Abstract: A compact laser diode monitor for measuring concentrations of individual atomic and molecular species in both gaseous and semitransparent fluids, includes a first diode laser having an output for resonantly exciting a first selected electronic transition of a specific atomic or molecular species of a sample, and a second diode laser having an output for resonantly exciting a second selected electronic transition of said specific atomic or molecular species of said sample. A difference between said first and second frequency outputs is equal to a vibrational energy level difference of the specific atomic or molecular species. Further said first and second frequency outputs are simultaneously directed into said sample, with selected momentum vectors in order to cause the selected atomic or molecular species to emit a coherent photon signal in a selected direction having a frequency equal to twice the first frequency output minus the second frequency output.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for microscopic and spectroscopic analysis and processing of biological cells. The apparatus comprises a laser having an analysis region within the laser cavity for containing one or more biological cells to be analyzed. The presence of a cell within the analysis region in superposition with an activated portion of a gain medium of the laser acts to encode information about the cell upon the laser beam, the cell information being recoverable by an analysis means that preferably includes an array photodetector such as a CCD camera and a spectrometer. The apparatus and method may be used to analyze biomedical cells including blood cells and the like, and may include processing means for manipulating, sorting, or eradicating cells after analysis thereof.

Abstract: A thin film reflecting interference filter (RIF) is designed to suppress unwanted harmonics thereby improving the monochromaticity of the radiation. An interference layer of material which has a well-defined plasma oscillation is deposited on a substrate and a mismatch layer is formed thereon. This interference layer exploits the interference between wavefronts reflected from the layer-substrate and the vacuum-layer interfaces to suppress higher order harmonics, while allowing good reflectance at the fundamental wavelength. This is achieved by positioning the RIF in the radiation at an angle of incidence which is greater than the critical angle of the desired fundamental wavelength, but less than critical angles of the harmonics to be suppressed. The mismatch layer increases the reflectance of the unwanted harmonics at the vacuum-layer interface, thus allowing more complete destructive interference of the unwanted harmonics.

Abstract: A compact spectrum analyzer module suitable as a subsystem in optoelectronic instrumentation is disclosed which analyzer module employs two mirror surfaces to provide a folded optical path to and from a stock concave focusing diffraction grating. The module has mutually perpendicular input and output optical paths whereby input and output slits, or apertures, can be positioned on adjacent, mutually perpendicular faces of a box-like rectangular housing providing more convenience in the location of external system components such as light samplers and detector arrays, in many situations. Mirror orientation is effective to turn the output optical path through ninety degrees from the input path and to generate from polychromatic light a focused output spectrum in a plane parallel with the input path. Both the input path and the focused output spectrum lie, in preferred embodiments, in planes, not necessarily coincident, that are perpendicular to the optical axis of the grating.

Abstract: The invention is a three dimensional sensing system which utilizes two flexibly located cameras for receiving and recording visual information with respect to a sensed object illuminated by a series of light planes. Each pixel of each image is converted to a digital word and the words are grouped into stripes, each stripe comprising contiguous pixels. One pixel of each stripe in one image is selected and an epi-polar line of that point is drawn in the other image. The three dimensional coordinate of each selected point is determined by determining the point on said epi-polar line which also lies on a stripe in the second image and which is closest to a known light plane.

Abstract: An Atomic Absorption Spectrometer in which background absorption is compensated by means of a magnetic field causing a periodic line shift due to the Zeeman Effect, including a line emitting light source, an atomizing device, an optical system, by means of which the measuring light beam can be passed through an atom cloud of the atomizing device, an electromagnet, a converter circuit for converting the mains a.c. voltage into d.c. voltage applied to a capacitor, the winding of the electromagnet being located in the diagonal of a bridge circuit which is supplied with the d.c.

Abstract: A surface inspection device and method wherein an illumination system is arranged so that light from a laser diode is transformed into parallel light which is then directed through a half waveplate to a surface of a reticle to be inspected. A detecting system is arranged so that scattered light from a particle on the surface, for example, is collected by a lens array onto a sensor array. The direction of polarization of the parallel light defined by the half waveplate is made substantially parallel to a plane containing optical axes of the illumination system and the detecting system. Thus, even if an error occurs in the angle of incidence of the parallel light upon the reticle, a change in scattered light intensity due to interference between scattered light is kept small to assure accurate discrimination of the particle.

Abstract: An alignment method for successively aligning a plurality of alignment areas of a plurality of successively supplied substrates with predetermined reference positions, includes four processes. The first process measures the positions of the alignment areas of at least a leading one of the substrates with respect to preassigned positions of the alignment areas comprising a preassigned arrangement of the alignment areas to obtain the actual arrangement of the alignment areas. The second process determines conversion parameters, such that when the relationship between the actual arrangement of alignment areas and the preassigned arrangement of alignment areas obtained in the first process is represented by a conversion formula including the conversion parameters and a correction remainder representing the error in the actual arrangement as compared to the preassigned arrangement, the error becomes a minimum.

Abstract: A spectroscopic apparatus applicable to both ICP (inductively coupled plasma) emission spectroscopy and atomic absorption spectrometry is provided. The spectroscopic apparatus includes a sample unit on which a plasma torch for ICP emission spectroscopy and a heating tube for atomic absorption spectrometry are mounted. A control unit shifts the sample unit to place a plasma flame that is on an end of the plasma torch in front of the light inlet of a spectroscopic unit when the apparatus is operating in the ICP emission spectroscopic mode and to place a central axis of the heating tube in front of the light inlet when the apparatus is operating in the atomic absorption spectrometric mode. The control unit also shifts the apparatus to a two stage spectral mode for ICP emission spectroscopy and to a one stage spectral mode for atomic absorption spectrometry.

Abstract: A multi-sample spectrometer which finds particular application in such applications as on-line process control and monitoring, employs a Hadamard encoding scheme and comprises a source of radiation, a primary encoder to encode radiation from the source, a sample receiver to position the samples in the radiation path, a secondary encoder to modulate the intensity of radiation directed to individual samples, and a detector for receiving radiation from the samples.

Abstract: Connector housings having plural kinds of terminals (plated with different materials, e.g.) are mounted at predetermined locations, positioned and secured by a drive means. A sensor probe which receives a light, of a color detection device, is transferred successively to the locations opposite to the terminals. A color sensor senses a level of a specific color component of the light received by the sensor probe. The sensed level is compared with a predetermined reference level and it can be determined based upon whether the sensed level is higher than the reference level, the kind of the terminals in the connector housings.

Abstract: The curvature of an edge such as the trailing edge of a turbine blade having a specular reflection surface is inspected by illuminating the surface area to be measured with a laser beam and sensing the reflected laser light. The laser beam intensity across the cross-section of the laser beam is varied by a radiation intensity matrix located between the laser beam generator and the edge to be sensed or measured, whereby local radiation intensity variations are provided in the form of illuminating laser beam segments (A, B, C, . . . ) having different intensities. The beam reflected segments (A', B', C', . . . ) have a reflection angle that is equal to the incidence angle of the respective illuminating laser beam segments (A, B, C, . . . ). This fact is used for the correlation (A, A'; B, B'; C, C', . . . ). The reflected beam segments (A', B', C', . . . ) are scanned in a line-by-line fashion whereby the radiation intensity values varying along the curvature are measured.

Abstract: A split-field pupil plane determination apparatus (10) having a wedge assembly (16) with a first glass wedge (18) and a second glass wedge (20) positioned to divide a laser beam (12) into a first laser beam half (22) and a second laser beam half (24) which diverge away from the wedge assembly (16). A wire mask (26) is positioned immediately after the wedge assembly (16) in the path of the laser beam halves (22, 24) such that a shadow thereof is cast as a first shadow half (30) and a second shadow half (32) at the input to a relay telescope (14). The relay telescope (14) causes the laser beam halves (22, 24) to converge such that the first shadow half (30) of the wire mask (26) is aligned with the second shadow half (32) at any subsequent pupil plane (34).

Abstract: A visual sensor coordinate system setting jig comprising a jig including a plurality of feature points arranged at known intervals in an array state corresponding to a visual sensor coordinate system, and a visual sensor to receive an image of the plurality of feature points of the jig, at least three of the plurality of feature points each having a distinguishing appearance which the visual sensor recognizes to discriminate the at least three feature points from the other of the plurality of feature points, the at least three feature points representing an origin and coordinate axes of the visual sensor coordinate system, and the visual sensor to identify the origin and the coordinate axes of the visual sensor coordinate system based on the array state of the plurality of feature points and the distinguishing appearance of the at least three feature points.

Abstract: Reflectance measurement with two monochromatic light beams having different wavelengths is used to obtain curves respective representing the relationship between an insulation film thickness of a semiconductor wafer and the gap between a test electrode and a semiconductor wafer surface. The C-V curve measurement at a fixed gap determines a total capacity of the gap and the insulation film, and a straight line representing the relationship between the gap and the insulation film thickness is obtained from the total capacity. An intersection where the two curves and the straight line cross gives the true values of the gap and the insulation film thickness.

Abstract: Alignment system and method for use by pipefitters. A portable hand tool having the appearances of a flashlight and the capability of projecting a collimated, coherent or otherwise directed, highly focused and narrow light beam is provided a multiply threaded end opposite the end of light emanation, swivel capability about its elongate axis and bubble-type level devices. A targeting subsystem, for use with the light emanating tool, completes the alignment system. A portion of the targeting subsystem uses a vertically adjustable stand having a bracket useful both for alignment of piping and/or pipe supports, as well as for securing target placards. The target placards are indexed referencing elements that are capturable by the stand bracket or otherwise suspendable pipe straps and brackets (supports). The system lends itself to highly diverse forms of application, in a host of piping and plumbing system installations, and is readily manipulable by a single person.

Abstract: A colorimeter is provided in which a measuring pipe diverts a sample of a substance off of a production line into a measuring chamber. A series of cut-off valves control the quantity of the sample accumulated in the measurement zone to ensure sufficient amount for analysis. An optical head having three concentrically aligned light projectors projects light onto the sample. Light reflected off the sample, the wavelength of which indicates the sample's color, is collected by an optical collection system and sent to a color analyzer for comparison with a predetermined color. The measurement chamber is provided with temperature, humidity and level sensors to account for shifts in wavelength due to these parameters.

Abstract: In an atomic absorption spectrophotometer utilizing the direct Zeeman's method, plural lamps are installed in the light source unit in order to enhance the versatility and enable continuous analyses. Accordingly, a plurality of low pressure discharge tubes 14 and hollow cathode lamps 16 in total are mounted on a lamp holder 12 of the light source unit, and by rotating the lamp holder 12, an arbitrary lamp may be positioned at the light source position for measurement. When the low pressure discharge tube 14 is used as the light source, in order to perform background correction by the Zeeman's method, a permanent magnet or an electromagnet 24 for operating a magnetic field on the light source is disposed, and a polarizing unit 26 is disposed on the measurement optical path, so that the direction of polarization of the measurement light to be sent to an atomizing unit 26 is changed over between the atomic absorption measurement mode and the background correction mode.

Abstract: In an alignment method an apparatus for scanning an alignment mark formed on a substrate with a beam of light, and detecting the position of the alignment mark on the basis of a signal conforming to reflected light obtained from the alignment mark, a dummy mark of the same shape as the alignment mark is formed near the alignment mark formed on the substrate, the dummy mark and the alignment mark are continuously scanned by the beam of light, and during the time from after the beam of light has scanned the dummy mark until the scanning of the alignment mark is started, the intensity (signal level) of a first signal obtained in conformity with reflected light reflected by the dummy mark is found to thereby calculate the amplification factor of the signal, and during the scanning of the alignment mark, a second signal obtained in conformity with reflected Light reflected from the alignment mark is amplified with this amplification factor, and the position of the alignment mark is detected on the basis of the amp

Abstract: A time resolved spectroscopy system and method are provided using digital processing techniques of a low power, continuous wave signal generated by a continuous wave light source, such as a cw laser. Time elapse is determined by measuring the time shift of the signal modulation sequence using the cross correlation of a return signal with the reference signal. The high resolution time delay is introduced at the start of each modulation cycle and the high resolution measurement is constructed by interlacing a data set based on the delay information. The high resolution TRS or fluorescence measurement is achieved by correlation calculation of the measured data and the reference code and deconvolving the autocorrelation function of the reference code.