Abstract: A projection display module coupled to the control IC for the data projection. The projection display module includes three liquid crystal panels that perform image displays in red, green, and blue, respectively; light emitting sources are employed and positioned in correspondence with the liquid crystal panels, respectively. A prism is used for each display color combination, wherein the liquid crystal panels and the light emitting sources are positioned on the light-incidence side of the side surfaces of the prism. A projection lens is provided on the light emission side of the prism.

Abstract: Described is a rear projection television with reduced cabinet depth and method of manufacturing thereof. An anamorphic projection lens compresses an image and projects it along an optic path, where a cylindrical mirror expands and reflects the image within the optic path. The combination of compression and expansion facilitates in the design of a rear projection television with reduced cabinet depth.

Abstract: A method of displaying an image with a display system includes receiving image data for the image. A plurality of sub-frames corresponding to the image data are generated based on a geometric relationship between a reference coordinate system and a plurality of projectors. The plurality of sub-frames are projected onto a target surface with the plurality of projectors, thereby producing a resulting image on the target surface. The resulting image includes small pixels overlapping with large pixels over a substantial portion of the resulting image.

Abstract: A method comprising analyzing a portion of image data to identify a characteristic of the portion of the image data and determining an algorithm based on the characteristic is provided. The algorithm is configured to generate at least first and second image data subsets with distortion using the image data such that the first and the second image data subsets are configured to cause an image corresponding to the image data to be reproduced without the distortion in response to being simultaneously displayed with first and second projection devices, respectively.

Abstract: A method comprising generating a first image data subset using image data and first noise and generating a second image data subset using the image data and second noise is provided. The first and the second image data subsets are generated to cause the first noise and the second noise to cancel in response to first and second images being simultaneously displayed in at least partially overlapping positions using the first and second image data subsets, respectively.

Abstract: A lens cleaning module is provided for a lithography system having an exposure apparatus including an objective lens. The system includes a scanning stage for supporting a wafer beneath the objective lens. A cleaning module coupling with the lithography system is provided for cleaning the objective lens in a non-manual cleaning process.

Abstract: The invention relates to a projection exposure system for microlithography, said system comprising an illumination device for generating a projection light, and a projection objective comprising a plurality of optical elements such as lenses (L5) and enabling a reticle that can be arranged in an object plane of the projection objective to be imaged onto a light-sensitive surface (26) that can be arranged in an image plane of the projection objective and is applied to a carrier (30). The inventive system is also provided with an immersion device between an image-side last optical element (L5) of the projection objective and the light-sensitive surface (26), for introducing an immersion liquid (34) into an immersion chamber (50). Said immersion device comprises means (44; 66) which can prevent the appearance of gas bubbles (48) in the immersion liquid (34), affecting the imaging quality, and/or can remove existing gas bubbles (48). Said means can be, for example, an ultrasound source (66) or a degasifier (44).

Abstract: A lithographic projection apparatus is disclosed in which a space between the projection system and the substrate is filled with a liquid. An edge seal member at least partly surrounds the substrate or other object on a substrate table to prevent liquid loss when edge portions of the substrate or other object are, for example, imaged or illuminated.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus is provided that has a sensor at substrate level, the sensor including a radiation receiver, a transmissive plate supporting the radiation receiver, and a radiation detector, wherein the sensor is arranged to avoid loss of radiation between the radiation receiver and a final element of the radiation detector.

Abstract: An immersion lithography apparatus comprises a temperature controller configured to adjust a temperature of a projection system, a substrate and a liquid towards a common target temperature. Controlling the temperature of these elements and reducing temperature gradients may improve imaging consistency and general lithographic performance. Measures to control the temperature may include controlling the immersion liquid flow rate and liquid temperature, for example, via a feedback circuit.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for compensating for the movement of a substrate in a lithographic apparatus during a pulse of radiation include providing an optical structure configured to move a patterned projection beam incident on the substrate in synchronism with the substrate.

Abstract: A lithographic projection apparatus includes a liquid confinement structure extending along at least a part of a boundary of a space between a projection system and a substrate table, the space having a cross-sectional area smaller than the area of the substrate. The liquid confinement structure includes a first inlet to supply liquid, through which the patterned beam is projected, to the space, a first outlet to remove liquid after the liquid has passed under the projection system, a second inlet formed in a face of the structure, the face arranged to oppose a surface of the substrate, and located radially outward, with respect to an optical axis of the projection system, of the space to supply gas, and a second outlet formed in the face and located radially outward, with respect to an optical axis of the projection system, of the second inlet to remove gas.

Abstract: A megasonic immersion lithography exposure apparatus includes an optical transfer chamber for containing an exposure liquid, at least one megasonic plate operably engaging said optical transfer chamber for propagating sonic waves through the exposure liquid, and an optical system provided adjacent to said optical transfer chamber for projecting light through a mask and said exposure liquid and onto a wafer.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus includes a first land surface which faces a surface of a substrate and which surrounds an optical path space for an exposure light beam, a second land surfaces which faces the surface of the substrate and which is provided outside the first land surface in a predetermined direction, and a recovery port which is provided to recover a liquid for filling the optical path space therewith. The first land surface is provided subsequently in parallel to the surface of the substrate. The second land surface is provided at positions separated farther from the surface of the substrate than the first land surface. The recovery port is provided outside the first land surface and the second land surface. Even when the exposure is performed while moving the substrate, the optical path space for the exposure light beam can be filled with the liquid in a desired state.

Abstract: An optical integrator of a wavefront dividing type permits an arbitrary distance to be set between an entrance surface and an exit surface, without production of aberration and without reduction in reflectance on reflecting films. The optical integrator has a plurality of first focusing elements (first concave reflector elements 18a) arranged in parallel, a plurality of second focusing elements (second concave reflector elements 20a) arranged in parallel so as to correspond to the first focusing elements, and a relay optical system (19) disposed in an optical path between the first focusing elements and the second focusing elements. The relay optical system refocuses a light beam focused via one of the first focusing elements, on or near a corresponding second focusing element so as to establish an imaging relation of one-to-one correspondence between one of the first focusing elements and one of the second focusing elements.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus for exposing a pattern of a reticle onto a substrate by scanning the reticle and the substrate via a projection optical system includes an illumination optical system for illuminating the reticle via a slit that has a longitudinal direction corresponding to a direction orthogonal to a scanning direction. The illumination optical system includes a corrector for correcting a slit width at each position in the longitudinal direction of the slit. The corrector is arranged at a position conjugate with the reticle, and includes a first optical filter movable in a direction corresponding to the longitudinal direction of the slit.

Abstract: A lithographic projection apparatus is disclosed in which a space between the projection system and a sensor is filled with a liquid.

Abstract: A device manufacturing method includes projecting a patterned beam of radiation onto a substrate, wherein the position of a movable object is determined in a number of degrees of freedom using a number of sensors, the number of sensors being larger than the number of degrees of freedom, wherein the position of the movable object in the number of degrees of freedom is determined using signals of each of the sensors, wherein the signals of the sensors are weighed on the basis of the difference between noise levels of each of the sensors. Accuracy of the position measurement of movable object and/or overlay and focus performance are improved in lithographic apparatus.

Abstract: An exposure method includes the steps of exposing a pattern of a reticle onto a substrate by scanning the reticle and the substrate, and by illuminating an illumination area having a slit shape on the reticle using a light from a light source, the slit shape having a longitudinal direction corresponding to a direction orthogonal to a scanning direction, and correcting an accumulated illuminance in the scanning direction at each position of the illumination area in the longitudinal direction, wherein the correcting step includes the steps of calculating a first illuminance correction amount common to plural areas on the substrate, the pattern being to be transferred to each area, and calculating a second illuminance correction amount intrinsic to each area, the correcting step correcting the accumulated illuminance based on the first and second illuminance correction amounts.

Abstract: A method, device, and computer program for determining range to a target is disclosed. Specifically, the invention provides a method, device and computer program for determining a second range to a target based on a first range to the target and an angle to the target such that the parabolic trajectory of a projectile is accounted for in determining the second range. The device generally includes a range sensor for determining a first range to a target, a tilt sensor for determining an angle to the target, and a computing element for determining a second range to the target based on the first range and the determined angle.

Abstract: An apparatus configured to generate image data for use in determining a property of a gemstone is disclosed. The apparatus includes a support structure configured to support the gemstone at an observation position such that an axis of symmetry of the gemstone is substantially parallel to an axis of rotation of the apparatus, a light source, including a reflector having a concave surface arranged to reflect a spatially varied light pattern generally towards the observation position, the concave surface including at least one relatively reflective region and at least one relatively unreflective region and is configured to generate the light pattern, where the length of a boundary between the relatively reflective region and the relatively unreflective region is greater than the radial distance between the center and an edge of the concave surface, and a rotator configured to rotate the gemstone relative to the light pattern substantially about the axis of rotation.

Abstract: A secure tag comprising: a carrier doped with one or more rare earth ions, and a barrier material associated with the carrier and substantially blocking low-wavelength radiation to shield the rare earth ions from low-wavelength radiation. This enables a secure tag to be fabricated that does not photoluminesce strongly in response to a low-wavelength excitation radiation source.

Abstract: A method of determining characteristic spin parameters of a spun optical fiber by performing optical time-domain reflectometry measurements on the fiber, so as to obtain a state of polarization spatial function from a backscattered electromagnetic field, the state of polarization spatial function being defined by a plurality of components; and processing the state of polarization spatial function. The process includes calculating a further spatial function related to the spatial first derivative of at least one of the components of the state of polarization spatial function; identifying a spatial periodicity of the further spatial function; and determining the characteristic spin parameters as a function of the spatial periodicity.

Abstract: A brightness measurement apparatus which includes a placement unit on which an object to be measured is placed, a measurement unit for measuring brightness or chromaticity from an upper surface of the object placed on the placement unit, a placement unit moving mechanism for moving the placement unit in an x-axis direction, and a measurement unit moving mechanism for moving the measurement unit in a y-axis direction orthogonal to the x-axis direction.

Abstract: Systems and methods for inspecting a wafer with increased sensitivity are provided. One system includes an inspection subsystem configured to direct light to a spot on the wafer and to generate output signals responsive to light scattered from the spot on the wafer. The system also includes a gas flow subsystem configured to replace a gas located proximate to the spot on the wafer with a medium that scatters less of the light than the gas thereby increasing the sensitivity of the system. In addition, the system includes a processor configured to detect defects on the wafer using the output signals.

Abstract: A system and method for detecting defective cells in honeycomb bodies which includes a light source which launches and couples light into cells at a first end face of the honeycomb body, and a projection medium which receives the light at a second end face of the honeycomb body. The light source is preferably a collimated light source.

Abstract: Described is an examination system (1) for locating contamination (2) on an optical element (4) installed in an optical system (5), which examination system (1) comprises: a spatially resolving detector (6); imaging optics (7) that magnify in particular at a magnification of between 2 times and 100 times, for magnified imaging of a surface sub-region (3a) of the optical element (4) on the spatially resolving detector (6); as well as a movement mechanism (12), in particular a motorised movement mechanism (12), for displacing the imaging optics (7) together with the detector (6) relative to the surface (3) of the optical element (4) such that any desired surface sub-region of the surface (3) can be imaged at magnification.

Abstract: In a surface inspection apparatus that receives, through receiving optical fibers, reflected light from light from a light source projected onto the surface of an article being inspected through a projection optical fiber and generates a two-dimensional image corresponding to the surface of that article being inspected based on the amount of that light received, a plurality of receiving optical fibers are disposed around the projection optical fiber and the diameter of those receiving optical fibers is greater than the diameter of the projection optical fiber.

Abstract: A system utilizing the flow cell of the present invention includes a reflectance mode spectrophotometer positioned with respect to the flow cell or a probe. Either the flow cell or the probe has a thin partition mounted in spaced relationship with respect to a transparent window. The partition has a predetermined index of refraction and has a thickness dimension that is less than that of the window. The spacing between the partition and the window is such that evanescent coupling of radiation reflected from the liquid into the material of the window is prevented. The spectrophotometer is directs interrogating radiation toward a liquid flowing through the sample chamber and responds to interrogating radiation reflected from the liquid to produce an electrical signal representative of a color property thereof.

Abstract: A flow cell for measuring the color properties of a liquid flowing through the flow cell using interrogating radiation at a predetermined wavelength has a thin partition mounted in spaced relationship between both a window and a base of the cell. The partition has a predetermined index of refraction and has a thickness dimension that is less than that of the window. The spacing between the partition and the window is such that evanescent coupling of radiation reflected from the liquid into the material of the window is prevented. Typically, this spacing is a distance not less than three (3) times the predetermined maximum wavelength in the wavelength range of interrogating radiation. A plurality of spacer elements may be disposed in the air cavity to maintain the spaced relationship between the partition and the window. The flow cell has a liquid supply passage and a liquid removal passage formed therein.

Abstract: In a multi-wavelength spectroscopic apparatus using diffraction gratings, a first diffraction grating is a diffraction grating with diffraction efficiencies of p-polarized light and s-polarized light being equal on a short wavelength side of an operating wavelength range, and a second diffraction grating is a diffraction grating with diffraction efficiencies of p-polarized light and s-polarized light being equal on a long wavelength side of an operating wavelength range. By performing dispersion with two such diffraction gratings, it is possible to enlarge the amount of angular dispersion, and to produce a spectroscopic apparatus, which cancels wavelength dependencies of the diffraction efficiencies and has a small wavelength dependency of the diffraction efficiency.

Abstract: An optical microscope according to a first embodiment of the present invention includes: a laser light source; a Y-directional scanning unit moving the light beam in a Y direction; an objective lens; a X-directional scanning unit moving the light beam in a X direction; a beam splitter provided in an optical path from the Y-directional scanning unit to the sample, and separating outgoing light out of the light beam incident on the sample, which exits from the sample toward the objective lens from the light beam incident on the sample from the laser light source; a spectroscope having an entrance slit extending along the Y direction and spatially dispersing the outgoing light passed through the entrance slit in accordance with a wavelength of the light; and a detector detecting the outgoing light dispersed by the spectroscope.

Abstract: The invention teaches using a directional light source to direct light at a target having directional indicia thereon. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.

Abstract: Alignment marks for use on substrates. An exemplary implementation provides phase depth control. A grating mark, for example, can be etched on a silicon wafer with sub-wavelength segmentation in the spacing portion of the alignment grating's period. The sub-wavelength segmentation can be applied to the spaces or to the lines, or both, of an alignment grating to control the phase depth of the grating. By applying segmentation with a period smaller than the alignment light wavelength in either the space(s) and/or in the line(s) of the grating, the effective refractive index in that region can be manipulated. This change in the effective index will result in a change in the phase depth (optical path length). By varying the duty cycle of the sub-wavelength segmented region, the effective refractive index can be controlled, thereby providing selective control over the phase depth.

Abstract: A device and method for examining and calibrating color temperature are provided for a color temperature examination/calibration station in a display product line. The color temperature examination/calibration station has a signal generator and a collection device. The signal generator is used to provide signals to the display, such that to carry out the color temperature can be examined and calibrated without inputting signals to the display by a computer system. The collection device is used to connect a plurality of displays with color temperatures to be calibrated to a computer system, such that the color temperatures of the plurality of displays can be examined and calibrated by the computer system at the same time.

Abstract: A device for discriminately illuminating a sample (22) to be viewed with excitation light (70). For example, an image taken with a CCD (10) provides feedback which is used to modulate the output of an excitation light source (40), thereby allowing a sample (22) to be viewed within the optimal range of detection for the particular CCD device (10) being used, despite the potential of wide dynamic ranges of sample luminescence.

Abstract: A probe for measuring a property of a liquid under test using interrogating radiation at a predetermined wavelength includes a housing member having a window transparent to interrogating radiation mounted at a first end thereof. A partition transparent to interrogating radiation is mounted in spaced relationship to the window. The partition being and the window cooperate to define an air cavity therebetween. The spacing between the partition and the window is such that radiation reflected from a liquid disposed in contact with the second surface of the partition is prevented from evanescently coupling into the window such that the reflected radiation undergoes total internal reflection in the partition rather than in the window.

Abstract: A method for measuring a color property of a pressurized flowing liquid under test in a way that mitigates the disruption of light is characterized by contacting the liquid under test is against a transparent partition that is spaced a predetermined distance from a transparent window. The partition has a predetermined index of refraction and has a thickness dimension that is less than that of the window. At least some of the radiation reflected from the liquid undergoes total internal reflection within the partition while, simultaneously, evanescent coupling of that reflected radiation into the material of the window is prevented. The prevention of evanescent coupling into the material of the window is accomplished by: i) disposing a medium having an index of refraction less than that of the partition between the window and the partition, and ii) maintaining the spacing between the window and the partition to a distance not less than three (3) times the wavelength of the interrogating radiation.

Abstract: A sensitive fluid sensor for detecting fluids and particularly trace fluids. The sensor may be adjustable for detecting fluids of various absorption lines. To effect such adjustment, a tunable laser may be used. The laser may non-tunable with a cavity having moveable mirror(s) for tuning. The laser may be an edge emitting diode, a VCSEL or other tunable on on-tunable source. The detection apparatus of the sensor may incorporate a sample cell through which a laser light may go through. The sample cell may include a tunable ring cavity block. There may be a photo detector or detectors proximate to the ring cavity. The lasers and detectors may be to electronics and/or a processor.

Abstract: Fourier domain a/LCI (faLCI) system and method which enables in vivo data acquisition at rapid rates using a single scan. Angle-resolved and depth-resolved spectra information is obtained with one scan. The reference arm can remain fixed with respect to the sample due to only one scan required. A reference signal and a reflected sample signal are cross-correlated and dispersed at a multitude of reflected angles off of the sample, thereby representing reflections from a multitude of points on the sample at the same time in parallel. Information about all depths of the sample at each of the multitude of different points on the sample can be obtained with one scan on the order of approximately 40 milliseconds. From the spatial, cross-correlated reference signal, structural (size) information can also be obtained using techniques that allow size information of scatterers to be obtained from angle-resolved data.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for stabilizing laser light sources of a resonator gyro. A resonator gyro comprises a first light source configured to produce a first input light, a second light source configured to produce a second input light, a resonator coupled to the first and second light sources, a resonance detection circuit coupled to the resonator, and a controller coupled to the resonance detection circuit and the first and second light sources. The resonance detection circuit detects a resonance frequency for each of the counter-propagating directions of the resonator. The controller tunes the first input light to a clockwise resonance frequency, and tunes the second input light to a counter-clockwise resonance frequency. A difference between the resonance frequencies is proportional to a rotational rate of the resonator gyro.

Abstract: The invention concerns a tandem interferometer for temperature sensing. The low coherence interferometry (LCI) system comprises a polarization-based sensing interferometer comprising a birefringent crystal having a sensor temperature sensitivity and a birefringence dispersion, and a readout interferometer being either a Fizeau interferometer using an optical wedge or a polarization interferometer using a birefringent wedge. In one embodiment of the invention, the birefringent crystal has dispersion properties similar to that of the birefringent wedge or that of the optical wedge of the readout interferometer. The present invention also provides a signal processing method for correcting the dispersion effect and for noise filtering in LCI-based optical sensors of the tandem interferometer arrangement.

Abstract: A passive optical system substantially simultaneously separates light received at an optical input into three or more output light beams on optical outputs. The output light beams may have intensities that are proportional to intensities of optical projections of the received light onto three or more basis vectors of a tetrahedral basis set of a Stokes space. The system includes either multiple partial polarization splitters or multiple optical interferometers.

Abstract: A position measurement system for measuring positional coordinates of a point under measurement includes a first noise removal unit, a parameter determination unit and a second noise removal unit. The first noise removal unit removes noise from the measured positional coordinates to acquire first positional coordinate values The parameter determination unit determines a noise removal parameter on a basis of the first positional coordinate values. The second noise removal unit again removes noise from the first positional coordinate values with using the noise removal parameter, to acquire second positional coordinate values.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus comprises a topography measurement device, a patterning device, and a corrective device. The topography measurement device measures a topography of at least one mechanical element of a patterning device. The patterning device comprises an array of individually controllable mechanical elements that are arranged to impart a pattern to a radiation beam. The corrective device corrects a mechanical property of the at least one mechanical element on the basis of information obtained by the topography measurement device.

Abstract: An optical fiber is used to deliver a reference beam in an interferometric imaging system having an off-axis paraboloid collimating and imaging mirror. A controllable fiber optic beam splitter controls the ratio of light from an optical fiber delivered to an object illumination beam and to the reference beam.

Abstract: A phase shifting imaging module in a handheld imager is provided. The phase shifting imaging module includes a first beam splitter configured to split an image radiation beam into first and second image radiation beams. It also includes a first prism configured to align the first and second image radiation beams, and a second beam splitter configured to split the first and second image radiation beams into four image radiation beams. A second prism aligns the four image radiation beams. A phase mask introduces phase retardation between the four image radiation beams, resulting in four phase shifted image radiation beams. A pixilated sensor generates image data based upon each of the four phase shifted image radiation beams.

Abstract: An off axis paraboloid mirror is used to provide object illumination in an interferometric imaging system. The light from an object illumination light source diverges from a point apart from the focus point of the paraboloid, proceeds to the parabolic mirror surface, and is reflected as a nearly parallel beam to illuminate the object.

Abstract: A three dimensional (3D) image measuring apparatus and method, which can emit a light towards one surface and another surface of a measurement object by using a plurality of lights and filters, and thereby can remove a shadow area which may incur when measuring a 3D image, is provided.

Abstract: In order to determine the actual position (A) of a geodetic measuring instrument (1) inside a dead range (T) wherein signals originating from a positioning system are shadowed, two reference structures (5) are detected from at least two known positions and the distances associated with the reference structures (5) are measured. Image information linked to said distance measurements is captured. Said information contains data on the arrangement of the reference structures (5). The actual position (1) can be derived from subsequent capture of the reference structures (5) from a position inside the dead range (T). Image processing methods are used advantageously to identify and measure the reference structures (5).