Abstract: A method to sense pH of a fluid and an optical pH sensor. The method includes the steps of supplying at least a portion of an optical source through an input fiber. The optical source is passed through a sensor head having a sapphire window to a fluid. Optical power reflected from the fluid is collected in a plurality of output fibers in the sensor head. The reflected optical power in the output fibers in the sensor head is thereafter converted to an electrical signal which is used to determine the pH of the fluid.

Abstract: A metrology tool is arranged to measure a parameter of a substrate that has been provided with a pattern in a lithographic apparatus. The metrology tool includes a base frame, a substrate table, a sensor, a displacement system, a balance mass, and a bearing. The substrate table is constructed and arranged to hold the substrate. The sensor is constructed and arranged to measure a parameter of the substrate. The displacement system is configured to displace the substrate table or the sensor with respect to the other in a first direction. The bearing is configured to movably support the first balance mass so as to be substantially free to translate in a direction opposite of the first direction in order to counteract a displacement of the substrate table or sensor in the first direction.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a system and device for evaluating imperfections in a lens for a display for an electronic device. The evaluation device comprises: a substrate; and a pattern imposed on the substrate. The pattern comprises a series of lines in a grid imposed on the substrate wherein when the pattern is viewed through the lens, the series of lines having thickness of between approximately 10 and approximately 150 microns, spaced in intervals between approximately 20 microns and approximately 300 microns from center to center, the pattern is distorted around an area where a defect is present in the lens. With the device, the lens is identifiable as being defective if the pattern appears as a moiré distortion in the area when viewed through the lens.

Abstract: A substrate processing system includes a processing module to process a substrate, a factory interface module configured to accommodate at least one cassette for holding the substrate, a spectrographic monitoring system positioned in or adjoining the factory interface module, and a substrate handler to transfer the substrate between the at least one cassette, the spectrographic monitoring system and the processing module.

Abstract: An optical measuring apparatus includes a light transmission unit, a light reception unit, a measurement value calculation unit, and a correction unit. The light transmission unit forms a beam of light that focuses in a measurement area where a measurement target object is placed and scans the measurement area with the beam of light. The light reception unit receives the beam of light that has passed through the measurement area and outputs a received-light signal on the basis of the received beam of light. The measurement value calculation unit calculates a measurement value that represents the dimension of the measurement target object on the basis of the received-light signal. The correction unit corrects the measurement value on the basis of the amount of change in the strength of the received-light signal per unit of time of scanning the beam of light.

Abstract: A method and system for measuring an optical property of a multi-focal lens are disclosed. One embodiment of the method comprises: filtering out light transmitted by all but one of a plurality of diffraction orders of the lens to provide an unfiltered light from a single diffraction order; receiving the unfiltered light at a wavefront detector; and analyzing the unfiltered light at the wavefront detector to measure the optical property. The multi-focal lens can be a multi-focal diffractive intra-ocular lens. The measured optical property can be a discontinuity in the lens surface. Filtering can comprise blocking all but the unfiltered light using an aperture operable to let through the unfiltered light from the single diffraction order, and/or blocking all but the unfiltered light using an opaque obstruction operable to let through only a selected amount of light corresponding to the light transmitted by the single diffraction order.

Abstract: An exhaust gas analyzer of the present invention includes a sensor unit 11 installed in an exhaust path from an engine, applies laser light to exhaust gas emitted from the engine and receives laser light that has passed through the exhaust gas so as to measure the concentration of a component contained in the gas based on the received laser light. To an aperture 16 formed in a sensor base 15 of the sensor unit 11, an adjustment ring 40 in a circumferential face of which small holes 41 serving as a laser light passage portion is formed and whose inner circumferential face serves as an exhaust gas passage opening 21 is detachably fitted, whereby the sensor unit can be attached so as to conform to different inner diameters of exhaust tubes.

Abstract: An automatic analysis apparatus and an automatic analysis method that can perform both spectrophometric measurements for biochemical tests and the turbidimetric immunoassay with high precision by selectively exchanging a white light or at least one monochromatic light based on analysis conditions determined by a measure condition setting unit for respective measuring object. The automatic analysis apparatus includes an irradiating direction setting unit configured to irradiate the selected white light or at least one monochromatic light based on the analysis conditions onto a reaction cuvette along the same light axis and a light detection unit having a plurality of light receiving elements in order to detect the white light of particular determined wavelength lights and the selected monochromatic light.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for detecting presence of a material of interest on a surface or in a space using spectroscopic techniques. A beam of ultraviolet light is directed to the surface or space to achieve photodissociation of a material of interest in order to produce photofragment molecules that fluoresce when excited by ultraviolet light. Raman scattering of the parent target material and laser-induced fluorescence of the daughter photofragments are collected from the surface or space that may be induced by the beam of ultraviolet light. Raman spectra and fluorescence spectra are generated from the captured Raman scattering and fluorescence. The fluorescence spectra associated with the daughter photofragment molecules and the Raman spectra of the parent target material are analyzed to determine presence of the material of interest on the surface or in the space.

Abstract: This application describes a spectrometer that includes a set of collimating optics to collimate received EMR to produce a collimated EMR. The spectrometer also includes a first dispersive optical element for dispersing the collimated EMR and a second dispersive optical element spaced apart from the first dispersive optical element to produce further dispersed EMR. The first dispersive optical element and the second dispersive optical element cooperate to disperse received EMR into a plurality of even frequency spaced EMR spectra. The spectrometer also includes a detector positioned to receive the EMR after passing though an optical path that includes the set of collimating optics, the first dispersive optical element, the second dispersive optical element, and a set of focusing optics.

Abstract: There is provided a laser energy measuring unit whose laser energy measuring range is widened. The laser energy measuring unit has a filter provided within an optical path of a laser to attenuate energy of the laser, a calculating section for measuring the energy of the laser passing through the filter, and a condenser lens provided on one side of the filter for condensing the laser. The filter has a shading portion for blocking a center part of the laser beam from being transmitted through the filter at a position coincident with the center of the laser. The center part of the laser where its energy is large is cut by the shading portion, and the calculating section measures the part where its energy is not so large. Thereby, it is possible to widen the laser energy measuring range.

Abstract: Method and systems related to obstructing a first predefined portion of at least one defined wavelength of light incident upon a first photo-detector array; and detecting the at least one defined wavelength of light with a photo-detector in a second photo-detector array.

Abstract: An optical locating and tracking system may have two or more optical scanners, one or more optical detectors responsive to radiation from one or more optical sources, and a controller coupled to the detector(s) and the scanner(s). Each scanner has a reflector mounted to a two-dimensional actuator that tilts the reflector about first and second axes. The controller determines whether a given reflector of a given scanner is aligned to provide an optical path between the optical source(s) and the detector(s) from one or more detection signals from the one or more optical detectors. The optical path originates, terminates or is deflected at the object. The controller also determines the object's position in three dimensions from control signals to the two-dimensional actuators of the scanners obtained the reflectors are aligned to provide the optical path. The control signals determine a tilt of each reflector about its first and second axes.

Abstract: A printing medium detecting device capable of accurately detecting an amount of printing media in a paper cassette, an image forming apparatus including the printing medium detecting device, and a method to detect a printing medium. The printing medium detecting device of the image forming apparatus includes a light source to emit a light beam to one side of a stack of printing media housed in a paper cassette, a scanning unit to scan the light beam reflected from the stack and generate a signal based on the light beam, and a computing unit to compute information related to the stack based on the signal, wherein the information includes a number of printing media sheets in the stack.

Abstract: A method of testing a test object, comprising the steps of arranging the test object at a deformable contact element of a holding device, wherein the contact element is at least partially deformed so that at least a partial area of the test object is in gap-free contact with at least a partial area of the contact element, and wherein for at least two contact points of the contact element, which are in contact with the partial area of the test object, upon through-radiation by means of electromagnetic radiation that is parallel to a predefined through-radiation direction, an optical path length of the electromagnetic radiation through the holding device and the test object is substantially identical; having the electromagnetic radiation radiate through the holding device and the test object in parallel to the predefined through-radiation direction detecting the electromagnetic radiation after through-radiation; and evaluating the detected electromagnetic radiation.

Abstract: A measurement apparatus disclosed that has a radiation source configured to provide a measurement beam of radiation such that an individually controllable element of an array of individually controllable elements capable of modulating a beam of radiation, is illuminated by the measurement beam and redirects the measurement beam, and a detector arranged to receive the redirected measurement beam and determine the position at which the redirected measurement beam is incident upon the detector, the position at which the redirected measurement beam is incident upon the detector being indicative of a characteristic of the individually controllable element.

Abstract: A concave diffraction grating device, a reflective dispersion device, and a spectral device of the invention include a diffraction grating plane having an aspherical configuration, wherein the diffraction grating plane is symmetrical in a predetermined direction, and asymmetrical in a direction orthogonal to the predetermined direction in such a manner that the curvature of one end portion of the diffraction grating plane in the direction orthogonal to the predetermined direction is gradually decreased, and the curvature of the other end portion thereof is gradually increased. The concave diffraction grating device, the reflective dispersion device, and the spectral device with the above arrangement have desirable slit image forming performance with respect to all the wavelengths in a visible region, and are suitable for mass-production.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the spectral analysis of metal samples with the following steps: a. Recording of a spectrum of an unknown sample with a number of preset excitation parameters, b. Comparison of the spectrum with stored spectra of a number of control samples, c. Determination of the control sample with the best concordance of spectra, d. Setting of the excitation parameters, which are stored for the best and closest control sample determined in step c, e. Recording of the spectrum of the unknown sample with the excitation parameters set in step d, f. Calculation of the intensity ratios of the analysis lines stored for the control sample and the internal standards of the spectrum recorded in step e.

Abstract: A surface inspection method inspects a surface of a wafer having a repeated pattern formed by double patterning. The method includes: a first step (S121) which applies an inspection light to a surface of a wafer; a second step (S122) which detects a diffracted light from the surface of the wafer to which the inspection light has been applied; and a third step (S123) which checks whether a defect is present in the repeated pattern according to the diffracted light detected in the second step. The second step detects a diffracted light corresponding to a pattern having a pitch multiplied by 2 with respect to the pitch of the repeated pattern.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for detecting defects on a disk surface which projects light on the disk surface by a light transmitting system, receives specula reflection light and scattered light by a light receiving system, exposes defects by performing a two-dimensional frequency filter process on a signal, and performs a defect determination process to extract a linear-shaped isolative defect candidate. Next, the present invention performs a periodicity determination process to classify and detect the periodically generated linear and circular arc defects and the isolatively generated linear and circular arc defects.