57 results about "Periodic microstructure" patented technology

The present invention discloses a non-destructive method and apparatus for measuring the 3D topography of a sample having periodic microstructure deposited onto the surface, or deposited onto a film, or buried into the film or sample. In particular, the present invention relates to an optical system and method utilizing polarized light beam, diffracted from the repeated structure, to measure its spatial geometry giving parameters such as profile height, profile widths, sidewall angles, and arbitrary profile shape. The optical system employs a broadband or semi-monochromatic light source to produce a light beam that is polarized and focused onto the periodic structure being measured. The focused beam consists of a whole range of illumination angles that is provided to the structure simultaneously. Transmitted or reflected diffracted light generated by the interaction of the light with the periodic structure is collected by an imaging detector system. The detector records the diffraction light irradiance resolved into illumination angles, diffraction orders and wavelength. The data is applied to determine the geometrical profile of the periodic structure using a reconstruction algorithm that is based on comparisons between measured diffraction data and modeled diffraction irradiance of a profile model using Maxwell's equations. The reconstruction of the profile is performed by iterative adjustments of a profile seed model until the modeled diffraction irradiance matches the measured data within a predefined convergence tolerance.

A light directing film and an optical system incorporating same are disclosed. The light directing film includes a first major surface and a microstructured second major surface. The microstructured second major surface has at least two periodic microstructured patterns. The first periodic pattern is arranged along a first direction. The second periodic pattern is arranged along a second direction different from the first direction.

Provided herein is a method for forming a periodic microstructure on a surface of zirconia-based ceramics, which are not easily mechanically workable, without causing thermal adverse effects. A zirconia-based ceramic having a surface periodic microstructure is also provided. A linearly or circularly polarized laser beam is irradiated to a zirconia-based ceramic surface, and periodic irregularities are formed in a spot of the laser beam. Stripe-pattern irregularities parallel to the direction of polarization can be formed in a spot of a laser beam by irradiating a linearly polarized ultrashort pulsed-laser beam to a zirconia-based ceramic surface. A mesh-like raised region and a dot-like recessed region can be periodically formed by irradiating a circularly polarized ultrashort pulsed-laser beam to a ceramic surface.

Disclosed herein an exposure apparatus capable of implementing a microfabrication onto a work with a higher throughput and a lower cost. The exposure apparatus generates interfering light by crossing two or more branched light beams branched from output light from a coherent light source at a predetermined interfering angle, and exposes the substrate by repeating an irradiation onto the substrate with the interfering light and a conveyance of the substrate. At this moment, the exposure apparatus shapes in interfering light irradiation region on the substrate onto which the interfering light is irradiated into a predetermined shape. Then, the exposure apparatus disposes a plurality of the interfering light irradiation regions in successive shots to be located adjacent to each other on the substrate in a direction of conveying the substrate without the interfering light irradiation regions being overlapped when exposing the substrate while conveying the substrate in a stepwise manner.