A lighting system for surface inspection includes an elongated substrate onto which a linear array of lights is mounted to provide extended light coverage. The lights may be dimmable and controlled by a circuit board to reduce veiling glare. A heat sink may disperse heat built up from the linear array of lights. A handle and articulated drop-in pin may provide means to focus all the lights in the same direction and point the lights onto a surface using a single hand or during hands-free use.

A lighting apparatus which indicates a condition and positions of a product moving along a conveyor is provided. The lighting apparatus includes one or more sensors configured to capture a condition reading of the product and a position reading of the product; a line of lights configured for installation proximate to the conveyor and along the path of the conveyor, the lights of the line of lights configurable between different visual states; a controller to determine a condition of the product based on the condition reading, determine an initial position of the product based on the position reading, generate a schedule for controlling visual states of the lights of the line of lights to indicate the condition of the product and positions of the product, and control the visual states of the lights of the line of lights according to the schedule.

An imaging portion acquires first sample-images of a first sample under optical-conditions, the first sample having a defect, and acquires second sample-images of a second sample under optical-conditions, the second sample having no defects. An arithmetic portion calculates a first difference between a first sample-image taken under a first optical-condition and the first sample-image taken under a second optical-condition, calculates a second difference between a second sample-image taken under the first optical-condition and a second sample-image taken under the second optical-condition, and selects the first and second optical-conditions under which a difference between the first and second differences becomes largest, as a first and a second inspection-condition. The imaging portion takes images of the target to be inspected under the first and second inspection-conditions to acquire a first and second inspection-images. The arithmetic portion performs inspection based on the difference between the first and second inspection-images.

A computer-based system and method for taking clarity measurements of a gem, and a computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions, are provided and include receiving a pixilated image of a gem and identifying pixels representing an inclusion. The method and medium further include determining characteristics of the inclusion as a function of the pixels representing the inclusion, and providing a clarity grade based upon the determined characteristics. Also provided is a method for mapping a gem, and a computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions, which include receiving a pixilated image of a gem having facet edges, and identifying pixels representing the facet edges. The method and medium further include generating a diagram of the gem, such that the diagram is a function of the pixels representing the facet edges, and superimposing the diagram onto the pixilated image.

Systems and methods for performing one or more processes on a specimen are provided. One system includes a deposition module incorporated into an existing tool configured to perform an inspection and/or metrology process. The deposition module is configured to deposit one or more materials on a specimen prior to the inspection and/or metrology process performed on the specimen. In some embodiments, the system also includes a stripping module incorporated into the existing tool, and the stripping module is configured to remove material(s) from the specimen subsequent to the inspection and/or metrology process performed on the specimen. The existing tool includes an illumination subsystem configured to direct light having one or more illumination wavelengths to the specimen; a detection subsystem configured to detect light from the specimen; and a computer subsystem configured to determine information for the specimen using output generated by the detection subsystem responsive to the detected light.

A system for inspecting a tank in a ship, the tank being suitable for containing cargo in bulk. The system has a support member for supporting at least one sensor means for producing sensor data related to the tank. Also, it has at least three suspending means with an elongated flexible member, adapted to connect to the support member, and a winch, with a motor, for winding a length of the elongated flexible member. Moreover, the system has a control unit for controlling the motor of the winches. The suspending means are adapted to suspend the support member in a position inside the tank. The control unit is configured to synchronize the length of the wound elongated flexible member with the position of the support member inside the tank.

A vibration measurement device includes: a vibration-inducing section; a laser source; a scanning section for illuminating a partial area of a measurement area on an object with laser light and moving the illumination area; an illumination control section for sequentially illuminating each point within the measurement area with an illuminating duration equal to or shorter than one third of the vibration period; a displacement measurement section for measuring, for each point within the measurement area, an interfering light obtained by splitting an object light from the object into two bundles of light to measure a relative displacement in a back-and-forth direction between two closely-located points within the measurement area; and a vibration state determination section for determining the state of vibration of the entire measurement area, based on the relative displacement in the back-and-forth direction between two closely-located points at each point within the measurement area.

An optical fiber, manufacturing intermediate for forming an optical fiber and a method for forming an optical fiber. The method includes providing a manufacturing intermediate having an elongate body and having an aperture extending through the elongate body along an axial dimension of the elongate body, a boundary of the aperture defining an internal surface of the manufacturing intermediate. The method further includes etching the internal surface of the manufacturing intermediate using an etching substance, and drawing the manufacturing intermediate along the axial dimension so as to form the optical fiber.

A computer-based system and method for taking clarity measurements of a gem, and a computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions, are provided and include receiving a pixilated image of a gem and identifying pixels representing an inclusion. The method and medium further include determining characteristics of the inclusion as a function of the pixels representing the inclusion, and providing a clarity grade based upon the determined characteristics. Also provided is a method for mapping a gem, and a computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions, which include receiving a pixilated image of a gem having facet edges, and identifying pixels representing the facet edges. The method and medium further include generating a diagram of the gem, such that the diagram is a function of the pixels representing the facet edges, and superimposing the diagram onto the pixilated image.

A defect inspecting method and apparatus for inspecting a surface state including a defect on a wafer surface, in which a polarization state of a laser beam irradiated onto the wafer surface is connected into a specified polarization state, the converted laser beam having the specified polarization state is inserted onto the wafer surface, and a scattering light occurring from an irradiated region where the laser beam having the specified polarization state is irradiated, is separated into a first scattering light occurring due to a defect on the wafer and a second scattering light occurring due to a surface roughness on the wafer. An optical element for optical path division separates the first and second scattering lights approximately at the same time.