Patents by Inventor Hiroshi Oba

Hiroshi Oba 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: 11721517
    Abstract: Provided is a focused ion beam processing apparatus including: an ion source; a sample stage a condenser lens; an aperture having a slit in a straight line shape; a projection lens and the sample stage, wherein, in a transfer mode, by Köhler illumination, with an applied voltage of the condenser lens when a focused ion beam is focused on a main surface of the projection lens scaled to be 100, the applied voltage is set to be less than 100 and greater than or equal to 80; a position of the aperture is set such that the focused ion beam is masked by the aperture with the one side of the aperture at a distance greater than 0 ?m and equal to or less than 500 ?m from a center of the focused ion beam; and the shape of the slit is transferred onto the sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH SCIENCE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi Oba, Yasuhiko Sugiyama, Yoshitomo Nakagawa, Koji Nagahara
  • Publication number: 20210296080
    Abstract: Provided is a focused ion beam processing apparatus including: an ion source; a sample stage a condenser lens; an aperture having a slit in a straight line shape; a projection lens and the sample stage, wherein, in a transfer mode, by Köhler illumination, with an applied voltage of the condenser lens when a focused ion beam is focused on a main surface of the projection lens scaled to be 100, the applied voltage is set to be less than 100 and greater than or equal to 80; a position of the aperture is set such that the focused ion beam is masked by the aperture with the one side of the aperture at a distance greater than 0 ?m and equal to or less than 500 ?m from a center of the focused ion beam; and the shape of the slit is transferred onto the sample.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2021
    Publication date: September 23, 2021
    Inventors: Hiroshi OBA, Yasuhiko SUGIYAMA, Yoshitomo NAKAGAWA, Koji NAGAHARA
  • Patent number: 11017988
    Abstract: An charged particle beam apparatus includes: a gas introduction chamber to which raw gas is introduced; a plasma generation chamber connected to the gas introduction chamber; a coil wound around an outer circumference of the plasma generation chamber and receiving a high-frequency power; an extraction electrode applying an extraction voltage to plasma discharged from a plasma aperture at an outlet of the plasma generation chamber; an ampere meter measuring a magnitude of a plasma current caused by the plasma moved out of the plasma aperture; an extraction voltage calculator calculating, based on variation in the magnitude of the plasma current measured by the ampere meter with respect to variation in the extraction voltage, an extraction voltage set value; and a controller controlling the extraction voltage based on the extraction voltage set value calculated by the extraction voltage calculator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: HITACH HIGH-TECH SCIENCE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi Oba, Yasuhiko Sugiyama, Yasutaka Otsuka
  • 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
  • Publication number: 20200266029
    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: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2020
    Publication date: August 20, 2020
    Inventors: Yasuhiko SUGIYAMA, Naoko Hirose, Hiroshi Oba
  • Patent number: 10658143
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of manufacturing an emitter in which the tip of the emitter can be formed into a desired shape even when various materials are used for the emitter. The method includes performing an electrolytic polishing process of polishing a front end of a conductive emitter material so that a diameter of the front end is gradually reduced toward a tip; performing a first etching process by irradiating a processing portion of the emitter material processed by the electrolytic polishing process with a charged particle beam; performing a sputtering process by irradiating the pointed portion formed by the first etching process with a focused ion beam; and performing a secondary etching process of further sharpening the tip by an electric field induced gas etching processing while observing a crystal structure of the tip of the pointed portion processed by the sputtering process using a field ion microscope.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH SCIENCE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoko Nakajima, Yoshimi Kawanami, Hironori Moritani, Hiroshi Oba
  • Publication number: 20200135437
    Abstract: An charged particle beam apparatus includes: a gas introduction chamber to which raw gas is introduced; a plasma generation chamber connected to the gas introduction chamber; a coil wound around an outer circumference of the plasma generation chamber and receiving a high-frequency power; an extraction electrode applying an extraction voltage to plasma discharged from a plasma aperture at an outlet of the plasma generation chamber; an ampere meter measuring a magnitude of a plasma current caused by the plasma moved out of the plasma aperture; an extraction voltage calculator calculating, based on variation in the magnitude of the plasma current measured by the ampere meter with respect to variation in the extraction voltage, an extraction voltage set value; and a controller controlling the extraction voltage based on the extraction voltage set value calculated by the extraction voltage calculator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2019
    Publication date: April 30, 2020
    Inventors: Hiroshi OBA, Yasuhiko SUGIYAMA, Yasutaka OTSUKA
  • Publication number: 20190267208
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of manufacturing an emitter in which the tip of the emitter can be formed into a desired shape even when various materials are used for the emitter. The method includes performing an electrolytic polishing process of polishing a front end of a conductive emitter material so that a diameter of the front end is gradually reduced toward a tip; performing a first etching process by irradiating a processing portion of the emitter material processed by the electrolytic polishing process with a charged particle beam; performing a sputtering process by irradiating the pointed portion formed by the first etching process with a focused ion beam; and performing a secondary etching process of further sharpening the tip by an electric field induced gas etching processing while observing a crystal structure of the tip of the pointed portion processed by the sputtering process using a field ion microscope.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2019
    Publication date: August 29, 2019
    Inventors: Yoko NAKAJIMA, Yoshimi KAWANAMI, Hironori MORITANI, Hiroshi OBA
  • Patent number: 10176964
    Abstract: A focused ion beam apparatus includes an ion source that emits an ion beam, an extraction electrode that extracts ions from a tip end of an emitter of the ion source, and a first lens electrode that configures a condenser lens by a potential difference with the extraction electrode, the condenser lens focusing the ions extracted by the extraction electrode, in which a strong lens action is generated between the extraction electrode and the first lens electrode so as to focus all ions extracted from the ion source to pass through a hole of the condenser lens including the first lens electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH SCIENCE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasuhiko Sugiyama, Hiroshi Oba
  • Patent number: 10056232
    Abstract: A charged particle beam apparatus according to this invention includes: a gas introduction chamber, into which raw gas is introduced; a plasma generation chamber connected to the gas introduction chamber; a coil that is wound along an outer circumference of the plasma generation chamber and to which high-frequency power is applied; an electrode arranged at a boundary between the gas introduction chamber and the plasma generation chamber and having a plurality of through-holes formed therein; a plasma electrode that is provided apart from the electrode; a detection unit for detecting whether or not the plasma has been ignited in the plasma generation chamber; and a controller that controls, based on the result of detection by the detection unit, a voltage to be supplied to the plasma electrode in association with a predetermined pressure for supplying the raw gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Tech Science Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Oba, Yasuhiko Sugiyama
  • Patent number: 9793085
    Abstract: A focused ion beam apparatus is equipped with a gas field ion source that can produce a focused ion beam for a long period of time by stably and continuously emitting ions from the gas field ion source having high luminance, along an optical axis of an ion-optical system for a long period of time. The gas field ion source has an emitter for emitting ions, the emitter having a sharpened end part made of iridium fixed to a cylinder-shaped base part made of dissimilar wire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH SCIENCE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Anto Yasaka, Tomokazu Kozakai, Osamu Matsuda, Yasuhiko Sugiyama, Kazuo Aita, Fumio Aramaki, Hiroshi Oba
  • Publication number: 20170278678
    Abstract: A charged particle beam apparatus according to this invention includes: a gas introduction chamber, into which raw gas is introduced; a plasma generation chamber connected to the gas introduction chamber; a coil that is wound along an outer circumference of the plasma generation chamber and to which high-frequency power is applied; an electrode arranged at a boundary between the gas introduction chamber and the plasma generation chamber and having a plurality of through-holes formed therein; a plasma electrode that is provided apart from the electrode; a detection unit for detecting whether or not the plasma has been ignited in the plasma generation chamber; and a controller that controls, based on the result of detection by the detection unit, a voltage to be supplied to the plasma electrode in association with a predetermined pressure for supplying the raw gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2017
    Publication date: September 28, 2017
    Applicant: HITACHI HIGH-TECH SCIENCE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi Oba, Yasuhiko Sugiyama
  • Patent number: 9773634
    Abstract: There is provided an iridium tip including a pyramid structure having one {100} crystal plane as one of a plurality of pyramid surfaces in a sharpened apex portion of a single crystal with <210> orientation. The iridium tip is applied to a gas field ion source or an electron source. The gas field ion source and/or the electron source is applied to a focused ion beam apparatus, an electron microscope, an electron beam applied analysis apparatus, an ion-electron multi-beam apparatus, a scanning probe microscope or a mask repair apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Tech Science Corporation
    Inventors: Tomokazu Kozakai, Osamu Matsuda, Yasuhiko Sugiyama, Kazuo Aita, Fumio Aramaki, Anto Yasaka, Hiroshi Oba
  • Patent number: 9773637
    Abstract: A plasma ion source includes: a gas introduction chamber, into which raw gas is introduced; an insulation member provided in the gas introduction chamber; a plasma generation chamber connected to the gas introduction chamber; a coil that is wound along an outer circumference of the plasma generation chamber and to which high-frequency power is applied; and an electrode arranged at a boundary between the gas introduction chamber and the plasma generation chamber and having a plurality of through-holes formed therein, wherein a size of the through-holes is smaller than a length of a plasma sheath.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi Oba, Yasuhiko Sugiyama, Mamoru Okabe
  • Patent number: 9773646
    Abstract: A plasma ion source includes: a gas introduction chamber, into which raw gas is introduced; a plasma generation chamber connected to the gas introduction chamber and made of a dielectric material; a coil wound along an outer circumference of the plasma generation chamber and to which high-frequency power is applied; an envelope surrounding the gas introduction chamber, the plasma generation chamber and the coil; and insulating liquid filled inside the gas introduction chamber, the plasma generation chamber and the envelope to immerse the coil and having an dielectric strength voltage relatively greater than that of the envelope and the same dielectric dissipation factor as the plasma generation chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi Oba, Yasuhiko Sugiyama, Mamoru Okabe
  • Publication number: 20170148603
    Abstract: There is provided an iridium tip including a pyramid structure having one {100} crystal plane as one of a plurality of pyramid surfaces in a sharpened apex portion of a single crystal with <210> orientation. The iridium tip is applied to a gas field ion source or an electron source. The gas field ion source and/or the electron source is applied to a focused ion beam apparatus, an electron microscope, an electron beam applied analysis apparatus, an ion-electron multi-beam apparatus, a scanning probe microscope or a mask repair apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2017
    Publication date: May 25, 2017
    Inventors: Tomokazu Kozakai, Osamu Matsuda, Yasuhiko Sugiyama, Kazuo Aita, Fumio Aramaki, Anto Yasaka, Hiroshi Oba
  • Patent number: 9640361
    Abstract: A focused ion beam system includes a gas ion source and an emitter structure. The emitter structure includes a pair of conductive pins fixed to a base member, a filament connected between the pair of conductive pins, and an emitter which has a tip end with one atom or three atoms and which is connected to the filament. A supporting member is fixed to the base material, and the emitter is connected to the supporting member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH SCIENCE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Anto Yasaka, Yasuhiko Sugiyama, Hiroshi Oba
  • Publication number: 20170069456
    Abstract: A focused ion beam apparatus includes an ion source that emits an ion beam, an extraction electrode that extracts ions from a tip end of an emitter of the ion source, and a first lens electrode that configures a condenser lens by a potential difference with the extraction electrode, the condenser lens focusing the ions extracted by the extraction electrode, in which a strong lens action is generated between the extraction electrode and the first lens electrode so as to focus all ions extracted from the ion source to pass through a hole of the condenser lens including the first lens electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2016
    Publication date: March 9, 2017
    Inventors: Yasuhiko SUGIYAMA, Hiroshi OBA
  • Patent number: 9583299
    Abstract: There is provided an iridium tip including a pyramid structure having one {100} crystal plane as one of a plurality of pyramid surfaces in a sharpened apex portion of a single crystal with <210> orientation. The iridium tip is applied to a gas field ion source or an electron source. The gas field ion source and/or the electron source is applied to a focused ion beam apparatus, an electron microscope, an electron beam applied analysis apparatus, an ion-electron multi-beam apparatus, a scanning probe microscope or a mask repair apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Tech Science Corporation
    Inventors: Tomokazu Kozakai, Osamu Matsuda, Yasuhiko Sugiyama, Kazuo Aita, Fumio Aramaki, Anto Yasaka, Hiroshi Oba
  • Publication number: 20160322123
    Abstract: There is provided a repair apparatus including a gas field ion source which includes an ion generation section including a sharpened tip, a cooling unit which cools the tip, an ion beam column which forms a focused ion beam by focusing ions of a gas generated in the gas field ion source, a sample stage which moves while a sample to be irradiated with the focused ion beam is placed thereon, a sample chamber which accommodates at least the sample stage therein, and a control unit which repairs a mask or a mold for nano-imprint lithography, which is the sample, with the focused ion beam formed by the ion beam column. The gas field ion source generates nitrogen ions as the ions, and the tip is constituted by an iridium single crystal capable of generating the ions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2016
    Publication date: November 3, 2016
    Inventors: Fumio Aramaki, Anto Yasaka, Osamu Matsuda, Yasuhiko Sugiyama, Hiroshi Oba, Tomokazu Kozakai, Kazuo Aita