Patents by Inventor Edward Raymond Dowski
Edward Raymond Dowski 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: 7319783Abstract: A method for reducing optical distortion within an optical system employing adaptive optics, includes modifying phase of a wavefront of the optical system with a wavefront coding element. Image data of the optical system is post-processed to remove phase effects induced by the wavefront coding element, to reduce optical distortion caused by the adaptive optics and associated with one or more of quilting, stuck actuator and piston error.Type: GrantFiled: November 17, 2006Date of Patent: January 15, 2008Assignee: CDM Optics, Inc.Inventors: Edward Raymond Dowski, Jr., Kenneth Scott Kubala, Alan Eugene Baron
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Patent number: 7260251Abstract: An imaging system for reducing aberrations from an intervening medium, and an associated method of use are provided. The system may be an optical or task-based optical imaging system including optics, such as a phase mask, for imaging a wavefront of the system to an intermediate image and modifying phase of the wavefront such that an optical transfer function of the system is substantially invariant to focus-related aberrations from the medium. A detector detects the intermediate image, which is further processed by a decoder, removing phase effects from the optics and forming a final image substantially clear of the aberrations. Other systems may employ an encoder that codes wavefronts of acoustical waves propagating through a medium to make the wavefronts substantially invariant to acoustical aberrations from the medium. Imaging and decoding of the wavefronts reverse effects of the wavefront coding and produce sounds substantially free of the aberrations.Type: GrantFiled: March 31, 2004Date of Patent: August 21, 2007Assignee: CDM Optics, Inc.Inventors: Edward Raymond Dowski, Jr., Kenneth Scott Kubala, Alan Eugene Baron
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Patent number: 7218448Abstract: A system for increasing the depth of field and decreasing the wavelength sensitivity of an incoherent optical system incorporates a special purpose optical mask into the incoherent system. The optical mask has been designed to cause the optical transfer function to remain essentially constant within some range from the in-focus position. Signal processing of the resulting intermediate image undoes the optical transfer modifying effects of the mask, resulting in an in-focus image over an increased depth of field. Generally the mask is placed at or near an aperture stop or image of the aperture stop of the optical system. Preferably, the mask modifies only phase and not amplitude of light, though amplitude may be changed by associated filters or the like. The mask may be used to increase the useful range of passive ranging systems.Type: GrantFiled: May 1, 1998Date of Patent: May 15, 2007Assignee: The Regents of the University of ColoradoInventors: Wade Thomas Cathey, Jr., Edward Raymond Dowski, Jr.
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Patent number: 7180673Abstract: An optical system with mechanical adjustment provides for the rotation and/or translation of one or more optical phase filters to variably select an extended depth of field, aberration-tolerance, and/or anti-aliasing properties of an optical imaging system. By adjusting the amount of phase induced on the wavefront, a user may select image quality selectively. The system may further automatically counter change of focus and/or aperture to maintain substantially constant image properties. Typically, two phase filters are used and moved concurrently to achieve desired image properties.Type: GrantFiled: March 25, 2004Date of Patent: February 20, 2007Assignee: CDM Optics, Inc.Inventor: Edward Raymond Dowski, Jr.
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Patent number: 7115849Abstract: Contrast Imaging apparatus and methods with Wavefront Coding aspheric optics and post processing increase depth of field and reduce misfocus effects in imaging Phase Objects. The general Interference Contrast imaging system is modified with a special purpose optical element and image processing of the detected image to form the final image. The Wavefront Coding optical element can be fabricated as a separate component, can be constructed as an integral component of the imaging objective, tube lens, beam splitter, polarizer or any combination of such.Type: GrantFiled: January 31, 2003Date of Patent: October 3, 2006Assignee: The Regents of The University of ColoradoInventors: Edward Raymond Dowski, Jr., Carol Jean Cogswell
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Patent number: 7106510Abstract: The present invention provides improved Wavefront Coding imaging apparatus and methods composed of optics, a detector, and processing of the detected image. The optics are constructed and arranged to have the characteristic that the transverse ray intercept curves form substantially straight, sloped lines. The wavefront coding corrects for known or unknown amounts of “misfocus-like” aberrations by altering the optical transfer function of the imaging apparatus in such a way that the altered optical transfer function is substantially insensitive to aberrations. Post processing then removes the effect of the coding, except for the invariance with regard to aberrations, thereby producing clear images.Type: GrantFiled: July 29, 2005Date of Patent: September 12, 2006Assignee: The Regents of the University of ColoradoInventor: Edward Raymond Dowski, Jr.
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Patent number: 7088419Abstract: An optical lithography system that has extended depth of focus exposes a photoresist coating on a wafer, and includes an illumination sub-system, a reticle, and an imaging lens that has a pupil plane function to form an aerial image of the reticle proximate to the photoresist. The pupil plane function provides the extended depth of focus such that the system may be manufactured or used with relaxed tolerance, reduced cost and/or increased throughput. The system may be used to form precise vias within integrated circuits even in the presence of misfocus or misalignment.Type: GrantFiled: June 1, 2004Date of Patent: August 8, 2006Assignee: CDM Optics, Inc.Inventors: Edward Raymond Dowski, Jr., Gregory E. Johnson, Kenneth S. Kubala, Wade Thomas Cathey, Jr.
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Patent number: 7031054Abstract: An imaging system for imaging an object onto an image plane. An optical arrangement forms an intermediate image of the object at an intermediate plane with a first value of axial resolution. The imaging system also includes a digital processor configured to process the intermediate image to form a final image of the object. The imaging system further includes a specially designed optical element that cooperates with the optical arrangement and the digital processor to define a second value of axial resolution that is greater than the first value.Type: GrantFiled: October 9, 2003Date of Patent: April 18, 2006Assignee: The Regent of the University of ColoradoInventors: Wade Thomas Cathey, Jr., Edward Raymond Dowski, Jr., Sherif S. Sherif
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Patent number: 6940649Abstract: The present invention provides improved Wavefront Coding imaging apparatus and methods composed of optics, a detector, and processing of the detected image. The optics are constructed and arranged to have the characteristic that the transverse ray intercept curves form substantially straight, sloped lines. The wavefront coding corrects for known or unknown amounts of “misfocus-like” aberrations by altering the optical transfer function of the imaging apparatus in such a way that the altered optical transfer function is substantially insensitive to aberrations. Post processing then removes the effect of the coding, except for the invariance with regard to aberrations, thereby producing clear images.Type: GrantFiled: April 4, 2003Date of Patent: September 6, 2005Assignee: The Regents of the University of ColoradoInventor: Edward Raymond Dowski, Jr.
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Patent number: 6911638Abstract: A wide-angle zoom lens with as few as two plastic elements codes the wavefront produced by the imaging system such that the imaging system is substantially invariant to aberrations related to misfocus. Signal processing is used to decode the wavefront to form the final image. A first type of zoom lens configuration uses as few as two lens elements. In this type, image processing may be modified to take into account the positioning of the lenses.Type: GrantFiled: February 11, 2003Date of Patent: June 28, 2005Assignee: The Regents of the University of Colorado, a body corporateInventors: Edward Raymond Dowski, Jr., Inga Prischepa
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Patent number: 6873733Abstract: The present invention provides extended depth of field or focus to conventional Amplitude Contrast imaging systems. This is accomplished by including a Wavefront Coding mask in the system to apply phase variations to the wavefront transmitted by the Phase Object being imaged. The phase variations induced by the Wavefront Coding mask code the wavefront and cause the optical transfer function to remain essentially constant within some range away from the in-focus position. This provides a coded image at the detector. Post processing decodes this coded image, resulting in an in-focus image over an increased depth of field.Type: GrantFiled: January 19, 2001Date of Patent: March 29, 2005Assignee: The Regents of the University of ColoradoInventor: Edward Raymond Dowski, Jr.
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Patent number: 6842297Abstract: Improved Wavefront Coding Optics, which apply a phase profile to the wavefront of light from an object to be imaged, retain their insensitivity to focus related aberration, while increasing the heights of the resulting MTFs and reducing the noise in the final images. Such improved Wavefront Coding Optics have the characteristic that the central portion of the applied phase profile is essentially flat (or constant), while a peripheral region of the phase profile around the central region alternately has positive and negative phase regions relative to the central region.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 2001Date of Patent: January 11, 2005Assignee: CDM Optics, Inc.Inventor: Edward Raymond Dowski, Jr.
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Publication number: 20040257543Abstract: An optical lithography system that has extended depth of focus exposes a photoresist coating on a wafer, and includes an illumination sub-system, a reticle, and an imaging lens that has a pupil plane function to form an aerial image of the reticle proximate to the photoresist. The pupil plane function provides the extended depth of focus such that the system may be manufactured or used with relaxed tolerance, reduced cost and/or increased throughput. The system may be used to form precise vias within integrated circuits even in the presence of misfocus or misalignment.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 1, 2004Publication date: December 23, 2004Inventors: Edward Raymond Dowski, Gregory E. Johnson, Kenneth S. Kubala, Wade Thomas Cathey
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Publication number: 20040228005Abstract: An optical system with mechanical adjustment provides for the rotation and/or translation of one or more optical phase filters to variably select an extended depth of field, aberration-tolerance, and/or anti-aliasing properties of an optical imaging system. By adjusting the amount of phase induced on the wavefront, a user may select image quality selectively. The system may further automatically counter change of focus and/or aperture to maintain substantially constant image properties. Typically, two phase filters are used and moved concurrently to achieve desired image properties.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 25, 2004Publication date: November 18, 2004Inventor: Edward Raymond Dowski
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Publication number: 20040190762Abstract: An imaging system for reducing aberrations from an intervening medium, and an associated method of use are provided. The system may be an optical or task-based optical imaging system including optics, such as a phase mask, for imaging a wavefront of the system to an intermediate image and modifying phase of the wavefront such that an optical transfer function of the system is substantially invariant to focus-related aberrations from the medium. A detector detects the intermediate image, which is further processed by a decoder, removing phase effects from the optics and forming a final image substantially clear of the aberrations. Other systems may employ an encoder that codes wavefronts of acoustical waves propagating through a medium to make the wavefronts substantially invariant to acoustical aberrations from the medium. Imaging and decoding of the wavefronts reverse effects of the wavefront coding and produce sounds substantially free of the aberrations.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 31, 2004Publication date: September 30, 2004Inventors: Edward Raymond Dowski, Kenneth Scott Kubala, Alan Eugene Baron
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Publication number: 20040145808Abstract: A system for increasing the depth of field and decreasing the wavelength sensitivity and the effects of misfocus-producing aberrations of the lens of an incoherent optical system incorporates a special purpose optical mask into the incoherent system. The optical mask has been designed to cause the optical transfer function to remain essentially constant within some range from the in-focus position. Signal processing of the resulting intermediate image undoes the optical transfer modifying effects of the mask, resulting in an in-focus image over an increased depth of field. Generally the mask is placed at a principal plane or the image of a principal plane of the optical system. Preferably, the mask modifies only phase and not amplitude of light. The mask may be used to increase the useful range of passive ranging systems.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 16, 2004Publication date: July 29, 2004Inventors: Wade Thomas Cathey, Edward Raymond Dowski
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Publication number: 20040004766Abstract: The present invention provides improved Wavefront Coding imaging apparatus and methods composed of optics, a detector, and processing of the detected image. The optics are constructed and arranged to have the characteristic that the transverse ray intercept curves form substantially straight, sloped lines. The wavefront coding corrects for known or unknown amounts of “misfocus-like” aberrations by altering the optical transfer function of the imaging apparatus in such a way that the altered optical transfer function is substantially insensitive to aberrations. Post processing then removes the effect of the coding, except for the invariance with regard to aberrations, thereby producing clear images.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 3, 2003Publication date: January 8, 2004Inventor: Edward Raymond Dowski
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Publication number: 20030173502Abstract: Contrast Imaging apparatus and methods with Wavefront Coding aspheric optics and post processing increase depth of field and reduce misfocus effects in imaging Phase Objects. The general Interference Contrast imaging system is modified with a special purpose optical element and image processing of the detected image to form the final image. The Wavefront Coding optical element can be fabricated as a separate component, can be constructed as an integral component of the imaging objective, tube lens, beam splitter, polarizer or any combination of such.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 31, 2003Publication date: September 18, 2003Inventors: Edward Raymond Dowski, Carol Jean Cogswell
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Publication number: 20030169944Abstract: An image processing method includes the steps of wavefront coding a wavefront that forms an optical image, converting the optical image to a data stream, and processing the data stream with a filter kernel to reverse effects of wavefront coding and generate a final image. By example, the filter set kernel may be a reduced filter set kernel, or a color-specific kernel. Methods and systems are also disclosed for processing color images, such as by separating color and spatial information into separate channels. Methods and systems herein are for example useful in forming electronic devices with reduced opto-mechanical, opto-electronic and processing complexity or cost.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 27, 2003Publication date: September 11, 2003Inventors: Edward Raymond Dowski, Gregory Edward Johnson, Ashley K. Macon, Hans B. Wach
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Publication number: 20030127584Abstract: A wide-angle zoom lens with as few as two plastic elements codes the wavefront produced by the imaging system such that the imaging system is substantially invariant to aberrations related to misfocus. Signal processing is used to decode the wavefront to form the final image. A first type of zoom lens configuration uses as few as two lens elements. In this type, image processing may be modified to take into account the positioning of the lenses.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 11, 2003Publication date: July 10, 2003Inventors: Edward Raymond Dowski, Inga Prischepa