Abstract: In the first step of an exposure method of the present invention, an alignment optical system is arranged to oppose one of a first mask mark on a photomask and a first substrate mark on a photosensitive substrate, thereby detecting a first deviation amount between the position of the first mask mark and that of the first substrate mark. In the second step, the alignment optical system is arranged to oppose one of a second mask mark on the photomask and a second substrate mark on the photosensitive substrate, thereby detecting a second deviation mark between the position of the second mask mark and that of the second substrate mark. In the third step, correction values for minimizing the first and second deviation amounts are calculated. In the fourth step, the relative positional relationship between the image of an original pattern on the photomask and a shot area on the photosensitive substrate is adjusted on the basis of a correction value.

Abstract: An illuminating apparatus is for use with a visual sensory apparatus, for projecting a light pattern onto a surface to be viewed by the sensory apparatus. The illuminating apparatus comprises: a light source; a patterniser for constraining light emitted from the source to produce on the surface, a light pattern having a light interface, the interface having an extended dimension. The light pattern is caused to move relative to the surface, parallel to the extended dimension of the light interface. The pattern may comprise a plurality of extended straight line interfaces, each interface being parallel to the other interfaces of the plurality. Rather than straight, the plurality may be circular and concentric. Rather than a plurality, the pattern may comprise a single straight line or circular light interface.

Abstract: Provided is a checking apparatus for array electrode substrate, which can check an array electrode substrate in non-contact and at high speed. A probe assembly includes a plurality of electro-optic probes arranged in the staggered relation. Since this arrangement uses a plurality of (for example, eight, sixteen, twenty, forty, etc.) small electro-optic probes, it becomes equivalent to an arrangement of an elongate electro-optic probe, thereby enabling simultaneous measurement of potentials of numerous unit electrodes. Namely, because a measurement light beam is incident into each electro-optic probe and each reflection-return light is detected by a photodector, potentials of unit electrodes in a number corresponding to the number of electro-optic probes can be simultaneously measured.

Abstract: A laser scanning microscope provided with a laser light source, an illuminating optical system for condensing the light from the laser light source to form a light spot on a specimen, a scanning device for causing relative movement of the light spot with respect to the specimen, a photodetector for measuring the amount of light transmitted or reflected by the specimen, and an optical system with positive refraction power for guiding the light beam, transmitted or reflected by the specimen, to the light-receiving plane of the photodetector, wherein the photodetector is composed of a two-dimensional image sensor provided in a position displaced from the conjugate point of the light spot by such an amount that the light beam forms a far-field diffraction pattern of the specimen on the light-receiving plane of the photodetector.

Abstract: An optical device for forming an image of an uneven surface, including a plane-parallel plate with a pair of parallel plane surfaces which is made of a transparent material having a refractive index larger than that of water and transparent to illuminating light. An uneven object (object having an uneven surface) is placed in close contact with one plane surface of the plane-parallel plate. A light source illuminates the uneven object through the plane-parallel plate. Among light rays scattered back into the plane-parallel plate by the uneven object and totally reflected at the other plane surface of the plane-parallel plate, only light that is totally reflected at an angle larger than the critical angle at the boundary between the plane-parallel plate and water is taken in by an image-forming device.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring the relative displacement information between it and a scale on which a diffraction grating is formed has a light source, a separating device for separating a light beam from the light source into a plurality of light beams, a wave combining device for wave-combining the diffracted lights of the plurality of light beams separated by the separating device which are diffracted by the diffraction grating, a light receiver for receiving the interfering lights by the plurality of light beams wave-combined by the wave combining device, the relative displacement information between the apparatus and the scale being measured by the light reception of the light receiver, and an optical device adapted to collimate the plurality of light beams or to form a spherical wave having so large a radius of curvature that it can be regarded as a plane wave of the plurality of light beams in the direction of light beam separation of the separating device and to condense the plurality of light beams in t

Abstract: In an article identification system comprising a plurality of identification regions affixed on an article, a light emitting device for impinging an illuminating light beam onto at least some of the identification regions, a light receiving device for detecting light diffracted by the identification regions, and a determination unit for determining the authenticity of the article according to a pattern of diffracted light detected by the light receiving device, the identification regions consist of a combination of effective and ineffective identification regions which are hardly distinguishable by naked eyes. Thus, the potential forger is not able to know which regions are indeed effective without having any access to a genuine optical reader/writer, and has to duplicate all of the identification regions at a substantial cost and requiring a substantial amount of effort.

Abstract: A particle-containing fluid in a sample cuvette is irradiated by a laser beam from a light source section. The scattered light thus produced passes through converging lenses and a mask and impinges on an etalon interferometer. The etalon only transmits scattered light (Rayleigh scattered light) that is of the same wavelength as the light emitted by the laser light source. The transmitted scattered light components impinges on a photomultiplier, and based on the intensity of the light a calculating section sorts the particles according to size and calculates the number of particles per unit flow amount, the particle size distribution and so forth. To enable adjustments to be made to compensate for the environmental dependency characteristics of the etalon, a control unit is provided which consists of a photodiode and mirrors.

Abstract: An ellipsometry optical system is to analyze light beams reflected from or transmitted through optical devices or materials.

Abstract: A method applicable to an ensemble laser diffraction (ELD) instrument computes a particle size distribution in real time after correction for the multiple scattering phenomena. In one embodiment, a numerical method, similar to the Newton's method, is provided to iteratively calculate the single scattering mode. The present method is hence suitable for use, with high accuracy, in real time controlling and monitoring applications.

Abstract: A monitor and method for monitoring the optical properties of a recording head of a hard disk drive. The monitor includes a light source that reflects a light beam off of the recording head. The reflected light beam is detected by a photodetector. The light beam directed onto the head has an intensity Ii. The light beam reflected from the head has an intensity Io. The photodetector and light source are coupled to a controller which calculates a reflectance R based on the ratio of the intensities Ii and Io. The reflectance R is a function of the optical properties of the recording head. The calculated reflectance R is compared with a threshold value. If the reflectance R exceeds the threshold value the monitor may provide a part fail message which indicates that the optical properties off a particular head deviates from a range of values. The present invention provides a means to quickly monitor the optical properties of recording heads without actually measuring the properties.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of detecting whether at least one die is centered about a thread held taught between two fixed points separated by a distance L, wherein:the thread is excited into vibration;its frequency F of vibration is measured;the corresponding length 1 of vibrating chord between one of said fixed points referred to as a "reference" fixed point and another point referred to as a "contact" point is deduced therefrom; andlength l is compared with length L and with the length of the segment of thread between said reference fixed point and said die, so as to deduce therefrom:either that the thread is touching said die, if length l corresponds to the length of the segment, said contact point then being situated at said die;or else that the thread is not touching said die, if length l is equal to the length L between said two fixed points, in which case said die is properly centered, said contact point then coinciding with the other one of said fixed points.

Abstract: In an optical detector, a light source irradiates coherent light onto an objective. A Fourier transform lens receives the light diffracted and scattered at the objective and Fourier transforms the light to generate a Fourier image, the Fourier image having a high intensity spectral component corresponding to the periodic pattern on the objective and a low intensity spectral component corresponding to the abnormal portion. In an optically-addressed spatial light modulator, each of the optically-addressing part and the light modulating part receives the Fourier image at the corresponding portions.

Abstract: A method and system for three-dimensional imaging of objects, including integrated circuit interconnections to improve the efficiency of triangulation-based laser line scanning systems. A scanning beam is incident at a normal angle to the X,Y inspection plane with the scan line oriented at 45.degree., diagonal to an axis defining a first direction of motion. Motion of the imaging head along the axis is used to acquire line scan images in the non-orthogonal coordinate system.

Abstract: A device and method for grading gemstones. The device utilizes an band pass filter and detector array to obtain the spectral response of a complete image. The gemstone is illuminated in a way that provides for analysis of both reflected and transmitted light. The device utilizes multiple lighting angles to construct an composite image that is used to perform the grading of the gemstone. The device provides spectral photometric data for each individual pixel of the image, or any portion of the gemstone image.

Abstract: Interferometric system for the detection and location of reflector faults of light-guiding structures.This system has a first interferometer comprising an incoherent light source (4), an optical coupler (6) connected to the source and to the structure (2), means (18a, 18b) for the displacement of a support (16) in translation at constant speed, a reflector (24) fixed to the support, photodetection means (26) supplying during a translation of the support an interferogram for a reflector fault of the structure, pulse generating means (28 to 48) and means (50) which sample the interferogram by pulses, which store the samples obtained and locate the reflector faults.

Abstract: A system combines a galvanometer system with a camera to provide information from a workpiece to the camera. The galvanometer rotates mirrors to change the image that is directed from the workpiece into the camera. The inventive method allows the use of the camera to identify the location of points on the workpiece. Further, the system facilitates the use of the camera to store information about a pattern on a workpiece. Also, the system can be utilized to create a computer aided design file of the surface of a workpiece. The system is utilized in the last two methods to serially store bit by bit information about the workpiece in a memory.

Abstract: A method of exposing images of measuring patterns formed on a mask on a photosensitive substrate through a projection optical system, measuring positional deviation quantities of the exposed images of the measuring patterns in a measuring direction and thus measuring imaging characteristics of the projection optical system on the basis of the measured positional deviation quantities. In this method, periodic patterns are used as the measuring patterns, wherein bright and dark portions are arranged at a predetermined pitch in a direction corresponding to the measuring direction. The positional deviation quantity is measured by assuming the image of the periodic pattern as an image of the pattern consisting of the single dark portion on the whole when measuring the positional deviation quantity of the periodic pattern image exposed on the photosensitive substrate in the measuring direction.

Abstract: The twin sensor laser probe and the method are for absolute depth measurement of two distinct points on an object surface. Two light beams emitted by a light source are directed toward the object surface at acute angles relative thereto, to illuminate two distinct points of the object surface having positions depending on depth thereof. The light beams extend on opposite sides of a plane separating the probe in two longitudinal portions and intersecting the object surface. Two optical sensors are positioned above the object surface and extend on the opposite sides of the plane respectively. The two illuminated points are imaged on the sensors by a lens and two parallel mirrors optically arranged to fold the fields of view of the optical sensors. The signals produced by the sensors provide information for the absolute depth measurement of the two points.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for measuring the thickness of a film. The film is illuminated with a low coherence light signal that is preferably generated from a source including two or more LEDs. The light reflected from the surfaces of the film is collected and coupled to an interferometer. The slope of the Fourier transform of the output of the signal from the interferometer is measured to provide a determination of the thickness of the film. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the interferometer output is sampled at fewer than two points per cycle of the low coherence light signal.