Coho Holdings, LLC

Raytheon Company

Optical Switch Corporation

Other

Holographic Lithography Systems, Inc.

Douglas S Hobbs

James J Cowan

Terry A Dorschner

Lawrence J Friedman

L Q Lambert, Jr

Robert B Nilsen

Curtis A Lockshin

Adam F Kelsey

Bruce D MacLeod

A surface relief structure consisting of a random distribution of surface features with varying feature profile and depth, is described. The texture serves to suppress the reflection of electromagnetic waves in the optical region of the spectrum without dispersing any portion of the spectrum by diffraction. Processes for fabricating the random distribution anti-reflecting textures in common materials are also described. The disclosed textures are particularly useful as anti-reflecting covers for displays, and as directly molded anti-reflecting surfaces in eyeglass lenses. Other applications such as covers for artwork, and improved solar cells are made practical by the invention.

Random texture anti-reflection optical surface treatment

An interference lithography system is described that is capable of exposing high resolution patterns in photosensitive media and employing yield increasing active stabilization techniques needed in production environments. The inventive device utilizes a division-of-wavefront interference lithography configuration which divides a single large field size optical beam using one or more mirrors, and is actively stabilized with a subsystem employing; a phase modulator operating on each divided wavefront section; a novel feedback apparatus for observing the relative phase shifts between interfering wavefront sections; and a control system for holding the relative phase shifts constant. The present invention also includes; a method for shaping the illumination beam's intensity distribution for more efficient power utilization and greater feature size uniformity; a horizontal substrate loading configuration compatible with robotic handling; an automated pattern pitch calibration for simple, flexible system reconfiguration; a compact clean-room compatible superstructure for increased passive stability in high vibration manufacturing environments; and a method for optimizing the polarization state of the interfering beam sections in a multiple mirror system.

Actively stabilized, single input beam, interference lithography system and method

A microstructure-based chemical sensor that can be interrogated by a remote observer. The device acts as an electromagnetic wave filter in the optical region of the spectrum, filtering one or more wavelength bands where the band spectral notch location shifts in response to the accumulation of material on the surface of the microstructure sensor. The apparatus has a substrate having a surface relief structure containing dielectric bodies with one or more physical dimensions smaller than the wavelength of the filtered electromagnetic waves, such structures repeated in an array covering at least a portion of the surface of the substrate. A retro-reflecting structure allows interrogation of the sensor over a wide field of view. The device is particularly useful as a water monitoring device in hard to reach locations, and as a chemical warfare or explosives detector that can be read from a safe distance.

Microstructured optical device for remote chemical sensing

An apparatus for filtering electromagnetic waves, the apparatus comprising a substrate having a surface relief structure containing at least one dielectric body with physical dimensions smaller than the wavelength of the filtered electromagnetic waves, such structures repeated in a two dimensional array covering at least a portion of the surface of the first substrate. Also disclosed is a material sensor utilizing this apparatus.

Optical wavelength resonant device for chemical sensing

A data communication system comprising a plurality of fiber optic cables and a fiber optic switching system, comprising: a support structure for securing light emitting/light receiving ends of the plurality of fiber optic cables in predetermined positions; and, means for re-directing light emitted from the light emitting/light receiving end of one of the fiber optic cables to the light emitting/light receiving ends of one, or more than one, of a plurality of the plurality of fiber optic cables. The re-directing means includes means for collimating and directing the light emitted from the end of one of the cables as a beam propagating along a predetermined direction and for re-directing the beam towards the end of another one of the cables selectively in accordance with an electrical signal. More particularly, the re-directing means includes electro-optical phase shifting medium, preferably liquid crystal molecules.

Optical beam steering system

An apparatus for filtering electromagnetic waves and sensing deposition of chemical species, the apparatus having a substrate having a surface relief structure containing at least one dielectric body with physical dimensions smaller than the wavelength of the filtered electromagnetic waves, such structures repeated in a two dimensional array covering at least a portion of the surface of the first substrate. The apparatus may include one, two, or more such arrays, spaced from one another to create one or more cavities between the arrays.

Optical device for filtering and sensing

A high resolution, high-throughout, large field size, production environment, lithographic tool system and method includes an interferometric pattern generator utilizing three or four mutually coherent optical beams organized in a flexible beam expansion, filtering, aperturing, and delivery system, large area pattern uniformity is attained via optimized illumination beam positioning and shaping. A passive stabilization system achieves fully modulated interferometric patterns in high mechanical and acoustical vibration manufacturing environments.

Holographic patterning method and tool for production environments

A double exposure process is disclosed whereby a first exposure produced by conventional photolithographic techniques generates a latent negative image in a photoresist etch mask layer (,), the image subsequently employed to modulate a second exposure generated by the multiple beam interferometric lithography technique. Periodic surface relief structures (,) patterned by the second exposure and formed after development of the exposed photoresist material, are restricted to regions (,) defined by the initial exposure, with the photoresist material (,) outside these regions remaining unmodulated, or devoid of the periodic structures (,), and suitable for use as a mask in a subsequent etching process.

Process for modulating interferometric lithography patterns to record selected discrete patterns in photoresist

A holographic lithography tool (,) for generating a light interference pattern used to expose a photosensitive medium (,) employs a refracting prism (,) in the optical path between divergent illuminating beams (,). The prism is optically coupled to the photosensitive medium via an index matching fluid (,). By increasing the incident beam angle and the index of refraction, the prism reduces the size of features recorded in the photosensitive material. The divergent illuminating beams are generated by a beam delivery system which preferably employs easily adjustable fiber optic cables (,). Use of the prism coupling technique facilitates use of fiber-optic-compatible wavelengths in the blue region of the spectrum in a variety of applications, such a distributed feedback grating fabrication.

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Lexington, MA, United States of America

Douglas S Hobbs