Patents by Inventor Iori Yoshikawa

Iori Yoshikawa 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).

  • Measurement method, transfer characteristic measurement method, adjustment method of exposure apparatus, and device manufacturing method
    Patent number: 7848594
    Abstract: Exposure is performed with a reticle installed in an exposure apparatus, and a measurement mark on the reticle is transferred onto a wafer so as to form a first transferred image of the measurement mark (step 212). Then, the wafer is rotated (step 218), and then the measurement mark is transferred onto the wafer that has been rotated and a second transferred image of the measurement mark is formed (step 224). In this manner, the first transferred image and the second transferred image of the measurement mark each formed on the wafer are respectively imported by an SEM, according to a direction of the wafer with respect to the reticle during transfer of the measurement mark. Image processing having a common measurement direction is applied to each of the images that are imported without having to rotate the images, and the size of the first transferred image and the second transferred image in the measurement directions is measured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: Iori Yoshikawa
  • Measurement method, transfer characteristic measurement method, adjustment method of exposure apparatus, and device manufacturing method
    Publication number: 20070181825
    Abstract: Exposure is performed with a reticle installed in an exposure apparatus, and a measurement mark on the reticle is transferred onto a wafer so as to form a first transferred image of the measurement mark (step 212). Then, the wafer is rotated (step 218), and then the measurement mark is transferred onto the wafer that has been rotated and a second transferred image of the measurement mark is formed (step 224). In this manner, the first transferred image and the second transferred image of the measurement mark each formed on the wafer are respectively imported by an SEM, according to a direction of the wafer with respect to the reticle during transfer of the measurement mark. Image processing having a common measurement direction is applied to each of the images that are imported without having to rotate the images, and the size of the first transferred image and the second transferred image in the measurement directions is measured.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2005
    Publication date: August 9, 2007
    Inventor: Iori Yoshikawa