Patents by Inventor Ichiro Shinoda

Ichiro Shinoda 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: 11709421
    Abstract: An imprint apparatus for forming a pattern of an imprint material on a substrate using a mold having a mesa including a pattern region where a pattern and a mark are formed. The apparatus includes an alignment optical system which includes an illumination system configured to illuminate the mark with illumination light and a detecting system configured to detect an image of the mark illuminated by the illumination system. The illumination system includes a limiter configured to limit incidence of the illumination light to a side of the mesa, a ridge line of the mesa, and an outer region of the side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ken-ichiro Shinoda, Tooru Kawashima
  • Publication number: 20220362970
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus that can radiate light on a composition in an optimum radiation amount based on acquired spectral sensitivity characteristics can be provided. A substrate processing apparatus configured to perform pattern formation processing on a composition on a substrate includes a first radiation unit configured to radiate first light onto the substrate, a dispenser configured to apply the composition to a first position inside the substrate processing apparatus, a template holding unit configured to hold a template to be brought in contact with the composition on the substrate, and a controller configured to control a radiation amount of the first light to be radiated by the first radiation unit based on spectral sensitivity characteristics of the composition that are measured in advance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2022
    Publication date: November 17, 2022
    Inventors: Hiroki Takada, Ken-ichiro Shinoda, Osamu Yasunobe
  • Patent number: 11480872
    Abstract: An imprint apparatus includes first illumination optical system for emit light to cure imprint material between mold and substrate, second illumination optical system having light adjuster for illuminating the imprint material in part of region between the mold and the substrate, combiner located on pupil plane common to the first and second illumination optical systems and configured to combine the light from the first illumination optical system and the light from the second illumination optical system The combiner combines the light from the first illumination optical system and the light from the second illumination optical system by a mirror located in region surrounded by illumination region of the first illumination optical system including annular light intensity distribution on the pupil plane reflecting the light from the second illumination optical system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tatsuya Hayashi, Ken-Ichiro Shinoda
  • Publication number: 20210132492
    Abstract: An imprint apparatus includes first illumination optical system for emit light to cure imprint material between mold and substrate, second illumination optical system having light adjuster for illuminating the imprint material in part of region between the mold and the substrate, combiner located on pupil plane common to the first and second illumination optical systems and configured to combine the light from the first illumination optical system and the light from the second illumination optical system The combiner combines the light from the first illumination optical system and the light from the second illumination optical system by a mirror located in region surrounded by illumination region of the first illumination optical system including annular light intensity distribution on the pupil plane reflecting the light from the second illumination optical system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2020
    Publication date: May 6, 2021
    Inventors: Tatsuya Hayashi, Ken-ichiro Shinoda
  • Patent number: 10859912
    Abstract: An imprint apparatus includes a mold holder for holding a mold, a substrate holder for holding a substrate, a dispenser for arranging imprint material on the substrate, and a scope for capturing an image of a mark. The substrate holder includes a reference plate having a reference mark whose image is captured by the scope, the dispenser is arranged in a first direction when viewed from the mold holder, and the reference plate is arranged between a virtual straight line which is parallel to a second direction perpendicular to the first direction when viewed from the mold holder and passes through a center of the substrate holder, and an edge of the substrate holder located in the first direction when viewed from the virtual straight line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ken-ichiro Shinoda, Masahiro Tamura
  • Publication number: 20200319547
    Abstract: An imprint apparatus for forming a pattern of an imprint material on a substrate using a mold having a mesa including a pattern region where a pattern and a mark are formed. The apparatus includes an alignment optical system which includes an illumination system configured to illuminate the mark with illumination light and a detecting system configured to detect an image of the mark illuminated by the illumination system. The illumination system includes a limiter configured to limit incidence of the illumination light to a side of the mesa, a ridge line of the mesa, and an outer region of the side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2020
    Publication date: October 8, 2020
    Inventors: Ken-ichiro Shinoda, Tooru Kawashima
  • Patent number: 10761316
    Abstract: The present invention provides an illumination apparatus which performs oblique illumination, the apparatus including a first optical element formed with an array of a plurality of optical components each configured to generate a point light source, and a second optical element configured to receive light from the first optical element and form an illumination region, with a power thereof in one direction being different from a power thereof in a direction perpendicular to the one direction, wherein at least one of the first optical element and the second optical element has a rotation angle about an optical axis thereof so as to perform compensate for distortion of the illumination region by the oblique illumination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takafumi Miyaharu, Ken-ichiro Shinoda, Takahiro Matsumoto, Kazuhiro Sato
  • Patent number: 10386737
    Abstract: An imprint apparatus which forms a pattern of an imprint material in a region to be processed on a substrate by using a mold includes an observing unit configured to include a light source which emits first light and a receiving unit which receives the first light which is emitted from the light source, is reflected by the region to be processed, and passes through the mold; a deforming unit configured to thermally deform the region to be processed by illumination with second light; and a combining member which combines the first light of the light source and the second light from the deforming unit and guides the first light and the second light to the region to be processed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ken-ichiro Shinoda, Shunsuke Ota, Takafumi Miyaharu
  • Publication number: 20190033710
    Abstract: An imprint apparatus includes a mold holder for holding a mold, a substrate holder for holding a substrate, a dispenser for arranging imprint material on the substrate, and a scope for capturing an image of a mark. The substrate holder includes a reference plate having a reference mark whose image is captured by the scope, the dispenser is arranged in a first direction when viewed from the mold holder, and the reference plate is arranged between a virtual straight line which is parallel to a second direction perpendicular to the first direction when viewed from the mold holder and passes through a center of the substrate holder, and an edge of the substrate holder located in the first direction when viewed from the virtual straight line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2018
    Publication date: January 31, 2019
    Inventors: Ken-ichiro Shinoda, Masahiro Tamura
  • Patent number: 9910351
    Abstract: An apparatus for bringing a mold having a pattern region and a first mark into contact with an imprint material on a substrate having a second mark, includes a deforming mechanism configured to deform the mold such that a portion of the mold where the first mark is formed protrudes toward the substrate, a driving mechanism configured to adjust a distance between the mold and the substrate, and a detecting unit configured to detect, after the driving mechanism starts an operation of reducing the distance, the first mark and the second mark in a state in which the portion of the mold and the imprint material on the substrate are in contact with each other but a whole of the pattern region is not in contact with the imprint material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ken-ichiro Shinoda, Akiyoshi Suzuki, Mitsuru Hiura
  • Publication number: 20180004091
    Abstract: A mold used for an imprint apparatus, including a pattern portion where a pattern is formed, and a peripheral portion surrounding the pattern portion, wherein the peripheral portion is provided with a light-shielding portion that blocks curing light for curing an imprint material and transmits detection light for detecting a detection target.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2017
    Publication date: January 4, 2018
    Inventor: Ken-ichiro Shinoda
  • Publication number: 20170285331
    Abstract: The present invention provides an illumination apparatus which performs oblique illumination, the apparatus including a first optical element formed with an array of a plurality of optical components each configured to generate a point light source, and a second optical element configured to receive light from the first optical element and form an illumination region, with a power thereof in one direction being different from a power thereof in a direction perpendicular to the one direction, wherein at least one of the first optical element and the second optical element has a rotation angle about an optical axis thereof so as to perform compensate for distortion of the illumination region by the oblique illumination.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2017
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Inventors: Takafumi Miyaharu, Ken-ichiro Shinoda, Takahiro Matsumoto, Kazuhiro Sato
  • Patent number: 9625837
    Abstract: The present invention provides an imprint apparatus which forms a pattern on an imprint material on a substrate by using a mold, including a first optical member interposed between an illumination optical system and a detection optical system, and a mold, and configured to guide a first light from the illumination optical system and a second light from the detection optical system to the mold, and a second optical member interposed between the first optical member and the detection optical system, and configured to transmit the second light which is reflected by a mark formed on the mold or a mark formed on the substrate and travels toward the detection optical system through the first optical member, and block the first light which travels toward the detection optical system through the first optical member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Ken-ichiro Shinoda
  • Patent number: 9616613
    Abstract: An imprint apparatus cures an imprint material, while a pattern formed on a mold is kept in contact with the imprint material, thereby transferring the pattern onto the imprint material. The apparatus includes a measurement unit which performs, in parallel, alignment measurement in which a relative position between the mold and a shot region on the substrate, to which the pattern is to be transferred, is measured so as to align the mold and the shot region, and overlay measurement in which a relative position between a first pattern already formed in another shot region on the substrate using the mold, and a second pattern underlying the first patter is measured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akiyoshi Suzuki, Ken-ichiro Shinoda, Mitsuru Hiura
  • Publication number: 20170080633
    Abstract: An apparatus for bringing a mold having a pattern region and a first mark into contact with an imprint material on a substrate having a second mark, includes a deforming mechanism configured to deform the mold such that a portion of the mold where the first mark is formed protrudes toward the substrate, a driving mechanism configured to adjust a distance between the mold and the substrate, and a detecting unit configured to detect, after the driving mechanism starts an operation of reducing the distance, the first mark and the second mark in a state in which the portion of the mold and the imprint material on the substrate are in contact with each other but a whole of the pattern region is not in contact with the imprint material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2016
    Publication date: March 23, 2017
    Inventors: Ken-ichiro Shinoda, Akiyoshi Suzuki, Mitsuru Hiura
  • Patent number: 9541825
    Abstract: An apparatus for bringing a mold having a pattern region and a first mark into contact with an imprint material on a substrate having a second mark, includes a deforming mechanism configured to deform the mold such that a portion of the mold where the first mark is formed protrudes toward the substrate, a driving mechanism configured to adjust a distance between the mold and the substrate, and a detecting unit configured to detect, after the driving mechanism starts an operation of reducing the distance, the first mark and the second mark in a state in which the portion of the mold and the imprint material on the substrate are in contact with each other but a whole of the pattern region is not in contact with the imprint material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ken-ichiro Shinoda, Akiyoshi Suzuki, Mitsuru Hiura
  • Publication number: 20160363875
    Abstract: An imprint apparatus which forms a pattern of an imprint material in a region to be processed on a substrate by using a mold includes an observing unit configured to include a light source which emits first light and a receiving unit which receives the first light which is emitted from the light source, is reflected by the region to be processed, and passes through the mold; a deforming unit configured to thermally deform the region to be processed by illumination with second light; and a combining member which combines the first light of the light source and the second light from the deforming unit and guides the first light and the second light to the region to be processed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2016
    Publication date: December 15, 2016
    Inventors: Ken-ichiro Shinoda, Shunsuke Ota, Takafumi Miyaharu
  • Patent number: 9465308
    Abstract: The present invention provides an imprint apparatus including a control unit configured to perform detection process, wherein the detection process includes first process in which a detection optical system is caused to detect a mold-side mark in a state in which a substrate state is positioned such that a reference mark is located outside the field of view of the detection optical system, and second process in which the detection optical system is caused to detect the reference mark in a state in which the mold stage is positioned such that the mold-side mark is out of focus with respect to the detection optical system, and the substrate stage is positioned such that the reference mark is located inside the field of view of the detection optical system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Toshiki Iwai, Ken-ichiro Shinoda
  • Publication number: 20150192515
    Abstract: The present invention provides an imprint apparatus including a control unit configured to perform detection process, wherein the detection process includes first process in which a detection optical system is caused to detect a mold-side mark in a state in which a substrate state is positioned such that a reference mark is located outside the field of view of the detection optical system, and second process in which the detection optical system is caused to detect the reference mark in a state in which the mold stage is positioned such that the mold-side mark is out of focus with respect to the detection optical system, and the substrate stage is positioned such that the reference mark is located inside the field of view of the detection optical system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2014
    Publication date: July 9, 2015
    Inventors: Toshiki Iwai, Ken-ichiro Shinoda
  • Publication number: 20150014892
    Abstract: The present invention provides an imprint apparatus which forms a pattern on an imprint material on a substrate by using a mold, including a first optical member interposed between an illumination optical system and a detection optical system, and a mold, and configured to guide a first light from the illumination optical system and a second light from the detection optical system to the mold, and a second optical member interposed between the first optical member and the detection optical system, and configured to transmit the second light which is reflected by a mark formed on the mold or a mark formed on the substrate and travels toward the detection optical system through the first optical member, and block the first light which travels toward the detection optical system through the first optical member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2014
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Inventor: Ken-ichiro SHINODA