G02B19/0095

APPARATUS AND METHODS TO PREVENT BIOFOULING
20190084015 · 2019-03-21 ·

Techniques for reducing biofouling on optical equipment, using minimum power in a marine environment are provided. An example of an apparatus according to the disclosure includes a housing including a cavity and an ultraviolet transparent window disposed over the cavity, an optical device disposed in the cavity and directed towards the ultraviolet transparent window, one or more ultraviolet light emitting diodes disposed in the cavity and directed towards the ultraviolet transparent window, and a controller operably coupled to the one or more ultraviolet light emitting diodes and configured to provide at least one lamp power function to the one or more ultraviolet light emitting diodes, wherein the at least one lamp power function is based on at least a flash power value, a flash duration, a rest power value and a rest duration.

REFLECTIVE EXPOSURE APPARATUS

A reflective exposure apparatus includes a platform, an illuminating system, a photomask, a chip, and a reflecting convex mirror. The photomask is formed on the platform and faces the illuminating system. The chip is formed on the platform. The illuminating system and the reflecting curved mirror are formed on opposite sides of the platform. The platform can be moved relative to the illuminating system and the reflecting curved mirror.

Light source apparatus, illumination device, exposure apparatus, and device manufacturing method
10216092 · 2019-02-26 · ·

A light source apparatus including a light source configured to emit a light flux from an emission region having a predetermined size and a rotationally symmetrical emission intensity distribution; and a condenser configured to condense the light flux to allow the light flux to exit to the outside. The condenser is rotationally symmetrical about an optical axis and is disposed to surround the emission region, and has four or more reflection mirrors each having a reflecting surface for reflecting the light flux emitted from the emission region. The reflection mirrors include elliptical surface reflection mirrors where the reflecting surface is elliptical and spherical surface reflection mirrors where the reflecting surface is spherical, and are alternately arranged in the direction of the optical axis, and a light flux reflected by one spherical surface reflection mirror is further reflected by one elliptical surface reflection mirror oppositely disposed across the emission region.

EUV COLLECTOR FOR USE IN AN EUV PROJECTION EXPOSURE APPARATUS
20190033723 · 2019-01-31 ·

An EUV collector serves for use in an EUV projection exposure apparatus. The collector guides EUV used light emitted by a plasma source region. An overall impingement surface of the collector is impinged upon by radiation emitted by the plasma source region. A used light portion of the overall impingement surface guides the EUV used light. An extraneous light portion of the overall impingement surface is impinged upon by extraneous light radiation, the wavelength of which differs from that of the used light. The used light portion and the extraneous light portion are not congruent. This EUV collector has increased efficiency can involve reduced production costs.

Beam delivery system and control method therefor

A beam delivery system may include: beam adjusters configured to adjust a divergence angle of a pulse laser beam; a beam sampler configured to separate a part of the pulse laser beam outputted from a first beam adjuster provided at the most downstream among the beam adjusters to acquire a sample beam; a beam monitor configured to receive the sample beam and output a monitored diameter; and a beam delivery controller configured to control the beam adjusters based on the monitored diameter. The beam delivery controller may adjust each of beam adjusters other than the first beam adjuster selected one after another from the most upstream so that the monitored diameter at the beam monitor becomes a predetermined value specific to the beam adjuster, and adjust the first beam adjuster so that the pulse laser beam becomes focused at a position downstream of a target position.

SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR FILTERING AND PRESENTING OPTICAL BEACONS OR SIGNALS
20190020856 · 2019-01-17 ·

Systems and methods for optical narrowcasting are provided for transmitting various types of content. Optical narrowcasting content indicative of the presence of additional information along with identifying information may be transmitted. The additional information (which may include meaningful amounts of advertising information, media, or any other content) may also be transmitted as optical narrowcasting content. Elements of an optical narrowcasting system may include optical transmitters and optical receivers which can be configured to be operative at distances ranging from, e.g., 400 meters to 1200 meters. Additionally, the elements can be implemented on a miniaturized scale in conjunction with small, user devices such as smartphones. Moreover, optically narrowcast content may be filtered using at least identification data extracted from optical beacons received from optical transmitters such that only optically narrowcast content of interest is presented on a display and/or stored in a persistent storage.

Mask inspection apparatus and mask inspection method
10156664 · 2018-12-18 · ·

Provided are a mask inspection apparatus and a mask inspection method that can prevent a reduction in a reflectance of a drop-in mirror, which is caused by carbon contaminants. A mask inspection apparatus according to the present invention includes a drop-in mirror including multi-layer film and a reflective surface. The drop-in mirror is configured to reflect illumination light incident on the reflective surface and illuminate the mask. An area of the reflective surface is configured to be greater than an area of an illuminated spot irradiated with the illumination light on the reflective surface. The drop-in mirror is configured to be movable. A position of the illuminated spot on the reflective surface is configured to be moved when the drop-in mirror is moved.

LIGHT EMITTING DIODE DIGITAL MICROMIRROR DEVICE ILLUMINATOR
20180341094 · 2018-11-29 ·

A light emitting diode (LED) digital micromirror device (DMD) illuminator includes at least one LED die, a non-imaging collection optic and a lens system in optical communication with the output aperture of the non-imaging collection optic. The lens system is telecentric in an object space which includes the output aperture of the non-imaging collection optic. In some embodiments, the lens system is also telecentric in image space. In some configurations, the LED dies are ultraviolet LED dies. The illuminator is configured to project high radiance optical energy onto a DMD. A projection lens can be used to image the DMD onto an illumination plane with high intensity and spatial uniformity. Examples of applications for the illuminator include maskless lithography, ultraviolet curing of materials and structured fluorescence excitation.

Light illuminating apparatus
10131162 · 2018-11-20 · ·

Provided is a light illuminating apparatus for irradiating light of a line shape extending in a first direction and having a line width in a second direction. The light illuminating apparatus includes light emitting units, each including a substrate, light sources arranged at an interval along the first direction on the substrate and placed such that a direction of an optical axis is matched to a direction perpendicular to the substrate surface, and optical devices placed on optical paths of each light source to shape light from each light source into light with a predetermined divergence angle, wherein the light emitting units are arranged on an arc having its center at the irradiation position when viewed in the first direction, and an irradiation width in the second direction of light from the light emitting units is approximately equal within a preset range in a direction perpendicular to the irradiation surface.

EUV element having barrier to hydrogen transport
10128016 · 2018-11-13 · ·

Disclosed is an EUV system element having a hydrogen diffusion barrier including a region implanted with species (e.g., ions energetic neutral atoms) of a non-hydrogen gaseous material. Also disclosed is a method of making such a component including the step of implanting species of a non-hydrogen gaseous material to form a hydrogen diffusion barrier and a method of treating an EUV system element including the step of implanting species of a non-hydrogen gaseous material to prevent hydrogen adsorption and diffusion. Also disclosed is subjecting an EUV system element to a flux of non-hydrogen gas ions to displace hydrogen ions in one or more layers of the EUV system element with the non-hydrogen gas species so that the gas ions protect the EUV system element against hydrogen damage.