Nikon Corporation

Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.v.

International Business Machines Corporation

Ping-Wei Chang

Andrew Ching Tam

Chie Ching Poon

Bausan Yuan

Pai-Hsueh Yang

Dennis R McKean

Leonard Wai Fung Kho

Alex Ka Tim Poon

Jennifer Lu

Kazuaki Saiki

Brad Jackson

Kazuhiro Hirano

Eun K Row

Bulent Nihat Kurdi

Tim Teng

John Raniseski

Ripul Bhutani

Dehazed images are produced based on an atmospheric light image obtained form an input image as brightest pixels of a predetermined window and white map. The white map is median filtered, morphologically filtered and, in some examples, filtered with a guided filter, and the filtered image combined with the atmospheric light image to produce a dehazed image.

Neighborhood haze density estimation for single-image dehaze

A damping apparatus that supports and dampens a stage apparatus that positions and drives a stage to a target position is provided herein. The damping apparatus including a support plate part, a support force generating means, and a first controlling means. The support plate part supports the stage apparatus. The support force generating means exerts a damping action by applying a support force to the support plate part in the vertical directions. The first controlling means uses the acceleration of the stage, which is derived from a target track, to the target position, to control the support force generated by the support force generating means so as to compensate for forces that both occur as a result of the acceleration of the stage and cause the support plate part to tilt. The present invention controls vibration and the tilt of a base plate with high precision.

Damping apparatus and exposure apparatus

A stage assembly () for moving a device () includes a stage (), and actuator pair () and a control system (). The actuator pair () includes a first actuator () that is coupled to the stage (). The first actuator () has a first E core () and a first I core () that is spaced apart a first gap (g) from the first E core (). The control system () directs current to the first actuator () to move the stage (). In one embodiment, the amount of current directed to the first actuator () is determined utilizing a first parameter (a) that is added to the first gap (g). The value of the first parameter (a) is determined by experimental testing. Additionally, the amount of current directed to the first actuator () can be determined utilizing a second parameter (b) that is added to the first gap (g). The value of the second parameter (b) is determined by experimental testing.

E/I core actuator commutation formula and control method

A process to reduce step heights in planarization of thin film carriers in an encapsulation system. The improvements include using an adhesive tape having a thinner adhesive thickness and a stiffer tape for the film sealing the encapsulant on the carrier to result in a low step height surface transition between the carrier and the cured encapsulant. The composition of the encapsulant is modified to reduce the shrinkage upon curing of the encapsulant. The encapsulant may include an absorbent that absorbs the irradiation and cause the top surface to harden first compared to the bulk of the encapsulant, and/or a gas-emitting additive that creates gaseous products that expand upon irradiation to thereby reduce the shrinkage of the encapsulant upon curing. Alternatively, irradiation at very low incidence angle relative to the top surface of the encapsulant causes the top surface to harden before the bulk of the encapsulant.

Planarization in an encapsulation process for thin film surfaces

Embodiments include a method for adjusting the twist, crown and camber of an air bearing surface a slider to substantially match final target values for twist, crown and camber, the slider having a back surface opposite the air bearing surface. The method includes the steps of measuring the twist, crown and camber of the at least one slider. A first group of twist scribes may be formed on the back surface. A first group of crown and camber scribes are formed on the back surface. The twist, crown and camber of the slider are measured and comparing to the final target values. Additional twist scribes may be formed if the final target value for twist is not reached or if the final target value is exceeded. Additional crown and camber scribes may be formed if the final target values for crown and camber are not obtained.

Control of twist, crown and camber for sliders using location sensitive scribing

Methods and apparatus for providing a stage apparatus which is modular and allows for reaction force cancellation are described. According to one aspect of the present invention, a stage apparatus includes a table assembly and a first stage. The table assembly supports an object, e.g., a wafer or a reticle, which is to be moved. The first stage includes a counter mass arrangement, a plurality of carriages, and a plurality of linkages. The plurality of carriages is coupled to the table assembly through the plurality of linkages such that a first carriage and a second carriage are arranged to move in substantially opposite directions along a first axis to cause the table assembly to move along a second axis while reaction forces generated when the first carriage and the second carriage are substantially cancelled by the counter mass arrangement.

Modular stage with reaction force cancellation

Embodiments include a method for adjusting the twist of an air bearing surface of at least one slider to substantially match a target values for twist, the at least one slider having a back surface opposite the air bearing surface, the back surface including two sets of diagonally opposite corner regions, with each set including one corner region adjacent to a leading edge of the slider and one corner region adjacent to a trailing edge of the slider. The method includes forming a first mechanical scribe on the back surface extending through at least a portion of the corner regions adjacent to the leading edge of the slider and forming a second mechanical scribe on the back surface extending through at least a portion of the corner regions adjacent to the trailing edge of the slider. The method also includes measuring the twist of the slider, and forming a first group of laser scribes on the back surface in one of the two sets of diagonally opposite corner regions, wherein each of the laser scribes intersects with one of the first and second mechanical scribes. The method also includes measuring the twist of the slider and comparing the values to the target value for twist, and forming additional laser scribes if the target value for twist is not reached.

Enhanced twist adjust range with scribed lines for slider curvature adjust

Slider produced by slider curvature modification by substrate melting produced with a pulsed laser beam

A method and apparatus for producing very high crown and camber curvature in slider materials using a laser processing system which produces fluence which is variable in a controllable manner, by applying a laser beam to the flex side of the slider material and varying the fluence of the laser beam to optimize the curvature in the slider material. The fluence is variable by finely controlling the power output of the laser or by changing the spot size of the laser beam. The beam spot size can be changed by using a focusing lens to establish a focal plane and then varying the relative positions of the slider relative and the focal plane. An apparatus for producing high crown and camber is also disclosed, as well as a slider produced by the process of applying a laser beam to the flex side of the slider material and varying the fluence of the laser beam to optimize the curvature in the slider material.

Slider curvature modification by substrate melting effect produced with a pulsed laser beam

Methods for adjusting the curvature of a slider may include providing a first slider including an air bearing surface and a back surface opposite the air bearing surface. The camber and crown of the first slider are measured, and a plurality of scribes are made at positions on the back surface of the first slider. The change in camber and crown due to each scribe on the first slider is measured. The scribe position and change in crown and camber per position is recorded in a data structure. A second slider is provided, the second slider including an air bearing surface and a back surface opposite the air bearing surface. The camber and crown of the second slider are measured. A desired amount of change in crown and camber is determined. Scribe positions are selected based on information from the data structure so that the desired amount of change in crown and camber will be obtained. The back surface of the second slider is scribed at the selected scribe positions.

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

Ping-Wei Chang