Patents Assigned to HITACHI HIGH-TECH SCIENCE CORPORATION
  • Patent number: 11199480
    Abstract: A thin-sample-piece fabricating device is provided with a focused-ion-beam irradiation optical system, a stage, a stage driving mechanism, and a computer. The focused-ion-beam irradiation optical system performs irradiation with a focused ion beam (FIB). The stage holds a sample piece (Q). The stage driving mechanism drives the stage. The computer sets a thin-piece forming region serving as a treatment region, as well as a peripheral section surrounding the entire periphery of the thin-piece forming region, on the sample piece (Q). The computer causes irradiation with the focused ion beam (FIB) from a direction crossing the irradiated face of the sample piece (Q) so as to perform etching treatment such that the thickness of the thin-piece forming region becomes less than the thickness of the peripheral section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH SCIENCE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Ikuko Nakatani
  • Patent number: 11177113
    Abstract: Automated processing is provided. A charged particle beam apparatus includes: an image identity degree determination unit determining whether an identity degree is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the identity degree indicating a degree of identity between a processing cross-section image that is an SEM image obtained through observation of a cross section of the sample by a scanning electron microscope, and a criterion image that is the processing cross-section image previously registered; and a post-determination processing unit performing a predetermined processing operation according to a result of the determination by the image identity degree determination unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH SCIENCE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ayana Muraki, Tatsuya Asahata, Atsushi Uemoto
  • Patent number: 11143541
    Abstract: A sample container of a thermal analyzer that performs thermogravimetry or calorimetry includes a bottomed cylindrical body portion and a cover portion abutting against an opening of the body portion and covering at least a part of the opening. The cover portion includes a first cover portion abutting against an edge portion of the opening and having a second opening in a part of the first cover portion, and a second cover portion separated from the first cover portion in an axial direction of the body portion so as to cover at least a part of the second opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Tech Science Corporation
    Inventors: Kentaro Yamada, Yasuyuki Takagi
  • Patent number: 11133149
    Abstract: A focused ion beam apparatus (100) includes: a focused ion beam lens column (20); a sample table (51); a sample stage (50); a memory (6M) configured to store in advance three-dimensional data on the sample table and an irradiation axis of the focused ion beam, the three-dimensional data being associated with stage coordinates of the sample stage; a display (7); and a display controller (6A) configured to cause the display to display a virtual positional relationship between the sample table (51v) and the irradiation axis (20Av) of the focused ion beam, which is exhibited when the sample stage is operated to move the sample table to a predetermined position, based on the three-dimensional data on the sample table and the irradiation axis of the focused ion beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH SCIENCE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshihiro Mochizuki, Haruyuki Ishii, Atsushi Uemoto
  • Patent number: 11114276
    Abstract: An apparatus for processing and observing a cross-section includes: a sample bed holding a sample; a focused ion beam column radiating a focused ion beam to the sample; an electron beam column radiating an electron beam to the sample, perpendicularly to the focused ion beam; an electron detector detecting secondary electrons or reflection electrons generated from the sample; a irradiation position controller controlling irradiation positions of the focused ion beam and the electron beam based on target irradiation position information showing target irradiation positions of beams on the sample; a process controller controlling a cross-section-exposing process that exposes a cross-section of the sample by radiating the focused ion beam to the sample and a cross-section image-obtaining process that obtains a cross-section image of the cross-section by radiating the electron beam to the cross-section; and an image quality corrector correcting image quality of the cross-section image obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH SCIENCE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Xin Man, Tatsuya Asahata, Makoto Sato
  • Publication number: 20210262949
    Abstract: A method of inspecting a membrane-electrode assembly includes obtaining an X-ray transmission image by applying X-rays to the membrane-electrode assembly, and determining whether a foreign matter having a size equal to or larger than a predetermined value is included in the membrane-electrode assembly, according to a brightness reduction amount in each pixel of the X-ray transmission image obtained, while referring to a correlative relationship between the size of the foreign matter measured in a planar direction of the membrane-electrode assembly, and the brightness reduction amount in the X-ray transmission image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2021
    Publication date: August 26, 2021
    Applicants: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, HITACHI HIGH-TECH SCIENCE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shinya TAKESHITA, Toshiyuki TAKAHARA, Masaki TATSUMI
  • Patent number: 11094503
    Abstract: Provided are a thin film sample creation method and a charged particle beam apparatus capable of preventing a thin film sample piece from being damaged. The method includes a process of processing a sample by irradiating a surface of the sample with a focused ion beam (FIB) from a second direction that crosses a normal line to the surface of the sample to create a thin film sample piece and a connection portion positioned at and connected to one side of the thin film sample piece, a process of rotating the sample around the normal line, a process of connecting the thin film sample piece to a needle for holding the thin film sample piece, and a process of separating the thin film sample piece from the sample by irradiating the connection portion with a focused ion beam from a third direction that crosses the normal line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH SCIENCE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masato Suzuki, Ikuko Nakatani, Satoshi Tomimatsu, Makoto Sato
  • Patent number: 11081312
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing an emitter is disclosed. The method enables a crystal structure of the tip of the front end of the emitter to return to its original state with high reproducibility by rearranging atoms in a treatment, and enables a long lasting emitter to be attained by suppressing extraction voltage rise after the treatment. As a method of manufacturing an emitter having a sharpened needle-shape, the method includes: performing an electropolishing process for the front end of an emitter material having conductivity to taper toward the front end; and performing an etching to make the number of atoms constituting the tip of the front end be a predetermined number or less by further sharpening the front end through an electric field-induced gas etching having constantly applied voltage, while observing the crystal structure of the front end, by a field ion microscope, in a sharp portion having the front end at its apex.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH SCIENCE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomokazu Kozakai, Yoshimi Kawanami, Hiroyuki Mutoh, Yoko Nakajima, Hironori Moritani, Shinichi Matsubara
  • Patent number: 11073453
    Abstract: An automatic sample preparation apparatus that automatically prepares a sample piece from a sample includes: a focused ion beam irradiation optical system configured to irradiate a focused ion beam; an electron beam irradiation optical system configured to irradiate an electron beam from a direction different from a direction of the focused ion beam; a sample piece transfer device configured to hold and transfer the sample piece separated and extracted from the sample; a detector configured to detect secondary charged particles emitted from an irradiation object by irradiating the irradiation object with the focused ion beam and/or the electron beam; and a computer configured to recognize a position of the sample piece transfer device by image-recognition using an image data of the focused ion beam and the electron beam generated by irradiating the sample piece transfer device with the focused ion beam and the electron beam, and drive the transfer device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Tech Science Corporation
    Inventors: Atsushi Uemoto, Tatsuya Asahata, Makoto Sato, Yo Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 11022570
    Abstract: An X-ray transmission inspection apparatus includes an X-ray source for irradiating a sample with X-rays, a two-dimensional sensor for detecting transmission X-rays passing through the sample, a sample moving mechanism for moving the sample, a calculation unit for processing an image of the transmission X-rays detected by the two-dimensional sensor, and a display unit for displaying a cross-sectional image. When V1 is a speed at which the sample moves, F is a frame rate of the two-dimensional sensor, A is a sample pitch of the two-dimensional sensor, and LS is a distance between the X-ray source and the two-dimensional sensor, the calculation unit creates a cross-sectional image taken at a distance L from the X-ray source by adding the images of the pixels positioned at an interval of [(LS×V2)/(L×F×A)] in a direction in which the sample moves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH SCIENCE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yoshiki Matoba
  • Patent number: 11017982
    Abstract: Disclosed is a composite charged particle beam apparatus including: an ion supply unit supplying an ion beam; an acceleration voltage application unit applying an acceleration voltage to the ion beam supplied by the ion supply unit to accelerate the ion beam; a first focusing unit focusing the ion beam; a beam booster voltage application unit applying a beam booster voltage to the ion beam; a second focusing unit focusing the ion beam to irradiate a sample; an electron beam emission unit emitting an electron beam to irradiate the sample; and a controller setting a value of the beam booster voltage that the beam booster voltage application unit applies to the ion beam, based on a value of the acceleration voltage applied to the ion beam by the acceleration voltage application unit and of a set value predetermined according to a focal distance of the focused ion beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH SCIENCE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasuhiko Sugiyama, Naoko Hirose, Hiroshi Oba
  • Patent number: 10989674
    Abstract: Provided are an X-ray inspection apparatus and an X-ray inspection method. The X-ray inspection apparatus includes: an X-ray source; a sample moving mechanism; the TDI sensor; and a TDI computing unit. The TDI computing unit includes a data transfer unit configured to transfer, to an outside, data of accumulated charges obtained by accumulating and transferring the charges, and has a function of setting in advance, as a determination region, a plurality of columns of line sensors with which the sample is detectable, and of detecting the sample in the determination region. The data transfer unit is configured to set, as detecting rows, rows of the pixels with which the sample has been detected in the determination region and rows around the rows, and transfer, to the outside, the data of accumulated charges only for pixels in the detecting rows.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH SCIENCE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masaki Tatsumi, Isao Yagi, Haruo Takahashi
  • Patent number: 10989642
    Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus for and a method of mass analysis in which a presence of an accessory substance which is difficult to be analyzed can be recognized visually and clearly. The apparatus for mass analysis analyzes a sample containing a substance to be measured and includes: a display unit; a memory unit storing a theoretical peak obtained by calculation with respect to a region of a mass spectrum of the substance; a matching degree calculation unit calculating a matching degree from multiple peaks that each of the mass spectrum of the sample in the region and the theoretical peak have; a matching degree displaying control unit displaying the matching degree on the display unit; and a superimposition displaying control unit displaying the mass spectrum of the sample and the theoretical peak in a superimposed way in a manner that is consistent with a mass-to-charge ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH SCIENCE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masahiro Sakuta
  • Patent number: 10971330
    Abstract: This automatic processing device for fabricating a sample piece from a sample by irradiating the sample with a charged particle beam is provided with: a structural information acquiring unit which acquires structural information indicating the structure of the sample before processing; a processing termination position acquiring unit which acquires termination position specifying information specifying a processing termination position corresponding to the structure of the sample; an image acquiring unit which acquires a processed surface image in which a processed surface appearing at the position at which the sample has been irradiated by the charged particle beam is captured; and a determining unit which determines whether the position of the processing by the charged particle beam has reached the termination position, on the basis of a comparison between the structural information acquired by the structural information acquiring unit and the processed surface image acquired by the image acquiring unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH SCIENCE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shota Torikawa
  • Patent number: 10969319
    Abstract: The apparatus for mass analysis includes: a heating unit heating a sample containing a first substance and a second substance having different gasification temperatures to evolve gas components; a heating control unit controlling the heating unit to heat the sample at a first temperature point at which gas of the first substance is evolved and gas of the second substance is not evolved, until reaching a first time point, whereafter the heating unit is controlled to heat the sample until reaching a second temperature point at which gas of the second substance is evolved; and an analysis control unit performing mass analysis under a first measurement condition assigned to the first substance until reaching the first time point at the first temperature point, and performing mass analysis under a second measurement condition assigned to the second substance at the second temperature point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH SCIENCE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryusuke Hirose, Hideyuki Akiyama, Noriaki Sakai
  • Patent number: 10935526
    Abstract: A minimum peak is determined from analysis results, a correction wavelength at which an S/N ratio of the minimum peak is greatest is determined, and the determined correction wavelength is used to execute correction of the minimum peak. A plurality of detector output value correction method are registered in a processor, correction method is selected from default correction method or from among a plurality of preset correction methods according to an object to perform correction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH SCIENCE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shuhei Yamamura, Daisuke Akieda, Ayumi Nakaogami, Katsutoshi Shimizu
  • Patent number: 10908104
    Abstract: A radiation analysis apparatus includes an excitation source unit irradiating an object, for which the radiation analysis apparatus analyzes property or a structure, with a first radiation, a radiation detection unit including three or more radiation detectors that detect a second radiation generated from the object irradiated with the first radiation, a radiation focusing unit disposed between the object and the radiation detection unit, and focusing the second radiation, a position changing unit changing a relative positional relationship between the radiation focusing unit and the radiation detection unit, and a control unit controlling the position changing unit to change the positional relationship, based on first information which is stored in a storage unit and indicates an intensity distribution of the second radiation emitted from the radiation focusing unit and second information indicating a distribution based on a detection count of the second radiation detected by each of the radiation detectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Tech Science Corporation
    Inventors: Satoshi Nakayama, Keiichi Tanaka, Atsushi Nagata, Kazuo Chinone
  • Patent number: 10876967
    Abstract: To acquire both excellent spectrum and sample image reflecting actual conditions of a sample, and to increase convenience of measurement, provided is a display device for a photometric analyzer, which is configured to irradiate a sample with light to analyze the sample, the display device being configured to display a measurement result of the photometric analyzer, and including: a controller; and a display, which is configured to display an image based on measurement data processed by the controller. The measurement data at least contains a spectrum indicating an intensity of emitted light, which is emitted by the sample irradiated with the light, and a sample image of the sample, which is taken by an imaging device. The display is configured to display the spectrum and the sample image in an arrangement in the same screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH SCIENCE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jun Horigome, Rino Nakajima, Yoichi Sato
  • Patent number: 10866168
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a plastic reference material and a method of manufacturing the same, wherein the concentration of at least one chemical substance is characterized from a signal intensity of the chemical substance and a signal intensity of the isotope-labeled chemical substance of the chemical substance obtained using the pyrolysis GC-MS instrument by weighing a mass of a candidate material for the plastic reference material using a balance, weighing an isotope-labeled chemical substance of the chemical substance using a balance, preparing a mixed solution by dissolving the weighed candidate material for the plastic reference material and the weighed isotope-labeled chemical substance in a solvent, introducing a product resulting from evaporation of the solvent from the mixed solution into a pyrolysis GC-MS instrument, and calculating the concentration of the chemical substance included in the candidate material for the plastic reference material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH SCIENCE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Hirano, Kenji Namiki, Noriaki Sakai
  • Patent number: D915914
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Tech Science Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Kojima, Kazuyuki Yanase, Mengting Zou, Takashi Yamamoto, Yasuyuki Takagi, Ryota Matsumoto, Tomoyuki Mukai, Masaru Yokoyama