The Perkin-elmer Corporation

Raytheon Company

Hughes Aircraft Company

Raytheon Optical Systems, Inc.

Carlo F La Fiandra

Burke E Nelson

Justin Lloyd Kreuzer

Peter B Mumola

Gon-Yen Shen

Warren Deschenaux

Gregory P Hughes

Douglas F Baker

An assembly used in a deformable mirror comprises a support having at least one opening therein. A thin optical substrate making up the mirror is provided and has a light reflective first surface and an opposite back surface. A coupling is provided for controllably movably coupling the back surface of the optical substrate and the support to one another. The coupling includes at least one shaped memory metal cylindrical part operatively connecting the optical substrate and the support.

Deformable mirror with removable actuator using shaped-memory alloys

An assembly comprises a support having at least one opening therein and an optical substrate having a light reflective first surface and an opposite back surface. At least one actuator assembly is provided and is located within the at least one opening and is connected to the back surface of the optical substrate and the support. The at least one actuator assembly having a portion with a diameter slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the at least one opening to form a gap therebetween. An internal passage is formed in the portion of the at least one actuator assembly and communicates with an external surface thereof. An adhesive pinning is formed in the gap between the inner surface of the at least one opening and the juxtaposed portion of the at least one actuator and is formed by injecting adhesive into the gap through the passage.

Kinematic actuator deformable mirror

An assembly comprises a base (12,12') and a thin optical substrate (44) having a light reflective first surface (43) and an opposite back surface (45). A coupling medium (8,8) couples the back surface (45) of said optical substrate and the base to one another. At least one piezoelectric actuator (10) is interspersed within the coupling medium for controllably altering the shape of the optical substrate.

Innovative deformable mirror actuator configuration

A deformable mirror device which includes a deformable face plate, a backing plate spaced from the deformable face plate, and at least one axially movable actuator which extends between the face plate and the backing plate. The actuator is fixed adjacent a first end to the backing plate and adjacent a second end, which is opposed to the first end, to the deformable face plate in a kinematic joint by reason of which no forces are transmitted in an ideal mating of the two components. At least a portion of the actuator may be disconnected and removed from the first end, and replaced by another actuator. The kinematic joint includes a high temperature, permanent, joint and a pair of spaced apart, low temperature, temporary joints. The high temperature joint is defined by a ball segment affixed to the deformable face plate as by frit. One of the low temperature joints is defined by an epoxy connection between the actuator at its first end and the backing plate. The other of the low temperature joints is defined by an epoxy connection between the actuator at its second end and the ball segment.

Replaceable actuator assembly for optical mirror with kinematic mount

A method of fabricating a thin mirror (10) includes the step of supporting the thin mirror (10) on an air cushion (12) while a rigid support structure (16) is interfaced therewith. The disclosed method avoids the introduction of stresses and strains during the fabrication process.

Method for use in fabricating and/or testing a thin mirror

The present invention is directed to a new and improved X-ray mask ring assembly and apparatus for making same which includes a mask ring, a plurality of kinematic mounts for removably mounting the mask on an alignment cartridge, each of the kinematic mounts including an insert member having a funnel-like shaped seat for receiving a mating ball-like shaped member mounted on the alignment cartridge, and an adhesive for mounting the insert member on the mask ring. An apparatus for making the mask ring assembly includes a fixture having an upper portion and a lower portion, which are adapted to be coupled together in close alignment one with respect to the other, a ball-like shaped member fixedly mounted on the lower portion, a mask ring having an opening for receiving an insert and said insert having a funnel-like shaped seat, the mask ring being mounted in the fixture so that the ball-like shaped member engages the seat, said mask ring being aligned with the fixture and held with respect thereto, and adhesive being applied to fixedly attach the insert member to the mask ring in its aligned position with respect thereto.

X-ray mask ring and apparatus for making same

The present invention is directed to X-ray lithographic systems, which are characterized by a plurality of work stations, a cartridge in which a wafer and mask are mounted, apparatus for moving the cartridge between the stations, apparatus for moving the cartridge within each station to a kinematic mount, and said kinematic mounts in all of the stations being substantially identical.

X-Ray lithography system

This invention is directed to a mask ring assembly for X-ray lithography which is particularly adapted, among other possible uses, for use in replicating integrated circuit patterns, said assembly including a mask ring, a plurality of kinematic mounts for removably mounting the mask ring on an alignment cartridge, each of the kinematic mounts including a funnel-like shaped seat member and a mating ball-like shaped member, one of said members being on the mask ring and the other of the members being mounted on the alignment cartridge.

Mask ring assembly for X-ray lithography

This invention is directed to an actuator which is particularly adapted among many other possible uses, or use in adjusting the configuration of deformable mirrors. The actuator comprises a housing mounted for movement on a fixed base, the housing being fabricated from magnetic material and being configured to have two spaced pole faces of opposite polarity, a housing coil mounted on the housing to form an electro-magnet, apparatus for moving the housing having infinite reflected inertia, a force arm mounted for movement on a fixed base, one portion of the force arm having an output drive pick-off and another portion of the force arm being disposed between the poles faces of the housing, pole pieces mounted on the force arm adjacent the pole faces, respectively, a force arm coil mounted on the force arm to form an electro-magnet, a first permanent magnet mounted on the housing and a second permanent magnet mounted on the force arm which coact to form a magnet coupling between the force arm and the housing, a controller for controlling the apparatus for moving the housing to thereby control the course adjustment output from the force arm and provide low frequency integration of the force arm and for controlling the flow of current to the housing coil and the force arm coil to provide a net force greater than the net force of the two permanent magnets to thereby control the fine adjustment output from the force arm.

Actuator

A lamp comprising a tubular quartz envelope having a mounting base compression fitted to one end thereof.

Compression base lamp

Means and methods are provided for controlling the geometry changes in a wafer or mask to permit patterns on the wafer to be matched with projected patterns from the mask. A sealed chamber is provided to receive the edges of the wafer or mask. Pressure is applied from a pressure source into the chamber against the edges of the wafer or mask uniformly in all directions to produce compressive strains until the desired wafer or mask geometry is obtained.

Technique to modify wafer geometry

A precise lamp positioner for moving a lamp relative to a lens. The lamp is carried at one end of an L-shaped pivot plate which is pivoted at its corner to the free end of a pivot arm. The pivot arm is pivoted at its other end to a base. The pivot plate is pivoted about its pivotal connection at its corner by a plate position adjustment means. The pivot arm is pivoted about its pivotal connection to the base by an arm position adjustment means. By adjusting both adjustment means, the lamp position relative to the lens can be precisely set. The pivot plate also pivots about the pivotal connection at its corner so it can swing relative to the base to allow replacing the lamp if it fails.

Precise lamp positioner

A system for machining a glass workpiece comprises means for rotating the workpiece. A concentrated beam of energy is axially directed to the surface of the workpiece to soften the glass material. The softened glass material is then removed by a pointed or relatively narrow tool which is precisely located with respect to the area treated by the energy beam.

Growing community of inventors

New Canaan, CT, United States of America

Carlo F La Fiandra