For Dimensional Measurement Patents (Class 356/496)
  • Patent number: 11600055
    Abstract: An apparatus includes an extract unit configured to extract features of a first image based on an electromagnetic wave in a first frequency band, an acquire unit configured to acquire motion information about the features, a classify unit configured to classify the features into a first group and a second group based on the motion information, and a remove unit configured to remove, from the first image, a signal corresponding to the feature belonging to the first group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazutaka Osawa, Takahiro Sato, Takeaki Itsuji, Nao Nakatsuji, Mayu Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 11531091
    Abstract: A LIDAR device for scanning a scanning angle, including at least one radiation source for generating at least one electromagnetic beam, including a rotatable mirror for deflecting the at least one electromagnetic beam along the scanning angle, including a receiving unit for receiving at least one incoming electromagnetic beam and for deflecting the at least one incoming electromagnetic beam to at least one detector, and including at least one filter, the at least one filter being adaptable to the at least one incoming electromagnetic beam. Moreover, a method for scanning a scanning angle with the aid of such a LIDAR device is described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Stefan Spiessberger, Annemarie Holleczek, Nico Heussner
  • Patent number: 11523865
    Abstract: A probe of a target identification system can be extended via a first lumen of a viewing instrument, such as for illuminating an area beyond a distal end of the viewing instrument via an optical path of the viewing instrument. An optical response to the illumination of the area can be received via an optical path of the probe and can be split from other optical signals of the optical path. The optical response information can be used to identify characteristics of a target and to adjust parameters of a working instrument such as a working instrument contemporaneously using the probe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: Gyrus ACMI, Inc.
    Inventors: Sergey A. Bukesov, Kurt G. Shelton, Brian M. Talbot
  • Patent number: 11415407
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a method and apparatus for frequency-domain optical interferometry imaging. Embodiments of the invention include an apparatus comprising a line-shaping optical element for directing optical radiation into a line illumination, an imaging optical element for receiving optical radiation comprising radiation reflected from a target sample and a reference point associated with the target sample, and a detection unit for measuring common path interferences between a plurality of reflections from the target sample and the reference point. Embodiments of the invention include a method comprising directing radiation into a line illumination, directing the line illumination towards a target sample, receiving radiation reflected from the target sample at a detection unit, and measuring common path interferences between a plurality of reflections at the target sample and a reference point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: THE UNIVERSITY OF LIVERPOOL
    Inventors: Yaochun Shen, Yalin Zheng, Yue Dong, Samuel Lawman
  • Patent number: 11399713
    Abstract: Systems and methods for assessing multi-layer structures in which a spectrum array is generated from low coherence interferometry and input into a statistical estimator, which determines the thickness and layer number based on the inputted spectrum and other information, including information about a source intensity noise, Poisson noise, and dark noise associated with the low coherence interferometry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignees: University of Rochester, The University of Arizona
    Inventors: Jinxin Huang, Jannick P. Rolland, Eric Clarkson, Matthew Kupinski
  • Patent number: 11360221
    Abstract: Systems and methods for direct measurement of imbalanced optical paths using entangled photons are provided. A system includes an optical source for generating a pair of simultaneously produced photons. The system also includes first and second emitter/receivers that emit first and second photons in the pair of simultaneously produced photons towards a first and second remote reflector and receives the reflected first and second photons along first and second optical paths. Further, the system includes a mode combiner for combining the reflected first and second photons into first and second output ports. Moreover, the system includes photodetectors that detect photons from the first and second output ports. Also, the system includes a processor that measures a difference in time delay between the first and second optical paths based on a time difference of arrival of signals from the photodetectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Chad Fertig, Karl D. Nelson
  • Patent number: 11255785
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for obtaining a fluorescence microscope image that depicts a sample and a plurality of fiducial markers, identifying the plurality of fiducial markers in the image, and using the plurality of fiducial markers to register the image. The sample and the plurality of fiducial markers have a common fluorescence color, and identifying the plurality of fiducial markers in the image includes comparing a spatial intensity distribution of a plurality of fluorescent regions of the image to a reference distribution function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventor: Yun-Ching Chang
  • Patent number: 11119072
    Abstract: A system for monitoring vibrations in a target region of interest may include a pulsed laser transmitter assembly, interferometric, telescope, and receiver optics, a photo-EMF detector assembly, signal conditioning/processing electronics, and a monitoring circuit/display. The detector assembly, which has a photo-EMF detector and amplifier circuits, generates an output signal indicative of the vibrations. A laser module outputs a source beam at a PRF of at least 2 Hz. A beam splitter device splits the source beam into separate interrogating and reference beams. The mirror directs the reference beam onto the photo-EMF detector for interference with a reflected return signal. The telescope optics generates an amplified return signal, and directs the amplified return signal to the photo-emf detector. The monitoring computer compares the output signal from the signal processor to a baseline to ascertain a difference therebetween, and generates a diagnostic signal indicative of the difference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AS REPRESENTED BY THE ADMINISTRATOR OF NASA
    Inventor: Narasimha S. Prasad
  • Patent number: 10892604
    Abstract: An aspect of a photon source may have a substrate with a surface, a focus lens disposed above the surface, and a plurality of optical sources. Each optical source may be composed of a mirror and an optical emitter. The optical emitter may include a beam twister. The emitter is aligned with the mirror along an axis and may emit a collimated beam along the axis, A plurality of mirrors may be composed of each mirror of the plurality of optical sources, arranged in a first ring-like configuration. Alternatively, the plurality of mirrors may be aggregated into a polygonal pyramidal mirror. A plurality of emitters may be composed of each emitter of the plurality of optical sources, arranged in a second ring-like configuration. The optical emitters may be composed of a laser diode mounted on a sub-mount having a plane orthogonal to the planar surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: Nanjing Casela Technologies Corporation Limited
    Inventors: Imtiaz Majid, Chih-Hao Wang, Peng-Chih Li
  • Patent number: 10856799
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to an automated method and system for generating a three-dimensional (3D) representation of a skin structure of a subject. The method comprises: acquiring a plurality of two-dimensional (2D) cross-sectional images of the skin structure, specifically, using optical coherence tomography (OCT) technique; computing a cost for each 2D cross-sectional image based on a cost function, the cost function comprising an edge-based parameter and a non-edge-based parameter; constructing a 3D graph from the 2D cross-sectional images; and determining a minimum-cost closed set from the 3D graph based on the computed costs for the 2D cross-sectional images, wherein the 3D representation of the skin structure is generated from the minimum-cost closed set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignees: Agency for Science, Technology and Research, National Skin Centre (Singapore) PTE LTD
    Inventors: Hong Liang Tey, Ruchir Srivastava, Ai Ping Yow, Jun Cheng, Annan Li, Wing Kee Damon Wong, Jiang Liu, Carolin Wall
  • Patent number: 10859366
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for measuring etch depth including the following steps: splitting a light beam into a first, and respectively second, incident beam directed towards a first, respectively second, area of a sample exposed to an etching treatment to form a first, and respectively second, reflected beam, recombining the first reflected beam and the second reflected beam to form an interferometric beam; detecting a first, and respectively second, interferometric intensity signal relative to a first, respectively second, polarisation component; calculating a lower envelope function and an upper envelope function of a differential polarimetric interferometry signal; determining an offset function and a normalisation function from the first lower envelope function and the first upper envelope function; and calculating a differential polarimetric interferometry function normalised locally at each time instant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: HORIBA FRANCE SAS
    Inventor: Simon Richard
  • Patent number: 10831095
    Abstract: A critical dimension measurement system includes a voltage measurement circuit, a control circuit, and a critical dimension measurement circuit. The voltage measurement circuit may measure potentials of mask patterns of a photomask. The control circuit may include an information storage circuit for storing distribution information on the potentials of the mask patterns, measured by the voltage measurement circuit, and information on layout patterns corresponding to the mask patterns of the photomask. The critical dimension measurement circuit may be operated, by the control circuit, in a first measurement mode and a second measurement mode running for a shorter time than the first measurement mode, and measure critical dimensions of the mask patterns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Won Joo Park, Hyung Joo Lee, Seuk Hwan Choi, Dong Seok Nam, Yoon Taek Han
  • Patent number: 10795021
    Abstract: A method for determining a distance comprises: providing at least two phase measurements made with modulated light of different modulation wavelengths, each phase measurement being indicative of the distance up to an integer multiple of a respective modulation wavelength; providing a set of possible wraparound count combinations; for each one of the possible wraparound count combinations, calculating a combination of unwrapped phase hypotheses corresponding to the at least two phase measurements; and selecting a most plausible combination of unwrapped phase hypotheses among the combinations of unwrapped phase hypotheses and calculating the distance based upon the selected most plausible combination of unwrapped phase hypotheses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: IEE INTERNATIONAL ELECTRONICS & ENGINEERING S.A.
    Inventors: Laurent Lamesch, Bruno Mirbach
  • Patent number: 10788309
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a method and apparatus for frequency-domain optical interferometry imaging. Embodiments of the invention include an apparatus comprising a line-shaping optical element for directing optical radiation into a line illumination, an imaging optical element for receiving optical radiation comprising radiation reflected from a target sample and a reference point associated with the target sample, and a detection unit for measuring common path interferences between a plurality of reflections from the target sample and the reference point. Embodiments of the invention include a method comprising directing radiation into a line illumination, directing the line illumination towards a target sample, receiving radiation reflected from the target sample at a detection unit, and measuring common path interferences between a plurality of reflections at the target sample and a reference point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: THE UNIVERSITY OF LIVERPOOL
    Inventors: Yaochun Shen, Yalin Zheng, Yue Dong, Samuel Lawman
  • Patent number: 10775601
    Abstract: A method for operating a microscopy arrangement, and a microscopy arrangement, having a first microscope and at least one further microscope, wherein each of the microscopes have a respective optical axis. The respective optical axes do not coincide. The method provides a three-dimensional reference coordinate system being set; a carrier apparatus, that is embodied in the arrangement to receive and hold a specimen carrier is introduced into a specimen plane of the first microscope that is intersected by the optical axis and onto the optical axis of the first microscope; a reference point is set on the optical axis of the first microscope; the carrier apparatus is delivered to the further microscope, wherein the current coordinates of the reference point are continuously captured and compared to the coordinates of the optical axis of the at least one further microscope; and the reference point is brought onto the optical axis of the at least one further microscope.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss Microscopy GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Kalkbrenner, Saskia Pergande, Jörg Siebenmorgen, Helmut Lippert
  • Patent number: 10758123
    Abstract: An ophthalmological microscope system, having an illumination system that projects illumination light onto a subject's eye. A light receiving system guides returning light of the illumination light to an image sensor or an eyepiece system. An interference optical system splits light into measurement light and reference light and detects interference light generated from returning light of the measurement light and the reference light. A designation unit is used for designating an operation mode. When an observation priority mode (or an OCT priority mode) has been designated, a controller executes first light amount control that restricts light amount of the measurement light (or second light amount control that restricts light amount of the illumination light) to make total light amount of the illumination light and the measurement light equal to or less than a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOPCON
    Inventors: Satoshi Yamamoto, Ikuo Ishinabe, Michiko Nakanishi
  • Patent number: 10571674
    Abstract: A 3D localization microscopy system, 4D localisation microscopy system, or an emitter tracking system arranged to cause a phase difference between light passing to or from one part of the objective relative to light passing to or from another part of the objective, to produce a point emitter image which comprises two lobes, a separation between which is related to the position of the emitter relative to the objective of the imaging system, and in the 4D system a further property of the image or of the light to or from the objective is related to another location independent property of the emitter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss Microscopy GmbH
    Inventors: Christian Soeller, David Michael Baddeley, Mark Bryden Cannell
  • Patent number: 10557372
    Abstract: Systems for monitoring a component in a turbomachine can include a strain sensor comprising at least two reference points disposed on a surface of the component, and a data acquisition device connected to the turbomachine comprising a field of view, wherein the field of view is positioned to at least periodically capture the strain sensor on the component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jason Lee Burnside, Thomas James Batzinger, Bryan Joseph Germann, Gregory Lee Hovis, William Farris Ranson
  • Patent number: 10539504
    Abstract: An ATR scanning system and a method for positioning a specimen against the reflective surface of an ATR objective are disclosed. The scanning system includes an ATR objective, a controller, a stage, and a height profiler. The controller forms an image of the reflective surface. The stage moves a specimen in a direction toward the reflective surface at a speed determined by the controller. The height profiler measures a minimum distance between the specimen and the reflective surface as the z-axis stage moves the specimen at a first speed. When the specimen is a predetermined distance from the reflective surface of the ATR objective, the controller causes the z-axis stage to move toward the reflective surface at a second speed while forming approach images of the reflective surface to determine if the specimen is in contact with the reflective surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Kole, Andrew Ghetler
  • Patent number: 10512396
    Abstract: Ocular surface interferometry (OSI) devices, systems, and methods are disclosed for peak detection and/or determining stabilization of an ocular tear film. Embodiments disclosed herein also include various image capturing and processing methods and related systems for providing various information about a patient's ocular tear film (e.g., the lipid and aqueous layers) and a patient's meibomian glands that can be used to analyze tear film layer thickness(es) (TFLT), and related characteristics as it relates to dry eye.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignee: TearScience, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen M. Grenon, Scott Liddle, Donald R. Korb
  • Patent number: 10388317
    Abstract: A disc pick-and-place device including a disc pick-and-place body and a quantity sensing unit is provided. The disc pick-and-place body is for clamping and unloading at least one disc. The quantity sensing unit is disposed on the disc pick-and-place body for sensing the quantity of the at least one disc clamped on the disc pick-and-place body. The quantity sensing unit includes a movable piece and an optical distance measuring device. The movable piece leans on at least one disc and moves as the quantity of the at least one disc changes. The optical distance measuring device is for emitting a beam and receiving the beam reflected from the movable piece to detect the quantity of the at least one disc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: LITE-ON TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jung-Fang Chang, Cheng-Wen Huang
  • Patent number: 10145944
    Abstract: An optical alignment system includes a LADAR sub-system including: a laser source and a probe configured to deliver probe illumination from the laser source to a first optical surface of the optical system and an additional optical surface of the optical system. The probe is further configured to receive a first measurement signal from the first optical surface and an additional measurement signal from the additional optical surface of the optical system. The system also includes a detector configured to receive a first combined signal and an additional combined signal from an optical coupling assembly. The system further include a controller configured to determine a relative distance between the first optical surface and the additional optical surface based on the first combined signal or the additional combined signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: KLA-Tencor Corporation
    Inventors: Anatoly Shchemelinin, Wei Zhao, Daniel Scott
  • Patent number: 10102621
    Abstract: A high-resolution image suited to the purpose of a doctor or the like is acquired. The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus including an acquisition unit configured to acquire a tomogram of a subject eye; a first extraction unit configured to extract part of the tomogram acquired by the acquisition unit; an estimating unit configured to estimate a high-frequency component based on a result of extraction by the extraction unit; and a combining unit configured to combine the high-frequency component with the tomogram acquired by the acquisition unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshihiko Iwase, Makoto Sato, Akihito Uji
  • Patent number: 10066931
    Abstract: An optical inner-surface measurement device includes: an optical fiber included inside a tube, the optical fiber being configured to be inserted into a hole of an inspection object; at least two optical-path converting elements disposed in a forward-end of the optical fiber; and a motor for rotationally driving at least one of the at least two optical-path converting elements. The at least two optical-path converting elements emit a light beam, guided thereto through the optical fiber, to an inner peripheral surface of the hole of the inspection object three-dimensionally in a circumferential direction and an axial direction of the hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: Adamant Namiki Precision Jewel Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Yamazaki, Eri Fukushima, Kazumi Yanagiura, Takafumi Asada
  • Patent number: 10024694
    Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus for measuring a kinematic property of a first object relative to a second object. The apparatus includes a first communicator associated with a first object and a second communicator associated with a second object. The first communicator includes a first frame and at least four first entangled clocks disposed on the first frame. Yet further, the first communicator includes a first plurality of photo detectors corresponding to the at least four first entangled clocks. Further, the first communicator includes a first processor communicatively coupled to the first plurality of photo detectors. Further, the first communicator includes a first power. The second communicator includes a second frame and at least four second entangled clocks disposed on the second frame. Yet further, the second communicator includes a second plurality of photo detectors. Moreover, the second communicator includes a second power supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Inventors: Daniel Alter, Margaret Lueille Milanowski
  • Patent number: 9995579
    Abstract: A tiltmeter to measure a variation in inclination of a structure from a given starting position. The tiltmeter has two pots, each pot contains an identical volume and identical height of an identical liquid. A communication device connects the two pots and allows the liquid to flow between the two pots by the principle of communicating vessels. Two optical measuring devices are provided, one optical measuring device per pot. Each optical measuring device measures a variation in height of the level of liquid in the associated pot. The optical measuring devices are fiber optic devices coupled to a common light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignees: CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIC, UNIVERSITE DE MONTPELLIER
    Inventor: Frederick Boudin
  • Patent number: 9915522
    Abstract: Provided are scatterometry techniques for evaluating a 3D diffracting structure. In one embodiment, a method involves providing a 3D spatial model of the diffracting structure and discretizing the model into a 3D spatial mesh. The method includes approximating 3D fields for each element of the 3D mesh using 3D spatial basis functions and generating a matrix including coefficients of the 3D spatial basis functions approximating the fields. The coefficients of the 3D spatial basis functions are computed and used in computing spectral information for the model. The computed spectral information for the model is compared with measured spectral information for the diffracting structure. If the model is a good model fit, the method involves determining a physical characteristic of the diffracting structure based on the model of the diffracting structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: KLA-TENCOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Peilin Jiang, Leonid Poslavsky
  • Patent number: 9839350
    Abstract: A control apparatus of an imaging apparatus, includes a selection unit configured to select an image-capturing site of a subject to be examined, a control unit configured to control adjustment of a member of the imaging apparatus, according to the selected image-capturing site, and a determination unit configured to determine whether to perform the adjustment or not in response to a change of image-capturing sites through the selection by the selection unit, based on image-capturing conditions for the image-capturing sites before and after the change of the image-capturing sites.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Naba, Yukio Sakagawa
  • Patent number: 9739598
    Abstract: A device for interferential distance measurement between two objects that are situated in a movable manner with respect to each other along at least one shifting direction includes at least one light source as well as at least one splitting element, which splits a beam of rays emitted by the light source at a splitting location into at least two partial beams that propagate onward at different angles. The device furthermore includes at least one deflecting element that effects a deflection of the incident partial beams in the direction of a merging location, where the split partial beams are superimposed in an interfering manner and the optical paths of the partial beams of rays between the splitting location and the merging location being arranged such that the traversed optical path lengths of the partial beams between the splitting location and the merging location are identical in the event of a change of distance between the two objects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: DR. JOHANNES HEIDENHAIN GMBH
    Inventors: Ralph Joerger, Walter Huber
  • Patent number: 9717402
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides computing device implemented methods, apparatuses, and computing device readable media for confocal imaging using astigmatism. Confocal imaging can include receiving an image of a portion of an object captured by a confocal imaging device having a particular astigmatic character, determining an image pattern associated with the image, and determining a distance between a focus plane of the confocal imaging device and the portion of the object based, at least in part, on information regarding the image pattern. Confocal imaging can also include receiving data representing an image pattern associated with an image of an object captured by a confocal imaging device having a particular astigmatic character and having an image sensor with a plurality of pixels, and determining a positional relationship between the object and a focus plane of the confocal imaging device based on a distribution of the diffraction pattern over a portion of the plurality of pixels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Align Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Erez Lampert, Isaia Glaser-Inbari
  • Patent number: 9702976
    Abstract: A CW-TOF camera that uses a piecewise constant or linear discretized indicator function of first and second modulation frequencies of light that the camera transmits to illuminate a scene and a round trip time tR for light from and back to the camera for features in the scene to disambiguate wrapped phase shifts that the camera acquires for the features.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Zhanping Xu, Travis Perry
  • Patent number: 9625836
    Abstract: An interferometer includes: an optical system configured to generate interfering light by dividing light from a light source, and combining reference light and measurement light; a detector configured to detect the interfering light generated by the optical system; and an optical member configured to give spatial coherence to the light from the light source before the detector detects the light from the light source. The optical member gives higher spatial coherence in a second direction serving as a direction of a line of intersection of a cross section of a beam of the light incident on the optical member, and a plane including optical paths of the light from the light source before being divided by the optical system, the reference light, the measurement light, and the interfering light, than in a first direction perpendicular to the plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Wataru Yamaguchi, Takahiro Matsumoto, Hideki Ina
  • Patent number: 9543219
    Abstract: A method of monitoring a temperature of a plurality of regions in a substrate during a deposition process, the monitoring of the temperature including: forming, in the monitored plurality of regions, a plurality of metal structures each with a different metal pattern density, where each metal pattern density corresponds to a threshold temperature at or above which metal voids and surface roughness are formed in the plurality of metal structures, and detecting metal voids and surface roughness in the plurality of metal structures to determine the temperature of the monitored plurality of regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES INC.
    Inventors: Shawn A. Adderly, Samantha D. DiStefano, Mark J. Esposito, Jeffrey P. Gambino, Prakash Periasamy
  • Patent number: 9474476
    Abstract: The present invention causes measurement light, emitted from an object and to be measured, to enter a fixed mirror and a movable mirror forming interfering light between the measurement light reflected by the fixed mirror and measurement light reflected by the movable mirror. Change to the intensity of the interference light of measurement light is obtained by moving the movable mirror unit, acquiring the interferogram of measurement light. Reference light of a narrow wavelength band included in a wavelength band of the measurement light enters the fixed mirror and the movable mirror, forming interference light of the reference light. The movable mirror is moved to correct the interferogram of measurement light, which is at the same wavelength as the reference light in the measurement light, and the reference light, and a spectrum of the measurement light is acquired based on the corrected interferogram.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: NATIONAL UNIVERSITY CORPORATION KAGAWA UNIVERSITY
    Inventor: Ichiro Ishimaru
  • Patent number: 9464882
    Abstract: An interferometer in which the path length of the reference beam, measured in wavelengths, is continuously changing in sinusoidal fashion and the interference signal created by combining the measurement beam and the reference beam is processed in real time to obtain the physical distance along the measurement beam between the measured surface and a spatial reference frame such as the beam splitter. The processing involves analyzing the Fourier series of the intensity signal at one or more optical detectors in real time and using the time-domain multi-frequency harmonic signals to extract the phase information independently at each pixel position of one or more optical detectors and converting the phase information to distance information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: Nanowave, Inc.
    Inventor: Tetsuo Ohara
  • Patent number: 9435634
    Abstract: A detection device and a detection method are disclosed in the embodiments. The detection device comprises a light source, a first image information acquisition unit, a first charge coupled device (CCD), a first light splitter, and a first analyzer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignees: BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd., Beijing BOE Display Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Huali Yao, Chaoqin Xu, Liping Luo, Zengbiao Sun, Shaoshuai Mu, Huishuang Liu
  • Patent number: 9326674
    Abstract: An optical tomographic imaging apparatus includes a measurement light optical path length changing unit configured to change an optical path length of measurement light. In a case where any one of a plurality of imaging regions of an object (for example, a region of an anterior eye of a subject's eye and a region of a fundus of the subject's eye) is selected, the optical tomographic imaging apparatus can control the measurement light optical path length changing unit according to a size of an imaging range of a tomographic image corresponding to the selected imaging region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshifumi Masaki, Hiroshi Aoki, Yukio Sakagawa
  • Patent number: 9316599
    Abstract: Provided are a sintered ceramic and a ceramic sphere which are inhibited from suffering surface peeling due to fatigue resulting from repetitions of loading and can attain an improvement in dimensional accuracy when subjected to surface processing and which have excellent wear resistance and durability. A ceramic-sphere inspection device is also provided with which a ceramic sphere is inspected for a flaw present in the surface layer and for snow flakes without destroying the ceramic sphere. The device is a ceramic-sphere inspection device (100) in which a ceramic sphere (S) is rotatably supported in a given position and illuminating light emitted from a light projector (110) is detected with a light receiver (120) to evaluate the state of the inner part of the surface layer, and has been configured so that the light receiver (120) does not detect the light emitted from the light projector (110) and reflected at the surface of the ceramic sphere.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignees: NIKKATO CORPORATION, TSUBAKI NAKASHIMA CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Onishi, Hiroshi Ikeda, Hiroki Takimoto, Hiroshi Uemura, Kenji Yamada, Hideki Ono, Hiroyuki Matsuyama
  • Patent number: 9277860
    Abstract: An optical tomographic imaging apparatus includes a control unit configured to, in a case where an instruction to narrow an imaging range of a tomographic image is issued, control a measurement light optical path length changing unit to reduce an optical path length of measurement light and make a changing speed of the optical path length of the measurement light lower than in a case where an instruction to widen the imaging range is issued.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Isao Komine, Hiroshi Aoki, Hirofumi Yoshida, Yukio Sakagawa, Hiroyuki Inoue
  • Patent number: 9277859
    Abstract: An optical tomographic imaging apparatus includes an instruction unit configured to issue an instruction on a size of an imaging range of a tomographic image, and a control unit configured to control a measurement light optical path length changing unit to perform alignment in a depth direction with respect an object after the instruction by the instruction unit, and change an optical path length of measurement light by a distance corresponding to a change of the size on which the instruction is issued.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Keisuke Oyaizu, Hiroshi Aoki, Yukio Sakagawa, Hirofumi Yoshida
  • Patent number: 9251601
    Abstract: One or more digital representations of single- (101) and/or few-layer (102) thin-film material are automatically identified robustly and reliably in a digital image (100), the digital image (100) having a predetermined number of color components, by—determining (304) a background color component of the digital image (100) for each color component, and—determining or estimating (306) a color component of thin-film material to be identified in the digital image (100) for each color component by obtaining a pre-determined contrast value (CR; CG; CB) for each color component and multiplying the respective background color component with a numerical difference between the pre-determined contrast value (CR; CG; CB) for a given color component and about 1,—identifying points or parts of the image with all color components being within a predetermined range of the determined or estimated color component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: Danmarks Tekniske Universitet
    Inventors: Bjarke Sørensen Jessen, Mikkel Buster Klarskov, Lisa Katharina Tschammer, Timothy John Booth, Peter Bøggild
  • Patent number: 9243889
    Abstract: In certain embodiments, a device for optical coherence tomography (OCT) includes a signal detection device and a computer arrangement. The signal detection device is designed to detect an interference signal (G(?)) for an object to be imaged in an optical frequency range (?). The computer arrangement is designed to determine intermediate signals (G1(k), G2(k)) in a spatial frequency range (k) from the intermediate interference signal (G(?)), whereby each of the intermediate signals (G1(k), G2(k)) is dispersion-compensated for a different depth (z1, z2) of the object. A locally resolved image signal (FFT1, FFT2) is determined for each of the intermediate signals (G1(k), G2(k)) by applying a Fourier transformation to the particular intermediate signal (G1(k), G2(k)). A tomography signal (G(z)) is determined from the image signals (FFT1, FFT2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: Wavelight GmbH
    Inventors: Ole Massow, Henning Wisweh
  • Patent number: 9207339
    Abstract: Disclosed is an optical seismic sensor system for measuring seismic events in a geological formation, including a surface unit for generating and processing an optical signal, and a sensor device optically connected to the surface unit for receiving the optical signal over an optical conduit. The sensor device includes at least one sensor head for sensing a seismic disturbance from at least one direction during a deployment of the sensor device within a borehole of the geological formation. The sensor head includes a frame and a reference mass attached to the frame via at least one flexure, such that movement of the reference mass relative to the frame is constrained to a single predetermined path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: Magi-Q Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: A Craig Beal, Malcolm E Cummings, Anton Zavriyev, Caleb A Christensen, Keun Lee
  • Patent number: 9110158
    Abstract: A method for range finding of a target including: generating a first photon and a second photon identical to the first photon; transmitting the first photon towards the target and delaying the second photon by a time delay; receiving the first photon reflected from the target and the delayed second photon; interacting the reflected first photon and the delayed second photon to produce HOM interference; detecting photo-statistics at an output of the HOM interference; when the two photons are output at the same output port, repeating the above processes; when the reflected first single photon and the delayed second single photon are output at different output ports, changing the time delay and repeating the above processes; repeating the above processes for a number of times to arrive at a final estimate for a value of the time delay corresponding to the final estimate of the target range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: Raytheon BBN Technologies Corp.
    Inventor: Jonathan L. Habif
  • Patent number: 9103662
    Abstract: A method and system to measure misalignment error between two overlying or interlaced periodic structures are proposed. The overlying or interlaced periodic structures are illuminated by incident radiation, and the diffracted radiation of the incident radiation by the overlying or interlaced periodic structures are detected to provide an output signal. The misalignment between the overlying or interlaced periodic structures may then be determined from the output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: KLA-Tencor Corporation
    Inventors: Ibrahim Abdulhalim, Mike Adel, Michael Friedmann, Michael Faeyrman
  • Patent number: 9080857
    Abstract: A device for interferential distance measurement that includes a light source that emits a light beam along a propagation direction and a scanning plate including a splitter that splits the light beam into a measurement beam and a reference beam. The device further including a reflector disposed spaced-apart in a direction of the propagation direction and a detector element. The measurement beam and the reference beam are propagated from the splitter along different optical paths toward the reflector, where a back reflection of the measurement beam and the reference beam occurs at the reflector toward the scanning plate. In addition, at a combining location the measurement beam and the reference beam attain interfering superposition, and wherein the measurement beam and the reference beam interfering at the combining location are detected by the detector element so that the detector element generates a distance signal regarding a distance between the scanning plate and the reflector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: DR. JOHANNES HEIDENHAIN GmbH
    Inventors: Walter Huber, Birgit Lange, Michael Hermann
  • Publication number: 20150146208
    Abstract: An optical measuring probe for measuring inner and/or outer diameters of objects, uses a first optical element for focusing or collimating an optical beam onto a surface of an object. A second optical element for splitting the optical beam into a first measuring beam and a second measuring beam is provided in the optical measuring probe in such a way that the second measuring beam is guided out of the measuring probe in a direction opposite the direction of the first measuring beam and that the first measuring beam forms a first scan point and the second measuring beam forms a second scan point. Also described is a corresponding method for measuring diameters using the optical measuring probe. The optical measuring probe and the associated method make it possible to optically measure inner and outer diameters of measuring probes objects in a simple manner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2013
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Inventors: Peter Riegger, Gerald Franz, Pawel Drabarek
  • Patent number: 9001334
    Abstract: A novel means of provided velocity control of an interferometer wherein one of the moving components includes the beamsplitter element is introduced herein. Using a moving beamsplitter and coupled flexure mounting allows improved velocity control because the low mass of the beamsplitter enables the systems disclosed herein to respond faster than conventional mirror velocity controlled interferometer instruments with a resultant lower velocity error so as to provide a more stable and lower noise spectra from the analytical instrument. The control of the velocity of the beamsplitter and if desired, one or both of the configured mirrors, reduces the time wasted changing velocity at the ends of each scan. The result is an increase in data collection available in any given experiment time frame. Such desirable arrangements of the present invention thus allow scans to be collected at higher rates, which beneficially increase the ability to monitor rapidly changing systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Thermo Electron Scientific Instruments LLC
    Inventor: John Magie Coffin
  • Publication number: 20150077760
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods and an assembly for robust one-shot interferometry, in particular for optical coherence tomography according to the spatial domain approach (SD-OCT) and/or according to the light-field approach. In one embodiment, the method and the assembly may be used for measurements on material and living tissue, for distance measurement, for 2D or 3D measurement with a finely structured light source imaged onto the object in a diffraction-limited way, or with spots thereof. The assembly may comprise an interferometer having object and reference arms and a detector for electromagnetic radiation. In other embodiments, during a detection process, a plurality of spatial interferograms may be formed by making an inclined and/or curved reference wavefront interfere with an object wavefront for each measurement point. The resulting spatial interferograms may be detected in a single detector frame and may be further evaluated via a computer program.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2014
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Inventors: Klaus Koerner, Wolfgang Osten
  • Patent number: 8947674
    Abstract: A surface profile measuring apparatus includes a reflection unit to reflect a reference beam diffracted by a first diffraction grating and cause the reflected reference beam to be incident on the first diffraction grating again, a detection unit to receive an interference beam in which the reference beam diffracted again by the first diffraction grating and a measuring beam reflected by a sample surface optically interfere with each other, and detect an interference intensity signal for each, wavelength in the interference beans, a shifting unit to shift the first diffraction grating in a direction perpendicular to a grating groove direction of the first diffraction grating, a calculation unit to calculates a phase on a basis of the interference intensity signal for each wavelength varying with a degree of shift, and a measurement unit to measure the sample surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Atsushi Fukui, Hirotoshi Oikaze