Patents by Inventor Ichiro Tachibana

Ichiro Tachibana 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).

  • Publication number: 20230170182
    Abstract: Proposed is a charged particle beam apparatus for the purpose of detecting a charged particle emitted from a sample in a specific direction by discriminating between the charged particle and a charged particle emitted in another direction. As one aspect of achieving the above purpose, proposed is a charged particle beam apparatus including an objective lens configured to focus a beam emitted from a charged particle source, a detector (8) configured to detect at least one of a first charged particle (23) emitted from a sample by irradiating the sample with the beam and a second charged particle emitted from a charged particle collided member by causing the first charged particle to collide with the charged particle collision member disposed on a trajectory of the first charged particle, and an electrostatic lens (12) including a plurality of electrodes disposed between the objective lens and the detector, in which the electrostatic lens is a Butler type.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2020
    Publication date: June 1, 2023
    Inventors: Kazufumi YACHI, Muneyuki FUKUDA, Ichiro TACHIBANA, Hiroya OHTA
  • Patent number: 10971328
    Abstract: This charged particle beam device is provided with: a plurality of detectors for detecting secondary particles, the detectors being disposed in a symmetrical manner around the optical axis of a primary charged particle beam closer to the charged particle source side than an objective lens; electrodes for forming an electric field oriented in directions corresponding to each of the plurality of detectors, the electrodes being provided on the travel routes of secondary particles from a sample to the detectors; and a control power supply for applying a voltage to the electrodes. Adjusting the voltage applied to each of the electrodes makes it possible to detect, upon deflecting, the secondary particles, and to control the range of azimuths of the secondary particles to be detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Tech Corporation
    Inventors: Takanori Kishimoto, Ichiro Tachibana, Naomasa Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20200312606
    Abstract: This charged particle beam device is provided with: a plurality of detectors for detecting secondary particles, the detectors being disposed in a symmetrical manner around the optical axis of a primary charged particle beam closer to the charged particle source side than an objective lens; electrodes for forming an electric field oriented in directions corresponding to each of the plurality of detectors, the electrodes being provided on the travel routes of secondary particles from a sample to the detectors; and a control power supply for applying a voltage to the electrodes. Adjusting the voltage applied to each of the electrodes makes it possible to detect, upon deflecting, the secondary particles, and to control the range of azimuths of the secondary particles to be detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2020
    Publication date: October 1, 2020
    Inventors: Takanori KISHIMOTO, Ichiro TACHIBANA, Naomasa SUZUKI
  • Patent number: 10734191
    Abstract: This charged particle beam device is provided with: a plurality of detectors for detecting secondary particles, the detectors being disposed in a symmetrical manner around the optical axis of a primary charged particle beam closer to the charged particle source side than an objective lens; electrodes for forming an electric field oriented in directions corresponding to each of the plurality of detectors, the electrodes being provided on the travel routes of secondary particles from a sample to the detectors; and a control power supply for applying a voltage to the electrodes. Adjusting the voltage applied to each of the electrodes makes it possible to detect, upon deflecting, the secondary particles, and to control the range of azimuths of the secondary particles to be detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Tech Corporation
    Inventors: Takanori Kishimoto, Ichiro Tachibana, Naomasa Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20180204706
    Abstract: This charged particle beam device is provided with: a plurality of detectors for detecting secondary particles, the detectors being disposed in a symmetrical manner around the optical axis of a primary charged particle beam closer to the charged particle source side than an objective lens; electrodes for forming an electric field oriented in directions corresponding to each of the plurality of detectors, the electrodes being provided on the travel routes of secondary particles from a sample to the detectors; and a control power supply for applying a voltage to the electrodes. Adjusting the voltage applied to each of the electrodes makes it possible to detect, upon deflecting, the secondary particles, and to control the range of azimuths of the secondary particles to be detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2015
    Publication date: July 19, 2018
    Inventors: Takanori KISHIMOTO, Ichiro TACHIBANA, Naomasa SUZUKI
  • Patent number: 9324540
    Abstract: When a signal electron is detected by energy selection by combining and controlling retarding and boosting for observation of a deep hole, etc., the only way for focus adjustment is to use a change in magnetic field of an objective lens. However, since responsiveness of the change in magnetic field is poor, throughput reduces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Ichiro Tachibana, Naomasa Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20150136979
    Abstract: When a signal electron is detected by energy selection by combining and controlling retarding and boosting for observation of a deep hole, etc., the only way for focus adjustment is to use a change in magnetic field of an objective lens. However, since responsiveness of the change in magnetic field is poor, throughput reduces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2013
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Applicant: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Ichiro Tachibana, Naomasa Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8729467
    Abstract: Provided is a charged particle radiation device enabling suppression of both inclination and vertical vibration of a charged particle optical lens barrel, with a simple configuration. A charged particle radiation device according to the present invention includes a vibration damping member (19) including viscoelastic material sheets (16A and 16B) sandwiched by support plates (17A and 17B), and is configured so that a plane including a sheet surface of each viscoelastic material sheet is not perpendicular to a center axis of the charged particle optical lens barrel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Tsuji, Ichiro Tachibana
  • Patent number: 8629410
    Abstract: Disclosed is a high resolution and high throughput charged particle radiation device that attenuates the natural vibration of an ion pump in a short time, excited by a reaction force at the time of driving the stage, and prevents occurrence of a loop of force and a loop of current. The charged particle radiation device includes a sample chamber (4) for disposing a sample (3) therein, a charged particle radiation optical lens tube (1) for irradiating the sample (3) with charged particle radiation (10), ion pumps (2a, 2b) for evacuating the charged particle radiation optical lens tube (1), a frame (16) fixedly attached to the sample chamber (4), the frame (16) facing one end of each of the ion pumps (2a, 2b), and vibration absorbers provided between the frame (16) and the one end of each of the ion pumps (2a, 2b), each of the vibration absorbers including a layered structure which includes a viscoelastic sheet (20a, 20b) sandwiched between metal plates (18a, 18b, 21a, 21b).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Tsuji, Kouji Ishiguro, Ichiro Tachibana, Naomasa Suzuki, Katsunori Onuki
  • Patent number: 8431893
    Abstract: An electron beam apparatus which includes a sample stage on which a sample is placed, and an electron optical system. The electron optical system includes an electron gun that generates a primary electron beam, an immersion objective lens that converges the primary electron beam on the sample, an E×B deflector that separates a secondary particle, which is generated from irradiation of the primary beam to the sample, from an optical axis of the primary beam, a reflecting member to which the secondary particle collides, an assist electrode which is located under the reflecting member, a plurality of incidental particle detectors that selectively detect a velocity component and an azimuth component of a ternary particle which is generated by the secondary particle colliding to the reflecting member, and a center detector that is located above the reflecting member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Muneyuki Fukuda, Tomoyasu Shojo, Mitsugu Sato, Atsuko Fukada, Naomasa Suzuki, Ichiro Tachibana
  • Publication number: 20120261574
    Abstract: An electron beam apparatus which includes a sample stage on which a sample is placed, and an electron optical system. The electron optical system includes an electron gun that generates a primary electron beam, an immersion objective lens that converges the primary electron beam on the sample, an E×B deflector that separates a secondary particle, which is generated from irradiation of the primary beam to the sample, from an optical axis of the primary beam, a reflecting member to which the secondary particle collides, an assist electrode which is located under the reflecting member, a plurality of incidental particle detectors that selectively detect a velocity component and an azimuth component of a ternary particle which is generated by the secondary particle colliding to the reflecting member, and a center detector that is located above the reflecting member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2012
    Publication date: October 18, 2012
    Inventors: Muneyuki Fukuda, Tomoyasu Shojo, Mitsugu Sato, Atsuko Fukada, Naomasa Suzuki, Ichiro Tachibana
  • Publication number: 20120193550
    Abstract: Provided is a charged particle radiation device enabling suppression of both inclination and vertical vibration of a charged particle optical lens barrel, with a simple configuration. A charged particle radiation device according to the present invention includes a vibration damping member (19) including viscoelastic material sheets (16A and 16B) sandwiched by support plates (17A and 17B), and is configured so that a plane including a sheet surface of each viscoelastic material sheet is not perpendicular to a center axis of the charged particle optical lens barrel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2010
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Applicant: HITACHI HIGH-TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi Tsuji, Ichiro Tachibana
  • Patent number: 8222601
    Abstract: A scanning electron microscope capable of modifying the focal position of a condenser lens with high speed and high reproducibility in order that low-magnification images are obtained at large depths of focus and that high-magnification images are obtained at high resolution. The microscope has a specimen-holding portion, an electron beam source, a condenser lens for converging the electron beam, an objective lens for focusing the converged beam into a very small spot onto a specimen, scan coils, a detector for detecting a specimen signal emanating from the specimen, and a display portion for displaying the detected specimen signal as an image. An axisymmetric electrode is disposed within the magnetic field produced by the condenser lens. A voltage is applied to the electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi High Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Ichiro Tachibana, Mitsugu Sato, Naomasa Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8207498
    Abstract: An electron beam apparatus which includes a sample stage on which a sample is placed, and an electron optical system. The electron optical system includes an electron gun that generates a primary electron beam, an immersion objective lens that converges the primary electron beam on the sample, an ExB deflector that separates a secondary particle, which is generated from irradiation of the primary beam to the sample, from an optical axis of the primary beam, a reflecting member to which the secondary particle collides, an assist electrode which is located under the reflecting member, a plurality of incidental particle detectors that selectively detect a velocity component and an azimuth component of a ternary particle which is generated by the secondary particle colliding to the reflecting member, and a center detector that is located above the reflecting member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Muneyuki Fukuda, Tomoyasu Shojo, Mitsugu Sato, Atsuko Fukada, Naomasa Suzuki, Ichiro Tachibana
  • Publication number: 20120091362
    Abstract: Disclosed is a high resolution and high throughput charged particle radiation device that attenuates the natural vibration of an ion pump in a short time, excited by a reaction force at the time of driving the stage, and prevents occurrence of a loop of force and a loop of current. The charged particle radiation device includes a sample chamber (4) for disposing a sample (3) therein, a charged particle radiation optical lens tube (1) for irradiating the sample (3) with charged particle radiation (10), ion pumps (2a, 2b) for evacuating the charged particle radiation optical lens tube (1), a frame (16) fixedly attached to the sample chamber (4), the frame (16) facing one end of each of the ion pumps (2a, 2b), and vibration absorbers provided between the frame (16) and the one end of each of the ion pumps (2a, 2b), each of the vibration absorbers including a layered structure which includes a viscoelastic sheet (20a, 20b) sandwiched between metal plates (18a, 18b, 21a, 21b).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2010
    Publication date: April 19, 2012
    Applicant: HITACHI HIGH-TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi Tsuji, Kouji Ishiguro, Ichiro Tachibana, Naomasa Suzuki, Katsunori Onuki
  • Publication number: 20110101223
    Abstract: An electron beam apparatus which includes a sample stage on which a sample is placed, and an electron optical system. The electron optical system includes an electron gun that generates a primary electron beam, an immersion objective lens that converges the primary electron beam on the sample, an ExB deflector that separates a secondary particle, which is generated from irradiation of the primary beam to the sample, from an optical axis of the primary beam, a reflecting member to which the secondary particle collides, an assist electrode which is located under the reflecting member, a plurality of incidental particle detectors that selectively detect a velocity component and an azimuth component of a ternary particle which is generated by the secondary particle colliding to the reflecting member, and a center detector that is located above the reflecting member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2011
    Publication date: May 5, 2011
    Inventors: Muneyuki Fukuda, Tomoyasu Shojo, Mitsugu Sato, Atsuko Fukada, Naomasa Suzuki, Ichiro Tachibana
  • Publication number: 20110095184
    Abstract: A scanning electron microscope capable of modifying the focal position of a condenser lens with high speed and high reproducibility in order that low-magnification images are obtained at large depths of focus and that high-magnification images are obtained at high resolution. The microscope has a specimen-holding portion, an electron beam source, a condenser lens for converging the electron beam, an objective lens for focusing the converged beam into a very small spot onto a specimen, scan coils, a detector for detecting a specimen signal emanating from the specimen, and a display portion for displaying the detected specimen signal as an image. An axisymmetric electrode is disposed within the magnetic field produced by the condenser lens. A voltage is applied to the electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2011
    Publication date: April 28, 2011
    Applicant: HITACHI HIGH-TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ichiro TACHIBANA, Mitsugu Sato, Naomasa Suzuki
  • Patent number: 7888640
    Abstract: A scanning electron microscope capable of modifying the focal position of a condenser lens with high speed and high reproducibility in order that low-magnification images are obtained at large depths of focus and that high-magnification images are obtained at high resolution. The microscope has a specimen-holding portion, an electron beam source, a condenser lens for converging the electron beam, an objective lens for focusing the converged beam into a very small spot onto a specimen, scan coils, a detector for detecting a specimen signal emanating from the specimen, and a display portion for displaying the detected specimen signal as an image. An axisymmetric electrode is disposed within the magnetic field produced by the condenser lens. A voltage is applied to the electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Ichiro Tachibana, Mitsugu Sato, Naomasa Suzuki
  • Patent number: 7875849
    Abstract: The present invention provides a charged-particle beam inspection technology that enables to acquire a shadow contrast enhanced image, and to detect a shallow roughness with sufficient sensitively, which is caused by a micro-scale or nano-scale foreign matter in an inspection of a semiconductor device having a circuit pattern or the like. Immersion objective lens is employed as an objective lens for the high-resolution observation. A converged electron beam is obtained due to the objective lens. An assist electrode, a right detector and a left detector are provided in the objective lens. A velocity component of a secondary electron caused by the irradiation of the sample with an electron beam is discriminated. An azimuth component is further discriminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Muneyuki Fukuda, Tomoyasu Shojo, Mitsugu Sato, Atsuko Fukada, Naomasa Suzuki, Ichiro Tachibana
  • Patent number: 7619219
    Abstract: The present invention was made in view of a problem of an electron microscope in which a reduction in detection efficiency of electrons detected by a detector should be prevented by eliminating any influence of a leakage magnetic field through a gap in an objective lens onto the electrons emitted from a specimen. To solve the problem, the present invention provides an electron microscope having a configuration with: a pole piece electrode for accelerating primary electrons emitted at an electrons source; and an objective lens including the pole piece electrode. In the objective lens, an electrically and magnetically insulated gap is formed between the pole piece electrode and other pole piece, and an auxiliary coil is concentrically disposed with the objective lens at a middle position between the gap and a detection surface of the electron detector, with an electric current flowing through the auxiliary coil in the opposite direction from that of an electric current flowing through the objective lens coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2009
    Assignee: Hitachi High - Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Naomasa Suzuki, Hiroyuki Ito, Ichiro Tachibana