Patents Examined by Steven H Whitesell-Gordon
  • Patent number: 9904178
    Abstract: A stage assembly (10) that moves a device (15) includes a stage (14) that retains the device (15), a base (12), a stage mover assembly (16), and a supply system (20A). The supply system (20A) is secured to and positioned on the stage (14). The supply system (20A) includes a circulation system (24) that circulates a circulation fluid (22) through a circulation conduit (14D) in the stage (14) to control the temperature of the stage (14) and the device (15).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Chetan Mahadeswaraswamy, Johnathan Marquez, Joseph P. Rossi
  • Patent number: 9904180
    Abstract: A method of patterning substrates using a lithographic apparatus. The method comprising providing a beam of radiation using an illumination system, using a patterning device to impart the radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section, and using a projection system to project the patterned radiation beam onto target portions of a lot of substrates, wherein the method further comprises performing a radiation beam aberration measurement after projecting the patterned radiation beam onto a subset of the lot of substrates, performing an adjustment of the projection system using the results of the radiation beam aberration measurement, then projecting the patterned radiation beam onto a further subset of the lot of substrates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Johannes Jacobus Matheus Baselmans, Johannes Christiaan Maria Jasper
  • Patent number: 9904152
    Abstract: A solid-state light source device, enabling to build up with using solid-state elements, and having the structure suitable to be applied as a light source for a projection-type display apparatus, comprises a solid-state light source unit 10 for emitting excitation light therefrom, a reflection mirror (or reflector) 130 made of a parabolic surface, for condensing the excitation light from the solid-state light source to be point-like, and a disc-like (or wheel) member 140, repeating reflection/scattering or transmission/scattering of the excitation light and conversion of the excitation light, alternately, in vicinity of a focus point of the excitation light, which is condensed to be point-like by the reflection mirror (or reflector), wherein the excitation light (B-color) reflected/or scattered by that disc-like (or wheel) member and fluorescence light (Y-color), wavelength of which is converted, is taken on a same optical path, by means of the reflection mirror (or reflector) 130 or a second reflection mirro
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: HITACHI MAXELL, LTD.
    Inventors: Koji Hirata, Hidehiro Ikeda, Nobuyuki Kimura
  • Patent number: 9897927
    Abstract: A device for positioning a mask relative to the surface of a wafer with a view to the exposure of the wafer, which includes (i) first positioning structure suitable for holding and moving the mask and the wafer in relation to each other; (ii) imaging structure suitable for producing at least one image of the mask and of the surface of the wafer according to at least one field of view, so as to image positioning marks of the mask and of the wafer simultaneously in the field of view; and (iii) at least one optical distance sensor suitable for producing a distance measurement between the surface of the wafer and the mask in the field(s) of view, with a measurement beam which passes at least partially through the imaging structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: UNITY SEMICONDUCTOR
    Inventors: Gilles Fresquet, Guenael Ribette
  • Patent number: 9891510
    Abstract: Method of using a device for displaying a real image of the head-up display (HUD) type in a passenger compartment comprising glazing, notably laminated glazing, said device comprising a source emitting a beam of radiation of the visible UV or IR laser type or of the light-emitting diode type, directed towards a portion of said glazing comprising a fluorescent material absorbing said radiation and re-emitting light in the visible region, the illumination of said portion by the beam enabling a real image to be displayed on the glazing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: SEKISUI CHEMICAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jean-Yves Laluet, Guillaume Lecamp
  • Patent number: 9891512
    Abstract: The image projection apparatus combining lights from first and second light sources to project an image. First and second usable times of a first light source in the apparatus installed respectively in first and second installation positions have a relation that, when the power for the first light source is fixed, the second usable time is shorter than the first usable time. The second usable time shorter than a third usable time of the second light source in the second installation position. The power controller sets, in the second installation position, the power for the first light source to be lower than the power for first light source in the first installation position and set the power for the second light source to be equal to or higher than the power for the second light source in the first installation position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takahiro Okamura
  • Patent number: 9888220
    Abstract: A light source device capable of improve energy efficiency is provided. A light source device includes a yellow phosphor that emits yellow fluorescence excited by exciting light, a red laser light source that emits red laser light, a first light combining unit that generates first composite light by combining the emitted yellow fluorescence with the emitted red laser light, a blue laser light source that emits blue laser light, and a second light combining unit that generates second composite light by combining the combined first composite light with the emitted blue laser light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: NEC DISPLAY SOLUTIONS, LTD.
    Inventor: Shinichiro Chikahisa
  • Patent number: 9882340
    Abstract: A laser device includes: a laser light source which generates a laser light in a pulse waveform of preset predetermined frequency; intensity modulator which is driven with a transmittance waveform wherein transmittance changes at either the predetermined frequency or an integer-multiple frequency thereof and which extracts and outputs the laser light which is outputted from the laser light source; control unit which controls an operation of the intensity modulator; an amplifier which amplifies the laser light which is outputted from the intensity modulator; and a wavelength conversion optical element which converts a wavelength of the laser light which is amplified by the amplifier, wherein the control unit changes relative timing of the transmittance waveform with respect to the pulse waveform, thereby changing the pulse waveform of the laser light which is emitted from the intensity modulator, to output a pulse light of predetermined waveform from the wavelength conversion optical element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Akira Tokuhisa
  • Patent number: 9874817
    Abstract: An optical element assembly includes a base, and an element unit. The element unit includes (i) an optical element having an element central axis and an element perimeter; and (ii) an element connector assembly that couples the optical element to the base, the element connector assembly including a flexure assembly having an element flexure and a base flexure. A distal end of the element flexure is coupled to the optical element near the element perimeter, a distal end of the base flexure is coupled to the base, and a proximal end of the element flexure is coupled to a proximal end of the base flexure near the element central axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Shane R. Palmer, Michael Binnard
  • Patent number: 9877001
    Abstract: A three-plate image projecting optical system that has a compact and simple configuration and achieves enhanced luminance efficiency and reduction of light quantity loss on the dichroic coating, and a projector equipped with the optical system. The optical system includes a color separating/combining prism having a first/second dichroic coatings, and a first to third digital micromirror devices. A first plane including an illumination light axis and a projection light axis on an image display surface of the third digital micromirror device and a second plane including a surface normal of the first/second dichroic coatings and a surface normal of a center of the third digital micromirror device are relatively rotated with respect to each other from orthogonal states toward a direction in which an incident angle of the illumination light axis with respect to the first dichroic coating or the second dichroic coating is decreased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventor: Masahiro Terada
  • Patent number: 9869937
    Abstract: A method for producing a mirror arrangement for a lithography apparatus is proposed, which comprises the following steps: producing a mirror body having a cavity delimited by a front wall, a rear wall and a side wall of the mirror body, the side wall being arranged between the front wall and the rear wall, wherein at least one supporting element is provided in the cavity between the front wall and the rear wall; and after producing the mirror body, at least partly removing the supporting element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH
    Inventor: Dirk Schaffer
  • Patent number: 9869936
    Abstract: The present invention provides a detection apparatus which causes light to be incident obliquely on a substrate including a plurality of layers whose refractive indices are different from each other and detects a height of the substrate using light reflected from the substrate, the apparatus comprising an optical system including a polarizer for reducing s-polarized light and configured to cause light, in which s-polarized light has been reduced by the polarizer, to be incident on the substrate at an angle of incidence within a range of 40° to 55°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hironori Maeda
  • Patent number: 9857702
    Abstract: A focusing and leveling apparatus, including: an illumination light source (201) for emanating a light beam; an illumination lens group (202), a projecting unit, an object (209) being measured, a detecting unit, a refractive unit, a relay lens group and a photoelectric detector (220), disposed sequentially in this order in a transmission path of the light beam. The projecting unit includes projection slits (203) defining a plurality of non-linearly arranged marks, such that after passing sequentially through the illumination lens group (202), the projecting unit, the object (209) being measured and the detecting unit, the light beam emanated by the illumination light source (201) becomes a plurality of non-linearly arranged sub-beams corresponding to the plurality of marks. The refractive unit is so configured that after passing through the refractive unit, the plurality of sub-beams form a plurality of linearly arranged light spots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: Shanghai Micro Electronics Equipment (Group) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Haijun Song, Kan Lu, Feibiao Chen
  • Patent number: 9851575
    Abstract: A wafer-level liquid-crystal-on-silicon (LCOS) projection assembly includes a LCOS display for spatially modulating light incident on the LCOS display and a polarizing beam-separating (PBS) layer for directing light to and from the LCOS display. A method for fabricating a LCOS projection system includes disposing a PBS wafer above an active-matrix wafer. The active-matrix wafer includes a plurality of active matrices for addressing liquid crystal display pixels. The method, further includes disposing a lens wafer above the PBS wafer. The lens wafer includes a plurality of lenses. Additionally, a method for fabricating a wafer-level polarizing beam includes bonding a PBS wafer and at least one other wafer to form a stacked wafer. The PBS wafer includes a PBS layer that contains a plurality of PBS film bands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: OmniVision Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Chun-Sheng Fan
  • Patent number: 9851627
    Abstract: An optical engine of a projector can include a light source device configured to emit light beam, an engine body and a dust cover. The engine body is located at a side of the light source device and is configured to receive the light beam from the light source device. The engine body can include a main body and a color wheel coupled to the main body. The dust cover is coupled to the engine body and covers the color wheel. A projector is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Jing-Miau Wu
  • Patent number: 9851641
    Abstract: An illumination system for an EUV projection lithographic projection exposure apparatus comprises an EUV light source, which generates an output beam of EUV illumination light with a predetermined polarization state. An illumination optical unit guides the output beam along an optical axis, as a result of which an illumination field in a reticle plane is illuminated by the output beam. The light source comprises an electron beam supply device, an EUV generating device and a polarization setting device. The EUV generating device is supplied with an electron beam by the electron beam supply device. The polarization setting device exerts an adjustable deflecting effect on the electron beam for setting the polarization of the output beam. This results in an illumination system, which operates on the basis of an electron beam-based EUV light source and provides an output beam, which is improved for a resolution-optimized illumination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH
    Inventor: Michael Patra
  • Patent number: 9846370
    Abstract: A support device for an optical apparatus is disclosed. The support device includes first and second support elements. The support device also includes first and second flexure bearings. The first flexure bearing and the second flexure bearing each connect the first support element and the second support element to one another in a thermally conductive manner and hold the first support element in a manner movable in at least one first direction relative to the second support element. Spring forces generated by the first flexure bearing and the second flexure bearing partly or completely cancel one another out in the case of a movement of the first support element relative to the second support element in the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH
    Inventors: Henner Baitinger, Markus Hauf
  • Patent number: 9846352
    Abstract: Disclosed is a light source apparatus including a light source part having a lead and a light emitting part for emitting light with a current from the lead; a substrate having a wiring part electrically connected to the lead for supplying a current to the lead; a base part having a first surface connected to the light source part, a second surface which is connected to the substrate and located on a side opposite to the first surface, and a through-hole penetrating through the first and second surfaces, in which the lead is inserted; and a vibration suppression mechanism including a vibration suppression part having a side wall portion inserted to the through-hole in such a manner that the side wall portion surrounds the lead, the vibration suppression part being connected to the substrate, and a fixing part for fixing the lead to the side wall portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuya Terasaki, Daisuke Ogawa
  • Patent number: 9841683
    Abstract: An illumination optical unit for EUV projection lithography illuminates an illumination field with illumination light from a light source. A first facet mirror of the illumination optical unit has a plurality of first facets for the reflective guidance of partial beams of a beam of the EUV illumination light. Disposed downstream of the first facet mirror is a second facet mirror with a plurality of second facets for further reflective guidance of the partial beams. As a result of this, the reflective beam guidance that the two facets predetermines object field illumination channels, by which the whole object field is illuminable by the illumination light in each case and to which exactly one first facet and exactly one second facet is assigned in each case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH
    Inventor: Michael Patra
  • Patent number: 9841299
    Abstract: A position determining device includes a first lighting unit configured to emit light to an edge portion of a rotating substrate and a second lighting unit configured to emit light to at least one mark on a surface of the substrate. The alignment device further includes a light receiving unit disposed on a side corresponding to the surface of the substrate and configured to receive light that is emitted from the first lighting unit and then passes through a region outside the substrate and to receive light that is emitted from the second lighting unit and then reflected from the at least one mark. The position of the substrate is determined based on a result of light reception by the light receiving unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Koichi Tamura