Patents by Inventor Kazuyuki Hirao

Kazuyuki Hirao 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: 11299398
    Abstract: The present invention provides a novel method for producing a calcium aluminate compound having a modified surface. The present invention provides: a method for producing a modified calcium aluminate compound characterized by irradiating a calcium aluminate compound dispersed in an organic dispersion medium with a femtosecond laser, thereby modifying the surface of the calcium aluminate compound; and a modified calcium aluminate compound characterized by being obtained by this method and having at least one of an OH group, a CO group, a CH group, and an NH group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: NEW-TECH INC.
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Hirao, Heidy Visbal, Minami Hirano, Susumu Hikazudani, Satoshi Yoshida, Emi Shono
  • Patent number: 11276552
    Abstract: There are provided: a method for image adjustment using a charged particle beam device, and a charged particle beam system, capable of appropriately adjusting a contrast and brightness as well as a focus for a measurement region present in a deep portion of a sample even when a depth of the measurement region is unknown. A method for image adjustment performed by a computer system controlling a charged particle beam device includes: by the computer system, specifying a measurement region from a captured image of a sample; performing centering processing based on the specified measurement region; extracting the measurement region in a field of view that has undergone the centering processing or the image that has undergone the centering processing; adjusting a contrast and brightness for the extracted measurement region; and adjusting a focus for the measurement region in which the contrast and brightness have been adjusted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Tech Corporation
    Inventors: Yuki Tomizawa, Kazunari Asao, Kazuyuki Hirao
  • Patent number: 11276550
    Abstract: Provided is a charged particle beam device capable of making a time lag as small as possible when transporting a succeeding wafer from an FOUP to an SC in parallel with returning a preceding wafer from a sample chamber to the FOUP. The charged particle beam device according to the disclosure predicts a completion time point at which a recipe of the preceding wafer is ended, and sets a time point at which the succeeding wafer is started to be taken out from the FOUP so that a timing at which the succeeding wafer is taken out from the FOUP to a load lock chamber and vacuum evacuation of the load lock chamber is completed matches the completion time point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Tech Corporation
    Inventors: Mari Takabatake, Kazuyuki Hirao
  • Publication number: 20210241993
    Abstract: Provided is a charged particle beam device capable of making a time lag as small as possible when transporting a succeeding wafer from an FOUP to an SC in parallel with returning a preceding wafer from a sample chamber to the FOUP. The charged particle beam device according to the disclosure predicts a completion time point at which a recipe of the preceding wafer is ended, and sets a time point at which the succeeding wafer is started to be taken out from the FOUP so that a timing at which the succeeding wafer is taken out from the FOUP to a load lock chamber and vacuum evacuation of the load lock chamber is completed matches the completion time point.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2020
    Publication date: August 5, 2021
    Inventors: Mari TAKABATAKE, Kazuyuki HIRAO
  • Publication number: 20210188653
    Abstract: Prior art documents do not describe a method for modifying the surface of a calcium aluminate compound, much less describe a method for controlling the particle diameter of a calcium aluminate compound. The present invention provides a novel method for producing a calcium aluminate compound having a modified surface. The present invention provides: a method for producing a modified calcium aluminate compound characterized by irradiating a calcium aluminate compound dispersed in an organic dispersion medium with a femtosecond laser, thereby modifying the surface of the calcium aluminate compound; and a modified calcium aluminate compound characterized by being obtained by this method and having at least one of an OH group, a CO group, a CH group, and an NH group.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2017
    Publication date: June 24, 2021
    Applicants: Kyoto University, Hitachi Zosen Corporation, Hitachi Zosen Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Hirao, Heidy Visbal, Minami Hirano, Susumu Hikazudani, Satoshi Yoshida, Emi Shono
  • Publication number: 20210183611
    Abstract: There are provided: a method for image adjustment using a charged particle beam device, and a charged particle beam system, capable of appropriately adjusting a contrast and brightness as well as a focus for a measurement region present in a deep portion of a sample even when a depth of the measurement region is unknown. A method for image adjustment performed by a computer system controlling a charged particle beam device includes: by the computer system, specifying a measurement region from a captured image of a sample; performing centering processing based on the specified measurement region; extracting the measurement region in a field of view that has undergone the centering processing or the image that has undergone the centering processing; adjusting a contrast and brightness for the extracted measurement region; and adjusting a focus for the measurement region in which the contrast and brightness have been adjusted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2020
    Publication date: June 17, 2021
    Inventors: Yuki TOMIZAWA, Kazunari ASAO, Kazuyuki HIRAO
  • Patent number: 10976536
    Abstract: An image forming device is provided that is capable of forming a proper integrated signal even when an image or a signal waveform is acquired from a pattern having the possibility of preventing proper matching, such as a repetition pattern, a shrinking pattern, and the like. In particular, the image forming device forms an integrated image by integrating a plurality of image signals and is provided with: a matching processing section that performs a matching process between the plurality of image signals; an image integration section that integrates the plurality of image signals for which positioning has been performed by the matching processing section; and a periodicity determination section that determines a periodicity of a pattern contained in the image signals. The matching processing section varies a size of an image signal area for the matching in accordance with a determination by the periodicity determination section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Tech Corporation
    Inventors: Yasunori Takasugi, Kei Sakai, Satoru Yamaguchi, Kazuyuki Hirao
  • Patent number: 10900905
    Abstract: A needle-shaped body protrudes from a cantilever made of Si. Furthermore, the rear face of the cantilever is coated with aluminum (first metal) having a Fermi level higher than that of Si. The cantilever is dipped into an aqueous silver nitride solution containing the ions of Ag serving as a second metal. The electrons of Si flow out to the aqueous silver nitride solution due to the existence of the aluminum, and Ag nanostructures are precipitated at the tip end of the needle-shaped body. A probe for tip-enhanced Raman scattering in which the Ag nanostructures are fixed to the tip end of the needle-shaped body is manufactured. The sizes and shapes of the Ag nanostructures can be controlled properly by adjusting the concentration of the aqueous silver nitride solution and the time during which the cantilever is dipped into the aqueous silver nitride solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignees: HORIBA, LTD., KYOTO UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Masayuki Nishi, Kazuyuki Hirao, Daisuke Teranishi, Hiroki Itasaka, Nobuyuki Naka, Yoshito Okuno, Shinsuke Kashiwagi, Yasushi Nakata
  • Publication number: 20200201019
    Abstract: An image forming device is provided that is capable of forming a proper integrated signal even when an image or a signal waveform is acquired from a pattern having the possibility of preventing proper matching, such as a repetition pattern, a shrinking pattern, and the like. In particular, the image forming device forms an integrated image by integrating a plurality of image signals and is provided with: a matching processing section that performs a matching process between the plurality of image signals; an image integration section that integrates the plurality of image signals for which positioning has been performed by the matching processing section; and a periodicity determination section that determines a periodicity of a pattern contained in the image signals. The matching processing section varies a size of an image signal area for the matching in accordance with a determination by the periodicity determination section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2020
    Publication date: June 25, 2020
    Inventors: Yasunori TAKASUGI, Kei SAKAI, Satoru YAMAGUCHI, Kazuyuki HIRAO
  • Patent number: 10620421
    Abstract: An image forming device is provided that is capable of forming a proper integrated signal even when an image or a signal waveform is acquired from a pattern having the possibility of preventing proper matching, such as a repetition pattern, a shrinking pattern, and the like. In particular, the image forming device forms an integrated image by integrating a plurality of image signals and is provided with: a matching processing section that performs a matching process between the plurality of image signals; an image integration section that integrates the plurality of image signals for which positioning has been performed by the matching processing section; and a periodicity determination section that determines a periodicity of a pattern contained in the image signals. The matching processing section varies a size of an image signal area for the matching in accordance with a determination by the periodicity determination section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Yasunori Takasugi, Kei Sakai, Satoru Yamaguchi, Kazuyuki Hirao
  • Patent number: 10545017
    Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to provide an overlay error measuring device which measures an overlay error with high accuracy even when a lower layer pattern is disposed under a thin film and a sufficient signal amount cannot be ensured. The present invention proposes an overlay error measuring device provided with an arithmetic processing unit for measuring a pattern formed on a sample on the basis of a signal waveform obtained by a charged particle beam device. The arithmetic processing unit finds a correlation with the signal waveform using a partial waveform obtained on the basis of partial extraction of the signal waveform, forms a correlation profile indicating the correlation, and measures an overlay error using the correlation profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Satoru Yamaguchi, Kei Sakai, Osamu Inoue, Kazuyuki Hirao, Osamu Komuro
  • Patent number: 10450198
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing conductive mayenite, with which a reaction is completed in a short time, an operation can be simplified, the reaction is easily controlled, and the cost of energy can be reduced. The present invention is a method for producing conductive mayenite, characterized by mixing a mayenite type compound with a carbon component, placing the resulting mixture in an airtight container, and irradiating the mixture with a microwave in an inert gas atmosphere or in a vacuum atmosphere to heat the mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignees: Kyoto University, Hitachi Zosen Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Hirao, Heidy Visbal, Takeko Matsumura, Susumu Hikazudani, Satoshi Yoshida, Emi Shono
  • Patent number: 10417756
    Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to provide a pattern measurement apparatus that appropriately assesses patterns formed by patterning methods for forming patterns that do not exist on photomasks. In order to achieve this purpose, the present invention provides a pattern measurement apparatus comprising a processor that measures the dimensions of patterns formed on a sample by using data acquired by irradiating the sample with a beam, wherein the processor extracts pattern coordinate information on the basis of the data acquired by irradiating the sample with a beam, and uses the coordinate information to generate measurement reference data used when performing dimension measurements of the pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Kei Sakai, Satoru Yamaguchi, Kazuyuki Hirao, Yasunori Takasugi
  • Publication number: 20190170651
    Abstract: A needle-shaped body protrudes from a cantilever made of Si. Furthermore, the rear face of the cantilever is coated with aluminum having a Fermi level higher than that of Si. The cantilever is dipped into an aqueous silver nitride solution containing the ions of Ag serving as a second metal. The electrons of Si flow out to the aqueous silver nitride solution due to the existence of the aluminum, and Ag nanostructures are precipitated at the tip end of the needle-shaped body. A probe for tip-enhanced Raman scattering in which the Ag nanostructures are fixed to the tip end of the needle-shaped body is manufactured. The sizes and shapes of the Ag nanostructures can be controlled properly by adjusting the concentration of the aqueous silver nitride solution and the time during which the cantilever is dipped into the aqueous silver nitride solution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2017
    Publication date: June 6, 2019
    Inventors: Masayuki NISHI, Kazuyuki HIRAO, Daisuke TERANISHI, Hiroki ITASAKA, Nobuyuki NAKA, Yoshito OKUNO, Shinsuke KASHIWAGI, Yasushi NAKATA
  • Publication number: 20190121113
    Abstract: An image forming device is provided that is capable of forming a proper integrated signal even when an image or a signal waveform is acquired from a pattern having the possibility of preventing proper matching, such as a repetition pattern, a shrinking pattern, and the like. In particular, the image forming device forms an integrated image by integrating a plurality of image signals and is provided with: a matching processing section that performs a matching process between the plurality of image signals; an image integration section that integrates the plurality of image signals for which positioning has been performed by the matching processing section; and a periodicity determination section that determines a periodicity of a pattern contained in the image signals. The matching processing section varies a size of an image signal area for the matching in accordance with a determination by the periodicity determination section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2018
    Publication date: April 25, 2019
    Inventors: Yasunori TAKASUGI, Kei SAKAI, Satoru YAMAGUCHI, Kazuyuki HIRAO
  • Patent number: 10197783
    Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to provide an image forming device and the like that is capable of forming a proper integrated signal even when an image or a signal waveform is acquired from a pattern having the possibility of preventing proper matching, such as a repetition pattern, a shrinking pattern, and the like. In order to achieve the purpose, there is proposed an image forming device that forms an integrated image by integrating a plurality of image signals and that is provided with: a matching processing section that performs a matching process between the plurality of image signals; an image integration section that integrates the plurality of image signals for which positioning has been performed by the matching processing section; and a periodicity determination section that determines a periodicity of a pattern contained in the image signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Yasunori Takasugi, Kei Sakai, Satoru Yamaguchi, Kazuyuki Hirao
  • Publication number: 20180186650
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing conductive mayenite, with which a reaction is completed in a short time, an operation can be simplified, the reaction is easily controlled, and the cost of energy can be reduced. The present invention is a method for producing conductive mayenite, characterized by mixing a mayenite type compound with a carbon component, placing the resulting mixture in an airtight container, and irradiating the mixture with a microwave in an inert gas atmosphere or in a vacuum atmosphere to heat the mixture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2016
    Publication date: July 5, 2018
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Hirao, Heidy Visbal, Takeko Matsumura, Susumu Hikazudani, Satoshi Yoshida, Emi Shono
  • Publication number: 20180012349
    Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to provide a pattern measurement apparatus that appropriately assesses patterns formed by patterning methods for forming patterns that do not exist on photomasks. In order to achieve this purpose, the present invention provides a pattern measurement apparatus comprising a processor that measures the dimensions of patterns formed on a sample by using data acquired by irradiating the sample with a beam, wherein the processor extracts pattern coordinate information on the basis of the data acquired by irradiating the sample with a beam, and uses the coordinate information to generate measurement reference data used when performing dimension measurements of the pattern.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2015
    Publication date: January 11, 2018
    Inventors: Kei SAKAI, Satoru YAMAGUCHI, Kazuyuki HIRAO, Yasunori TAKASUGI
  • Patent number: 9666410
    Abstract: Proposed is a charged particle beam device including an arithmetic processing unit that generates an image of a sample, based on a detection signal that is detected based on irradiation to the sample with a charged particle beam emitted from a charged particle source. The arithmetic processing unit searches a second image as a search target image with use of a first image as a template, and when a region corresponding to the first image is not detected in the second image, the arithmetic processing unit searches a third image that represents a region larger than a region displayed in the second image, with use of a second template.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Takefumi Kakinuma, Kazuyuki Hirao, Ayana Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20160318761
    Abstract: A hydrogen production method and hydrogen production system using the reaction of water and aluminum, the hydrogen production method and system being capable of continuously generating hydrogen for a long period of time without causing a decrease in the total amount of hydrogen generation. A hydrogen generation system according to one embodiment of the present invention includes aluminum sheet placed in a container and calcium hydroxide contained in the same container. In the hydrogen production system having the previously described configuration, water is poured in the container to dissolve the calcium hydroxide so that an aqueous solution is prepared, and the aluminum sheet is immersed in this aqueous solution. As a result, the hydrogen generation reaction begins, generating hydrogen gas. The amount, rate and duration of the generation of hydrogen gas can be controlled by adjusting the area and thickness of the aluminum sheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2014
    Publication date: November 3, 2016
    Applicants: KYOTO UNIVERSITY, AQUAFAIRY CORPORATION, ROHM CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuyuki HIRAO, Kohji NAGASHIMA, Hitoshi ISHIZAKA, Kazuo OKADA, Takashi SAEKI