Patents by Inventor Katsuhiro Sasada
Katsuhiro Sasada 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: 7514683Abstract: Disclosed is a scanning electron microscope capable of performing speedy focusing by automatically measuring an electrostatic voltage of a surface of a wafer inside a specimen chamber in an accurate, and easy speedy manner, the wafer assuming different electrostatic voltages inside and outside the specimen chamber. The scanning electron microscope that controls optical systems measures an electrostatic voltage of the specimen according to an electrostatic capacitance between the both parts of the divided electrode plate, by dividing an electrode plate into two parts and switching potentials of electrodes obtained by the division with each other, an electrostatic voltage of the specimen based on an electrostatic capacitance between the both parts of the divided electrode plate. The electrode plate is used for applying a retarding voltage and arranged over a specimen.Type: GrantFiled: January 19, 2007Date of Patent: April 7, 2009Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies CorporationInventors: Kazuma Tanii, Yuji Kasai, Katsuhiro Sasada, Eiichi Seya
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Publication number: 20090032693Abstract: The present invention aims to provide an axis alignment method, astigmatism correction method and SEM for implementing these methods, which can prevent an alignment or correction error attributable to conditions of a specimen. A first aspect is to obtain the difference between the optimal values acquired from an automatic axis alignment result on a standard sample and from each of automatic axis alignment results on a observation target sample, and to correct an optimal value adjusted using the standard sample by use of the difference thus obtained. A second aspect is to acquire an optimal stigmator value (astigmatism correction signal) by using the standard sample, to store the optimal stigmator value as a default value, to add the optimal stigmator value and the default value depending on the height of an observation target sample pattern, and to perform an astigmatism correction on the basis of the resultant stigmator value.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 30, 2008Publication date: February 5, 2009Applicant: Hitachi High-Technologies CorporationInventors: Junichi Kakuta, Kazuhiro Ueda, Tatsuya Maeda, Hiroyuki Saito, Katsuhiro Sasada
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Patent number: 7435958Abstract: A structure of an electron beam apparatus having shielding properties for shielding against an environmental magnetic field is provided. The electron beam apparatus comprises a mirror barrel for housing a magnetic lens for converging an electron beam onto a specimen and a specimen chamber for housing the specimen, wherein a non-magnetic material having conductivity is used as a material for at least one of the mirror barrel and a main body of the specimen chamber. The material for the mirror barrel or the main body of the specimen chamber is an aluminum alloy and a thickness of a sidewall of the mirror barrel or the main body of the specimen chamber is 10 mm or more. A magnetic plate having a thickness smaller than that of the sidewall of the mirror barrel or the main body of the specimen chamber is provided on an inner sidewall of the mirror barrel or the main body of the specimen chamber.Type: GrantFiled: February 17, 2006Date of Patent: October 14, 2008Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies CorporationInventors: Tsuyoshi Inanobe, Sho Takami, Yoichi Ose, Katsuhiro Sasada
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Publication number: 20080203301Abstract: An object of the present invention is to prevent foreign bodies attracted by a magnetic field of an objective lens or an electric field of an electrode plate and adhered to a surface of the objective lens or electrode plate from dropping onto the surface of a sample and adhering there during observation of the sample. To achieve the above object, an electron microscope in which, when a sample to be measured is moved away from below an objective lens, an exciting current to the objective lens of a scanning electron microscope is turned off or excitation thereof is made weaker than before the sample to be measured being moved away, or an applied voltage to an acceleration cylinder for accelerating an electron beam is turned off or made lower than before the sample to be measured being moved away is proposed.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 27, 2008Publication date: August 28, 2008Applicant: Hitachi High-Technologies CorporationInventors: Hiroyuki Saito, Katsuhiro Sasada
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Publication number: 20080203298Abstract: The present invention aims to provide a method and a device of capable of suppressing error in electrostatic charge amount or defocus on the basis of electrostatic charge storage due to electron beam scanning when measuring the electrostatic charge amount of the sample or a focus adjustment amount by scanning the electron beam. In order to achieve the above object, according to one aspect of the present invention, an electrostatic charge measurement method, a focus adjustment method, or a scanning electron microscope for measuring an electrostatic charge amount or controlling an application voltage to the sample by changing the application voltage to the energy filter while moving the scanning location of the electron beam on the sample is proposed.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 27, 2008Publication date: August 28, 2008Applicant: Hitachi High-Technologies CorporationInventors: Tatsuaki ISHIJIMA, Katsuhiro Sasada, Ritsuo Fukaya
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Publication number: 20080109755Abstract: A scanning electron microscope which efficiently makes measurements for plural measurement items at a time and allows easy entry, confirmation and revision of auto measurement parameters. Parameters for creation of a line profile from an image captured by the scanning electron microscope are entered as auto measurement parameters (AMP) to be used as common conditions for all measurement items. Also, plural combinations of edge detection methods and measurement calculation methods are entered as auto measurement parameters to make measurements for plural items.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 10, 2007Publication date: May 8, 2008Inventors: Yuuki Ojima, Katsuhiro Sasada, Kazuhiro Ueda, Tsuyoshi Morimoto
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Publication number: 20080048118Abstract: A structure of an electron beam apparatus having shielding properties for shielding against an environmental magnetic field is provided. The electron beam apparatus comprises a mirror barrel for housing a magnetic lens for converging an electron beam onto a specimen and a specimen chamber for housing the specimen, wherein a non-magnetic material having conductivity is used as a material for at least one of the mirror barrel and a main body of the specimen chamber. The material for the mirror barrel or the main body of the specimen chamber is an aluminum alloy and a thickness of a sidewall of the mirror barrel or the main body of the specimen chamber is 10 mm or more. A magnetic plate having a thickness smaller than that of the sidewall of the mirror barrel or the main body of the specimen chamber is provided on an inner sidewall of the mirror barrel or the main body of the specimen chamber.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 11, 2007Publication date: February 28, 2008Inventors: Tsuyoshi Inanobe, Sho Takami, Yoichi Ose, Katsuhiro Sasada
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Publication number: 20070235646Abstract: Disclosed is a scanning electron microscope capable of performing speedy focusing by automatically measuring an electrostatic voltage of a surface of a wafer inside a specimen chamber in an accurate, and easy speedy manner, the wafer assuming different electrostatic voltages inside and outside the specimen chamber. The scanning electron microscope that controls optical systems measures an electrostatic voltage of the specimen according to an electrostatic capacitance between the both parts of the divided electrode plate, by dividing an electrode plate into two parts and switching potentials of electrodes obtained by the division with each other, an electrostatic voltage of the specimen based on an electrostatic capacitance between the both parts of the divided electrode plate. The electrode plate is used for applying a retarding voltage and arranged over a specimen.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 19, 2007Publication date: October 11, 2007Inventors: Kazuma Tanii, Yuji Kasai, Katsuhiro Sasada, Eiichi Seya
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Publication number: 20070187601Abstract: An object of this invention is to provide a charged particle beam apparatus that is capable of handling samples without adhering impurities onto the samples. In a scanning electron microscope in which a lubricant was coated on a sliding portion of a movable member that moves inside a vacuum chamber, a substance from which low molecular components were removed is used as the lubricant. It is thus possible to inhibit sample contamination and suppress the occurrence of defects in a process following measurement of the samples.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 17, 2007Publication date: August 16, 2007Inventors: Hiroaki Mito, Katsuhiro Sasada, Kazuo Kato, Tomohiro Kudo, Tomonori Saeki, Yasuo Yahagi, Masayuki Kobayashi
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Patent number: 7247864Abstract: A sample measuring method and a charged particle beam apparatus are provided which remove contaminants, that have adhered to a sample in a sample chamber of an electron microscope, to eliminate adverse effects on the subsequent manufacturing processes. To achieve this objective, after the sample measurement or inspection is made by using a charged particle beam, contaminants on the sample are removed before the next semiconductor manufacturing process. This allows the contaminants adhering to the sample in the sample chamber to be removed and therefore failures or defects that may occur in a semiconductor fabrication process following the measurement and inspection can be minimized.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2005Date of Patent: July 24, 2007Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies CorporationInventors: Hiroaki Mito, Katsuhiro Sasada, Kazuo Kato, Tomohiro Kudo, Tomonori Saeki
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Publication number: 20070159662Abstract: An image forming method and a charged particle beam apparatus suitable for suppressing the inclination of charging when scanning a two-dimensional area with a charged particle beam. A third scanning line located between a first scanning line and a second scanning line is scanned. After the first, second and third scanning lines have been scanned, a plurality of scanning lines are scanned between the first and third scanning lines and between the second and third scanning lines.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 5, 2007Publication date: July 12, 2007Inventors: Atsushi Kobaru, Hidetoshi Morokuma, Hiroki Kawada, Sho Takami, Katsuhiro Sasada, Kouichi Yamamoto, Norio Satou, Kunio Nakanishi
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Publication number: 20070120068Abstract: A sample measuring method and a charged particle beam apparatus are provided which remove contaminants, that have adhered to a sample in a sample chamber of an electron microscope, to eliminate adverse effects on the subsequent manufacturing processes. To achieve this objective, after the sample measurement or inspection is made by using a charged particle beam, contaminants on the sample are removed before the next semiconductor manufacturing process. This allows the contaminants adhering to the sample in the sample chamber to be removed and therefore failures or defects that may occur in a semiconductor fabrication process following the measurement and inspection can be minimized.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 19, 2005Publication date: May 31, 2007Inventors: Hiroaki Mito, Katsuhiro Sasada, Kazuo Kato, Tomohiro Kudo, Tomonori Saeki
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Patent number: 7205550Abstract: A structure of an electron beam apparatus having shielding properties for shielding against an environmental magnetic field is provided. The electron beam apparatus comprises a mirror barrel for housing a magnetic lens for converging an electron beam onto a specimen and a specimen chamber for housing the specimen, wherein a non-magnetic material having conductivity is used as a material for at least one of the mirror barrel and a main body of the specimen chamber. The material for the mirror barrel or the main body of the specimen chamber is an aluminum alloy and a thickness of a sidewall of the mirror barrel or the main body of the specimen chamber is 10 mm or more. A magnetic plate having a thickness smaller than that of the sidewall of the mirror barrel or the main body of the specimen chamber is provided on an inner sidewall of the mirror barrel or the main body of the specimen chamber.Type: GrantFiled: June 12, 2006Date of Patent: April 17, 2007Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies CorporationInventors: Tsuyoshi Inanobe, Sho Takami, Yoichi Ose, Katsuhiro Sasada
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Patent number: 7205541Abstract: An object of this invention is to provide a charged particle beam apparatus that is capable of handling samples without adhering impurities onto the samples. In a scanning electron microscope in which a lubricant was coated on a sliding portion of a movable member that moves inside a vacuum chamber, a substance from which low molecular components were removed is used as the lubricant. It is thus possible to inhibit sample contamination and suppress the occurrence of defects in a process following measurement of the samples.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2005Date of Patent: April 17, 2007Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies CorporationInventors: Hiroaki Mito, Katsuhiro Sasada, Kazuo Kato, Tomohiro Kudo, Tomonori Saeki, Yasuo Yahagi, Masayuki Kobayashi
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Publication number: 20070064100Abstract: The SEM has a dynamic range reference value setting unit for setting dynamic range reference values, a dynamic range adjustment unit for receiving an observation image signal delivered out of a secondary electron detector, adjusting the dynamic range of the observation image signal on the basis of the dynamic range reference values and outputting the thus adjusted observation image signal as an observation image signal after adjustment, a display image generation unit for determining luminous intensity levels of individual pixels of an image to be displayed based on the observation image signal after adjustment to generate a display image, a histogram generation unit for generating a histogram of luminous intensity levels of the display image and extracting, as a luminous intensity peak value, at which the frequency of luminous intensity is maximized, and a display unit for displaying the generated histogram and the extracted luminous intensity peak value.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 14, 2006Publication date: March 22, 2007Inventors: Atsushi Kobaru, Katsuhiro Sasada, Hiroki Kawada
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Patent number: 7187345Abstract: An image forming method and a charged particle beam apparatus suitable for suppressing the inclination of charging when scanning a two-dimensional area with a charged particle beam. A third scanning line located between a first scanning line and a second scanning line is scanned. After the first, second and third scanning lines have been scanned, a plurality of scanning lines are scanned between the first and third scanning lines and between the second and third scanning lines.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 2005Date of Patent: March 6, 2007Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies CorporationInventors: Atsushi Kobaru, Hidetoshi Morokuma, Hiroki Kawada, Sho Takami, Katsuhiro Sasada, Kouichi Yamamoto, Norio Satou, Kunio Nakanishi
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Publication number: 20070024528Abstract: An image forming method and a charged particle beam apparatus suitable for suppressing the inclination of charging when scanning a two-dimensional area with a charged particle beam. A third scanning line located between a first scanning line and a second scanning line is scanned. After the first, second and third scanning lines have been scanned, a plurality of scanning lines are scanned between the first and third scanning lines and between the second and third scanning lines.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 12, 2005Publication date: February 1, 2007Inventors: Atsushi Kobaru, Hidetoshi Morokuma, Hiroki Kawada, Sho Takami, Katsuhiro Sasada, Kouichi Yamamoto, Norio Satou, Kunio Nakanishi
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Publication number: 20060232445Abstract: A structure of an electron beam apparatus having shielding properties for shielding against an environmental magnetic field is provided. The electron beam apparatus comprises a mirror barrel for housing a magnetic lens for converging an electron beam onto a specimen and a specimen chamber for housing the specimen, wherein a non-magnetic material having conductivity is used as a material for at least one of the mirror barrel and a main body of the specimen chamber. The material for the mirror barrel or the main body of the specimen chamber is an aluminum alloy and a thickness of a sidewall of the mirror barrel or the main body of the specimen chamber is 10 mm or more. A magnetic plate having a thickness smaller than that of the sidewall of the mirror barrel or the main body of the specimen chamber is provided on an inner sidewall of the mirror barrel or the main body of the specimen chamber.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 12, 2006Publication date: October 19, 2006Inventors: Tsuyoshi Inanobe, Sho Takami, Yoichi Ose, Katsuhiro Sasada
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Publication number: 20060219917Abstract: A scanning electron microscope which efficiently makes measurements for plural measurement items at a time and allows easy entry, confirmation and revision of auto measurement parameters. Parameters for creation of a line profile from an image captured by the scanning electron microscope are entered as auto measurement parameters (AMP) to be used as common conditions for all measurement items. Also, plural combinations of edge detection methods and measurement calculation methods are entered as auto measurement parameters to make measurements for plural items.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 6, 2006Publication date: October 5, 2006Inventors: Yuuki Ojima, Katsuhiro Sasada, Kazuhiro Ueda, Tsuyoshi Morimoto
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Publication number: 20060219946Abstract: A structure of an electron beam apparatus having shielding properties for shielding against an environmental magnetic field is provided. The electron beam apparatus comprises a mirror barrel for housing a magnetic lens for converging an electron beam onto a specimen and a specimen chamber for housing the specimen, wherein a non-magnetic material having conductivity is used as a material for at least one of the mirror barrel and a main body of the specimen chamber. The material for the mirror barrel or the main body of the specimen chamber is an aluminum alloy and a thickness of a sidewall of the mirror barrel or the main body of the specimen chamber is 10 mm or more. A magnetic plate having a thickness smaller than that of the sidewall of the mirror barrel or the main body of the specimen chamber is provided on an inner sidewall of the mirror barrel or the main body of the specimen chamber.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 17, 2006Publication date: October 5, 2006Inventors: Tsuyoshi Inanobe, Sho Takami, Yoichi Ose, Katsuhiro Sasada