Koninklijke Philips Corporation N.v.

U.S. Philips Corporation

Sipke Wadman

Geert Brouwer

Rachel Estelle Thilwind

Claudia Mutter

Klaus B Schildbach

Marcus J Van Bommel

Henricus X Willems

Adrianus R Engelfriet

Gerrit C Verkade

Natallia Eduardauna Uzenbajakava

Johannes H Den Boer

An apparatus for skin imaging uses a combination of near-field and far-field skin images under different angles of illumination. The apparatus provides a tool that may be employed for rapid screening of the skin for lesions that may be indicative of skin diseases, in particular skin cancers such as melanoma.

Apparatus for skin imaging, system for skin analysis

An apparatus for observing the optical appearance of a surface () of a sample () of semitransparent material, in particular the surface () of a human skin, the apparatus comprising a light source () for illuminating at least a region of interest of the surface () of the sample () from a predetermined direction, a camera () for observing a response to the illumination of the region of interest and an optical focus device () for determining if the camera () is in focus with the surface () of the region of interest. The invention also relates to a method for observing the optical appearance of the surface () of a sample () of semitransparent material, in particular the surface () of a human skin.

Apparatus and method for observing the surface of a sample

An optical measurement device for measuring an optical appearance of a surface of a sample includes a measuring head which can be brought into contact with the surface of the sample. The measuring head includes an illumination device for illuminating the surface with an illumination beam, and a detection device or detecting a response beam. The response beam is the response of the sample to the illumination beam. The detection device includes a screen for intercepting the response beam, where the screen extends approximately a quarter hemisphere in order to realize measuring head with a small contact area with the surface.

Optical measurement device with reduced contact area

An apparatus for observing the appearance of a surface of a sample of semitransparent material, the apparatus comprising a light source for illuminating at least a region of interest of the surface of the sample from a predetermined direction and means for observing a response to the illumination of the region of interest, wherein the illuminated region comprises the region of interest and a region surrounding the region of interest. In this way the influence of emitted scattered light on the accuracy of the observation of the appearance of the sample is minimized.

Apparatus for observing the surface of a sample

An apparatus for observing the appearance of the surface () of a sample (), comprising a light source () for illuminating said surface () from a predetermined direction and means for observing the surface (). The means of observing the surface () comprise a number of substantial flat mirrors () located in different directions with respect to said surface (). The means furthermore comprise an optical system () for observing said flat mirrors (). Each flat mirror () reflects an image of the surface () of the sample () to the image receiving part () of the optical system ().

Apparatus and a method for observing the surface of a sample

An optical measurement device for measuring the optical appearance of a surface () of a sample (), in particular a surface () of a human skin, wherein the surface is at least partly translucent, comprising: an illumination device () for illuminating the surface () with an illumination beam (), wherein the illumination beam () is generated from a radiation beam emitted from a radiation source (), a detection device () for intercepting a response beam (), wherein the response beam () is generated as a response of the sample () to the illumination beam (), incident on the surface (). The optical measuring device comprises a measuring head (), that can be brought into contact with the surface () of the sample (), wherein the measuring head () comprises at least one elongated aperture () that is designed such that the response beam (), generated below the surface () in a sub-surface area () of the sample (), is detected by the detection device (), wherein the illumination beam () directly reflected at the surface is cut off.

Optical measurement device

An optical measurement device for measuring an optical appearance of a surface of a sample, in particular the surface of a human skin, wherein the optical measurement device comprises: a first illumination device () for illuminating the surface () with a first illumination beam (), wherein the first illumination beam () is incident at a first angle of incidence () onto the surface (); and a detection device () for detecting a response beam (), wherein the response beam () is a response of the sample () to the first illumination beam (), comprising at least one screen () for intercepting the response beam () and at least an image detection component (). The optical measurement device () comprises a second illumination device (), wherein the second illumination device () is providing a second illumination beam () with a second angle of incidence () at the surface (), wherein the first angle of incidence () is different from the second angle of incidence ().

In one aspect, the amount of data needed to store image intensity data obtained from a scatterometer () such as a Parousiameter is reduced by varying a resolution with which the intensity data is used in different regions of a grid according to determined variations in the intensity. In another aspect, a scatterometer is provided with an aspherical mirror () for imaging a test sample () to correct for distortions introduced by the off center placement of the mirror relative to the test sample. In another aspect, an optical surface inspection apparatus uses an auxiliary lens () between a test surface () and an illuminated patterned grid () to project the patterned grid () on the test surface. A camera () is focused on the grid on the test surface as a real image.

Optical inspection of test surfaces

A parousiameter having a dual beam setup and method for use thereof is provided for producing measurements of optical parameters. The dual beam parousiameter includes a hemispherical dome enclosuresealed at the bottom with a base. A radiation sourceproduces radiation in two beams, an illumination beamfor illuminating a sample surfaceand a calibration beamfor providing optical characterization information about the illumination beam. Each beam is guided into the hemispherical dome enclosurevia separate optical paths. An optical imaging deviceis positioned to acquire an image of scatter radiationscattered by the sample surfaceilluminated by the illumination beam, and acquire an image of the calibration beam, simultaneously. The calibration beam image is used to compensate for variability in optical output of the radiation sourcewhen analyzing the scatter radiation data.

Dual beam set-up for parousiameter

A scatterometer comprising light source means () for providing an incident light beam () at different angles in the direction of a sample () to be analyzed, and a concave screen () for receiving the reflection () of the incident light beam (). The screen () has substantially the shape of a portion of a sphere, for example a hemisphere, whereby the location of the sample () is in its center. The screen () having an aperture () through which the incident light beam () passes towards said sample (). Said light source means () and at least a portion of the screen () including said aperture () can rotate relative to the sample (), around an axis () through said center and substantial perpendicular to said direction of the incident radiation beam.

Scatterometer and a method for observing a surface

A scatterometer comprising a source () for providing an incident radiation beam () to be directed to the surface of a sample (), and means for directing said incident radiation beam () at different angles towards the surface of the sample (). The scatterometer furthermore comprising a screen () for receiving the reflection () of the incident radiation beam (), and a camera () for recording the scatter profile () as projected on said screen () by the reflected radiation beam (). The scatterometer is provided with means () for moving the screen () and thereby keeping it in the reflected radiation beam (), and with means for keeping the camera () directed to the moving screen ().

Scatterometer and a method for inspecting a surface

A method of furnishing a substrate with a patterned film of electrode material making use of a laser beam, whereby a stack is made by providing a surface of the substrate at least with a layer of an assistant material and an overlying layer of the said electrode material, the assistant material being capable of decomposition upon heating with the aid of the said laser beam, subsequent to which the stack is, in accordance with a desired pattern, locally irradiated with the laser beam so as to heat the assistant material to at least its decomposition temperature, consequent upon which the locally overlying electrode material is caused to detach.

Laser etching method

A scatterometer for the investigation of surface quality causes a radiation beam ( ) with a well-defined direction to fall upon a sample under test ( ). The radiation scattered by the sample is intercepted by a screen ( ). The two-dimensional image on the screen is captured by a detection system ( ). The electric output signal (S) of the detection system is processed for providing a figure of merit of the sample.

Scatterometer

In a method of applying a ceramic layer to an under-layer having a relatively low melting temperature, in particular a synthetic resin under-layer, particles of a ceramic material are provided on such an under-layer and, by heating, a mechanical bond between ceramic particles and the under-layer is brought about. By means of a laser device, a temperature is generated, for a time of the order of or shorter than the melting time of the under-layer, which is at least effective to obtain mutual compacting and/or sintering of the ceramic particles.

Method of applying a ceramic layer to an under-layer having relatively low melting temperature

A sol-gel coating of conductive materials, such as ITO, which is applied to a substrate, for example a display window of a cathode ray tube, is cured by means of a laser. This is preferably carried out in a water-containing atmosphere, for example an aqueous aerosol and/or a hydrogen-containing gas, such as a forming gas. This results in a stable resistance reduction by several hundred times.

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Eindhoven, Netherlands

Sipke Wadman