Patents by Inventor Osamu Komuro

Osamu Komuro 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).

  • Patent number: 11690208
    Abstract: Provided is an electromagnetic field shielding plate, etc., in which it is possible to reduce weight while achieving high shielding performance from relatively high-frequency electromagnetic fields. The electromagnetic field shielding plate is configured by layering a permalloy layer 3 comprising a plate or sheet of permalloy, and an amorphous layer 1 comprising an Fe—Si—B—Cu—Nb-based amorphous plate or sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Tech Corporation
    Inventors: Ichiro Miyano, Osamu Komuro, Masakazu Takahashi, Masashi Fujita
  • Patent number: 11659700
    Abstract: Provided is an electromagnetic field shielding plate, etc., in which it is possible to reduce weight while achieving high shielding performance from relatively high-frequency electromagnetic fields. The electromagnetic field shielding plate is configured by layering a permalloy layer 3 comprising a plate or sheet of permalloy, and an amorphous layer 1 comprising an Fe—Si—B—Cu—Nb-based amorphous plate or sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Tech Corporation
    Inventors: Ichiro Miyano, Osamu Komuro, Masakazu Takahashi, Masashi Fujita
  • Publication number: 20220007556
    Abstract: Provided is an electromagnetic field shielding plate, etc., in which it is possible to reduce weight while achieving high shielding performance from relatively high-frequency electromagnetic fields. The electromagnetic field shielding plate is configured by layering a permalloy layer 3 comprising a plate or sheet of permalloy, and an amorphous layer 1 comprising an Fe—Si—B—Cu—Nb-based amorphous plate or sheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2019
    Publication date: January 6, 2022
    Inventors: Ichiro MIYANO, Osamu KOMURO, Masakazu TAKAHASHI, Masashi FUJITA
  • Patent number: 10840060
    Abstract: A scanning electron microscope of the present invention performs scanning by changing a scanning line density in accordance with a sample when an image of a scanned region is formed by scanning a two-dimensional region on the sample with an electron beam or is provided with a GUI having sample information input means which inputs information relating to the sample and display means which displays a recommended scanning condition according to the input and performs scanning with a scanning line density according to the sample by selecting the recommended scanning condition. As a result, in observation using a scanning electron microscope, a suitable scanning device which can improve contrast of a profile of a two-dimensional pattern and suppress shading by suppressing the influence of charging caused by primary charged particle radiation and by improving a detection rate of secondary electrons and a scanning method are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Zhaohui Cheng, Hikaru Koyama, Yoshinobu Kimura, Hiroyuki Shinada, Osamu Komuro
  • Patent number: 10545017
    Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to provide an overlay error measuring device which measures an overlay error with high accuracy even when a lower layer pattern is disposed under a thin film and a sufficient signal amount cannot be ensured. The present invention proposes an overlay error measuring device provided with an arithmetic processing unit for measuring a pattern formed on a sample on the basis of a signal waveform obtained by a charged particle beam device. The arithmetic processing unit finds a correlation with the signal waveform using a partial waveform obtained on the basis of partial extraction of the signal waveform, forms a correlation profile indicating the correlation, and measures an overlay error using the correlation profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Satoru Yamaguchi, Kei Sakai, Osamu Inoue, Kazuyuki Hirao, Osamu Komuro
  • Publication number: 20180269032
    Abstract: A scanning electron microscope of the present invention performs scanning by changing a scanning line density in accordance with a sample when an image of a scanned region is formed by scanning a two-dimensional region on the sample with an electron beam or is provided with a GUI having sample information input means which inputs information relating to the sample and display means which displays a recommended scanning condition according to the input and performs scanning with a scanning line density according to the sample by selecting the recommended scanning condition. As a result, in observation using a scanning electron microscope, a suitable scanning device which can improve contrast of a profile of a two-dimensional pattern and suppress shading by suppressing the influence of charging caused by primary charged particle radiation and by improving a detection rate of secondary electrons and a scanning method are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2018
    Publication date: September 20, 2018
    Inventors: Zhaohui CHENG, Hikaru KOYAMA, Yoshinobu KIMURA, Hiroyuki SHINADA, Osamu KOMURO
  • Patent number: 9991092
    Abstract: A scanning electron microscope of the present invention performs scanning by changing a scanning line density in accordance with a sample when an image of a scanned region is formed by scanning a two-dimensional region on the sample with an electron beam or is provided with a GUI having sample information input means which inputs information relating to the sample and display means which displays a recommended scanning conditioHn according to the input and performs scanning with a scanning line density according to the sample by selecting the recommended scanning condition. As a result, in observation using a scanning electron microscope, a suitable scanning device which can improve contrast of a profile of a two-dimensional pattern and suppress shading by suppressing the influence of charging caused by primary charged particle radiation and by improving a detection rate of secondary electrons and a scanning method are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Zhaohui Cheng, Hikaru Koyama, Yoshinobu Kimura, Hiroyuki Shinada, Osamu Komuro
  • Patent number: 9702695
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an image processing apparatus that quickly and precisely measures or evaluates a distortion in a field of view and a charged particle beam apparatus. To attain the object, an image processing apparatus or the like is proposed which acquires a first image of a first area of an imaging target and a second image of a second area that is located at a different position than the first area and partially overlaps with the first area and determines the distance between a measurement point in the second image and a second part of the second image that corresponds to a particular area for a plurality of sites in the overlapping area of the first image and the second image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroki Kawada, Osamu Inoue, Miyako Matsui, Takahiro Kawasaki, Naoshi Itabashi, Takashi Takahama, Katsumi Setoguchi, Osamu Komuro
  • Patent number: 9443695
    Abstract: This charged-particle beam device changes conditions for combining an intensity ratio between upper and lower deflectors and rotation angles of the deflectors in multiple ways when obtaining images having different pixel sizes in the vertical and horizontal directions. Then, the charged-particle beam device determines an optimal intensity ratio between the upper and lower deflectors and rotation angles of the deflectors on the basis of variations in size value measured in the larger pixel size direction (Y-direction) of the image. As a result, it is possible to extend the field of view in the Y-direction while reducing deflection aberrations when measuring at high precision in the X-direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Takeyoshi Ohashi, Yasunari Sohda, Noritsugu Takahashi, Hajime Kawano, Osamu Komuro
  • Patent number: 9275829
    Abstract: In an image forming apparatus and a computer program, extraction of information about distortion in a charged particle beam scan area can be implemented. An image forming apparatus integrates image data obtained by a charged particle beam apparatus and calculates, from a plurality of images with different scan directions of the charged particle beam apparatus, first information about the amount of change in a feature quantity in accordance with the time of irradiation of the charged particle beam, second information about the amount of change in the feature quantity before and after a change in beam scan direction, and/or third information about a position error of a pattern on the image before and after the change in beam scan direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Katsumi Setoguchi, Osamu Komuro
  • Publication number: 20150348747
    Abstract: This charged-particle beam device changes conditions for combining an intensity ratio between upper and lower deflectors and rotation angles of the deflectors in multiple ways when obtaining images having different pixel sizes in the vertical and horizontal directions. Then, the charged-particle beam device determines an optimal intensity ratio between the upper and lower deflectors and rotation angles of the deflectors on the basis of variations in size value measured in the larger pixel size direction (Y-direction) of the image. As a result, it is possible to extend the field of view in the Y-direction while reducing deflection aberrations when measuring at high precision in the X-direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2013
    Publication date: December 3, 2015
    Inventors: Takeyoshi OHASHI, Yasunari SOHDA, Noritsugu TAKAHASHI, Hajime KAWANO, Osamu KOMURO
  • Patent number: 9202665
    Abstract: Provided is a charged particle beam apparatus adapted so that even when an additional device is not mounted in the charged particle beam apparatus, the apparatus rapidly removes, by neutralizing, a local charge developed on a region of a sample that has been irradiated with a charged particle beam. After charged particle beam irradiation for measurement of the sample, the apparatus controls a retarding voltage or/and an accelerating voltage at a stage previous to a next measurement, and then neutralizes an electric charge by reducing a difference between a value of the retarding voltage and that of the accelerating voltage to a value smaller than during the currently ongoing measurement. The charged particle beam achieves neutralizing without reducing throughput, since the local charge developed on the region of the sample that has been irradiated with the charged particle beam is removed, even without an additional device mounted in the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Matsui, Osamu Komuro, Makoto Nishihara, Zhaohui Cheng
  • Publication number: 20150285627
    Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to provide an overlay error measuring device which measures an overlay error with high accuracy even when a lower layer pattern is disposed under a thin film and a sufficient signal amount cannot be ensured. The present invention proposes an overlay error measuring device provided with an arithmetic processing unit for measuring a pattern formed on a sample on the basis of a signal waveform obtained by a charged particle beam device. The arithmetic processing unit finds a correlation with the signal waveform using a partial waveform obtained on the basis of partial extraction of the signal waveform, forms a correlation profile indicating the correlation, and measures an overlay error using the correlation profile.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2013
    Publication date: October 8, 2015
    Applicant: HITACHI HIGH-TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Satoru Yamaguchi, Kei Sakai, Osamu Inoue, Kazuyuki Hirao, Osamu Komuro
  • Patent number: 9129353
    Abstract: In a scanning electron microscope, if a failure is caused to occur in a SEM image by the influence of a disturbance such as magnetic field or vibration inside and from outside the device, the cause is identified simply and accurately using this SEM image. There is provided a measurement technique whose measurement accuracy is not influenced by a roughness of SEM image pattern. A one-dimensional scanning is performed in a scanning-line direction (X direction) by setting the Y-direction scanning gain at zero at the time of acquiring the SEM image, and a two-dimensional image is created by arranging image information, which is obtained by the scanning, in a time-series manner in the Y direction. A shift-amount data on the two-dimensional image is acquired using a correlation function, and the magnetic field or vibration included within the SEM image is measured by a frequency analysis of the data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masumi Shirai, Osamu Komuro
  • Patent number: 8953855
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an edge detection technique and equipment which are capable of stably detecting an edge by suppressing the influence of noise even in the case where the image is obtained by charged particle radiation equipment, such as a scanning electron microscope and has a low S/N ratio. More specifically, the present invention is to propose a technique and equipment which are configured to determine a peak position (edge) on the basis of the following two edge extraction techniques. That is, the present invention is to propose a technique and equipment wherein at least two peaks are formed by using, as edge detection techniques, for example, one peak detection technique having a relatively high sensitivity and the other peak detection technique which is relatively less susceptible to the influence of noise than the one peak detection technique, and wherein a position where the peaks coincide with each other is determined as a true peak position (edge position).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Hitoshi Namai, Osamu Komuro, Satoru Yamaguchi, Fumihiro Sasajima
  • Patent number: 8704175
    Abstract: Provided is a scanning electron microscope equipped with a high-speed and high-precision astigmatism measuring means to be used when both astigmatism generated by an electron-beam column and astigmatism generated from the surroundings of a measuring sample exist. This scanning electron microscope is characterized in controlling an astigmatism corrector (201) with high-speed and high-precision, to correct the astigmatism, by using both a method of obtaining the astigmatism from the qualities of two-dimensional images to be acquired upon changing the intensity of the astigmatism corrector (201), and a method of measuring the astigmatism from the change in the position displacement of an electron beam that occurs when the electron beam is tilted using a tilt deflector (202).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Yasunari Sohda, Muneyuki Fukuda, Takeyoshi Ohashi, Osamu Komuro, Toru Yamanashi
  • Patent number: 8666165
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a scanning electron microscope for reducing a process concerning inspection positioning or an input operation, thereby functioning with high precision at high speed. To accomplish the above object, the present invention provides a scanning electron microscope having a function for identifying a desired position on the basis of a pattern registered beforehand, which includes a means for setting information concerning the pattern kind, the interval between a plurality of parts constituting the pattern, and the size of parts constituting the pattern and a means for forming a pattern image composed of a plurality of parts on the basis of the information obtained by the concerned means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoru Yamaguchi, Takashi Iizumi, Osamu Komuro, Hidetoshi Morokuma, Tatsuya Maeda, Juntaro Arima, Yasuhiko Ozawa
  • Publication number: 20140027635
    Abstract: Provided is a charged particle beam apparatus adapted so that even when an additional device is not mounted in the charged particle beam apparatus, the apparatus rapidly removes, by neutralizing, a local charge developed on a region of a sample that has been irradiated with a charged particle beam. After charged particle beam irradiation for measurement of the sample, the apparatus controls a retarding voltage or/and an accelerating voltage at a stage previous to a next measurement, and then neutralizes an electric charge by reducing a difference between a value of the retarding voltage and that of the accelerating voltage to a value smaller than during the currently ongoing measurement. The charged particle beam achieves neutralizing without reducing throughput, since the local charge developed on the region of the sample that has been irradiated with the charged particle beam is removed, even without an additional device mounted in the apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2011
    Publication date: January 30, 2014
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Matsui, Osamu Komuro, Makoto Nishihara, Zhaohui Cheng
  • Publication number: 20130301954
    Abstract: In a scanning electron microscope, if a failure is caused to occur in a SEM image by the influence of a disturbance such as magnetic field or vibration inside and from outside the device, the cause is identified simply and accurately using this SEM image. There is provided a measurement technique whose measurement accuracy is not influenced by a roughness of SEM image pattern. A one-dimensional scanning is performed in a scanning-line direction (X direction) by setting the Y-direction scanning gain at zero at the time of acquiring the SEM image, and a two-dimensional image is created by arranging image information, which is obtained by the scanning, in a time-series manner in the Y direction. A shift-amount data on the two-dimensional image is acquired using a correlation function, and the magnetic field or vibration included within the SEM image is measured by a frequency analysis of the data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2012
    Publication date: November 14, 2013
    Applicant: HITACHI HIGH-TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masumi Shirai, Osamu Komuro
  • Publication number: 20130175447
    Abstract: Provided is a scanning electron microscope equipped with a high-speed and high-precision astigmatism measuring means to be used when both astigmatism generated by an electron-beam column and astigmatism generated from the surroundings of a measuring sample exist. This scanning electron microscope is characterized in controlling an astigmatism corrector (201) with high-speed and high-precision, to correct the astigmatism, by using both a method of obtaining the astigmatism from the qualities of two-dimensional images to be acquired upon changing the intensity of the astigmatism corrector (201), and a method of measuring the astigmatism from the change in the position displacement of an electron beam that occurs when the electron beam is tilted using a tilt deflector (202).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2011
    Publication date: July 11, 2013
    Applicant: HITACHI HIGH-TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasunari Sohda, Hiromasa Yamanashi, Muneyuki Fukuda, Takeyoshi Ohashi, Osamu Komuro