With Electro-optical Light Rotation Patents (Class 356/368)
  • Patent number: 11714302
    Abstract: An object is to provide an optical element in which a wavelength dependence of refraction of transmitted light is small, and a light guide element including the optical element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Sato, Yukito Saitoh
  • Patent number: 11454791
    Abstract: An optical component for illuminating a sample region with a periodic light pattern comprises: a first waveguide, a further waveguide and an optical splitter. The optical splitter has an input for receiving light, a first output and a second output. The first waveguide is optically coupled to the first output, to direct the first input light into the sample region in a first direction. The second output is optically coupled to the sample region to direct second input light into the sample region in a second direction. The further waveguide is arranged to receive third input light which is directed into the sample region in a third direction. The first direction, second direction and third direction are different from one another. The first and second input light interferes to form a periodic pattern in the sample region. The optical component may be used for structured illumination microscopy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: Universitetet I Tromsø-Norges Arktiske Universitet
    Inventors: Balpreet Singh Ahluwalia, Thomas R. Huser, Olav Gaute Hellesø
  • Patent number: 11426100
    Abstract: A system for obtaining and outputting real time blood glucose values or one or more indicators related thereto is described. The system comprises a sensor for obtaining blood glucose data from an individual in real time. The system includes an analyzer for comparing in a first comparison some or all of the blood glucose data obtained in real time and for generating an indicator in real time when the analyzer in comparing some or all of the blood glucose data identifies blood glucose data as unacceptable, the indicator provided as output on the user interface in real time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: Socrates Health Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas F. Sutherland, Scott J. Smith
  • Patent number: 11092543
    Abstract: A glucose sensor comprising an optical energy source having an emitter with an emission pattern; a first polarizer intersecting the emission pattern; a second polarizer spaced a distance from the first polarizer and intersecting the emission pattern, the second polarizer rotated relative to the first polarizer by a first rotational amount ?; a first optical detector intersecting the emission pattern; a second optical detector positioned proximal to the second polarizer, the first polarizer and the second polarizer being positioned between the optical energy source and the second optical detector, the second optical detector intersecting the emission pattern; a compensating circuit coupled to the second optical detector; and a subtractor circuit coupled to the compensating circuit and the first optical detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: K Sciences GP, LLC
    Inventor: Valentin Korman
  • Patent number: 10987035
    Abstract: Embodiments concern coupling polarized light at two or more wavelengths across the aqueous humor of the eye (e.g., as part of a noninvasive glucose monitoring system). An approach discloses non-contact and minimal contact eye-coupling designs that are part of a system for providing glucose concentration levels via measurements acquired by passing two or more optical beams through the cornea/aqueous chamber in the eye. The approach provides for coupling the light to account for the index mismatch incurred while allowing for monitoring the light polarization. Specifically, in an embodiment the light transitions from the device, through the air, through the proximal side of the cornea, through the aqueous humor, through the medial side of the cornea, and through the air back into the device. Embodiments address the index of refraction mismatch and polarized light maintaining concerns with a coupling approach that can take the form of contact and non-contact mechanisms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: The Texas A&M University System
    Inventors: Gerard Cote, John Hanks, Casey Pirnstill
  • Patent number: 10969668
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate to systems and methods for active depth sensing. An example device includes a light projector. The light projector includes a light source to emit light and a diffractive element. The diffractive element is configured to receive the emitted light that is polarized, project a first distribution of light when the received light has a first polarity, and project a second distribution of light when the received light has a second polarity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Jian Ma, Sergiu Goma
  • Patent number: 10732515
    Abstract: Methods and systems for performing spectroscopic measurements of asymmetric features of semiconductor structures are presented herein. In one aspect, measurements are performed at two or more azimuth angles to ensure sensitivity to an arbitrarily oriented asymmetric feature. Spectra associated with one or more off-diagonal Mueller matrix elements sensitive to asymmetry are integrated over wavelength to determine one or more spectral response metrics. In some embodiments, the integration is performed over one or more wavelength sub-regions selected to increase signal to noise ratio. Values of parameters characterizing an asymmetric feature are determined based on the spectral response metrics and critical dimension parameters measured by traditional spectral matching based techniques.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: KLA-Tencor Corporation
    Inventors: Phillip R. Atkins, Qi Dai, Liequan Lee
  • Patent number: 10702197
    Abstract: An embodiment relates generally to an improved method and apparatus for modulating the amplitude and rotation of the plane of polarization of linearly polarized light for multiple uses but primarily as part of a noninvasive glucose monitoring system. As compared to previous monitoring systems, an embodiment provides faster monitoring while maintaining or even reducing noise and minimizing system complexity. Embodiments described herein address these concerns with a modulation and compensation approach that both uses a single high speed device and also modulation of the lasers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: The Texas A&M University System
    Inventors: Gerard L. Cote, Daniel T. Grunden, Bilal H. Malik, Casey Pirnstill, Erwin Thomas, III
  • Patent number: 10648837
    Abstract: An encoder includes a light emitting portion emitting light, an optical element portion splitting the light into a first beam and a second beam, an optical scale receiving the first beam and the second beam from the optical element portion, and a light receiving portion receiving the first beam and the second beam from the optical scale and outputting a signal in accordance with intensity of the received light, in which the optical element portion includes a prism on which the light is incident, a beam splitter disposed on the prism and splitting the light incident on the prism into the first beam heading for the optical scale and the second beam heading for an inside of the prism, and a first mirror portion disposed on the prism and reflecting the second beam from the beam splitter toward the optical scale.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Wada, Kunihiko Yano
  • Patent number: 10631763
    Abstract: A method for non-invasive glucose monitoring includes the following steps. At least one ray of light is emitted from at least one light source. The light emitted from the light source is leaded into an eyeball and focused on the eyeball through a first beam splitter. The reflected light reflected from the eyeball is transmitted through the first beam splitter to a set of photo detectors. Optical angular information and energy information of the reflected light transmitted to the set of photo detectors are measured. Optical angular difference and energy difference resulting from the light emitted from the light source and the reflected light transmitted to the set of photo detectors are obtained. Glucose information is obtained by analyzing the optical angular difference and the energy difference. Since glucose information has a corresponding relationship with blood glucose information, blood glucose information may be obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: Taiwan Biophotonic Corporation
    Inventors: Yu-Tang Li, Chang-Sheng Chu, Pei-Fang Tsou, Pei-Cheng Ho, Kuan-Jui Ho
  • Patent number: 10634522
    Abstract: An encoder includes an optical scale including a scale portion that is constituted with a polarizer, a light emitting portion which emits light, an optical element unit which divides the light into first light and second light and makes the first and second lights incident onto the scale portion, and a light receiving portion which receives the first light and the second light from the scale unit and outputs a signal corresponding to intensities of the received first light and second light, and in which the first light and the second light overlap other within a plane of the scale portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroshi Wada
  • Patent number: 10334140
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a corrector configured to provide a color correction based on a reference image selected from a plurality of color images having different polarization states acquired by changing a retardation provided to light from an object, for a synthesized image generated with polarization information of the object obtained from the plurality of color images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Rie Ishimatsu
  • Patent number: 10274712
    Abstract: A miniaturized microscope having a tunable focal length provides for fluorescence measurements at an adjustable focus, providing for autofocus and/or depth adjustment of an image measurement without altering or adjusting a probe implanted in a sample and while providing collimated illumination of an area within the sample. The microscope includes an objective lens having a fixed position with respect to a second connector for receiving light returning from the sample and focusing it on an image sensor within the microscope that generates an image output, a beamsplitter for separating light returning from the sample, and an electrically-tunable lens positioned between the objective lens and the image sensor for adjusting an optical path length from the optical interface to the image sensor. The illumination is focused at or near a back focal plane of the objective lens to the sample, providing collimated or quasi-collimated illumination on or within the sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: OPTOMAK, INC.
    Inventors: Sead Doric, Harold Dehez, Marie-Andrée Houle
  • Patent number: 10260951
    Abstract: A Faraday rotation device includes a light source configured to transmit a light beam; a first rotation stage polarizer configured to forward the light beam from the light source at a predetermined reference polarization angle; a quartz cell configured to receive the light beam from the first rotation stage polarizer at the predetermined reference polarization angle; one or more stacked ring permanent magnets coaxially fitted around the quartz cell; a stepper motor configured to adjust a rotational motion of a second rotation stage polarizer connected to the stepper motor, wherein the second rotation stage polarizer is configured to change a polarization angle of the light beam received from the quartz cell; a light detector; and an electronic circuit board configured to record a change in angle between the predetermined reference polarization angle and the changed polarization angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals
    Inventors: Watheq Al-Basheer, Sohaib Abdelazem
  • Patent number: 10260952
    Abstract: A Faraday rotation device includes a light source configured to transmit a light beam; a first rotation stage polarizer configured to forward the light beam from the light source at a predetermined reference polarization angle; a quartz cell configured to receive the light beam from the first rotation stage polarizer at the predetermined reference polarization angle; one or more stacked ring permanent magnets coaxially fitted around the quartz cell; a stepper motor configured to adjust a rotational motion of a second rotation stage polarizer connected to the stepper motor, wherein the second rotation stage polarizer is configured to change a polarization angle of the light beam received from the quartz cell; a light detector; and an electronic circuit board configured to record a change in angle between the predetermined reference polarization angle and the changed polarization angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals
    Inventors: Watheq Al-Basheer, Sohaib Abdelazem
  • Patent number: 10126172
    Abstract: A Faraday rotation device includes a light source configured to transmit a light beam; a first rotation stage polarizer configured to forward the light beam from the light source at a predetermined reference polarization angle; a quartz cell configured to receive the light beam from the first rotation stage polarizer at the predetermined reference polarization angle; one or more stacked ring permanent magnets coaxially fitted around the quartz cell; a stepper motor configured to adjust a rotational motion of a second rotation stage polarizer connected to the stepper motor, wherein the second rotation stage polarizer is configured to change a polarization angle of the light beam received from the quartz cell; a light detector; and an electronic circuit board configured to record a change in angle between the predetermined reference polarization angle and the changed polarization angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals
    Inventors: Watheq Al-Basheer, Sohaib Abdelazem
  • Patent number: 10067054
    Abstract: A glucose sensor comprising an optical energy source having an emitter with an emission pattern; a first polarizer intersecting the emission pattern; a second polarizer spaced a distance from the first polarizer and intersecting the emission pattern, the second polarizer rotated relative to the first polarizer by a first rotational amount ?; a first optical detector intersecting the emission pattern; a second optical detector positioned proximal to the second polarizer, the first polarizer and the second polarizer being positioned between the optical energy source and the second optical detector, the second optical detector intersecting the emission pattern; a compensating circuit coupled to the second optical detector; and a subtractor circuit coupled to the compensating circuit and the first optical detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: K SCIENCES GP, LLC
    Inventor: Valentin Korman
  • Patent number: 10012492
    Abstract: An OCT imaging system (100) comprising a radiation emitter (SLD), a radiation receiver CCD), an interferometer (FC, PC, X-Scan, Y-Scan), a controller (COMP) which controls the emitter and processes received radiation data according to OCT to provide an output image. The controller (COMP) forms a spectrum of spatial frequencies along the depth direction. It calculates from the spectrum local spectra of spatial frequencies or periods along the depth direction for individual volume elements along the depth direction. It translates the local spectra of spatial frequencies or periods along the depth direction into the OCT image domain. It maps the local spectra into the volume elements to provide sensitivity on the nano-scale whereas the volume elements are in the micro-scale. The controller calculates information parameters from the translated and mapped local spectra. Thus the system (100) achieves nano-scale sensitivity although the volume elements are at the micro-scale.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF IRELAND, GALWAY
    Inventors: Sergey Alexandrov, Hrebesh Subhash, Martin J. Leahy, Azhar Zam
  • Patent number: 9770362
    Abstract: A surgical laser system includes a laser engine, configured to generate a laser beam of laser pulses; a proximal optics and a distal optics, together configured to direct the laser beam to a target region, and to scan the laser beam in the target region through a scanning-point sequence; and an aberration sensor, configured to sense aberration by an aberration layer; a compensation controller, coupled to the aberration sensor, configured to generate compensation-point-dependent phase compensation control signals based on the sensed aberration; and a spatial phase compensator, positioned between the proximal optics and the distal optics, at a conjugate aberration surface, conjugate to the aberration layer, and coupled to the compensation controller, configured to receive the compensation-point-dependent phase compensation control signals, and to alter a phase of the laser beam in a compensation-point-dependent manner to compensate the sensed aberration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: NOVARTIS AG
    Inventor: Ferenc Raksi
  • Patent number: 9759714
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for normalizing path length in an optical system for non-invasive glucose concentration. A method arrangement includes providing an optical energy source spaced from a first photo-detector by a sensing area; transmitting energy from the optical energy source onto the first photo-detector; storing a first reading corresponding to the light intensity observed by the first photo-detector; subsequently, introducing a container of solution including an optically active substance into the sampling area; transmitting energy from the optical energy source through the container in the sampling area and onto the first photo-detector; storing a second reading corresponding to the light intensity observed by the first photo-detector; determining a ratio of the first reading to the second reading; and determining a path length L by computing L=ln(ratio)/? where ? is an absorption constant of the optical energy in the solution and container. Additional arrangements are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Socrates Health Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Bordelon, Valentin Korman
  • Patent number: 9717444
    Abstract: A non-invasive device for measuring concentration levels of optically active substances, such as glucose, by determination of polarization plane turn angle in the infrared spectrum. Instant embodiments, measuring optical polarization shift, include a narrow-band optical source having a first linear polarizer; substantially illuminated by the source, a sample stage capable of temporarily immobilizing a sample; proximate to the sample stage and within a predetermined angular range with respect to the source illumination of the sample, a narrow-band optical detector capable of detecting polarization angles from the illuminated sample; and in conjunction with the source and the detector, a linear polarization angle comparator for comparing a polarization of the source with a polarization maxima region measured by the detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Inventors: Mark Bosin, Seva Brodsky, Leonid Pasichnyk
  • Patent number: 9709441
    Abstract: A spectrometer (100) for analyzing the spectrum of an upstream light beam (1) includes an entrance slit (101) and angular dispersing elements (130). The angular dispersing elements include at least one polarization-dependent diffraction grating that is suitable for, at the plurality of wavelengths (1, 2, 3), diffracting a corrected light beam (20) into diffracted light beams (31, 32, 33) in a given particular diffraction order of the polarization-dependent diffraction grating, which is either the +1 diffraction order or the ?1 diffraction order, when the corrected light beam has a preset corrected polarization state that is circular; and the spectrometer includes elements for modifying polarization (1100) placed between the entrance slit and the angular dispersion elements, which are suitable for modifying the polarization state of the upstream light beam in order to generate the corrected light beam with a preset corrected polarization state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: HORIBA JOBIN YVON SAS
    Inventors: Olivier Acher, Simon Richard
  • Patent number: 9638940
    Abstract: An optical modulator uses an optoelectronic phase comparator configured to provide, in the form of an electrical signal, a measure of a phase difference between two optical waves. The phase comparator includes an optical directional coupler having two coupled channels respectively defining two optical inputs for receiving the two optical waves to be compared. Two photodiodes are configured to respectively receive the optical output powers of the two channels of the directional coupler. An electrical circuit is configured to supply, as a measure of the optical phase shift, an electrical signal proportional to the difference between the electrical signals produced by the two photodiodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS SA
    Inventor: Jean-Robert Manouvrier
  • Patent number: 9636052
    Abstract: A glucose sensor comprising an optical energy source having an emitter with an emission pattern; a first polarizer intersecting the emission pattern; a second polarizer spaced a distance from the first polarizer and intersecting the emission pattern, the second polarizer rotated relative to the first polarizer by a first rotational amount ?; a first optical detector intersecting the emission pattern; a second optical detector positioned proximal to the second polarizer, the first polarizer and the second polarizer being positioned between the optical energy source and the second optical detector, the second optical detector intersecting the emission pattern; a compensating circuit coupled to the second optical detector; and a subtractor circuit coupled to the compensating circuit and the first optical detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: K Sciences GP, LLC
    Inventor: Valentin Korman
  • Patent number: 9632020
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to monitoring, evaluating and interrogating material surfaces using second-order nonlinear optical ellipsometry for surface monitoring and characterization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: Jeffrey H. Hunt, John H. Belk
  • Patent number: 9557271
    Abstract: An optical biomodule for detecting a disease(s) in a biological fluid (containing a disease specific biomarker(s)) in a fluidic container(s) or on a substrate(s), utilizing an enhanced fluorescence emission (due to integration of three-dimensional (3-D) protruded structure(s)) upon chemical binding of a disease specific biomarker(s) with its corresponding specific disease specific biomarker binder(s) is disclosed. Furthermore, the invention includes spatial multiplexing and optical multiplexing of disease specific biomarker binders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Inventors: Mohammad A. Mazed, Sayeeda Mazed
  • Patent number: 9433374
    Abstract: In a concentration measuring device, a measuring light in a wavelength region where an absorbance related to the water in a subject can be practically ignored is irradiated to the subject by a light source. The transmitted light transmitted through the subject is received in a light receiving part. An optical rotation calculation part calculates an optical rotation of the subject by using an output signal from the light receiving part, and an absorbance calculation part calculates an absorbance of the subject by using an output signal from the light receiving part. A concentration calculation part calculates a concentration of glucose by using a glucose measurement data related to an aqueous solution of simple glucose, a protein measurement data related to an aqueous solution of simple protein, the optical rotation calculated by the optical rotation calculation part, and the absorbance calculated by the absorbance calculation part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kenji Goto, Hideaki Yamada, Kazuhiro Nishida
  • Patent number: 9400246
    Abstract: The present invention may include a modulatable illumination source configured to illuminate a surface of a sample disposed on a sample stage, a detector configured to detect illumination emanating from a surface of the sample, illumination optics configured to direct illumination from the modulatable illumination source to the surface of the sample, collection optics configured to direct illumination from the surface of the sample to the detector, and a modulation control system communicatively coupled to the modulatable illumination source, wherein the modulation control system is configured to modulate a drive current of the modulatable illumination source at a selected modulation frequency suitable for generating illumination having a selected coherence feature length. In addition, the present invention includes the time-sequential interleaving of outputs of multiple light sources to generate periodic pulses trains for use in multi-wavelength time-sequential optical metrology.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: KLA-Tencor Corporation
    Inventors: Andrei V. Shchegrov, Lawrence D. Rotter, David Y. Wang, Andrei Veldman, Kevin Peterlinz, Gregory Brady, Derrick Shaughnessy
  • Patent number: 9367897
    Abstract: A method for increasing the resolution of a series of low resolution frames of a low resolution video sequence to a series of high resolution frames of a high resolution video sequence includes receiving the series of low resolution frames of the video sequence. The system determines a first plurality of semantically relevant key points of a first low resolution frame of the series of low resolution frames and determines a second plurality of semantically relevant key points of a second low resolution frame of the series of low resolution frames. The system temporally processes the first plurality of key points based upon the second plurality of key points to determine a more temporally consistent set of key points for the first plurality of key points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Xu Chen, Anustup Kumar A. Choudhury, Christopher Andrew Segall, Petrus J. L. Van Beek
  • Patent number: 9320463
    Abstract: A glucose sensor comprising an optical energy source having an emitter with an emission pattern; a first polarizer intersecting the emission pattern; a second polarizer spaced a distance from the first polarizer and intersecting the emission pattern, the second polarizer rotated relative to the first polarizer by a first rotational amount ?; a first optical detector intersecting the emission pattern; a second optical detector positioned proximal to the second polarizer, the first polarizer and the second polarizer being positioned between the optical energy source and the second optical detector, the second optical detector intersecting the emission pattern; a compensating circuit coupled to the second optical detector; and a subtractor circuit coupled to the compensating circuit and the first optical detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: K SCIENCES GP, LLC
    Inventor: Valentin Korman
  • Patent number: 9310186
    Abstract: The invention is a system and method for obtaining interference and optical coherence tomography images from an object. The system comprises a wideband source, an optical mask for extending the depth of field, a a liquid crystal tunable filter and a phase modulator all of which are uniquely integrated in a Linnik interferometer microscope. The system has several imaging modes: in the time domain mode the device may operate either with wideband illumination or with quasi monochromatic illumination. The monochromatic illumination can be varied in wavelength along a wide spectral region thus allowing true spectroscopic imaging in high resolution and with high speed. Due to the liquid crystal tunable filter and the optical mask, the frequency domain mode is also accessible. The method of obtaining the optical coherence tomography images, both in the time and in the frequency domains, using the liquid crystal retarder is described in detail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: Ben-Gurion University of the Negev Research and Development Authority
    Inventors: Ibrahim Abdulhalim, Avner Safrani
  • Patent number: 9182343
    Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a method for generating from a light source a light signal operating in a region of the light spectrum, modifying the light signal with a first polarization device having a first polarization state to generate a polarized light signal directed to a target, modifying a substantially specular reflection and a substantially diffused reflection of the polarized light signal generated from the target with a second polarization device having a second polarization state to generate mixed polarized light signals having a mixed polarization state, and adjusting the mixed polarization state to modify an observable range of subsurfaces of the target. Other embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: WELCH ALLYN, INC.
    Inventor: Ervin Goldfain
  • Patent number: 9075300
    Abstract: A projector is provided with an image forming device, a light path switching element, a polarization control element, and a polarization plate. The image forming device emits first image light and second image light. The light path switching element shifts a light path of the first image light and a light path of the second image light from each other. The polarization control element controls a polarization direction of the first image light to have a first polarization direction in a first display period, controls polarization directions of the first image light and the second image light to have a second polarization direction different from the first polarization direction in a transition period, and controls the polarization direction of the second image light to have the first polarization direction in a second display period. The polarization plate is disposed on the light exit side of the polarization control element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kazuyoshi Kegasawa
  • Patent number: 9001326
    Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a method for generating from a light source a light signal operating in a region of the light spectrum, modifying the light signal with a first polarization device having a first polarization state to generate a polarized light signal directed to a target, modifying a substantially specular reflection and a substantially diffused reflection of the polarized light signal generated from the target with a second polarization device having a second polarization state to generate mixed polarized light signals having a mixed polarization state, and adjusting the mixed polarization state to modify an observable range of subsurfaces of the target. Other embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Welch Allyn, Inc.
    Inventor: Ervin Goldfain
  • Patent number: 8976354
    Abstract: An optical apparatus has a light detecting section which detects light and emits transmitted light where linearly polarized light, which is converted by a polarizing section, is transmitted through a subject. In addition, the optical apparatus has an orthogonal separating section which orthogonally separates the emitted light from the light detecting section and a light reception section which receives light which is orthogonally separated by the orthogonal separating section. A calculation apparatus outputs a rotation control signal to a rotation apparatus and rotation controls the light detecting section so that the rotation plane is orthogonal with regard to an optical path of the transmitted light. Then, the calculation apparatus measures the polarization state of the transmitted light, which is transmitted through the subject S using the intensity with which the light, is received by the light receiving section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hideaki Yamada, Michihiro Nagaishi
  • Patent number: 8964178
    Abstract: A method and system are presented for use in characterizing properties of an article having a structure comprising a multiplicity of sites comprising different periodic patterns, where method includes providing a theoretical model of prediction indicative of optical properties of different stacks defined by geometrical and material parameters of corresponding sites, said sites being common in at least one of geometrical parameter and material parameter; performing optical measurements on at least two different stacks of the article and generating optical measured data indicative of the geometrical parameters and material composition parameters for each of the measured stacks; processing the optical measured data, said processing comprising simultaneously fitting said optical measured data for the multiple measured stacks with said theoretical model and extracting said at least one common parameter, thereby enabling to characterize the properties of the multi-layer structure within the single article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Nova Measuring Instruments Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoel Cohen, Boaz Brill
  • Patent number: 8902425
    Abstract: Embodiments generally relate to a light source and methods for minimizing temperature sensitivity of a light source light source. In one embodiment a light source includes a light-emitting diode, a light beam having an optical axis, a photodetector and a polarizer. The diode is operatively configured to emit the light beam. The beam splitter, positioned to intercept the light beam, includes a first optical surface operatively configured to reflect a first portion of the light beam and to transmit a second portion of the light beam therethrough. The photodetector is positioned to capture the first portion of the light beam after reflection by the beam splitter and operatively configured to generate photocurrent proportional to an intensity of that captured first portion. The polarizer is positioned between the diode and the beam splitter, and is operatively configured to polarize the light beam along a polarization direction perpendicular to its optical axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: University of Zagreb
    Inventor: Dubravko Ivan Babic
  • Patent number: 8842277
    Abstract: In a first optical measurement device, light which is output from a light source is subject to linear polarizing in a polarizing unit, and is input to a test object A. Transmitted light which has passed through the test object A is orthogonally separated in an orthogonal separation unit, and the light which is orthogonally separated in the orthogonal separation unit is received in two light receiving units. In addition, amount of light of the transmitted light is determined by a control unit, and a difference between received light levels which are received in the light receiving unit is normalized using the amount of light which is determined in a transmitted amount of light determination unit, and then the angle of optical rotation is calculated by the angle of optical rotation calculation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kenji Goto, Hideaki Yamada
  • Patent number: 8823934
    Abstract: A method for imaging skin includes illuminating a subject with at least one light source of one or more light sources. The method includes acquiring a first image of the subject in a first polarization with a respective photodetector of one or more photodetectors configured to acquire images of the subject as illuminated by the at least one light source, and acquiring a second image of the subject in a second polarization with the respective photodetector. The method also includes generating a subtraction image by subtracting at least a portion of the first image from a corresponding portion of the second image, and providing at least a portion of the subtraction image for display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Brightex Bio-Photonics LLC
    Inventors: Rajeshwar Chhibber, Ashutosh Chhibbar, Shefali Sharma
  • Patent number: 8736838
    Abstract: A terahertz ellipsometer, the basic preferred embodiment being a sequential system having a backward wave oscillator (BWO); a first rotatable polarizer that includes a wire grid (WGP1); a rotating polarizer that includes a wire grid (RWGP); a stage (STG) for supporting a sample (S); a rotating retarder (RRET) comprising first (RP), second (RM1), third (RM2) and fourth (RM3) elements; a second rotatable polarizer that includes a wire grid (WGP2); and a Golay cell detector (DET).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: J.A. Woollam Co., Inc.
    Inventor: Craig M. Herzinger
  • Patent number: 8665437
    Abstract: A method for controlling a transformation process in which the conversion of charge materials to a product takes place along a transformation interface from the crystal and/or grain and/or phase and/or pore surface into the charge material, wherein one or more chemical elements in the charge materials is released and/or incorporated and/or rearranged and wherein the conversion of the charge materials takes place along advancing transformation interfaces. The charge materials are identified on the basis of at least one optical, in particular microscopic, analysis with respect to their phases and/or phase components and/or their phase morphology, structure, texture and/or their chemical composition. On the basis of these variables, reference functions for the charge materials, which describe the conversion of the charge materials in the process, are assigned and used for establishing the process parameters of the transformation process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Siemens Vai Metals Technologies GmbH
    Inventors: Harald Fischer, Heinrich Rochus Mali, Johannes Leopold Schenk, Stefan Schuster, Bernhard Hailu Spuida, Kurt Wieder, Franz Winter
  • Patent number: 8643842
    Abstract: A method and system are presented for use in characterizing properties of an article having a structure comprising a multiplicity of sites comprising different periodic patterns, where method includes providing a theoretical model of prediction indicative of optical properties of different stacks defined by geometrical and material parameters of corresponding sites, said sites being common in at least one of geometrical parameter and material parameter; performing optical measurements on at least two different stacks of the article and generating optical measured data indicative of the geometrical parameters and material composition parameters for each of the measured stacks; processing the optical measured data, said processing comprising simultaneously fitting said optical measured data for the multiple measured stacks with said theoretical model and extracting said at least one common parameter, thereby enabling to characterize the properties of the multi-layer structure within the single article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Nova Measuring Instruments Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoel Cohen, Boaz Brill
  • Patent number: 8542357
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to solve the above-mentioned problems by using an optical arrangement that is totally different from the conventional CD spectra measuring method, and to provide a method and device for measuring circular dichroism spectra, which can measure the CD spectrum in much shorter time even with the use of a small light source. The method for measuring circular dichroism spectra according to the present invention comprising the steps of irradiating a white light projected from a white light source to a sample without dispersing the light into a monochromatic light, dispersing the light output from the sample, detecting a light intensity of the dispersed light by a detector having a sensor consisting of a charge-coupled device, and then measuring a circular dichroism spectrum of the sample on the basis of a result of the detection by the detector (FIG. 1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: The University of Tokyo
    Inventors: Hiromi Takahashi, Reiko Kuroda, Takunori Harada
  • Patent number: 8525993
    Abstract: Asymmetry metrology is performed using at least a portion of Mueller matrix elements, including, e.g., the off-diagonal elements of the Mueller matrix. The Mueller matrix may be generated using, e.g., a spectroscopic or angle resolved ellipsometer that may include a rotating compensator. The Mueller matrix is analyzed by fitting at least a portion of the elements to Mueller matrix elements calculated using a rigorous electromagnetic model of the sample or by fitting the off-diagonal elements to a calibrated linear response. The use of the Mueller matrix elements in the asymmetry measurement permits, e.g., overlay analysis using in-chip devices thereby avoiding the need for special off-chip targets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Nanometrics Incorporated
    Inventors: Silvio J. Rabello, William A. McGahan, Jie Li, Yongdong Liu
  • Patent number: 8447079
    Abstract: A device includes an incident arm, a detection arm, a sample stage, and an image processing computer. The incident arm includes a light source and a first polarizing element, and is disposed on one side of the sample stage. The detection arm includes a second polarizing element and a photoelectric detector, and is disposed on a light-detection path. The photoelectric detector is connected to the computer. The device further includes a device for adjusting polarization angles of the first and second polarizing elements. A method includes: illuminating a sample surface using linearly polarized light with a certain polarization angle; detecting outgoing polarized light by a photoelectric detector; adjusting polarization angles of the incident and detected polarized light, and repeating the above two steps to obtain a series of polarized images, each image corresponding to incident and detected polarization angles; and computer processing the obtained images to obtain sample information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Graduate School at Shenzhen, Tsinghua University
    Inventors: Xiaoyu Jiang, Hui Ma, Yonghong He
  • Patent number: 8373859
    Abstract: An imaging system for imaging skin includes a light source to illuminate a subject and a first polarizer to polarize light provided by the light source to illuminate the subject. The imaging system also includes a photodetector to acquire an image of the subject as illuminated by the light source and an adjustable second polarizer, coupled to the photodetector, to provide an adjustable degree of polarization of light received by the photodetector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Brightex Bio-Photonics LLC
    Inventors: Rajeshwar Chhibber, Ashutosh Chhibber, Shefali Sharma
  • Patent number: 8358413
    Abstract: A system and method for automatically removing polarized light in an environment having polarized light and unpolarized light. Light is processed by a polarizer and measured by a sensor. Multiple measurements of a light characteristic are taken, each measurement corresponding to a polarity setting of the polarizer. The polarizer is automatically adjusted to enable the multiple measurements. The measurements may be of average light intensity, contrast, saturation, or another characteristic. Based on the multiple measurements and the corresponding polarity settings, an optimal polarity setting is determined, such that the amount of polarized light is minimized. A curve fitting calculation may be used to make the determination. The polarizer is adjusted to the determined polarity setting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: CSR Technology Inc.
    Inventor: Eran David Pinhasov
  • Patent number: 8319966
    Abstract: Metrology systems and methods that measure thin film thickness and or index of refraction of semiconductor wafers with at least one deposited or grown thin film layer. The present invention measures near normal incidence and grazing angle of incidence reflection (using reflected broadband UV, visible, and near infrared electromagnetic radiation) from a small region on a sample. Embodiments of the system selectively comprise a near-normal incidence spectrometer/ellipsometer, a high angle of incidence spectrometer/ellipsometer, or a combination of the two.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Inventors: Emad Zawaideh, Javier Ruiz
  • Patent number: 8289515
    Abstract: A method and system are presented for use in characterizing properties of an article having a structure comprising a multiplicity of sites comprising different periodic patterns. The method comprises: providing a theoretical model of prediction indicative of optical properties of different stacks defined by geometrical and material parameters of corresponding sites, said sites being common in at least one of geometrical parameter and material parameter; performing optical measurements on at least two different stacks of the article and generating optical measured data indicative of the geometrical parameters and material composition parameters for each of the measured stacks; processing the optical measured data, said processing comprising simultaneously fitting said optical measured data for the multiple measured stacks with said theoretical model and extracting said at least one common parameter, thereby enabling to characterize the properties of the multi-layer structure within the single article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Nova Measuring Instruments Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoel Cohen, Boaz Brill
  • Patent number: 8269968
    Abstract: A device (2) for evaluating the state of wetting of a surface (8) includes an emitter (4) emitting a beam (F, F1, F2) which is incident in the direction of the surface (8) and a single element (12) for receiving the beam reflected by the surface (8). The device includes: A polarization (10, 13, 14) including a first polarization zone (13) and a second polarization zone (14) designed to polarize a first part (F1) and a second part (F2) of the beam in a first and a second polarization direction; and a evaluation element (28) for calculating a polarization ratio between the polarizations of the first part of the reflected beam and the second part of the reflected beam to evaluate the state of wetting of the surface (8). Also described is an evaluation process and an associated indicator device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignees: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (C.N.R.S.), Universite de Poitiers
    Inventors: Jacques Brochard, Majdi Khoudeir