Patents by Inventor Satoshi Tomimatsu
Satoshi Tomimatsu 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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Patent number: 7897936Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: July 5, 2007Date of Patent: March 1, 2011Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Hiroyasu Shichi, Tohru Ishitani, Hidemi Koike, Kaoru Umemura, Eiichi Seya, Mitsuo Tokuda, Satoshi Tomimatsu, Hideo Kashima, Muneyuki Fukuda
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Patent number: 7888639Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: October 31, 2007Date of Patent: February 15, 2011Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Mitsuo Tokuda, Muneyuki Fukuda, Yasuhiro Mitsui, Hidemi Koike, Satoshi Tomimatsu, Hiroyasu Shichi, Hideo Kashima, Kaoru Umemura
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Patent number: 7791050Abstract: A specimen fabrication apparatus, including: an ion beam irradiating optical system to irradiate a sample placed in a chamber, with an ion beam; a specimen holder to mount a specimen separated by the irradiation with the ion beam; a holder cassette to hold the specimen holder; a sample stage to hold the sample and the holder cassette; and a probe to move the specimen to the specimen holder, wherein the holder cassette is transferred to outside of the chamber in a condition of holding the specimen holder with the specimen mounted.Type: GrantFiled: July 7, 2008Date of Patent: September 7, 2010Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Satoshi Tomimatsu, Kaoru Umemura, Yuichi Madokoro, Yoshimi Kawanami, Yasunori Doi
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Publication number: 20100176297Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: March 25, 2010Publication date: July 15, 2010Inventors: Hiroyasu Shichi, Satoshi Tomimatsu, Noriyuki Kaneoka, Kaoru Umemura, Koji Ishiguro
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Patent number: 7725278Abstract: After completion of an arbitrary device process, an apparatus for micro-sample extraction extracts a part of a wafer as a micro-sample of a size equal to or larger than a repetition pattern with a probe and places the extracted micro-sample to a micro-sample storage, and the micro-sample storage is stored into an apparatus for micro-sample storage. The wafer is subjected to a post process and an observation desired position is determined in response to a failure analysis requirement. After that, the micro-sample is unloaded from the micro-sample storage by an apparatus for additional processing of the micro-sample and is placed onto an observation sample holder. By performing an additional process in the observation desired position, a failure analysis sample is prepared, and analysis information obtained by an apparatus for failure analysis is output.Type: GrantFiled: January 3, 2007Date of Patent: May 25, 2010Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies CorporationInventors: Satoshi Tomimatsu, Hiroyasu Shichi, Muneyuki Fukuda, Kaoru Umemura
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Patent number: 7709062Abstract: A hole in a sample from which a sample piece has been extracted with a focused ion beam is filled at high speed using ion beam gas assisted deposition. A method of filling the hole by using the ion beam includes a step of irradiating the hole formed in a face of the sample with the ion beam to thereby form an ion beam gas-assisted deposition layer in the hole. The ion beam gas-assisted deposition layer is formed in the hole while controlling the area to which the ion beam is irradiated so as to cause the ion beam to fall on a part of a side wall of the hole and to not fall on another part of the side wall in an area scanned with the ion beam. The filled hole may then be covered with a protective film.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2002Date of Patent: May 4, 2010Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies CorporationInventors: Hiroyasu Shichi, Muneyuki Fukuda, Isamu Sekihara, Satoshi Tomimatsu, Kaoru Umemura
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Patent number: 7700931Abstract: The present invention provides an ion beam processing technology for improving the precision in processing a section of a sample using an ion beam without making a processing time longer than a conventionally required processing time, and for shortening the time required for separating a micro test piece without breaking the sample or the time required for making preparations for the separation. An ion beam processing apparatus is structured so that an axis along which an ion beam is drawn out of an ion source and an ion beam irradiation axis along which the ion beam is irradiated to a sample mounted on a first sample stage will meet at an angle. Furthermore, the ion beam processing apparatus has a tilting ability to vary an angle of irradiation, at which the ion beam is irradiated to the sample, by rotating a second sample stage, on which a test piece extracted from the sample by performing ion beam processing is mounted, about the tilting axis of the second sample stage.Type: GrantFiled: February 13, 2007Date of Patent: April 20, 2010Assignee: Hitachi High-Tchnologies CorporationInventors: Hiroyasu Shichi, Satoshi Tomimatsu, Noriyuki Kaneoka, Kaoru Umemura, Koji Ishiguro
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Patent number: 7696496Abstract: The apparatus for ion beam fabrication, which has been able to detect any anomalous condition of ion beams only by means of the current irradiated on the specimen, could not compensate the failure by investigating the cause and could not realize stable processing. To solve the problem described above, the present invention includes the first and second blankers and Faraday cups switches ON and OFF the first and second blankers and monitors beam current at two positions above and below the projection mask. By adopting this configuration, it will be possible to acquire the information on failure in ion beam, sort out the cause of the failure and to compensate the failure while limiting damages to the projection mask. As a result, it will be possible to realize stable processing by means of ion beam, and to use the ion beam fabricating device on a stable basis.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2007Date of Patent: April 13, 2010Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies CorporationInventors: Satoshi Tomimatsu, Hiroyasu Shichi, Noriyuki Kaneoka, Kaoru Umemura, Koji Ishiguro
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Publication number: 20090230299Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: April 23, 2008Publication date: September 17, 2009Inventors: Hiroyasu Shichi, Satoshi Tomimatsu, Kaoru Umemura, Noriyuki Kaneoka, Koji Ishiguro
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Publication number: 20090173888Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: December 31, 2008Publication date: July 9, 2009Inventors: Hiroyasu SHICHI, Shinichi MATSUBARA, Takashi OHSHIMA, Satoshi TOMIMATSU, Tomihiro HASHIZUME, Tohru ISHITANI
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Patent number: 7550750Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: February 15, 2007Date of Patent: June 23, 2009Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Mitsuo Tokuda, Muneyuki Fukuda, Yasuhiro Mitsui, Hidemi Koike, Satoshi Tomimatsu, Hiroyasu Shichi, Hideo Kashima, Kaoru Umemura
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Publication number: 20090121158Abstract: A specimen fabricating apparatus comprises: a specimen stage, on which a specimen is placed; a charged particle beam optical system to irradiate a charged particle beam on the specimen; an etchant material supplying source to supply an etchant material, which contains fluorine and carbon in molecules thereof, does not contain oxygen in molecules thereof, and is solid or liquid in a standard state; and a vacuum chamber to house therein the specimen stage. A specimen fabricating method comprises the steps of: processing a hole in the vicinity of a requested region of a specimen by means of irradiation of a charged particle beam; exposing the requested region by means of irradiation of the charged particle beam; supplying an etchant material, which contains fluorine and carbon in molecules thereof, does not contain oxygen in molecules thereof, and is solid or liquid in a standard state, to the requested region as exposed; and irradiating the charged particle beam on the requested region as exposed.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 15, 2009Publication date: May 14, 2009Inventors: Satoshi Tomimatsu, Miyuki Takahashi, Hiroyasu Shichi, Muneyuki Fukuda
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Patent number: 7525108Abstract: A specimen fabrication apparatus including: a sample stage to mount or hold a sample substrate, an ion beam irradiating optical system to irradiate the sample substrate with an ion beam, a specimen holder to mount a specimen obtained from the sample substrate, a transferring means including a probe, and a deposition-gas supplying source to supply a deposition-gas for forming a deposition-film between the specimen and the probe.Type: GrantFiled: February 2, 2007Date of Patent: April 28, 2009Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Satoshi Tomimatsu, Kaoru Umemura, Yuichi Madokoro, Yoshimi Kawanami, Yasunori Doi
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Patent number: 7482603Abstract: A specimen fabricating apparatus comprises: a specimen stage, on which a specimen is placed; a charged particle beam optical system to irradiate a charged particle beam on the specimen; an etchant material supplying source to supply an etchant material, which contains fluorine and carbon in molecules thereof, does not contain oxygen in molecules thereof, and is solid or liquid in a standard state; and a vacuum chamber to house therein the specimen stage. A specimen fabricating method comprises the steps of: processing a hole in the vicinity of a requested region of a specimen by means of irradiation of a charged particle beam; exposing the requested region by means of irradiation of the charged particle beam; supplying an etchant material, which contains fluorine and carbon in molecules thereof, does not contain oxygen in molecules thereof, and is solid or liquid in a standard state, to the requested region as exposed; and irradiating the charged particle beam on the requested region as exposed.Type: GrantFiled: May 26, 2006Date of Patent: January 27, 2009Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies CorporationInventors: Satoshi Tomimatsu, Miyuki Takahashi, Hiroyasu Shichi, Muneyuki Fukuda
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Publication number: 20090008578Abstract: A specimen fabrication apparatus, including: an ion beam irradiating optical system to irradiate a sample placed in a chamber, with an ion beam; a specimen holder to mount a specimen separated by the irradiation with the ion beam; a holder cassette to hold the specimen holder; a sample stage to hold the sample and the holder cassette; and a probe to move the specimen to the specimen holder, wherein the holder cassette is transferred to outside of the chamber in a condition of holding the specimen holder with the specimen mounted.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 7, 2008Publication date: January 8, 2009Inventors: Satoshi Tomimatsu, Kaoru Umemura, Yuichi Madokoro, Yoshimi Kawanami, Yasunori Doi
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Patent number: 7470918Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: February 15, 2007Date of Patent: December 30, 2008Assignee: Hitachi Ltd.Inventors: Mitsuo Tokuda, Muneyuki Fukuda, Yasuhiro Mitsui, Hidemi Koike, Satoshi Tomimatsu, Hiroyasu Shichi, Hideo Kashima, Kaoru Umemura
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Patent number: 7465945Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: April 5, 2007Date of Patent: December 16, 2008Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Mitsuo Tokuda, Muneyuki Fukuda, Yasuhiro Mitsui, Hidemi Koike, Satoshi Tomimatsu, Hiroyasu Shichi, Hideo Kashima, Kaoru Umemura
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Publication number: 20080296516Abstract: A specimen fabrication apparatus, including: an ion beam irradiating optical system to irradiate a sample placed in a chamber with an ion beam; a specimen holder to mount a specimen separated by the irradiation with the ion beam; a holder cassette to hold the specimen holder; a sample stage to hold, the sample and the holder cassette; and a probe to move the specimen to the specimen holder, wherein the holder cassette is transferred to outside of the chamber in a condition of holding the specimen holder with the specimen mounted.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 7, 2008Publication date: December 4, 2008Inventors: Satoshi TOMIMATSU, Kaoru Umemura, Yuichi Madokoro, Yoshimi Kawanami, Yasunori Doi
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Publication number: 20080296497Abstract: A system for analyzing a semiconductor device, including: a first ion beam apparatus including: a sample stage to mount a sample substrate; a vacuum chamber in which the sample stage is placed; an ion beam irradiating optical system to irradiate the sample substrate; a specimen holder that accommodates a plurality of specimens separated from the sample substrate by the irradiation of the ion beam; and a probe to extract the separated specimen from the sample substrate, and to transfer the separated specimen to the specimen holder; a second ion beam apparatus that carries out a finishing process to the specimen; and an analyzer to analyze the finished specimen, wherein the first ion beam apparatus separates the specimen and the probe in a vacuum condition.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 7, 2008Publication date: December 4, 2008Inventors: Satoshi TOMIMATSU, Kaoru Umemura, Yuichi Madokoro, Yoshimi Kawanami, Yasunori Doi
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Publication number: 20080283778Abstract: The apparatus for ion beam fabrication, which has been able to detect any anomalous condition of ion beams only by means of the current irradiated on the specimen, could not compensate the failure by investigating the cause and could not realize stable processing. To solve the problem described above, the present invention includes the first and second blankers and Faraday cups switches ON and OFF the first and second blankers and monitors beam current at two positions above and below the projection mask. By adopting this configuration, it will be possible to acquire the information on failure in ion beam, sort out the cause of the failure and to compensate the failure while limiting damages to the projection mask. As a result, it will be possible to realize stable processing by means of ion beam, and to use the ion beam fabricating device on a stable basis.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 20, 2007Publication date: November 20, 2008Inventors: Satoshi Tomimatsu, Hiroyasu Shichi, Noriyuki Kaneoka, Kaoru Umemura, Koji Ishiguro