Patents by Inventor Tohru Satake

Tohru Satake 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: 7256405
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a sample repairing apparatus, a sample repairing method and a device manufacturing method using the same method, which can reduce an edge roughness in a repaired pattern and also can provide the repairing of a sample by applying an electron beam-assisted etching or an electron beam-assisted deposition. There is provided a sample repairing method comprising: (a) a step of focusing an electron beam by an objective lens to irradiate a sample: (b) a step of supplying a reactive gas onto an electron beam irradiated surface of said sample: (c) a step of selectively scanning a pattern to be repaired on said sample with the electron beam so as to repair said pattern by applying an etching or a deposition; and (d) a step of providing a continuous exhausting operation by means of a differential exhaust system arranged in said objective lens so as to prevent the reactive gas supplied onto said electron beam irradiated surface from flowing toward an electron gun side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: Ebara Corporation
    Inventors: Mamoru Nakasuji, Takao Kato, Tohru Satake, Kenji Terao, Takeshi Murakami, Nobuharu Noji
  • Patent number: 7247848
    Abstract: The present invention provides an electron beam apparatus for evaluating a sample surface, which has a primary electro-optical system for irradiating a sample with a primary electron beam, a detecting system, and a secondary electro-optical system for directing secondary electron beams emitted from the sample surface by the irradiation of the primary electron beam to the detecting system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2007
    Assignee: Ebara Corporation
    Inventors: Mamoru Nakasuji, Tohru Satake, Kenji Watanabe, Takeshi Murakami, Nobuharu Noji, Hirosi Sobukawa, Tsutomu Karimata, Shoji Yoshikawa, Toshifumi Kimba, Shin Oowada, Mutsumi Saito, Muneki Hamashima, Toru Takagi, Naoto Kihara, Hiroshi Nishimura
  • Patent number: 7248353
    Abstract: A method for alignment of a chip in a substrate surface inspection is provided, in which a surface of a substrate including a chip formed therein is inspected by using a beam. The method is characterized in comprising: a step of placing the substrate so that the chip is positioned within a field of view subject to the inspection; a step of measuring a magnification for the detection when the chip is positioned within the field of view subject to the inspection; a step of calculating a size of position error of the chip based on the measured magnification for the detection; and a step of compensating for the position of the chip based on the calculated position error.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2007
    Assignee: Ebara Corporation
    Inventors: Toshifumi Kimba, Mamoru Nakasuji, Tohru Satake
  • Publication number: 20070164226
    Abstract: An electron beam apparatus including an electron gun for directing a plurality of primary electron beams onto a sample, an objective lens for forming an electric filed to accelerate a plurality of secondary electron beams emitted from the sample, and a separator for separating the plurality of secondary electron beams from a primary optical system and for directing the plurality of secondary electron beams into a secondary optical system for guiding to a detector outputting a detection signal of the secondary electron beams. A deflector deflects the secondary electron beams in the secondary optical system. The deflector is controlled to deflect the plurality of secondary electron beams synchronously with scanning of the plurality of primary electron beams, thereby preventing the plurality of secondary electron beams from moving on the detector in response to the scanning of the plurality of primary electron beams.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2007
    Publication date: July 19, 2007
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Muneki Hamashima, Takao Kato, Mamoru Nakasuji, Nobuharu Noji, Tohru Satake
  • Patent number: 7244933
    Abstract: Provided is an electron beam apparatus in which an electron beam emitted from an electron gun is separated by a plurality of apertures, images of said apertures are reduced in more than two stages to form multi-beams on a sample surface and to scan said sample thereby, and secondary electrons from said sample are passed through an objective lens, where distances between said secondary electrons are extended, further through an E×B separator, where said secondary electrons are separated from the primary beam, and finally onto secondary electron detectors, where said secondary electrons are detected, wherein a lens defined in the second step for reducing said image of the aperture is composed of two stage lens and an enlarged image of the secondary electron is formed on a position between a first and a second lenses of said two stage lens, thereby reducing an aberration of the optical system for detecting the secondary electrons and allowing as many multi-beams as possible to be formed in the vicinity of a sing
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2007
    Assignee: Ebara Corporation
    Inventors: Mamoru Nakasuji, Takao Kato, Toshifumi Kimba, Tohru Satake
  • Patent number: 7244932
    Abstract: The purpose of the invention is to provide an improved electron beam apparatus with improvements in throughput, accuracy, etc. One of the characterizing features of the electron beam apparatus of the present invention is that it has a plurality of optical systems, each of which comprises a primary electron optical system for scanning and irradiating a sample with a plurality of primary electron beams; a detector device for detecting a plurality of secondary beams emitted by irradiating the sample with the primary electron beams; and a secondary electron optical system for guiding the secondary electron beams from the sample to the detector device; all configured so that the plurality of optical systems scan different regions of the sample with their primary electron beams, and detect the respective secondary electron beams emitted from each of the respective regions. This is what makes higher throughput possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2007
    Assignee: Ebara Corporation
    Inventors: Mamoru Nakasuji, Tohru Satake, Nobuharu Noji, Hirosi Sobukawa, Tsutomu Karimata, Shoji Yoshikawa, Toshifumi Kimba, Shin Oowada, Mutsumi Saito, Muneki Hamashima, Yoshiaki Kohama, Yukiharu Okubo
  • Publication number: 20070158565
    Abstract: An electron beam apparatus is provided for reliably measuring a potential contrast and the like at a high throughput in a simple structure. The electron beam apparatus for irradiating a sample, such as a wafer, formed with a pattern with an electron beam to evaluate the sample comprises an electron-optical column for accommodating an electron beam source, an objective lens, an E×B separator, and a secondary electron beam detector; a stage for holding the sample, and relatively moving the sample with respect to the electron-optical column; a working chamber for accommodating the stage and capable of controlling the interior thereof in a vacuum atmosphere; a loader for supplying a sample to the stage; a voltage applying mechanism for applying a voltage to the sample, and capable of applying at least two voltages to a lower electrode of the objective lens; and an alignment mechanism for measuring a direction in which dies are arranged on the sample.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2007
    Publication date: July 12, 2007
    Applicant: EBARA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mamoru Nakasuji, Takao Kato, Kenji Watanabe, Shoji Yoshikawa, Tohru Satake, Nobuharu Noji
  • Patent number: 7241993
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2007
    Assignees: Ebara Corporation, Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: 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
  • Patent number: 7235799
    Abstract: An electron beam apparatus having a longer life time of cathode, and allowing a plurality of electron beams to be arranged adequately around an optical axis and five or more electron beams to be formed from a single electron gun. The electron beams emitted from a cathode made of ZrO/W (tungsten zirconium oxide) or a cathode made of carbide of transition metal to the off-optical axis directions may be converged on a sample to scan it. The apparatus includes a plate for reducing a vacuum conductance defined between the electron gun chamber side and the sample side, and apertures are formed through the plate at locations offset from the optical axis allowing for the passage of the electron beams. In order to evaluate a pattern on the sample, the electron beam emitted from the electron gun is incident to the sample surface via an objective lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2007
    Assignee: EBARA Corporation
    Inventors: Mamoru Nakasuji, Tohru Satake, Takao Kato, Nobuharu Noji
  • Patent number: 7227141
    Abstract: An electron beam apparatus is provided in which a sample is scanned with a plurality of primary electron beams respectively emitted from a plurality of electron guns. Each of the electron guns comprises a mechanism for adjusting a relative position between a cathode and anode. The adjusting mechanism of each of the electron guns comprises an insulator for supporting the cathode and a plurality of piezo elements for supporting the insulator. The piezo element varies its length in response to a voltage applied thereto. Therefore, the position of the cathode is adjustable relative to the anode position, by controlling voltages applied to the piezo elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2007
    Assignee: Ebara Corporation
    Inventors: Mamoru Nakasuji, Takao Kato, Tohru Satake, Nobuharu Noji
  • Patent number: 7223973
    Abstract: A substrate inspection apparatus 1-1 (FIG.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2007
    Assignee: Ebara Corporation
    Inventors: Toshifumi Kimba, Tohru Satake, Tsutomu Karimata, Kenji Watanabe, Nobuharu Noji, Takeshi Murakami, Masahiro Hatakeyama, Mamoru Nakasuji, Hirosi Sobukawa, Shoji Yoshikawa, Shin Oowada, Mutsumi Saito
  • Patent number: 7220604
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for enabling repair of a defect in a substrate, particularly the invention provides a method and apparatus for enabling repair of a pattern shape in a semiconductor device, which has not been able to be practiced because of lack of a suitable method, and further provides a method for manufacturing the semiconductor device using those. A method for repairing the pattern shape of a substrate having an imperfect pattern is used, which includes (a) a step for inspecting the substrate and thus detecting the imperfect pattern, and (b) a step for repairing the pattern shape by performing etching or deposition to the detected imperfect-pattern using radiation rays. Moreover, apparatus for repairing a pattern shape of a via-hole in a wafer having an imperfect via-hole is used, which has a defect inspection section for detecting the imperfect via-hole, and an etching section for etching the imperfect via-hole using a fast atom beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2007
    Assignee: Ebara Corporation
    Inventors: Tohru Satake, Nobuharu Noji, Masahiro Hatakeyama, Kenji Watanabe
  • Patent number: 7212017
    Abstract: Provided is a sample observing method allowing for a detailed observation of a sample by using one and the same electron beam apparatus. The method uses an electron beam apparatus 1 comprising a primary optical system 10 serving for irradiating the electron beam onto the sample surface and a secondary optical system 30 serving for detecting secondary electrons emanating from said sample surface to form an image of the sample surface. The inspection is carried out on the sample surface, S, by irradiating the electron beam to the sample surface, and after the extraction of a defective region in the sample based on the inspection, the extracted defective region is once again applied with the irradiation of the electron beam so as to provide a magnification or a detailed observation of the defective region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignees: Ebara Corporation, Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Kenji Watanabe, Tohru Satake, Nobuharu Noji, Takeshi Murakami, Tsutomu Karimata, Yuichiro Yamazaki, Ichirota Nagahama, Atsushi Onishi
  • Patent number: 7205559
    Abstract: An electron beam apparatus including an electron gun for directing a plurality of primary electron beams onto a sample, an objective lens for forming an electric field to accelerate a plurality of secondary electron beams emitted from the sample, and a separator for separating the plurality of secondary electron beams from a primary optical system and for directing the plurality of secondary electron beams into a secondary optical system for guiding to a detector outputting a detection signal of the secondary electron beams. A deflector deflects the secondary electron beams in the secondary optical system. The deflector is controlled to deflect the plurality of secondary electron beams synchronously with scanning of the plurality of primary electron beams, thereby preventing the plurality of secondary electron beams from moving on the detector in response to the scanning of the plurality of primary electron beams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2007
    Assignee: Ebara Corporation
    Inventors: Muneki Hamashima, Takao Kato, Mamoru Nakasuji, Nobuharu Noji, Tohru Satake
  • Patent number: 7205540
    Abstract: An electron beam apparatus is provided for reliably measuring a potential contrast and the like at a high throughput in a simple structure. The electron beam apparatus for irradiating a sample, such as a wafer, formed with a pattern with an electron beam to evaluate the sample comprises an electron-optical column for accommodating an electron beam source, an objective lens, an E×B separator, and a secondary electron beam detector; a stage for holding the sample, and relatively moving the sample with respect to the electron-optical column; a working chamber for accommodating the stage and capable of controlling the interior thereof in a vacuum atmosphere; a loader for supplying a sample to the stage; a voltage applying mechanism for applying a voltage to the sample, and capable of applying at least two voltages to a lower electrode of the objective lens; and an alignment mechanism for measuring a direction in which dies are arranged on the sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2007
    Assignee: Ebara Corporation
    Inventors: Mamoru Nakasuji, Takao Kato, Kenji Watanabe, Shoji Yoshikawa, Tohru Satake, Nobuharu Noji
  • Publication number: 20070057186
    Abstract: An inspection apparatus and a semiconductor device manufacturing method using the same. The inspection apparatus is used for defect inspection, line width measurement, surface potential measurement or the like of a sample such as a wafer. In the inspection apparatus, a plurality of charged particles is delivered from a primary optical system to the sample, and secondary charged particles emitted from the sample are separated from the primary optical system and introduced through a secondary optical system to a detector. Irradiation of the charged particles is conducted while moving the sample. Irradiation spots of the charged particles are arranged by N rows along a moving direction of the sample and by M columns along a direction perpendicular thereto. Every row of the irradiation spots of the charged particles is shifted successively by a predetermined amount in a direction perpendicular to the moving direction of the sample.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2006
    Publication date: March 15, 2007
    Applicant: EBARA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mamoru Nakasuji, Nobuharu Noji, Tohru Satake, Toshifumi Kimba, Hirosi Sobukawa, Shoji Yoshikawa, Tsutomu Karimata, Shin Oowada, Mutsumi Saito, Muneki Hamashima, Toru Takagi
  • Publication number: 20070045536
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a substrate inspection apparatus for inspecting a pattern formed on a substrate by irradiating a charged particle beam onto the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2006
    Publication date: March 1, 2007
    Applicant: EBARA Corporation
    Inventors: Mamoru Nakasuji, Nobuharu Noji, Tohru Satake, Toshifumi Kimba, Masahiro Hatakeyama, Kenji Watanabe, Hirosi Sobukawa, Tsutomu Karimata, Shoji Yoshikawa, Shin Oowada, Mutsumi Saito, Muneki Hamashima
  • Patent number: 7176459
    Abstract: An electron beam apparatus is provided for evaluating a sample at a high throughput and a high S/N ratio. As an electron beam emitted from an electron gun is irradiated to a sample placed on an X-Y-? stage through an electrostatic lens, an objective lens and the like, secondary electrons or reflected electrons are emitted from the sample. The primary electron beam is incident at an incident angle set at approximately 35° or more by controlling a deflector. Electrons emitted from the sample is guided in the vertical direction, and focused on a detector. The detector is made up of an MCP, a fluorescent plate, a relay lens, and a TDI (or CCD). An electric signal from the TDI is supplied to a personal computer for image processing to generate a two-dimensional image of the sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Assignee: Ebara Corporation
    Inventors: Kenji Watanabe, Tohru Satake, Mamoru Nakasuji, Takeshi Murakami, Tsutomu Karimata, Nobuharu Noji, Keiichi Tohyama, Masahiro Hatakeyama
  • Publication number: 20070018101
    Abstract: The present invention provides an electron beam apparatus for irradiating a sample with primary electron beams to detect secondary electron beams generated from a surface of the sample by the irradiation for evaluating the sample surface. In the electron beam apparatus, an electron gun has a cathode for emitting primary electron beams. The cathode includes a plurality of emitters for emitting primary electron beams, arranged apart from one another on a circle centered at an optical axis of a primary electro-optical system. The plurality of emitters are arranged such that when the plurality of emitters are projected onto a straight line parallel with a direction in which the primary electron beams are scanned, resulting points on the straight line are spaced at equal intervals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2006
    Publication date: January 25, 2007
    Applicant: EBARA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mamoru Nakasuji, Nobuhara Noji, Tohru Satake, Masahiro Hatakeyama, Kenji Watanabe, Takao Kato, Hirosi Sobukawa, Tsutomu Karimata, Shoji Yoshikawa, Toshifumi Kimba, Shin Oowada, Mutsumi Saito, Muneki Hamashima
  • Patent number: 7157703
    Abstract: Provided is an electron beam system, in which an electron beam emitted from an electron gun is irradiated to a stencil mask, and the electron beam that has passed through the stencil mask is magnified by an electron lens and then detected by a detector having a plurality of pixels so as to form an image of the sample. Further provided is an electron beam system, in which a primary electron beam emitted from an electron gun is directed to a sample surface of a sample prepared as a subject to be inspected, and an electron image formed by a secondary electron beam emanated from the sample is magnified and detected, wherein an NA aperture is disposed in a path common to both of the primary electron beam and the secondary electron beam. An electron lens is disposed in the vicinity of a sample surface, and in this arrangement, a crossover produced by the electron gun, the electron lens and the NA aperture may be in conjugate relationships relative to each other with respect to the primary electron beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2007
    Assignee: Ebara Corporation
    Inventors: Mamoru Nakasuji, Tohru Satake, Nobuharu Noji, Shoji Yoshikawa, Takeshi Murakami