Patents by Inventor Hitoshi Higurashi
Hitoshi Higurashi 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).
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Patent number: 9734981Abstract: A charged particle beam writing apparatus includes a circuitry to set, when a charged particle beam is deflected to move between plural small regions by a deflector, plural first mesh regions obtained by virtually dividing a chip region into regions by length and width sizes same as those of each of the plural small regions; determine whether a shot figure having been assigned exists in each of the plural first mesh regions; a circuitry to perform, for the plural first mesh regions, merging of two or more adjacent first mesh regions; a circuitry to measure, for each of plural second mesh regions each obtained by merging, the number of first mesh regions each having been determined that an assigned shot figure exists therein; and a circuitry to generate a map for each chip, where measured number of first mesh regions with the shot figure is defined as a map value.Type: GrantFiled: April 1, 2016Date of Patent: August 15, 2017Assignee: NuFlare Technology, Inc.Inventors: Saori Gomi, Hitoshi Higurashi
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Publication number: 20160300687Abstract: A charged particle beam writing apparatus includes a circuitry to set, when a charged particle beam is deflected to move between plural small regions by a deflector, plural first mesh regions obtained by virtually dividing a chip region into regions by length and width sizes same as those of each of the plural small regions; determine whether a shot figure having been assigned exists in each of the plural first mesh regions; a circuitry to perform, for the plural first mesh regions, merging of two or more adjacent first mesh regions; a circuitry to measure, for each of plural second mesh regions each obtained by merging, the number of first mesh regions each having been determined that an assigned shot figure exists therein; and a circuitry to generate a map for each chip, where measured number of first mesh regions with the shot figure is defined as a map value.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 1, 2016Publication date: October 13, 2016Applicant: NuFlare Technology, Inc.Inventors: Saori GOMI, Hitoshi Higurashi
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Publication number: 20130032707Abstract: A charged particle beam drawing apparatus calculates a pattern area density distribution by using a central processing unit, calculates a dose distribution by using the central processing unit, calculates an irradiation amount distribution by using the central processing unit, performs a convolution calculation of the irradiation amount distribution and a fogging charged particle distribution by using a high speed processing unit, a processing speed of the high speed processing unit being higher than a processing speed of the central processing unit, calculates an irradiation time by using the central processing unit, calculates an elapsed time by using the central processing unit, calculates an electrical charging amount distribution by using the central processing unit, and performs a convolution calculation of the electrical charging amount distribution and a position deviation response function by using the high speed processing unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 9, 2012Publication date: February 7, 2013Inventors: Noriaki NAKAYAMADA, Hitoshi Higurashi
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Publication number: 20120286174Abstract: A writing apparatus wherein, for each figure pattern representative of a chip, the figure patterns are divided into shot figures represented by shot division image information for discriminating a size of each of the shot figures and an arrangement position in each of the figure patterns of each of the shot figures. Using the shot division image information and information on alignment coordinates of each of the figure patterns, an allotting processing unit allots each of the shot figures to be arranged in each of mesh regions virtually divided by a predetermined size from a reference position different from an end portion of a figure pattern concerned in a chip region. For each of the mesh regions, there is calculated a number of shots of the beam used when writing inside of a mesh region concerned based on the number of allotted shot figures.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 1, 2012Publication date: November 15, 2012Applicant: NuFlare Technology, Inc.Inventors: Saori GOMI, Hitoshi Higurashi
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Patent number: 8280632Abstract: An apparatus for inspecting overlapping figures includes a chip overlap inspection unit configured to input a data file on each chip of a plurality of chips arranged in a writing pattern, and inspect an existence of an overlap between a plurality of chips, based on arrangement data on each region of the plurality of chips, a setting unit configured to set, with respect to the plurality of chips, a plurality of hierarchies and a plurality of cell regions of each of the plurality of hierarchies, an extraction unit configured to extract, with respect to a plurality of chips where the overlap occurs, a cell region where the overlap is located, from a higher hierarchy level to a lower hierarchy level in order, a figure overlap judging unit configured to judge an existence of an overlap between a figure in the cell region extracted and a figure in the other cell region extracted, and an output unit configured to output data on a plurality of figures overlapping.Type: GrantFiled: February 25, 2009Date of Patent: October 2, 2012Assignee: NuFlare Technology, Inc.Inventors: Shinji Sakamoto, Shigehiro Hara, Hitoshi Higurashi
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Patent number: 8207514Abstract: A charged particle beam drawing apparatus forms a map having meshes, forms representative figures, area of each representative figure in each mesh being equal to gross area of figures in each mesh, and calculates a proximity effect correction dose of the charged particle beam in each mesh on the basis of area of each representative figure in each mesh. If it is necessary to change the proximity effect correction dose of the charged particle beam for drawing at least one pattern corresponding to at least one figure, the charged particle beam drawing apparatus changes area of the at least one figure before the representative figures are formed by a representative figure forming portion, and changes the proximity effect correction dose of the charged particle beam for drawing the at least one pattern corresponding to the at least one figure, calculated by a proximity effect correction dose calculating portion.Type: GrantFiled: September 15, 2010Date of Patent: June 26, 2012Assignee: NuFlare Technology, Inc.Inventors: Shigehiro Hara, Shuichi Tamamushi, Takashi Kamikubo, Hitoshi Higurashi, Shinji Sakamoto, Yusuke Sakai, Yoshihiro Okamoto, Akihito Anpo
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Patent number: 8188449Abstract: A charged particle beam drawing apparatus for drawing patterns corresponding to figures in a drawing data, has a portion for dividing a drawing area on the workpiece into block frames, a portion for combining at least a first block frame and a second block frame into a virtual block frame, and a portion for transferring a data of the virtual block frame from an input data dividing module to a common memory of a first converter and a second converter. The first converter converts a data of a first figure included in the first block frame into a first drawing apparatus internal format data. The second converter converts a data of a second figure included in the second block frame into a second drawing apparatus internal format data. The first figure and the second figure are included in a cell extending over the first block frame and the second block frame.Type: GrantFiled: June 16, 2010Date of Patent: May 29, 2012Assignee: NuFlare Technology, Inc.Inventors: Hayato Shibata, Hitoshi Higurashi, Akihito Anpo, Jun Yashima, Shigehiro Hara, Susumu Oogi
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Publication number: 20110121208Abstract: A charged particle beam drawing apparatus calculates a pattern area density distribution by using a central processing unit, calculates a dose distribution by using the central processing unit, calculates an irradiation amount distribution by using the central processing unit, performs a convolution calculation of the irradiation amount distribution and a fogging charged particle distribution by using a high speed processing unit, a processing speed of the high speed processing unit being higher than a processing speed of the central processing unit, calculates an irradiation time by using the central processing unit, calculates an elapsed time by using the central processing unit, calculates an electrical charging amount distribution by using the central processing unit, and performs a convolution calculation of the electrical charging amount distribution and a position deviation response function by using the high speed processing unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 17, 2010Publication date: May 26, 2011Applicant: NuFlare Technology, Inc.Inventors: Noriaki NAKAYAMADA, Hitoshi HIGURASHI
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Patent number: 7949966Abstract: A charged particle beam writing apparatus includes an input unit configured to input writing data for writing a plurality of cell patterns including at least one cell pattern in which an identifier is added to each of data defining the at least one cell pattern extending over at least two small regions in a plurality of small regions obtained by virtually dividing a writing region, an extraction unit configured to extract the at least one cell pattern to which the identifier is added from the plurality of cell patterns, an output unit configured to output an error result when only one cell pattern is extracted, and a writing unit configured to write the plurality of cell patterns by irradiating a target workpiece with a charged particle beam, based on the writing data for which the error result is not output.Type: GrantFiled: March 5, 2008Date of Patent: May 24, 2011Assignee: NuFlare Technology, Inc.Inventors: Akihito Anpo, Jun Kasahara, Hitoshi Higurashi, Shigehiro Hara
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Publication number: 20110068281Abstract: A charged particle beam drawing apparatus forms a map having meshes, forms representative figures, area of each representative figure in each mesh being equal to gross area of figures in each mesh, and calculates a proximity effect correction dose of the charged particle beam in each mesh on the basis of area of each representative figure in each mesh. If it is necessary to change the proximity effect correction dose of the charged particle beam for drawing at least one pattern corresponding to at least one figure, the charged particle beam drawing apparatus changes area of the at least one figure before the representative figures are formed by a representative figure forming portion, and changes the proximity effect correction dose of the charged particle beam for drawing the at least one pattern corresponding to the at least one figure, calculated by a proximity effect correction dose calculating portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 15, 2010Publication date: March 24, 2011Applicant: NuFlare Technology, Inc.Inventors: Shigehiro HARA, Shuichi Tamamushi, Takashi Kamikubo, Hitoshi Higurashi, Shinji Sakamoto, Yusuke Sakai, Yoshihiro Okamoto, Akihito Anpo
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Publication number: 20110012031Abstract: A charged particle beam drawing apparatus for drawing patterns corresponding to figures in a drawing data, has a portion for dividing a drawing area on the workpiece into block frames, a portion for combining at least a first block frame and a second block frame into a virtual block frame, and a portion for transferring a data of the virtual block frame from an input data dividing module to a common memory of a first converter and a second converter. The first converter converts a data of a first figure included in the first block frame into a first drawing apparatus internal format data. The second converter converts a data of a second figure included in the second block frame into a second drawing apparatus internal format data. The first figure and the second figure are included in a cell extending over the first block frame and the second block frame.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 16, 2010Publication date: January 20, 2011Applicant: NuFlare Technology, Inc.Inventors: Hayato Shibata, Hitoshi Higurashi, Akihito Anpo, Jun Yashima, Shigehiro Hara, Susumu Oogi
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Patent number: 7786453Abstract: A charged-particle beam writing apparatus includes first and second storage devices, a transfer processor for sequentially sending to the first storage several design data files per pattern layout-defined region, a first data processor which sequentially reads design data files from the first storage and converts each data file's design data into draw data for storage in the second storage while being pipelined with the transfer processing, second to n-th data processors which sequentially read data files from the second storage and apply mutually different ones of second to n-th data processings to each draw data in a way that the first to n-th data processings are pipelined and store the processed draw data in the second storage, and a pattern-writing unit for writing a pattern on a workpiece by using a beam that is controlled based on each n-th data processing-completed data being stored in the second storage.Type: GrantFiled: July 24, 2007Date of Patent: August 31, 2010Assignee: NuFlare Technology, Inc.Inventors: Shinji Sakamoto, Shigehiro Hara, Hitoshi Higurashi
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Patent number: 7750324Abstract: A charged particle beam lithography apparatus includes a first block area divider configured to divide a pattern forming area into a plurality of first block areas in order to make a number of shots when forming a pattern substantially equal; an area density calculator configured to calculate, using a plurality of small areas obtained by virtually dividing the pattern forming area into mesh areas of a predetermined size smaller than all of the first block areas, a pattern area density of each small area positioned therein for each of the first block areas; a second block area divider configured to re-divide the pattern forming area divided into the plurality of first block areas into a plurality of second block areas of a uniform size, which is larger than the small area; a corrected dose calculator configured to calculate, using the pattern area density of each small area, a proximity effect-corrected dose in each corresponding small area positioned inside the second block area for each of the second block aType: GrantFiled: September 4, 2008Date of Patent: July 6, 2010Assignee: NuFlare Technology, Inc.Inventors: Susumu Oogi, Hitoshi Higurashi, Akihito Anpo, Toshiro Yamamoto
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Patent number: 7698682Abstract: A generation apparatus of writing error verification data for a pattern writing apparatus includes a data extraction part configured to extract, from layout data including a figure pattern to be written, part of the layout data required for an operation of a function having a writing error occurred after starting writing by the pattern writing apparatus which performs writing on a target workpiece based on the layout data, and a verification data generation part configured to perform a merge process based on extracted part of the layout data, and to generate writing error verification data, for which the merge process has been performed, for verifying the writing error of the pattern writing apparatus.Type: GrantFiled: August 14, 2007Date of Patent: April 13, 2010Assignee: NuFlare Technology, Inc.Inventors: Akihito Anpo, Jun Kasahara, Hitoshi Higurashi, Shigehiro Hara
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Patent number: 7592611Abstract: A creation method of charged particle beam writing data for writing a pattern using a charged particle beam based on design data of circuits includes creating, based on the design data, a location data file including location data, as part of the writing data, the location data being defined for locating one of a plurality of pattern data composed of one or more elementary patterns in each block area of a plurality of block areas, the plurality of block areas being made by virtually dividing a writing area, creating, based on the design data, a pattern data file including pattern data composed of one or more elementary patterns, as part of the writing data, and creating, based on the design data, a link file including link data for linking each of the location data and each of the pattern data, as part of the writing data.Type: GrantFiled: September 5, 2006Date of Patent: September 22, 2009Assignee: NuFlare Technology, Inc.Inventors: Jun Kasahara, Shigehiro Hara, Hitoshi Higurashi, Akihito Anpo
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Publication number: 20090216450Abstract: An apparatus for inspecting overlapping figures includes a chip overlap inspection unit configured to input a data file on each chip of a plurality of chips arranged in a writing pattern, and inspect an existence of an overlap between a plurality of chips, based on arrangement data on each region of the plurality of chips, a setting unit configured to set, with respect to the plurality of chips, a plurality of hierarchies and a plurality of cell regions of each of the plurality of hierarchies, an extraction unit configured to extract, with respect to a plurality of chips where the overlap occurs, a cell region where the overlap is located, from a higher hierarchy level to a lower hierarchy level in order, a figure overlap judging unit configured to judge an existence of an overlap between a figure in the cell region extracted and a figure in the other cell region extracted, and an output unit configured to output data on a plurality of figures overlapping.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 25, 2009Publication date: August 27, 2009Applicant: NuFlare Technology, Inc.Inventors: Shinji Sakamoto, Shigehiro Hara, Hitoshi Higurashi
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Patent number: 7504645Abstract: A method of forming pattern writing data to write a predetermined pattern from layout data of a circuit by using a charged particle beam while deflecting the charged particle beam, includes inputting the layout data including a pattern ranging over a plurality of deflection regions, generating a partial pattern which can be deflected in a self region in the ranging pattern for each of the plurality of deflection regions on the basis of the input layout data, and converting layout data including a partial pattern for each of the deflection regions into charged particle beam pattern writing data to output the charged particle beam pattern writing data.Type: GrantFiled: February 26, 2007Date of Patent: March 17, 2009Assignee: NuFlare Technology, Inc.Inventors: Akihito Anpo, Hitoshi Higurashi, Shigehiro Hara
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Publication number: 20090057575Abstract: A charged particle beam lithography apparatus includes a first block area divider configured to divide a pattern forming area into a plurality of first block areas in order to make a number of shots when forming a pattern substantially equal; an area density calculator configured to calculate, using a plurality of small areas obtained by virtually dividing the pattern forming area into mesh areas of a predetermined size smaller than all of the first block areas, a pattern area density of each small area positioned therein for each of the first block areas; a second block area divider configured to re-divide the pattern forming area divided into the plurality of first block areas into a plurality of second block areas of a uniform size, which is larger than the small area; a corrected dose calculator configured to calculate, using the pattern area density of each small area, a proximity effect-corrected dose in each corresponding small area positioned inside the second block area for each of the second block aType: ApplicationFiled: September 4, 2008Publication date: March 5, 2009Applicant: NUFLARE TECHNOLOGY, INC.Inventors: Susumu OOGI, Hitoshi HIGURASHI, Akihito ANPO, Toshiro YAMAMOTO
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Publication number: 20080221816Abstract: A charged particle beam writing apparatus includes an input unit configured to input writing data for writing a plurality of cell patterns including at least one cell pattern in which an identifier is added to each of data defining the at least one cell pattern extending over at least two small regions in a plurality of small regions obtained by virtually dividing a writing region, an extraction unit configured to extract the at least one cell pattern to which the identifier is added from the plurality of cell patterns, an output unit configured to output an error result when only one cell pattern is extracted, and a writing unit configured to write the plurality of cell patterns by irradiating a target workpiece with a charged particle beam, based on the writing data for which the error result is not output.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 5, 2008Publication date: September 11, 2008Applicant: NuFlare Technology, Inc.Inventors: Akihito Anpo, Jun Kasahara, Hitoshi Higurashi, Shigehiro Hara
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Publication number: 20080046787Abstract: A generation apparatus of writing error verification data for a pattern writing apparatus includes a data extraction part configured to extract, from layout data including a figure pattern to be written, part of the layout data required for an operation of a function having a writing error occurred after starting writing by the pattern writing apparatus which performs writing on a target workpiece based on the layout data, and a verification data generation part configured to perform a merge process based on extracted part of the layout data, and to generate writing error verification data, for which the merge process has been performed, for verifying the writing error of the pattern writing apparatus.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 14, 2007Publication date: February 21, 2008Applicant: NuFlare Technology, Inc.Inventors: Akihito ANPO, Jun Kasahara, Hitoshi Higurashi, Shigehiro Hara