Patents by Inventor Shoji Yoshikawa
Shoji Yoshikawa 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: 20140367570Abstract: There is provided a substrate inspection method. The method includes: maintaining a vacuum in said inspection chamber; isolating said inspection chamber from a vibration; positioning the substrate on a stage in the inspection chamber; selecting an evaluation parameter according to a kind of said processing apparatus; and determining inspection regions of the substrate so that an inspection time required per a lot of the substrate is equal to a processing time spent for said processing step required per a lot of the substrate. The method also includes radiating a primary electron beam from an electron gun; deflecting the primary electron beam with an E*B unit; irradiating said inspection regions of the substrate with the deflected primary electron beam; and projecting secondary electrons emitted from said substrate through the E*B unit onto a detector with a secondary optical system.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 8, 2014Publication date: December 18, 2014Applicant: EBARA CORPORATIONInventors: Toshifumi Kimba, Tohru Satake, Tsutomu Karimata, Kenji Watanabe, Nobuharu Noji, Takeshi Murakami, Masahiro Hatakeyama, Mamoru Nakasuji, Hirosi Sobukawa, Shoji Yoshikawa, Shin Oowada, Mutsumi Saito
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Patent number: 8884225Abstract: An electron beam inspection device observes a sample by irradiating the sample set on a stage with electron beams and detecting the electron beams from the sample. The electron beam inspection device has one electron column which irradiates the sample with the electron beams, and detects the electron beams from the sample. In this one electron column, a plurality of electron beam irradiation detecting systems are formed which each form electron beam paths in which the electron beams with which the sample is irradiated and the electron beams from the sample pass. The electron beam inspection device inspects the sample by simultaneously using a plurality of electron beam irradiation detecting systems and simultaneously irradiating the sample with the plurality of electron beams.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 2012Date of Patent: November 11, 2014Assignee: Ebara CorporationInventors: Tsutomu Karimata, Tatsuya Kohama, Shoji Yoshikawa, Masahiro Hatakeyama
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Publication number: 20140319346Abstract: An inspection apparatus by an electron beam comprises: an electron-optical device 70 having an electron-optical system for irradiating the object with a primary electron beam from an electron beam source, and a detector for detecting the secondary electron image projected by the electron-optical systems; a stage system 50 for holding and moving the object relative to the electron-optical system; a mini-environment chamber 20 for supplying a clean gas to the object to prevent dust from contacting the object; a working chamber 31 for accommodating the stage device, the working chamber being controllable so as to have a vacuum atmosphere; at least two loading chambers 41, 42 disposed between the mini-environment chamber and the working chamber, adapted to be independently controllable so as to have a vacuum atmosphere; and a loader 60 for transferring the object to the stage system through the loading chambers.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 30, 2014Publication date: October 30, 2014Applicant: EBARA CORPORATIONInventors: Mamoru Nakasuji, Nobuharu Noji, Tohru Satake, Masahiro Hatakeyama, Toshifumi Kimba, Hirosi Sobukawa, Shoji Yoshikawa, Takeshi Murakami, Kenji Watanabe, Tsutomu Karimata, Shin Oowada, Mutsumi Saito, Yuichiro Yamazaki, Takamitsu Nagai, Ichirota Nagahama
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Publication number: 20140319345Abstract: An inspection apparatus includes: beam generation means for generating any of charged particles and electromagnetic waves as a beam; a primary optical system that guides the beam into an inspection object held in a working chamber and irradiates the inspection object with the beam; a secondary optical system that detects secondary charged particles occurring from the inspection object; and an image processing system that forms an image on the basis of the detected secondary charged particles. The primary optical system includes a photoelectron generator having a photoelectronic surface. The base material of the photoelectronic surface is made of material having a higher thermal conductivity than the thermal conductivity of quartz.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 22, 2014Publication date: October 30, 2014Applicant: EBARA CORPORATIONInventors: Masahiro HATAKEYAMA, Yasushi TOMA, Shoji YOSHIKAWA, Kiwamu TSUKAMOTO
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Publication number: 20140312227Abstract: An inspection apparatus capable of facilitating reduction in cost of the apparatus is provided. The inspection apparatus includes: beam generation means for generating any of charged particles and electromagnetic waves as a beam; a primary optical system that guides the beam into an inspection object held on a movable stage in a working chamber and irradiates the inspection object with the beam; a secondary optical system that detects secondary charged particles occurring from the inspection object; and an image processing system that forms an image on the basis of the detected secondary charged particles. The inspection apparatus further includes: a linear motor that drives the movable stage; and a Helmholtz coil that causes a magnetic field for canceling a magnetic field caused by the linear motor when the movable stage is driven.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 21, 2014Publication date: October 23, 2014Applicant: EBARA CORPORATIONInventors: Shoji YOSHIKAWA, Kiwamu TSUKAMOTO
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Publication number: 20140291515Abstract: An inspection system includes a primary optical system configured to irradiate a charged particle or an electromagnetic wave as a beam, a movable unit configured to hold an inspection target and move the target through a position where the beam is irradiated, and a TDI sensor configured to integrate an amount of secondary charged particles in a predetermined direction to sequentially transfer the integrated amount. The secondary charged particles are obtained by irradiating the beam onto the target while moving the movable unit in the predetermined direction. The inspection system further includes a prevention module configured to prevent an arrival of the beam at the target side or an arrival of the secondary charged particles at the TDI sensor during a time period from one transfer to the following transfer after the elapse of a predetermined length of time from the one transfer and until the following transfer.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 20, 2014Publication date: October 2, 2014Inventors: Ryo TAJIMA, Kenichi SUEMATSU, Shoji YOSHIKAWA
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Patent number: 8822919Abstract: A substrate inspection apparatus 1-1 (FIG.Type: GrantFiled: January 6, 2011Date of Patent: September 2, 2014Assignee: Ebara CorporationInventors: Toshifumi Kimba, Tohru Satake, Tsutomu Karimata, Kenji Watanabe, Nobuharu Noji, Takeshi Murakami, Masahiro Hatakeyama, Mamoru Nakasuji, Hirosi Sobukawa, Shoji Yoshikawa, Shin Oowada, Mutsumi Saito
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Patent number: 8803103Abstract: An inspection apparatus by an electron beam comprises: an electron-optical device 70 having an electron-optical system for irradiating the object with a primary electron beam from an electron beam source, and a detector for detecting the secondary electron image projected by the electron-optical system; a stage system 50 for holding and moving the object relative to the electron-optical system; a mini-environment chamber 20 for supplying a clean gas to the object to prevent dust from contacting to the object; a working chamber 31 for accommodating the stage device, the working chamber being controllable so as to have a vacuum atmosphere; at least two loading chambers 41, 42 disposed between the mini-environment chamber and the working chamber, adapted to be independently controllable so as to have a vacuum atmosphere; and a loader 60 for transferring the object to the stage system through the loading chambers.Type: GrantFiled: January 2, 2013Date of Patent: August 12, 2014Assignees: Ebara Corporation, Kabushiki Kaisha ToshibaInventors: Mamoru Nakasuji, Nobuharu Noji, Tohru Satake, Masahiro Hatakeyama, Toshifumi Kimba, Hirosi Sobukawa, Shoji Yoshikawa, Takeshi Murakami, Kenji Watanabe, Tsutomu Karimata, Shin Oowada, Mutsumi Saito, Yuichiro Yamazaki, Takamitsu Nagai, Ichirota Nagahama
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Patent number: 8796621Abstract: An inspecting apparatus for reducing a time loss associated with a work for changing a detector is characterized by comprising a plurality of detectors 11, 12for receiving an electron beam emitted from a sample W to capture image data representative of the sample W, and a switching mechanism M for causing the electron beam to be incident on one of the plurality of detectors 11, 12, where the plurality of detectors 11, 12 are disposed in the same chamber MC. The plurality of detectors 11, 12 can be an arbitrary combination of a detector comprising an electron sensor for converting an electron beam into an electric signal with a detector comprising an optical sensor for converting an electron beam into light and converting the light into an electric signal. The switching mechanism M may be a mechanical moving mechanism or an electron beam deflector.Type: GrantFiled: March 29, 2013Date of Patent: August 5, 2014Assignee: Ebara CorporationInventors: Masahiro Hatakeyama, Shoji Yoshikawa, Kenichi Suematsu, Tsutomu Karimata, Nobuharu Noji
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Publication number: 20140158885Abstract: A system for further enhancing speed, i.e. improving throughput in a SEM-type inspection apparatus is provided. An inspection apparatus for inspecting a surface of a substrate produces a crossover from electrons emitted from an electron beam source 25•1, then forms an image under a desired magnification in the direction of a sample W to produce a crossover. When the crossover is passed, electrons as noises are removed from the crossover with an aperture, an adjustment is made so that the crossover becomes a parallel electron beam to irradiate the substrate in a desired sectional form. The electron beam is produced such that the unevenness of illuminance is 10% or less. Electrons emitted from the sample W are detected by a detector 25•11.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 15, 2014Publication date: June 12, 2014Applicant: EBARA CORPORATIONInventors: Nobuharu Noji, Tohru Satake, Hirosi Sobukawa, Toshifumi Kimba, Masahiro Hatakeyama, Shoji Yoshikawa, Takeshi Murakami, Kenji Watanabe, Tsutomu Karimata, Kenichi Suematsu, Yutaka Tabe, Ryo Tajima, Keiichi Tohyama
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Patent number: 8742344Abstract: An inspection apparatus includes: beam generation means for generating any of charged particles and electromagnetic waves as a beam; a primary optical system that guides the beam into an inspection object held in a working chamber and irradiates the inspection object with the beam; a secondary optical system that detects secondary charged particles occurring from the inspection object; and an image processing system that forms an image on the basis of the detected secondary charged particles. The primary optical system includes a photoelectron generator having a photoelectronic surface. The base material of the photoelectronic surface is made of material having a higher thermal conductivity than the thermal conductivity of quartz. A central portion of the inspection object is provided with a central flat portion 390. The periphery of the central flat portion 390 is provided with peripheral flat portion 392 via a step 391. The periphery of the step 391 is provided with an electric field correction plate 400.Type: GrantFiled: September 13, 2013Date of Patent: June 3, 2014Assignee: Ebara CorporationInventors: Masahiro Hatakeyama, Yasushi Toma, Shoji Yoshikawa, Kiwamu Tsukamoto
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Patent number: 8742341Abstract: A system for further enhancing speed, i.e. improving throughput in a SEM-type inspection apparatus is provided. An inspection apparatus for inspecting a surface of a substrate produces a crossover from electrons emitted from an electron beam source 25•1, then forms an image under a desired magnification in the direction of a sample W to produce a crossover. When the crossover is passed, electrons as noises are removed from the crossover with an aperture, an adjustment is made so that the crossover becomes a parallel electron beam to irradiate the substrate in a desired sectional form. The electron beam is produced such that the unevenness of illuminance is 10% or less. Electrons emitted from the sample W are detected by a detector 25•11.Type: GrantFiled: May 27, 2010Date of Patent: June 3, 2014Assignee: Ebara CorporationInventors: Nobuharu Noji, Tohru Satake, Hirosi Sobukawa, Toshifumi Kimba, Masahiro Hatakeyama, Shoji Yoshikawa, Takeshi Murakami, Kenji Watanabe, Tsutomu Karimata, Kenichi Suematsu, Yutaka Tabe, Ryo Tajima, Keiichi Tohyama
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Publication number: 20140077078Abstract: An inspection apparatus includes: beam generation means for generating any of charged particles and electromagnetic waves as a beam; a primary optical system that guides the beam into an inspection object held in a working chamber and irradiates the inspection object with the beam; a secondary optical system that detects secondary charged particles occurring from the inspection object; and an image processing system that forms an image on the basis of the detected secondary charged particles. The primary optical system includes a photoelectron generator having a photoelectronic surface. The base material of the photoelectronic surface is made of material having a higher thermal conductivity than the thermal conductivity of quartz.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 13, 2013Publication date: March 20, 2014Inventors: Masahiro HATAKEYAMA, Yasushi TOMA, Shoji YOSHIKAWA, Kiwamu TSUKAMOTO
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Publication number: 20140014848Abstract: An inspection device for inspecting a surface of an inspection object using a beam includes a beam generator capable of generating one of either charge particles or an electromagnetic wave as a beam, a primary optical system capable of guiding and irradiating the beam to the inspection object supported within a working chamber, a secondary optical system capable of including a first movable numerical aperture and a first detector which detects secondary charge particles generated from the inspection object, the secondary charge particles passing through the first movable numerical aperture, an image processing system capable of forming an image based on the secondary charge particles detected by the first detector; and a second detector arranged between the first movable numerical aperture and the first detector and which detects a location and shape at a cross over location of the secondary charge particles generated from the inspection object.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 19, 2013Publication date: January 16, 2014Applicant: EBARA CORPORATIONInventors: Masahiro Hatakeyama, Shoji Yoshikawa, Takeshi Murakami, Kenji Watanabe, Yoshihiko Naito, Yasushi Toma, Tsutomu Karimata, Takehide Hayashi, Kiwamu Tsukamoto, Tatsuya Kohama, Noboru Kobayashi
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Publication number: 20130228684Abstract: An inspecting apparatus for reducing a time loss associated with a work for changing a detector is characterized by comprising a plurality of detectors 11, 12 for receiving an electron beam emitted from a sample W to capture image data representative of the sample W, and a switching mechanism M for causing the electron beam to be incident on one of the plurality of detectors 11, 12, where the plurality of detectors 11, 12 are disposed in the same chamber MC. The plurality of detectors 11, 12 can be an arbitrary combination of a detector comprising an electron sensor for converting an electron beam into an electric signal with a detector comprising an optical sensor for converting an electron beam into light and converting the light into an electric signal. The switching mechanism M may be a mechanical moving mechanism or an electron beam deflector.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 29, 2013Publication date: September 5, 2013Applicant: EBARA CORPORATIONInventors: Masahiro Hatakeyama, Shoji Yoshikawa, Kenichi Suematsu, Tsutomu Karimata, Nobuharu Noji
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Patent number: 8497476Abstract: An inspection device for inspecting a surface of an inspection object using a beam includes a beam generator capable of generating one of either charge particles or an electromagnetic wave as a beam, a primary optical system capable of guiding and irradiating the beam to the inspection object supported within a working chamber, a secondary optical system capable of including a first movable numerical aperture and a first detector which detects secondary charge particles generated from the inspection object, the secondary charge particles passing through the first movable numerical aperture, an image processing system capable of forming an image based on the secondary charge particles detected by the first detector; and a second detector arranged between the first movable numerical aperture and the first detector and which detects a location and shape at a cross over location of the secondary charge particles generated from the inspection object.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2012Date of Patent: July 30, 2013Assignee: Ebara CorporationInventors: Masahiro Hatakeyama, Shoji Yoshikawa, Takeshi Murakami, Kenji Watanabe, Yoshihiko Naito, Yasushi Toma, Tsutomu Karimata, Takehide Hayashi, Kiwamu Tsukamoto, Tatsuya Kohama, Noboru Kobayashi
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Patent number: 8431892Abstract: An inspecting apparatus for reducing a time loss associated with a work for changing a detector is characterized by comprising a plurality of detectors 11, 12 for receiving an electron beam emitted from a sample W to capture image data representative of the sample W, and a switching mechanism M for causing the electron beam to be incident on one of the plurality of detectors 11, 12, where the plurality of detectors 11, 12 are disposed in the same chamber MC. The plurality of detectors 11, 12 can be an arbitrary combination of a detector comprising an electron sensor for converting an electron beam into an electric signal with a detector comprising an optical sensor for converting an electron beam into light and converting the light into an electric signal. The switching mechanism M may be a mechanical moving mechanism or an electron beam deflector.Type: GrantFiled: October 6, 2010Date of Patent: April 30, 2013Assignee: Ebara CorporationInventors: Masahiro Hatakeyama, Shoji Yoshikawa, Kenichi Suematsu, Tsutomu Karimata, Nobuharu Noji
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Patent number: 8368031Abstract: An inspection apparatus by an electron beam comprises: an electron-optical device 70 having an electron-optical system for irradiating the object with a primary electron beam from an electron beam source, and a detector for detecting the secondary electron image projected by the electron-optical system; a stage system 50 for holding and moving the object relative to the electron-optical system; a mini-environment chamber 20 for supplying a clean gas to the object to prevent dust from contacting to the object; a working chamber 31 for accommodating the stage device, the working chamber being controllable so as to have a vacuum atmosphere; at least two loading chambers 41, 42 disposed between the mini-environment chamber and the working chamber, adapted to be independently controllable so as to have a vacuum atmosphere; and a loader 60 for transferring the object to the stage system through the loading chambers.Type: GrantFiled: September 23, 2011Date of Patent: February 5, 2013Assignees: Ebara Corporation, Kabushiki Kaisha ToshibaInventors: Mamoru Nakasuji, Nobuharu Noji, Tohru Satake, Masahiro Hatakeyama, Toshifumi Kimba, Hirosi Sobukawa, Shoji Yoshikawa, Takeshi Murakami, Kenji Watanabe, Tsutomu Karimata, Shin Oowada, Mutsumi Saito, Yuichiro Yamazaki, Takamitsu Nagai, Ichirota Nagahama
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Publication number: 20120235036Abstract: An inspection device for inspecting a surface of an inspection object using a beam includes a beam generator capable of generating one of either charge particles or an electromagnetic wave as a beam, a primary optical system capable of guiding and irradiating the beam to the inspection object supported within a working chamber, a secondary optical system capable of including a first movable numerical aperture and a first detector which detects secondary charge particles generated from the inspection object, the secondary charge particles passing through the first movable numerical aperture, an image processing system capable of forming an image based on the secondary charge particles detected by the first detector; and a second detector arranged between the first movable numerical aperture and the first detector and which detects a location and shape at a cross over location of the secondary charge particles generated from the inspection object.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 15, 2012Publication date: September 20, 2012Applicant: EBARA CORPORATIONInventors: Masahiro Hatakeyama, Shoji Yoshikawa, Takeshi Murakami, Kenji Watanabe, Yoshihiko Naito, Yasushi Toma, Tsutomu Karimata, Takehide Hayashi, Kiwamu Tsukamoto, Tatsuya Kohama, Noboru Kobayashi
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Publication number: 20120032079Abstract: An inspection apparatus by an electron beam comprises: an electron-optical device 70 having an electron-optical system for irradiating the object with a primary electron beam from an electron beam source, and a detector for detecting the secondary electron image projected by the electron-optical system; a stage system 50 for holding and moving the object relative to the electron-optical system; a mini-environment chamber 20 for supplying a clean gas to the object to prevent dust from contacting to the object; a working chamber 31 for accommodating the stage device, the working chamber being controllable so as to have a vacuum atmosphere; at least two loading chambers 41, 42 disposed between the mini-environment chamber and the working chamber, adapted to be independently controllable so as to have a vacuum atmosphere; and a loader 60 for transferring the object to the stage system through the loading chambers.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 23, 2011Publication date: February 9, 2012Applicants: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, EBARA CORPORATIONInventors: Mamoru Nakasuji, Nobuharu Noji, Tohru Satake, Masahiro Hatakeyama, Toshifumi Kimba, Hirosi Sobukawa, Shoji Yoshikawa, Takeshi Murakami, Kenji Watanabe, Tsutomu Karimata, Shin Oowada, Mutsumi Saito, Yuichiro Yamazaki, Takamitsu Nagai, Ichirota Nagahama