Abstract: An observation device observing a sample cultured in a culture vessel includes an illuminating unit including an illumination optical system and illuminating the sample, an image-capturing unit including an imaging sensor and generating an image by capturing an image of the sample illuminated by the illuminating unit, and a wavelength limiting filter being placed on an optical axis of the illumination optical system and between the illuminating unit and the image-capturing unit, and limiting a part of wavelengths of an illumination light from the illumination optical system in accordance with optical absorption properties of an additive contained in a culture medium used for culturing the sample. Accordingly, it is possible to suppress a change of the image resulting from the additive and to enable to generate an appropriate image in an automatic observation.

Abstract: To enable both observations of coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering light and multiphoton fluorescence in a same apparatus so as to observe a specimen by various observation methods. There is provided a laser microscope apparatus comprising: two optical paths for guiding pulsed laser beams having two different frequencies whose frequency difference is approximately equal to a specific molecular vibration frequency in a specimen; a multiplexer for combining the pulsed laser beams guided through these two optical paths; and a frequency dispersion adjuster which is provided on at least one of these two optical paths, and is capable of adjustment to approximately equalize frequency dispersion quantities of the pulsed laser beams guided through the two optical paths.

Abstract: Method for hyper-spectral imaging and analysis of a sample of matter, for identifying and characterizing an object of interest therein. Preparing test solution or suspension of the sample, including adding thereto a spectral marker specific to object of interest, such that if object of interest is in test solution or suspension, object of interest becomes a hyper-spectrally active target which is hyper spectrally detectable and identifiable; adding to test solution or suspension a background reducing chemical, for reducing background interfering effects caused by presence of objects of non-interest in test solution or suspension, thereby increasing hyper spectral detectability of hyper spectrally active target in test solution or suspension; generating and collecting hyper-spectral image data and information of test solution or suspension; and, processing and analyzing thereof.

Abstract: A spectral characteristic measuring apparatus includes: an illuminating section for irradiating illumination light onto a sample; a spectral section for separating light from the sample irradiated with the illumination light into light rays in accordance with wavelengths; a light receiving section including a plurality of light receiving elements for receiving the light rays separated by the spectral section in accordance with wavelengths, and converting the received light rays into electrical output signals; and a storing section for storing a combined central wavelength of each of the light receiving elements calculated in advance based a spectral intensity distribution of the illumination light.

Abstract: The pattern matching processing system includes: a recognition pattern-storage unit which stores a first image data obtained by picking up an image of at least a portion of a lead frame or a substrate of a first object and the second image data obtained by picking up an image of at least a portion of a lead frame of a second object that is different from the first object, respectively, and also stores one of the first image data and the second image data as an ordinary recognition pattern, and the other as an auxiliary recognition pattern; and a recognition unit, which recognizes input image data by a first pattern matching with the ordinary recognition pattern stored in the recognition pattern-storage unit, and also carries out the second pattern matching with the auxiliary recognition pattern when an error is caused in the first pattern matching.

Abstract: According to one embodiment of the present invention, a system for encoding an optical spectrum includes a dispersive element, a digital micromirror device (DMD) array, a detector, and a controller. The dispersive element receives light from a source and disperses the light to yield light components of different wavelengths. The digital micromirror device (DMD) array has micromirrors that modulate the light to encode an optical spectrum of the light. The detector detects the light that has been modulated. The controller generates an intensity versus time waveform representing the optical spectrum of the detected light.

Abstract: Various methods and systems for determining a defect criticality index (DCI) for defects on wafers are provided. One computer-implemented method includes determining critical area information for a portion of a design for a wafer surrounding a defect detected on the wafer by an inspection system based on a location of the defect reported by the inspection system and a size of the defect reported by the inspection system. The method also includes determining a DCI for the defect based on the critical area information, a location of the defect with respect to the critical area information, and the reported size of the defect.

Abstract: Diamonds may be identified as grown by the use of chemical vapor deposition. One or more diamonds may be placed on a surface and exposed to short wavelength light. Diamonds that fluoresce red may be identified as grown by the use of chemical vapor deposition. In some embodiments, the diamonds are cooled prior to exposure to the short wavelength light.

Abstract: An optical inspection tool can automatically perform analysis/operations after the tool has generated data identifying defects (e.g. a defect list) from an inspection run of an object such as a semiconductor wafer. The tool can decouple post-inspection tasks from performing inspection runs so that one or more post-inspection tasks are performed on defect data from a previous inspection run while another inspection run is in progress. This can significantly improve the throughput of the tool when multiple inspections are performed, since the inspection run time effectively is shortened to include only the time the tool is actually used to acquire defect data. One or more post-inspection tasks can be performed, including, but not limited to, merging inspection runs, removing duplicate defects, removing straight-line false alarms, and characterizing defects.

Abstract: An apparatus for inspecting solder printing includes a memory medium, an ideal solder information generation unit, and an image processing unit. Design data are stored in the memory medium. The ideal solder information generation unit generates “ideal solder position information” and “ideal solder sizes” from the ideal solder regions in the design data. The image processing means extracts the actual solder regions of solder on the printed board K from image data imaged by the CCD camera and generates “actual solder position information” from the actual solder regions.

Abstract: Certain examples described herein are directed to optical devices and systems that include first and second optical elements. In some examples, the first optical element may be configured to pass light received from an excitation source, and the second optical element may be optically coupled to the first optical element and may be configured to reflect incident light from the first optical element back to the first optical element and configured to pass the light reflected from the first optical element. Methods using the devices and systems are also described.

Abstract: A spectroscopic system is described that provides at least one of focus of an excitation beam onto a sample, automatic focus of an optical system of the spectroscopic system for collecting a spectroscopic signal, and/or averaging of excitation intensity over a surface area of the sample.

Abstract: A method and system for evaluating a colored gem stone which has been cooled to below a designated temperature are provided. The system includes a cooling unit configured to support and cool a gem stone to below a desired temperature, an electromagnetic radiation source, a spectrometer, an integrating sphere, and a processing unit. The method includes receiving a spectral response of the colored gem stone and sampling a noise component within a range of wavelengths in the spectral response so as to make a baseline determination. The method further includes ascertaining a presence of at least one designated peak within the range of wavelengths as a function of the baseline determination, and evaluating the presence of each of the at least one designated peaks so as to provide an indication of whether the colored gem stone requires further evaluation.

Abstract: A polishing end point detection method is to detect a polishing end point of a workpiece having a multilayer structure. The method is performed by emitting a first light and a second light to a surface of the workpiece at a first angle of incidence and a second angle of incidence, respectively, receiving the first light and the second light reflected from the surface through a polarizing filter, performing a first analyzing process of analyzing a brightness and a saturation of the surface from the first light received, performing a second analyzing process of analyzing a brightness and a saturation of the surface from the second light received, and determining removal of the upper layer based on changes in the brightness and the saturation of the surface.

Abstract: An optical characteristic measuring apparatus of the invention includes a sequentially-readable charge storage sensor array having a plurality of light receiving elements. Irradiation of first illumination light and second illumination light is controlled in such a manner that a period for irradiating the second illumination light onto a sample containing a fluorescent material is included in an integration period of each of the light receiving elements for receiving a wavelength component of fluoresced light from the sample in measuring an optical characteristic of the sample. The optical characteristic measuring apparatus having the above arrangement enables to accurately measure the optical characteristics of samples containing a fluorescent material in a short time by scanning the samples.

Abstract: A probe for near-field light scattering, has, on the tip thereof, at least fine particles containing silver or silver oxide, a titanium oxide layer, and a silver layer at least in the named order from the surface thereof. A process for producing the probe for near-field light scattering comprises at least steps of forming a silver layer, a titanium oxide layer, and fine particles containing silver or silver oxide in the named order on the body of the probe. A near-field optical microscope or a Raman spectroscope, comprises the probe for the near-field light scattering; a control function for bringing the probe into contact with a surface of a test sample; an optical excitation system for producing an exciting light to or vicinity of the tip of the probe; and detecting optical system for detecting detection light emitted form the tip of the probe.

Abstract: Provided is a method of making microarrays that includes providing a substrate with discrete first microfeatures that have a first profile, and depositing vapor-coated materials onto the first microfeatures to form second microfeatures having a second profile that is substantially different from the first profile. Also provided is a method of adding a replication material to the vapor-coated microfeatures to form a mold. Microarrays made by this method can be used as substrates for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS).

Abstract: The present solution is directed to a measuring system and a method for determining spectrometric measurement results with high accuracy. The spectrometric measuring system, comprises a radiation source, an entrance slit, a dispersion element, and a detector with detector elements arranged in a linear or matrix-shaped manner in one or more planes. The detector has an even distribution of at least two different wavelength-selective filters on its detector elements. While detectors from photography and video applications are used for this purpose, use of the invention is not limited to the visible spectral region. Further, color filters on the pixels may be omitted or modified in the manufacturing process. It is also possible to use other types of detectors in which the wavelength-selective filters and associated detectors are arranged one behind each other in a plurality of planes in which complete color information is available to each individual picture point.

Abstract: The present invention has been accomplished to provide an atomic absorption spectrophotometer capable of obtaining measurement data always in the state where the lowest detection limit performance is optimized, without depending on the frequency of the power supply. In a control program which runs on the microcomputer chip 42 mounted on the atomic absorption spectrophotometer 110, a plurality of lighting periods of the light sources 11 and 12 and extraction periods of the sampling data are memorized, whose lowest detection limit performance are optimized for the frequencies (50 Hz and 60 Hz) of the AC power source for driving the AC motor 22.

Abstract: A colour measuring unit (1) comprising a radiation device (2) which emits light onto a surface (9) to be examined, wherein the radiation device (2) comprises at least one semiconductor-based light source (6), and a radiation detector device (12) which receives at least a portion of the light scattered by the surface and outputs a signal characteristic of this light, wherein the radiation detector device (12) allows a spectral analysis of the light impinging thereon. According to the invention, the colour measuring unit comprises at least one sensor device (10) which determines at least one electrical parameter of the light source (6), and also a processor device (14) which outputs from this measured parameter at least one value characteristic of the light emitted by the radiation device (2).