Abstract: A far-field optical microscope capable of reaching nanometer-scale resolution using the in-plane image magnification by surface plasmon polaritons is presented. The microscope utilizes a microscopy technique based on the optical properties of a metal-dielectric interface that may, in principle, provide extremely large values of the effective refractive index neff up to 102-103 as seen by the surface plasmons. Thus, the theoretical diffraction limit on resolution becomes ?/2neff, and falls into the nanometer-scale range. The experimental realization of the microscope has demonstrated the optical resolution better than 50 nm for 502 nm illumination wavelength.

Abstract: A compact, triple pass hyperspectral imager (spectrometer). The hyperspectral imager (imaging system) of this invention includes an optical sub-system, a reflective slit element, a reflective dispersive element located substantially at a front plane, the front plane being located on the source side of the optical sub-system, and, a detecting element located substantially at an image surface.

Abstract: According to a first embodiment of the invention, a first and second reticle are used to form layers using a photolithographic process. The first and second reticles each include a grating positioned so that when the reticles are printed, the two gratings will at least partially overlap each other. The two gratings produce an interference pattern, which is used to measure overlay error.

Abstract: An optical monitoring system for monitoring thin film deposition on a substrate includes a support bridge that is attached on an inside of a deposition chamber. The system further includes a fiber optic collimator having an optical fiber for incoming light, and another fiber optic collimator having an optical fiber for transmitted or reflected light from the substrate. The system further includes a shutter that is closed when a desired thin film thickness is deposited on the substrate.

Abstract: A method for measuring pyramid size of pyramids outwardly extending on a textured surface of an object, which method involves emitting from a light source a light beam along a first direction onto a region of the textured surface, measuring an intensity of light received from that region along a second direction, and processing the measured intensity to obtain an average size of pyramids; and a device suitable for measuring pyramid size according to the method.

Abstract: In order to precisely determine a stable measuring region appropriate for a measurement of biological information, and to measure a concentration of a specific component, i.e. biological information, without inconsistency, a biological information measuring device is provided with, a measuring region determining means for determining a measuring region in between an eponychium and a distal interphalangeal joint; an information detector for applying a light to measuring region; a light source for entering a light to information detector; a light detector for detecting a light which exits from the information detector; and a processor for measuring specific component based on information obtained from light detector.

Abstract: A system for orthogonal alignment of a specimen disclosed. The system includes a light-beam illumination source, collection optics, imaging optics, and a tiltable specimen holder. The light-beam source is activated to illuminate a spot on the specimen, and the imaging optics is used image that spot. The location of the spot on the imager is used to determine whether the specimen is orthogonal to the optical axis of the collection optics.

Abstract: A sensor for measuring at least selected component in a composition can include: (a) a broadband light source, (b) an acousto-optic tunable filter (AOTF), (c) means for generating a beam of light from the light source and directing the beam of light at the AOTF wherein the AOTF is tuned to pass detection light having a desired wavelength range to detect the presence of the at least one component in the composition, (d) means for directing the detection light of known wavelength to the composition, (e) detection means for receiving light that emerges from the composition, and (f) a control signal generator configured to provide the AOTF with at least one desired wavelength range that is characteristic of the least one component in the composition. As an example, the sensor can be used to measure the thickness of optically transparent films.

Abstract: A process photometer which includes an insulated and a non-insulated compartment. The insulated compartment is maintained at a relatively constant, elevated temperature. The radiation source, a rotatable filter wheel, a radiation detector, and a means for converting analog output to a digital signal are among the components within the insulated compartment. The non-insulated compartment houses a power supply.

Abstract: A method for the wavelength calibration of echelle spectra, in which the wavelengths are distributed across number of orders is characterised by the steps: recording of a line-rich reference spectrum with known wavelengths for a number of the lines, determination of the position of a number of peaks of the reference spectrum in the recorded spectrum, selection of at least two first lines of known order, position and wavelength, determination of a wavelength scale for the order in which the known lines lie, by means of a fit function ?m(x), determination of a provisional wavelength scale ??m 1(x) for at least one neighboring order m 1, by means of addition/subtraction of a wavelength difference ?FSR which corresponds to a free spectral region, according to ?m 1 ?(x)=?m(x)?FSR with ?FSR=?m(x)/m, determination of the wavelengths of lines in said neighboring order m 1, by means of the provisional wavelength scale ? 1(x), replacement of the provisional wavelength of at least two lines by the reference wavelength f

Abstract: A wafer chuck illumination device for illuminating a light source to detect a position of foreign substances polluting a wafer chuck is provided. The device includes a lamp for generating a white light source, and a collimator lens for transforming the white light source into a beam of parallel rays and for directing the beam of parallel rays to a wafer chuck for detecting and cleaning foreign substances on the wafer chuck.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for exciting and detecting fluorescence in samples are disclosed. In one embodiment, a sample holder for holding a plurality of samples is provided together with an optical manifold having an excitation source, a photo receiver, or both, for each of the plurality of samples. In another embodiment, the optical manifold contains only the excitation source or a photo receiver, and the other is associated with the sample holder. This system permits for rapid excitation and measurement of fluorescence without the use of moving parts and without any opto-mechanical or electronic disturbance. It exhibits an exceptional signal to noise ratio, which permits it to differentiate between very low level differences in fluorescence.

Abstract: An optical alignment detection system for detecting the alignment of a first object relative to a second object is provided. One or more light sources and one or more light detectors, either or both of which are secured relative to the second object, are used to detect the position of one or more light scattering elements on the first object.

Abstract: An optical image measuring apparatus capable of measuring an object to be measured which includes a birefringent layer in a short time is provided. The optical image measuring apparatus includes a broad-band light source, lenses for increasing a diameter of the light beam, a polarizing plate, a half mirror, a wavelength plate for converting the reference light to circularly polarized light, a wavelength plate for converting the signal light to circularly polarized light and converting the signal light to linearly polarized light, a frequency shifter, a polarization beam splitter for separating an S-polarized light component and a P-polarized light component from interference light, CCDs for receiving the respective polarized light components and outputting detection signals each including intensity change information, and a signal processing portion for forming an image reflecting a birefringent property, of an object to be measured based on the intensity change information.

Abstract: An etching end point of a plasma etch is determined by defining an etch-stop condition. A layer formed on a substrate is etched using a plasma. A luminous intensity of the plasma is measured to determine a first luminous intensity. The luminous intensity is measured again after a predetermined time to determine a second luminous intensity. A determination is made whether a disturbance occurs. Compensation is applied to the measured luminous intensity if the disturbance occurs. A determination is made whether the measured luminous intensity or the compensated luminous intensity satisfies the etch stop condition.

Abstract: A spectroscopic apparatus which is compact in size and performs high-precision light-splitting with a large angular dispersion. An optical input-processing section outputs a filtered transmitted light, using a bandpass filter that transmits only wavelength bands at one period of an input light, and collects the filtered transmitted light to generate a collected beam. An optic includes a first reflection surface and a second reflection surface which are high but asymmetric in reflectivity, and causes the collected beam incident thereon to undergo multiple reflections within an inner region between the first reflection surface and the second reflection surface, to thereby cause split beams to be emitted via the second reflection surface. A received light-processing section performs received light processing of the beams emitted from the optic. A control section variably controls at least one of a filter characteristic of the bandpass filter and an optical length through the optic.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for measuring light reflections of an object, comprising a light-source illumination-observation assembly, the assembly comprising: (A) an illumination unit comprising an illumination light source and illumination aperture stop being arranged to provide a confined luminous field, an illumination field stop (307) adapted to provide an illumination beam (305) of light from said confined luminous field, an collimating optical element (309) adapted to collimate said illumination beam and to provide an illumination field (313) on an object; (B) an observation unit comprising: at least one observation field stop adapted to provide an observation beam (306) comprising a ray boundary, at least one focusing optical element (309) adapted to focus said observation beam, an observation light receiver; and (C) at least one common optical element (309) arranged so that said illumination beam and said observation beam form an overlap therein; and (D) a unit separation stop (310) adapted to stop light

Abstract: A real-time method of determining paste solids includes: correlating the refractive index of a paste with solute concentration in a solvent using a plurality of paste solids concentrations, typically including at least two paste solids concentrations greater than about 5 percent; submersing a fiber optic refractometer sensor into a sample and allowing it to equilibrate for a period of from about 30 seconds to about 20 minutes prior to measuring refractive index of the sample; measuring the refractive index of the paste sample with the fiber optic refractometer sensor; and determining the concentration of solute in the sample using the correlation.

Abstract: A method for determining a spatial property of an object includes obtaining a scanning low coherence interference signal from a measurement object that includes two or more interfaces. The scanning low coherence interference signal includes two or more overlapping low coherence interference signals, each of which results from a respective interface. Based on the low coherence interference signal, a spatial property of at least one of the interfaces is determined. In some cases, the determination is based on a subset of the low coherence interference signal rather than on the entirety of the signal. Alternatively, or in addition, the determination can be based on a template, which may be indicative of an instrument response of the interferometer used to obtain the low coherence interference signal.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a novel multi-spectral exogenous fluorescence polarization imaging technique that enables rapid imaging of large tissue fields. The imaging device includes a tunable monochromatic light source and a CCD camera. Linear polarizers are placed into both the incident and collected light pathways in order to obtain fluorescence polarization or/and anisotropy image. To acquire exogenous fluorescence image, fluorescent contrast agents are delivered to a target tissue.