Patents by Inventor Ashley R. Carter

Ashley R. Carter has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Laser guided tip approach with 3D registration to a surface
    Patent number: 8387158
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of rapidly and repeatably bringing sharp objects into close proximity to a particular region of interest of a sample with high precision and accuracy in two or three dimensions using a laser guided tip approach with three dimensional registration to the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of Commerce, The National Institute of Standards and Technology
    Inventors: Thomas T Perkins, Gavin M King, Ashley R Carter
  • Real-time, active picometer-scale alignment, stabilization, and registration in one or more dimensions
    Patent number: 7928409
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for aligning, stabilizing and registering two or more structures in one or more dimensional space with picometer-scale precision. Low noise laser light is scattered by at least one or more structure or fiducial marks. One mark may be coupled to each structure to be positioned. The light which has been scattered off the fiducial marks is collected in a photo-sensitive device which enables real-time high-bandwidth position sensing of each structure. One or more of the structures should be mounted on a stage, and the stage can move in either one or more dimensions. The photo-sensitive device generates signals in response to the scattered light received, and the signals are used to modulate the position of the stage in a feedback loop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of Commerce
    Inventors: Thomas T. Perkins, Gavin M. King, Ashley R. Carter
  • Laser guided tip approach with 3D registration to a surface
    Publication number: 20110035848
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of rapidly and repeatably bringing sharp objects into close proximity to a particular region of interest of a sample with high precision and accuracy in two or three dimensions using a laser guided tip approach with three dimensional registration to the surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2010
    Publication date: February 10, 2011
    Inventors: Thomas T. Perkins, Gavin M. King, Ashley R. Carter
  • Real-time, active picometer-scale alignment, stabilization, and registration in one or more dimensions
    Publication number: 20100257641
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for aligning, stabilizing and registering two or more structures in one or more dimensional space with picometer-scale precision. Low noise laser light is scattered by at least one or more structure or fiducial marks. One mark may be coupled to each structure to be positioned. The light which has been scattered off the fiducial marks is collected in a photo-sensitive device which enables real-time high-bandwidth position sensing of each structure. One or more of the structures should be mounted on a stage, and the stage can move in either one or more dimensions. The photo-sensitive device generates signals in response to the scattered light received, and the signals are used to modulate the position of the stage in a feedback loop.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2006
    Publication date: October 7, 2010
    Applicant: The U.S.A., as represented by the Secretary of Commerce, The Ntl. Inst. of Standards & Technology
    Inventors: Thomas T. Perkins, Gavin M. King, Ashley R. Carter