Patents Examined by Andrew Smyth
  • Patent number: 11011348
    Abstract: Provided is a scanning electron microscope. The scanning electron microscope is capable of removing a charge generated on a side wall of a deep hole or groove, and inspects and measures a bottom portion of the deep hole or groove with high accuracy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Daisuke Bizen, Natsuki Tsuno, Takafumi Miwa, Makoto Sakakibara, Toshiyuki Yokosuka, Hideyuki Kazumi
  • Patent number: 11002757
    Abstract: An improved mode of AFM imaging (Peak Force Tapping (PFT) Mode) uses force as the feedback variable to reduce tip-sample interaction forces while maintaining scan speeds achievable by all existing AFM operating modes. Sample imaging and mechanical property mapping are achieved with improved resolution and high sample throughput, with the mode workable across varying environments, including gaseous, fluidic and vacuum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: Bruker Nano, Inc.
    Inventors: Yan Hu, Shuiqing Hu, Chanmin Su
  • Patent number: 11000609
    Abstract: A disinfection system is provided herein. The disinfection system includes an UV light source to generate UV light and a housing supporting the UV light source. The housing includes a fan and a shield having a body partially surrounding the UV light source. The body has an inner surface sized and shaped to reflect the UV light from the UV light source. The body defines at least one hole configured to receive air flow from the fan and direct the air flow to contact the UV light source to control a temperature of the UV light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: CLASS 1 INC.
    Inventor: Barry Hunt
  • Patent number: 10998167
    Abstract: Various embodiments herein relate to methods and apparatus for etching feature on a substrate. In a number of embodiments, no substrate rotation or tilting is used. While conventional etching processes rely on substrate rotation to even out the distribution of ions over the substrate surface, various embodiments herein achieve this purpose by moving the ion beams relative to the ion source. Movement of the ion beams can be achieved in a number of ways including electrostatic techniques, mechanical techniques, magnetic techniques, and combinations thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Ivan L. Berry, III, Thorsten Lill
  • Patent number: 10998181
    Abstract: A low power mass spectrometer (LPMS) includes an ionization source for generating an ionized sample beam; ion focusing optics for focusing the sample beam; and a static magnetic field region contained within an electric field-free drift region created between magnets acting as equipotential electrodes combined with a third equipotential surrounding electrode for receiving the focused sample beam and deflecting ions therein to different points on a detector array in accordance with an individual mass thereof. The LPMS operates at less than 1.2 Watts and has a physical footprint equal to or less than 12 inches at its largest length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: Leidos, Inc.
    Inventor: Noah Christian
  • Patent number: 10978282
    Abstract: A liquid sample introduction system for a plasma spectrometer includes a sample container for holding a liquid sample, a surface acoustic wave (SAW) nebulizer, arranged to receive a liquid sample from the sample container, an electronic controller for supplying electrical power to the SAW nebulizer so as to produce a surface acoustic wave on a surface of the SAW nebulizer, for generating an aerosol from the supplied sample liquid, and an aerosol transport arrangement for receiving the aerosol from the SAW nebulizer and carrying it into a plasma or flame of a spectrometer. The electronic controller is further configured to control the electrical power to the SAW nebulizer so as to permit adjustment of the aerosol parameters, and to control the aerosol transport arrangement so as to permit adjustment of the aerosol delivery into the plasma or flame of the spectrometer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: Thermo Fisher Scientific (Bremen) GMBH
    Inventor: Ayrat Murtazin
  • Patent number: 10971329
    Abstract: An H3+ ion is used as an ion beam to achieve improvement in focusing capability influencing observed resolution and machining width, improvement in the beam stability, and a reduction in damage to the sample surface during the beam irradiation, in the process of observation and machining of the sample surface by the ion beam. The H3+ ion can be obtained by use of a probe current within a voltage range 21 around a second peak 23 occurring when an extracted voltage is applied to a needle-shaped emitter tip with an apex terminated by three atoms or less, in an atmosphere of hydrogen gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shinichi Matsubara, Hiroyasu Shichi, Tomihiro Hashizume, Yoshimi Kawanami
  • Patent number: 10966308
    Abstract: A device is disclosed herein which may comprise a droplet generator producing droplets of target material; a sensor providing an intercept time signal when a droplet reaches a preselected location; a delay circuit coupled with said sensor, the delay circuit generating a trigger signal delayed from the intercept time signal; a laser source responsive to a trigger signal to produce a laser pulse; and a system controlling said delay circuit to provide a trigger signal delayed from the intercept time by a first delay time to generate a light pulse that is focused on a droplet and a trigger signal delayed from the intercept time by a second delay time to generate a light pulse which is not focused on a droplet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: William N. Partlo, Richard L. Sandstrom, Daniel J. W. Brown, Igor V. Fomenkov
  • Patent number: 10964557
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a substrate processing apparatus and a substrate processing method. The substrate processing apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure may include: a processing liquid supply tube; a nozzle unit which is supplied with a processing liquid from the processing liquid supply tube and discharges the processing liquid to the substrate; and a light source unit which is provided to irradiate the processing liquid discharged from the nozzle unit with ultraviolet rays. According to the present disclosure, the processing liquid, which is electrified while passing the processing liquid supply tube, is irradiated with ultraviolet rays, such that electricity is eliminated from the electrified processing liquid, and as a result, it is possible to minimize a problem that the substrate is contaminated by peripheral particles or arcing occurs on the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: SEMES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Do Yeon Kim, Jin Kyu Kim, Yoon Jong Ju, Min Sung Han, Joon Ho Won, Yong Tak Hyun
  • Patent number: 10918755
    Abstract: This accommodation device is for performing sterilization through irradiation with ultraviolet light. The device is provided with an ultraviolet light lamp for emitting ultraviolet light, electric wires for supplying power to the ultraviolet light lamp, socket parts for supporting the ultraviolet light lamp, and a housing in which the ultraviolet light lamp is disposed, wherein: the socket parts have formed therein first opening portions which are open to the inside of the housing, and second opening portions which are in fluid connection with the first opening portions and through which the electric wires pass; and the housing has formed therein third opening portions which guide the electric wires to the outside and which are in fluid connection with the second opening portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: PHC HOLDINGS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tsugumasa Hitomi, Manami Baba, Megumi Onda
  • Patent number: 10903064
    Abstract: A method of performing mass spectrometric analyses, comprises: (a) passing a stream of ions through a quadrupole mass analyzer; (b) intercepting a flux of ions emitted from an exit aperture of the quadrupole mass analyzer at a front face of a stack of multichannel plates and emitting a flux of electrons in response to the intercepted flux of ions at a rear face of the stack of multichannel plates; (c) intercepting the flux of electrons at a front surface of a scintillator comprising a phosphorescent material and emitting a flux of photons in response to the intercepted flux of ions at a rear surface of the scintillator; (d) receiving the flux of photons at a photo-imager; and (e) repositioning at least one of the scintillator and the stack of microchannel plates during the execution of one or more of the steps (a) through (d).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: THERMO FINNIGAN LLC
    Inventor: Tsung-Chi Chen
  • Patent number: 10894104
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a light emitting diode (LED) lighting device for sterilizing a surface or a space capable of effectively performing short-distance sterilization or long-distance sterilization. The device includes: a body including an inner transparent tube and an outer transparent tube in a double-tube type, the inner transparent tube forming a vertical ventilation hole and the outer transparent tube being spaced apart from the inner transparent tube at a predetermined distance; a substrate provided in a space formed by the inner transparent tube and the outer transparent tube; and a first light emitting element and a second light emitting element provided on an outer surface of the substrate. The first light emitting element emits visible light having a first wavelength of 405 nm, and the second light emitting element emits short-wavelength visible light having a second wavelength in the range of 400 to 450 nm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: PSYCURE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hyun-Jeong Kim, Sang-Ho Jung
  • Patent number: 10882764
    Abstract: A fluid sterilization apparatus includes: a flow passage tube in which a processing passage where a passing fluid is sterilized is formed; a first light source that irradiates the processing passage with ultraviolet light; an inflow passage formed in a direction that intersects an outer circumferential surface of the flow passage tube; and a communication passage that causes the inflow passage to communicate with the processing passage. The communication passage has a narrow passage in the middle of a path from the inflow passage toward an opening of a first end, the narrow passage being narrower than a passage toward the inflow passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: NIKKISO CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hiroaki Mochizuki
  • Patent number: 10886101
    Abstract: A charged particle beam device includes: a charged particle source that emits a charged particle beam; a boosting electrode disposed between the charged particle source and a sample to form a path of the charged particle beam and to accelerate and decelerate the charged particle beam; a first pole piece that covers the boosting electrode; a second pole piece that covers the first pole piece; a first lens coil disposed outside the first pole piece and inside the second pole piece to form a first lens; a second lens coil disposed outside the second pole piece to form a second lens; and a control electrode formed between a distal end portion of the first pole piece and a distal end portion of the second pole piece to control an electric field formed between the sample and the distal end portion of the second pole piece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Tech Corporation
    Inventors: Ryo Hirano, Hideo Morishita, Toshihide Agemura, Junichi Katane, Tsunenori Nomaguchi
  • Patent number: 10886117
    Abstract: The invention is a method for capturing biological species present in a body tissue. The method comprises an arrangement of tissue on a support, referred to as a capture support, capable of selectively capturing one or more biological species, referred to as species of interest. The method comprises; —a step of depositing a lysis reagent on the tissue; —a step of droplet formation, on the surface of the tissue, each droplet comprising the solubilized lysis reagent; —a formation of lysis sites, in the tissue, between each droplet and the capture support, such that at each lysis site, species of interest are freed and captured by the capture support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES
    Inventors: Adrien Mombrun, Mohamed-Ali Bouamrani, Celine Le Clec'h
  • Patent number: 10886116
    Abstract: A method of mass spectrometry is disclosed comprising separating ions temporally in a first device 5 and analysing the mass or mass to charge ratio of the ions or of product or fragment ions derived from the ions in a mass or mass to charge ratio analyser 8 disposed downstream of the first device 5. The method further comprises obtaining a first set of drift times for the ions through the first device 5 by measuring ion arrival times and determining the transit time of the ions and/or of the product or fragment ions through one or more intermediate regions or devices 6, 7 disposed between the first device 5 and the mass to charge ratio analyser 8. The method further comprises obtaining a second set of drift times for the ions through the first device 5 by correcting the first set of drift times to account for the determined transit times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: Micromass UK Limited
    Inventors: Kevin Giles, David J. Langridge, Steven Derek Pringle, Keith Richardson, Jason Lee Wildgoose
  • Patent number: 10880981
    Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet (EUV) source includes a collector mirror, a drain, a droplet generator configured to eject a target material toward the drain, a pellicle disposed over the collector mirror. The pellicle is configured to catch debris formed of the target material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shang-Chieh Chien, Chi Yang, Jen-Yang Chung, Shao-Wei Luo, Tzung-Chi Fu, Chun-Kuang Chen, Li-Jui Chen, Po-Chung Cheng
  • Patent number: 10872751
    Abstract: Certain embodiments described herein are directed to detectors and systems using them. In some examples, the detector can include a plurality of dynodes, in which one or more of the dynodes are coupled to an electrometer. In some instances, an analog signal from a non-saturated dynode is measured and cross-calibrated with a pulse count signal to extend the dynamic range of the detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: PerkinElmer Health Sciences, Inc.
    Inventors: Hamid Badiei, Steven A. Beres
  • Patent number: 10872755
    Abstract: A low power mass spectrometer (LPMS) includes an ionization source for generating an ionized sample beam; ion focusing optics for focusing the sample beam; and a static magnetic field region contained within an electric field-free drift region created between magnets acting as equipotential electrodes combined with a third equipotential surrounding electrode for receiving the focused sample beam and deflecting ions therein to different points on a detector array in accordance with an individual mass thereof. The LPMS operates at less than 1.2 Watts and has a physical footprint equal to or less than 12 inches at its largest length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: Leidos, Inc.
    Inventor: Noah Christian
  • Patent number: 10872745
    Abstract: A charged-particle beam system comprises: a charged-particle beam device containing a detection unit for detecting electrons generated by irradiating a sample with a charged-particle beam released from a charged particle source; and a signal detection unit in which a detection signal from the detection unit is input through a wiring. The signal detection unit comprises: a separation unit for separating into a rising signal and a falling signal the detection signal from the detection unit; a falling signal processing unit for at least eliminating ringing in the falling signal; and a combination unit generating and delivering a combined signal produced by combining the rising signal, which has been separated by the separation unit, with the falling signal wherefrom the ringing has been eliminated by the falling signal processing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akio Yamamoto, Kazuki Ikeda, Wen Li, Hiroyuki Takahashi, Shahedul Hoque, Shunsuke Mizutani