With Detector Patents (Class 250/397)
  • Patent number: 9236154
    Abstract: A charged-particle beam drawing method includes: storing a plurality of time interval patterns defining time intervals for performing a diagnosis of a drift amount of charged-particle beam; drawing a predetermined drawing pattern on a sample by irradiating the beam on the sample; receiving first event information including occurrence of event and type of event; acquiring region information specifying a region being drawn by the beam; selecting a specific time interval pattern from the plurality of time interval patterns based on the type of the event of the first event information and the region information; diagnosing the drift amount of the beam based on the specific time interval pattern, until second event information is received, the second event information includes occurrence of event and type of event; and drawing a predetermined drawing pattern on the sample while performing a drift correction of the charged-particle beam, based on the diagnosing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: NUFLARE TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Sumito Nakada, Osamu Iizuka, Hikaru Yamamura
  • Patent number: 9218933
    Abstract: An inspection system for scanning cargo and vehicles is described which employs an X-ray source that includes an electron beam generator, for generating an electron beam; an accelerator for accelerating said electron beam in a first direction; and, a first set of magnetic elements for transporting said electron beam into a magnetic field created by a second set of magnetic elements, wherein the magnetic field created by said second set of magnetic elements causes said electron beam to strike a target such that the target substantially only generates X-rays focused toward a high density section in the scanned object, which is estimated in a second pulse using image data captured by a detector array in a first pulse. The electron beam direction is optimized by said X-ray source during said second pulse to focus X-rays towards said high density section based on said image data in said first pulse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: Rapidscan Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Willem Gerhardus Johannes Langeveld, Joseph Bendahan, Tsahi Gozani, Michael King, Dan Strellis, Edward Franco, Krystal R. Alfonso
  • Patent number: 9218938
    Abstract: A beam monitoring device, method, and system is disclosed. An exemplary beam monitoring device includes a one dimensional (1D) profiler. The 1D profiler includes a Faraday having an insulation material and a conductive material. The beam monitoring device further includes a two dimensional (2D) profiler. The 2D profiler includes a plurality of Faraday having an insulation material and a conductive material. The plurality of Faraday of the 2D profiler are arranged in a pattern that is offset in a direction. The 1D profiler is coupled to a first end of the 2D profiler and extends beyond two adjacent outer edges of the 2D profiler. The beam monitoring device further includes a control arm. The control arm is operable to facilitate movement of the beam monitoring device in the direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Nai-Han Cheng
  • Patent number: 9210793
    Abstract: Provided is a charged particle beam radiation control device that controls radiation of a charged particle beam, the charged particle beam radiation control device including: a controller which controls an acceleration voltage for accelerating charged particles, wherein the controller includes a set acceleration voltage controller which selects a non-radiation state of a charged particle beam by setting an acceleration voltage of a radiation state of the charged particle beam to a reference acceleration voltage and changing the acceleration voltage to a set acceleration voltage larger or smaller than the reference acceleration voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignees: NATIONAL CANCER CENTER, SUMITOMO HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Teiji Nishio, Toshiki Tachikawa
  • Patent number: 9162081
    Abstract: A beam monitor system having a simple configuration for improving a measurement precision specifying a position and the width. A beam monitor system, comprising collection electrodes that include a plurality of groups each having a plurality of adjacent wire electrodes, and detect an ionized particle beam passing therethrough, a first signal processing device that sets one wire electrode in the groups of the collection electrodes as a typical wire electrode, receives a detection signal output from the typical wire electrode to process the signal and a beam monitor controller that obtains a beam position of the ionized particle beam that has passed through the wire electrodes on the basis of a processed signal from the first signal processing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshihito Hori, Takayoshi Matsushita, Kunio Moriyama, Masahiro Tadokoro
  • Patent number: 9157861
    Abstract: A sensor and a method of detecting a target analyte are provided. The sensor includes a substrate; a layer comprising a plurality of through holes, wherein the layer is disposed above the substrate; a first element configured to detect a target analyte; a second element that can produce a detectable signal; wherein the first element and the second element are configured to couple the target analyte between the first element and the second element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: Agency for Science, Technology and Research
    Inventors: Ping Bai, Xiaodong Zhou, Lin Wu
  • Patent number: 9153415
    Abstract: The invention relates to a charged particle lithography system for transferring a pattern onto a target, said system comprising: a target positioning device comprising a target holder having a first side for holding the target, a charged particle optical unit for generating a charged particle beam, modulating said charged particle beam, and directing said charged particle beam towards the first side of the target holder, and a sensor assembly comprising a converter element for converting charged particles which impinge on said converter element into light, wherein the converter element is arranged on said target positioning device, a light sensor for detecting the light, wherein the light sensor is arranged at a distance from said target positioning device, and a light optical lens which is arranged between the converter element and the light sensor for directing light originating from said converter element to said sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: MAPPER LITHOGRAPHY IP B.V.
    Inventor: Paul IJmert Scheffers
  • Patent number: 9147564
    Abstract: An electrode structure for an ion drift tube and an ion drift tube with the electrode structure are disclosed. The electrode structure comprises an annular electrode. The annular electrode has an inner edge bent towards one side such that a section of a central portion of the annular electrode has a swallowtail shape. With the ion drift detection instrument, ions in a drift state can travel along focusing electric lines of force, and since the high-voltage intervals between the electrodes are increased at a uniform acceleration, the generated electric field enables the ions to be in a uniformly accelerated drift state so that both the sensitivity and resolution of the mobility spectrum of the detection instrument can reach optimum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: NUCTECH COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: Wen He, Guanxing Li, Yuntai Bao
  • Patent number: 9117632
    Abstract: A charged particle beam writing apparatus includes a map generation unit to generate a map where a parameter concerning a chip is defined for each mesh region obtained by virtually dividing a region including the chip including a plurality of figure patterns into a plurality of mesh regions, an exchange unit to, when performing at least one data processing of reversal and rotation for data of the chip, centering on the center of the chip or the center of the region including the chip, exchange parameters each being the parameter defined for each mesh region in the map, to be corresponding to the position of a figure pattern for which the data processing was performed, and a writing unit to write the figure pattern in the chip for which at least one data processing of reversal and rotation was performed on a target object with a charged particle beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: NuFlare Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Saori Gomi, Yusuke Sakai
  • Patent number: 9105440
    Abstract: An apparatus of plural charged particle beams with multi-axis magnetic lens is provided to perform multi-functions of observing a specimen surface, such as high-throughput inspection and high-resolution review of interested features thereof and charge-up control for enhancing image contrast and image resolution. In the apparatus, two or more sub-columns are formed and each of the sub-columns performs one of the multi-functions. Basically the sub-columns take normal illumination to get high image resolutions, but one or more may take oblique illuminations to get high image contrasts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: HERMES MICROVISION, INC.
    Inventors: Zhongwei Chen, Weiming Ren, Xuerang Hu, Xuedong Liu
  • Patent number: 9035248
    Abstract: The present invention provides a drawing apparatus for performing drawing on a substrate with a charged particle beam, the apparatus comprising an optical system configured to irradiate the substrate with the charged particle beam, a substrate stage configured to hold the substrate, an aperture member provided with the substrate stage, a detector configured to detect a charged particle beam having passed through an aperture of the aperture member, and a support configured to support the detector, wherein the support and the substrate stage are separated from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Naosuke Nishimura
  • Patent number: 9035236
    Abstract: A method is proposed herein to detect high atomic number materials, such as Special Nuclear Materials, within a container based on muon tomography. The container is modeled as a plurality of volume elements. Information related to an initial trajectory and a final trajectory of each muon passing through the container is received. Additionally, a set of initial outer prong vectors and a set of final outer prong vectors are created. Then, a plurality of vector combinations are created from a selected initial vector and a selected final vector. A metric is determined and associated with each vector combination. A subset of the plurality of vector combinations is associated with each volume element and an estimated scattering density is determined and assigned to the volume element. Based on the estimated scattering density assigned to the volume elements, a three dimensional image of the container may be generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: Atomic Energy of Canada Limited
    Inventors: Vinicius Anghel, Guy Jonkmans, Cybele Jewett, Martin Thompson
  • Publication number: 20150129774
    Abstract: The present invention relates generally to the field of sensors for beam imaging and, in particular, to a new and useful beam imaging sensor for use in determining, for example, the power density distribution of a beam including, but not limited to, an electron beam or an ion beam. In one embodiment, the beam imaging sensor of the present invention comprises, among other items, a circumferential slit that is either circular, elliptical or polygonal in nature. In another embodiment, the beam imaging sensor of the present invention comprises, among other things, a discontinuous partially circumferential slit. Also disclosed is a method for using the various beams sensor embodiments of the present invention.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2015
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Inventors: Michael D. McAninch, Jeffery J. Root
  • Patent number: 9029796
    Abstract: A drift tube manufacturing method and a drift tube which can reduce cost while securing an adequate level of particle beam focusing performance. The method includes: a magnet housing stage of housing a predetermined number of permanent magnets in a housing, which has a through-hole at a center part and an annular magnet housing space on an outer circumferential side of the through-hole; a welding stage of setting a lid for covering the opening part on the opening part; and welding the lid and the housing by laser beam welding. At least a surface of the housing and a surface of the lid are formed of copper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazunori Okihira, Kyusaku Higa, Fumiaki Inoue
  • Patent number: 9018596
    Abstract: A device for imparting an orbital angular momentum to a charged particle wave propagating along a beam axis in a charged particle beam generating apparatus is described. The device comprises a support element having a target region adapted for transmitting a charged particle wave propagating along a beam axis and an induction means for inducing a magnetic flux along an elongated profile having a free end portion located in the target region and the induction means is adapted for providing a magnetic flux in the elongated profile in order to induce an angular gradient, relative to the beam axis, of the phase of the charged particle wave when transmitted through the target region. A corresponding method is also disclosed, as well as the use thereof in electron microscopy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Universiteit Antwerpen
    Inventors: Johan Verbeeck, Gustaaf Van Tendeloo
  • Patent number: 9012866
    Abstract: Systems and apparatuses for providing particle beams for radiation therapy with a compact design and suitable to a single treatment room. The radiation system comprises a stationary cyclotron coupled to a rotating gantry assembly through a beam line assembly. The system is equipped with a single set of dipole magnets that are installed on the rotating gantry assembly and undertakes the dual functions of beam energy selection and beam deflection. The energy degrader may be exposed to the air pressure. The beam line assembly comprises a rotating segment and a stationary segment that are separated from each other through an intermediate segment that is exposed to an ambient pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignees: Varian Medical Systems, Inc., Varian Medical Systems Particle Therapy GmbH
    Inventors: Manuel Benna, Michael Schillo, Jurgen Schultheiss, Luis Alberto Cruz
  • Patent number: 9012873
    Abstract: In a particle therapy treatment planning system for creating treatment plan data, the movement of a target (patient's affected area) is extracted from plural tomography images of the target, and the direction of scanning is determined by projecting the extracted movement on a scanning plane scanned by scanning magnets. Irradiation positions are arranged on straight lines parallel with the scanning direction making it possible to calculate a scanning path for causing scanning to be made mainly along the direction of movement of the target. The treatment planning system can thereby realize dose distribution with improved uniformity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Rintaro Fujimoto, Yoshihiko Nagamine, Masumi Umezawa, Toru Umekawa, Yusuke Fujii, Hiroshi Akiyama
  • Publication number: 20150099917
    Abstract: A system and a method improve a quality of beam delivery in proton therapy by pencil beam scanning of a predeterminable volume within a patient that minimizes beam position errors. The system has a proton source generating a proton beam, a number of proton beam bending/focusing units, a beam nozzle having an outlet for the proton beam to penetrate the predetermined volume, a beam bending magnet, and a couple of sweeper magnets to sweep the proton beam in both lateral directions. A position-sensitive detector is aligned with the nozzle to control the position of the proton beam and control logic controls the position and the energy of the proton beam and has a beam steering data set. A correction logic is aligned with the control logic for correcting beam position errors by comparing an expected beam position with the actual beam position detected and generates beam position correction data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2013
    Publication date: April 9, 2015
    Inventors: Christian Bula, David Meer, Eros Pedroni
  • Patent number: 9000396
    Abstract: Disclosed are devices, systems, and methods are disclosed that include: (a) a first material layer positioned on a first surface of a support structure and configured to generate secondary electrons in response to incident charged particles that strike the first layer, the first layer including an aperture configured to permit a portion of the incident charged particles to pass through the aperture; and (b) a second material layer positioned on a second surface of the support structure and separated from the first layer by a distance of 0.5 cm or more, the second layer being configured to generate secondary electrons in response to charged particles that pass through the aperture and strike the second layer, where the device is a charged particle detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss Microscopy, LLC
    Inventors: Raymond Hill, Shawn McVey, John Notte, IV
  • Publication number: 20150090896
    Abstract: The present invention provides a drawing apparatus which performs drawing on a substrate with a plurality of charged particle beams, the apparatus comprising two blanker arrays each including a plurality of first blankers which blank a plurality of charged particle beams individually and a plurality of second blankers which blank a plurality of charged particle beams in common, wherein the plurality of first blankers and the plurality of second blankers in each of the two blanker arrays are arranged such that one of the plurality of charged particle beams passes through corresponding one of the plurality of first blankers of one of the two blanker arrays and corresponding one of the plurality of second blankers of the other of the two blanker arrays.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2014
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Inventors: Go TSUCHIYA, Kazuya KIKUCHI
  • Patent number: 8993960
    Abstract: The present invention relates generally to the field of sensors for beam imaging and, in particular, to a new and useful beam imaging sensor for use in determining, for example, the power density distribution of a beam including, but not limited to, an electron beam or an ion beam. In one embodiment, the beam imaging sensor of the present invention comprises, among other items, a circumferential slit that is either circular, elliptical or polygonal in nature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Babcock & Wilcox Nuclear Operations Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael D McAninch, Jeffrey J Root
  • Publication number: 20150083928
    Abstract: The application relates to a method for determining beam parameters of a charge carrier beam, a measuring device, and a charge carrier beam device. The charge carrier beam (4) from a charge carrier beam device (1) is guided, by means of a beam deflection unit (3), over a slit aperture arrangement which is provided in an aperture device (7) and which has one or more slit apertures (8). Measurement plane coordinates of the beam components that penetrate the slit aperture arrangement are determined. On the basis of the measurement plane coordinates, the aperture device automatically moves in such a way that a measuring aperture (9) arranged in the aperture device moves over a predefined measurement reference point. The beam parameter is measured by the measuring aperture. In a measuring device (5) suitable for carrying out said method, the slit aperture arrangement has at least two non-parallel slit aperture sections (12, 13, 15, 16) which can be part of a single continuous slit aperture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Applicants: RWTH Aachen Koerperschaft des oeffentlichen Rechts, aixACCT Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Uwe Reisgen, Jens De Vries, Alexander Backhaus, Hans-Peter Bauer, Sebastian Ufer, Bernd Reichenberg, Thorsten Schmitz-Kempen
  • Patent number: 8987680
    Abstract: In order to provide a multipole measurement apparatus that can easily obtain table data for an aberration corrector that corrects the aberrations in a charged particle beam apparatus, the multipole measurement apparatus, which is provided with an optical system (10), a space into which an aberration corrector (6) is to be inserted, and a position detector (7), measures the relationship between the incident position and angle of a primary charged particle beam on the aberration corrector (6) at a plurality of points, the irradiation position upon the position detector (7), and a multipole, in a state of having a multipole field excited and in a state of not having a multipole field excited, so as to extract multipole components contained in the measurement executed in the state of having the multipole field excited.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Tomonori Nakano, Kotoko Urano, Hiroyuki Ito
  • Patent number: 8981323
    Abstract: A charged particle beam apparatus for processing an object using a charged particle beam includes a charged particle lens in which an array of apertures, through each of which a charged particle beam passes, is formed; a vacuum container which contains the charged particle lens; and a radiation source configured to generate an ionizing radiation; wherein the apparatus is configured to cause the radiation source to pass the ionizing radiation through the array of apertures in a state in which a pressure in the vacuum container is changing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ichiro Tanaka, Akira Miyake
  • Patent number: 8981289
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an ultraviolet diode and an atomic mass analysis ionization source collecting device using an MCP. In the manufacturing of a portable atomic mass analyzer, an object of the present invention is to use an MCP electron multiplier plate, whereby ultraviolet photons emitted from an ultraviolet diode are irradiated on a front surface plate of the MCP electron multiplier plate to induce primary electrons, an amplified electron beam is collected from the electrons, and an electron beam is generated at a low temperature and low power and having a discharge time that is accurately controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Korea Basic Science Institute
    Inventors: Seung Yong Kim, Mo Yang, Hyun Sik Kim
  • Publication number: 20150069262
    Abstract: A system includes an electrostatic lens positioned in a path between a charged-particle source and a charged-particle detector. The electrostatic lens includes: a first electrode having a first aperture positioned in the path and aligned with a first axis; a second electrode positioned in the path between the first electrode and the charged-particle detector, the second electrode having a second aperture positioned in the path and aligned with a second axis, the second axis being parallel to the first axis and displaced from the first axis along a first direction; a third electrode positioned in the path between the first electrode and the second electrode; and a potential generator coupled to the first, second, and third electrodes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2014
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Inventor: David G. Welkie
  • Publication number: 20150069261
    Abstract: A method for transmitting a broadband ion beam (100) and an ion implanter adopt an analyzing magnetic field (1), a calibration magnetic field (2) and an analyzing grating (6) to transmit a broadband ion beam. If the analyzing magnetic field (1) enables the broadband ion beam (100) emitted into the analyzing magnetic field from an incident face (101) thereof to be deflected anticlockwise in a horizontal direction, the calibration magnetic field (2) enables an ion beam diffusing again after passing through the analyzing grating (6) to be deflected clockwise in the horizontal direction; if the analyzing magnetic field (1) enables the broadband ion beam (100) emitted into the analyzing magnetic field from the incident face (101) thereof to be deflected clockwise in the horizontal direction, the calibration magnetic field (2) enables an ion beam diffusing again after passing through the analyzing grating (6) to be deflected anticlockwise in the horizontal direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2012
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Applicant: BEIJING ZHONGKEXIN ELECTRONICS EQUIPMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Libo Peng, Huiyue Long, Junyu Xie
  • Patent number: 8975601
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a wafer with an integrated circuit (IC) layout includes receiving a first plurality of pixels, wherein each of the pixels corresponds to a portion of the IC layout and includes data members. The method further includes transforming the first plurality of pixels into a second plurality of control signals, wherein at least some of the control signals include both a data member of one of the pixels and another data member of another one of the pixels. The method further includes transferring the control signals to a third plurality of mirrors, wherein the mirrors conditionally reflect an energy beam incident thereupon when coupled with the control signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yu-Chi Chen
  • Patent number: 8969836
    Abstract: A system using an energy beam to expose patterns on a wafer includes first mirror elements, a multiplexer element, and second mirror elements. The first and second mirror elements are dynamically controlled to reflect the energy beam to the wafer. The first mirror elements are configured in a first chain having a first data input and a first data output. The multiplexer element includes a second data input, a third data input, a select input, and a second data output. The third data input is coupled to the first data output. The second mirror elements are configured in a second chain having a fourth data input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yu-Chi Chen
  • Patent number: 8969794
    Abstract: Systems and methods for automatic gain control in mass spectrometers are disclosed. An exemplary system may include a mass spectrometer, comprising a lens configured to receive a supply of ions, and a mass analyzer. The mass analyzer may include an ion trap for trapping the supplied ions. The mass analyzer may also include an ion detector for detecting ions that exit the ion trap. The lens may focus the ions non-uniformly based on mass of the ions to compensate for space charge effects reflected in a measurement output of the mass spectrometer. An exemplary method may include focusing an ion beam into a mass analyzer. The method may also include obtaining a mass spectrum and identifying a space charge characteristic based on the mass spectrum. The method may further include defocusing the lens based on the identified space charge characteristic, wherein defocusing the lens is configured to divert lighter ions away from the entrance aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: 1st Detect Corporation
    Inventors: James Wylde, David Rafferty, Michael Spencer
  • Patent number: 8969801
    Abstract: To provide a scanning electron microscope that can detect reflected electrons of any emission angle, the scanning electron microscope, which obtains an image by detecting electrons from a sample (19) has: a control electrode (18) that discriminates between secondary electrons from the sample (19) and reflected electrons; a secondary electron conversion electrode (13) that generates secondary electrons by the impact of reflected electrons; a withdrawing electrode (12) that withdraws those secondary electrons; an energy filter (11) that discriminates between the secondary electrons withdrawn and electrons reflected from the sample (19); and a control calculation means (36) that selects a combination of voltages applied to the secondary electron conversion electrode (13), the withdrawing electrode (12), and energy filter (11).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Nobuhiro Okai, Yasunari Sohda, Ritsuo Fukaya, Zhigang Wang
  • Patent number: 8963108
    Abstract: A gantry apparatus for a proton treatment system, including a proton beam nozzle to emit a proton beam to a targeted region of a patient, a gantry wheel to support the proton beam nozzle to direct the proton beam to an isocenter of the gantry wheel corresponding to a center of the targeted region, a plurality of adjustable bearings incrementally spaced apart along an outer diametrical surface of the gantry wheel, and a bearing surface to support a portion of the adjustable bearings such that when the wheel is rotated from a first angular position to a second angular position, at least a portion of the bearings contact the bearing surface to raise or lower the gantry wheel to realign the proton beam to the center of the targeted region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: ProNova Solutions, LLC
    Inventors: Joseph C. Matteo, Jonathan Huber, Peter Hansen
  • Patent number: 8957372
    Abstract: A scanning electron microscope has a first condenser lens (121) having a lens gap (121a) facing toward an electron source (50) and a second condenser lens (122) having a lens gap (122a) facing toward an objective lens (13). The first and second condenser lenses are disposed between the electron source (50) and the objective lens (13). First deflecting means (133) is disposed in a beam passage opening formed in the first condenser lens (121). Second deflecting means (136) is disposed in a beam passage opening formed in the second condenser lens (122). An aperture plate (113) having a plurality of apertures (113a) of different diameters is mounted between the first deflecting means (133) and the second deflecting means (136). An electron detector (102) having a beam passage aperture (102a) is mounted between the second deflecting means (136) and the objective lens (13).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: JEOL Ltd.
    Inventor: Tatsuru Kuramoto
  • Patent number: 8957392
    Abstract: In order to solve a problem in a mass spectrometry that a distribution of an emitted ion and a substance distribution on the measurement object surface are different from each other, which is due to a shaded portion of a irregular surface which falls under a shadow of primary beam, a primary ion optical system of the present apparatus includes a deflection unit configured to deflect the primary ion in such a manner that the primary ion intersects a flight space of the secondary ion in the course of flight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kota Iwasaki
  • Publication number: 20150041672
    Abstract: A multi charged particle beam writing apparatus includes a beam forming member, where first openings for writing and second openings not for writing around the first openings are formed, to form multiple beams for writing and to form multiple beams for measurement, plural mark members on a blanking aperture member arranged close to the height position where crossover is formed, a measurement unit to measure positions of the multiple beams for measurement by the plural mark members, and a correction unit to correct a voltage for making a “beam on” state applied to one of the plural blankers, in order to correct a position deviation amount of a measured position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2014
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Applicant: NuFlare Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Takashi KAMIKUBO
  • Publication number: 20150041673
    Abstract: A charge collection electrode is formed of a plurality of groups each of which is made up of a plurality of adjoining wire electrodes. Further, all the wire electrodes are connected to channels of a signal processing device by the same number of lines as the wire electrodes belonging to one group so that each detection signal outputted from one wire electrode selected from each group is inputted through the same line and so that no two adjoining channels are physically continuous in regard to a certain set of consecutive measurement channels. The signal processing device determines group information indicating to which group the wire electrodes that sent the inputted detection signals belong and outputs a processing signal including the group information to a beam monitor controller. The beam monitor controller determines the position and the beam width of the charged particle beam that passed through the wire electrodes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2014
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Inventors: Yoshihito HORI, Kunio Moriyama, Tomohisa Iwamoto, Masahiro Tadokoro
  • Patent number: 8952344
    Abstract: A method of treating a substrate includes directing first ions over a first range of angles to one or more photoresist features disposed on the substrate, the first ions effective to generate an altered layer in the one or more photoresist features, the altered surface layer encapsulating an inner portion of the one or more photoresist features, and directing second ions different from the first ions over a second range of angles to the one or more photoresist features, the second ions effective to generate gaseous species in the inner regions of the one or more photoresist features.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates
    Inventors: Frank Sinclair, Ludovic Godet, Patrick M. Martin, Armah Kpissay
  • Patent number: 8952328
    Abstract: The invention relates to a charged particle detector system comprising a conversion plate (110) to convert incoming radiation to secondary electrons. These secondary electrons are then detected by a secondary electron detector (120), thereby providing information of the incoming radiation. Often this information is limited to, in first approximation, the flux of incoming radiation. In the case of, for example, backscattered electrons this is the current of the incoming backscattered electrons. The invention proposes to form the conversion plate as, for example, an energy dependent detector, for example a photodiode to detect electrons, so that the detector system simultaneously provides information of, for example, current (S1) and mean energy (S2) of the incoming radiation. The detector system is especially suited for use in a SEM or a DualBeam apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: FEI Company
    Inventors: Albertus Aemillius Seyno Sluijterman, Eric Gerardus Theodoor Bosch, Patrick David Vogelsang, Johannes Adrianus Carolus Cooijmans
  • Patent number: 8952339
    Abstract: A chromatic aberration corrector and method of controlling this chromatic aberration corrector is offered. The corrector has first and second multipole lenses for producing quadrupole fields and first and second transfer lenses each having a focal length of f. The first and second multipole lenses are arranged on opposite sides of the first and second transfer lenses. The distance between the first multipole lens and the first transfer lens is f. The distance between the first transfer lens and the second transfer lens is 2f. The distance between the second transfer lens and the second multipole lens is f??. The corrector is so designed that the relationship, f>?>0, holds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: JEOL Ltd.
    Inventor: Fumio Hosokawa
  • Publication number: 20150034835
    Abstract: An embodiment is to provide a technique that continuously applies a certain amount of an electron beam to a sample by selecting a beam applied to the sample from an electron beam emitted from an electron source in a scanning electron microscope. A charged particle apparatus is configured, including: a mechanism that detects the distribution of electric current strength with respect to the emitting direction of an electron beam emitted from an electron source; a functionality that predicts a fluctuation of an electric current applied to a sample by predicting the distribution of the electric current based on the detected result; a functionality that determines a position at which a beam applied to the sample is acquired based on the predicted result; and a mechanism that controls a position at which a probe beam is acquired based on the determined result.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2014
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Inventors: Soichiro Matsunaga, Souichi Katagiri, Hajime Kawano
  • Patent number: 8946627
    Abstract: A method includes irradiating a surface of a sample, which is made-up of multiple types of materials, with a beam of primary electrons. Emitted electrons emitted from the irradiated sample are detected using multiple detectors that are positioned at respective different positions relative to the sample, so as to produce respective detector outputs. Calibration factors are computed to compensate for variations in emitted electron yield among the types of the materials, by identifying, for each material type, one or more horizontal regions on the surface that are made-up of the material type, and computing a calibration factor for the material type based on at least one of the detector outputs at the identified horizontal regions. The calibration factors are applied to the detector outputs. A three-dimensional topographical model of the surface is calculated based on the detector outputs to which the calibration factors are applied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Applied Materials Israel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ishai Schwarzband, Yakov Weinberg
  • Patent number: 8946629
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Ebara Corporation
    Inventors: Masahiro Hatakeyama, Yasushi Toma, Shoji Yoshikawa, Kiwamu Tsukamoto
  • Patent number: 8946649
    Abstract: Provided is a charged particle beam device to improve energy solution of its energy filter. In one embodiment, a charged particle beam device includes a deflector to deflect charged particles emitted from a sample to an energy filter, and a change in brightness value with the change of voltage applied to the energy filter is found for each of a plurality of deflection conditions for the deflector, and a deflection condition such that a change in the brightness value satisfies a predetermined condition is set as the deflection condition for the deflector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Yuko Sasaki, Hiroyuki Ito
  • Patent number: 8933423
    Abstract: Provided is a technique to perform FIB milling, in spite of its sample dependency, effectively into a desired shape without influences of individual differences among operators. A charged particle beam device includes an ion beam optical system device configured to irradiate a sample with an ion beam generated at an ion source; a controller thereof; an element detector configured to detect elements constituting the sample; a controller thereof; and a central processor configured to automatically set conditions for the sample based on the element specified by the element detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Terutaka Nanri, Satoshi Tomimatsu
  • Patent number: 8933421
    Abstract: A particle beam therapy system including an accelerator for making a beam of charged particles available, a beam guiding unit supplying the beam to a treatment location starting from the accelerator, and at least one beam property monitor arranged along the beam path. A control unit communicates with the beam property monitor and guiding unit and determines deviations of actual properties from desired properties of the beam and transmits control signals for adapting the beam properties to the guiding unit, using said deviations. Precise beam guidance is achieved by arranging the beam property monitor on the periphery of the beam perpendicular to the beam path such that the beam properties are detected due to their direct interaction with particles of the beam in the halo region and/or indirectly by electromagnetic interaction. A method for a beam of charged particles in a particle beam therapy system is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Varian Medical Systems Particle Therapy GmbH
    Inventors: Jürgen Drees, Helmut Piel
  • Patent number: 8933424
    Abstract: An ion implantation system and method are provided where an ion source generates an ion and a mass analyzer mass analyzes the ion beam. A beam profiling apparatus translates through the ion beam along a profiling plane in a predetermined time, wherein the beam profiling apparatus measures the beam current across a width of the ion beam concurrent with the translation, therein defining a time and position dependent beam current profile of the ion beam. A beam monitoring apparatus is configured to measure the ion beam current at an edge of the ion beam over the predetermined time, therein defining a time dependent ion beam current, and a controller determines a time independent ion beam profile by dividing the time and position dependent beam current profile of the ion beam by the time dependent ion beam current, therein by cancelling fluctuations in ion beam current over the predetermined time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Axcelis Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Shu Satoh
  • Patent number: 8933414
    Abstract: The invention provides a charged particle beam system wherein the middle section of the focused ion beam column is biased to a high negative voltage allowing the beam to move at higher potential than the final beam energy inside that section of the column. At low kV potential, the aberrations and coulomb interactions are reduced, which results in significant improvements in spot size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: FEI Company
    Inventor: Mostafa Maazouz
  • Patent number: 8933400
    Abstract: Provided is an inspection apparatus or observation apparatus enabling appropriate inspection or observation of a sample in an easy-to-use manner, using a charged-particle technique and an optical technique.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Yusuke Ominami, Mami Konomi, Sukehiro Ito, Tomohisa Ohtaki, Shinsuke Kawanishi
  • Patent number: 8927931
    Abstract: In conventional electron microscopes, orthogonality has been defined for each electron microscope individually in such a manner that a lattice sample is observed, and correction is applied to a control circuit so that the sample is observed as being orthogonal on a screen. Further, the correction has been determined by visual observation on a screen, and manually performed by a human operator. However, in this method, due to manufacturing variation of a lattice sample, the orthogonality may vary between devices. Further, there has been a problem in that the accuracy of correction varies by manually performing the correction. In order to solve the above problems, a particulate sample is used instead of a lattice sample for defining orthogonality, and adjustment is performed so that an image that should be a circle is observed as a circle, thereby making it possible to define the orthogonality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Masanori Seoka, Kazushige Nakagawa
  • Publication number: 20150001418
    Abstract: An ion beam measuring device includes: a mask that is used for shaping an original ion beam into a measuring ion beam including a y beam part elongated in a y direction that is perpendicular to a traveling direction of the ion beam and an x beam part elongated in an x direction that is perpendicular to the traveling direction and the y direction; a detection unit that is configured to detect an x-direction position of the y beam part and a y-direction position of the x beam part; and a beam angle calculating unit that is configured to calculate an x-direction beam angle using the x-direction position and a y-direction beam angle using the y-direction position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2014
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Inventors: Noriyasu Ido, Kouji Inada, Kazuhiro Watanabe