Patents Assigned to Lasertec Corporation
  • Patent number: 12674760
    Abstract: An optical apparatus according to the present embodiment includes a detector for detecting detection light of illumination light reflected by a sample, an optical system for illuminating the sample with the illumination light and guiding the detection light reflected by the sample to the detector, a displacement measurement unit for measuring a displacement drift indicating the amount of drift in the position of an optical element included in the optical system, a storage unit for storing the correlation between the displacement drift and a focus drift indicating the amount of drift in the distance between the sample and the optical system when the detection light detected by the detector is brought into focus, and a prediction unit for predicting a focus drift from the measured displacement drift by using the correlation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2024
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2026
    Assignee: LASERTEC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Minoru Hosomi
  • Publication number: 20260185945
    Abstract: A defect inspection apparatus according to the present embodiment includes: an irradiation optical system configured to irradiate a sample including a SiC substrate, a buffer layer formed on the SiC substrate, and a drift layer formed on the buffer layer with excitation light; a filter unit configured to control a wavelength band to transmit photoluminescence light generated from the sample; a detection optical system configured to detect the photoluminescence light transmitted through the filter unit; and an image processing unit configured to form an image from the detected photoluminescence light and to discriminate a defect captured in the formed image, and the image processing unit discriminates the defect based on whether a length of the defect is L1=(D1+D2)/tan ? or L2=D2/tan ?.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2026
    Publication date: July 2, 2026
    Applicant: Lasertec Corporation
    Inventors: Shota FUJIKI, Yoshito OZAKI
  • Patent number: 12625381
    Abstract: Provided are an illumination apparatus and an illumination method capable of uniformly illuminating a visual field region detected by a detector. The present disclosure provides an illumination apparatus including: a drive unit configured to drive an optical member such that illumination light scans, in one direction, a visual field region that is a region extending in the one direction on a sample; and a control unit configured to control the drive unit to cause the illumination light to scan in synchronization with a transfer of a sensor that receives light from the visual field region illuminated by the illumination light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2024
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2026
    Assignee: LASERTEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Keitaro Hayashida, Shinji Tanaka, Masaki Koichi, Haruhiko Kusunose
  • Patent number: 12607838
    Abstract: A calculation method, an image-capturing method, and an image-capturing apparatus are provided which can easily calculate a shear amount produced by an optical element arranged on an optical path of an interference optical system. A calculation method according to the present disclosure is a calculation method of calculating a shear amount produced by a predetermined optical element which is arranged on an optical path of an image-capturing optical system. The calculation method includes a step of capturing an interference contrast image of a quadric surface included in an object surface by the image-capturing optical system, a step of measuring a fringe interval of interference fringes included in the interference contrast image, and a step of calculating the shear amount based on a constant in a formula expressing the quadric surface and the fringe interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2026
    Assignee: LASERTEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Nishimura, Shota Fujiki, Yoshihiro Aoki
  • Patent number: 12578281
    Abstract: A defect inspection apparatus according to the present embodiment includes: an irradiation optical system configured to irradiate a sample including a SiC substrate, a buffer layer formed on the SiC substrate, and a drift layer formed on the buffer layer with excitation light; a filter unit configured to control a wavelength band to transmit photoluminescence light generated from the sample; a detection optical system configured to detect the photoluminescence light transmitted through the filter unit; and an image processing unit configured to form an image from the detected photoluminescence light and to discriminate a defect captured in the formed image, and the image processing unit discriminates the defect based on whether a length of the defect is L1=(D1+D2)/tan ? or L2=D2/tan ?.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2024
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2026
    Assignee: LASERTEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shota Fujiki, Yoshito Ozaki
  • Patent number: 12566142
    Abstract: An optical apparatus and an examination apparatus that are capable of improving thermal stability are provided. An optical apparatus according to the present disclosure includes a housing that includes an optical member and on which light is incident, and a control unit configured to control, in a case in which power of incident light incident on the housing changes, the incident light after the change so that energy calculated by integrating the power after the change over a predetermined time becomes equal to energy calculated by integrating the power before the change over the predetermined time. The case in which the power of the incident light changes may include stop and resumption of incidence of the incident light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2026
    Assignee: LASERTEC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Ko Gondaira
  • Patent number: 12504270
    Abstract: A calculation method according to the present disclosure is a calculation method of calculating a shear amount produced by a predetermined optical element which is arranged on an optical path of an image-capturing optical system. The calculation method includes a step of capturing a plurality of interference contrast images of a quadric surface included in an object surface by the image-capturing optical system while changing a phase difference between two rays of divided light, a step of obtaining a phase distribution from the plurality of interference contrast images by a phase shift method, a step of measuring a fringe interval of interference fringes due to the quadric surface based on the phase distribution, and a step of calculating the shear amount of the optical element based on a constant in a formula expressing the quadric surface and the fringe interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2025
    Assignee: LASERTEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Nishimura, Hiroyuki Maekawa, Shota Fujiki
  • Patent number: 12361536
    Abstract: An inspection device according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes an image capturing unit configured to capture an image of an EUV mask provided with a pattern, a storage unit configured to store a database intermediate file including a gray image obtained by pixelating a binarized image rasterized from design data of the pattern, and a processing unit configured to inspect the EUV mask on the basis of a captured image obtained by the image capturing unit capturing an image of the EUV mask. The processing unit includes a conversion model generated by a learning machine configured to perform learning by deep learning, a reference image generation unit configured to generate a reference image from the gray image by using the conversion model, and a comparison unit configured to compare the reference image with the captured image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2025
    Assignee: LASERTEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Kato, Hirokazu Seki
  • Publication number: 20250176089
    Abstract: A light source apparatus according to the present embodiment includes: a target holding unit including a holding region configured to hold a target material that generates light by excitation light being provided; a rotary shaft configured to support the target holding unit; and an axial rotation drive unit that is connected to the rotary shaft and configured to rotate, the target holding unit around a central axis of the rotary shaft, wherein the target holding unit is rotated by a predetermined target rotational angular velocity, and the target holding unit has a mass such that a critical angular velocity during rotation is equal to or lower than 85% of the target rotational angular velocity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2024
    Publication date: May 29, 2025
    Applicant: Lasertec Corporation
    Inventors: Masaki Inoue, Masayasu Nishizawa
  • Publication number: 20250155823
    Abstract: An optical apparatus according to the present embodiment is an optical apparatus that illuminates an object with illumination light, the optical apparatus including: a first mirror unit configured to reflect a first portion of generated light including the illumination light generated from a light-emitting point; a second mirror unit configured to reflect a second portion of the generated light; an optical element configured to reflect the generated light; a first detection unit configured to detect the first portion reflected by the first mirror unit; and a second detection unit configured to detect the second portion reflected by the second mirror unit, in which the generated light includes the first portion, the second portion, and a main portion, and at least a part of the main portion reflected by the optical element is the illumination light that illuminates the object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2024
    Publication date: May 15, 2025
    Applicant: Lasertec Corporation
    Inventor: Ko GONDAIRA
  • Publication number: 20250117895
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus according to this embodiment includes: a specifying unit configured to specify, when parameter values of illumination parameters at a plurality of points corresponding to pixels of a photographed image obtained by photographing an object at a predetermined sampling time are compared with each other, a plurality of peak points each of which is a peak with respect to surrounding parameter values; a generation unit configured to generate, based on respective peak values of the parameter values at the specified plurality of peak points, the parameter values at a plurality of points between the peak points, and thereby generate a distribution of the parameter values; and a correction unit configured to correct the photographed image obtained at the predetermined sampling time by correcting the parameter values of at least one pixel of the photographed image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2024
    Publication date: April 10, 2025
    Applicant: Lasertec Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroki MIYAI, Takayuki MORISAWA
  • Publication number: 20250102445
    Abstract: A light source apparatus according to the present disclosure includes an input optical system including a first optical member configured to irradiate a target material with excitation light, an output optical system including a second optical member configured to extract light generated by irradiating the target material with the excitation light, a target holding unit configured to hold the target material, an acquiring unit configured to acquire displacement of a surface position of the target material, a driving unit configured to cause relative positions of an optical member and the target holding unit to vary, the optical member including at least one of the first optical member and the second optical member, and a control unit configured to drive the driving unit based on the displacement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2024
    Publication date: March 27, 2025
    Applicant: Lasertec Corporation
    Inventors: Ko GONDAIRA, Kosei ISHIBASHI, Hirokazu SEKI
  • Publication number: 20250102434
    Abstract: A light source apparatus according to the present disclosure includes an input optical system including a first optical member configured to irradiate a target material with excitation light, an output optical system including a second optical member configured to extract light generated by irradiating the target material with the excitation light, a target holding unit configured to hold the target material, an acquiring unit configured to acquire a surface position of the target material, a driving unit configured to cause a position of a focusing point of at least one of the first optical member and the second optical member to vary, and a control unit configured to drive the driving unit based on the surface position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2024
    Publication date: March 27, 2025
    Applicant: Lasertec Corporation
    Inventors: Mizuki KOBAYASHI, Keitaro HAYASHIDA, Hirokazu SEKI
  • Patent number: 12259339
    Abstract: A light-source apparatus, an inspection apparatus, and an adjustment method capable of facilitating the adjustment of the temperature of a BBO crystal are provided. A light-source apparatus according to the present disclosure includes a first light source configured to generate visible light, a first external resonator including a plurality of optical mirrors, a BBO crystal disposed in the first external resonator, capable of generating UV light in a wavelength range of 233 nm to 236 nm, the UV light being a second harmonic of the visible light, a one- or two-dimensional semiconductor sensor disposed near a far-field image plane formed through an optical element provided on an optical path of the UV light, and a calculation unit configured to calculate a representative position of a light intensity distribution detected by the semiconductor sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2025
    Assignee: LASERTEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jun Sakuma, Ryotaro Mori
  • Publication number: 20250012726
    Abstract: An inspection apparatus according to an embodiment includes pulsed light generation means for generating pulsed light having a wavelength longer than a wavelength of light corresponding to a bandgap of a sample, the pulsed light subjecting the sample to multiphoton excitation, light focusing means including an objective lens, for focusing the pulsed light on the sample through the objective lens, and for passing, through the objective lens, light including photoluminescence light and Raman scattered light produced from the sample by irradiation with the pulsed light, first detection means for detecting the photoluminescence light passed through the objective lens, and second detection means for detecting the Raman scattered light passed through the objective lens.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2024
    Publication date: January 9, 2025
    Applicant: Lasertec Corporation
    Inventors: Shota FUJIKI, Yoshihiro NISHIMURA
  • Publication number: 20240361590
    Abstract: To provide an optical apparatus and a method of preventing contamination of the optical apparatus that can more effectively prevent contamination. An optical apparatus according to an embodiment includes a light source configured to generate irradiation light including EUV light, an optical system chamber in which a target object to be irradiated with the irradiation light is disposed, a drop-in mirror provided in the optical system chamber in order to guide the irradiation light, an introducing unit configured to introduce argon into the optical system chamber, a power supply configured to apply a negative voltage to the drop-in mirror in the optical system chamber, an ammeter configured to measure an ion current flowing to the drop-in mirror, and a control unit configured to control an introduction amount of the argon according to a measurement result of the ammeter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2024
    Publication date: October 31, 2024
    Applicant: Lasertec Corporation
    Inventors: Ko GONDAIRA, Masaki INOUE, Haruhiko KUSUNOSE
  • Publication number: 20240337603
    Abstract: A defect inspection apparatus according to the present embodiment includes: an irradiation optical system configured to irradiate a sample including a SiC substrate, a buffer layer formed on the SiC substrate, and a drift layer formed on the buffer layer with excitation light; a filter unit configured to control a wavelength band to transmit photoluminescence light generated from the sample; a detection optical system configured to detect the photoluminescence light transmitted through the filter unit; and an image processing unit configured to form an image from the detected photoluminescence light and to discriminate a defect captured in the formed image, and the image processing unit discriminates the defect based on whether a length of the defect is L1=(D1+D2)/tan ? or L2=D2/tan ?.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2024
    Publication date: October 10, 2024
    Applicant: Lasertec Corporation
    Inventors: Shota FUJIKI, Yoshito OZAKI
  • Publication number: 20240302670
    Abstract: Provided are an illumination apparatus and an illumination method capable of uniformly illuminating a visual field region detected by a detector. The present disclosure provides an illumination apparatus including: a drive unit configured to drive an optical member such that illumination light scans, in one direction, a visual field region that is a region extending in the one direction on a sample; and a control unit configured to control the drive unit to cause the illumination light to scan in synchronization with a transfer of a sensor that receives light from the visual field region illuminated by the illumination light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2024
    Publication date: September 12, 2024
    Applicant: Lasertec Corporation
    Inventors: Keitaro HAYASHIDA, Shinji TANAKA, Masaki KOICHI, Haruhiko KUSUNOSE
  • Publication number: 20240292511
    Abstract: A position detection apparatus according to the present disclosure includes a first optical system configured to focus, among light including first light and second light generated along with EUV light from plasma generated by causing a condenser lens to focus laser light on a target, the first light by the condenser lens, a first position detector configured to detect the first light focused by the first optical system, a second optical system configured to focus the second light, a second position detector configured to detect the second light focused by the second optical system, and a position detection processing unit configured to detect change of a position of the plasma from change of a spot of the first light and change of the spot of the second light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2024
    Publication date: August 29, 2024
    Applicant: Lasertec Corporation
    Inventors: Keitaro HAYASHIDA, Tsunehito KOHYAMA
  • Publication number: 20240280502
    Abstract: An optical apparatus according to the present embodiment includes a detector for detecting detection light of illumination light reflected by a sample, an optical system for illuminating the sample with the illumination light and guiding the detection light reflected by the sample to the detector, a displacement measurement unit for measuring a displacement drift indicating the amount of drift in the position of an optical element included in the optical system, a storage unit for storing the correlation between the displacement drift and a focus drift indicating the amount of drift in the distance between the sample and the optical system when the detection light detected by the detector is brought into focus, and a prediction unit for predicting a focus drift from the measured displacement drift by using the correlation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2024
    Publication date: August 22, 2024
    Applicant: Lasertec Corporation
    Inventor: Minoru HOSOMI