The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 03, 2007
Filed:
Apr. 25, 2002
Matthew E Hansen, Ridgefield, CT (US);
Matthew E Hansen, Ridgefield, CT (US);
ASML Holdings N.V., Veldhoven, NL;
Abstract
This invention relates to an apparatus for optical beam shaping and diffusing, a method for making the apparatus, and a method for using the apparatus. The apparatus comprises a crystalline material object shaped to fit within an optical train and with a pattern of surface texture along an optical path. Surface removal processes are applied to a portion of a surface of an object made of a crystalline material to form a surface texture pattern at that portion of the surface of the object. The surface texture pattern depends upon: (1) the identity of the crystalline material and (2) the orientation of crystal lattice axes within the object with respect to the portion of the surface of the object where the pattern of surface texture is to be formed. Processes for making the apparatus include, but are not limited to, mechanical grinding, ablating, chemical etching, plasma etching, ion milling, and combinations thereof. The arrangement of the pattern of surface texture can be refined by coupling lithographic patterning methods with any of the surface removal processes. The apparatus can be used to change one or more of: (1) a shape, (2) an orientation, (3) an aspect ratio, (4) an angular pupil distribution, and (5) an intensity profile of a cross section of an optical beam.