Patents by Inventor Satoru Oishi
Satoru Oishi 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).
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Publication number: 20110242509Abstract: A method detects a position of a mark based on an image signal of the mark. The method includes steps of obtaining a first position of the mark by performing a first process for the image signal, extracting plural feature values from the image signal based on the first position, and detecting the position of the mark by obtaining an offset value for the first position based on the plural feature values.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 9, 2011Publication date: October 6, 2011Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Satoru OISHI
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Patent number: 7983472Abstract: A method detects a position of a mark based on an image signal of the mark. The method includes steps of obtaining a first position of the mark by performing a first process for the image signal, extracting plural feature values from the image signal based on the first position, and detecting the position of the mark by obtaining an offset value for the first position based on the plural feature values.Type: GrantFiled: October 5, 2005Date of Patent: July 19, 2011Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Satoru Oishi
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Patent number: 7952725Abstract: A surface shape measurement apparatus is configured to measure a surface shape of an object to be measured, and includes a beam splitter configured to split white light from a light source into two light beams, a pair of prisms each configured to increase an incident angle of each light beam that has been split by the beam splitter and directed to the object or a reference surface, each prism having an antireflection part that is formed at a period of a wavelength of the white light or smaller and has a moth-eye shape, a superimposition unit configured to superimpose object light from the object with reference light from the reference surface and has passed the second prism, and to generate white interference light, and a Lyot filter configured to discretely separate the white interference light for each of a plurality of wavelengths.Type: GrantFiled: May 13, 2009Date of Patent: May 31, 2011Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Koichi Sentoku, Takahiro Matsumoto, Satoru Oishi, Hideki Ina
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Apparatus and method for specifying correlation, exposure apparatus, and device manufacturing method
Patent number: 7916271Abstract: Disclosed is a method and apparatus which are arranged to detect magnitude of correlation between (i) an explanatory variable corresponding to operation data related to an operation made by an exposure apparatus for exposing a substrate, and (ii) a response variable corresponding to inspection data related to a result of inspection made to the substrate after the same is exposed, the magnitude of correlation between the explanatory variable and the response variable being detected with respect to each of different combinations of operation data pieces, and also arranged to specify, on the basis of detected correlation magnitudes and with respect to one of the different combinations of operation data pieces, a category of the operation data and the correlation between the explanatory variable and the response variable.Type: GrantFiled: July 19, 2006Date of Patent: March 29, 2011Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Hideki Ina, Satoru Oishi -
Patent number: 7865328Abstract: A position detecting method includes the steps of forming an image of a mark on a sensor, performing a first process that processes a raw signal obtained from the sensor with plural parameters, performing a second process that determines an edge of a signal processed by the first process for each parameter, determining a parameter from a result of the second process obtained for each parameter, and calculating a position of the mark based on a determined parameter.Type: GrantFiled: September 6, 2007Date of Patent: January 4, 2011Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Satoru Oishi, Takehiko Suzuki
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Publication number: 20100192091Abstract: Provided is an image processing method in a program that is linked with a separate program and displays a window by being activated on the basis of the separate program, the separate program being executed in an image processing apparatus having a plurality of display sections and displaying a window on any of the plurality of display sections. The image processing method includes: acquiring display information including information as to which of the plurality of display sections the window of the linked separate program is displayed on; determining whether or not a display section.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 27, 2010Publication date: July 29, 2010Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Satoru Oishi, Yasuhide Kumagai
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Patent number: 7710543Abstract: A measurement apparatus includes a measurement unit configured to execute first measurement at each of a plurality of measurement points on a substrate, which are juxtaposed in one of a direction perpendicular to a scanning direction and an oblique direction with respect to the scanning direction, and to execute a second measurement at each of the plurality of measurement points, while the substrate is shifted in a direction different from the scanning direction and a processing unit configured to select some measurement points from the plurality of measurement points on the basis of a change in a measurement value at each measurement point, which is obtained by the first measurement and the second measurement.Type: GrantFiled: June 7, 2007Date of Patent: May 4, 2010Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Satoru Oishi
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Publication number: 20090286172Abstract: A surface shape measurement apparatus is configured to measure a surface shape of an object to be measured, and includes a beam splitter configured to split white light from a light source into two light beams, a pair of prisms each configured to increase an incident angle of each light beam that has been split by the beam splitter and directed to the object or a reference surface, each prism having an antireflection part that is formed at a period of a wavelength of the white light or smaller and has a moth-eye shape, a superimposition unit configured to superimpose object light from the object with reference light from the reference surface and has passed the second prism, and to generate white interference light, and a Lyot filter configured to discretely separate the white interference light for each of a plurality of wavelengths.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 13, 2009Publication date: November 19, 2009Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Koichi Sentoku, Takahiro Matsumoto, Satoru Oishi, Hideki Ina
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Publication number: 20090244513Abstract: The present invention provides a position detection apparatus including a first obtaining unit configured to obtain imaging characteristics of an imaging optical system for a plurality of light beams, having different wavelength with each other, of the light having the wavelength width, a second obtaining unit configured to obtain optical images of a target object for the plurality of light beams, a restoration unit configured to restore optical images of the target object for the plurality of light beams by correcting, deterioration in the obtained optical images of the target object attributed to the imaging optical system, based on the obtained imaging characteristics of the imaging optical system, and a generation unit configured to generate an optical image of the target object for light including the plurality of light beams by synthesizing the restored optical images of the target object for the plurality of light beams.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 26, 2009Publication date: October 1, 2009Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Takahiro Matsumoto, Koichi Sentoku, Satoru Oishi
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Publication number: 20090220872Abstract: A detecting apparatus includes a image pickup device configured to supply an output signal, an imaging optical system configured to form an image of an alignment mark formed on a substrate onto the image pickup device, and a signal processing unit including a restoration filter having a parameter that can be set, and configured to process the output signal and detect a position of the alignment mark, wherein the signal processing unit is configured to cause the restoration filter to act upon the output signal and generate a restoration signal, compute based on the restoration signal, for each of a plurality of candidate values of the parameter, a corresponding feature value relating to a form of the alignment mark, and set the parameter based on the computed feature values.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 26, 2009Publication date: September 3, 2009Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Satoru Oishi
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Publication number: 20090138135Abstract: An alignment method is provided in which a substrate including first and second layers is aligned in forming a second pattern in the second layer. The method includes storing first alignment measurement data to be used in alignment performed in forming a first pattern and a second alignment mark in the second layer, the first alignment measurement data obtained by measuring a first alignment mark provided in the first layer; obtaining second alignment measurement data by measuring the second alignment mark through a resist applied over the second layer; obtaining third alignment measurement data by measuring the first alignment mark through the resist; and performing alignment of the substrate in accordance with a first difference between the first and second alignment measurement data, or in accordance with the first difference and a second difference between the first and third alignment measurement data.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 25, 2008Publication date: May 28, 2009Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Satoru Oishi, Hideki Ina
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Patent number: 7443493Abstract: A transfer characteristic calculation apparatus for calculating a transfer characteristic of an imaging optical system includes a light source, a generation unit which generates a second signal by converting a first signal obtained by stretching an impulse signal on a space axis into a positive value using a light from the light source, a sensor which obtains an image that is output from the imaging optical system as an output signal when a light intensity distribution is inputted as the second signal, and a calculation unit which calculates the transfer characteristic of the imaging optical system by convolution of a third signal with the forth signal that is obtained by canceling a bias component of the output signal obtained by the sensor, the third being an impulse signal upon convolution with the first signal.Type: GrantFiled: March 20, 2007Date of Patent: October 28, 2008Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Satoru Oishi, Hideki Ina
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Patent number: 7385700Abstract: An exposure apparatus performs AGA measurement by using a predetermined sample shot group formed on a wafer, and decides an alignment parameter. The exposure apparatus executes wafer alignment processing and exposure processing by using the alignment parameter. The exposure apparatus notifies a central processing unit of AGA measurement results and the alignment parameter. An overlay inspection apparatus measures an actual exposure position on the exposed wafer, and notifies the central processing unit of the measurement result. The central processing unit optimizes alignment processing on the basis of the AGA measurement results, alignment parameter, and actually measured exposure position.Type: GrantFiled: September 6, 2005Date of Patent: June 10, 2008Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Takahiro Matsumoto, Hideki Ina, Takehiko Suzuki, Koichi Sentoku, Satoru Oishi
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Patent number: 7373213Abstract: A management apparatus which manages a parameter for an industrial device acquires AGA measurement results obtained by operating the industrial device with an operation job parameter value and non-operation job parameter value. An inspection apparatus acquires an “inspection result” obtained by inspecting the result of operating the industrial device in the operation job. A change in inspection result upon a change in parameter value is estimated on the basis of the AGA measurement result and inspection result. A variable which minimizes (extreme) both or at least one of the sensitivity (slope) of the inspection result upon a change in parameter value and variations (3?) in inspection result between objects to be processed (e.g., wafers) is set as an optimal parameter.Type: GrantFiled: July 29, 2004Date of Patent: May 13, 2008Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Satoru Oishi, Hideki Ina, Takehiko Suzuki, Koichi Sentoku, Takahiro Matsumoto
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Patent number: 7352891Abstract: There is provided a position detecting method for detecting a position of an object, on which an alignment mark including plural mark elements is formed. The method includes the steps of obtaining positional information indicative of each position of the plural mark elements, selecting positional information that has predetermined precision among plural pieces of positional information obtained by the obtaining step, and calculating the position of the object using the positional information that has the predetermined precision selected by the selecting step.Type: GrantFiled: June 18, 2004Date of Patent: April 1, 2008Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Takehiko Suzuki, Satoru Oishi
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Publication number: 20080013091Abstract: A position detecting method includes the steps of forming an image of a mark on a sensor, performing a first process that processes a raw signal obtained from the sensor with plural parameters, performing a second process that determines an edge of a signal processed by the first process for each parameter, determining a parameter from a result of the second process obtained for each parameter, and calculating a position of the mark based on a determined parameter.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 6, 2007Publication date: January 17, 2008Inventors: Satoru Oishi, Takehiko Suzuki
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Patent number: 7313873Abstract: A surface position measuring method wherein measurement light is obliquely projected onto a substrate surface and on the basis of a position of the detected measurement light and a predetected offset, the position of the substrate surface with respect to a direction of an optical axis of the projection optical system is measured, memorizing a first position of a point on the substrate while using a reference mark provided on a substrate stage, measuring the position of the measurement light as a first measurement position; rotating the substrate by 180 deg. in a plane perpendicular to the optical axis; memorizing a second position of the measurement point on the rotated substrate with reference to the reference mark; measuring the position of the measurement light as a second measurement position; and detecting of the offset at the measurement point on the basis of the first and second measurement position.Type: GrantFiled: July 20, 2006Date of Patent: January 1, 2008Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Satoru Oishi, Hideki Ina
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Publication number: 20070291246Abstract: A measurement apparatus includes: a measurement unit configured to execute first measurement at each of a plurality of measurement points on a substrate, which are juxtaposed in one of a direction perpendicular to a scanning direction and an oblique direction with respect to the scanning direction, and to execute a second measurement at each of the plurality of measurement points, while the substrate is shifted in a direction different from the scanning direction and a processing unit configured to select some measurement points from the plurality of measurement points on the basis of a change in a measurement value at each measurement point, which is obtained by the first measurement and the second measurement.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 7, 2007Publication date: December 20, 2007Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Satoru OISHI
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Publication number: 20070237253Abstract: A transfer characteristic calculation apparatus for calculating a transfer characteristic of an imaging optical system includes a light source, a generation unit which generates a second signal by converting a first signal obtained by stretching an impulse signal on a space axis into a positive value using a light from the light source, a sensor which obtains an image that is output from the imaging optical system as an output signal when a light intensity distribution is inputted as the second signal, and a calculation unit which calculates the transfer characteristic of the imaging optical system by convolution of a third signal with a fourth signal that is obtained by canceling a bias component of the output signal obtained by the sensor, the third signal being an impulse signal upon convolution with the first signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 20, 2007Publication date: October 11, 2007Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Satoru Oishi, Hideki Ina
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Patent number: 7247868Abstract: An exposure method for projecting a pattern formed on a reflection plate onto a substrate, via a projection optical system, using extreme ultraviolet light. The method includes a detection step of detecting a relative position between a second mark formed on a plate holding unit for holding the reflection plate and a third mark formed on the reflection plate. The detection step includes sub-steps of (i) detecting light reflected from the second mark with a detector, (ii) detecting light reflected from the third mark with the detector, and (iii) changing a relative position between the plate holding unit and the detector between sub-steps (i) and (ii).Type: GrantFiled: August 2, 2005Date of Patent: July 24, 2007Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Takehiko Suzuki, Hideki Ina, Koichi Sentoku, Satoru Oishi