Wireless sensing and communication system including sensors located on the vehicle or in the vicinity of the vehicle and which provide information which is transmitted to one or more interrogators in the vehicle using wireless radio frequency transmission technology. Power to operate the sensor may be supplied by the interrogator. The sensors include tire pressure, temperature and acceleration monitoring sensors, weight or load measuring sensors, switches, temperature, acceleration, angular position, angular rate, angular acceleration, proximity, rollover, occupant presence, humidity, presence of fluids or gases, strain, road condition and friction, chemical sensors and other similar sensors providing information to a vehicle system, vehicle operator or external site. The sensors provide information about the vehicle and its interior or exterior environment, about individual components, systems, vehicle occupants, subsystems, or about the roadway, ambient atmosphere, travel conditions and external objects.

Vehicle wireless sensing and communication system

The present invention provides a reliable, high-repetition rate, production line compatible high energy photon source. A very hot plasma containing an active material is produced in vacuum chamber. The active material is an atomic element having an emission line within a desired extreme ultraviolet (EUV) range. A pulse power source comprising a charging capacitor and a magnetic compression circuit comprising a pulse transformer, provides electrical pulses having sufficient energy and electrical potential sufficient to produce the EUV light at an intermediate focus at rates in excess of 5 Watts. In preferred embodiments designed by Applicants in-band, EUV light energy at the intermediate focus is 45 Watts extendable to 105.8 Watts.

Extreme ultraviolet light source

System and method for maintaining functionality of software includes initially providing the vehicle with software resident on computer-readable medium to enable it to operate and interact with components thereof and updating the vehicle software by receiving a wireless transmission from one or more remote locations, e.g., a location maintained by a dealer or manufacturer of the vehicle. The software may be diagnostic software for a diagnostic module which diagnoses operability of components of the vehicle. Different remote locations may be responsible for different portions of the vehicle-resident software and may therefore provide different software upgrades, based on need.

Vehicle Software Upgrade Techniques

An EUV light source is disclosed that may include a laser source, eg CO2 laser, a plasma chamber, and a beam delivery system for passing a laser beam from the laser source into the plasma chamber Embodiments are disclosed which may include one or more of the following; a bypass line may be provided to establish fluid communication between the plasma chamber and the auxiliary chamber, a focusing optic, eg mirror, for focusing the laser beam to a focal spot in the plasma chamber, a steering optic for steering the laser beam focal spot in the plasma chamber, and an optical arrangement for adjusting focal power

Laser produced plasma euv light source

Systems and methods are disclosed for reducing the influence of plasma generated debris on internal components of an EUV light source. In one aspect, an EUV metrology monitor is provided which may have a heater to heat an internal multi-layer filtering mirror to a temperature sufficient to remove deposited debris from the mirror. In another aspect, a device is disclosed for removing plasma generated debris from an EUV light source collector mirror having a different debris deposition rate at different zones on the collector mirror. In a particular aspect, an EUV collector mirror system may comprise a source of hydrogen to combine with Li debris to create LiH on a collector surface; and a sputtering system to sputter LiH from the collector surface. In another aspect, an apparatus for etching debris from a surface of a EUV light source collector mirror with a controlled plasma etch rate is disclosed.

Systems and methods for reducing the influence of plasma-generated debris on the internal components of an EUV light source

A system is provided for producing plasma pinch X-rays usable in X-ray lithography. Ionized heated plasma vapor is repeatably generated directly from solid material by impingement of a plurality of circumferentially spaced laser beams to generate an annulus of plasma. X-rays are generated by passing high current through the annular plasma in an axial gap between the solid material target electrode and another electrode, causing magnetic field radial inward plasma pinching to a central constricted area further heating the plasma and emitting X-rays. A central axially directed laser may further heat the plasma in the pinched area.

Laser beam plasma pinch X-ray system

A system is provided for producing plasma pinch X-rays usable in X-ray lithography. Ionized heated plasma is repeatably generated in a first area directly from solid material without exploding the latter. X-rays are generated in a second area by passing high current through the plasma causing radial inward magnetic field pinching. Accurate control and improved intensity performance, and greater flexibility in selection of X-ray emitting materials, are provided by the separation of the plasma generating and the X-ray pinch generating functions. Common electrode structure is provided for plasma generating and for plasma pinching, which common electrode also provides a cylindrical plasma communication passage from the first to the second area, and provides an X-ray emission passage of desired axial orientation.

Plasma pinch X-ray apparatus

A method is provided for producing plasma pinch X-rays usable in X-ray lithography. Ionized heated plasma is repeatably generated in a first area directly from solid material without exploding the latter. X-rays are generated in a second area by passing high current through the plasma causing radial inward magnetic field pinching. Accurate control and improved intensity performance, and greater flexibility in selection of X-ray emitting materials, are provided by the separation of the plasma generating and the X-ray pinch generating functions.

Plasma pinch X-ray method

X-ray lithography system

Various circuits and combinations of radiant energy responsive transducer means such as photovoltaic diodes connected to the gate of a depletion mode FET whose source and drain are connected to the gate and cathode of a thyristor, are disclosed to provide a semiconductor switch which is triggered into conduction solely by a small amount of radiant energy, without the need for a second triggering energy source, and which also affords immunity to unwanted dv/dt and temperature induced turn-on. Various modes of operation are disclosed, including the thyristor self-triggering into conduction, and/or being of the light-activated type itself and being directly triggered by impinging light, and/or being triggered by the light-responsive diode bias, and/or being triggered by a small bias supplied from a second set of photovoltaic diodes connected to the thyristor gate. Other combinations are disclosed providing zero-cross firing.

Gordon B. Spellman

Papers

Laser beam plasma pinch X-ray system

Plasma pinch X-ray apparatus

Plasma pinch X-ray method

X-ray lithography system

Radiant energy activated semiconductor switch