Abstract: A mechanism for moving and positioning a light source so that its light impinges a target as it moves on or off axis of an optical system. A detector may receive scattered light at a same position whether the light impinging the target is on or off axis due to, for example, a telecentric optical system. Further, the light may be positioned so that the detector is maximally impinged with scattered light. An output may go to a processor that sends a signal to the light source to move the emitted light so as to continually impinge the target as it moves on or off axis. An array of light sources may used in lieu of the moving light source. To move the light beam, another light at another position in the array may be selected to replace a previously selected light source.

Abstract: Described are systems and methods for orienting a semiconductor wafer during semiconductor fabrication with the aid of an optical alignment system, the semiconductor wafer having an alignment mark with regular structures, on the basis of which the position of the semiconductor wafer can be determined.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide an analysis device which can reproduce an image of an analysis object more accurately even when an analysis disc is an optical disc having the analysis object therein. A second pickup (106b) is provided for capturing and tracing a track on an analysis disc (201), and a first pickup (106a) is provided which is fixed at a constant distance (L) from the second pickup (106b) on the disc. A signal identical to the tracking signal of the second pickup (106b) is applied to a tracking actuator for driving the optical path of the first pickup (106a) in the radial direction of the analysis disc. A part of an analysis object (110) is traced and read while the position of the second pickup (106b) in the radial direction is controlled at times.

Abstract: A colorimeter measured value control system for controlling the measured values of plural colorimeters, including: a plurality of terminal apparatuses, each arranged for each base, having transmission section for transmitting the measured values of a color sample measured by each colorimeter; and a control server having: a storage section for storing measured values of the color sample measured by a standard colorimeter as standard values; a reception section for receiving the measured values; a determining section for determining the correction formula for approximating the measured values to the standard values stored; and a registration section for registering the correction formula, as the correction formula for correcting the error of the measured values of the colorimeter.

Abstract: A movable portion of a substrate carrier handler is extended into a transport path along which a substrate carrier transport system transports a substrate carrier, respective kinematic coupling events are detected between corresponding interface elements of the movable portion and the substrate carrier, respective signals are generated in response thereto, and an alignment offset between the substrate carrier and the substrate carrier transport system is determined based on the signals. A movable portion matches an elevation, position, and/or a speed/velocity of a substrate carrier moving along the transport path. Sensors for detecting kinematic coupling and generating signals in response thereto are provided on the movable portion. An end effector includes a support with interface elements and sensors for detecting kinematic coupling and generating respective signals.

Abstract: The present invention provides a positioning apparatus capable of performing six-axis micro adjustment of an optical element in an exposure apparatus with high accuracy, and the exposure apparatus. The positioning apparatus of the present invention includes a first measurement unit for measuring a position/inclination of a moving part having an optical element while being kept from contact with the moving part, and a driving unit capable of driving the moving part in directions of six axes with respect to a fixed part while being kept from contact with the moving part, based on the result of measurement by the first measurement unit.

Abstract: An optical test apparatus comprises: a) a motor rotating a spindle which in turn rotates a workpiece such as a magnetic disk substrate; b) an upper test head comprising a laser for providing an upper laser beam to the upper surface of the workpiece, an upper lens for receiving light reflected from the upper surface, and an upper detector for generating a signal indicative of the received light; and c) a lower test head comprising a lower laser providing a laser beam to the lower surface of the workpiece, a lower lens for receiving light reflected from the lower surface and a lower detector for generating a signal indicative of the received light. The path of the lower laser beam is displaced from a radial direction of the workpiece so that the lower lens can be placed closer to the laser spot than if it was not displaced.

Abstract: A maskless lithography tool that includes a reference reticle having reference features for tuning and calibrating the tool. The reference reticle is illuminated by a illumination source to form a reference image of the reference features. A signal is applied to an active contrast device of the tool to form a die pattern that includes the reference features. The contrast device is illuminated by the illumination source to form a die image of reference features. An image scanner captures the reference image and the die image. A comparison of the images is used to make tuning and calibrating adjustments to the tool. The reference reticle can be used to debug and characterize the tool even when the operation of the contrast device is not completely understood because the reference features of the reference reticle are independent of the tool's contrast device and pattern generating data stream.