Patents by Inventor Christian Laue
Christian Laue 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).
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Patent number: 7693324Abstract: The present invention provides a method, an optical inspection apparatus as well as a computer program product for optical inspection of a surface. The optical inspection apparatus can be effectively applied for optical inspection of periodic structures on e.g. a semi-conductor wafer for the purpose of quality control. By effectively splitting a light beam into a plurality of spatially separated light beams and by selective usage of these light beams, various surface segments of the surface can be inspected simultaneously by superposition of respective images. A resulting superposition image can then be compared with a reference image for detection of defects of the surface.Type: GrantFiled: July 6, 2005Date of Patent: April 6, 2010Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Gernot Brasen, Christian Laue, Matthias Loeffler, Heiko Theuer
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Patent number: 7551291Abstract: The invention relates to an interferometric method for measuring a height of a first region on a first surface, the first surface having first areas having first optical properties and second areas having second optical properties, the method comprising the steps of generating of first and second coherent light beams, reflecting at least the first coherent light beam from the first region into a first return beam and reflecting the second coherent light beam from a second region into a second return beam, measuring at least a first reflectivity of the first region, determining a topography-dependent phase shift of the first and second return beams for the height measurement based on the first reflectivity.Type: GrantFiled: March 31, 2008Date of Patent: June 23, 2009Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Gernot Brasen, Christian Laue, Matthias Loeffler, Heiko Theuer
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Patent number: 7551292Abstract: The invention relates to an interferometric method for measuring a height of a first region on a first surface, the first surface having first areas having first optical properties and second areas having second optical properties, the method comprising the steps of generating of first and second coherent light beams, reflecting at least the first coherent light beam from the first region into a first return beam and reflecting the second coherent light beam from a second region into a second return beam, measuring at least a first reflectivity of the first region, determining a topography-dependent phase shift of the first and second return beams for the height measurement based on the first reflectivity.Type: GrantFiled: March 31, 2008Date of Patent: June 23, 2009Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Gernot Brasen, Jr., Christian Laue, Matthias Loeffler, Heiko Theuer
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Patent number: 7505124Abstract: An automated system for illuminating and inspecting the inner surface areas of tubular samples, especially stents, is disclosed. The system comprises rotatable means for receiving the sample to be inspected; at least one fluorescent surface area arranged in the immediate vicinity of the sample to be inspected; an UV-light source for illuminating the at least one fluorescent surface area; an electronic line-scan camera for inspecting the sample; and a computer based electronic imaging system, functionally connected to the camera, whereby the imaging system creates a line-by-line image of an area extending along the length of the sample as it rotates under the camera.Type: GrantFiled: February 19, 2008Date of Patent: March 17, 2009Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Achim Kreckel, Christian Laue, Edgar Maehringer-Kunz
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Publication number: 20080180689Abstract: The invention relates to an interferometric method for measuring a height of a first region on a first surface, the first surface having first areas having first optical properties and second areas having second optical properties, the method comprising the steps of generating of first and second coherent light beams, reflecting at least the first coherent light beam from the first region into a first return beam and reflecting the second coherent light beam from a second region into a second return beam, measuring at least a first reflectivity of the first region, determining a topography-dependent phase shift of the first and second return beams for the height measurement based on the first reflectivity.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 31, 2008Publication date: July 31, 2008Inventors: Gernot Brasen, Christian Laue, Matthias Loeffler, Heiko Theuer
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Publication number: 20080180687Abstract: The invention relates to an interferometric method for measuring a height of a first region on a first surface, the first surface having first areas having first optical properties and second areas having second optical properties, the method comprising the steps of generating of first and second coherent light beams, reflecting at least the first coherent light beam from the first region into a first return beam and reflecting the second coherent light beam from a second region into a second return beam, measuring at least a first reflectivity of the first region, determining a topography-dependent phase shift of the first and second return beams for the height measurement based on the first reflectivity.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 31, 2008Publication date: July 31, 2008Inventors: Gernot Brasen, Christian Laue, Matthias Loeffler, Heiko Theuer
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Patent number: 7397569Abstract: A system and method for interferometric height measurement. A first coherent light beam and a second coherent light beam is generated. At least the first coherent light beam is reflected from a first region into a first return beam and the second coherent light beam is reflected from a second region into a second return beam. At least a first reflectivity of the first region is measured. A topography-dependent phase shift of the first return beam and the second return beam is determined with reference to a curve relating the first reflectivity to a material-dependent phase shift. A height based on the topography-dependent phase shift is measured.Type: GrantFiled: July 5, 2006Date of Patent: July 8, 2008Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Gernot Brasen, Christian Laue, Matthias Loeffler, Heiko Theuer
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Publication number: 20080137079Abstract: An automated system for illuminating and inspecting the inner surface areas of tubular samples, especially stents, is disclosed. The system comprises rotatable means for receiving the sample to be inspected; at least one fluorescent surface area arranged in the immediate vicinity of the sample to be inspected; an UV-light source for illuminating the at least one fluorescent surface area; an electronic line-scan camera for inspecting the sample; and a computer based electronic imaging system, functionally connected to the camera, whereby the imaging system creates a line-by-line image of an area extending along the length of the sample as it rotates under the camera.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 19, 2008Publication date: June 12, 2008Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: Achim Kreckel, Christian Laue, Edgar Maehringer-Kunz
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Patent number: 7355700Abstract: An automated system for illuminating and inspecting the inner surface areas of tubular samples, especially stents, is disclosed. The system comprises rotatable means for receiving the sample to be inspected; at least one fluorescent surface area arranged in the immediate vicinity of the sample to be inspected; an UV-light source for illuminating the at least one fluorescent surface area; an electronic line-scan camera for inspecting the sample; and a computer based electronic imaging system, functionally connected to the camera, whereby the imaging system creates a line-by-line image of an area extending along the length of the sample as it rotates under the camera.Type: GrantFiled: November 3, 2005Date of Patent: April 8, 2008Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Achim Kreckel, Christian Laue, Edgar Maehringer-Kunz
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Patent number: 7342654Abstract: The invention relates to a system and method of detecting impurities in a cylindrically shaped transparent medium, wherein the cylindrically shaped transparent medium is illuminated with electromagnetic radiation, and the radiation having components emerging radially from the medium, and at least some of the components are received by a detector for detecting impurities of the medium. The components are detected at a multiplicity of relative angular positions around the symmetry axis of the cylinder, so as to form an impurity diagram that may be analyzed to detect and measure impurities in the medium.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 2004Date of Patent: March 11, 2008Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Christian Laue, Gernot Brasen, Frank Lautenbach, Matthias Loeffler, Heiko Theuer
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Patent number: 7230763Abstract: A polarizing beamsplitter is provided, comprising two wedge-shaped prisms of a birefringent material, the prisms forming a plan-parallel plate, wherein an incident light beam is separated into two partial beams being arranged parallel to the incident beam when emerging from the beamsplitter, the partial beams having a lateral distance with respect to each other, which is continuously changeable.Type: GrantFiled: June 26, 2006Date of Patent: June 12, 2007Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Gernot Brasen, Christian Laue, Matthias Loeffler
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Patent number: 7221459Abstract: The invention relates to an interferometric method for measuring a height of a first region on a first surface, the first surface having first areas having first optical properties and second areas having second optical properties, the method comprising the steps of generating of first and second coherent light beams, reflecting at least the first coherent light beam from the first region into a first return beam and reflecting the second coherent light beam from a second region into a second return beam, measuring at least a first reflectivity of the first region, determining a topography-dependent phase shift of the first and second return beams for the height measurement based on the first reflectivity.Type: GrantFiled: March 23, 2004Date of Patent: May 22, 2007Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Gernot Brasen, Christian Laue, Matthias Loeffler, Heiko Theuer
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Patent number: 7167311Abstract: A polarizing beamsplitter is provided, comprising two wedge-shaped prisms of a birefringent material, the prisms forming a plan-parallel plate, wherein an incident light beam is separated into two partial beams being arranged parallel to the incident beam when emerging from the beamsplitter, the partial beams having a lateral distance with respect to each other, which is continuously changeable.Type: GrantFiled: October 22, 2004Date of Patent: January 23, 2007Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Gemot Brasen, Christian Laue, Matthias Loeffler
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Publication number: 20070009148Abstract: The present invention provides a method, an optical inspection apparatus as well as a computer program product for optical inspection of a surface. The optical inspection apparatus can be effectively applied for optical inspection of periodic structures on e.g. a semi-conductor wafer for the purpose of quality control. By effectively splitting a light beam into a plurality of spatially separated light beams and by selective usage of these light beams, various surface segments of the surface can be inspected simultaneously by superposition of respective images. A resulting superposition image can then be compared with a reference image for detection of defects of the surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 6, 2005Publication date: January 11, 2007Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: Gernot Brasen, Christian Laue, Matthias Loeffler, Heiko Theuer
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Publication number: 20060268422Abstract: A polarizing beamsplitter is provided, comprising two wedge-shaped prisms of a birefringent material, the prisms forming a plan-parallel plate, wherein an incident light beam is separated into two partial beams being arranged parallel to the incident beam when emerging from the beamsplitter, the partial beams having a lateral distance with respect to each other, which is continuously changeable.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 26, 2006Publication date: November 30, 2006Inventors: Gernot Brasen, Christian Laue, Mattthias Loeffler
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Publication number: 20060250619Abstract: The invention relates to an interferometric method for measuring a height of a first region on a first surface, the first surface having first areas having first optical properties and second areas having second optical properties, the method comprising the steps of generating of first and second coherent light beams, reflecting at least the first coherent light beam from the first region into a first return beam and reflecting the second coherent light beam from a second region into a second return beam, measuring at least a first reflectivity of the first region, determining a topography-dependent phase shift of the first and second return beams for the height measurement based on the first reflectivity.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 5, 2006Publication date: November 9, 2006Inventors: Gernot Brasen, Christian Laue, Matthias Loeffler, Heiko Theuer
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Patent number: 7088453Abstract: An optical device has a rotatable birefringent crystal. The crystal is rotatable around a first axis (4; 42) and has a crystallographic-optical axis (6; 44) in a plane that is perpendicular to the first axis. In addition, the crystal is rotated around the first axis in order to control a displacement (?x) of a light beam in the plane when the light beam is polarized within the plane and directed onto the crystal.Type: GrantFiled: November 7, 2003Date of Patent: August 8, 2006Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Gernot Brasen, Christian Laue, Matthias Loeffler
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Publication number: 20060126061Abstract: An automated system for illuminating and inspecting the inner surface areas of tubular samples, especially stents, is disclosed. The system comprises rotatable means for receiving the sample to be inspected; at least one fluorescent surface area arranged in the immediate vicinity of the sample to be inspected; an UV-light source for illuminating the at least one fluorescent surface area; an electronic line-scan camera for inspecting the sample; and a computer based electronic imaging system, functionally connected to the camera, whereby the imaging system creates a line-by-line image of an area extending along the length of the sample as it rotates under the camera.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 3, 2005Publication date: June 15, 2006Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: Achim Kreckel, Christian Laue, Edgar Maehringer-Kunz
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Publication number: 20050168750Abstract: A method and a measurement system to provide an in situ measurement of the thickness of a layer deposited on a substrate is described. The measurement system includes the optical sensor integrated into a movable element hovering over the substrate in close proximity to the layer. The optical sensor element is adapted to emit and detect optical signals. The measurement system provides an optical, and thus contactless approach to determine the thickness of the layer during the growth of the layer. The inventive measurement system is particularly suited for an electroplating system and process.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 12, 2005Publication date: August 4, 2005Applicant: INTERANTIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: Christian Laue, Theodore van Kessel, Frederick Maurer
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Publication number: 20050146796Abstract: A polarizing beamsplitter is provided, comprising two wedge-shaped prisms of a birefringent material, the prisms forming a plan-parallel plate, wherein an incident light beam is separated into two partial beams being arranged parallel to the incident beam when emerging from the beamsplitter, the partial beams having a lateral distance with respect to each other, which is continuously changeable.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 22, 2004Publication date: July 7, 2005Inventors: Gernot Brasen, Christian Laue, Matthias Loeffler