Patents by Inventor Takamasa Tsubouchi

Takamasa Tsubouchi 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: 9970885
    Abstract: An inspection apparatus and an inspection method capable of performing an inspection more accurately are provided. An inspection apparatus according to the present invention includes a light source 10 that illuminates a sample 30 in which a pattern is formed, a detector 11 that detects light reflected from the sample 30 illuminated by the light source, and a processing device 50 that performs an inspection based on a correlation between a brightness value of a sample image obtained by the detector and a size in a surface shape or a size in a width direction of the pattern of the sample 30. The processing device 50 performs the inspection based on a summation value obtained by adding up brightness values of sample images with weights, the sample images being obtained under a plurality of shooting conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: Lasertec Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroto Nozawa, Kuniaki Takeda, Kenshi Ishiwatari, Takamasa Tsubouchi, Ryoichiro Satoh
  • Publication number: 20150144769
    Abstract: An inspection apparatus and an inspection method capable of performing an inspection more accurately are provided. An inspection apparatus according to the present invention includes a light source 10 that illuminates a sample 30 in which a pattern is formed, a detector 11 that detects light reflected from the sample 30 illuminated by the light source, and a processing device 50 that performs an inspection based on a correlation between a brightness value of a sample image obtained by the detector and a size in a surface shape or a size in a width direction of the pattern of the sample 30. The processing device 50 performs the inspection based on a summation value obtained by adding up brightness values of sample images with weights, the sample images being obtained under a plurality of shooting conditions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2014
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Inventors: Hiroto NOZAWA, Kuniaki TAKEDA, Kenshi ISHIWATARI, Takamasa TSUBOUCHI, Ryoichiro SATOH
  • Patent number: 9013787
    Abstract: A system including a microscope and an inspection apparatus in which an objective lens having a large numerical aperture is used for detecting a defect existing inside a sample. A light source apparatus produces linearly polarized light. The polarization maintaining fibers optically coupled to the light source apparatus project the linearly polarized light onto the sample surface as an illumination beam of P-polarized light at an incidence angle substantially equal to the Brewster's angle of the sample. The scattered light generated by the defect existing in the sample is emitted from the sample and is collected by the objective lens whose optical axis is perpendicular to the sample surface. Since the illumination beam of P-polarized light is projected at the incidence angle equal to the Brewster's angle of the sample, no surface reflection occurs and it is possible to use the objective lens having a large numerical aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Lasertec Corporation
    Inventors: Haruhiko Kusunose, Takamasa Tsubouchi