Patents Examined by Gregory J. Toetley
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Patent number: 7391511Abstract: A Raman signal-enhancing structure includes a substrate and a plurality of protrusions located at predetermined positions relative to a surface of the substrate. Each protrusion includes a Raman signal-enhancing material and has cross-sectional dimensions of less than about 50 nanometers. The structure also includes an edge that includes an intersection between two nonparallel surfaces of at least one protrusion. A Raman spectroscopy system includes such a Raman signal-enhancing structure, and Raman spectroscopy may be performed on an analyte using such structures and systems. A method for forming such a Raman signal-enhancing structure includes nanoimprint lithography.Type: GrantFiled: January 31, 2007Date of Patent: June 24, 2008Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.Inventors: Alexandre M. Bratkovski, Shih-Yuan Wang, Zhiyong Li
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Patent number: 7209239Abstract: A system and method for coherent optical inspection are described. In one embodiment, an illuminating beam illuminates a sample, such as a semiconductor wafer, to generate a reflected beam. A reference beam then interferes with the reflected beam to generate an interference pattern at a detector, which records the interference pattern. The interference pattern may then be compared with a comparison image to determine differences between the interference pattern and the comparison image. According to another aspect, the phase difference between the reference beam and the reflected beam may be adjusted to enhance signal contrast. Another embodiment provides for using differential interference techniques to suppress a regular pattern in the sample.Type: GrantFiled: October 2, 2003Date of Patent: April 24, 2007Assignee: KLA-Tencor Technologies CorporationInventors: Shiow-Hwei Hwang, Tao-Yi Fu
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Patent number: 7193708Abstract: Time efficient methodology for investigating a sample system using electromagnetic wavelengths which are not absorbed by oxygen and/or water vapor during evacuation or purging of a substantially enclosed space in which is present the sample system, followed by using wavelengths which are absorbed by oxygen and/or water vapor after the evacuation or purging is sufficiently completed.Type: GrantFiled: October 12, 2003Date of Patent: March 20, 2007Assignee: J.A. Woollam Co., IncInventor: Craig M. Herzinger
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Patent number: 7193728Abstract: A processing apparatus for processing an electronic device having a light emitting unit, includes: a light receiving unit for receiving light emitted by the light emitting unit; a position detector for detecting the position of the electronic device; and a processing unit for processing the electronic device based on the position of the electronic device detected by the position detector.Type: GrantFiled: August 7, 2002Date of Patent: March 20, 2007Assignee: Advantest CorporationInventors: Masayoshi Ichikawa, Takahiro Yamaguchi, Minako Yoshida, Mani Soma
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Patent number: 7180603Abstract: In general, in one aspect, the invention features an interferometer assembly for use in a lithography tool used for fabricating integrated circuits on a wafer, wherein the lithography tool includes a support structure and a stage for positioning the wafer relative to the support structure, the interferometer assembly including an interferometer configured to direct a measurement beam between the stage and the support structure and combine the measurement beam with another beam to form an output beam which includes a phase related to a position of the stage relative to the support structure, wherein the interferometer is mechanically secured to the lithography tool through an interferometer surface selected to cause the phase of the output beam to be insensitive to thermal changes of the interferometer over a range of temperatures.Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 2004Date of Patent: February 20, 2007Assignee: Zygo CorporationInventors: Henry A. Hill, Michael Schroeder, Andrew Eric Carlson
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Patent number: 7180602Abstract: An agile optical sensor based on spectrally agile heterodyne optical interferometric confocal microscopy implemented via an ultra-stable in-line acousto-optic tunable filter (AOTF) based interferometer using double anisotropic acousto-optic Bragg diffraction. One embodiment uses a tunable laser as the light source while other embodiments use a broadband source or a fixed wavelength laser as the source. One embodiment uses anisotropic diffractions in an AOTF to generate two near-collinear orthogonal linear polarization and slightly displaced beams that both pass via a test sample to deliver highly sensitive sample birefringence or material optical retardation measurements. A spherical lens is used to form focused spots for high resolution spatial sampling of the test object. The laser and AOTF tuning allows birefringence measurements taken at different wavelengths, one at a time.Type: GrantFiled: December 10, 2004Date of Patent: February 20, 2007Assignees: Nuonics, Inc., University of Central FloridaInventors: Nabeel Agha Riza, Frank Perez, Amana Bokhari
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Patent number: 7092080Abstract: A light intensity distribution measuring method for measuring the light intensity distribution of a laser beam emitted by a semiconductor laser comprises the steps of measuring light intensities at a plurality of locations in a laser beam emitted by a semiconductor laser and applying their measurement results to a t distribution function to calculate the light intensity distribution. A light intensity distribution measuring device is also described.Type: GrantFiled: November 19, 2003Date of Patent: August 15, 2006Assignee: NIDEC Sankyo CorporationInventor: Hiroshi Sakai
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Patent number: 7079259Abstract: A primary mirror 22 defines an active concave surface 24, a first planar 40 and a first concave 42 alignment surfaces, each facing an active surface 30 defined by a secondary mirror 28. The secondary mirror also defines a second planar 46 a second concave 48 alignment surfaces, each opposite the active surface 30. Alignment beams 64, 66, 68, 70 are reflected from each of the four alignment surfaces, which all face the same direction, to adjust the mirrors. The first planar alignment surface is used to adjust tip and tilt of the primary mirror; the first concave alignment surface is used to position a retro reflector 50 relative to the primary mirror; the second planar alignment surface is used to adjust tip and tilt of the second mirror, and the second concave alignment surface is used to adjust the second mirror in the x, y and z direction relative to the first mirror. The apparatus and method are described for two and three mirror telescopes.Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 2003Date of Patent: July 18, 2006Assignee: Raytheon CompanyInventor: William Conrad Stenton
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Patent number: 6947136Abstract: An illumination system for increasing a light signal from an object passing through a reflection cavity. The reflection cavity is defined by spaced-apart, opposed first and second surfaces disposed on opposite sides of a central volume. Preferably the first reflecting surface forms an acute angle with the second reflecting surface. A beam of light is directed into the reflection cavity so that light is reflected back and forth between the first and second surfaces a plurality of times, illuminating a different portion of the central volume with each pass until, having ranged over the central volume, the light exits the reflection cavity. The “recycling” of the light beam in this manner substantially improves the signal to noise ratio of a detection system used in conjunction with the reflection cavity by increasing an average illumination intensity in the central volume.Type: GrantFiled: October 21, 2003Date of Patent: September 20, 2005Assignee: Amnis CorporationInventors: William E. Ortyn, David A. Basiji, Keith L. Frost, N. Robert McRuer