Patents Examined by Tarifur R. Chowdhury
  • Patent number: 11725986
    Abstract: A spectrometer includes a support having a bottom wall part and a side wall part arranged on one side of the bottom wall part, a light detection element supported by the support to face a surface of the bottom wall part on the one side through a spectroscopic space, a resin molded layer provided at least on the surface of the bottom wall part on the one side, and a reflecting layer provided on the resin molded layer and included in an optical function part on the bottom wall part. The resin molded layer has a first part having a shape corresponding to the optical function part and a second part which surrounds the first part and is thinner than the first part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.
    Inventors: Takafumi Yokino, Anna Yoshida, Katsuhiko Kato
  • Patent number: 11719951
    Abstract: Provided is a polarization spectral filter, including: a first reflector and a second reflector disposed to face each other in a first direction; and a grating layer disposed between the first reflector and the second reflector. The grating layer includes a plurality of first grating elements and a plurality of second grating elements, the plurality of first grating elements and the plurality of second grating elements being alternately arranged in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The plurality of first grating elements include a first dielectric material having a first refractive index. The plurality of second grating elements include a second dielectric material having a second refractive index different from the first refractive index.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yeonsang Park, Hyochul Kim, Jaesoong Lee, Younggeun Roh
  • Patent number: 11719533
    Abstract: A method for imaging overlay targets on a wafer includes (1) using a sensor to acquire images of overlay targets on a wafer while the wafer is in motion and (2) accelerating and decelerating the wafer to move the overlay targets into alignment with the sensor between acquiring images of the overlay targets. Accelerating/decelerating the wafer may include: (1) accelerating the wafer at a maximum acceleration and then decelerating the wafer at a maximum deceleration, (2) accelerating/decelerating the wafer in a triangular waveform pattern, (3) accelerating/decelerating the wafer in a sinusoidal pattern, or (4) accelerating/decelerating the wafer in a near-sinusoidal pattern (created by combining a pure sinusoidal profile with one or more harmonic profiles). A system is also provided for implementing the above method(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: KLA Corporation
    Inventors: David L. Brown, Andrew V. Hill, Amnon Manassen
  • Patent number: 11714045
    Abstract: Various embodiments set forth techniques for characterizing films on optically clear substrates using ellipsometry. In some embodiments, a spectroscopic ellipsometer is configured to generate a light beam that has a relatively small spot size and is substantially absorbed by an optically clear substrate, thereby reducing or eliminating reflections from an interface between the substrate and air. Optical simulations can be performed to determine values for various parameters associated with the ellipsometer that minimize the reflections from the interface between the substrate and air and maximize reflections from an interface between a film and the substrate. In addition, graded films that include multiple layers can be analyzed using models of multiple layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: Meta Platforms Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Gangadhara Raja Muthinti, Vivek Gupta
  • Patent number: 11715660
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a position measuring apparatus includes a substrate holding part, a projection part, a liquid supply part, an imaging part, a position measuring part, and a control unit. The substrate holding part is configured to hold a substrate including at least part of a circuit pattern. The projection part is configured to irradiate the substrate held on the substrate holding part with illumination light, and to transmit reflected light from the substrate, of the illumination light radiated on the substrate. The liquid supply part is configured to supply a liquid into a space between the substrate held on the substrate holding part and the projection part. The imaging part is configured to receive the reflected light transmitted through the projection part, and to generate an image signal based on the reflected light. The position measuring part is configured to obtain positional information on a position of the substrate holding part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: Kioxia Corporation
    Inventor: Manabu Takakuwa
  • Patent number: 11709097
    Abstract: An apparatus measures the transverse profile of vectorial optical field beams, including both the phase and the polarization spatial profile. The apparatus contains a polarization separation module, a weak perturbation module, and a detection module. Characterizing the transverse profile of vector fields provides an optical metrology tool for both fundamental studies of vectorial optical fields and a wide spectrum of applications, including microscopy, surveillance, imaging, communication, material processing, and laser trapping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: University of South Florida
    Inventors: Zhimin Shi, Darrick Hay, Ziyi Zhu, Yiyu Zhou, Robert W. Boyd
  • Patent number: 11709162
    Abstract: Disclosed are devices and methods for performing biological and chemical assays, such as immunoassays and nucleic acid assays, more particularly a homogeneous assay that does not use a wash step by using the aggregation and de-aggregation processes of microparticles or nanoparticles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: Essenlix Corporation
    Inventors: Stephen Y. Chou, Wei Ding, Ji Li
  • Patent number: 11710945
    Abstract: An optoelectronic apparatus includes a heat sink, which is shaped to define a base, a first platform at a first elevation above the base, and a second platform alongside the first platform at a second elevation above the base, which is different from the first elevation. A first monolithic emitter array is mounted on the first platform and is configured to emit first optical beams. A second monolithic emitter array is mounted on the second platform and is configured to emit second optical beams. An optical element is configured to direct both the first and the second optical beams toward a target region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Yazan Z. Alnahhas, Harish Govindarajan, Oyvind Svensen, Yuval Tsur, Zhengyu Miao, Christopher M. Wright
  • Patent number: 11703388
    Abstract: A method of optical analysis comprises receiving light at an optical spectrometer module from a light source, distributing the received light into two or more light beams with a light distribution component of the optical spectrometer module, concurrently exposing each of a reference and one or more test samples to one of the two or more light beams, and concurrently measuring a property of the light associated with each of the reference sample and one or more test samples with a corresponding detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Hugh Charles Stevenson, David Death, Eran Lande
  • Patent number: 11703452
    Abstract: A measurement method and a measurement apparatus are capable of measuring the transmittance of a quartz crucible accurately. A measurement method includes: emitting a parallel light from a light source disposed on a side of one wall surface of a quartz crucible toward a predetermined measurement point of the quartz crucible; measuring reception levels of light transmitted through the quartz crucible at a plurality of positions by disposing a detector at the plurality of positions on a circle centered around an exit point of the parallel light on the other wall surface of the quartz crucible; and calculating a transmittance of the quartz crucible at the predetermined measurement point based on a plurality of the reception levels of the transmitted light measured at the plurality of positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: SUMCO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasunobu Shimizu, Keiichi Takanashi, Takeshi Fujita, Eriko Kitahara, Masanori Fukui
  • Patent number: 11698301
    Abstract: Swept-source Raman spectroscopy uses a tunable laser and a fixed-wavelength detector instead of a spectrometer or interferometer to perform Raman spectroscopy with the throughput advantage of Fourier transform Raman spectroscopy without bulky optics or moving mirrors. Although the tunable laser can be larger and more costly than a fixed wavelength diode laser used in other Raman systems, it is possible to split and switch the laser light to multiple ports simultaneously and/or sequentially. Each site can be monitored by its own fixed-wavelength detector. This architecture can be scaled by cascading fiber switches and/or couplers between the tunable laser and measurement sites. By multiplexing measurements at different sites, it is possible to monitor many sites at once. Moreover, each site can be meters to kilometers from the tunable laser. This makes it possible to perform swept-source Raman spectroscopy at many points across a continuous flow manufacturing environment with a single laser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Rajeev J. Ram, Amir H. Atabaki, Nili Persits, Jaehwan Kim
  • Patent number: 11698249
    Abstract: Disclosed is a high-stability nano-radian-order angle measuring method and device based on drift value feedback, belonging to the technical field of precision measurement and the field of optical engineering. The device consists of LED light sources, convex lenses, multi-slit diaphragms, beam splitters, deflecting mirrors, steering mirrors, a collimator objective set, linear array CCDs, a four-quadrant position detector and a plane mirror. The method includes: enabling two paths of measuring light beams to carry angle change information of a measured object, respectively forming respective images on two sensors, and calculating a pitch angle and a yaw angle of the measured object relative to an optical axis by using positions of the two images so as to achieve the detection capability on the angle change of the measured object. While a focal distance of the objective is greatly improved by using the collimator objective set, the linear array CCDs are used as sensors to improve a measuring range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: HARBIN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Jiubin Tan, Jian Shi, Yang Yu
  • Patent number: 11692933
    Abstract: An imaging system connected to an occupant monitoring system includes communications with an apparatus for measuring gas or airborne compound concentrations in a vehicle cabin. The apparatus includes a housing configured as a flow tube in fluid communication with ambient air in the vehicle cabin. A spectrometer is mounted within the housing and subject to ambient air flow through the housing, and the spectrometer is connected to a light source and receives reflected light from the air flow to detect by spectrum analysis the concentration of target gases and/or airborne compounds. The spectrometer identifies spectral changes in the light and reflected light within the ambient air flow. The spectrometer communicates with computerized vehicle control systems, and runs software stored to calculate the concentration of target gases and/or airborne compounds from the spectral changes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: Joyson Safety Systems Acquisition LLC
    Inventors: Salvatore Brauer, Leonard Cech, Emil W. Ciurczak
  • Patent number: 11692874
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure provide a method for wavelength calibration of a spectrometer. The method can include receiving a calibration light signal having first spectral components of different first wavelengths; separating and projecting the first spectral components onto pixels of a detector of the spectrometer; establishing a relation between the first wavelengths and pixel numbers of first pixels on which the first spectral components are projected; calculating first residual errors between the first wavelengths and estimated wavelengths that are associated by the relation to the pixel numbers of the first pixels; receiving an optical signal having a second spectral component of a second wavelength; projecting the optical signal onto a second pixel; and calibrating the second wavelength based on a second residual error calculated based on one of the first residual errors that corresponds to a pair of the first pixels between which the second pixel is located.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Yan Chen, Xinkang Tian
  • Patent number: 11692875
    Abstract: An optical filter, a spectrometer including the optical filter, and an electronic apparatus including the optical filter are disclosed. The optical filter includes a first reflector including a plurality of first structures that are periodically two-dimensionally arranged, each of the first structures having a ring shape, and a second reflector spaced apart from the first reflector and including a plurality of second structures that are periodically two-dimensionally arranged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Chanwook Baik
  • Patent number: 11692931
    Abstract: The concentration measurement device 100 includes an electric unit 20 having a light source 22 and a photodetector 24, a fluid unit 10 having a measurement cell 1, optical fibers 11 and 12 for connecting the electric unit 20 and the fluid unit 10 and is configured to measure the concentration of the fluid in the measurement cell by detecting the light incident from the light source 22 to the measurement cell and then emitted from the measurement cell by the photodetector 24, where optical connection parts 32 and 34 connected to the optical fibers 11, 12 and the light source 22 or the photodetector 24 are integrally provided in the electric unit 20.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: FUJIKIN INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Masaaki Nagase, Kazuteru Tanaka, Masahiko Takimoto, Kouji Nishino, Nobukazu Ikeda
  • Patent number: 11686684
    Abstract: A system and method for assaying high and low abundant biomolecules within a biological fluid sample is provided. The method includes: a) placing a biological fluid sample in contact with a first nanostructure surface; b) interrogating the sample with a light source, the sample in contact with the first nanostructure surface, the interrogation using a SERS technique; c) detecting an enhanced Raman scattering from at least one high abundant biomolecule type and producing first signals representative thereof; d) placing the sample in contact with a second nanostructure surface having a targeting agent that targets a low abundant biomolecule; e) interrogating the sample with the light source using the SERS technique; f) detecting the enhanced Raman scattering from the low abundant biomolecules and producing second signals representative thereof; and g) assaying the biological fluid sample using the first signals and the second signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: CytoVeris, Inc.
    Inventors: David Fournier, Rishikesh Pandey
  • Patent number: 11686668
    Abstract: An analysis and observation device includes: an electromagnetic wave emitter that emits a primary electromagnetic wave; a reflective object lens having a primary mirror provided with a primary reflection surface reflecting a secondary electromagnetic wave and a secondary mirror provided with a secondary reflection surface receiving and further reflecting the secondary electromagnetic wave; first and second detectors that receive the secondary electromagnetic wave and generate an intensity distribution spectrum; and a controller that performs component analysis of a sample based on the intensity distribution spectrum. A transmissive region through which the primary electromagnetic wave is transmitted is provided at a center of the secondary mirror.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: KEYENCE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryosuke Imai, Kenichiro Hirose
  • Patent number: 11686683
    Abstract: A thin-film deposition system deposits a thin-film on a wafer. A radiation source irradiates the wafer with excitation light. An emissions sensor detects an emission spectrum from the wafer responsive to the excitation light. A machine learning based analysis model analyzes the spectrum and detects contamination of the thin-film based on the spectrum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chung-Liang Cheng
  • Patent number: 11686570
    Abstract: A displacement sensor includes a radiation part that irradiates a workpiece displaceable in a predetermined displacement direction with light, a light receiving part that receives a reflected light generated when the light radiated by the radiation part is reflected on the workpiece, and a fringe generation part that includes a generation means for generating fringes on a light receiving surface of the light receiving part when the light receiving part receives the reflected light from the workpiece. The fringe generation part and the light receiving part are arranged such that the fringe generation part and the light receiving part are parallel to the displacement direction, or parallel to a virtual image of the displacement direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: MITUTOYO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Akihide Kimura