Abstract: A computer program product causes a processor to execute a process of causing an optical system to illuminate at least one structure on a substrate that comprises first repetitive features at a first pitch in a first layer and second repetitive features at a second pitch in a second layer, the first repetitive features at least partially overlapping with the second repetitive features. The first pitch is different from the second pitch. The processor causes the optical system to receive radiation scattered by the at least one structure and transmit a portion of the received scattered radiation to a sensor arranged in an image plane of the optical system or in a plane conjugate with the image plane for detecting the received scattered radiation and configured to detect a characteristic of radiation impinging on the sensor. The processor then determines a characteristic of interest of the structure.

Abstract: A metrology apparatus for and a method of determining a characteristic of interest relating to at least one structure on a substrate. The metrology apparatus comprises a sensor and an optical system. The sensor is for detecting characteristics of radiation impinging on the sensor. The optical system comprises an illumination path and a detection path. The optical system is configured to illuminate the at least one structure with radiation received from a source via the illumination path. The optical system is configured to receive radiation scattered by the at least one structure and to transmit the received radiation to the sensor via the detection path.

Abstract: A metrology apparatus for and a method of determining a characteristic of interest relating to at least one structure on a substrate. The metrology apparatus comprises a sensor and an optical system. The sensor is for detecting characteristics of radiation impinging on the sensor. The optical system comprises an illumination path and a detection path. The optical system is configured to illuminate the at least one structure with radiation received from a source via the illumination path. The optical system is configured to receive radiation scattered by the at least one structure and to transmit the received radiation to the sensor via the detection path.

Abstract: A metrology apparatus for and a method of determining a characteristic of interest relating to at least one structure on a substrate. The metrology apparatus comprises a sensor and an optical system. The sensor is for detecting characteristics of radiation impinging on the sensor. The optical system comprises an illumination path and a detection path. The optical system is configured to illuminate the at least one structure with radiation received from a source via the illumination path. The optical system is configured to receive radiation scattered by the at least one structure and to transmit the received radiation to the sensor via the detection path.

Abstract: A metrology apparatus for and a method of determining a characteristic of interest relating to at least one structure on a substrate. The metrology apparatus comprises a sensor and an optical system. The sensor is for detecting characteristics of radiation impinging on the sensor. The optical system comprises an illumination path and a detection path. The optical system is configured to illuminate the at least one structure with radiation received from a source via the illumination path. The optical system is configured to receive radiation scattered by the at least one structure and to transmit the received radiation to the sensor via the detection path.

Abstract: A metrology apparatus for and a method of determining a characteristic of interest relating to at least one structure on a substrate. The metrology apparatus comprises a sensor and an optical system. The sensor is for detecting characteristics of radiation impinging on the sensor. The optical system comprises an illumination path and a detection path. The optical system is configured to illuminate the at least one structure with radiation received from a source via the illumination path. The optical system is configured to receive radiation scattered by the at least one structure and to transmit the received radiation to the sensor via the detection path.

Abstract: A metrology apparatus for and a method of determining a characteristic of interest relating to at least one structure on a substrate. The metrology apparatus comprises a sensor and an optical system. The sensor is for detecting characteristics of radiation impinging on the sensor. The optical system comprises an illumination path and a detection path. The optical system is configured to illuminate the at least one structure with radiation received from a source via the illumination path. The optical system is configured to receive radiation scattered by the at least one structure and to transmit the received radiation to the sensor via the detection path.

Abstract: A multi-stack optical data storage medium for recording and reading using a focused radiation beam entering through an entrance face of the medium has a first substrate with a first guide groove having a depth GL0<80 nm and a full half maximum width WL0<350 nm, where a first recording stack is formed over the first substrate and includes a recordable type recording layer formed in the first guide groove. A first reflective layer is present between the first recording layer and the first substrate. A second recording stack has a recordable type recording layer formed a second guide groove of a second substrate, where the second recording stack is present at a position closer to the entrance face than the first recording stack. A transparent spacer layer is sandwiched between the first and second recording stacks. The first L0 guide groove has a depth GL0<100 nm.

Abstract: A multi-stack optical data storage medium (30) for recording and reading using a focused radiation beam (40) entering through an entrance face (41) of the medium (30) is described. It has a first substrate (31a) with present on a side thereof a first recording stack (33) named L0, comprising a recordable type L0 recording layer (35), formed in a first L0 guide groove (38a, 38b). A first reflective layer (39) is present between the first L0 recording layer (35) and the first substrate (31a). A second substrate (31b) with present on a side thereof a second recording stack (32) named L1 is present at a position closer to the entrance face (41) than the L0 recording stack (33) and formed in a second L1 guide groove (37). A transparent spacer layer (36) is sandwiched between the recording stacks (32, 33). The first L0 guide groove (38a, 38b) has a depth GL0<100 nm. In this way a relatively high reflection value of the L0 stack is achieved at a radiation beam wavelength of approximately 655 nm.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for facilitating a process of designing, selecting, and/or customizing lighting effects or lighting shows. A library of indexed (tagged) predefined lighting effects or shows is searched by a search engine, based upon information provided by a user/designer, to identify a set of effects or shows having attributes that are in some way related to the information provided by the user. The user is then presented with search results, i.e., a manageable subset of intelligently chosen lighting effects or shows, which may be ranked in terms of relevance, any one or more of which may be readily selected by the user. The user may select one or more effects or shows from the search results “as is” for execution by a lighting system, may combine one or more effects or shows from the search results, or may modify one or more effects or shows from the search results to refine some aspect of the effect(s)/show(s) in accordance with user preferences.

Abstract: A method comprising recording data related to a start-up procedure on at least one of a plurality of recording layers disposed on an optical record carrier for reading back the recorded data during subsequent start-ups, the selection of the at least one recording layer based on properties of the at least one recording layer is disclosed. The technique reduces the optical record carrier start-up time and is useful for DVD, HD-DVD and BD recorders and/or players.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a recording apparatus, record carrier and method of recording data on at least two layers of a recording medium by using a radiation power, wherein individual recording speeds are determined for respective ones of the at least two layers at different values of the radiation power. A recording speed to be used for recording on an individual one of the at least two recording layers is selected based on a maximum radiation power specified for the recording operation, and the speed of the recording operation is controlled individually for each of the at least two layers based on the selected recording speed. The determination of the individual recording speeds at different radiation power values may be written or embossed on the record carrier. Furthermore, a recording sequence used for recording on the recording layers can be set based on the sensitivities and thus recording speeds. Thereby, total recording time can be minimized for multi-layer recording media.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a recording apparatus, record carrier and method of recording data on at least two layers of a recording medium by using a radiation power, wherein individual recording speeds are determined for respective ones of the at least two layers at different values of the radiation power. A recording speed to be used for recording on an individual one of the at least two recording layers is selected based on a maximum radiation power specified for the recording operation, and the speed of the recording operation is controlled individually for each of the at least two layers based on the selected recording speed. The determination of the individual recording speeds at different radiation power values may be written or embossed on the record carrier. Furthermore, a recording sequence used for recording on the recording layers can be set based on the sensitivities and thus recording speeds. Thereby, total recording time can be minimized for multi-layer recording media.

Abstract: A method and a device are disclosed for reducing a perceived discontinuity in a continuous digital information stream read back from a first (LO) and a second (L1) layer of a multi-layer record carrier (104), said discontinuity occurring during the transition from the first (LO) to the second (L1) layer. The method comprises the steps of monitoring (S1) said digital information stream to be recorded on said multi-layer record carrier (104), determining (S2) a time (ti) corresponding to a point in said digital information stream where an effect of a perceived discontinuity is reduced, and recording (S3) said digital information stream such that a transition from recording on the first layer (LO) to recording on the second layer (L1) of the multi-layer record carrier (104) occurs at said determined time (ti), thereby reducing perceived discontinuity that occurs in, for example, a read back device with a relatively small data buffer.

Abstract: An optical disc (10) comprises at least one storage layer (13) with at least one portion of content being a movie and at least one other portion of content being an advertisement. Initially, the advertisement is visible, but after some time the advertisement is no longer visible. The optical disc may be provided with a label (16) containing an advertisement image (43) which initially is visible but after some time is no longer visible. The optical disc may be accommodated in a storage box (100) provided with an advertisement image (143) which initially is visible but after some time is no longer visible.

Abstract: A method comprising recording data related to a start-up procedure on at least one of a plurality of recording layers disposed on an optical record carrier for reading back the recorded data during subsequent start-ups, the selection of the at least one recording layer based on properties of the at least one recording layer is disclosed. The technique reduces the optical record carrier start-up time and is useful for DVD, HD-DVD and BD recorders and/or players.

Abstract: A method (400) comprising recording content on at least one of a plurality of recording layers on an optical record carrier by means of a focused radiation beam, wherein the selection of the recording layer for recording the content is based on at least one of the following recording criteria: —characteristics of the content; —properties of the plurality of recording layers; —manual selection by an end user; and —automatic selection is disclosed. The method is useful for recording content on multi-layer optical discs such as DVD and Blu-raydiscs.

Abstract: An optical storage medium comprising a data layer suitable to be read by means of a radiation beam in an optical scanning apparatus, and access control means for inhibiting reading of at least part of stored information for a predetermined period of time, thereby leading to a postponed viewing window. Preferably the access control means correspond to an access control layer covering at least part of the data layer, chosen to inhibit access to the data layer. The onset of the predetermined period of time may be determined by exposure of the access control layer to an activating substance. A diffusion barrier layer may control the length of the predetermined period of time. Such optical storage medium is preferably used for distributing content having a fixed release date.

Abstract: The invention discloses a method and a device for recording information on a multi layer optical disc using a multi session format. The use of multi sessions allows for an efficient use of the storage capacity of the disc, and for a fast finalization time.

Abstract: A description is given of an optical storage system comprising an optical storage medium (1) and an optical head device (6). The medium has a substrate (2), a recording stack (3) and an optically transparent protective coating stack (4 and 5), for protecting the recording stack from impact by the optical head device (6). The protective coating stack comprises a multi-layer (4 and 5) of at least: a first layer (5) with a thickness smaller than 40 nm and a surface with a surface energy smaller than 1.5 J/m2, and a second layer (4), adjacent the first layer (5), with a Young's modulus E smaller than 10 GPa and larger than 0.001 GPa. This combination of layers (4 and 5) is very resistant to damage caused by mechanical impact of the optical head device (6). No lubricants are required.