Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for an interferometer system. An interferometer system may comprise a plurality of light sources, wherein each light source of the plurality is configured to transmit a source beam. The interferometer system may also include an interferometer including a polarizing beam splitter and a reference reflector. The interferometer is configured to receive the source beam and transmit a measurement beam to a target reflector and a reference beam to the reference reflector. Additionally, the interferometer system may include a plurality of receivers, wherein each receiver of the plurality is associated with a light source and configured to receive a mixed beam comprising a reflected measurement beam and a reflected reference beam. Moreover, the interferometer is configured to receive at least one source beam at an angle with respect to an axis perpendicular to a side of the interferometer configured to receive the source beam.

Abstract: In a method of detecting a defect on an object, a preliminary reference image can be obtained from a plurality of comparison regions defined on the object. The preliminary reference image is divided into reference zones by a similar brightness. Each of the reference zones is provided with substantially the same gray level, respectively, to obtain a reference image. Whether a defect exists in an inspection region in the comparison regions is determined using the reference image. Thus, defects in the inspection regions having different brightnesses can be detected using the properly obtained reference image.

Abstract: The penetration depth of surface acoustic wave scales with wavelength. To measure thinner films using impulse stimulated thermal scattering (ISTS) it is advantageous to reduce the measurement wavelength to on the order of 1 micron. One way to reduce the measurement wavelength is to employ a high numerical aperture lens to converge an excitation and probe laser beam in an optical system at wider angles. While doing this, the increased optical/mechanical tolerances can be reduced by fine-tuning the phase between an excitation laser pattern and a probe laser pattern by adjusting either a neutral-density filter or matching plate for a particular wavelength. Blocking unwanted diffraction order beams generated by the optical system with a specialized design beam block plate is needed to retain the long wavelength capability.

Abstract: An acoustic field in a body of water is monitored using a coherent light field emitter applying a distributed light field across the surface of the water to be reflected, and a sensor is used to sense reflected components of the light field above the surface and to provide a signal representing information in the reflected light and related to movements in the water and caused by the acoustic field. The signal is provided from an interferometry technique and useable to derive information on the underwater acoustic field in a useful form.

Abstract: The invention relates to a carrier for a thin layer and a method for the analysis of molecular interactions on and/or in such a thin layer. A thin layer disposed on a carrier is illuminated with electromagnetic radiation from at least one radiation source and a reflected radiation part on boundary surfaces of the thin layer is detected by means of an optoelectronic converter that converts the detected radiation into a frequency- and intensity-dependant photocurrent. A reading voltage is applied to the optoelectronic converter. By changing the reading voltage, the spectral sensitivity of the optoelectronic converter is varied such that a substantially constant photocurrent is obtained. Alternatively or in addition to varying the spectral sensitivity by changing the reading voltage, the reflected radiation part is detected with an optoelectronic converter that is designed as a sensor layer in the carrier.

Abstract: A detector element array for an optical position measuring instrument, by way of such array a fringe pattern resulting in a detector plane can be converted into electrical scanning signals. The detector element array includes a plurality of light-sensitive detector elements disposed in matrix-like fashion in rows and columns. The plurality of light-sensitive detector elements include a first detector element in a first column of the columns, a second detector element in the first column that is adjacent to the first detector element and a third detector element in a second column of the columns that is adjacent to the first column, wherein the third detector element is diagonally adjacent to the first detector element. The detector element array includes a first switch that selectively directly connects the first detector element with the second detector element and a second switch that selectively directly connects the first detector element with the third detector element.

Abstract: In an embodiment of the present invention, an OCT probe is configured by including: a thin and long substantially cylindrical sheath whose distal end is closed; an n-reflecting surface body, as an irradiating device, which has n reflecting surfaces (with n being an integer of three or more) and which is provided in a distal end portion of the sheath; a torque transmitting coil, as a rotating device, which is provided along the longitudinal axis of the sheath and which transmits rotational torque for rotating each of the reflection surfaces of the n-reflecting surface body about the longitudinal axis of the sheath; and n fibers (1) to (n), as an n-channel waveguide device, which are provided and fixed in the sheath in a side by side relationship with the torque transmitting coil.

Abstract: The present invention offers an alternative strategy for the correlation of interference information to chemical and/or physical properties of a sample. This strategy can be implemented in a method and a system, which offer substantial technical and commercial advantages over state of the art techniques based on interference spectroscopy. The invention further provides a method for standardizing an interferometer, as well as a method and a system using the standardized interferometer.

Abstract: An absorption spectrometer provides improved rejection of background radiation signal by employing a frequency-swept laser signal without frequency dithering and performing an effective differentiation of output light from a test cell to eliminate these constant or slowly varying background radiation levels.

Abstract: A temperature measurement apparatus includes a light source; a first splitter that splits a light beam into a measurement beam and a reference beam; a reference beam reflector that reflects the reference beam; an optical path length adjustor; a second splitter that splits the reflected reference beam into a first reflected reference beam and a second reflected reference beam; a first photodetector that measures an interference between the first reflected reference beam and a reflected measurement beam obtained by the measurement beam reflected from a target object; a second photodetector that measures an intensity of the second reflected reference beam; and a temperature calculation unit. The temperature calculation unit calculates a location of the interference by subtracting an output signal of the second photodetector from an output signal of the first photodetector, and calculates a temperature of the target object from the calculated location of the interference.

Abstract: An inspection system and method for serial high-speed image data transfer is provided herein. According to one embodiment, the method may include receiving multiple channels of image data at an input data rate and buffering the image data at the input data rate until the buffered data reaches a predetermined size. Once the predetermined size has been reached, the method may include packing the buffered data, encoding the data packet, serializing the encoded data packet and converting the encoded data packet into an optical signal. In some cases, the image data may be packed along with a data header containing information about the system. Once converted, each optical signal (i.e., representing one data packet) may be transmitted serially over one or more fibre channels to a processing node of the inspection system. In most cases, the data is packed, encoded, serialized and transmitted to the processing node at a data rate much higher than the input data rate.

Abstract: An interferometer includes a cavity including a pair of mirrors defining a cavity length. An input beam and a counter-propagating reference beam are directed into the cavity. The interferometer generates a feedback control signal and an ultrasound signal for optimal performance and measurement of a target, respectively.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for spatially resolved wavefront measurement on a test specimen, a method and apparatus for spatially resolved scattered light determination, a diffraction structure support and a coherent structure support therefor, and also an objective or other radiation exposure device manufactured using such a method, and an associated manufacturing method. An embodiment involves carrying out, for the wavefront measurement, a first shearing measuring operation, which includes a plurality of individual measurements with at least two first shearing directions and spatially resolved detection of shearing interferograms generated, and an analogous second shearing measuring operation with at least one second shearing direction, the at least one second shearing direction being non-parallel to at least one first shearing direction. From the shearing interferograms detected, it is possible e.g.

Abstract: Apparatus, methods, and other embodiments associated with monitoring combustion dynamics in a gas turbine engine environment are described herein. In one embodiment of a system for monitoring combustion dynamics in a gas turbine engine environment, the system includes a transducer and an optical fiber. The transducer is positioned within the gas turbine engine environment, and the transducer includes a diaphragm, a window, and a Fabry-Perot gap. The diaphragm has a reflective surface, and the window has a partially reflective surface. The Fabry-Perot gap is formed between the reflective surface of the diaphragm and the partially reflective surface of the window. The optical fiber is positioned proximate to the window and directs light into the Fabry-Perot gap and receiving light reflected from the Fabry-Perot gap.

Abstract: A scanning sensor system for noncontact optical scanning of object surfaces having a sensor head (2) and an optics unit (3) as system components matched to one another. The optics unit (3) can be attached and positioned with high precision on the sensor head (2) by means of a fixing device (4).

Abstract: A monolithic frame for optics used in interferometers where the material of the monolithic frame may have a substantially different coefficient of thermal expansion from the beamsplitter and compensator without warping, bending or distorting the optics. This is accomplished through providing a securing apparatus holding the optics in place while isolating the expansion thereof from the expansion of the frame. Stability in optical alignment is therefore achieved without requiring a single material or materials of essentially identical coefficients of thermal expansion. The present invention provides stability in situations where it is not possible to utilize a single material for every component of the interferometer.

Abstract: A label-free interferometric biosensor is disclosed which is based on the self-mixing optical interferometer. Inside the biosensor, an incoming beam is divided into two beam portions which pass through a channel and bio materials, respectively. Interference of the portions is realized by the self-mixing effect and used to detect existence of an analyte, such as DNA or protein molecules. The label-free biosensor is compact and can be made on a chip using the semiconductor technology. It is also convenient to use due to moderate alignment requirement. Furthermore, an array of the interferometers fabricated on a chip enables high-throughput and highly parallel measurements.

Abstract: A device for the optical measurement of an optical system, in particular an optical imaging system, is provided. The device includes at least one test optics component arranged on an object side or an image side of the optical system. An immersion fluid is adjacent to at least one of the test optics components. A container for use in this device, a microlithography projection exposure machine equipped with this device, and a method which can be carried out with the aid of this device are also provided. The device and method provide for optical measurement of microlithography projection objectives with high numerical apertures by using wavefront detection with shearing or point diffraction interferometry, or a Moiré measuring technique.

Abstract: The invention relates to scanning pulsed laser systems for optical imaging. Coherent dual scanning laser systems (CDSL) are disclosed and some applications thereof. Various alternatives for implementation are illustrated, including highly integrated configurations. In at least one embodiment a coherent dual scanning laser system (CDSL) includes two passively modelocked fiber oscillators. The oscillators are configured to operate at slightly different repetition rates, such that a difference ?fr in repetition rates is small compared to the values fr1 and fr2 of the repetition rates of the oscillators. The CDSL system also includes a non-linear frequency conversion section optically connected to each oscillator. The section includes a non-linear optical element generating a frequency converted spectral output having a spectral bandwidth and a frequency comb comprising harmonics of the oscillator repetition rates.

Abstract: A method of forming an image of tissue. The method includes non-invasively inserting a fiber-based device into a patient's ear canal and acquiring OCT data from ear tissue while the fiber-based device is in the ear canal. The method also includes converting the OCT data into at least one image.