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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 6657736 | Method and system for measuring patterned structures A method and system are presented for determing a line profile in a patterned structure, aimed at controlling a process of manufacture of the structure. The patterned structure comprises a plurality of different layers, the pattern in the structure being ... | 12/02/2003 |
| 6654132 | Optical techniques for measuring layer thicknesses and other surface characteristics of objects such as semiconductor wafers A characteristic of a surface is measured by illuminating the surface with optical radiation over a wide angle and receiving radiation reflected from the surface over an angle that depends on the extend of the illumination angle. An emissivity measurement... | 11/25/2003 |
| 6654131 | Critical dimension analysis with simultaneous multiple angle of incidence measurements A method and apparatus are disclosed for evaluating relatively small periodic structures formed on semiconductor samples. In this approach, a light source generates a probe beam which is directed to the sample. In one preferred embodiment, an incoherent l... | 11/25/2003 |
| 6650424 | Method and system for measuring in patterned structures A measurement method and system are presented for measuring parameters of a patterned structure. Scatterometry and SEM measurements are applied to the structure, measured data indicative of, respectively, the structure parameters and lateral pattern dimen... | 11/18/2003 |
| 6631006 | System and method of marking materials for automated processing A marking assembly for marking feature locations of a material and an automated processing system that uses input from the marking assembly to process the material. Feature locations such as defect positions and the size of the material are measured with ... | 10/07/2003 |
| 6628409 | Method for determining the distance between periodic structures on an integrated circuit or a photomask Fourier transformations are used to calculate a power spectrum of an image of an integrated circuit. The distance between periodic structures is determined from the first refraction maximum, which represents the reciprocal of the distance between the peri... | 09/30/2003 |
| 6621599 | Auto-width detection using backing image Automatic detection of the width and position of a document which is substantially insensitive to dust and dirt as well as electrical noise is provided with an image capture device. When a document is staged for image capture, the image capture device col... | 09/16/2003 |
| 6618155 | Method and apparatus for scanning lumber and other objects Disclosed herein are TV Camera based and other electro-optical sensors and systems, providing affordable methods and apparatus for high speed determination of dimensions and other features of objects. Particular embodiments capable of fast and reliable ac... | 09/09/2003 |
| 6610991 | Electronics assembly apparatus with stereo vision linescan sensor An electronics assembly apparatus, and its imaging system are disclosed. The imaging system, which can include a linescan sensor, measures the height of an object on a component as well as the coplanarity of object features by viewing the object features ... | 08/26/2003 |
| 6608320 | Electronics assembly apparatus with height sensing sensor A pick and place machine, and its imaging system are disclosed. The imaging system is movable with a head of the pick and place machine and includes a linear detector which is adapted to move proximate the component to thereby scan the component. The imag... | 08/19/2003 |
| 6608687 | On line measuring of golf ball centers A method and an apparatus for measuring spherical objects, such as golf ball cores, on line. The spherical objects are automatically moved through a measuring field and are positioned co-linear to an axis of a plane drawn by a high frequency scanning lase... | 08/19/2003 |
| 6602716 | Method and device for referencing fluorescence intensity signals A method and device for fluorimetric determination of a biological, chemical or physical parameter of a sample utilize at least two different luminescent materials, the first of which is sensitive to the parameter, at least with respect to luminescence in... | 08/05/2003 |
| 6593587 | Non-contact measurement device for quickly and accurately obtaining dimensional measurement data A hand-held or tool integrated measurement device is provided for quickly and accurately performing non-contact measurements of dimensions and/or angles associated with various objects in a home or commercial work area. The measurement device generally in... | 07/15/2003 |
| 6577406 | Structure for lithographic focus control features A control target structure and method for monitoring the lithographic affects on minimum feature in a lithographic process. The control target uses line array elements having a nominal width. By changing the shape of the line-ends of the elements the cont... | 06/10/2003 |
| 6570662 | Optical techniques for measuring layer thicknesses and other surface characteristics of objects such as semiconductor wafers A characteristic of a surface is measured by illuminating the surface with optical radiation over a wide angle and receiving radiation reflected from the surface over a wide angle. An emissivity measurement can then be made for the surface, and, alternati... | 05/27/2003 |
| 6561706 | Critical dimension monitoring from latent image A system for monitoring a latent image exposed in a photo resist during semiconductor manufacture is provided. The system includes one or more light sources, each light source directing light to the latent image and/or one or more gratings exposed on one ... | 05/13/2003 |
| 6559931 | Three-dimensional (3-D) coordinate measuring method, 3-D coordinate measuring apparatus, and large-structure building method A 3-D coordinate measurement is performed in such a way that an electrooptical distance-measuring device is used to measure a linear distance to a target point set on a surface of a measurement object, an angle measuring device is used to measure shifted ... | 05/06/2003 |
| 6552340 | Autoadjusting charged-particle probe-forming apparatus An autoadjusting charged-particle probe-forming apparatus improving the resolution of probe-forming charged-particle optical systems by minimizing optical aberrations. The apparatus comprises a source of charged particles, a probe-forming system of charge... | 04/22/2003 |
| 6545765 | Method and apparatus for measuring thickness of transparent films A method and an apparatus for measuring thickness of transparent films is described in which an illumination beam is directed through an objective onto an object comprising a transparent film. A structured focusing aid is disposed in the illumination beam... | 04/08/2003 |
| 6545764 | Non-contact topographical analysis apparatus and method thereof Topographic analysis apparatus consists of a light source (1) and associated optics (2) for illuminating a mirrored surface O with a parallel light beam. Light reflected from the mirrored surface is collected by a camera (4) that is mounted on a moveable ... | 04/08/2003 |
| 6538753 | Method and apparatus for dimension measurement of a pattern formed by lithographic exposure tools Increased accuracy of measurement of variation of a critical dimension is achieved through measurement of area of a test mark by detection of intensity of radiation such as broadband light with which at least a portion of a test mark is imaged. The test m... | 03/25/2003 |
| 6532839 | Apparatus for the remote measurement of physical parameters Methods and apparatus for the remote measurement of physical parameters are described. The apparatus includes a sensor, sensor instrumentation, a carbon coated optical fiber cable for extending between the sensor and the sensor instrumentation, a conduit ... | 03/18/2003 |
| 6501554 | 3D scanner and method for measuring heights and angles of manufactured parts In the context of a machine-vision system for inspecting a part, a method and apparatus to provide high-speed 3D (three-dimensional) inspection of manufactured parts. Parts are inspected to obtain dimensional and geometric information regarding such chara... | 12/31/2002 |
| 6486964 | Measuring apparatus The laser beam emitted from a laser diode is applied to a sample, thereby measuring the height of the sample in accordance with the principle of trigonometrical measurement. A line-sensor camera acquires a dark-field image of the sample by using a ring-sh... | 11/26/2002 |
| 6476922 | Apparatus for measuring variations in size on bodies subjected to temperature variations The apparatus comprises: a holder for a test piece; at least two optical systems, identifying two optical paths located at a predetermined and known reciprocal distance, which are able to focalize, with a predetermined degree of magnification, images of t... | 11/05/2002 |
| 6459760 | Apparatuses and methods for non-destructive inspection An automated real-time, non-destructive inspection system usable to inspect a selected structure for a defect and visually identify a defect's location. In one embodiment, the inspection system is an x-ray inspection system mounted to an articulatable rob... | 10/01/2002 |
| 6459477 | Method and device for measuring painted test tables Apparatus and method for measuring coated test panels, the test panels (2) being taken from a feed magazine (1) by a gripping and moving device, e.g. a laboratory robot, placed on a measuring station (9) and, finally, transferred to a delivery station (5)... | 10/01/2002 |
| 6444996 | Apparatus and method for the detection of an edge of an object A method and apparatus for the detection of an edge of an object, with at least two photoelectric barriers, having at least one sender and at least one receiver apparatus as well as at least one common evaluation electronic unit for the detection of the e... | 09/03/2002 |
| 6441367 | Control systems and methods for diffuse illumination A light pattern generator generates a pattern of continuous wave, modulated and/or pulsed light onto a face of a collimator. The light pattern is collimated by an optical element and directed to a focusing element which focuses the collimated light patter... | 08/27/2002 |
| 6437355 | Apparatus for judging whether bump height is proper or not An apparatus to check a height of a bump includes a measuring device and a determining device. The measuring device is configured to measure a distance between an image position in an image of a reference object reflected in a surface of the bump and a pr... | 08/20/2002 |
| 6429943 | Critical dimension analysis with simultaneous multiple angle of incidence measurements A method and apparatus are disclosed for evaluating relatively small periodic structures formed on semiconductor samples. In this approach, a light source generates a probe beam which is directed to the sample. In one preferred embodiment, an incoherent l... | 08/06/2002 |
| 6400459 | Methods and apparatus for using optical sensors in component replacement heads Methods and apparatus for improving the efficiency of using optical sensors with component placement machines for the placement of components onto a circuit board. One of the improved methods involves the placement of a projection or notch at a selected p... | 06/04/2002 |
| 6346988 | Laser position array optical measuring system and method An optical measuring system capable of high resolution measurement of objects, and a method of measuring the same, are provided. The optical measuring system is formed in one integral, portable unit, and includes a laser source having associated optics fo... | 02/12/2002 |
| 6304332 | Precision grating period measurement arrangement A precision grating period measurement system uses a pair of properly positioned photodetectors to provide sub-Angstrom resolution. That is, the absolute position of a first detector with respect to a zero point in the measurement system is assured by inc... | 10/16/2001 |
| 6297881 | Three-dimensional measurement method and three-dimensional measurement device The purpose of the three-dimensional measurement method and device is to reduce occlusion while ensuring a predetermined resolution, and increase resolution without increasing occlusion. In a three-dimensional input device provided with a projection devic... | 10/02/2001 |
| 6271918 | Virtual multiple aperture 3-D range sensor A 3-D range sensor for measuring range from the sensor to a target surface by imaging a plurality of points projected onto the target surface is disclosed. The range sensor comprises an optical system for imaging a first image and a second other image of ... | 08/07/2001 |
| 6252659 | Three dimensional measurement apparatus A three-dimensional measurement apparatus includes an optical system for scanning a reference beam across a target object to be measured, a light sensor which receives light reflected from the target object, and a processor for calculating a three-dimensi... | 06/26/2001 |
| 6249347 | Method and system for high speed measuring of microscopic targets A system including confocal and triangulation-based scanners or subsystems provides data which is both acquired and processed under the control of a control algorithm to obtain information such as dimensional information about microscopic targets which ma... | 06/19/2001 |
| 6177997 | Shaft position optical sensor The present invention is an optical sensor that senses the movement of a shaft. Detection of radial movement is made when a portion of light incident on the shaft sensor-target is blocked. For detection of axial movement, a disk with flat surface is mount... | 01/23/2001 |
| 6108092 | Method and apparatus for detecting the endpoint in chemical-mechanical polishing of semiconductor wafers A method and apparatus for detecting the endpoint of CMP processing on semiconductor wafer in which a lower layer of material with a first reflectivity is positioned under an upper layer of material with a second reflectivity. Initially an endpoint site i... | 08/22/2000 |
