Abstract: An optical fingerprint image input device for a mobile apparatus includes: a plate-shaped fingerprint contact member; a distortion correcting member for correcting distortions; light sources disposed at both sides of the fingerprint contact member, other than an inclined surface or a back light source in a liquid crystal display element; focusing means disposed at an inclined surface side of the distortion correcting member; and an image sensor. In other words, the fingerprint contact member and the distortion correcting member having respective set-up inclined angles are disposed to discern sweat, water or oil and to correct a trapezoidal distortion which is a disadvantage that occurs when a thin fingerprint contact medium is used, and to form a lens system comprised of a cylindrical lens and a spherical lens for adjustment of a ratio of transversal to longitudinal widths of an image.

Abstract: Devices, systems and methods for detecting surface characteristics of a sample surface are disclosed. The exemplary system may have a conveying device for moving a sample surface and a light source for reflecting a beam of light off the sample surface. A light detector may receive the beam of light reflected from the sample surface. The area of the beam of light may be unequal to an area of a light detection surface of the light detector. A reference analyzer may determine the optical surface based on a comparison of the reflected light received with known reflected light values for known sample surfaces.

Abstract: A system and method for counting opaque particles within a fluid sample. The system uses an optical lens system to focus a light beam onto a sample on a multi-dimensional translation stage. The translation stage is moved in a pattern such that the intensity of the transmitted light is measured as a function of path length. A photo detector is used to measure the transmitted light through the sample. An analog-to-digital converter quantifies the transmitted light intensity. Changes in light intensity along the path length are correlated with the detection of an opaque particle. Data processing algorithms are implemented to automatically determine the background noise level associated with the acquired data and to set a discriminator level above which a particle is registered. The total number of particles and an areal density is reported along with an estimate of the uncertainty.

Abstract: A device for measuring the reflection factor by irradiating a measurement area of a microchip with light, and in which a light receiving part is made to receive light reflected from the measurement area for determination of the reflection factor of the measurement area. The light receiving part is located in an angular region ?, satisfying the relationship (½)????sin?1(1/n) and being located between angles ?min and ?max, ?min and ?max (in°) being angles which the reflection light forms with respect to a normal on the edge of the irradiated surface of the area to be measured in a virtual plane which contains the emission center of the light emitting part and which is perpendicular to the microchip, wherein ?min is ½ ? and ?max corresponds to sin?1(1/n), where ? (°) is the scattering angle of the light radiated by the light emitting part which is located directly above the area to be measured, and wherein n is the index of refraction of the transparent component.

Abstract: An optical measuring apparatus includes: an illumination system having a toroidal mirror which is by circularly rotating a parabolic curve or its approximate curve around an axis with the focal point of the parabolic curve or the substantial light focusing point of the approximate curve forming a focal point arc; and a plurality of illuminators which are arranged in the vicinity of the focal point arc to reflect beams emanated from the illuminators by the toroidal mirror as parallel beams for projection onto the object surface in different directions on the measurement plane; a light detecting system which detects the reflection beams from the object surface in a specific direction; and a controller/calculator which successively turns on the illuminators, measures the reflection beams from the object surface in respective illuminating directions of the illuminators, and calculates reflection characteristics of the object surface in the respective illuminating directions.

Abstract: A high speed, low cost, apparatus and method of identification, examination of objects and quality control of manufactured parts and sheet materials, the apparatus including a comparator having memory storage of data representative of the surface of a first “standard” spatial linear distribution of light and memory storage of data representative of another portion of the surface, and including an algorithm for comparing data of the standard with data representative of the second spatial linear distribution of light reflected from a surface to determine if there is a correlation between the two spatial distributions.

Abstract: A method and device for measuring a concentration of a preselected gas in a gas sample are disclosed. The device comprises a Herriott type multipass cell (10) having a center axle (74) and a housing (80A, 80B) surrounding and spaced from the axle to provide a tubular sample cavity (84). The gas sample is pumped through the sample cavity via apertures (154, 156) provided in opposed ends of the axle. A first mirror (44) and a second mirror (46) are supported at opposed ends of the axle. A light source, e.g. a laser or LED, is provided for emitting a light beam into the sample cavity via an entry aperture (30) in the first mirror, the light beam having a wave length at which the preselected gas strongly absorbs. The beam is reflected between the mirrors for a number of times before exiting the cell via an exit aperture (48) in the second mirror and impinging on a detector (52).

Abstract: An apparatus and method for monitoring oxygen concentrations in fuel tank ullage comprising providing a sensor head comprising an optical cavity, exposing the optical cavity to an ambient gaseous environment of a fuel tank or air separation module, via a laser light source emitting wavelength modulated light through the cavity, and receiving the wavelength modulated light with a detector.

Abstract: Within a lithography process having a critical dimension, a method, system and structure for determining a focus deviation value relative to an ideal focus position said is disclosed. By projecting a series of lines or spots characterized by the constant pitch size which is greater than the projection devise optical resolution and incrementally increasing widths onto the surface of the photoactive material, wherein the width of at least one of the lines or sports is substantially the same as the critical dimension, and the widths of the other lines or spots are substantially equally distributed around the critical dimension, approximate focus and exposure dose deviation values may be determined.

Abstract: An optical detector measuring a movement of an object in a space on a measurement axis comprises a light source, a reflective portion, a detection unit and a converting unit. The light source comprises a resonance chamber, the light source emitting a laser beam toward the object, the laser beam contacting the object and generating a first scattering beam and a reflection beam, wherein a part of the first scattering beam enters the resonance chamber. The reflective portion reflects the reflection beam toward the object, the reflection beam re-contacting the object and generating a second scattering beam and a sub-reflection beam, wherein a part of the second scattering beam and the sub-reflection beam enter the resonance chamber. The detection unit measures an optical-electrical variation in the resonance chamber to generate an electric signal. The converting unit converts the electric signal to a movement on the measurement axis in the space.

Abstract: The present method uses a spectrophotometric and/or ionisation detection device in which the gas to be analyzed and illuminated by a light source emitting in a range of wavelengths distinct from the one used for spectrophotometry so as to carry out a nephelometric and/or turbidimetric detection, the results of this detection being used to carry out an adjustment of the device for counting the particles and/or for determining the composition of these particles.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for scanning a thread, which is displaceable in the longitudinal direction thereof inside a measuring slot, by means of an optical beam emitted by a light source. The device includes a receiver of light reflected on the thread and a unit for processing electrical signals received by the receiver. The aim of the invention is to develop a small-sized device which is easy to operate and which makes it possible to detect foreign matter contained in the thread in a most selective manner at a high sensitivity. For this purpose, the light emission in at least two wavelength ranges is carried out by means of a light source, with these wavelength ranges being determined by two main wavelengths.

Abstract: In a method according to one embodiment of the invention, aberrations in a lithographic apparatus are detected by printing a test pattern having at least one degree of symmetry and being sensitive to a particular aberration in the apparatus, and using a scatterometer to derive information concerning the aberration. The test structure may comprise a two-bar grating, in which case the inner and outer duty ratios can be reconstructed to derive information indicative of comatic aberration. Alternatively, a hexagonal array of dots can be used, such that scatterometry data can be used to reconstruct dot diameters indicative of 3-wave aberration.

Abstract: Estimating one or more optical characteristics of a Device-Under-Test (DUT). The method, includes directing an optical wavefront, generated by a source, towards a test location and generating at least one ray from the wavefront at the test location. Then for each ray at two or more measurement planes, each measurement plane transverse to the direction of travel of the wavefront and beyond the test location relative to the source at different optical path distances, measuring respective points of intersection of the ray with the measurement planes with and without the DUT at the test location.

Abstract: This invention provides a system and method that enables the use of incoherent light sources, such as light emitting diodes, to provide for the detection of gaseous species which exhibit broadband absorption features (e.g., nitrogen dioxide and the halogen gases). The light emitting diode (LED) is an ideal light source for such an arrangement in that it can be modulated at high frequencies (allowing for omission of external modulation equipment) and provides sufficient illumination within a reasonably narrow wavelength band as compared to, for instance, an incandescent light source. A further advantage of a LED as a light source compared to alternatives such as a gas discharge or arc lamp is that the light output of the LED is highly stable, limited by the stability of the current source used to drive it. Use of a confocal or near-confocal resonant optical cavity maximizes coupling of the light source to the cavity.

Abstract: The invention relates to an optical device in which a spherical aberration is detected. The optical device comprises means (206, 208) for focussing a first radiation beam (203) having a first numerical aperture and a second radiation beam (204) having a second numerical aperture lower than the first numerical aperture, on an information carrier (200). The optical device further comprises means (211) for detecting a first focus error signal corresponding to the first radiation beam and a second focus error signal corresponding to the second radiation beam. In order to measure the spherical aberration of the first radiation beam, due to a variation of the cover layer thickness of the information carrier, the optical device comprises means (212) for measuring a spherical aberration of the first radiation beam from the first and second focus error signals.

Abstract: An improved cell for a walk-off refractometer is disclosed that permits measurement of the differential refractive index, DRI, between a sample fluid and a reference fluid. In addition, the new cell design permits the measurement of the refractive index, RI, of a fluid relative to the refractive index of the material comprising or surrounding the flow cell. Thus a single instrument may be used to measure separately the RI of a sample fluid and the DRI between a sample fluid and a reference fluid. The new flow cell contains two chambers, typical of a DRI instrument, but an asymmetric internal angle in either the sample or the reference chamber. By the provision of this unique structure, it is an objective of this invention to be able to measure the refractive index of a fluid relative to the refractive index of the material comprising the flow cell or relative to the medium surrounding the flow cell, either of which may be considered a measurement of the RI of the fluid.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for optically interrogating a particle comprising obtaining a plurality of optical interrogations from a plurality of orientations relative the particle. In one aspect, the particle is tumbled relative to optical interrogation direction and reflected or transmitted energy is collected and added into a single spectrum that represents a complete spectral composition of the sample.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for optically interrogating a particle comprising obtaining a plurality of optical interrogations from a plurality of orientations relative the particle. In one aspect, the particle is tumbled relative to optical interrogation direction and reflected or transmitted energy is collected and weight of one or several seeds is derived.

Abstract: Provided are methods and devices for measuring the dispersion along a line of sight, using spectral narrow-band light sources with multiple wavelengths, and atmospheric structures, both in the absorptive (imaginary refractive index) and in the dispersive region (real refractive index).