrate; and a controller which detects the marks on the substrate using the mark detection system while controlling the drive of the slider, and which obtains the absolute position coordinates of each mark based on the detection result of each mark and measurement information by the position measurement system at the time of detection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2023
    Publication date: April 25, 2024
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yuichi SHIBAZAKI
  • Patent number: 11966032
    Abstract: A variable magnification optical system comprises, in order from an object side, a negative first lens group, a positive second lens group, a negative third lens group and a positive fourth lens group. Upon varying a magnification, a distance between the first lens group and the second lens group, a distance between the second lens group and the third lens group, and a distance between the third lens group and the fourth lens group are varied. The first lens group consists of, in order from the object side, a negative lens and a positive lens. The second lens group consists of, in order from the object side, a positive 2a lens group, a positive 2b lens group, and a negative 2c lens group. A downsized system having high optical performance is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Yoko Komatsubara, Takeshi Umeda
  • Patent number: 11967094
    Abstract: To reduce the feel of incongruity in a model, provided is a detection device comprising: a texture detector that detects texture information of a target object from a first position; a position detector that detects depth information to each point in the target object from a second position different from the first position; a region detector that detects a data deficient region in which the depth information has been acquired but the texture information has not been acquired, on the basis of a detection result of the texture detector and a detection result of the position detector; and an adder that adds specific texture information to the data deficient region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Satoshi Hasegawa, Yoshihiro Nakagawa, Masashi Hashimoto
  • Publication number: 20240127473
    Abstract: A processor identifies a first position of a vortex vein from a first fundus image, identifies a second position of the vortex vein from a second fundus image, and generates data of a screen to display the first position and the second position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2019
    Publication date: April 18, 2024
    Applicant: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Mariko Hirokawa, Yasushi Tanabe
  • Publication number: 20240126176
    Abstract: A spatial light modulation unit is used in an exposure apparatus that exposes an exposure pattern onto a photosensitive substrate while moving the photosensitive substrate in a scan direction. The spatial light modulation unit includes: a spatial light modulator having a plurality of elements; a controller that controls the plurality of elements in accordance with the exposure pattern; and a SLM substrate on which the spatial light modulator and the controller are provided. The controller is arranged side by side in the scan direction with respect to the spatial light modulator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2023
    Publication date: April 18, 2024
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasuhito KUBOTA, Yasushi MIZUNO, Masaki KATO, Masaki NISHIMURA, Hitoshi MIZUNO
  • Publication number: 20240123508
    Abstract: A processing system includes: a processing apparatus configured to perform an additive processing on a plurality of objects; and a control apparatus configured to control the processing apparatus, the control apparatus generates, based on a result of a first measurement operation for measuring a shape of a first object of the plurality of objects, first processing control information for controlling the processing apparatus to perform the additive processing on the first object, the processing apparatus performs, based on the first processing control information, the additive processing on the first object and the additive processing on a second object of the plurality of objects that is different from the first object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2021
    Publication date: April 18, 2024
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kazuki UENO
  • Publication number: 20240126178
    Abstract: An exposure apparatus includes a substrate holder configured to hold a substrate and move, a module including a spatial light modulator having light modulation elements that are two-dimensionally arranged, an illumination unit irradiating the spatial light modulator with illumination lights, and a projection unit guiding the illumination light from the light modulation elements to respective light irradiation areas that are two-dimensionally arranged on the substrate in first and second directions, and a control unit configured to drive the substrate holder in a scanning direction, wherein the light modulation elements are two-dimensionally arranged to be inclined at a predetermined angle ? (0°<?<90°) with respect to the scanning direction and a non-scanning direction orthogonal to the scanning direction, and when a predetermined region of the substrate is exposed, the control unit scans the substrate holder at such a speed that spot positions are arranged in a staggered arrangement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2023
    Publication date: April 18, 2024
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masaki KATO, Yasushi Mizuno, Toshiharu Nakashima, Yoshihiko Fujimura
  • Publication number: 20240122465
    Abstract: A visual field testing method is a visual field testing method of testing a visual field range divided into at least a first partial area and a second partial area, the method including: a step of measuring sensitivities of a plural first test points that are included in the first partial area: and a step of performing a process of estimating sensitivities of a plural second test points that are included in the first partial area and are test points other than the first test points, by using the sensitivities of the plural first test points.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2023
    Publication date: April 18, 2024
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Chikara NAKAMURA, Taishi AOKI, Teruo HORIKAWA, Hisao OSAWA
  • Patent number: 11960065
    Abstract: A zoom optical system (ZL) comprises, in order from an object, a first lens group (G1) having a positive refractive power, a second lens group (G2) having a negative refractive power, a third lens group (G3) having a positive refractive power, a fourth lens group (G4) having a positive refractive power and a succeeding lens group (GR). In the zoom optical system, upon zooming, distances between adjacent lens groups change, and the succeeding lens group (GR) includes a plurality of focusing lens groups that have positive refractive powers and move upon focusing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: Kosuke Machida
  • Publication number: 20240118418
    Abstract: A distance measurement apparatus including: a control unit that controls a projection state of light based on a detection result of a target object; a light projection unit that projects light controlled by the control unit onto the target object; and a processing unit that determines a distance to the target object based on a detection result of reflected light. With this, it is possible to accurately project the light onto the target object and determine the distance to the target object by: controlling the projection state of the light based on the detection result of the target object to project the light onto the target object; and determining the distance to the target object based on the detection result of the reflected light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2021
    Publication date: April 11, 2024
    Applicant: NIKON VISION CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kazuki CHIDA
  • Publication number: 20240118622
    Abstract: An exposure apparatus includes a spatial light modulator, a calculation unit configured to calculate positions of first connection portions of a first semiconductor chip provided on a substrate and positions of second connection portions of a second semiconductor chip provided on the substrate, based on a first position measurement result, a second position measurement result, and design information of the first connection portions and the second connection portions, the first position measurement result being a measurement result of positions of measurement points on the first semiconductor chip, the second position measurement result being a measurement result of positions of measurement points on the second semiconductor chip, and an exposure processing unit configured to control the spatial light modulator based on a calculation result by the calculation unit so as to expose wiring patterns connecting the first connection portions and the second connection portions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2023
    Publication date: April 11, 2024
    Applicant: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Masaki KATO, Yasushi Mezuno
  • Publication number: 20240116798
    Abstract: An optical glass comprising: by cation %, more than 0% and up to 40% of a content rate of La3+; 15% to 65% of a content rate of Ti4+; and more than 0% and up to 20% of a content rate of Zr4+; wherein a refractive index (nd) with respect to a d-line is from 2.00 to 2.35.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2023
    Publication date: April 11, 2024
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shuhei TAKASU, Kohei YOSHIMOTO
  • Patent number: 11953833
    Abstract: A compound represented by Formula (1). [In the formula, X represents a halogen atom or an alkoxy group, R1 represents any one group selected from an alkyl group having 1 to 5 carbon atoms, a group represented by Formula (R2-1), and a group represented by Formula (R2-2), R2 represents a group represented by Formula (R2-1) or (R2-2), n0 represents an integer of 0 or greater, n1 represents an integer of 0 to 5, and n2 represents a natural number of 1 to 5.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yusuke Kawakami, Kazuo Yamaguchi, Michiko Itou
  • Patent number: 11954888
    Abstract: A device includes an image processing unit configured to calculate color information of at least one cell in a captured image and a determination unit configured to determine a cultured state of the cell on the basis of the color information calculated by the image processing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroaki Kii, Shinichi Takayama
  • Patent number: 11953664
    Abstract: A zoom optical system includes a positive first lens group, a negative second lens group disposed on an image side of the first lens group, a positive third lens group disposed on an image side of the second lens group, a negative fourth lens group disposed on an image side of the third lens group, and a final lens group disposed on an image side of the fourth lens group and closest to an image. During zooming, distances between lens groups change, and the first lens group moves along an optical axis. A negative focusing lens group is provided, and the final lens group is disposed on an image side of the focusing lens group. A negative vibration proof group of the second lens group may include, in order from an object, a negative lens, an air gap and a cemented lens of a negative lens and a positive lens. The final lens group may have negative refractive power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Takeshi Umeda, Tomoki Ito, Atsushi Shibayama
  • Patent number: 11954872
    Abstract: A first image is projective transformed into a reference image by using a projective transformation matrix on each pixel of the first image. A projective transformation matrix for transforming a tilted image n into a central image G0 is computed based on positions of combinations of twelve corresponding points indicated in a combination of the central image G0 with the tilted image n. The computed projective transformation matrix is then employed to perform a projective transformation of the tilted image n. A projective-transformed tilted image n1 is created thereby.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mariko Hirokawa, Yasushi Tanabe
  • Patent number: 11953498
    Abstract: An image processing device includes: a processor; and a memory encoded with instructions executed by the processor, including: imaging pluripotent stem cells with time in a culture process and acquiring a plurality of images, extracting a colony region of the cells from the image, extracting a high luminance region on the basis of a group of pixels with larger luminance values than a standard value from among pixels constituting the image, extracting an extraction target region with relatively high contrast in the colony region on the basis of the colony and high luminance regions, and outputting the extraction target region as an extraction result, wherein as a relationship among the colony, high luminance, and extraction target regions, the colony region is formed, the high luminance region is then formed therein, and the extraction target region is then formed in the high luminance region in the culture process of the cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomoro Dan, Hiroaki Kii, Takayuki Uozumi, Yasujiro Kiyota
  • Patent number: 11952508
    Abstract: Provided are ITO particles having a non-rectangular parallelepiped shape and an aligned crystal orientation inside particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignees: TOHOKU UNIVERSITY, NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Atsushi Muramatsu, Kiyoshi Kanie, Ryoko Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20240113491
    Abstract: A light amplification apparatus includes: an optical fiber amplification unit that amplifies two pulse laser light having at least a first wavelength ?1 and a second wavelength ?2 that are different from each other while propagating the two pulse laser light with a time difference and outputs first amplified light and second amplified light that are amplified light of the pulse laser light; and an optical distance adjustment unit that differentiates optical distances at which the first amplified light and the second amplified light that are emitted from the optical fiber amplification unit propagate and superimposes the first amplified light and the second amplified light on each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2023
    Publication date: April 4, 2024
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Akira TOKUHISA
  • Publication number: 20240114259
    Abstract: An image sensor includes: a photoelectric conversion unit that photoelectrically converts light to generate an electric charge; a holding unit that holds the electric charge generated by the photoelectric conversion unit; an accumulation unit that accumulates the electric charge generated by the photoelectric conversion unit; a first transfer path that transfers the electric charge generated by the photoelectric conversion unit to the accumulation unit; and a second transfer path that transfers the electric charge generated by the photoelectric conversion unit to the accumulation unit via the holding unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2023
    Publication date: April 4, 2024
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryoji ANDO, Yoshiyuki WATANABE
  • Publication number: 20240111215
    Abstract: An exposure apparatus includes an illumination optical system, a spatial light modulator illuminated by light from the illumination optical system, a projection optical system that irradiates an exposure target with light emitted from the spatial light modulator, a stage on which the exposure target is placed to perform a relative movement between the exposure target and the projection optical system relative to each other in a predetermined scanning direction, and a controller that has a storage in which information relating to exposure pattern is stored and controls exposure for the exposure target. The controller controls the exposure for the exposure target so that a first step of performing a first exposure based on the information relating to the exposure pattern and a second step of performing a second exposure based on at least a portion of the information relating to the exposure pattern used in the first step are executed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2023
    Publication date: April 4, 2024
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masaki KATO, Hitoshi MIZUNO, Yasushi MIZUNO
  • Publication number: 20240110844
    Abstract: An exposure apparatus exposes an object to pattern light generated by a spatial light modulator having a plurality of elements in accordance with drawing data. The exposure apparatus includes a data output unit configured to output the drawing data to the spatial light modulator, an illumination optical system configured to irradiate the spatial light modulator with illumination light, a first movable body configured to hold the object, a projection optical system configured to project an image of the pattern light generated by the spatial light modulator onto the object, a detection unit configured to detect the image of the pattern light that has been projected, and a determination unit configured to determine whether the spatial light modulator is capable of generating pattern light in accordance with the drawing data output from the data output unit, based on a detection result of the detection unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2023
    Publication date: April 4, 2024
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masaki KATO, Hitoshi MIZUNO, Yasushi MIZUNO
  • Publication number: 20240103372
    Abstract: An exposure apparatus includes an exposure module that includes a spatial light modulator and projects and exposes pattern light generated by the spatial light modulator onto a substrate, and a determination unit configured to, when a plurality of substrates scheduled to be arranged on a substrate holder include a first substrate having a defect, determine a plurality of substrates to be arranged on the substrate holder from the plurality of substrates scheduled to be arranged on the substrate holder, based on a predetermined handling method for the first substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2023
    Publication date: March 28, 2024
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masaki KATO, Yasushi MIZUNO
  • Publication number: 20240107198
    Abstract: An image capturing element includes a first substrate having a plurality of pixel blocks including at least one pixel, the plurality of pixel blocks being arranged to be aligned in a row direction and a column direction, and a second substrate having a plurality of control blocks including a conversion unit which converts a signal output from the pixel into a digital signal and a through electrode unit configured to output the signal converted into the digital signal by the conversion unit, the plurality of control blocks being arranged to be aligned in the row direction and the column direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2023
    Publication date: March 28, 2024
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Sota NAKANISHI
  • Publication number: 20240103379
    Abstract: An exposure apparatus includes: an illumination optical system; a spatial light modulator; a projection optical system that illuminates an exposure target with light emitted from the spatial light modulator; and a stage where the exposure target is placed, wherein by the stage moving the exposure target in a predetermined scan direction, the light illuminates the exposure target by the projection optical system scans on the exposure target, the spatial light modulator includes a plurality of mirrors that rotates around a tilt axis extending in a direction orthogonal to both the scan and an optical axis directions of the projection optical system, the mirrors become an ON state by adjusting a tilt of each mirror relative to the scan direction and thereby emit light to the system, and the exposure apparatus includes an angle adjustment mechanism that adjusts a tilt angle of the spatial light modulator relative to the scan direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2023
    Publication date: March 28, 2024
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masaki KATO, Hitoshi MIZUNO, Yasushi MIZUNO
  • Publication number: 20240100689
    Abstract: An encoder device including a position detection unit for detecting position information of a moving part; a magnet having a plurality of polarities along a moving direction of the moving part; and an electric signal generation unit for generating an electric signal, based on a magnetic characteristic of a magnetosensitive part, the electric signal generation unit having the magnetosensitive part whose magnetic characteristic is changed by a change in magnetic field associated with relative movement to the magnet, wherein the magnetosensitive part is disposed so that the magnetosensitive part is spaced apart from a side surface of the magnet in a direction orthogonal to the moving direction and a length direction of the magnetosensitive part is orthogonal to tangential directions of at least some of magnetic field lines of the magnet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2023
    Publication date: March 28, 2024
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Akihiro WATANABE
  • Publication number: 20240102389
    Abstract: A blade member on a surface of which a groove structure is formed, wherein the groove structure includes a plurality of first groove structures, a plurality of second groove structures, and a third groove structure, the plurality of first groove structures are formed to extend in a first direction, the plurality of second groove structures are formed to extend in a second direction that is different from the first direction, the third groove structure extends along a third direction that is different from the first and second directions, and is formed between one first groove structure and one second groove structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2021
    Publication date: March 28, 2024
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masayuki SHIRAISHI, Takahiro KURASHIMA, Baku OGASAWARA
  • Publication number: 20240100627
    Abstract: A shaping apparatus is equipped with: a beam shaping system having a beam irradiation section that includes a condensing optical system which emits a beam and a material processing section which supplies a shaping material irradiated by the beam from the beam irradiation section; and a controller which, on the basis of 3D data of a three-dimensional shaped object to be formed on a target surface, controls a workpiece movement system and the beam shaping system such that a target portion on the target surface is shaped by supplying the shaping material from the material processing section while moving the beam from the beam irradiation section and the target surface on a workpiece (or a table) relative to each other. Further the intensity distribution of the beam in the shaping plane facing the emitting surface of the condensing optical system can be modified.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2023
    Publication date: March 28, 2024
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yuichi SHIBAZAKI
  • Publication number: 20240103249
    Abstract: A lens barrel includes first and second yokes each having a length in an optical axis direction, a third yoke that has a length in the optical axis direction and is disposed between the first and second yokes, first and second magnets disposed on the first and second yokes, respectively, a coil that is penetrated by the third yoke and is movable in the optical axis direction by magnetic forces of the first and second magnets, and a lens holding frame that holds a lens and is movable together with the coil in the optical axis direction, wherein a first plane including a first side surface, which is farther from the third yoke, of the first yoke intersects with a second plane including a second side surface, which is farther from the third yoke, of the second yoke.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2021
    Publication date: March 28, 2024
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Azusa MUTO, Takatoshi ASHIZAWA
  • Patent number: 11941788
    Abstract: An image processing method comprising acquiring a first fundus image obtained by photographing a fundus using first light having a first wavelength, and a second fundus image obtained by photographing the fundus using second light having a second wavelength that is shorter than the first wavelength; specifying, in the first fundus image, respective positions of retinal blood vessels appearing in the second fundus image; and generating a choroidal blood vessel image by processing the positions identified in the first fundus image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Mariko Hirokawa
  • Patent number: 11941801
    Abstract: A device includes: a distribution information acquiring part configured to acquire, based on an image in which a plurality of cells that are cultivated in a predetermined area are imaged, distribution information relating to a distribution in the predetermined area of the plurality of cells; and a determination part configured to determine a cultivated state of the plurality of cells based on the distribution information acquired by the distribution information acquiring part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroaki Kii, Shinichi Takayama
  • Publication number: 20240094557
    Abstract: This eyeglass lens is outstanding in anti-crazing properties, impact resistance properties, and adhesion. The present invention comprises: a lens substrate; a primer layer disposed on the lens substrate; and at least one layer that is disposed on the primer layer and that is selected from the group consisting of a hard-coat layer and a reflection-preventing layer. The primer layer contains a polycarbonate-based polyurethane resin and inorganic oxide particles. The tensile strength of the polycarbonate-based polyurethane resin is over 40 N/mm2. The expansion rate of the polycarbonate-based polyurethane resin is at least 300%, and the inorganic oxide particle content is 10-40% by volume with respect to the total volume of the primer layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2023
    Publication date: March 21, 2024
    Applicant: NIKON-ESSILOR CO.,LTD.
    Inventor: Koichi SAKAI
  • Publication number: 20240090850
    Abstract: An image display method executed by a processor comprises displaying a screen including a two-dimensional fundus image of an examined eye and a three-dimensional eyeball image of the examined eye, finding a second region in the three-dimensional eyeball image that corresponds to a first region specified in the two-dimensional fundus image, and displaying a mark indicating the second region in the three-dimensional eyeball image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2023
    Publication date: March 21, 2024
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Mariko HIROKAWA
  • Patent number: 11933951
    Abstract: A variable magnification optical system comprising, in order from an object side, a first lens group having positive refractive power, a second lens group having negative refractive power, a third lens group having positive refractive power, and a rear lens group having positive refractive power; upon varying a magnification, a distance between the first lens group and the second lens group being varied, a distance between the second lens group and the third lens group being varied, and a distance between the third lens group and the rear lens group being varied; the rear lens group comprising a focusing lens group which is moved upon carrying out focusing from an infinitely distant object to a closely distant object; and predetermined conditional expression(s) being satisfied, thereby various aberrations being corrected superbly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: Takeshi Umeda
  • Patent number: 11934104
    Abstract: An optical apparatus, which illuminates a first area with light from a light source while the first area is longer in a second direction intersecting a first direction than in the first direction, includes a collector optical member which is arranged in an optical path between the light source and the first area, and condenses the light from the light source to form a second area in a predetermined plane, the second area being longer in a fourth direction intersecting a third direction than in the third direction; and a first fly's eye optical member which is provided within the predetermined plane including the second area, and has a plurality of first optical elements guiding the light of the collector optical member to the first area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hideki Komatsuda, Yoshio Kawabe
  • Patent number: 11933950
    Abstract: A variable magnification optical system comprises, in order from an object side, a first lens group G1 having positive refractive power, a second lens group G2 having negative refractive power, a third lens group G3 having positive refractive power and a fourth lens group G4 having negative refractive power; upon varying a magnification, a distance between the first lens group G1 and the second lens group G2 being varied, a distance between the second lens group G2 and the third lens group G3 being varied, and a distance between the third lens group G3 and the fourth lens group G4 being varied; upon focusing, the fourth lens group G4 being moved; and a predetermined conditional expression being satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: Kosuke Machida
  • Patent number: 11936988
    Abstract: Provided is a control device for controlling an imaging condition of a sensor having one or more pixels, comprising an event detection unit for detecting an event indicating that a luminance signal changes in excess of a predetermined threshold value in one or more pixels, and for outputting an event detection signal; a counter for counting a number of events detected by the event detection unit; and a control unit for controlling the imaging condition of the sensor, based on the event detection signal. In addition, provided is a control method for controlling an imaging condition of a sensor having one or more pixels. The control method comprises detecting an event indicating that a luminance signal changes in excess of a predetermined threshold value in one or more pixels; counting a number of events; and controlling the imaging condition of the sensor, based on the detection of events.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hajime Yonemochi
  • Patent number: 11934105
    Abstract: A catoptric system having a reference axis and first, second, and third reflectors. The first reflector contains a pattern-source carrying a substantially one-dimensional pattern. A combination of the second and third reflectors is configured to form an optical image of the pattern, with a demagnification coefficient N>1 in extreme UV light, and with only two beams of light that have originated at the first reflector as a result of irradiation of the first reflector with light incident upon it. An exposure apparatus employing the catoptric system and method of device manufacturing with the use of the exposure apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel Gene Smith, David M. Williamson
  • Publication number: 20240085405
    Abstract: An image processing device includes a determination unit configured to determine a type of autophagy induced in a cell, based on information indicative of autophagic activity in the cell present in a cell image in which the cell is image captured and based on information indicative of congestion of molecules in the cell present in the cell image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2023
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Applicants: NIKON CORPORATION, THE UNIVERSITY OF TOKYO
    Inventors: Kenta IMAI, Mamiko Masutani, Masayuki Murata, Fumi Kano, Yoshiyuki Noguchi
  • Publication number: 20240089629
    Abstract: An image sensor, includes: a first pixel and a second pixel, in a first direction, each including a first photoelectric conversion unit and a light-shielding unit and outputting a signal; a third pixel and a fourth pixel, in the first direction, each including a second photoelectric conversion unit and outputting a signal; a first signal line and a second signal line, in the first direction, each of which can be connected to the first pixel, the second pixel, the third pixel and the fourth pixel; and a control unit that performs a first control in which a signal of the first pixel is output to the first signal line and a signal of the second pixel is output to the second signal line, and a second control in which a signal of the third pixel and a signal of the fourth pixel are output to the first signal line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2023
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Daiki OGURA, Masahiro JUEN, Tomoki HIRATA, Shigeru MATSUMOTO
  • Publication number: 20240090243
    Abstract: An organic semiconductor thin film including a liquid crystalline organic semiconductor, in which Qp and Qt to be measured using a predetermined measurement method satisfy a predetermined requirement (1) and a rocking scan pattern has a ratio Ipeak/Ibas, that is a ratio of Ipeak which is a peak intensity of a maximum peak with respect to Ibas which is a base line value, of less than 10: 0.06?Qp/Qt?0.5 . . . (1).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2023
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Applicants: TOKYO INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jun-ichi HANNA, Hao WU, Hiroaki IINO
  • Publication number: 20240089402
    Abstract: An electronic apparatus includes: an input unit that inputs data for imaging conditions for each of a plurality of imaging regions included in an image capturing unit, different imaging conditions being set for each of the imaging regions; and a recording control unit that correlates the data for imaging conditions inputted from the input unit with the imaging regions and records correlated data in a recording unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2023
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Miyakawa, Naoki Yamagata
  • Publication number: 20240087571
    Abstract: To take security into account and increase user friendliness, an information processing device includes: an input unit to which information is input; an extracting unit extracting predetermined words from the information input to the input unit; a classifying unit classifying the words extracted by the extracting unit into first words and second words; and a converting unit converting the first words by a first conversion method and converting the second words by a second conversion method, the second conversion method being different from the first conversion method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2023
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hideo HOSHUYAMA, Hiroyuki AKIYA, Kazuya UMEYAMA, Keiichi NITTA, Hiroki UWAI, Masakazu SEKIGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20240085794
    Abstract: An illumination optical system configured to illuminate a mask on which a predetermined pattern is formed, includes a plurality of light sources configured to emit pulse lights, an optical system including a division part configured to divide the pulse lights emitted from the plurality of light sources into first pulse light and second pulse light, a delay optical system configured to guide the second pulse light to a second optical path longer than a first optical path through which the first pulse light passes, and a synthesis/division part configured to synthesize the first pulse light and the second pulse light passing through the delay optical system and divide and emit the synthesized pulse light, and an illumination system configured to guide the pulse lights emitted from the optical system to the mask and illuminate the mask.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2023
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masaki KATO, Yasushi MIZUNO, Satoshi KAWADO
  • Publication number: 20240089419
    Abstract: An encoder includes: a correction unit configured to execute gradation correction on RAW image data from an image capture element having optical black on the basis of a gamma coefficient and an optical black value of the optical black; and an encoding unit configured to encode gradation correction RAW image data that has undergone gradation correction by the correction unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2023
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ichiro ANDO, Masaya TAKAHASHI
  • Patent number: 11928794
    Abstract: An image processing device includes a first processing unit which executes blurring processing in a common focus position on each of plural images in mutually different focus positions, an integration unit which generates an integrated image resulting from integration of the plural images on which the blurring processing is executed, and a second processing unit which generates a composite image having a predetermined blur degree by executing sharpening processing on the integrated image generated by the integration unit based on information in which optical information indicating optical characteristics of an optical system in which the plural images are acquired and a blur degree of the blurring processing in the common focus position are composited together along a depth direction of the plural image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tsuneyuki Hagiwara
  • Patent number: D1021991
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: NIKON VISION CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Asano
  • Patent number: RE49928
    Abstract: A plurality of pixels PX include effective pixels and optical black pixels. Signal lines VL are provided corresponding to each column of the pixels PX and supplied with output signals of the pixels PX of the corresponding column. Clip transistors CL are provided corresponding to the respective signal lines VL and limit a potential of the corresponding vertical signal lines VL based on a gate potential. At least in a predetermined operating mode, a potential Vclip_dark is supplied to a gate of one of the clip transistors CL corresponding to at least one pixel column formed of the optical black pixels when reading a noise level from the pixels PX corresponding to the clip transistors CL and when reading a data level from the pixels PX corresponding to the clip transistors CL.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Toru Shima