All The Claims

1. A wide bandwidth phase-lock loop circuit, comprising:
a frequency detector arranged to measure an input signal of unknown frequency to detect frequency information of the input signal, the input signal being variable in frequency over a plurality of predetermined frequency ranges;
a frequency range selector connected to the frequency detector;
a phase-locked loop connected to the frequency range selector and capable of phase-locking with the input signal when configured to do so for each of the plurality of predetermined frequency ranges, wherein the frequency range selector automatically determines the frequency range for the input signal and configures the phase-locked loop to generate an output signal within one of the plurality of predetermined frequency ranges based on the frequency information of the input signal, said wide bandwidth phase-lock loop circuit being operable for phase-locking to said input signal without use of a sweep generator circuit to produce a sawtooth signal for sweeping a voltage controlled oscillator through a frequency band around an estimated frequency of said input signal.
2. The circuit of claim 1, wherein the frequency range selector automatically determines the frequency range based on a comparison of the frequency information of the input signal to a plurality of predetermined and fixed values.
3. A wide bandwidth phase-lock loop circuit, comprising:
a frequency detector arranged to measure an input signal of unknown frequency to detect frequency information of the input signal, the input signal being variable in frequency over a plurality of predetermined frequency ranges;
a frequency range selector connected to the frequency detector;
a phase-locked loop connected to the frequency range selector and capable of phase-locking with the input signal when configured to do so for each of the plurality of predetermined frequency ranges, wherein the frequency range selector automatically determines the frequency range for the input signal and configures the phase-locked loop to generate an output signal within one of the plurality of predetermined frequency ranges based on the frequency information of the input signal, wherein the frequency range selector employs frequency range hysteresis whereby the plurality of predetermined frequency ranges are overlapping and the frequency range selector does not reconfigure the phase-locked loop to change frequency ranges when frequencies of the input signal are in overlapping frequency ranges.
4. A wide bandwidth phase-lock loop circuit, comprising:
a frequency detector arranged to measure an input signal of unknown frequency to detect frequency information of the input signal, the input signal being variable in frequency over a plurality of predetermined frequency ranges;
a frequency range selector connected to the frequency detector;
a phase-locked loop connected to the frequency range selector and capable of phase-locking with the input signal when configured to do so for each of the plurality of predetermined frequency ranges, wherein the frequency range selector automatically determines the frequency range for the input signal and configures the phase-locked loop to generate an output signal within one of the plurality of predetermined frequency ranges based on the frequency information of the input signal, wherein the frequency detector comprises a zero-crossing synchronizer that synchronizes the input signal to a predetermined and fixed rate clock signal to detect frequency information of the input signal.
5. A wide bandwidth phase-lock loop circuit, comprising:
a frequency detector arranged to measure an input signal of unknown frequency to detect frequency information of the input signal, the input signal being variable in frequency over a plurality of predetermined frequency ranges;
a frequency range selector connected to the frequency detector;
a phase-locked loop connected to the frequency range selector and capable of phase-locking with the input signal when configured to do so for each of the plurality of predetermined frequency ranges, wherein the frequency range selector automatically determines the frequency range for the input signal and configures the phase-locked loop to generate an output signal within one of the plurality of predetermined frequency ranges based on the frequency information of the input signal, wherein the frequency detector comprises a zero-crossing counter that counts zero-crossings of the input signal, the zero-crossing counting further comprising logic circuitry timed by a pre-determined fixed-rate clock signal with a clock frequency higher than the input signal, the logic circuitry being operable to prevent two zero-crossing counts being made during a single cycle of the input signal caused by degradation of the input signal.
6. A wide bandwidth phase-lock loop circuit, comprising:
a frequency detector arranged to measure an input signal of unknown frequency to detect frequency information of the input signal, the input signal being variable in frequency over a plurality of predetermined frequency ranges;
a frequency range selector connected to the frequency detector;
a phase-locked loop connected to the frequency range selector and capable of phase-locking with the input signal when configured to do so for each of the plurality of predetermined frequency ranges, wherein the frequency range selector automatically determines the frequency range for the input signal and configures the phase-locked loop to generate an output signal within one of the plurality of predetermined frequency ranges based on the frequency information of the input signal, wherein the frequency range selector comprises a range detector that is pre-programmed for automatically comparing the frequency information with pre-determined values and a presently set frequency range for detecting which one of the plurality of predetermined frequency ranges is an appropriate frequency range based on the frequency information of the input signal.
7. The circuit of claim 6, wherein the frequency range selector further comprises a range selector programmed for confirming that at least two consecutive detections are in the same frequency range prior to changing the frequency range.
8. The circuit of claim 1, further comprising a voltage comparator for comparison with the input signal and connected to the frequency detector and adapted to condition a wave form of the input signal.
9. A method of phase locking an input signal having a wide range of frequencies, comprising:
measuring frequency information of the input signal;
selecting one out of a plurality of frequency ranges based on the frequency information obtained by said step of measuring;
generating an output signal by phase-locking to the input signal within the selected frequency range; and
confirming the selected frequency range by comparing results of at least two of said steps of measuring prior to changing the selected frequency range.
10. The method of claim 9, further comprising dividing a frequency of the output signal.
11. The method of claim 9, further comprising employing frequency range hysteresis whereby the plurality of frequency ranges are overlapping and the frequency range selector does not reconfigure the phase-locked loop to change frequency ranges when frequencies of the input signal are in overlapping frequency ranges.
12. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of measuring frequency information of the input signal further comprises timing the input signal with respect to a known clock signal having a frequency higher than the input signal to thereby prevent one cycle of the input signal being counted more than once due to degradation of the input signal.
13. The method of claim 9, further comprising synchronizing the input signal to a previously known clock signal with a frequency higher than the input signal.
14. The method of claim 9, further comprising counting zero-crossings of the input signal.
15. The method of claim 9, further comprising conditioning a wave form of the input signal.
16. A phase-lock loop circuit having a wide bandwidth, comprising:
means for measuring frequency information of an input signal;
means for selecting one out of a plurality of frequency ranges based on a comparison of the measured frequency information of the input signal with at least one of a plurality of pre-determined and fixed values; and
means for phase-locking to said input signal to thereby generate an output signal in the selected frequency range.
17. The circuit of claim 16 wherein said means for phase-locking further comprises an integrated circuit operable over a plurality of frequency ranges wherein a particular frequency range is selected utilizing a plurality of frequency range pin connections on said integrated circuit.
18. The circuit of claim 16, wherein the means for selecting employs frequency range hysteresis whereby the plurality of frequency ranges are overlapping and the frequency range selector does not reconfigure the phase-locked loop to change frequency ranges when frequencies of the input signal are in overlapping frequency ranges.
19. The circuit of claim 16, wherein the means for selecting confirms the selected frequency range based on a currently selected frequency range which may or may not be the selected frequency range.
20. The circuit of claim 16, wherein the means for measuring synchronizes the input signal to a previously known clock signal with a frequency higher than the input signal.
21. The circuit of claim 16, wherein the means for measuring counts zero-crossings of the input signal.
22. The circuit of claim 16, further comprising means for conditioning a wave form of the input signal by comparing the input signal to a voltage comparator.
23. A wide bandwidth phase-lock loop circuit, comprising:
a frequency detector arranged to detect frequency information for an input signal, the frequency detector having a zero-crossing synchronizer for synchronizing the input signal to a clock signal and a zero-crossing counter for counting zero-crossings of the input signal;
a frequency range selector connected to the frequency detector and having a range detector and a range selector, wherein the range detector detects which one of a plurality of frequency ranges is an appropriate frequency range based on the frequency information of the input signal, and wherein the range selector confirms the frequency range detected by the range detector;
a phase-locked loop connected to the frequency range selector and configured by the frequency range selector to generate an output signal in the frequency range detected by the range detector, wherein the frequency range selector employs frequency range hysteresis;
a divider for dividing a frequency of the output signal; and
a voltage comparator for conditioning a waveform of the input signal.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A power amplification device comprising:
an input for receiving a signal having a desired frequency band, the signal also having a transfer function associated therewith;
power amplification means of the delta-sigma type having an order greater than or equal to one; and
a plurality of signal amplifiers connected between the input and said power amplification means, each signal amplifier having a predetermined gain so that zeros of the transfer function are outside the desired frequency band.
2. A power amplification device according to claim 1, wherein a number of said plurality of signal amplifiers is equal to the order of said power amplification means plus one.
3. A power amplification device according to claim 1, wherein each signal amplifier is programmable for setting its predetermined gain.
4. A power amplification device according to claim 1, wherein said power amplification means comprises at least one frequency selector network tuned to a frequency within the desired frequency band.
5. A power amplification device according to claim 1, wherein said power amplification means and said plurality of signal amplifiers are configured so that the power amplification device is an integrated circuit.
6. A power amplification device comprising:
an input for receiving a signal having a desired frequency band, the signal also having a transfer function associated therewith;
power amplification circuitry having an order greater than or equal to one; and
a plurality of signal amplifiers connected between the input and said power amplification circuitry, each signal amplifier having a predetermined gain so that zeros of the transfer function are outside the desired frequency band.
7. A power amplification device according to claim 6, wherein a number of said plurality of signal amplifiers is equal to the order of said power amplification circuitry plus one.
8. A power amplification device according to claim 6, wherein each signal amplifier is programmable for setting its predetermined gain.
9. A power amplification device according to claim 6, wherein said power amplification circuitry comprises at least one frequency selector network tuned to a frequency within the desired frequency band.
10. A cellular telephone comprising
transmission circuitry for receiving a signal having a desired frequency band to be transmitted, the signal also having a transfer function associated therewith; and
a power amplification device connected to said transmission circuitry and comprising
power amplification circuitry having an order greater than or equal to one, and
a plurality of signal amplifiers connected to said power amplification circuitry and receiving the signal to be transmitted, each signal amplifier having a predetermined gain so that zeros of the transfer function are outside the desired frequency band.
11. A cellular telephone according to claim 10, wherein a number of said plurality of signal amplifiers is equal to the order of said power amplification circuitry plus one.
12. A cellular telephone according to claim 10, wherein each signal amplifier is programmable for setting its predetermined gain.
13. A cellular telephone according to claim 10, wherein said power amplification circuitry comprises at least one frequency selector network tuned to a frequency within the desired frequency band.
14. A method for forming a power amplification device, the method comprising:
providing an input for receiving a signal having a desired frequency band, the signal also having a transfer function associated therewith;
providing power amplification circuitry of the delta-sigma type having an order greater than or equal to one; and
connecting a plurality of signal amplifiers between the input and the power amplification circuitry, each signal amplifier having a predetermined gain so that zeros of the transfer function are outside the desired frequency band.
15. A method according to claim 14, wherein a number of the plurality of signal amplifiers is equal to the order of the power amplification circuitry plus one.
16. A method according to claim 14, wherein each signal amplifier is programmable for setting its predetermined gain.
17. A method according to claim 14, wherein the power amplification circuitry comprises at least one frequency selector network tuned to a frequency within the desired frequency band.

1. A method of scanning a sample, the method comprising:
simultaneously forming a plurality of co-linear scans, each scan formed by a sweep of a spot by an acousto-optical device (AOD), the plurality of co-linear scans being separated by a predetermined spacing; and
forming a first plurality of swaths by repeating said simultaneously forming the plurality of co-linear scans in a direction perpendicular to the co-linear scans, the first plurality of swaths having an inter-swath spacing of the predetermined spacing.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined spacing is a scan length.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined spacing is an integral number of scan lengths.
4. The method of claim 1, further including adjusting an AOD parameter to provide an integral number of scan lengths as the predetermined spacing.
5. The method of claim 1, further including forming a second plurality of swaths adjacent to the first plurality of swaths.
6. The method of claim 1, further including forming a second plurality of swaths adjacent to all of the first plurality of swaths except a bottom half of the first plurality of swaths.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein said forming the second plurality of swaths is performed in an opposite direction to that of the first plurality of swaths.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein said forming the second plurality of swaths is performed in a same direction to that of the first plurality of swaths.
9. A method of performing a scan of a sample, the method comprising:
providing a spot size and a first scan length using an adjustable magnification changer;
providing a spot separation a diffractive optical element (DOE) path;
providing a second scan length by a programmable acousto-optical device (AOD) and based on the first scan length; and
performing the scan using the spot size, the spot separation, and the second scan length.
10. An inspection system comprising:
a first acousto-optical device (AOD) configured to receive a light beam from a laser and to direct the light beam at various angles along an angular scan;
a lens configured to convert the angular scan to a linear scan;
a second AOD configured to receive the light beam in the linear scan and to generate a scan, the scan being a sweep of a spot, thereby generating a plurality of co-linear spots;
a magnification changer configured to adjust magnification of the plurality of co-linear spots, thereby generating an adjusted plurality of co-linear spots;
a first diffractive optical element (DOE) path configured to duplicate the adjusted plurality of co-linear spots, thereby generating a set of co-linear scans having a predetermined spacing there between; and
a moveable platform system configured to secure a sample and forming a first plurality of swaths by moving in a direction perpendicular to the set of co-linear scans as the first DOE path generates a plurality of sets of the co-linear scans, said moving forming adjacent sets of the co-linear scans, the first plurality of swaths having an inter-swath spacing equal to the predetermined spacing.
11. The inspection system of claim 10, wherein the moveable platform system is further configured to step in a direction parallel to the set of co-linear scans and, with the first DOE path, generate a second plurality of swaths, the second plurality of swaths formed adjacent to the first plurality of swaths, wherein the predetermined spacing is a scan length.
12. The inspection system of claim 10, wherein the moveable platform system is further configured to step in a direction parallel to the set of co-linear scans and, with the first DOE path, generate a second plurality of swaths, the second plurality of swaths formed adjacent to the first plurality of swaths, wherein the predetermined spacing is an integral number of scan lengths.
13. The inspection system of claim 10, wherein the moveable platform system is further configured to step in a direction parallel to the set of co-linear scans and, with the first DOE path, generate a second plurality of swaths, the second plurality of swaths formed adjacent to the first plurality of swaths, wherein the second AOD is programmable to provide an adjustable scan length for the second plurality of swaths.
14. The inspection system of claim 10, wherein the moveable platform system is further configured to step in a direction parallel to the set of co-linear scans and, with the first DOE path, generate a second plurality of swaths, the second plurality of swaths formed adjacent to the first plurality of swaths except for a bottom half of the first plurality of swaths.
15. The inspection system of claim 10, wherein the moveable platform system is further configured to step in a direction parallel to the set of co-linear scans and, with the first DOE path, generate a second plurality of swaths, the second plurality of swaths being formed in an opposite direction to that of the first plurality of swaths.
16. The inspection system of claim 10, wherein the moveable platform system is further configured to step in a direction parallel to the set of co-linear scans and, with the first DOE path, generate a second plurality of swaths, the second plurality of swaths being formed in a same direction to that of the first plurality of swaths.
17. The inspection system of claim 10, wherein the first DOE path is for either normal incidence illumination or oblique incidence illumination.
18. The inspection system of claim 10, wherein the first DOE path is for oblique incidence illumination.
19. The inspection system of claim 10, further including:
a second DOE path; and
a switching component configured to direct the adjusted plurality of co-linear spots to one of the first DOE path and the second DOE path.
20. The inspection system of claim 10, further including an anamorphic waist relay positioned to receive the light beam from the laser and configured to allow making adjustments to two independent axes.
21. The inspection system of claim 10, the laser including a barium borate laser doubling crystal, the inspection system further including a beam shaper having a slit.
22. The inspection system of claim 10, further including:
a pupil; and
one or more apodization plates placed in operative relation to the pupil and configured to provide a predetermined transmission profile to the plurality of co-linear spots.
23. The inspection system of claim 22, wherein the one or more apodization plates are configured to provide a same transmission profile in an x axis and a y axis.
24. The inspection system of claim 22, wherein the one or more apodization plates are configured to provide a different transmission profile in an x axis and a y axis.
25. The inspection system of claim 22, wherein the one or more apodization plates are configured to provide a programmable transmission profile.
26. The inspection system of claim 22, wherein the pupil is decentered with respect to objective lenses of the first DOE path.
27. The inspection system of claim 10, further including an angle of incidence mirror positioned between the magnification changer and the first DOE path, the angle of incidence mirror configured to adjust an angle of incidence to the sample.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A braking system comprising:
a rotor member attached to a rotating body;
a sliding member which brakes a rotation of the rotating body via the rotor member as the sliding member is brought into sliding contact with the rotor member; and
a movable member which moves the sliding member in a direction of the rotor member, wherein:
the sliding member includes a sliding member body which comes into contact with the rotor member, and an interposing member which attaches the sliding member body to the movable member;
a thermoelectric conversion element is arranged on an interposing member side in the sliding member body;
a heat transfer member is provided between a surface of the sliding member body on a side of the rotor member, and the thermoelectric conversion element;
the sliding member body is formed with a space for disposing the heat transfer member;
an outer peripheral portion of the heat transfer member is formed with a layer made of metal oxide; and
the heat transfer member formed with the layer made of metal oxide is disposed in the space.
2. The braking system according to claim 1,
wherein the heat transfer member is a carbon nanotube.
3. The braking system according to claim 1, wherein:
the outer peripheral portion of the heat transfer member is formed with a heat insulating material layer; and
the heat transfer member formed with the heat insulating material layer is disposed in the space.