Abstract: A cycloidal diffraction waveplate is combined with a pixelated phase mask (PPM) sensor in a dynamic fringe-projection interferometer to obtain phase-shifted interferograms in a single snap-shot camera operation that provides the phase information required to measure test surfaces with micrometer precision. Such mode of operation enables a portable embodiment for use in environments subject to vibration. A shifting mechanism coupled to the cycloidal waveplate allows temporal out-of-phase measurements used to remove noise due to test-surface characteristics. Two or more pixels of each unit cell of the PPM are combined to create super-pixels where the sum of the phases of the pixels is a multiple of 180 degrees, so that fringes are eliminated to facilitate operator focusing. By assigning colors or cross-hatch patterns to different ranges of modulation measured at the detector, the areas of best focus within the field of view are identified quantitatively to ensure measurements under best-focus conditions.

Abstract: A system includes a first beam splitter, a second beam splitter, and a mirror. The second beam splitter can produce two lines of light, which are received by at least one sensor. The two lines of light have different focal heights on the wafer. A distance between the second beam splitter and the mirror can be configured to change a focal height on the wafer. A height of an illuminated region on a surface of the wafer relative to a normal surface of the wafer can be determined using the two lines of light.

Abstract: The time and labor required to set an extraction region of point cloud data is decreased. A shape measuring apparatus includes a projecting unit that projects a measurement beam onto a measurement region of a measurement target, an imaging unit that captures an image of the measurement target onto which the measurement beam is projected, a movement mechanism that relatively moves the projecting unit or the imaging unit with respect to the measurement target so that a position of the measurement region of the measurement target changes, and an extraction region setting unit that sets an extraction region for image information used for calculating a position of the measurement target from capture images captured by the imaging unit, on the basis of positions of images of the measurement beam captured by the imaging unit when the measurement beam is projected onto different measurement regions.

Abstract: An interferometer (10) is provided that has a stage (28) configured to have a linear motion path. A first retroreflector (18) and a second retroreflector (24) are fixedly coupled to the stage (28). A tube (32) is provided, and the stage (28) is configured to reciprocate about the tube (32). A beamsplitter (14) and a 45° mirror (16) are disposed in the tube (32). A detector (22) is configured to detect light passing through the beamsplitter (14), and the beamsplitter (14) is configured to split an incident light beam into a transmitted beam (15) and a reflected beam (17), wherein the transmitted beam (15) passes to the second retroreflector (24) and the reflected beam (17) passes to the first retroreflector (18). The transmitted beam (15) and a reflected beam (17) are focused on the detector (22).

Abstract: Increasing the precision of process monitoring may be improved if the sensors take the form of travelling probes riding along with the flowing materials in the manufacturing process rather than sample only when the process moves passed the sensors fixed location. The probe includes an outer housing hermetically sealed from the flowing materials, and a light source for transmitting light through a window in the housing onto the flowing materials. A spatially variable optical filter (SVF) captures light returning from the flowing materials, and separates the captured light into a spectrum of constituent wavelength signals for transmission to a detector array, which provides a power reading for each constituent wavelength signal.

Abstract: Provided is a safety scanner capable of facilitating an analysis of a sensing factor at the time of sensing an intruder. The safety scanner includes a monitoring image generation section that generates a monitoring image for monitoring a protection area, a sensing history storage section that stores a position and a sensing time of a sensed intruder and the monitoring image corresponding to the sensing time or a plurality of distance measurement information items obtained within a scanning period corresponding to the sensing time in association with each other as a sensing history, and a sensing history transmission section that transmits the sensing history in accordance with a history request from an external device.

Abstract: Provided is a safety scanner that enables simplification of an operation of checking an operating state. The safety scanner includes a scan image generation section that generates a scan image that includes a plurality of sets of distance measurement information obtained by performing scanning with a detection light emitted by an emitter, the plurality of sets of distance measurement information being represented as a plurality of distance measurement positions on a scanning plane of the detection light, and a monitoring image display that displays the scan image on a screen.

Abstract: The present application discloses a system comprising a compact curved grating (CCG) and its associated compact curved grating spectrometer (COGS) or compact curved grating wavelength multiplexer/demultiplexer (WMDM) module and a method for making the same. The system is capable of achieving a very small (resolution vs. size) RS factor. The location of the entrance slit and detector can be adjusted in order to have the best performance for a particular design goal. The initial groove spacing is calculated using a prescribed formula dependent on operation wavelength. The location of the grooves is calculated based on two conditions.

Abstract: In one aspect, a spectrometer insert is provided. The spectrometer insert includes: an enclosed housing; a first transparent window on a first side of the enclosed housing; a second transparent window on a second side of the enclosed housing, wherein the first side and the second side are opposing sides of the enclosed housing; and a sample mounting and heating assembly positioned within an interior cavity of the enclosed housing in between, and in line of sight of, the first transparent window and the second transparent window. A method for using the spectrometer insert to locally heat a sample so as to measure temperature-dependent optical properties of the sample is also provided.

Abstract: Provided is a safety scanner capable of easily grasping the correspondence relationship between a distance measurement position on a scanning plane and a real space. The safety scanner includes a distance measurement section that obtains distance measurement information corresponding to a distance optically sensed and a scanning angle of a detection light, an intrusion sensing section that senses an intruder within the protection area on the basis of the distance measurement information and a area designation information, a marker identification section that identifies a marker movably disposed within the detection area, and the distance measurement information of the marker as an area generation information for determining the protection area.

Abstract: An identification patch having a plasmonic resonance structure may be used to ensure that an article is counterfeit-proof. The identification patch may be formed by a printing process, such as roll-to-roll printing or nanoimprinting, to create a distinctive ordered pattern of resonance elements. When the plasmonic resonance structure is irradiated, the ordered pattern of resonance elements produces a unique spectral response that is associated only with the counterfeit-proof article. The counterfeit-proof article may be a metal component or an integrated circuit. The resonant absorption of the plasmonic resonance structure may be measured to verify the authenticity of the article before use of the article.

Abstract: An ellipsometer system with polarization state generator and polarization state analyzer components inside at least one internal environment supporting encasement, said at least one encasement being present inside said environmental chamber.

Abstract: Provided is a safety scanner capable of obtaining uniform optical performance for a view angle of 180° or more. The safety scanner includes an optical rotator that emits detection light from a light source to a detection area and causes the detection light to perform scanning in a circumferential direction, a light receiving element that receives reflected light from an object within the detection area through the optical rotator, a casing that houses the light receiving element. The casing includes a canopy part, a bottom part facing the canopy part, and a coupling part that couples a rear end of the canopy part to a rear end of the bottom part. The protective cover includes a window formed in a circular arc shape, corresponding to an optical path of the detection light and the reflected light, having a central angle larger than 180° with respect to the rotation axis.

Abstract: A control system and method are provided for use in managing optical measurements on target structures. The control system comprises: data input utility for receiving input data indicative of a size of a target structure to be measured and input data indicative of illumination and collection channels of an optical measurement system; data processing utility for analyzing the input data, and an interplay of Point Spread Functions (PSFs) of the illumination and collection channels, and determining data indicative of optional tailoring of apertures to be used in the optical measurement system for optimizing ensquared energy for measurements on the given target structure, the optimal tailoring composing at least one of the following: an optimal ratio between numerical apertures of the illumination and collection channels; and an optimal orientation offset of physical apertures in the illumination and collection channels.

Abstract: A thickness measuring apparatus and a thickness measuring method. The thickness measuring apparatus includes a light source outputting an extended monochromatic light with coherence; a collimating lens converting output light of the light source into incident beam of parallel ray; a beam splitter reflecting and providing the incident beam to a measurement target and transmitting first reflection light reflected on a top surface of the measurement target and second reflection light reflected on a bottom surface of the measurement target; an imaging lens disposed between the measurement target and the beam splitter with a predetermined focal distance to receive and provide the incident beam to a measurement position of the measurement target disposed on the focal distance; a camera photographing an interference fringe formed by the first and second reflection lights and outputting an interference fringe image; and a processing part.

Abstract: The time and labor required to set an extraction region of point cloud data is decreased. A shape measuring apparatus includes a projecting unit that projects a measurement beam onto a measurement region of a measurement target, an imaging unit that captures an image of the measurement target onto which the measurement beam is projected, a movement mechanism that relatively moves the projecting unit or the imaging unit with respect to the measurement target so that a position of the measurement region of the measurement target changes, and an extraction region setting unit that sets an extraction region for image information used for calculating a position of the measurement target from capture images captured by the imaging unit, on the basis of positions of images of the measurement beam captured by the imaging unit when the measurement beam is projected onto different measurement regions.

Abstract: A method for performing optical wavefront sensing includes providing an amplitude transmission mask having a light input side, a light output side, and an optical transmission axis passing from the light input side to the light output side. The amplitude transmission mask is characterized by a checkerboard pattern having a square unit cell of size ?. The method also includes directing an incident light field having a wavelength ? to be incident on the light input side and propagating the incident light field through the amplitude transmission mask. The method further includes producing a plurality of diffracted light fields on the light output side and detecting, at a detector disposed a distance L from the amplitude transmission mask, an interferogram associated with the plurality of diffracted light fields.

Abstract: An inspection apparatus (300) includes a focus monitoring arrangement (500, 500?). Focusing radiation (505) comprises radiation having a first wavelength and radiation having a second wavelength. Reference radiation and focusing radiation at each wavelength are provided with at least one relative frequency shift so that the interfering radiation detected in the detection system includes a time-varying component having a characteristic frequency. A focus detection system (520) comprises one or more lock-in detectors (520b, 520c, 900). Operating the lock-in detectors with reference to both the first and second characteristic frequencies allows the arrangement to select which of the first and second focusing radiation is used to determine whether the optical system is in focus. Good quality signals can be obtained from targets of different structure.

Abstract: An X-Y table with a position-measuring device includes a table which is disposed on a support and is movable on the support so that altogether the table is positionable in a plane parallel to an underlying stationary base. Two groups of scanning heads are disposed on the support. For position measurement in two directions, a respective one of the scanning heads directs light through a respective transmissive scale attached along an edge of the table such that a respective reflective scale, which is stationary relative to a processing tool disposed above the table, reflects the light through the respective transmissive scale back to the respective scanning head. In a central position of the table, the two groups are in positional correspondence with the transmissive scales, and, in either of two edge positions of the table, only one of the two groups is in positional correspondence with the transmissive scales.

Abstract: An optical computing device adapted to compensate for the effects of light intensity fluctuation through the use of optical elements that generate a normalization optical channel (or B Channel) having a light intensity that is substantially equal to the light intensity of the characteristic optical channel (or A Channel). As a result, highly accurate normalizations are obtained which give rise to the most accurate results from the optical computing device.