Optical system alignment system and method with high accuracy and simple operation
V.,b wPb{9 @}eNV~ROu Abstract
){tPP$-i= A system for aligning of optical components includes an interferometer and a first diffractive alignment element. A housing is used for positioning a first optical element being aligned. A detector is used for detecting fringes produced by reflections off surfaces of the first optical element. A grating pattern on the first diffractive alignment element is designed to produce a retro-reflected wavefront or a wavefront transmitted or reflected in a predetermined direction when the first optical element is in alignment. The first diffractive alignment element includes a first region for alignment of the interferometer, a second region for alignment of one surface of the first optical element, and a third region for alignment of another surface of the first optical element. The first, second and third regions can be of any shape such as circular, rectangular, triangular, or the like.
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cV ]y=q 6 Inventors: Harned, Robert D.; (Redding, CT) ; Harned, Nora-Jean; (Redding, CT)
~V$ f #X Correspondence Name and Address: STERNE, KESSLER, GOLDSTEIN & FOX PLLC
_$(GRNRYK 1100 NEW YORK AVENUE, N.W.
=>YvA>izE WASHINGTON
#>q[oie1e DC
X,Zd= 20005
0P9Wy!f7 US
Opry`} 5h E$T(Qu<- DR {] sG Assignee Name and Adress: ASML Holding N.V.
5&qY3@I7l Veldhoven
[|<EDR NL
)KE_t^$ b_ JWnh h,hL?imD Serial No.: 938954
]Wy.R6 Series Code: 10
xOM_R2Md Filed: September 13, 2004
9} XT'+`y xPvR Q U.S. Current Class: 356/508
` 5<1EGJsD U.S. Class at Publication: 356/508
R .UumBM Intern'l Class: G01B 009/02
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+3HPA#A 8GW ut=D Claims
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`uhL61cMp O3&|}:< What is claimed is:
y&3TQ]f\ 1. A system for aligning of optical components, comprising: an interferometer; a reference optic; a first diffractive alignment element having a grating pattern thereon; a housing that positions a first optical element being aligned; and a detector that detects fringes produced by reflections off surfaces of the first optical element, wherein the grating pattern produces diffracted wavefronts that align the first diffractive alignment element to the reference optic and that align the first optical element.
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