Patents Issued in March 21, 2017
  • Patent number: 9599857
    Abstract: A display and method of manufacture are described. The display may include a substrate including an array of pixels with each pixel including multiple subpixels, and each subpixel within a pixel is designed for a different color emission spectrum. An array of micro LED device pairs are mounted within each subpixel to provide redundancy. An array of wavelength conversion layers comprising phosphor particles are formed over the array of micro LED device pairs for tunable color emission spectrum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Andreas Bibl, Kelly McGroddy
  • Patent number: 9599858
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a liquid crystal display device includes an array substrate including a common electrode, an insulation film disposed on the common electrode, and a pixel electrode disposed on the insulation film, opposed to the common electrode and provided with a slit, a counter-substrate disposed to be opposed to the array substrate, and a liquid crystal layer formed of a negative-type liquid crystal material held between the array substrate and the counter-substrate, wherein the liquid crystal layer includes liquid crystal molecules which are initially aligned at an angle of 10° to 45° to a direction which is perpendicular to a direction of extension of the slit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Japan Display Inc.
    Inventor: Youichi Asakawa
  • Patent number: 9599859
    Abstract: A liquid crystal lens panel includes a plurality of lens electrodes, an alignment layer, a sealant and a light blocking pattern. The lens electrodes are arranged in an active region. The alignment layer is disposed in an alignment region which overlaps an entire of the active region and extends further than the active region. The sealant is disposed in a seal line region which is outside the alignment region. The light blocking pattern is disposed in the light blocking region which is between the seal line region and the alignment region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Suk Choi, Sung-Hwan Hong, Su-Jin Kim, Hyeok-Jin Lee
  • Patent number: 9599860
    Abstract: A display panel for displaying an image is provided with a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix. Each pixel includes one or more units each including a plurality of subunits. Each subunit includes a transistor in which an oxide semiconductor layer which is provided so as to overlap a gate electrode with a gate insulating layer interposed therebetween, a pixel electrode which drives liquid crystal connected to a source or a drain of the transistor, a counter electrode which is provided so as to face the pixel electrode, and a liquid crystal layer provided between the pixel electrode and the counter electrode. In the display panel, a transistor whose off current is lower than 10 zA/?m at room temperature per micrometer of the channel width and off current of the transistor at 85° C. can be lower than 100 zA/?m per micrometer in the channel width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shunpei Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 9599861
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a liquid crystal device having a first substrate and a second substrate facing each other with a liquid crystal layer interposed therebetween, and a sealing member formed in a peripheral portion of at least one of the substrates. The method includes forming the sealing member, disposing the liquid crystal layer inside the sealing member, and bonding the first substrate to the second substrate. In forming the sealing member, a ring-shaped portion that seals the liquid crystal layer inside the sealing member, a first sealing layer and a second sealing layer that face each other to be separated from each other are formed. In the bonding of the first substrate to the second substrate, a junction portion is formed in which the first and second sealing layers are pressed and joined outside the sealing member so as to form the ring-shaped portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yoichi Momose, Satoshi Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 9599862
    Abstract: A display apparatus includes a first substrate including a display area in which a plurality of pixels is disposed and a non-display area disposed adjacent to the display area, a second substrate which faces the first substrate, an image display layer between the first substrate and the second substrate, and a sealing member which is in the non-display area and attaches the first substrate and the second substrate. The first and second substrates have a curved surface in a first direction, and a flat surface in a second direction crossing the first direction A width of the sealing member extended in the first direction is greater than a width of the sealing member extended in the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Eun-Kil Park, UnByoll Ko, Kikyung Youk
  • Patent number: 9599863
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display (LCD) panel, a manufacturing method thereof and an LCD device are provided. The LCD panel comprises: a first substrate and a second substrate arranged oppositely to form a liquid crystal cell; and post spacers disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate. The post spacers are prepared by shape memory polymer (SMP) materials. One end of the post spacers is disposed on the first substrate and the other end is opposite to the second substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignees: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD., BEIJING BOE OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Xiaojuan Wu, Wenqing Zhao
  • Patent number: 9599864
    Abstract: Provided is a liquid crystal display device. The liquid crystal display device includes: a first substrate and a second substrate; a liquid crystal layer between the first and second substrates; a first electrode and a second electrode formed on inner sides of the first and second substrates, respectively; and at least one third electrode formed in the liquid crystal layer to divide the liquid crystal layer into a plurality of sub-liquid crystal layers in a cell gap direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jaehong Park, Sungjae Yun, Kichul Shin
  • Patent number: 9599865
    Abstract: A display may have upper and lower display layers. A layer of liquid crystal material may be interposed between the upper and lower display layers. The display layers may have substrates. A thin-film transistor layer may have a layer of thin-film transistor structures on a substrate such as a clear glass layer. A planarization layer may be formed on the thin-film transistor structures. A transparent conductive layer may be formed on the planarization layer. The display may have a dielectric layer on the transparent conductive layer. Pixels may be formed in the display layers. The pixels may include pixel electrodes having fingers. The fingers may be formed on the dielectric layer. Trenches in the dielectric layer may be formed between the fingers. The trenches may extend to the transparent conductive layer or may be formed only partway into the dielectric layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Zhibing Ge, Chaohao Wang, Cheng Chen, Kyung Wook Kim, Ming-Chin Hung, Paolo Sacchetto, Shih Chang Chang, Shih-Chyuan Fan Jiang, Shang-Chih Lin
  • Patent number: 9599866
    Abstract: On an active matrix substrate (5), metal electrodes (44) are provided below pixel electrodes (19). At least portions of a plurality of second thin-film transistors (second switching elements) (23b) are covered by light shielding films formed from the metal electrodes (44). The metal electrodes (light shielding films) (44) are covered by an interlayer insulating film (33) and an electrode film (CSa) of an auxiliary capacitance electrode (common electrode) (CS).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masahiro Yoshida, Isao Ogasawara
  • Patent number: 9599867
    Abstract: A display substrate includes a first switching element electrically connected to a gate line and that extends in a first direction and electrically connected to a data line that extends in a second direction crossing the first direction, an insulation layer disposed on the first switching element, a shielding electrode disposed on the insulation layer and a pixel electrode that partially overlap the shielding electrode. The shielding electrode includes a first portion that overlaps the data line and extends in the second direction and a second portion that overlaps the gate line and extends in the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jang-Mi Kang, Mee-Hye Jung, In-Jae Hwang, Sung-Hwan Kim, Il-Gon Kim, Sang-Uk Lim
  • Patent number: 9599868
    Abstract: The present invention provides a liquid crystal display panel that, when subjected to laser repair for repairing defects, can avoid degradation of members other than the target of the laser repair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hijiri Nakahara, Mitsunori Harada, Masakatsu Tominaga
  • Patent number: 9599869
    Abstract: A display apparatus includes a backlight assembly which generates a light and a display panel which receives the light to display an image, the display panel including a first substrate, a second substrate which faces the first substrate and is disposed closer to the backlight assembly than the first substrate, a gate line disposed on the first substrate, a data line disposed on the gate line and insulated from the gate line, a thin film transistor disposed on the first substrate and electrically connected to the gate line and the data line, and a reflection preventing layer disposed between the first substrate and the gate line to reduce an amount of a reflected light reflected by the gate line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Joonyong Park, Sanggab Kim, Changoh Jeong, Taeho Kang, Kyungseop Kim, Gwan Ha Kim, Byeong-Beom Kim, Honglong Ning, Sangwon Shin, Sukyoung Yang, Yunjong Yeo, Dongmin Lee, Shin Il Choi, Hyunju Kang, Sangwoo Sohn, Jungha Son, Yu-Gwang Jeong, Gugrae Jo, Jinho Hwang
  • Patent number: 9599870
    Abstract: A display panel includes a first substrate, first gate lines, first data lines, second data lines, third data lines, fourth data lines, first sub-pixels, second sub-pixels and first shielding electrodes. The first substrate has a plurality of first sub-pixel regions and second sub-pixel regions. The first gate lines extend along a first direction. The first data lines, the second data lines, the third data lines and the fourth data lines extend along a second direction and are sequentially arranged in the first direction. The first sub-pixel is electrically connected to one of the first data line and the second data line. The second sub-pixel is electrically connected to one of the third data line and the fourth data line. The first shielding electrodes extend along the second direction and are disposed in a common boundary between the first sub-pixel region and the second sub-pixel region adjacent to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: AU OPTRONICS CORP.
    Inventors: Gang-Yi Lin, Ya-Ling Hsu, Yu-Ching Wu, Hao-Wen Cheng, Chen-Hsien Liao, Wen-Hao Hsu, Pei-Chun Liao, Tien-Lun Ting, Jenn-Jia Su
  • Patent number: 9599871
    Abstract: This semiconductor device (100) includes: a thin-film transistor (101); an interlevel insulating layer (14) including a first insulating layer (12); a first transparent conductive layer (15) formed on the interlevel insulating layer and having a first hole (15p); a dielectric layer (17) covering the side surface of the first transparent conductive layer closer to the first hole; and a second transparent conductive layer (19a) overlapping at least partially with the first transparent conductive layer via the dielectric layer, which has a second hole (17p). The first insulating layer has a third hole (12p). The interlevel insulating layer and dielectric layer have a first contact hole (CH1), the sidewall of which includes the side surfaces of the second and third holes (17p, 12p). At least a part of the side surface of the third hole is aligned with that of the second hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yukinobu Nakata, Tetsuo Fujita, Yoshihito Hara
  • Patent number: 9599872
    Abstract: An electrically conductive support for a glazing unit having liquid crystal scattering properties may include a multilayer of thin films. In one example, the thin films include an electrode comprising a TCO film, a silicon-nitride-based first barrier film having a thickness e1 of at least 5 nm, and a silicon-oxide-based second barrier film having a thickness e2 of at least 30 nm. The thickness e1 may be smaller than or equal to e2 and/or smaller than 80 nm. Further, the cumulative thickness of the first and second barrier films may be larger than or equal to 50 nm and smaller than 150 nm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Cardinal IG Company
    Inventors: Juliette Sternchuss, Philippe Letocart, Jingwei Zhang, Matthias Alschinger
  • Patent number: 9599873
    Abstract: A light control method for a light control element which can be used even as a transmission-type one, has a high-quality mirror state enabling a high contrast ratio, and enables a display in multiple colors. To this end, in this light control method for a light control element, with respect to a light control element containing a pair of substrates, a pair of electrodes formed on opposed surfaces of the pair of substrates, and an electrolyte layer sandwiched between the pair of electrodes and including an electrochromic material containing silver and a mediator, the applied voltage to be applied between the pair of electrodes is changed in one light control period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: NATIONAL UNIVERSITY CORPORATION CHIBA UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Norihisa Kobayashi, Kazuki Nakamura, Ayako Tsuboi
  • Patent number: 9599874
    Abstract: An optical component (1) is switchable between a directional mode and a 2-D mode. The optical component (1) comprising a lens array and an electro-optic layer, for example a liquid crystal layer, disposed in the path of light through the lens array. In the 2-D display mode the lens array has an optical effect on light passing through the component and the electro-optic layer at least partially nullifies the effect. For example the electro-optic layer may, in the 2-D display mode, scatter light or diverge light so as to nullify the focusing effect of the lens array. The optical component (1) may be disposed in the path of light through an image display panel (2) to form a display that may be switched between a directional display mode, eg a 3-D display mode, and a 2-D display mode by suitably switching the optical component (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Jonathan Mather, Nathan James Smith
  • Patent number: 9599875
    Abstract: An optical apparatus to provide several light bands on a single coaligned beam line or axis. The apparatus generally comprises five main components: a pump, a fold mirror, an input coupler, a nonlinear optical (NLO) crystal, and an output coupler. Alternatively, the present invention may comprise four main components, namely, a pump, an acute porro prism, a NLO crystal, and an input-output coupler. The pump input beam makes two passes through the nonlinear optical crystal and generates two new colors, having different wavelengths, during each pass through the nonlinear optical crystal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.
    Inventor: Nathan E. Rines
  • Patent number: 9599876
    Abstract: A periodic polarization reversal electrode, periodic polarization reversal structure forming method and periodic polarization reversal element. The element includes a plurality of stripe electrode sections with a stripe shape extending in parallel at a gap from each other, arranged in contact with the +Z surface of a ferroelectric crystal substrate; an insulation film arranged over the +Z surface so as to cover the plurality of stripe electrode sections; and an equipotential electrode section which has a portion that opposes at least a part of each of the plurality of stripe electrode sections across the insulation film and is arranged over the insulation film without contacting the ferroelectric crystal substrate or the plurality of stripe electrode sections, wherein an electric field is generated in the area of the ferroelectric crystal substrate directly below the plurality of stripe electrode sections by applying a voltage to the equipotential electrode section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: SHIMADZU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuya Inoue, Katsuhiko Tokuda, Mamoru Hisamitsu, Kazutomo Kadokura
  • Patent number: 9599877
    Abstract: In some implementations a mountable afocal adaptor for a camera includes an attachment plate affixed to the front of a camera housing of a camera and an afocal optical module. The afocal optical module is configured to convert a received optical image to a converted optical image for use by the camera. The afocal adaptor also includes a rotation mechanism with a rotation ring and a wave spring clamp, the rotation ring affixed to the attachment plate and the wave spring clamp affixed to the afocal optical module. The rotation ring and wave spring clamp are mounted relative to each other to rotate around a rotational axis aligned with an axis of an optical path formed between the afocal optical module and the attachment plate and aligned with a view axis of the camera. The rotation mechanism also permits rotation of the camera housing around the rotational axis relative to the afocal optical module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Torrey Pines Logic, Inc.
    Inventor: Leo Volfson
  • Patent number: 9599878
    Abstract: The preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a motion time-lapse photography device. The device includes an outer enclosure, base, motor, controlling circuitry, stepper-motor, a plurality of gears, a backlash mitigation membrane, and an external interface panel. Embodiments of the motion time-lapse photography device enable the capture of a sequence of photographs at an interval in coordination with axial movement in at least one rotational degree of freedom of a photographic capture device attached to the motion time-lapse photography device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Alpine Laboratories, LLC
    Inventors: Marcus Albonico, Kris Cheng, Jonathan Denby, Stephen Hibbs, Kevin Ting
  • Patent number: 9599879
    Abstract: An image pickup apparatus capable of reducing unnecessary reflected light without narrowing an exposure area. A holding member holds a semi-transparent mirror and is rotatably supported by a mirror box so as to move between a mirror-down position in a photographing light path and a mirror-up position out of the photographing light path. A shading member is supported on an object-side end of the holding member via a rotation shaft so as to rotate between a closed position close to the holding member and an opened position apart from the holding member. An urging member energizes the shading member toward the opened position when the holding member is in the mirror-down position. An engagement portion engages with the shading member when the holding member rotates toward the mirror-up position so as to rotate the shading member toward the closed position against the urging force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Futoshi Hirai, Hiroyasu Sugihara
  • Patent number: 9599880
    Abstract: A projection display apparatus includes: a substantially box-shaped enclosure having a bottom surface portion, the bottom surface portion having an ventilation groove and an air inlet formed through a wall of the ventilation groove; an air sucking fan provided in the enclosure and forming an air flow flowing through the air inlet into the enclosure, and a filter through which the air flowing through the air inlet into the enclosure passes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Satoru Awane, Hiroyuki Meguro
  • Patent number: 9599881
    Abstract: A front-end lighting system for projection includes: a RGB three-color LED light source, configured to generate three monochromatic lights; a reflector, configured to perform a first light mixing operation on three monochromatic lights generated by the RGB three-color LED light source; a first group of relay lenses, configured to adjust a light path; and a compound eye field lens, configured to perform a second light mixing operation on the three monochromatic lights generated by the RGB three-color LED light source. The reflector includes a reflecting surface, and three monochromatic lights emitted by the RGB three-color LED light sources, after being reflected by the reflecting surface of the reflector, pass through the first group of relay lenses and the compound eye field lens in sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: SICHUAN DOWLAB ELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD
    Inventor: Shanhong Xian
  • Patent number: 9599882
    Abstract: An illumination system including at least one laser source, at least one anisotropic light expanding element and a wavelength conversion element is provided. The at least one laser source emits a laser beam. The at least one anisotropic light expanding element is disposed on the transmission path of the laser beam and causes the laser beam to expand along a light expanding direction. The light expanding direction is substantially parallel to the slow axis of the laser beam. The wavelength conversion element is disposed on the transmission path of the laser beam. A projection apparatus is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Coretronic Corporation
    Inventors: Chi-Tang Hsieh, Chia-Hao Wang, Ko-Shun Chen, Chi-Hsun Wang
  • Patent number: 9599883
    Abstract: To provide a light source unit which can execute a projection with less consumed power and noise and a projector including this light source unit, a light source unit is provided which includes an excitation light source and a luminescent plate which includes a first luminescent light emitting area on which a resin mixed luminescent material layer containing a resin binder is provided and a second luminescent light emitting area on which a luminescent material containing no resin binder is provided, on to which first luminescent light emitting area and second luminescent light emitting area excitation light from the excitation light source is shone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hiroki Masuda
  • Patent number: 9599884
    Abstract: A light source apparatus includes a plurality of light source units, a sensor unit, and an interval control unit. The sensor unit is capable of receiving a plurality of emitted light beams from the plurality of light source units and sampling intensities of the emitted light beams at a predetermined sampling interval. The interval control unit is capable of controlling the predetermined sampling interval on the basis of an output characteristic relating to each of the emitted light beams from the plurality of light source units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Tadashi Fukami, Atsuhiro Chiba, Masahiro Takada, Norihiro Ohse
  • Patent number: 9599885
    Abstract: A driving apparatus drives a load so as to periodically change a physical quantity as a controlled object. The apparatus includes a calculation unit configured to calculate a deviation between the targeted value and a detection value detected by the detection unit, a storage unit configured to store past deviations calculated by the calculation unit, a determination unit configured to determine a manipulative variable corresponding to the physical quantity, by referring to a past deviation before a predetermined period, which has been stored in the storage unit, and a driving unit configured to drive the load, based on the manipulative variable determined by the determination unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Tetsuro Narikawa
  • Patent number: 9599886
    Abstract: A polarizer unit that polarizes light incident thereon and causes the polarized light to exit includes an inorganic polarizer (light-exiting-side polarizer) that polarizes the incident light, a transparent substrate that is disposed in contact with the light-exiting-side polarizer and allows the light having exited out of the light-exiting-side polarizer to pass and exit, and a holding member that presses the light-exiting-side polarizer and the transparent substrate from opposite sides to sandwich and hold the light-exiting-side polarizer and the transparent substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Takuro Nagatsu, Kentaro Nakamura, Takanori Fukuyama
  • Patent number: 9599887
    Abstract: A photo mask includes a pre-alignment key used in a pre-alignment process performed in a photolithography apparatus. The pre-alignment key includes a pre-alignment pattern including a light transmitting area and a light blocking area surrounding the pre-alignment pattern. The light blocking area includes a plurality of light blocking patterns and a diffraction grating pattern separating the plurality of light blocking patterns from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: SK HYNIX INC.
    Inventor: Byung Ho Nam
  • Patent number: 9599888
    Abstract: Various non-planar reflective lithography masks, systems using such lithography masks, and methods are disclosed. An embodiment is a lithography mask comprising a transparent substrate, a reflective material, and a reticle pattern. The transparent substrate comprises a curved surface. The reflective material adjoins the curved surface of the transparent substrate, and an interface between the reflective material and the transparent substrate is a reflective surface. The reticle pattern is on a second surface of the transparent substrate. A reflectivity of the reticle pattern is less than a reflectivity of the reflective material. Methods for forming similar lithography masks and for using similar lithography masks are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Chien-Hsuan Liu, Jen-Pan Wang
  • Patent number: 9599889
    Abstract: Provided are a method of manufacturing a support frame for a pellicle, capable of forming a sufficiently blackened anodic oxide film through anodic oxidation treatment and providing a support frame for a pellicle industrially inexpensively with ease, a support frame for a pellicle obtained by the method, and a pellicle. Specifically, provided are a method of manufacturing a support frame for a pellicle to be used as a pellicle including an optical thin film, the method including: annealing an aluminum material formed of an Al—Zn—Mg based aluminum alloy; and subjecting the aluminum material to anodic oxidation treatment in an alkaline solution to form an anodic oxide film having a lightness index L* value of 40 or less, a support frame for a pellicle obtained by the method, and a pellicle including the support frame for a pellicle and an optical thin film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: NIPPON LIGHT METAL COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Takayuki Yamaguchi, Yoshihiro Taguchi, Akira Iizuka
  • Patent number: 9599890
    Abstract: The invention concerns a manufacturing method for nanolithography masks from a PS-b-PMMA block copolymer film deposited on a surface to be etched, said copolymer film comprising PMMA nanodomains orientated perpendicularly to the surface to be etched, said method being characterized in that it comprises the following steps: partially irradiating said copolymer film to form a first irradiated area and a second non-irradiated area in said copolymer film, then treating said copolymer film in a developer solvent to selectively remove at least said PMMA nanodomains of said first irradiated area of said copolymer film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignees: ARKEMA FRANCE, COMMISSARIAT A L' ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES
    Inventors: Christophe Navarro, Maxime Argoud, Xavier Chevalier, Raluca Tiron, Ahmed Gharbi
  • Patent number: 9599891
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a nanopatterned biophotonic structure includes forming a customized nanopattern mask on a substrate using E-beam lithography, providing a biopolymer matrix solution, depositing the biopolymer matrix solution on the substrate, and drying the biopolymer matrix solution to form a solidified biopolymer film. A surface of the film is formed with the nanopattern mask, or a nanopattern is machined directly on a surface of the film using E-beam lithograpy such that the biopolymer film exhibits a spectral signature corresponding to the E-beam lithograpy nanopattern. The resulting bio-compatible nanopatterned biophotonic structures may be made from silk, may be biodegradable, and may be bio-sensing devices. The biophotonic structures may employ nanopatterned masks based on non-periodic photonic lattices, and the biophotonic structures may be designed with specific spectral signatures for use in probing biological substances, including displaying optical activity in the form of opalescence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignees: TRUSTEES OF TUFTS COLLEGE, TRUSTEES OF BOSTON UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: David L. Kaplan, Fiorenzo G. Omenetto, Luca Dal Negro
  • Patent number: 9599892
    Abstract: A composition for pattern formation includes a block copolymer and a solvent. The block copolymer includes a group including a reactive group on at least one end of a main chain of the block copolymer. A pattern-forming method includes providing a directed self-assembling film directly or indirectly on a substrate using the composition. The directed self-assembling film includes a phase separation structure which includes a plurality of phases. A part of the plurality of phases of the directed self-assembling film is removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: JSR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Komatsu, Takehiko Naruoka, Shinya Minegishi, Tomoki Nagai
  • Patent number: 9599893
    Abstract: A production process for an optically shaped product, including applying a photosensitive resin composition in a form of a dry film on to a substrate in which a hole opening to a surface thereof is formed so as to cover the hole and performing patterning to form an optically shaped product, wherein the photosensitive resin composition contains a resin comprising a tri- or higher functional epoxy resin and a bifunctional epoxy resin, the bifunctional epoxy resin has a weight-average molecular weight (Mw) of 5,500 to 60,000, the resin has a weight-average molecular weight (Mw) ranging from 4,500 to 11,000, and the mixing ratio by mass between the tri- or higher functional epoxy resin and the bifunctional epoxy resin satisfies (b)/(a)?1.5, where (a) is the mass of the tri- or higher functional epoxy resin, and (b) is the mass of the bifunctional epoxy resin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Isamu Horiuchi
  • Patent number: 9599894
    Abstract: An infrared transmission photosensitive resin composition includes (A) a pigment dispersion composition including a coloring agent (a1); (B) an alkaline soluble resin; (C) a photo-polymerizable compound; (D) a photo-polymerization initiator; and (E) a solvent, wherein the coloring agent (a1) includes a blue pigment, a red pigment and a yellow pigment. Thereby, the infrared transmission photosensitive resin composition may form an infrared transmission pixel which exhibits a high transmittance in an infrared region while having a very low transmittance in a visible light region, so as to be used in an image sensor for obtaining an image having excellent image quality at a place where the quantity of light is insufficient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: DONGWOO FINE-CHEM CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Seung No Lee, Yu Bin Im, Wan Joong Kim
  • Patent number: 9599895
    Abstract: Technologies are generally described for a photoresist and methods and systems effective to form a pattern in a photoresist on a substrate. In some examples, the photoresist includes a resin, a photoinitiator and a photoinhibitor. The photoinitiator may be effective to generate a first reactant upon the absorption of at least one photon of a particular wavelength of light. The first reactant may be effective to render the resin soluble or insoluble in a photoresist developer. The photoinhibitor may be effective to generate a second reactant upon the absorption of at least one photon of the particular wavelength of light. The second reactant may be effective to inhibit the first reactant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: EMPIRE TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT LLC
    Inventor: Seth Adrian Miller
  • Patent number: 9599896
    Abstract: In an embodiment a radical inhibitor is included within a photoresist in order to reduce the amount of cross-linking that occurs during subsequent processing, such as an ion implantation process, that would otherwise form a crust within the photoresist. The crust can be removed in a separate process, such as a dry etch with an oxidative or reductive etchant. Alternatively, the crust may be treated to make it more hydrophyilic such that it can be removed simultaneously with the photoresist.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Chien-Chih Chen, Cheng-Han Wu, Ching-Yu Chang
  • Patent number: 9599897
    Abstract: A salt represented by the formula (I); wherein Q1 and Q2 each independently represent a fluorine atom or a C1 to C6 perfluoroalkyl group, Lb1 represents a single bond or a divalent C1 to C24 saturated hydrocarbon group where a methylene group may be replaced by an oxygen atom or a carbonyl group and where a hydrogen atom may be replaced by a hydroxyl group or a fluorine atom, and Y represents a hydrogen atom, a fluorine atom, or an optionally substituted C3 to C18 alicyclic hydrocarbon group where a methylene group may be replaced by an oxygen atom, a carbonyl group or a sulfonyl group; and Ar represents a divalent C6 to C20 aromatic hydrocarbon group, and Z+ represents an organic sulfonium cation or an organic iodonium cation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: SUMITOMO CHEMICAL COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Takashi Nishimura, Yuko Mukai, Koji Ichikawa
  • Patent number: 9599898
    Abstract: A black photosensitive resin composition includes (A) pigment dispersion including at least two kinds of carbon black having different oil absorption from each other; (B) a binder resin; (C) a photopolymerizable monomer; (D) a photopolymerization initiator; and (E) a solvent. A light-blocking layer can be formed using the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Cheil Industries Inc.
    Inventors: Ho-Jeong Paek, Do-Uk Kim, Min-Sung Kim, Lee-June Kim, Jin-Woo Park, Young-Tai Lee, Young-Woong Jang, Seung-Jib Choi
  • Patent number: 9599901
    Abstract: Provided is a photosensitive resin composition from which a cured product having thin film thickness, excellent light-shielding properties, and high surface hardness is obtained. A a cured film and a method for producing the same, a method for producing a resin pattern, and an LCD device, an organic EL display device, an infrared cut filter, or a solid-state imaging device are also provided. The photosensitive resin composition includes a polymer component including at least one of categories (1) or (2), a photoacid generator, a solvent, and titanium black, wherein (1) includes (a1) a constitutional unit containing a group in which an acid group is protected by an acid-decomposable group, and (a2) a constitutional unit containing a crosslinkable group, and (2) includes (a1) a constitutional unit containing a group in which an acid group is protected by an acid-decomposable group, and (a2) a constitutional unit containing a crosslinkable group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Daisuke Kashiwagi, Takeshi Andou, Satoru Yamada, Yasumasa Kawabe, Hisamitsu Tomeba
  • Patent number: 9599902
    Abstract: Laminate comprising a) a photopolymerizable relief-forming layer, at least containing an elastomeric binder, ethylenically unsaturated monomers and a photoinitiator and optionally further additives, b) an optionally photopolymerizable elastomeric substrate layer, at least containing an elastomeric binder, optionally ethylenically unsaturated monomers and a photoinitiator and optionally further additives, the relief-forming layer a) having a hardness of 30 to 70° Shore A and the elastomeric substrate layer b) having a hardness of 75° Shore A to 70° Shore D in each case in the photopolymerized state, and the layer b) having a hardness of at least 5° Shore A greater than the layer a).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Flint Group Germany GmbH
    Inventors: Armin Becker, Uwe Stebani, Jens Schadebrodt, Uwe Krauss
  • Patent number: 9599903
    Abstract: A foreign substance detection method includes: judging the presence/absence of a foreign substance by measuring a surface condition of a substrate; measuring a surface condition of a second substrate different from the substrate upon replacing the substrate on the chuck with the second substrate, when it is judged in the judging that a foreign substance exists; and determining whether an adhering location of the foreign substance determined to exist in the judging is the substrate, based on a measurement result obtained in the measurement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tadao Nakamura, Yuji Kosugi, Tomohisa Nakazawa
  • Patent number: 9599904
    Abstract: An illumination system of a micro-lithographic projection exposure apparatus is provided, which is configured to illuminate a mask positioned in a mask plane. The system includes a pupil shaping optical subsystem and illuminator optics that illuminate a beam deflecting component. For determining a property of the beam deflecting component, an intensity distribution in a system pupil surface of the illumination system is determined. Then the property of the beam deflecting component is determined such that the intensity distribution produced by the pupil shaping subsystem in the system pupil surface approximates the intensity distribution determined before. At least one of the following aberrations are taken into account in this determination: (i) an aberration produced by the illuminator optics; (ii) an aberration produced by the pupil shaping optical subsystem; (iii) an aberration produced by an optical element arranged between the system pupil surface and the mask plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH
    Inventors: Erich Schubert, Alexander Kohl, Gerhard-Wilhelm Ziegler, Michael Patra, Markus Deguenther, Michael Layh
  • Patent number: 9599905
    Abstract: An illumination optical system which illuminates an illumination objective surface with a light from a light source. The illumination optical system includes a spatial light modulator which includes a plurality of optical elements arranged within a predetermined plane and controlled individually, and which forms a light intensity distribution in an illumination pupil of the illumination optical system; and a polarization unit which is arranged in a position optically conjugate with the predetermined plane, and which polarizes an incident light beam having a first and second partial light beams, coming into the polarization unit such that the first and second partial light beams have polarization states different from each other, and emits the polarized incident light beam as an outgoing light beam, wherein the polarization unit changes, in a cross section of the outgoing light beam, a ratio between a cross sectional areas of the first and second partial light beams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Osamu Tanitsu, Hirohisa Tanaka, Kinya Kato, Takashi Mori
  • Patent number: 9599906
    Abstract: A method for driving a spatial light modulator includes setting a plurality of mirror elements in a first region into a state of phase 0, setting a plurality of optical elements in a second region adjacent in a Y-direction to the first region into a state of phase ?, and setting auxiliary pattern elements consisting of a plurality of mirror elements arranged at a pitch P over a resolution limit of a projection optical system in an X-direction in a boundary region extending in the X-direction between the first region and the second region, into the state of phase ?. In projecting a pattern onto an object with use of the spatial light modulator having the array of optical elements, the pattern can be formed in position accuracy or shape accuracy finer than the width of images of the optical elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: Yoji Watanabe
  • Patent number: 9599907
    Abstract: An exposure apparatus where liquid supply operation and liquid recovery operation for forming a liquid immersion region are excellently performed to form the liquid immersion region in a desired condition, enabling high exposure accuracy and measurement accuracy to be achieved. An exposure apparatus (EX) is an apparatus that exposes a substrate (P) by emitting exposure light (EL) on the substrate (P) through liquid (LQ). The exposure apparatus has a liquid supply mechanism (10) having a supply opening (13) capable of supplying the liquid (LQ) in the direction substantially parallel to the surface of the substrate (P).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Nagasaka, Hirotaka Kohno, Yasufumi Nishii
  • Patent number: 9599908
    Abstract: An immersion lithographic apparatus is cleaned by use of a cleaning liquid consisting essentially of ultra-pure water and (a) a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and ozone, or (b) hydrogen peroxide at a concentration of up to 5%, or (c) ozone at a concentration of up to 50 ppm, or (d) oxygen at concentration of up to 10 ppm, or (e) any combination selected from (a)-(d).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.
    Inventors: Anthonius Martinus Cornelis Petrus De Jong, Hans Jansen, Martinus Hendrikus Antonius Leenders, Antonius Johannus Van Der Net, Peter Franciscus Wanten, Jacques Cor Johan Van Der Donck, Robert Douglas Watso, Teunis Cornelis Van Den Dool, Nadja Schuh, Jan Willem Cromwijk