Abstract: To provide a probing device and a probing method for an electronic device capable of confirming whether or not an electrical inspection has been executed appropriately, with an electrode pad being made in contact with a probe with a predetermined pressure, by utilizing a change in external shapes to be formed on the electrode pad when the probe and the electrode pad are pressed onto each other.

Abstract: A microcuvette cartridge for optical measurement of a specimen includes: a substrate having a recess on an upper surface thereof to receive a fluid specimen therein, the substrate having a plurality of cavities therein to receive the fluid specimen transported from the recess, the substrate further defining a plurality of channels communicating with the recess and with the plurality of cavities, respectively, to transport the fluid specimen from the recess to the plurality of cavities, said substrate further having one or more of windows at positions corresponding to the plurality of cavities, the windows being transparent to wavelength of light with which the optical measurement is to be carried out so as to allow the light to interact with the fluid specimen in the cavities; and a transport mechanism to promote and complete flows of the fluid specimen from the recess to the plurality of cavities through the plurality of channels.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method, computer method, system, and apparatus for measuring two-dimensional distributions of optical emissions from a plasma in a semiconductor plasma processing chamber. The acquired two-dimensional distributions of plasma optical emissions can be used to infer the two-dimensional distributions of concentrations of certain chemical species of interest that are present in the plasma, and thus provide a useful tool for process development and also for new and improved processing tool development. The disclosed technique is computationally simple and inexpensive, and involves the use of an expansion of the assumed optical intensity distribution into a sum of basis functions that allow for circumferential variation of optical intensity. An example of suitable basis functions are Zernike polynomials.

Abstract: A spectroscopic analysis apparatus includes a spectrum measurement unit that measures an optical spectrum of a measurement target, a storage unit that stores reference data in which an intrinsic wavelength with respect to a known component is recorded, a feature specification section that specifies a feature point corresponding to the intrinsic wavelength in the optical spectrum which is measured by using the reference data, and a wavelength correction section that corrects a wavelength of the feature point in the optical spectrum as the intrinsic wavelength.

Abstract: The invention relates to a detection apparatus (1) for detecting particles on or close to a particles detection surface (5) in a first optical detection mode and in a second optical detection mode, wherein a component of a light detection system (8) and/or a component of an optical system (9) of the detection apparatus is arranged to be used in the first detection mode and in the second detection mode. Since a component of the light detection system and/or a component of the optical system is arranged to be used in the first detection mode and in the second detection mode, this component does not need to be provided twice, i.e. for being used in the first detection mode and for being used in the second detection mode. This can lead to a reduced number of components and can make the detection apparatus technically less complex.

Abstract: A spectrometer having substantially increased spectral and spatial fields.

Abstract: The apparatus for selectively transmitting the spectrum of electromagnetic radiation within a predefined wavelength range is provided with a carrier (115), a pinhole diaphragm which is arranged above the carrier (115) and is made of a material that is substantially impermeable to the radiation of interest, wherein the pinhole diaphragm has at least one radiation passage opening with a size for allowing through radiation at a wavelength which is less than or equal to a predefinable upper limit wavelength, and an electrically insulating and optically transparent dielectric layer (103) which is formed on the carrier (115) inside the radiation passage opening and extends, in a manner adjoining the radiation passage opening, between the carrier (115) and at least one section below the pinhole diaphragm. The dielectric layer (103) has a thickness which is less than or equal to half a predefinable lower limit wavelength which is less than the upper limit wavelength.

Abstract: A system for measuring the profile or the refractive index of a transparent object by fringe projection techniques is provided and has an image generating device, an image capture device, and an image processor. The image generating device produces a reference image with a long depth of focus. This reference image is emitted into an inspected transparent object, and is distorted by the refractive index and the profile of the transparent object. The image capture device receives the distorted image. The image processor analyzes the difference between the distorted image and the reference image, so as to identify the profile or the refractive index of the inspected transparent object.

Abstract: Methods and systems for small angle CD metrology with a small spot size are introduced to increase measurement sensitivity while maintaining adequate throughput necessary for modern semiconductor manufacture. A small angle CD metrology system includes a small angle spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE) subsystem combined with a small angle spectroscopic reflectometry system, both operated at small angles of incidence. The small angle SE subsystem is configured to operate in a complete Mueller Matrix mode to further improve measurement sensitivity. The small angle CD metrology system includes an objective having all reflective surfaces in the light path. In some embodiments, the all-reflective objective is a Schwartzschild objective having an axicon mirror element to further reduce measurement spot size. In some embodiments, the small angle CD metrology system includes a dynamic aperture subsystem to isolate specific ranges of angles of incidence and azimuth for improved measurement sensitivity.

Abstract: An optical microscope capable of performing measurement with a high resolution and a spectrometry method are provided. A spectrometry device according to an aspect of the present invention includes a Y-scanning unit that scans a spot position of the light beam on the sample, a beam splitter that separates, among the light beam incident on the sample, outgoing light, the outgoing light being emitted with a different wavelength, a spectroscope that spatially disperses the outgoing light separated by the beam splitter according to the wavelength, a detector that detects the outgoing light dispersed by the spectroscope, and a pinhole array 30 disposed on an incoming side of the spectroscope, a plurality of pinholes being arranged in the pinhole array, the plurality of pinholes being adapted to allow outgoing light to pass therethrough to the spectroscope side.

Abstract: A method and a configuration for the depth-resolved optical detection of a specimen, in which a specimen or a part of the specimen is scanned by means of preferably linear illumination. The illumination of the specimen is periodically structured in the focus in at least one spatial direction. Light coming from the specimen is detected and images of the specimen are generated. At least one optical sectional image and/or one image with enhanced resolution is calculated through the specimen. Images are repeatedly acquired and sectional images are repeatedly blended while changing the orientation of the linear illumination relative to the specimen and/or spatial intervals between lines exposed to detection light from the illuminated specimen region are generated for the line-by-line non-descanned detection on an area detector or a camera and/or, during a scan, light is further deflected upstream of the detector through the line in the direction of the scan of the specimen.

Abstract: Microstructures and nanostructures (100) consisting of a substrate (110), an array of pillars (120) capped by metallic disc (130), metallic dots (clusters or granules) (140) disposed on the sidewalls of the pillars, and a metallic backplane (150) that can interact to enhance a local electric field, the absorption of the light, and the radiation of the light are disclosed. Methods to fabricate the structures (100) are also disclosed. Applications of the structures to enhance the optical signals in the detection of molecules and other materials on a structure surface, such as fluorescence, photoluminescence and surface enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) are also disclosed.

Abstract: A measuring station system for calibrating a reference system for vehicle measurement has at least one image recording device, a calibration device having multiple calibration device reference features, and a calibration frame having at least three support points which are designed for accommodating a reference system carrier for the reference system to be calibrated. The calibration frame has at least three calibration frame reference features. The positions of the support points and of the calibration frame reference features in a shared coordinate system are known.

Abstract: A technique for determining whether or not a fluorescent material exhibits a directionally dependent property, such as anisotropy or chirality, involves illuminating the particle at its excitation wavelength to stimulate fluorescent emission at both a full-frequency (fundamental) wavelength and a half-frequency wavelength. The ratio of the full-frequency signal strength to the half-frequency signal strength provides an indication of the sample's directionally dependent property. This half-frequency spectral analysis can be used to sort anisotropic particles suspended in fluid flowing through a flow cytometer. For instance, the present technique may be used to separate racemic mixtures of chiral enantiomers of cells, pharmaceutical compounds, and other samples.

Abstract: A method for determining and verifying ply orientation of composite laminates includes performing a first scan of a prepared edge of a composite laminate using an off-axis inclined light source directing light at a first acute angle to a first area on the prepared edge to produce a first scanned image; rotating an orientation of the off-axis inclined light source relative to the prepared edge, such that the off-axis inclined light source directs light at a second acute angle symmetrically opposite the first acute angle; and performing a second scan of the prepared edge using the off-axis inclined light source directing light at the second acute angle to the first area on the prepared edge to produce a second scanned image. The method includes comparing the first and second scanned images to determine a ply orientation of each ply, and verifying the ply orientation against a baseline ply orientation.

Abstract: A coin comprises a core made of a first metal, an outer ring surrounding the core concentrically and made of a further metal, and a central ring between the core and outer ring fixedly connected thereto. The central ring consists of an electrically insulating material. Further, the central ring is transparent to electromagnetic waves of a first wavelength range and is less transparent or not transparent to a second wavelength range. Methods for testing the coin are also described.

Abstract: In order to be able to prevent analysis accuracy from being reduced by a backward flow of sample gas from dead volume in a cleaning mechanism into a cell at the time of analysis, a gas analysis device has an analysis part that analyzes the sample gas introduced into the cell, gas ports that are arranged toward predetermined regions of gas contact surfaces in the cell, and a piping mechanism that connects the gas ports to a predetermined purge gas source, and blows purge gas from the gas ports toward the predetermined regions at the time of purging. The gas analysis device also has a switching part that switches a connecting destination of the piping mechanism from the purge gas source to a predetermined suction part, and at the time of introducing or analyzing the sample gas, connects the gas ports to the suction source.

Abstract: An inspection apparatus which can be accurately calibrated regardless of a use environment or an amount of use time is implemented. A reference substrate 100 provided with a diffraction grating 107 is mounted on a transport system 110, an illumination region 106 is formed on the diffraction grating 107 by light 105 from an illumination optical system 104, reflected light is collected by a detection optical system 108, and an output value from a sensor 111 is measured. It is determined whether or not a difference between a simulation value preserved in a processing section 112 and the output value from the sensor 111 is within a predetermined allowable range, and the optical system is adjusted so that the difference enters the allowable range. Since standard data for performing calibration on the inspection apparatus is obtained by using the diffraction grating, it is possible to implement the inspection apparatus which can be accurately calibrated regardless of a use environment or an amount of use time.

Abstract: A method and device for object detection are disclosed. In one aspect, a method comprises transmitting a plurality of signals into a region; measuring a noise level during a noise measurement time interval corresponding to each respective one of the plurality of transmitted signals; generating a threshold signal dependent on the noise level; and comparing a first plurality of signals received by a sensor, each of the received signals corresponding to a respective one of the plurality of the transmitted signals, with the respective threshold signal. In another aspect, a device comprising components adapted to carry out the steps of object detection is disclosed. In one example, a thresholding circuit is adapted to generate a threshold signal have a level corresponding to substantially a peak-to-peak level of the measured noise level.

Abstract: An apparatus for particle size and a distribution of a population of particle measurements, comprising: a non-monochromatic light source that emits a plurality of a non-monochromatic rays, a medium that includes a particle, wherein the medium is a liquid phase and the particle is suspended within the medium to form a particle-suspension, a droplet of the particle-suspension wherein the droplet is provided with a curved surface, and a detector that is provided with a light providing element.