Patents by Inventor Leslie L. Deck

Leslie L. Deck 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).

  • Publication number: 20230092947
    Abstract: A method for measuring a bond gap includes receiving a light beam at a first interferometer cavity and a reference interferometer cavity, in which the first interferometer cavity is defined by a first surface and a contact interface, and the contact interface is defined by a contact gap less than 1 ?m. The method includes determining a first interference amplitude of the first interferometer cavity and a second interference amplitude of the reference interferometer cavity by applying wavelength tuning and spectral analysis to measured intensities of light from the first interferometer cavity and the reference interferometer cavity. The contact gap is determined based on a ratio of the first interference amplitude and the second interference amplitude and information about a mapping between various interference amplitude ratios and expected contact gap values.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2022
    Publication date: March 23, 2023
    Inventor: Leslie L. Deck
  • Patent number: 10962348
    Abstract: A method for measuring a property of a test object with an interferometer includes: a) providing calibration information relating a focus setting for the interferometer to a position of the test object relative to a reference surface of the interferometer; b) determining the position of the test object relative to the reference surface; and c) using the interferometer to collect interferometric images of the test object for use in measuring the property of the test object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: Zygo Corporation
    Inventor: Leslie L. Deck
  • Patent number: 10890428
    Abstract: A method for measuring a property of a test object with an interferometer includes: a) providing calibration information relating a focus setting for the interferometer to a position of the test object relative to a reference surface of the interferometer; b) determining the position of the test object relative to the reference surface; and c) using the interferometer to collect interferometric images of the test object for use in measuring the property of the test object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: Zygo Corporation
    Inventor: Leslie L. Deck
  • Patent number: 10845251
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for determining the wavelength of a light beam are provided. An input light beam is received, and light from the input light beam is distributed to multiple channels. At a first pair of interferometer cavities that has a first free spectral range, two of the multiple channels of light are received. The intensity of light reflected from the first pair of cavities is measured, and a first estimate of the wavelength or optical frequency of the input light beam is determined based on measurements of interference signals from the first pair of cavities and an initial estimate of the wavelength or optical frequency. At a second pair of cavities that has a second free spectral range smaller than the first free spectral range, another two of the multiple channels of light are received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: Zygo Corporation
    Inventor: Leslie L. Deck
  • Patent number: 10591284
    Abstract: Techniques for removing interferometry signal phase variations caused by distortion and other effects in a multi-layer stack include: providing an electronic processor sample interferometry data acquired for the stack using a low coherence imaging interferometry system; transforming, by the electronic processor, the sample interferometry data to a frequency domain; identifying a non-linear phase variation from the sample interferometry data in the frequency domain, in which the non-linear phase variation is a result of dispersion introduced into a measurement beam by the test sample; and removing the non-linear phase variation from the sample interferometry data thereby producing compensated interferometry data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: Zygo Corporation
    Inventors: Leslie L. Deck, Peter J. de Groot
  • Publication number: 20200003620
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for determining the wavelength of a light beam are provided. An input light beam is received, and light from the input light beam is distributed to multiple channels. At a first pair of interferometer cavities that has a first free spectral range, two of the multiple channels of light are received. The intensity of light reflected from the first pair of cavities is measured, and a first estimate of the wavelength or optical frequency of the input light beam is determined based on measurements of interference signals from the first pair of cavities and an initial estimate of the wavelength or optical frequency. At a second pair of cavities that has a second free spectral range smaller than the first free spectral range, another two of the multiple channels of light are received.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2019
    Publication date: January 2, 2020
    Inventor: Leslie L. Deck
  • Publication number: 20190346251
    Abstract: A method for measuring a property of a test object with an interferometer includes: a) providing calibration information relating a focus setting for the interferometer to a position of the test object relative to a reference surface of the interferometer; b) determining the position of the test object relative to the reference surface; and c) using the interferometer to collect interferometric images of the test object for use in measuring the property of the test object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2019
    Publication date: November 14, 2019
    Inventor: Leslie L. Deck
  • Patent number: 10451413
    Abstract: An optical method for determining an orientation of surface texture of a mechanical part includes: i) acquiring data for a first areal surface topography image using a surface topography measurement instrument, wherein the first image corresponds to a first field of view of the mechanical part for the surface topography measurement instrument; ii) rotating the mechanical part with respect to a rotation axis provided by a rotatable mount used to secure the mechanical part to provide a second field of view of the mechanical part for the surface topography measurement instrument, wherein the first and second fields of view overlap to provide image information about a common region of the mechanical part; iii) acquiring data for a second areal surface topography image using the surface topography measurement instrument, wherein the second image corresponds to the second field of view; and iv) processing the data from the images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: Zygo Corporation
    Inventors: Peter J. de Groot, Leslie L. Deck
  • Publication number: 20190265023
    Abstract: Techniques for removing interferometry signal phase variations caused by distortion and other effects in a multi-layer stack include: providing an electronic processor sample interferometry data acquired for the stack using a low coherence imaging interferometry system; transforming, by the electronic processor, the sample interferometry data to a frequency domain; identifying a non-linear phase variation from the sample interferometry data in the frequency domain, in which the non-linear phase variation is a result of dispersion introduced into a measurement beam by the test sample; and removing the non-linear phase variation from the sample interferometry data thereby producing compensated interferometry data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2019
    Publication date: August 29, 2019
    Inventors: Leslie L. Deck, Peter J. de Groot
  • Patent number: 10267617
    Abstract: Method include using an apparatus to measure a first surface field, at a first surface of the apparatus, of an artifact having one or more surface features with known topography. The method includes determining a first focus metric at the first surface based on at least a portion of a first surface profile containing the one or more surface features. Methods include digitally transforming, the first surface field into a second surface field at a second surface of the apparatus, deriving, a second surface profile from the second surface field and computing a second focus metric for the second surface profile, and determining, based on two or more focus metric values, an optimum surface for evaluating the instrument transfer function. Method include determining the instrument transfer function of the apparatus based on at least a portion of the surface profile derived from the surface field of the optimum surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: Zygo Corporation
    Inventor: Leslie L. Deck
  • Patent number: 10190871
    Abstract: A method for determining characteristics of a test cavity, the method includes for each of a plurality of optical frequencies within a bandwidth of a tunable laser, measuring interference signals from the test cavity and a reference cavity having a known characteristic. The method includes determining values for the plurality of optical frequencies from the measured interference signals from the reference cavity and the known characteristic of the reference cavity, and determining the characteristic of the test cavity using the determined values of the plurality of optical frequencies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: Zygo Corporation
    Inventor: Leslie L. Deck
  • Publication number: 20180180412
    Abstract: An optical method for determining an orientation of surface texture of a mechanical part includes: i) acquiring data for a first areal surface topography image using a surface topography measurement instrument, wherein the first image corresponds to a first field of view of the mechanical part for the surface topography measurement instrument; ii) rotating the mechanical part with respect to a rotation axis provided by a rotatable mount used to secure the mechanical part to provide a second field of view of the mechanical part for the surface topography measurement instrument, wherein the first and second fields of view overlap to provide image information about a common region of the mechanical part; iii) acquiring data for a second areal surface topography image using the surface topography measurement instrument, wherein the second image corresponds to the second field of view; and iv) processing the data from the images.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2018
    Publication date: June 28, 2018
    Inventors: Peter J. de Groot, Leslie L. Deck
  • Publication number: 20180143002
    Abstract: A method for measuring a property of a test object with an interferometer includes: a) providing calibration information relating a focus setting for the interferometer to a position of the test object relative to a reference surface of the interferometer; b) determining the position of the test object relative to the reference surface; and c) using the interferometer to collect interferometric images of the test object for use in measuring the property of the test object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2017
    Publication date: May 24, 2018
    Inventor: Leslie L. Deck
  • Patent number: 9891078
    Abstract: Determining information about a degree of freedom of rigid body motion of an encoder scale includes: directing a first beam toward an encoder scale, in which the first beam diffracts from an encoder scale; combining a diffracted component of the first beam with a second beam to form an interfering output beam; monitoring changes in the output beam as a function of a wavelength of the first and second beams; and determining the information about a degree of freedom of rigid body motion of the encoder scale based on changes in the output beam as a function of the wavelength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Zygo Corporation
    Inventors: Leslie L. Deck, Jan Liesener
  • Publication number: 20170356739
    Abstract: A method for determining characteristics of a test cavity, the method includes for each of a plurality of optical frequencies within a bandwidth of a tunable laser, measuring interference signals from the test cavity and a reference cavity having a known characteristic. The method includes determining values for the plurality of optical frequencies from the measured interference signals from the reference cavity and the known characteristic of the reference cavity, and determining the characteristic of the test cavity using the determined values of the plurality of optical frequencies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2017
    Publication date: December 14, 2017
    Inventor: Leslie L. Deck
  • Publication number: 20170191821
    Abstract: Method include using an apparatus to measure a first surface field, at a first surface of the apparatus, of an artifact having one or more surface features with known topography. The method includes determining a first focus metric at the first surface based on at least a portion of a first surface profile containing the one or more surface features. Methods include digitally transforming, the first surface field into a second surface field at a second surface of the apparatus, deriving, a second surface profile from the second surface field and computing a second focus metric for the second surface profile, and determining, based on two or more focus metric values, an optimum surface for evaluating the instrument transfer function. Method include determining the instrument transfer function of the apparatus based on at least a portion of the surface profile derived from the surface field of the optimum surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2016
    Publication date: July 6, 2017
    Inventor: Leslie L. Deck
  • Publication number: 20160011016
    Abstract: Determining information about a degree of freedom of rigid body motion of an encoder scale includes: directing a first beam toward an encoder scale, in which the first beam diffracts from an encoder scale; combining a diffracted component of the first beam with a second beam to form an interfering output beam; monitoring changes in the output beam as a function of a wavelength of the first and second beams; and determining the information about a degree of freedom of rigid body motion of the encoder scale based on changes in the output beam as a function of the wavelength.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2015
    Publication date: January 14, 2016
    Inventors: Leslie L. Deck, Jan Liesener
  • Patent number: 9115975
    Abstract: An interferometry system for monitoring changes in the position of an object, the system includes a spectrally broadband light source, a sensor module having an interferometer that direct portions of the light received from the source along separate paths. The system includes an intensity monitor having a detector configured to measure the intensity of additional light derived from the source and to produce a monitor output signal. The system includes an electronic processing module to process a sensor output signal based on the monitor output signal to account for intensity fluctuations in light output by the source, and determine information about the changes in the position of the object. The intensity monitor is configured to characterize the intensity fluctuations as a function of wavelength or intensity fluctuations that are spectrally correlated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: Zygo Corporation
    Inventors: Jan Liesener, Robert M. Carangelo, Leslie L. Deck, Michael Lowell Holmes, Alexander D. Wesley
  • Patent number: 8988690
    Abstract: A method for determining information about changes along a degree of freedom of an encoder scale includes directing a first beam and a second beam along different paths and combining the first and second beams to form an output beam, where the first and second beams are derived from a common source, the first and second beams have different frequencies, where the first beam contacts the encoder scale at a non-Littrow angle and the first beam diffracts from the encoder scale at least once; detecting an interference signal based on the output beam, the interference signal including a heterodyne phase related to an optical path difference between the first beam and the second beam; and determining information about a degree of freedom of the encoder scale based on the heterodyne phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Zygo Corporation
    Inventors: Leslie L. Deck, Peter J. de Groot, Michael Schroeder
  • Publication number: 20150002852
    Abstract: Low-coherence scanning systems and methods for operating the same include simultaneously measuring two phase-shifted interferograms corresponding to intensity patterns produced by interfering test light reflected from a test object with reference light on respective first and second detectors, in which the test light and reference light are derived from a common source. The interferograms measured by the first detector define a first set of scanning interferometry signals, and the interferograms measured by the second detector define a second set of interferometry signals corresponding to substantially the same multiple transverse locations on the test object, in which each interferometry signal in the second set is phase-shifted relative to a corresponding interferometry signal in the first set. An electronic processor processes the first set and second set of interferometry signals either independently from each other or in a combined manner to obtain information about the test object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2014
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Inventors: Peter J. de Groot, Leslie L. Deck