Patents Examined by Jamil Ahmed
  • Patent number: 11221256
    Abstract: To provide a sensor that can improve reliability and image quality. Provided is a sensor including: at least one variable wavelength device including an optical element including at least two optical interference filters, the at least two optical interference filters arranged to face each other, the optical element having a gap between the at least two optical interference filters arranged to face each other, and a variable distance apparatus that changes a distance of the gap; and at least one photoelectric conversion element. The distance of the gap is changed to acquire continuous optical spectra.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Atsushi Toda
  • Patent number: 11209348
    Abstract: Provided are a hair observation method, a phase contrast microscope system, and a preparation. The hair observation method includes capturing an infrared image of the hair using an image sensor that is capable of detecting infrared light. A phase contrast microscope system includes: a stage having a sample placed thereon; an infrared light irradiation source for irradiating infrared light to the sample placed on the stage; an image sensor that is capable of detecting infrared light and configured to capture an infrared image of the sample; and a display apparatus configured to display the infrared image captured by the image sensor. The preparation includes a microscope glass and a plurality of hair pieces that are obtained by cutting one hair and arranged on the microscope glass in a manner parallel with one another from one end to another end in a cutting order.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignees: KYOCERA CORPORATION, RIKEN, ORGAN TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Takashi Tsuji, Koh-ei Toyoshima, Kazuto Miyazaki, Takashi Saotome
  • Patent number: 11199500
    Abstract: A method is useful for recording a microscopic fluorescence image of a sample region. An objective directs a laser beam on the sample region having boundary surface(s). A relative distance between the objective and the sample region is altered along an optical axis of the objective to effectuate respective, different relative distances. A respective set of pixel intensity values are effectuated on sensor pixels of an image sensor by the laser beam and transmitted back through the objective is captured for a respective relative distance. A respective focus metric is determined for a respective relative distance based on the respective set of pixel intensity values captured for the respective relative distance. A preferred relative distance is determined based on the determined focus metrics. The preferred relative distance is set, the sample region is illuminated with excitation radiation and the microscopic fluorescence image is captured via the image sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: EUROIMMUN Medizinische Labordiagnostika AG
    Inventors: Martin Hagen-Eggert, Tilman Johannes Sumpf
  • Patent number: 11199508
    Abstract: A method includes: determining a defective area in a semiconductor device of a semiconductor wafer; thinning the semiconductor wafer from a backside of the semiconductor wafer; bonding a first substrate to the backside of the semiconductor wafer, wherein the first substrate includes an opening and the defective area is exposed through the opening; and performing a test on the defective area by projecting a light beam from the backside through the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY LTD.
    Inventors: Chi-Che Wu, Tsung-Yang Hung, Ming-Yih Wang
  • Patent number: 11195267
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a computerized system including scanning equipment configured to obtain multi-perspective scan data of a slice on a sample. The scanning equipment includes: (i) a light source configured to generate a light beam; (ii) an acousto-optic deflector (AOD) configured to focus the light beam such as to generate a beam train scanned along consecutive lines on the slice, in groups of n?2 successively scanned lines, along each of which the beam train forms at least one illumination spot, respectively; and (iii) one or more detectors configured to sense light returned from the slice. The n?2 lines are scanned different perspectives, respectively. The consecutive lines may be longitudinally displaced relative to one another, such as to overlap in 100·(n?1)/n % of widths thereof, so that the slice may be fully scanned in each of the perspectives.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials Israel Ltd.
    Inventors: Harel Ilan, Doron Korngut, Ori Golani, Ido Almog
  • Patent number: 11193895
    Abstract: It is necessary to guarantee performance by quantitatively evaluating the defect detection sensitivity of an inspection device for using the mirror electron image to detect defect in a semiconductor substrate. The size and position of accidentally formed defects are random, however, and this type of quantitative evaluation has been difficult. This semiconductor substrate 101 for evaluation is for evaluating the defect detection sensitivity of an inspection device and comprises a plurality of first indentations 104 that are formed through the pressing, with a first pressing load, of an indenter having a prescribed hardness and shape into the semiconductor substrate for evaluation. Further, a mirror electron image of the plurality of first indentations of the semiconductor substrate for evaluation is acquired, and the defect detection sensitivity of an inspection device is evaluated through the calculation of the defect detection rate of the plurality of first indentations in the acquired mirror electron image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Tech Corporation
    Inventors: Kentaro Ohira, Masaki Hasegawa, Tomohiko Ogata, Katsunori Onuki, Noriyuki Kaneoka
  • Patent number: 11187583
    Abstract: A method of spectroscopy, comprises: transmitting output radiation to a sample; collecting from the sample input radiation being indicative of interaction between the output radiation and the sample; modulating at least one of the output radiation and the input radiation, wherein at least one of the output radiation and the modulation is characterized by a scanned parameter; combining the input radiation, following the modulation, with a reference signal to provide a combined signal; processing the combined signal to construct a vector describing a dependence of a radiation property of the input radiation on the parameter; and at least partially identifying the sample or a change in comprises sample based on at least the vector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: Ariel Scientific Innovations Ltd.
    Inventors: Shmuel Sternklar, Ziv Glasser
  • Patent number: 11183374
    Abstract: There is provision of a plasma processing apparatus including a chamber; a gas inlet for supplying a first gas containing fluorine and supplying a second gas into the chamber; a plasma generator configured to generate a plasma from the first gas and the second gas supplied into the chamber; an optical emission spectrometer (OES) configured to measure light emission intensities of first radicals and second radicals in the plasma, the first radicals originating from the first gas, the second radicals originating from the second gas; an expendable part disposed in the chamber; and a processor configured to determine a wastage rate of the expendable part based on the measured light emission intensities of the first radicals and the second radicals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Shu Kusano, Yusuke Hirayama
  • Patent number: 11181470
    Abstract: The present technology relates to a sensing system, a sensing method, and a sensing device which are capable of performing measurement with higher accuracy. A sensing system is configured such that a plurality of reference reflection regions having a reflectance corresponding to an inspection target are prepared for each wavelength band which is a target for sensing of the inspection target as reference reflection regions, and is configured to sense the reference reflection region having a reflectance corresponding to the inspection target for each wavelength band which is a target for sensing of the inspection target at the time of sensing a region including the inspection target and the reference reflection region. The present technology can be applied to a system for measuring a vegetation index such as a normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: Sony Group Corporation
    Inventor: Masatoshi Takashima
  • Patent number: 11181472
    Abstract: A device and a process detects alcohol in a gas sample, especially in an exhaled breath sample. A measuring chamber (2) receives the gas sample to be tested. Two IR radiation sources (7, 11) are configured to transmit an IR beam each into the measuring chamber (2). Two IR detectors (9, 13) generate a measured value each depending on an incident IR beam. An analysis unit (10) automatically makes a decision on whether or not the gas sample contains alcohol, doing so depending on the two measured values from the two IR detectors (9, 13).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: Dräger Safety AG & Co. KGaA
    Inventors: Burkhard Stock, Malte Baesler
  • Patent number: 11175182
    Abstract: Provided is a spectral imaging apparatus. The spectral imaging apparatus includes: an optical filter including a plurality of band filter units having different center wavelengths; a sensing device configured to receive light passing through the optical filter; an imaging lens array including a plurality of lens units which respectively correspond to the plurality of band filter units and each implement imaging on the sensing device; and a transparent substrate which is apart from the sensing device. At least one of the optical filter and the imaging lens array is provided on the transparent substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hyochul Kim, Younggeun Roh, Yeonsang Park, Suyeon Lee
  • Patent number: 11162777
    Abstract: A wafer alignment apparatus includes a light source, a light detection device, and a rotation device configured to rotate a wafer. The light source is configured to provide a light directed to the wafer. The light detection device is configured to detect reflected light intensity from the wafer to locate at least one wafer alignment mark of wafer alignment marks separated by a plurality of angles. At least two of those angles are equal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Wei-Hsiang Tseng, Chin-Hsiang Lin, Heng-Hsin Liu, Jui-Chun Peng, Ho-Ping Chen
  • Patent number: 11156549
    Abstract: Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy apparatus for use in analysing a sample comprising a sample receiving location 2 for receiving a sample 3 for analysis; an illumination arrangement 4 for directing light towards a received sample; a detector 6 for detecting light reflected by a received sample; and collection optics 5 for directing light reflected by a received sample towards the detector. The illumination arrangement further comprises an interferometer 42 and a half beam block 45a, 45b which is disposed substantially at a focus in the optical path for blocking light which exits the interferometer, passes said focus, and is reflected from re-entering the interferometer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: PerkinElmer Singapore PTE Limited
    Inventors: Ralph Lance Carter, Robert Alan Hoult
  • Patent number: 11156563
    Abstract: An electronic device for optically checking an appearance of products for defects includes a camera device, at least one white light source, and at least one red light source. The camera device is perpendicular to a side surface of a product to be checked, when the white light source is activated, the camera device captures images of the side surface and corners of the side surface of the product. When the red light source is activated, the camera device captures images of the side surface of the product. The electronic device checks for defects in appearance of the side surface of the product according to the images captured by the camera device, such defects including abnormal colors, stair slope errors, scratches, and sanding marks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: Fu Tai Hua Industry (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Liu-Bin Hu, Bin Zou, Zhi-Cheng Huang
  • Patent number: 11156565
    Abstract: Provided is a method for inspecting a semiconductor device which performs an inspection of a semiconductor device as an object to be inspected, including attaching an adhesive tape to a surface to be inspected of the semiconductor device, acquiring a first pattern image based on a light detected from a region including a surface of the surface to be inspected to which the adhesive tape is attached, inputting an electrical signal to the semiconductor device to which the adhesive tape is attached, acquiring a first heat generation image by detecting light according to heat radiation from the region including the surface to which the adhesive tape is attached in a state in which the electrical signal is input, and superimposing the first pattern image and the first heat generation image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.
    Inventors: Toru Matsumoto, Kazushige Koshikawa
  • Patent number: 11156555
    Abstract: The present application discloses a spectroscopy probe for a Raman spectroscopy system, and methods for preparing filters for the probe. A method for forming an SERS substrate which can optionally be used with the probe is also described. The spectroscopy probe is formed using a double-clad optical fibre probe tip, the double-clad optical fibre (DCF) having a single mode core, multimode inner cladding, and outer cladding, and a micro-filter fixed to the distal end of the optical fibre probe tip. The micro-filter has a short pass or band pass filter configured to align with the DCF core to filter silica Raman background generated by laser excitation in the single mode core, and a long pass filter configured to suppress Rayleigh scattering from the sample while allowing Raman scattered wavelengths to be transmitted through the inner cladding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignees: Swinburne University of Technology, Vanderbilt University
    Inventors: Md Abdullah Al Mamun, Paul Randall Stoddart, Anita Mahadevan-Jansen, Nerida Anne Cole
  • Patent number: 11150191
    Abstract: An apparatus comprises: a photonic cavity; a substrate comprising a waveguide layer, wherein the waveguide layer comprises waveguides configured to direct light towards the photonic cavity; and a wafer comprising: a top side, and a nanowire array affixed to the top side. A method of performing a surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) analysis, the method comprises: directing, using a waveguide layer of a SERS device, an incident light towards a photonic cavity of the SERS device; permitting, using the photonic cavity, a fluid to flow freely into and out of the SERS device; causing, within the photonic cavity, an interaction among the incident light, the fluid, and a nanowire array of the SERS device to create scattered light; converting the scattered light into an electrical signal; and analyzing the electrical signal to determine whether a contaminant exists in the fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: The Board of Regents of the University of Oklahoma
    Inventors: Binbin Weng, Mark A. Nanny, Joseph M. Suflita, Rouzbeh Ghanbarnezhad Moghanloo
  • Patent number: 11143759
    Abstract: An investigative system, comprising: an emitter, said emitter being adapted to output a plurality of pulses, said plurality of pulses being arranged in a first temporal pattern; a receiver adapted to receive said plurality of pulses; and a correlator adapted to correlate the first pattern with the received plurality of pulses to output a correlated pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Richard Mark Stevenson, Jan Huwer, Andrew James Shields
  • Patent number: 11135588
    Abstract: A device for manipulating microdroplets using optically-mediated electrowetting comprising: a first composite wall comprising: a first transparent substrate; a first transparent conductor layer on the substrate having a thickness of 70 to 250 nm; a photoactive layer activated by electromagnetic radiation in the wavelength range 400-1000 nm on the conductor layer having a thickness of 300-1000 nm; and a first dielectric layer on the conductor layer having a thickness of 120-160 nm; a second composite wall comprised of: a second substrate; a second conductor layer on the substrate having a thickness of 70 to 250 nm; and an A/C source to provide a voltage across the first and second composite walls connecting the first and second conductor layers; at least one source of electromagnetic radiation having an energy higher than the bandgap of the photoexcitable layer; and means for manipulating the points of impingement of the electromagnetic radiation on the photoactive layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: LIGHTCAST DISCOVERY LTD
    Inventors: Thomas Henry Isaac, Pedro Cunha, Eoin Sheridan, David Love, Rebecca Palmer, Douglas J. Kelly, Gareth Podd
  • Patent number: 11125647
    Abstract: In some examples, fiber optic virtual sensing may include generating, by a virtual sensor generator that is operatively connected to a device under test (DUT), at least one virtual sensor along the DUT. A DUT interrogator may be operatively connected to the DUT to transmit a stimulus optical signal into the DUT. The DUT interrogator may analyze reflected light resulting from the transmitted stimulus optical signal. The DUT interrogator may determine, based on the analysis of the reflected light, an attribute of the DUT sensed by the at least one virtual sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: VIAVI SOLUTIONS FRANCE SAS
    Inventor: Andre Champavere