Patents by Inventor Hiroyasu Shichi

Hiroyasu Shichi has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20170076902
    Abstract: An ion beam device according to the present invention includes a gas field ion source including an emitter tip supported by an emitter base mount, a ionization chamber including an extraction electrode and being configured to surround the emitter tip, and a gas supply tube. A center axis line of the extraction electrode overlaps or is parallel to a center axis line of the ion irradiation light system, and a center axis line passing the emitter tip and the emitter base mount is inclinable with respect to a center axis line of the ionization chamber. Accordingly, an ion beam device including a gas field ion source capable of adjusting the direction of the emitter tip is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2016
    Publication date: March 16, 2017
    Inventors: Hiroyasu SHICHI, Shinichi MATSUBARA, Norihide SAHO, Masahiro YAMAOKA, Noriaki ARAI
  • Patent number: 9508521
    Abstract: An ion beam device according to the present invention includes a gas field ion source (1) including an emitter tip (21) supported by an emitter base mount (64), a ionization chamber (15) including an extraction electrode (24) and being configured to surround the emitter tip (21), and a gas supply tube (25). A center axis line of the extraction electrode (24) overlaps or is parallel to a center axis line (14A) of the ion irradiation light system, and a center axis line (66) passing the emitter tip (21) and the emitter base mount (64) is inclinable with respect to a center axis line of the ionization chamber (15). Accordingly, an ion beam device including a gas field ion source capable of adjusting the direction of the emitter tip is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyasu Shichi, Shinichi Matsubara, Norihide Saho, Masahiro Yamaoka, Noriaki Arai
  • Publication number: 20160225575
    Abstract: The objective of the present invention is to provide an ion beam device capable of forming a nanopyramid stably having one atom at the front end of an emitter tip even when the cooling temperature is lowered in order to observe a sample with a high signal-to-noise ratio. In the present invention, the ion beam device, wherein an ion beam generated from an electric field-ionized gas ion source is irradiated onto the sample to observe or process the sample, holds the temperature of the emitter tip at a second temperature higher than a first temperature for generating the ion beam and lower than room temperature, sets the extraction voltage to a second voltage higher than the first voltage used when generating the ion beam, and causes field evaporation of atoms at the front end of the emitter tip, when forming the nanopyramid having one atom at the front end of the emitter tip.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2014
    Publication date: August 4, 2016
    Inventors: Hiroyuki MUTO, Yoshimi KAWANAMI, Hiroyasu SHICHI, Shinichi MATSUBARA
  • Patent number: 9111716
    Abstract: The ionized gas supplied to the emitter tip of a gas field ionization ion source is cooled and purified to enable supplying a reliable and stable ion beam. Impurities contained in the ionized gas destabilize the field ionization ion source. The invention is configured to include a first heat exchanger thermally connected to a part of the field ionization ion source, a cryocooler capable of cooling a second gas line and a cold head, the second gas line being connected to the first heat exchanger and circulating a refrigerant, and a second heat exchanger that cools the first and second gas lines and is connected to the cold head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Shinichi Matsubara, Yoshimi Kawanami, Hiroyuki Tanaka, Hiroyasu Shichi, Yoichi Ose
  • Publication number: 20150083930
    Abstract: The ionized gas supplied to the emitter tip of a gas field ionization ion source is cooled and purified to enable supplying a reliable and stable ion beam. Impurities contained in the ionized gas destabilize the field ionization ion source. The invention is configured to include a first heat exchanger thermally connected to a part of the field ionization ion source, a cryocooler capable of cooling a second gas line and a cold head, the second gas line being connected to the first heat exchanger and circulating a refrigerant, and a second heat exchanger that cools the first and second gas lines and is connected to the cold head.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2013
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Inventors: Shinichi Matsubara, Yoshimi Kawanami, Hiroyuki Tanaka, Hiroyasu Shichi, Yoichi Ose
  • Publication number: 20140319370
    Abstract: An ion beam device according to the present invention includes a gas field ion source (1) including an emitter tip (21) supported by an emitter base mount (64), a ionization chamber (15) including an extraction electrode (24) and being configured to surround the emitter tip (21), and a gas supply tube (25). A center axis line of the extraction electrode (24) overlaps or is parallel to a center axis line (14A) of the ion irradiation light system, and a center axis line (66) passing the emitter tip (21) and the emitter base mount (64) is inclinable with respect to a center axis line of the ionization chamber (15). Accordingly, an ion beam device including a gas field ion source capable of adjusting the direction of the emitter tip is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2014
    Publication date: October 30, 2014
    Inventors: Hiroyasu SHICHI, Shinichi MATSUBARA, Norihide SAHO, Masahiro YAMAOKA, Noriaki ARAI
  • Publication number: 20140299768
    Abstract: Provided is a charged particle beam microscope which has a small mechanical vibration amplitude of a distal end of an emitter tip, is capable of obtaining an ultra-high resolution sample observation image and removing shaking or the like of the sample observation image. A gas field ion source includes: an emitter tip configured to generate ions; an emitter-base mount configured to support the emitter tip; a mechanism configured to heat the emitter tip; an extraction electrode installed to face the emitter tip; and a mechanism configured to supply a gas to the vicinity of the emitter tip, wherein the emitter tip heating mechanism is a mechanism of heating the emitter tip by electrically conducting a filament connecting at least two terminals, the terminals are connected by a V-shaped filament, an angle of the V shape is an obtuse angle, and the emitter tip is connected to a substantial center of the filament.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2012
    Publication date: October 9, 2014
    Inventors: Hiroyasu Shichi, Shinichi Matsubara, Yoichi Ose, Yoshimi Kawanami, Noriaki Arai
  • Patent number: 8847173
    Abstract: To provide a gas field ion source having a high angular current density, the gas field ion source is configured such that at least a base body of an emitter tip configuring the gas field ion source is a single crystal metal, such that the apex of the emitter tip is formed into a pyramid shape or a cone shape having a single atom at the top, and such that the extraction voltage in the case of ionizing helium gas by the single atom is set to 10 kV or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshimi Kawanami, Shinichi Matsubara, Hironori Moritani, Noriaki Arai, Hiroyasu Shichi, Tomihiro Hashizume, Hiroyasu Kaga, Norihide Saho, Hiroyuki Muto, Yoichi Ose
  • Patent number: 8796651
    Abstract: A sample fabricating method of irradiating a sample with a focused ion beam at an incident angle less than 90 degrees with respect to the surface of the sample, eliminating the peripheral area of a micro sample as a target, turning a specimen stage around a line segment perpendicular to the sample surface as a turn axis, irradiating the sample with the focused ion beam while the incident angle on the sample surface is fixed, and separating the micro sample or preparing the micro sample to be separated. A sample fabricating apparatus for forming a sample section in a sample held on a specimen stage by scanning and deflecting an ion beam, wherein an angle between an optical axis of the ion beam and the surface of the specimen stage is fixed and formation of a sample section is controlled by turning the specimen stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyasu Shichi, Tohru Ishitani, Hidemi Koike, Kaoru Umemura, Eiichi Seya, Mitsuo Tokuda, Satoshi Tomimatsu, Hideo Kashima, Muneyuki Fukuda
  • Patent number: 8779380
    Abstract: An ion beam device according to the present invention includes a gas field ion source (1) including an emitter tip (21) supported by an emitter base mount (64), a ionization chamber (15) including an extraction electrode (24) and being configured to surround the emitter tip (21), and a gas supply tube (25). A center axis line of the extraction electrode (24) overlaps or is parallel to a center axis line (14A) of the ion irradiation light system, and a center axis line (66) passing the emitter tip (21) and the emitter base mount (64) is inclinable with respect to a center axis line of the ionization chamber (15). Accordingly, an ion beam device including a gas field ion source capable of adjusting the direction of the emitter tip is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyasu Shichi, Shinichi Matsubara, Norihide Saho, Masahiro Yamaoka, Noriaki Arai
  • Patent number: 8779400
    Abstract: An ion beam machining and observation method relevant to a technique of cross sectional observation of an electronic component, through which a sample is machined by using an ion beam and a charged particle beam processor capable of reducing the time it takes to fill up a processed hole with a high degree of flatness at the filled area. The observation device is capable of switching the kind of gas ion beam used for machining a sample with the kind of a gas ion beam used for observing the sample. To implement the switch between the kind of a gas ion beam used for sample machining and the kind of a gas ion beam used for sample observation, at least two gas introduction systems are used, each system having a gas cylinder, a gas tube, a gas volume control valve, and a stop valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyasu Shichi, Satoshi Tomimatsu, Kaoru Umemura, Noriyuki Kaneoka, Koji Ishiguro
  • Patent number: 8618520
    Abstract: An object of the invention is to realize a method and an apparatus for processing and observing a minute sample which can observe a section of a wafer in horizontal to vertical directions with high resolution, high accuracy and high throughput without splitting any wafer which is a sample. In an apparatus of the invention, there are included a focused ion beam optical system and an electron optical system in one vacuum container, and a minute sample containing a desired area of the sample is separated by forming processing with a charged particle beam, and there are included a manipulator for extracting the separated minute sample, and a manipulator controller for driving the manipulator independently of a wafer sample stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsuo Tokuda, Muneyuki Fukuda, Yasuhiro Mitsui, Hidemi Koike, Satoshi Tomimatsu, Hiroyasu Shichi, Hideo Kashima, Kaoru Umemura
  • Publication number: 20130284593
    Abstract: An ion beam machining and observation method relevant to a technique of cross sectional observation of an electronic component, through which a sample is machined by using an ion beam and a charged particle beam processor capable of reducing the time it takes to fill up a processed hole with a high degree of flatness at the filled area. The observation device is capable of switching the kind of gas ion beam used for machining a sample with the kind of a gas ion beam used for observing the sample. To implement the switch between the kind of a gas ion beam used for sample machining and the kind of a gas ion beam used for sample observation, at least two gas introduction systems are used, each system having a gas cylinder, a gas tube, a gas volume control valve, and a stop valve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2013
    Publication date: October 31, 2013
    Inventors: Hiroyasu SHICHI, Satoshi TOMIMATSU, Kaoru UMEMURA, Noriyuki KANEOKA, Koji ISHIGURO
  • Patent number: 8563944
    Abstract: Provided is an ion beam device provided with a gas electric field ionization ion source which can prevent an emitter tip from vibrating in a non-contact manner. The gas electric field ionization ion source is comprised of an emitter tip (21) for generating ions; an emitter base mount (64) for supporting the emitter tip; an ionizing chamber which has an extraction electrode (24) opposed to the emitter tip and which is configured so as to surround the emitter tip (21); and a gas supply tube (25) for supplying gas to the vicinity of the emitter tip. The emitter base mount and a vacuum container magnetically interact with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyasu Shichi, Shinichi Matsubara, Norihide Saho, Noriaki Arai, Tohru Ishitani
  • Patent number: 8530865
    Abstract: A gas field ion source that can simultaneously increase a conductance during rough vacuuming and reduce an extraction electrode aperture diameter from the viewpoint of the increase of ion current. The gas field ion source has a mechanism to change a conductance in vacuuming a gas molecule ionization chamber. That is, the conductance in vacuuming a gas molecule ionization chamber is changed in accordance with whether or not an ion beam is extracted from the gas molecule ionization chamber. By forming lids as parts of the members constituting the mechanism to change the conductance with a bimetal alloy, the conductance can be changed in accordance with the temperature of the gas molecule ionization chamber, for example the conductance is changed to a relatively small conductance at a relatively low temperature and to a relatively large conductance at a relatively high temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyasu Shichi, Shinichi Matsubara, Takashi Ohshima, Satoshi Tomimatsu, Tomihiro Hashizume, Tohru Ishitani
  • Patent number: 8481980
    Abstract: An ion beam machining and observation method relevant to a technique of cross sectional observation of an electronic component, through which a sample is machined by using an ion beam and a charged particle beam processor capable of reducing the time it takes to fill up a processed hole with a high degree of flatness at the filled area. The observation device is capable of switching the kind of gas ion beam used for machining a sample with the kind of a gas ion beam used for observing the sample. To implement the switch between the kind of a gas ion beam used for sample machining and the kind of a gas ion beam used for sample observation, at least two gas introduction systems are used, each system having a gas cylinder a gas tube, a gas volume control valve, and a stop valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyasu Shichi, Satoshi Tomimatsu, Kaoru Umemura, Noriyuki Kaneoka, Koji Ishiguro
  • Patent number: 8455841
    Abstract: Provided are a large-current and highly stable gas field ionization ion source, and a high-resolution ion microscope with a large focal depth. The present invention relates to an ion microscope provided with a gas field ionization ion source, in which disposed are a refrigerator for cooling the gas field ionization ion source independent of the main body of the ion microscope, and a refrigerant circulation circuit cooling mechanism for circulating a refrigerant between the gas field ionization ion source and the refrigerator. Consequently it is possible to reduce the mechanical vibration of the refrigerator, which propagates to the gas field ionization ion source, and to achieve both the improvement of the brightness of the ion source and the improvement of ion beam focusing performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Norihide Saho, Hiroyuki Tanaka, Noriaki Arai, Hiroyasu Shichi, Yoichi Ose
  • Publication number: 20130126731
    Abstract: In order to provide a safe and environmentally-friendly charged gas particle microscope that exhibits a superior ionized gas-utilization efficiency and economic efficiency, the gas field ion source of a charged particle microscope is equipped with a vacuum chamber in which are provided a vacuum chamber evacuation mechanism, an acicular emitter tip, an extraction electrode disposed facing the emitter tip, and a mechanism for supplying a gas to the vicinity of the emitter tip, and is configured so that the gas in the region around the tip of acicular ion emitter is ionized and extracted as an ion beam. Therein, the evacuation mechanism and the gas supply mechanism are connected, and a material for adhering the gas to be ionized is disposed between the evacuation mechanism and the gas supply mechanism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2011
    Publication date: May 23, 2013
    Applicant: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyasu Shichi, Shinichi Matsubara, Yoichi Ose, Yoshimi Kawanami
  • Publication number: 20130119252
    Abstract: To provide a gas field ion source having a high angular current density, the gas field ion source is configured such that at least a base body of an emitter tip configuring the gas field ion source is a single crystal metal, such that the apex of the emitter tip is formed into a pyramid shape or a cone shape having a single atom at the top, and such that the extraction voltage in the case of ionizing helium gas by the single atom is set to 10 kV or more.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2011
    Publication date: May 16, 2013
    Inventors: Yoshimi Kawanami, Shinichi Matsubara, Hironori Moritani, Noriaki Arai, Hiroyasu Shichi, Tomihiro Hashizume, Hiroyasu Kaga, Norihide Saho, Hiroyuki Muto, Yoichi Ose
  • Patent number: 8431891
    Abstract: An ion beam processing apparatus includes an ion beam irradiation optical system that irradiate a rectangular ion beam to a sample held on a first sample stage, an electron beam irradiation optical system that irradiates an electron beam to the sample, and a second sample stage on which a test piece, extracted from the sample by a probe, is mounted. An angle of irradiation of the ion beam can be tilted by rotating the second sample stage about a tilting axis. A controller controls the width of skew of an intensity profile representing an edge of the rectangular ion beam in a direction perpendicular to a first direction in which the tilting axis of the second sample stage is projected on the second sample stage surface so that the width will be smaller than the width of skew of an intensity profile representing another edge of the ion beam in a direction parallel to the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyasu Shichi, Satoshi Tomimatsu, Noriyuki Kaneoka, Kaoru Umemura, Koji Ishiguro