Patents Examined by Samuel A. Turner
  • Patent number: 7443511
    Abstract: A lithographic interferometer system includes a beam generating mechanism, mirrors which reflect those beams, and detection devices configured to detect an interference pattern of overlapping reflected beams. The beam generating mechanism includes a beam-splitter, which splits the beams into reference beams and measuring beams, a reference mirror that provides a plane mirror interferometer, and a reflective surface that emits at least one reference beam used in a differential plane mirror interferometer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2008
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Emiel Jozef Melanie Eussen, Marcel Hendrikus Maria Beems, Engelbertus Antonius Fransiscus Van Der Pasch
  • Patent number: 7440114
    Abstract: An off axis paraboloid mirror is used to provide object illumination in an interferometric imaging system. The light from an object illumination light source diverges from a point apart from the focus point of the paraboloid, proceeds to the parabolic mirror surface, and is reflected as a nearly parallel beam to illuminate the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Coherix, Inc.
    Inventors: Alex Klooster, Carl C. Aleksoff
  • Patent number: 7433049
    Abstract: In general, in one aspect, the invention features methods that include locating a plurality of alignment marks on a moveable stage, interferometrically measuring a position of a measurement object along an interferometer axis for each of the alignment mark locations, and using the interferometric position measurements to derive information about a surface figure of the measurement object. The position of the measurement object is measured using an interferometry assembly and either the measurement object or the interferometry assembly are attached to the stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignee: Zygo Corporation
    Inventors: Henry A. Hill, Gary Womack
  • Patent number: 7433058
    Abstract: An interferometric method for determining a height profile of regions of the surface area of an object or of several objects, wherein the regions are substantially in different planes, is presented. The optical path of at least one portion of intensity coming from one of the regions is modified while obtaining at least one image, wherein each image contains the portion of intensity and corresponds to an intensity pattern projected on the regions. An object phase associated with the regions is established using the obtained image(s) and a height profile of the regions is determined using the object phase and a reference phase. An optical assembly is used for directing along a common detection axis an intensity coming from said regions that would be otherwise out of sight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignee: SolVision Inc.
    Inventors: Michel Cantin, Benoit Quirion
  • Patent number: 7417741
    Abstract: A scanningdelay line for use in optical coherence tomography apparatus has a tiltable mirror, and optical convergence means for converging light incident, a dispersive element for dispersing light incident, and an optical-redirector for changing the direction of an icident beam light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2008
    Assignee: OTI Ophthalmic Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Adrian Gh. Podoleanu, John A. Rogers
  • Patent number: 7411682
    Abstract: Real time high speed high resolution hyper-spectral imaging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Green Vision Systems Ltd.
    Inventor: Danny S. Moshe
  • Patent number: 7411683
    Abstract: Time magnification and heterodyning are combined to allow the single-shot characterization of the electric field of optical waveforms. The electric field of the source under test is obtained by Fourier processing of the magnified temporal intensity of the source heterodyned with a monochromatic source. An experimental implementation of this technique is characterized and used to measure various optical signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Lucent Technologies Inc.
    Inventor: Christophe Dorrer
  • Patent number: 7408652
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2008
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT AG
    Inventors: Ulrich Wegmann, Uwe Schellhorn, Joachim Stuehler, Helmut Haidner, Albrecht Ehrmann, Martin Schriever, Markus Gobppert
  • Patent number: 7403291
    Abstract: An adjusting method measures a wavefront aberration in a first direction of a target optical system and a wavefront aberration in a second direction different from the first direction of the target optical system, and calculates a first correction value and a second correction value based on a determinant assuming that a matrix that is made by adding a first correction value to each column of the first matrix is equal to a matrix that is made by adding a second correction value to each row of the second matrix. The first correction value is different every column, and the second correction value is different every row. The first matrix represents the wavefront aberration in the first direction, and the second matrix represents the wavefront aberration in the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuki Yamamoto, Akihiro Nakauchi
  • Patent number: 7397569
    Abstract: A system and method for interferometric height measurement. A first coherent light beam and a second coherent light beam is generated. At least the first coherent light beam is reflected from a first region into a first return beam and the second coherent light beam is reflected from a second region into a second return beam. At least a first reflectivity of the first region is measured. A topography-dependent phase shift of the first return beam and the second return beam is determined with reference to a curve relating the first reflectivity to a material-dependent phase shift. A height based on the topography-dependent phase shift is measured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2008
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gernot Brasen, Christian Laue, Matthias Loeffler, Heiko Theuer
  • Patent number: 7394547
    Abstract: Apparatus and method for detecting the presence or amount or rate of binding of an analyte in a sample solution is disclosed. The apparatus includes an optical assembly having first and second reflecting surfaces separated by a distance “d” greater than 50 nm, where the first surface is formed by a layer of analyte-binding molecules, and a light source for directing a beam of light onto said first and second reflecting surface. A detector in the apparatus operates to detect a change in the thickness of the first reflecting layer resulting from binding of analyte to the analyte-binding molecules, when the assembly is placed in the solution of analyte, by detecting a shift in phase of light waves reflected from the first and second surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2008
    Assignee: ForteBio, Inc.
    Inventors: Hong Tan, Duan Jun Chen, Yushan Tan, Krista Leah Witte
  • Patent number: 7388670
    Abstract: A method of stabilizing beam power in a ring LASER gyroscope (RKG) during high vibration is provided. The method comprises modifying an electrical signal output from an RLG photodetector to generate a direct current (DC) feedback signal, the DC levels of the feedback signal being proportional to RLG beam power. The method further comprises comparing the DC levels of the feedback signal to a DC reference signal, wherein the DC levels of the reference signal are proportional to a desired RLG beam power level. The method also comprises generating a difference signal representing a difference signal representing a difference between the DC levels of the reference signal and the feedback signal and adjusting RLG beam power based on the difference signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2008
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventor: David O. Fellows
  • Patent number: 7388671
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for attenuating polarization errors in ring resonators of fiber optic gyros. A ring resonator is provided having first and second resonance frequencies and comprising an optical fiber coil having a hollow core and first and second ends, a light beam generator coupled to the optical fiber coil and configured to generate first and second counter-propagating beams in the hollow core, and a light recirculator coupled to the first and second ends of the optical fiber coil and configured to direct a first light beam exiting the first end of the optical fiber coil into the second end of the optical fiber coil. The first light beam is based on one of the first and second counter-propagating beams. The light recirculator comprises a first polarizing unit configured to reflect a first polarized component of the first light beam and further configured to extract a second polarized component of the first light beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2008
    Assignee: Honeywell International, Inc.
    Inventors: Glen Aaron Sanders, Lee Kevin Strandjord
  • Patent number: 7388668
    Abstract: A system is disclosed for detecting a non-linear coherent field induced in a sample volume. The system includes a first source for generating a first electromagnetic field at a first frequency, a second source for generating a second electromagnetic field at a second frequency, first optics for directing the first and second electromagnetic fields toward the sample volume, second optics for directing the first and second electromagnetic fields toward a local oscillator volume, and an interferometer. The interferometer is for interfering a first scattering field that is generated by the interaction of the first and second electromagnetic fields in the sample volume, with a second scattering field that is generated by the interaction of the first and second electromagnetic fields in the local oscillator volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2008
    Assignee: President & Fellows of Harvard College
    Inventors: Eric O. Potma, Conor Evans, Xiaoliang Sunney Xie
  • Patent number: 7379191
    Abstract: A combination interferometer (ifo) inspection device is provided which includes a Twyman-Green (T-G) ifo optically coupled to a Mach-Zehnder (M-Z) ifo. MEMS and MOEMS versions permit substantial reduction in size and weight to permit permanently embedding an inspection device into an optical system which permits remote and automated inspection and/or adjustment of the optical system. The inspection device permits use of different coherence length light sources and receipt of an output signal from an optical system. The addition of the T-G ifo to the M-Z ifo aids pinhole alignment and general alignment to the optical system under test, as well as inspection with long coherence sources, while the addition of the M-Z ifo permits measurement with long or short coherence sources, allows measurement of the output beam, and permits the system to operate in a receive-only mode with an external source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2008
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Lawrence D. Brooks
  • Patent number: 7375820
    Abstract: Interference measuring apparatus having an optical system for dividing a coherent light beam into two light beams, and causing the divided two light beams to pass along discrete optical paths. The light beams are made into linearly polarized light beams orthogonal to each other and given modulation to the phase of the wave front of at least one of them. The wave fronts of the linearly polarized light beams are superposed one upon the others. A light dividing member divides the light beams superposed one upon the other by the optical system into a plurality of light beams. A polarizing plate takes out each light beam with a 45° polarized component, and a plurality of light receiving elements individually receive the light beams taken out by the polarizing plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ko Ishizuka, Hidejiro Kadowaki, Yasushi Kaneda, Shigeki Kato, Takayuki Kadoshima, Sakae Horyu
  • Patent number: 7372576
    Abstract: A light source system includes a beam source generating a first input beam of light with first and second beam components. The first component has a first linear polarization and a first frequency. The second component has a second linear polarization and a second frequency. The first and second linear polarizations are orthogonal. An anisotropic acousto-optic modulator (AOM) is positioned to receive the first input beam. The AOM is operable to change the polarization and frequency of the first and the second beam components in response to a control signal, and thereby generate first and second output beams corresponding to the first and second components, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2008
    Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Carol J. Courville, Miao Zhu, Kerry D. Bagwell
  • Patent number: 7372574
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for stabilizing laser light sources of a resonator gyro. A resonator gyro comprises a first light source configured to produce a first input light, a second light source configured to produce a second input light, a resonator coupled to the first and second light sources, a resonance detection circuit coupled to the resonator, and a controller coupled to the resonance detection circuit and the first and second light sources. The resonance detection circuit detects a resonance frequency for each of the counter-propagating directions of the resonator. The controller tunes the first input light to a clockwise resonance frequency, and tunes the second input light to a counter-clockwise resonance frequency. A difference between the resonance frequencies is proportional to a rotational rate of the resonator gyro.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2008
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Glen A. Sanders, Lee K. Strandjord
  • Patent number: 7369245
    Abstract: A sensing coil assembly and method for attaching a sensing coil to a support structure are provided for a fiber optic gyroscope. The method comprises affixing a first support surface of the support structure to a first mounting surface of the sensing coil via a first preformed adhesive, and affixing a second support surface of the support structure to a second mounting surface of the sensing coil via a second preformed adhesive. The sensing coil assembly comprises a support structure having first and second support surfaces and having a substantially cylindrical hub coupled between the first and second opposing surfaces, an optical fiber coil surrounding at least a portion of the substantially cylindrical hub, and first and second preformed adhesive patterns affixing the optical fiber coil to the first and second opposing surfaces. The first support surface opposes the second support surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Assignee: Honeywell International, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael M. Malkin, Wesley H. Williams, Edward Summers
  • Patent number: 7369228
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a spectrometer in which the electrical and optical components are connected to one another in a compact construction. A minimal expenditure on assembly and adjustment is achieved through a small quantity of individual parts. The compact spectrometer comprises an entrance slit, an imaging grating, one or more detector elements in rows or matrices, and elements of a controlling and evaluating unit. The detector elements and the entrance slit are arranged on a shared support, the elements of the controlling and evaluating unit being arranged on the free surfaces of the support. The entrance slit and the detector elements and the imaging spherical grating recessed into the spectrometer housing are arranged symmetric to an imaginary center axis of the support. Due to its compact size and the minimized expenditure on adjustment and assembly for its manufacture, the inventive spectrometer has numerous applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss MicroImaging GmbH
    Inventors: Felix Kerstan, Ullrich Klarner, Nico Correns, Gregor Tumpach