Patents Assigned to Hitachi High-Tech Electronics Engineering Co., Ltd.
  • Patent number: 7586593
    Abstract: The present invention provides an inspection apparatus and inspection method. The inspection apparatus includes a stage mechanism for supporting an object under inspection. A spatial filter is provided in the detection optical system to inspect the object. A printer is used to print the results of the spatial filter. The spatial filter can be provided in the form of a Fourier transformed image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Tech Electronics Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Hamamatsu, Minori Noguchi, Hidetoshi Nishiyama, Yoshimasa Ohshima, Takahiro Jingu, Sachio Uto
  • Patent number: 7511806
    Abstract: A defect-inspecting apparatus including an arrangement to convert detected light into a first signal corresponding to light illuminated by a high-angle illumination optical system and/or a second signal corresponding to light illuminated by a low-angle illumination optical system; and a classification unit which utilizes the first and second signal and classifies defects on the object to be inspected, wherein a defect size is estimated by changing a correction coefficient of the defect size on a basis of a concave-convex level (b/a), where the concave-convex level (b/a) of a defect is indicated by a ratio of a size b of a first direction of the defect to a size a of a second direction of the defect, where the second direction is lateral to the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2009
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Tech Electronics Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Hamamatsu, Minori Noguchi, Yoshimasa Ooshima, Hidetoshi Nishiyama, Tetsuya Watanabe
  • Patent number: 6944325
    Abstract: An apparatus for inspecting foreign matter in repeated micro-miniature patterns formed upon a surface of an object to be inspected, comprising: an inspection light illuminating device for irradiating an inspection light directed upon the surface of the object to be inspected, on which the repeated micro-miniature patterns are formed; a scattered light detector for detecting scattered light of the inspection light being scattered upon the surface said object to be inspected; means for obtaining a first information related to a foreign matter attaching upon the surface of said object to be inspected, which is obtained on a basis of the detection of said scattered light by said scattered light detector; an illumination means for applying a bright field illumination upon the surface of the object to be inspected, on which the repeated micro-miniature patterns are formed; means for picking up the image of the foreign matter, under a bright field illumination by said illumination means; means for obtaining a second
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Tech Electronics Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Junichi Taguchi, Aritoshi Sugimoto, Masami Ikoto, Yuko Inoue, Tetsuya Watanabe, Wakana Shinke
  • Patent number: 6936835
    Abstract: An apparatus for optically inspecting particles and/or defects correlates sizes of particles and/or defects to a cause of failure in an inspection result. A data processing circuit points out a cause of failure from the statistics on the inspection result, and displays information on the inspection result. A failure analysis is conducted by setting a threshold for identifying a failure in each of regions on a semiconductor device or the like to statistically evaluate detected particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2005
    Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi High-Tech Electronics Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidetoshi Nishiyama, Minori Noguchi, Yoshimasa Ohshima, Akira Hamamatsu, Kenji Watanabe, Tetsuya Watanabe, Takahiro Jingu
  • Patent number: 6911101
    Abstract: From a supply reel which is set in position at an ACF (Anisotropic Concuctive Film) feeding station, an ACF tape having an ACF laminated on one side of a liner tape is drawn out by an ACF bonding means. At least two reel mount members are provided on a reel stand at the ACF feeding station to mount two ACF tape supply reels concurrently thereon. The reel stand is connected to a switch means thereby to switch the two reel mount members either to an operating or tape supplying position or a standby position. As soon as an ACF tape from a supply reel in the operating position is consumed completely, a fresh supply reel in the standby position is switched into the operating position to continue the supply of the ACF tape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2005
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Tech Electronics Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jun Onoshiro, Kenya Wada, Ichiyo Ando
  • Patent number: 6897956
    Abstract: An apparatus for measuring an alignment accuracy between overlaid alignment marks formed to each of alignment mark portions on every plural chip units or exposure units arranged on a substrate to be measured, comprising: an XY stage running in a direction x and in a direction y while mounting the substrate; an illumination optical system for illuminating each of the alignment mark portions in a state where the XY stage runs in a direction x which is a direction of arranging the chips; a detecting optical system having an objective lens for collecting a reflection light in the running state obtained from the overlaid alignment marks, a focusing optical system for focusing the reflection light in the running state obtained from the objective lens, a scanning optical system for scanning reflection light image in the running state focused by the focusing optical system in a direction opposite to that of the running and a linear image sensor receiving reflection light image substantially in a static state being sc
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2005
    Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi High-Tech Electronics Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Minori Noguchi, Masahiko Nakada, Takahiko Suzuki, Taketo Ueno, Toshihiko Nakata, Shunji Maeda
  • Patent number: 6894489
    Abstract: A testing apparatus of a magnetic recording medium for conducting a test on the magnetic recording medium by using reproduced data obtained through reproduction of the magnetic medium, including a plurality of conversion means for converting the reproduced data into digital data, holding means for holding the digital data converted by the plurality of conversion means, data processing means for performing a calculation process on the digital data held by the holding means in relation to a magnetic characteristic of the magnetic recording medium, and analysis processing means for performing an analysis to determine whether or not information obtained by the data processing means satisfies a certain condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2005
    Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi High-Tech Electronics Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masami Makuuchi, Ritsurou Orihashi, Norio Chujo, Masayoshi Takahashi, Yoshihiko Hayashi, Shinji Homma
  • Patent number: 6893329
    Abstract: An abrasive tape is supplied to a tape head by a tape supply unit and taken up from the tape head by a tape take-up unit. The tape head presses the abrasive tape against a surface of an object under polish, which is rotated by a rotating unit. A tape head pressuring unit utilizes a voice coil motor, for example. Since the tape head pressuring unit generates a pressuring force for pressuring the tape head using the electromagnetic force, it is able to set a minute pressuring force by controlling a drive signal, and to obtain the fine adjustment of the pressuring force easily by controlling the electric signal. Therefore, it becomes possible to press the abrasive tape against the surface of the object under polish with a desired low pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2005
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Tech Electronics Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Fujio Tajima, Hideaki Amano, Teruaki Tokutomi, Takahisa Ishida, Kazuyuki Sonobe, Yasunori Fukuyama, Tsutomu Nagakura, Noritake Shizawa, Takeshi Sato
  • Patent number: 6894302
    Abstract: The invention provides a surface inspection apparatus and a method for inspecting the surface of a sample that are capable of inspecting discriminatingly between the scratch of various configuration and the adhered foreign object that occur on the surface of a work target when the work target (for example, an insulating film on a semiconductor substrate) is subjected to polishing process such as CMP or grinding process in semiconductor manufacturing process or magnetic head manufacturing process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2005
    Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi High-Tech Electronics Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ichiro Ishimaru, Minori Noguchi, Ichiro Moriyama, Yoshikazu Tanabe, Yasuo Yatsugake, Yukio Kenbou, Kenji Watanabe, Hirofumi Tsuchiyama
  • Patent number: 6888918
    Abstract: An optical inspection unit inspects a surface of an object under inspection optically. A processing unit detects defects on the surface of the object under inspection and their features according to inspection results from the optical inspection unit, detects positions of the detected defects on the surface of the object under inspection, and classifies the detected defects according to their features. The processing unit selects the defects, on which a X-ray analysis should be performed, according to predetermined conditions about the features or the classification results of the defects. Alternatively, the processing unit displays the positions and the classification results of the defects, and an operator picks the defects, on which the X-ray analysis should be performed. A X-ray inspection unit performs the X-ray analyses on the selected or picked defects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2005
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Tech Electronics Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Izuo Horai, Kenji Aikou, Kyoichi Mori
  • Patent number: 6888959
    Abstract: In order to inspect a substance to be detected such as a foreign substance in accordance with the condition of the surface of a sample to be inspected such as a semiconductor substrate manufactured in various manufacturing processes under a suitable inspection condition, this method includes the steps of: inspecting a substance to be detected on a sample to be inspected under a plurality inspection conditions, which are previously set, as a single unit to detect at least the data of a detected substance for each of the plurality of inspection conditions; checking the data of the detected substance for the respective inspection conditions against each other to make check data; analyzing the detected substance based on the check data of the detected substance to classify the detected substance; adding the data of classified detected substance to the coordinate data of the detected substance for the respective inspection conditions to make data relating to the classified detected substance for the respective ins
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2005
    Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi High-Tech Electronics Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Hamamatsu, Minori Noguchi, Yoshimasa Ohshima, Hidetoshi Nishiyama, Kenji Oka, Takanori Ninomiya, Maki Tanaka, Kenji Watanabe, Tetsuya Watanabe, Yoshio Morishige
  • Patent number: 6887330
    Abstract: Carrier tapes, each carrying electronic circuitry parts at predetermined intervals on a carrier portion, are successively and continuously fed to a punching station from a tape feeding station with at least a pair of tape supply reels. While a carrier tape from a first supply reel is being fed to the punching station, a carrier tape from a second supply reel is set in a standby position. As soon as the carrier tape from the first supply reel is consumed to a last electronic part, a head end of the carrier tape from the second supply reel is spliced to a tail end of the carrier tape of the first supply reel by means of tape holder members located in the course of a tape supply route between the tape feeding station and the tape punching station, thereby make replacement of the tape supply reel quicker and easier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2005
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Tech Electronics Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jun Onoshiro, Kenya Wada, Hideaki Kataho
  • Patent number: 6821906
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for treating a surface of a substrate plate under irradiation of ultraviolet ray emitted from a dielectric barrier discharge lamp. Upon admission into a treating chamber, oxygen is removed from a treating surface and surrounding atmosphere of a substrate plate in order to suppress energy losses of ultraviolet ray to a minimum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2004
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Tech Electronics Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenya Wada, Kazuto Kinoshita, Kazuhiko Gommori
  • Patent number: 6798504
    Abstract: Light beam is irradiated onto a surface of a substrate to be inspected and scattered lights from the surface of the substrate are received at different light reception angles, so that first and second light detection signals corresponding to the different light reception angles are generated. Reference function defining a correlation in level value between the first and second light detection signals is set, a comparison is made between respective level values of the first and second light detection signals using the reference function as a comparison reference, and it is determined, on the basis of a result of the comparison, which of a plurality of different types of defects, such as a foreign substance and crystal-originated pit, a possible defect present on the surface of the substrate, which is represented by the light detection signals, corresponds to.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Tech Electronics Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tatsuya Sato, Yuichiro Kato, Kenji Mitomo