Patents by Inventor Seiichiro Kanno
Seiichiro Kanno 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: 20150371814Abstract: The present invention provides a high-throughput scanning electron microscope in which a wafer (9) is held by an electrostatic chuck (10), an image is obtained using an electron beam, and the wafer surface is measured, wherein even in a case where the temperature of the wafer (9) is changed due to the environmental temperature the electron scanning microscope is capable of preventing any loss in resolution or the deterioration of the measurement reproducibility caused by thermal shrinkage accompanied by temperature change of the wafer (9). A drill hole is provided on the rear surface of the electrostatic chuck (10), and a thermometer (34) is secured in place so that the front end is brought into elastic contact with the bottom surface of the drill hole.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 5, 2014Publication date: December 24, 2015Inventors: Seiichiro KANNO, Masashi FUJITA, Naoya ISHIGAKI, Makoto NISHIHARA, Kumiko SHIMIZU
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Publication number: 20150357156Abstract: The present invention explains a charged-particle beam device for the purpose of highly accurately measuring electrostatic charge of a sample in a held state by an electrostatic chuck (105). In order to attain the object, according to the present invention, there is proposed a charged-particle beam device including an electrostatic chuck (105) for holding a sample on which a charged particle beam is irradiated and a sample chamber (102) in which the electrostatic chuck (105) is set. The charged-particle beam device includes a potential measuring device that measures potential on a side of an attraction surface for the sample of the electrostatic chuck (105) and a control device that performs potential measurement by the potential measuring device in a state in which the sample is attracted by the electrostatic chuck (105).Type: ApplicationFiled: January 10, 2014Publication date: December 10, 2015Applicant: HITACHI HIGH-TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATIONInventors: Yasushi EBIZUKA, Seiichiro KANNO, Naoya ISHIGAKI, Masashi FUJITA
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Publication number: 20150340198Abstract: In order to prevent a sample from thermally expanding and contracting when the sample is placed on a sample stage inside a vacuum chamber, the related art has proposed a coping method of awaiting observation by setting a standby time from when the wafer is conveyed into the vacuum chamber until the wafer and the sample table are brought into thermal equilibrium. In addition, the coping method is configured so as to await the observation until the wafer is cooled down to room temperature when the wafer is heated in the previous step. Consequently, throughput of an apparatus decreases. A temperature control mechanism which can control temperature of the sample is installed inside a mini-environment device. The sample temperature control mechanism controls the temperature of the sample inside the mini-environment device so as to become a setting temperature which is set in view of a lowered temperature of the sample inside a load lock chamber.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 20, 2014Publication date: November 26, 2015Inventors: Shuichi NAKAGAWA, Masaru MATSUSHIMA, Masakazu TAKAHASHI, Seiichiro KANNO
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Publication number: 20150262857Abstract: Proposed are an electrostatic chuck mechanism and a charged particle beam apparatus including a first plane that is a plane of a side in which a sample is adsorbed, a first electrode to which a voltage for generating an adsorptive power between the first plane and the sample is applied, and a second electrode that is arranged in a position relatively separated from the sample toward the first plane and through which a virtual line that is perpendicular to the first plane and contacts an edge of the sample passes, wherein the first plane is formed so that a size in a plane direction of the first plane is smaller than that of the sample.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 19, 2015Publication date: September 17, 2015Inventors: Yasushi EBIZUKA, Seiichiro KANNO, Masaya YASUKOCHI, Masakazu TAKAHASHI, Naoya ISHIGAKI, Go MIYA
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Patent number: 9105446Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a charged particle beam apparatus that effectively removes electrical charges from an electrostatic chuck. In order to achieve the above object, the charged particle beam apparatus of the present invention includes a sample chamber that maintains a space containing an electrostatic chuck mechanism (5) in a vacuum state; and in which the charged particle beam apparatus includes an ultraviolet light source (6) to irradiate ultraviolet light within the sample chamber, and a irradiation target member irradiated by the ultraviolet light; and the irradiation target member is placed perpendicular to the adsorption surface of the electrostatic chuck.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 2013Date of Patent: August 11, 2015Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies CorporationInventors: Yasushi Ebizuka, Seiichiro Kanno, Makoto Nishihara, Masashi Fujita
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Publication number: 20150097123Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a charged particle beam apparatus that effectively removes electrical charges from an electrostatic chuck. In order to achieve the above object, the charged particle beam apparatus of the present invention includes a sample chamber that maintains a space containing an electrostatic chuck mechanism (5) in a vacuum state; and in which the charged particle beam apparatus includes an ultraviolet light source (6) to irradiate ultraviolet light within the sample chamber, and a irradiation target member irradiated by the ultraviolet light; and the irradiation target member is placed perpendicular to the adsorption surface of the electrostatic chuck.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 28, 2013Publication date: April 9, 2015Inventors: Yasushi Ebizuka, Seiichiro Kanno, Makoto Nishihara, Masashi Fujita
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Patent number: 8921781Abstract: In the case of inspecting samples having different sizes by means of a semiconductor inspecting apparatus, a primary electron beam bends since distribution is disturbed on an equipotential surface at the vicinity of the sample at the time of inspecting vicinities of the sample, and what is called a positional shift is generated. A potential correcting electrode is arranged outside the sample and at a position lower than the sample lower surface, and a potential lower than that of the sample is applied. Furthermore, a voltage to be applied to the potential correcting electrode is controlled corresponding to a distance between the inspecting position and a sample outer end, sample thickness and irradiation conditions of the primary electron beam.Type: GrantFiled: August 20, 2013Date of Patent: December 30, 2014Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies CorporationInventors: Go Miya, Seiichiro Kanno, Hiroyuki Kitsunai, Masaru Matsushima, Toru Shuto
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Patent number: 8680466Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide an electron microscope for properly applying a retarding voltage to a sample which is brought into electrical conduction.Type: GrantFiled: October 15, 2009Date of Patent: March 25, 2014Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies CoporationInventors: Seiichiro Kanno, Hiroyuki Kitsunai, Masaru Matsushima, Toru Shuto, Kazuyuki Ikenaga
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Patent number: 8653459Abstract: There is provided a technique that is capable of attracting a sample without making the voltage applied to an electrostatic chuck unnecessarily large. Attraction experiments with respect to the electrostatic chuck are performed using a testing sample whose degree of warp and pattern of warp are known, and a critical application voltage at which the attraction state changes from “bad” to “good” is found. When measuring an inspection target sample, the flatness of the inspection target sample is measured, and the degree of warp and pattern of warp of the inspection target sample are detected. Based on the degree of warp and pattern of warp of the inspection target sample and on the known critical application voltage, the application voltage for the electrostatic chuck is set.Type: GrantFiled: December 24, 2010Date of Patent: February 18, 2014Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies CorporationInventors: Seiichiro Kanno, Hiroyuki Kitsunai, Masaru Matsushima
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Patent number: 8653455Abstract: The charged particle beam device has a problem that a symmetry of equipotential distribution is disturbed near the outer edge of a specimen, an object being evaluated, causing a charged particle beam to deflect there. An electrode plate installed inside the specimen holding mechanism of electrostatic attraction type is formed of an inner and outer electrode plates arranged concentrically. The outer electrode plate is formed to have an outer diameter larger than that of the specimen. The dimensions of the electrode plates are determined so that an overlapping area of the outer electrode plate and the specimen is substantially equal to an area of the inner electrode plate. The inner electrode plate is impressed with a voltage of a positive polarity with respect to a reference voltage and of an arbitrary magnitude, and the outer electrode is impressed with a voltage of a negative polarity and of an arbitrary magnitude.Type: GrantFiled: June 3, 2010Date of Patent: February 18, 2014Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies CorporationInventors: Hiroyuki Kitsunai, Seiichiro Kanno, Masaru Matsushima, Shuichi Nakagawa, Go Miya
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Publication number: 20130327939Abstract: In the case of inspecting samples having different sizes by means of a semiconductor inspecting apparatus, a primary electron beam bends since distribution is disturbed on an equipotential surface at the vicinity of the sample at the time of inspecting vicinities of the sample, and what is called a positional shift is generated. A potential correcting electrode is arranged outside the sample and at a position lower than the sample lower surface, and a potential lower than that of the sample is applied. Furthermore, a voltage to be applied to the potential correcting electrode is controlled corresponding to a distance between the inspecting position and a sample outer end, sample thickness and irradiation conditions of the primary electron beam.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 20, 2013Publication date: December 12, 2013Applicant: HITACHI HIGH-TECHNOLOGIESInventors: Go MIYA, Seiichiro KANNO, Hiroyuki KITSUNAI, Masaru MATSUSHIMA, Toru SHUTO
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Patent number: 8519332Abstract: In the case of inspecting samples having different sizes by means of a semiconductor inspecting apparatus, a primary electron beam bends since distribution is disturbed on an equipotential surface at the vicinity of the sample at the time of inspecting vicinities of the sample, and what is called a positional shift is generated. A potential correcting electrode is arranged outside the sample and at a position lower than the sample lower surface, and a potential lower than that of the sample is applied. Furthermore, a voltage to be applied to the potential correcting electrode is controlled corresponding to a distance between the inspecting position and a sample outer end, sample thickness and irradiation conditions of the primary electron beam.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2012Date of Patent: August 27, 2013Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies CorporationInventors: Go Miya, Seiichiro Kanno, Hiroyuki Kitsunai, Masaru Matsushima, Toru Shuto
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Publication number: 20120261589Abstract: In the case of inspecting samples having different sizes by means of a semiconductor inspecting apparatus, a primary electron beam bends since distribution is disturbed on an equipotential surface at the vicinity of the sample at the time of inspecting vicinities of the sample, and what is called a positional shift is generated. A potential correcting electrode is arranged outside the sample and at a position lower than the sample lower surface, and a potential lower than that of the sample is applied. Furthermore, a voltage to be applied to the potential correcting electrode is controlled corresponding to a distance between the inspecting position and a sample outer end, sample thickness and irradiation conditions of the primary electron beam.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 29, 2012Publication date: October 18, 2012Applicant: HITACHI HIGH-TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATIONInventors: Go MIYA, Seiichiro KANNO, Hiroyuki KITSUNAI, Masaru MATSUSHIMA, Toru SHUTO
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Publication number: 20120256087Abstract: There is provided a technique that is capable of attracting a sample without making the voltage applied to an electrostatic chuck unnecessarily large. Attraction experiments with respect to the electrostatic chuck are performed using a testing sample whose degree of warp and pattern of warp are known, and a critical application voltage at which the attraction state changes from “bad” to “good” is found. When measuring an inspection target sample, the flatness of the inspection target sample is measured, and the degree of warp and pattern of warp of the inspection target sample are detected. Based on the degree of warp and pattern of warp of the inspection target sample and on the known critical application voltage, the application voltage for the electrostatic chuck is set.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 24, 2010Publication date: October 11, 2012Applicant: Hitachi High-Technologies CorporationInventors: Seiichiro Kanno, Hiroyuki Kitsunai, Masaru Matsushima
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Patent number: 8282767Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus including a chamber having an inner wall with a protective film thereon and a sample stage disposed in the chamber in which plasma is generated by supplying high-frequency wave energy to processing gas to conduct plasma processing for a sample on the sample stage using the plasma. The apparatus includes a control device which determines, based on monitor values of a wafer attracting current monitor (Ip) to monitor a current supplied from a wafer attracting power source, an impedance monitor (Zp) to monitor plasma impedance viewed from a plasma generating power source, and an impedance monitor (Zb) to monitor a plasma impedance viewed from a bias power supply, presence or absence of occurrence of an associated one of abnormal discharge in inner parts, deterioration in insulation of an insulating film of a wafer attracting electrode, and abnormal injection in a gas injection plate.Type: GrantFiled: February 22, 2011Date of Patent: October 9, 2012Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies CorporationInventors: Naoshi Itabashi, Tsutomu Tetsuka, Seiichiro Kanno, Motohiko Yoshigai
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Patent number: 8232522Abstract: In the case of inspecting samples having different sizes by means of a semiconductor inspecting apparatus, a primary electron beam bends since distribution is disturbed on an equipotential surface at the vicinity of the sample at the time of inspecting vicinities of the sample, and what is called a positional shift is generated. A potential correcting electrode is arranged outside the sample and at a position lower than the sample lower surface, and a potential lower than that of the sample is applied. Furthermore, a voltage to be applied to the potential correcting electrode is controlled corresponding to a distance between the inspecting position and a sample outer end, sample thickness and irradiation conditions of the primary electron beam.Type: GrantFiled: June 23, 2009Date of Patent: July 31, 2012Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies CorporationInventors: Go Miya, Seiichiro Kanno, Hiroyuki Kitsunai, Masaru Matsushima, Toru Shuto
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Publication number: 20120070066Abstract: The charged particle beam device has a problem that a symmetry of equipotential distribution is disturbed near the outer edge of a specimen, an object being evaluated, causing a charged particle beam to deflect there. An electrode plate installed inside the specimen holding mechanism of electrostatic attraction type is formed of an inner and outer electrode plates arranged concentrically. The outer electrode plate is formed to have an outer diameter larger than that of the specimen. The dimensions of the electrode plates are determined so that an overlapping area of the outer electrode plate and the specimen is substantially equal to an area of the inner electrode plate. The inner electrode plate is impressed with a voltage of a positive polarity with respect to a reference voltage and of an arbitrary magnitude, and the outer electrode is impressed with a voltage of a negative polarity and of an arbitrary magnitude.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 3, 2010Publication date: March 22, 2012Applicant: Hitachi High-Technologies CorporationInventors: Hiroyuki Kitsunai, Seiichiro Kanno, Masaru Matsushima, Shuichi Nakagawa, Go Miya
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Publication number: 20110303844Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide an electron microscope for properly applying a retarding voltage to a sample which is brought into electrical conduction.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 15, 2009Publication date: December 15, 2011Applicant: HITACHI HIGH-TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATIONInventors: Seiichiro Kanno, Hiroyuki Kitsunai, Masaru Matsushima, Toru Shuto, Kazuyuki Ikenaga
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Publication number: 20110139370Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus including a chamber having an inner wall with a protective film thereon and a sample stage disposed in the chamber in which plasma is generated by supplying high-frequency wave energy to processing gas to conduct plasma processing for a sample on the sample stage using the plasma. The apparatus includes a control device which determines, based on monitor values of a wafer attracting current monitor (Ip) to monitor a current supplied from a wafer attracting power source, an impedance monitor (Zp) to monitor plasma impedance viewed from a plasma generating power source, and an impedance monitor (Zb) to monitor a plasma impedance viewed from a bias power supply, presence or absence of occurrence of an associated one of abnormal discharge in inner parts, deterioration in insulation of an insulating film of a wafer attracting electrode, and abnormal injection in a gas injection plate.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 22, 2011Publication date: June 16, 2011Applicant: HITACHI HIGH-TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATIONInventors: Naoshi ITABASHI, Tsutomu Tetsuka, Seiichiro Kanno, Motohiko Yoshigai
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Publication number: 20110095185Abstract: In the case of inspecting samples having different sizes by means of a semiconductor inspecting apparatus, a primary electron beam bends since distribution is disturbed on an equipotential surface at the vicinity of the sample at the time of inspecting vicinities of the sample, and what is called a positional shift is generated. A potential correcting electrode is arranged outside the sample and at a position lower than the sample lower surface, and a potential lower than that of the sample is applied. Furthermore, a voltage to be applied to the potential correcting electrode is controlled corresponding to a distance between the inspecting position and a sample outer end, sample thickness and irradiation conditions of the primary electron beam.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 23, 2009Publication date: April 28, 2011Applicant: HITACHI HIGH-TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATIONInventors: Go Miya, Seiichiro Kanno, Hiroyuki Kitsunai, Masaru Matsushima, Toru Shuto