Tektronix, Inc.

Other

Axcelis Technologies, Inc.

Sekidenko, Inc.

Robert David Meadows

Philip T Krein

Bruce Murdock

Daniel G Teichmer

Theodore G Nelson

Calvin D Diller

Douglas A Brown

David Tao

Mathias Koch

Roger J McCoy

Ray Dils

The present invention creates a current to voltage conversion system, comprised of an operational amplifier, which obtains a feedback current from an optical detector. The output of the operational amplifier controls the intensity of a light source whose optical energy is transmitted through an optical intensity reduction mechanism, to generate the feedback current. A separate light intensity measurement system is constructed to measure the output of the light source directly, bypassing the effects of the optical intensity reduction mechanism. By measuring the light source, the magnitude of the input current can be determined. The increased illumination created by using an optical reduction mechanism within the operational amplifier's feedback loop allows the separate light source intensity measurement system to be easily constructed using conventional technologies.

Current to voltage converter with optical gain mechanism

The present invention is directed to a pyrometer system and comprises an elevator tube. The elevator tube comprises an inner tube and an outer tube surrounding the inner tube in telescoping arrangement and extending from a top to a bottom thereof, the arrangement defining a fluid passageway therebetween. The elevator tube further comprises a port associated with the outer tube that is operable to transmit a cooling gas therethrough into the fluid passageway. A pyrometer head is coupled to the bottom of the inner tube and is operable to transmit and receive radiation through the inner tube. The system further comprises a spider collar coupled to at least one of a top of the inner tube or outer tube, and is operable to support a work piece for thermal measurement thereof.

Optical path improvement, focus length change compensation, and stray light reduction for temperature measurement system of RTP tool

A method for controlling the temperature of a growing semitransparent layer (,) during a production deposition process on a major surface of a production wafer (,). During the production process heat is applied to the wafer by an intensity adjustable heat source (,) and the production wafer emits a broad spectrum of light. In the method a test deposition process is performed using a set of infrared wavelengths of the light emitted from a test wafer to determine a set of test parameter values including temperature values over time for the test growing layer. The production deposition process is then performed and the intensity of infrared light emissions from the wafer are measured to form a set of production infrared light intensity values at the same test run set of infrared wavelengths used in the test deposition. The production infrared light intensity values and the set of test parameter values are used to compute an error correction value that is used to correct the intensity of the heat source during the production deposition.

Method for controlling the temperature of a layer growing on a wafer

A method and circuit for triggering an electronic instrument only once during a period of an input signal having multiple triggering events during that period. A signal applied to an electronic instrument, such as an oscilloscope, is acquired. Qualified triggering events occurring on the acquired signal are identified. A selected one of the qualified triggering events during the period of the applied signal causes a trigger signal output to occur, while other qualified triggering events are ignored. In the preferred embodiment a triggering event is qualified by a first comparator that compares the input signal to a first reference level and produces a predetermined logic level output if the input signal bears a predetermined relationship to the reference level. When a qualified triggering event occurs, a buffer amplifier applies the predetermined logic level to charge a capacitor, which thereafter stores some energy from the input signal and applies it to a comparator for a predetermined period of time. The comparator compares the voltage on the capacitor to a second reference level and produces a pulse if the capacitor voltage has a predetermined relationship to the second reference level. The leading edge of the pulse comprises a trigger output signal. Subsequent triggering events which occur before a predetermined period of time are unable to produce another trigger signal. Five alternative embodiments employing the same general principle as the preferred embodiment are disclosed.

Method and circuit for triggering an electronic instrument only once

A touch panel has panel scanning signals selectively applied to the four sides of a touch sensing surface of the panel so as to establish alternating current voltage gradients in desired directions across the touch sensing surface. When the panel is touched, touch signals result and are utilized by a touch location circuit in determining the location of touch. The impedance touch current resulting from a user's touch may also be determined and used. The touch panel circuit automatically filters the touch signals to an extent which varies depending upon the rate of movement of touch from one location on the touch sensing surface to a subsequent location. Filtering is decreased with the increasing rates of movement. The touch panel thereby minimizes the effects of noise on touch location determination.

Touch panel with adaptive noise reduction

An apparatus and method for calibrating an interleaved digitizer includes a system oscillator for generating a master clock signal and two or more cascaded phase shifting circuits for producing clock signals that are phase shifted copies of the master clock signal. The calibrator further includes two or more A/D converters for digitizing the master clock signal at time intervals provided by the phase shifted clock signals to produce a digitized output. The digitized output is then stored in a memory. Once stored, the digitized output is compared to predetermined reference levels and the phase shift of the phase shifting circuits is appropriately adjusted as a function of the difference between the stored digitized output and the predetermined reference levels. After the phase shift of each of the phase shifting circuits has been adjusted the digitizer input is switched from digitizing the master clock signal to digitizing an analog input signal, thus converting the calibrator into an accurately calibrated digitizing system.

Method and apparatus for calibrating an interleaved digitizer

A display system comprises a data base memory for storing data representing a picture, a display device for displaying the picture, and manipulation means for causing the display device to display a cursor at a position which is under user control. The picture is composed of objects and each object is represented in the data base memory by a segment which represents both the object and the position of the object in the picture. A pointer, which divides the address domain of the display device into at least two regions, is generated. The manipulation means provides a signal which identifies the region of the pictures in which the cursor is positioned, and this signal is compared with the contents of the data base memory to facilitate selection of an object which lies in the identified region of the picture.

Method and apparatus for classifying graphics segments to facilitate

A flat panel liquid crystal display (12) with an integrated touch panel has a multitude of pixels (28) arranged in multiple columns and multiple rows. The pixels (28) of the first column (54) and last column (66), and of the first row (60) and of the last row (72) are controlled in conjunction with emitters (52, 58) and detectors (64, 70) with associated mirrors (74, 80, 82, 84) to create a sequence of light beams that extend across the display panel (12) in both the X and Y directions. Whenever a stylus (86) is placed near the display panel, two orthogonal light beams are interrupted corresponding to the X and Y positions of the stylus (86) relative to the display panel (12).

Integrated liquid crystal display and optical touch panel

A capacitive touch panel system (10) having a faceplate (14) with an electrically conductive layer (20) of a consistent resistivity employs a position measurement apparatus (12) to generate an address signal indicative of a position (46) on the faceplate in contact with a stylus (48). The position measurement apparatus includes a position measurement signal source (62) that generates a square-wave measurement signal of substantially constant frequency and a preselected magnitude. The position measurement signal is applied to a first pair of opposed electrodes (36) and (40) and a second pair of opposed electrodes (38) and (42) positioned along respective side margins (26, 30, 28, and 32) of the faceplate. The resistivity of the conductive layer establishes effective resistances of R.sub.x and R.sub.y between the respective first and second pairs of electrodes. Position measurement subcircuits (60a-60d) measure currents drawn through the electrodes whenever the stylus contacts the conductive layer, thereby to form an address signal indicative of the location at which the stylus contacts the faceplate.

Position measurement apparatus for capacitive touch panel system

A touch panel has panel scanning signals selectively applied to the four sides of a touch sensing surface of the panel so as to establish alternating current voltage gradients in desired directions across the touch sensing surface. When the panel is touched, touch signals result and are utilized by a touch location circuit in determining the location of touch. The impedence touch current resulting from a user's touch may also be determined and used. The touch panel circuit automatically compensates for any variations in touch signals which occur when the touch panel is untouched and automatically nulls the touch signals under such circumstances to enhance the accuracy of touch location determination.

Touch panel with automatic nulling

A touch panel has panel scanning signals selectively applied to the four sides of a touch sensing surface of the panel so as to establish alternating current voltage gradients in desired directions across the touch sensing surface. When the panel is touched, touch signals or currents result and are utilized by a touch location circuit in determining the location of touch. The impedance touch current resulting from a user's touch may also be determined and used. The touch panel circuit automatically compensates for changes in impedance touch current, such as result when users touch the panel with ungloved and gloved fingers. An analog multiplier is included in the touch location circuit to improve noise rejection. Auto nulling and automatic frequency adjustment is included in the touch panel device, together with overcurrent protection circuitry.

Touch panel system

A touch panel has panel scanning signals selectively applied to the four sides of a touch sensing surface of the panel so as to establish alternating current voltage gradients in desired directions across the touch sensing surface. When the panel is touched, touch signals result and are utilized by a touch location circuit in determining the location of touch. The impedence touch current resulting from a user's touch may also be determined and used. The touch panel circuit automatically adjusts the frequency of the applied panel signals to shift this frequency away from fixed frequency interference spectra, such as due to cathode-ray tube flyback signals, in the environment in which the touch panel is used. The touch location thereby minimizes the effects of such spectra on touch location determinations.

Growing community of inventors

Portland, OR, United States of America

Robert David Meadows