Abstract: A broadband spectroscopic analysis is used for controlling a distance (d) between a miniature solid immersion lens (SIL, 60) and a metrology target (30?). An objective lens arrangement (15, 60) including the SIL illuminates the metrology target with a beam of radiation with different wavelengths and collects a radiation (709) reflected or diffracted by the metrology target. A mounting (64) holds the SIL within a distance from the metrology target that is less than the coherence length of the illuminating radiation (703). A detection arrangement (812, 818) produces a spectrum of the radiation reflected or diffracted by the metrology target. The distance between the SIL and the metrology target or other target surface can be inferred from spectral shifts observed in the detected spectrum. Servo control of the distance is implemented based on these shifts, using an actuator (66).

Abstract: An operating value of a first laser parameter of a laser device in a laser absorption spectrometer is optimized. The wavelength of laser device emitted light is adjusted by the first or a second laser parameter. The laser absorption spectrometer comprises a light intensity detector measuring the laser light intensity from the laser device. For each of multiple values of the first laser parameter: the light intensity detector measures light intensity obtained across a range of second laser parameter values, and an extremum in the light intensity measure and a peak position for the extremum are identified. A range of first laser parameter values is identified within the values of the first laser parameter for which there is a continuous trend in changes to the identified peak position with changes to the first laser parameter. The first laser parameter operating value is set to be within the identified range.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring a curvature of a thin film includes a light emitting module, a first optical module, a second optical module, a third optical module, and an image analysis module. The light emitting module emits a single laser to be used as an incident light. The incident light is transmitted through a first optical path provided by the first optical module, then the incident light is guided by the second optical module to be incident to the thin film through a second optical path. A reflected light reflected by the thin film is transmitted through the second optical path, then guided by the third optical module to be transmitted along a third optical path. The image analysis module determines the curvature of the thin film according to the characteristic of the reflected light.

Abstract: Provided is a decomposition detecting unit that despite a simple configuration, can detect whether or not decomposition occurs in material gas resulting from the vaporization of a semiconductor material. The decomposition detecting unit includes: an NDIR type or laser absorption spectroscopy type absorbance measuring mechanism that measures first absorbance, which is absorbance at a wavelength at which a semiconductor material absorbs light, and second absorbance, which is absorbance at a wavelength at which a material produced when the semiconductor material decomposes absorbs light, of mixed gas containing material gas resulting from the vaporization of the semiconductor material; and a decomposition detection part that detects the decomposition in the material gas on the basis of the ratio between first concentration calculated on the basis of the first absorbance and the second absorbance and second concentration calculated on the basis of the second absorbance.

Abstract: A novel methodology for detecting cloud particles is disclosed herein. This methodology exploits the optical glory phenomenon. According to one embodiment, a method for detecting clouds includes receiving data from a sensor which is configured to measure polarization of scattered light in a direction substantially opposite to the direction of incident light, and identifying, from the received sensor data, a cloud based on the polarization of the scattered light.

Abstract: The invention relates to a detection apparatus (1) for detecting particles on or close to a particles detection surface (5) in a first optical detection mode and in a second optical detection mode, wherein a component of a light detection system (8) and/or a component of an optical system (9) of the detection apparatus is arranged to be used in the first detection mode and in the second detection mode. Since a component of the light detection system and/or a component of the optical system is arranged to be used in the first detection mode and in the second detection mode, this component does not need to be provided twice, i.e. for being used in the first detection mode and for being used in the second detection mode. This can lead to a reduced number of components and can make the detection apparatus technically less complex.

Abstract: A cover plate or lens for an optical metrology device that is positioned under a wafer during measurement is protected with a purge device. The purge device may include a ring that extends around a periphery of the cover plate or lens. The ring includes a plurality of apertures through which a purge gas or air is expelled over the surface of the cover plate or lens. Additionally or alternatively, one or more heating elements may be provided that extend around the periphery of the cover plate or lens. The heating elements heat the cover plate above a dewpoint temperature of contaminant vapor. A heat sensor may be used to monitor the temperature of the cover plate to control the heating elements and/or to compensate for optical changes of the cover plate caused by heating during measurement of a wafer.

Abstract: A floating particle detection device 1 is capable of accurately identifying the type of a floating particle while achieving simplification of a configuration of the device, the device includes: a laser light irradiator (10) that includes a laser light emitting element (11) and a back-monitor-use light receiving element (12); a scattered light receiver (20) that selectively receives light of a predetermined polarization component among scattered light generated when a floating particle (50) is irradiated and that generates a second detection signal; and an identification processor (30) that identifies the type of the floating particle on the basis of a first detection signal and the second detection signal. Incident light entering the back-monitor-use light receiving element (12) includes: a back-monitor-use laser beam (L0); and backscattered light (Lbs) travelling toward the laser light irradiator (10) among the scattered light (Ls).

Abstract: A correction device for an optical measuring apparatus obtains correction data for each scanning position of a light beam from an optical measuring apparatus that includes a light beam scanner which scans with a light beam a measuring region where a measured object is placed, and a light receiver which receives a transmitted light beam from the measuring region. The correction device includes a translucent scale having scale marks arranged at a predetermined pitch, and a support to mount the scale in the measuring region so that an arrangement direction of the scale marks is a scanning direction of the light beam.

Abstract: To make it possible to emit a light pattern with a uniform light quantity within a detection surface in spite of 0th-order diffracted light included therein or to emit a light pattern for overall irradiation with a uniform light quantity distribution, without limiting a degree of freedom for design of the emitted light pattern. In a diffraction optical element according to the invention, a divergence angle converting function that is a function of converting the divergence angle of incident light due to diffraction effect and a light beam splitting function that is a function of splitting an incident light beam into a plurality of light beams due to diffraction effect are combined so that incident light as divergent light is split into a plurality of diffracted lights with different divergence angles from the divergence angle of the incident light and the diffracted lights is emitted.

Abstract: A coin comprises a core made of a first metal, an outer ring surrounding the core concentrically and made of a further metal, and a central ring between the core and outer ring fixedly connected thereto. The central ring consists of an electrically insulating material. Further, the central ring is transparent to electromagnetic waves of a first wavelength range and is less transparent or not transparent to a second wavelength range. Methods for testing the coin are also described.

Abstract: A technique for determining whether or not a fluorescent material exhibits a directionally dependent property, such as anisotropy or chirality, involves illuminating the particle at its excitation wavelength to stimulate fluorescent emission at both a full-frequency (fundamental) wavelength and a half-frequency wavelength. The ratio of the full-frequency signal strength to the half-frequency signal strength provides an indication of the sample's directionally dependent property. This half-frequency spectral analysis can be used to sort anisotropic particles suspended in fluid flowing through a flow cytometer. For instance, the present technique may be used to separate racemic mixtures of chiral enantiomers of cells, pharmaceutical compounds, and other samples.

Abstract: An inspection apparatus which can be accurately calibrated regardless of a use environment or an amount of use time is implemented. A reference substrate 100 provided with a diffraction grating 107 is mounted on a transport system 110, an illumination region 106 is formed on the diffraction grating 107 by light 105 from an illumination optical system 104, reflected light is collected by a detection optical system 108, and an output value from a sensor 111 is measured. It is determined whether or not a difference between a simulation value preserved in a processing section 112 and the output value from the sensor 111 is within a predetermined allowable range, and the optical system is adjusted so that the difference enters the allowable range. Since standard data for performing calibration on the inspection apparatus is obtained by using the diffraction grating, it is possible to implement the inspection apparatus which can be accurately calibrated regardless of a use environment or an amount of use time.

Abstract: Disclosed is a volume sensor having a first axis, a second axis, and a third axis, each axis including a laser source configured to emit a beam; a parallel beam generating assembly configured to receive the beam and split the beam into a first parallel beam and a second parallel beam, a beam-collimating assembly configured to receive the first parallel beam and the second parallel beam and output a first beam sheet and a second beam sheet, the first beam sheet and the second beam sheet being configured to traverse the object aperture; a first collecting lens and a second collecting lens; and a first photodetector and a second photodetector, the first photodetector and the second photodetector configured to output an electrical signal proportional to the object; wherein the first axis, the second axis, and the third axis are arranged at an angular offset with respect to each other.

Abstract: An apparatus for particle size and a distribution of a population of particle measurements, comprising: a non-monochromatic light source that emits a plurality of a non-monochromatic rays, a medium that includes a particle, wherein the medium is a liquid phase and the particle is suspended within the medium to form a particle-suspension, a droplet of the particle-suspension wherein the droplet is provided with a curved surface, and a detector that is provided with a light providing element.

Abstract: Apparatus (100) for measuring particle size distribution by light scattering comprises a blue LED (102) and a 633 nm helium neon laser (104). Light output from the LED and laser is separately passed or reflected by a dichroic element (116) onto a common path through a sample cell (122) containing a sample, the particle size distribution of which is to be measured. Light scattered from the sample cell is detected by one or more detectors (112B-H). Light transmitted by the sample cell is detected by detectors 112A, 112J. Output signals from one or more of the detectors are passed to a computation unit (114) which calculates particle size distribution. A small percentage of light from the blue LED is reflected by the dichroic element to a detector (110). Similarly, a small percentage of light from the laser is passed by the dichroic element to the detector. Output signals from the detector are fed back to control units (106, 108) to stabilize the output power of the LED and laser.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device and method for detecting the wheel center depth of an aluminum wheel cast blank, the device includes a roller way tray, a position sensor, a frame, a CCD camera, a programmable controller and a laser distance measurement sensor, an upper servo-cylinder, a motor support, a servo-motor and a lower servo-cylinder. The invention has the following advantages: the method for automatically detecting and identifying the wheel center depth of an aluminum wheel cast blank is utilized for the identification and classification of wheel cast blanks, so as to reduce the influence of large casting dimension tolerance on the machining dimension tolerance, increase the acceptability rate of products from the automatic machining unit, ensure that the production line automatically runs with high quality and quantity and also reduce the labor intensity of operators.

Abstract: A vehicle for external inspection of tubing conformed by a body with a magnetic traction arrangement in its lower part and at least one inspection device mounted on the body; In which the magnetic drive arrangement includes two front magnetic wheels, a rear magnetic wheel coupled to two servomotors, one for controlling longitudinal advancement and another rudder servomotor for controlling the spin or rotation of this third wheel, and wherein the magnetic drive arrangement Inspection consists of a laser sensor coupled to a linear actuator.

Abstract: Provided herein is an apparatus, including a photon emitter configured for sequentially emitting a first set of photons and a second set of photons onto a surface of an article. In addition, a photon detector array is configured to focus the first set of photons scattered from surface features of the article in a first focal plane. The photon detector array is further configured to focus the second set of photons scattered from surface features of the article in a second focal plane, wherein the first set of photons scattered is different from the second set of photons scattered. The photon detector array is further configured to provide information for distinguishing foreign surface features of the article from native surface features of the article.

Abstract: An apparatus for manipulating surface near-field light resulting from light emitted from a light source that passes through a scattering layer is disclosed. Also, a method of finding a phase of incident light to cause constructive interference at a target spot using light scattering to manipulate the surface near-field.