Patents by Inventor Akitoshi Kawai

Akitoshi Kawai has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11016039
    Abstract: A measurement processing device used for an x-ray inspection apparatus that detects an x-ray passing through a specimen with a detection unit to sequentially inspect a plurality of specimens on the basis of an acquired transmission image, includes a setting unit that sets a region to be inspected on a portion of the specimen; a determination unit that determines the non-defectiveness of the region to be inspected by using a transmission image of the x-ray that passed through the region to be inspected; a correction unit that performs a correction on the region to be inspected on the basis of a determination result by the determination unit; and a display control unit that displays the corrected region to be inspected corrected by the correction unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Nobukatsu Machii, Fuminori Hayano, Akitoshi Kawai
  • Patent number: 11016038
    Abstract: A measurement processing device used for an x-ray inspection apparatus that detects an x-ray passing through a specimen with a detection unit to sequentially inspect a plurality of specimens on the basis of an acquired transmission image, includes a setting unit that sets a region to be inspected on a portion of the specimen; a determination unit that determines the non-defectiveness of the region to be inspected by using a transmission image of the x-ray that passed through the region to be inspected; a correction unit that performs a correction on the region to be inspected on the basis of a determination result by the determination unit; and a display control unit that displays the corrected region to be inspected corrected by the correction unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Nobukatsu Machii, Fuminori Hayano, Akitoshi Kawai
  • Patent number: 10809209
    Abstract: A measurement processing device used for an X-ray inspection device includes: a region information acquisition unit that acquires first region information based on X-rays passing through a first region that is a part of a first specimen; a storage unit that stores second region information related to a second region of a second specimen, the second region being larger than the first region; and a determination unit that determines whether or not a region corresponding to the first region is included in the second region, based on the first region information and the second region information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Hirotomo Yashima, Fuminori Hayano, Akitoshi Kawai
  • Patent number: 10760902
    Abstract: A measurement processing device used for an x-ray inspection apparatus that detects an x-ray passing through a predetermined region of a specimen placed on a placement unit to perform an inspection on the shape of the predetermined region of the specimen includes: a setting unit that sets a three-dimensional region to be detected on the specimen; and a sliced-region selection unit that sets a plurality of sliced regions on the region to be detected, calculates, for each of the plurality of sliced regions, an amount of displacement of the predetermined region that is required to detect the region to be detected when the plurality of sliced regions is regarded as the predetermined region, and selects a sliced region for the inspection from among the plurality of sliced regions on the basis of each of the calculated amounts of displacement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Nobukatsu Machii, Fuminori Hayano, Akitoshi Kawai
  • Patent number: 10557706
    Abstract: A measurement processing device used for an x-ray inspection apparatus that detects an x-ray passing through a predetermined region of a specimen placed on a placement unit to perform an inspection on the shape of the predetermined region of the specimen includes: a setting unit that sets a three-dimensional region to be detected on the specimen; and a sliced-region selection unit that sets a plurality of sliced regions on the region to be detected, calculates, for each of the plurality of sliced regions, an amount of displacement of the predetermined region that is required to detect the region to be detected when the plurality of sliced regions is regarded as the predetermined region, and selects a sliced region for the inspection from among the plurality of sliced regions on the basis of each of the calculated amounts of displacement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Nobukatsu Machii, Fuminori Hayano, Akitoshi Kawai
  • Publication number: 20200003705
    Abstract: A measurement processing device used for an X-ray inspection device includes: a region information acquisition unit that acquires first region information based on X-rays passing through a first region that is a part of a first specimen; a storage unit that stores second region information related to a second region of a second specimen, the second region being larger than the first region; and a determination unit that determines whether or not a region corresponding to the first region is included in the second region, based on the first region information and the second region information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2019
    Publication date: January 2, 2020
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hirotomo YASHIMA, Fuminori HAYANO, Akitoshi KAWAI
  • Patent number: 10502562
    Abstract: A measurement processing device used for an x-ray inspection apparatus that detects an x-ray passing through a predetermined region of a specimen placed on a placement unit to perform an inspection on the shape of the predetermined region of the specimen includes: a setting unit that sets a three-dimensional region to be detected on the specimen; and a sliced-region selection unit that sets a plurality of sliced regions on the region to be detected, calculates, for each of the plurality of sliced regions, an amount of displacement of the predetermined region that is required to detect the region to be detected when the plurality of sliced regions is regarded as the predetermined region, and selects a sliced region for the inspection from among the plurality of sliced regions on the basis of each of the calculated amounts of displacement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Nobukatsu Machii, Fuminori Hayano, Akitoshi Kawai
  • Patent number: 10481106
    Abstract: A measurement processing device used for an X-ray inspection device includes: a region information acquisition unit that acquires first region information based on X-rays passing through a first region that is a part of a first specimen; a storage unit that stores second region information related to a second region of a second specimen, the second region being larger than the first region; and a determination unit that determines whether or not a region corresponding to the first region is included in the second region, based on the first region information and the second region information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Hirotomo Yashima, Fuminori Hayano, Akitoshi Kawai
  • Patent number: 10444165
    Abstract: A measurement processing device used for an X-ray inspection device includes: a region information acquisition unit that acquires first region information based on X-rays passing through a first region that is a part of a first specimen; a storage unit that stores second region information related to a second region of a second specimen, the second region being larger than the first region; and a determination unit that determines whether or not a region corresponding to the first region is included in the second region, based on the first region information and the second region information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Hirotomo Yashima, Fuminori Hayano, Akitoshi Kawai
  • Publication number: 20190195811
    Abstract: A measurement processing device used for an x-ray inspection apparatus that detects an x-ray passing through a specimen with a detection unit to sequentially inspect a plurality of specimens on the basis of an acquired transmission image, includes a setting unit that sets a region to be inspected on a portion of the specimen; a determination unit that determines the non-defectiveness of the region to be inspected by using a transmission image of the x-ray that passed through the region to be inspected; a correction unit that performs a correction on the region to be inspected on the basis of a determination result by the determination unit; and a display control unit that displays the corrected region to be inspected corrected by the correction unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2018
    Publication date: June 27, 2019
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nobukatsu MACHII, Fuminori HAYANO, Akitoshi KAWAI
  • Publication number: 20180372485
    Abstract: A measurement processing device used for an x-ray inspection apparatus that detects an x-ray passing through a predetermined region of a specimen placed on a placement unit to perform an inspection on the shape of the predetermined region of the specimen includes: a setting unit that sets a three-dimensional region to be detected on the specimen; and a sliced-region selection unit that sets a plurality of sliced regions on the region to be detected, calculates, for each of the plurality of sliced regions, an amount of displacement of the predetermined region that is required to detect the region to be detected when the plurality of sliced regions is regarded as the predetermined region, and selects a sliced region for the inspection from among the plurality of sliced regions on the basis of each of the calculated amounts of displacement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2018
    Publication date: December 27, 2018
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nobukatsu MACHII, Fuminori HAYANO, Akitoshi KAWAI
  • Publication number: 20180120243
    Abstract: A measurement processing device used for an X-ray inspection device includes: a region information acquisition unit that acquires first region information based on X-rays passing through a first region that is a part of a first specimen; a storage unit that stores second region information related to a second region of a second specimen, the second region being larger than the first region; and a determination unit that determines whether or not a region corresponding to the first region is included in the second region, based on the first region information and the second region information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2017
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hirotomo YASHIMA, Fuminori HAYANO, Akitoshi KAWAI
  • Publication number: 20170241919
    Abstract: A measurement processing device used for an x-ray inspection apparatus that detects an x-ray passing through a specimen with a detection unit to sequentially inspect a plurality of specimens on the basis of an acquired transmission image, includes a setting unit that sets a region to be inspected on a portion of the specimen; a determination unit that determines the non-defectiveness of the region to be inspected by using a transmission image of the x-ray that passed through the region to be inspected; a correction unit that performs a correction on the region to be inspected on the basis of a determination result by the determination unit; and a display control unit that displays the corrected region to be inspected corrected by the correction unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2014
    Publication date: August 24, 2017
    Inventors: NOBUKATSU MACHII, FURNINORL HAYANO, AKITOSHI KAWAI
  • Publication number: 20170176181
    Abstract: A measurement processing device used for an x-ray inspection apparatus that detects an x-ray passing through a predetermined region of a specimen placed on a placement unit to perform an inspection on the shape of the predetermined region of the specimen includes: a setting unit that sets a three-dimensional region to be detected on the specimen; and a sliced-region selection unit that sets a plurality of sliced regions on the region to be detected, calculates, for each of the plurality of sliced regions, an amount of displacement of the predetermined region that is required to detect the region to be detected when the plurality of sliced regions is regarded as the predetermined region, and selects a sliced region for the inspection from among the plurality of sliced regions on the basis of each of the calculated amounts of displacement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2017
    Publication date: June 22, 2017
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nobukatsu MACHII, Fuminori HAYANO, Akitoshi KAWAI
  • Patent number: 8730465
    Abstract: A defect inspecting apparatus inspects defects of a sample having a pattern formed on the surface. The defect inspecting apparatus is provided with a stage which has a sample placed thereon and linearly moves and turns; a light source; an illuminating optical system, which selects a discretionary wavelength region from the light source and epi-illuminates the sample surface through a polarizer and an objective lens; a detecting optical system, which obtains a pupil image, by passing through reflection light applied by the illuminating optical system from the surface of the sample through the objective lens and an analyzer which satisfies the cross-nichols conditions with the polarizer; and a detecting section which detects defects of the sample by comparing the obtained pupil image with a previously stored pupil image. Conformity of the pattern on a substrate to be inspected can be judged in a short time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Kazumasa Endo, Daisaku Mochida, Toru Yoshikawa, Hiromasa Shibata, Akitoshi Kawai
  • Patent number: 8599370
    Abstract: A defect inspecting apparatus inspects defects of a sample having a pattern formed on the surface. The defect inspecting apparatus is provided with a stage which has a sample placed thereon and linearly moves and turns; a light source; an illuminating optical system, which selects a discretionary wavelength region from the light source and epi-illuminates the sample surface through a polarizer and an objective lens; a detecting optical system, which obtains a pupil image, by passing through reflection light applied by the illuminating optical system from the surface of the sample through the objective lens and an analyzer which satisfies the cross-nichols conditions with the polarizer; and a detecting section which detects defects of the sample by comparing the obtained pupil image with a previously stored pupil image. Conformity of the pattern on a substrate to be inspected can be judged in a short time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Kazumasa Endo, Daisaku Mochida, Toru Yoshikawa, Hiromasa Shibata, Akitoshi Kawai
  • Publication number: 20090147247
    Abstract: A defect inspecting apparatus inspects defects of a sample having a pattern formed on the surface. The defect inspecting apparatus is provided with a stage which has a sample placed thereon and linearly moves and turns; a light source; an illuminating optical system, which selects a discretionary wavelength region from the light source and epi-illuminates the sample surface through a polarizer and an objective lens; a detecting optical system, which obtains a pupil image, by passing through reflection light applied by the illuminating optical system from the surface of the sample through the objective lens and an analyzer which satisfies the cross-nichols conditions with the polarizer; and a detecting section which detects defects of the sample by comparing the obtained pupil image with a previously stored pupil image. Conformity of the pattern on a substrate to be inspected can be judged in a short time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2008
    Publication date: June 11, 2009
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazumasa Endo, Daisaku Mochida, Toru Yoshikawa, Hiromasa Shibata, Akitoshi Kawai
  • Publication number: 20080285840
    Abstract: A defect inspection apparatus obtains a color image signal of an inspection target. Based on a plurality of signal components forming this color image signal, a plurality of analysis images are obtained. Defect detection of an inspection target is implemented for each of the a plurality of analysis images. A differential is detected for a defect nomination detected for each of the analysis images, and thereby whether a plurality of defects exist or not in successive defect positions of the inspection target is determined.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2008
    Publication date: November 20, 2008
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Akitoshi Kawai
  • Patent number: 6405610
    Abstract: This invention relates to a wafer inspection apparatus having various types of structures for realizing a reduction in convey time of a selected wafer as an inspection target, an improvement in operability, or the like. In particular, this wafer inspection apparatus has a first convey system and a second convey system. The first convey system is movable in a direction perpendicular to a wafer convey reference surface and has a plurality of arm portions operable independently of each other. The second convey system has a plurality of rotary arm portions that are movable in the direction perpendicular to the wafer convey reference surface. Thus, a structure in which the wafer convey time is shorter than in a conventional wafer inspection apparatus is realized. This wafer inspection apparatus also has a lifting unit with a specific structure, thus realizing an improvement in operability of the apparatus or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2002
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Manabu Komatsu, Kurata Honma, Akitoshi Kawai, Hisashi Tazawa, Tsuneo Hasegawa