Patents by Inventor Kenji Obara

Kenji Obara 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: 20110129142
    Abstract: A system is provided that realizes both reduction in coordinate error and improvement in throughput and allows observation of a micro-defect. The system includes: a function of measuring an amount of displacement between preliminarily calculated coordinates and an actual specimen position; a function of optimizing a coordinate correction formula so as to minimize the amount of displacement from the measured amount of displacement; and a function of calculating variation of displacement between the preliminarily calculated coordinates and the actual specimen position by statistical processing. When a value of coordinate variation is sufficiently small with respect to the field of view of an image for observation, which is to be a defect observation image, the system acquires only the image for observation without performing acquisition of an image for search, which is to be a defect search image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2009
    Publication date: June 2, 2011
    Applicant: HITACHI HIGH-TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Noritsugu Takahashi, Muneyuki Fukuda, Tomoyasu Shojo, Naomasa Suzuki, Kenji Obara
  • Patent number: 7932493
    Abstract: It is intended to reduce the auto focusing time and to increase the stability in a case that a defect on a specimen that has been detected by an inspection apparatus is observed by using a scanning electron microscope. One or more regions to be used for auto focusing are set in an imaging region or its neighborhood on the basis of semiconductor design information. A target focusing position in the imaging region is determined by performing auto focusing using the thus-set regions. The determined target focusing position is used for low-magnification imaging and high-magnification imaging. An auto focusing mode that is suitable for each imaging region is selected on the basis of the semiconductor design information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Minoru Harada, Ryo Nakagaki, Kenji Obara
  • Patent number: 7925367
    Abstract: The invention proposes a system that interrupts a processing associated with an ADC having low priority when an ADC processing cannot catch up with ADR by an ADC alone that is not under execution but uses an ADC for an ADR having high priority. To preferentially execute ADR/ADC having high priority, the invention employs an algorithm for serially selecting ADR/ADC in the order of higher processing capacity (in the order of greater numerical values in the expression by a DPH unit) from among ADR/ADCs that have the lowest priority, no matter whether the ADR/DC is now under execution or not.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Takehiro Hirai, Kazuo Aoki, Kenji Obara
  • Publication number: 20110062328
    Abstract: The present invention aims to provide a defect review apparatus capable of suppressing a reduction in throughput with a minimized deviation-amount measurement, and capable of optimizing an FOV of a monitoring image. To this end, the review apparatus for reviewing a specimen by moving the specimen to pre-calculated coordinate includes: a function to measure a deviation amount between the pre-calculated coordinates and coordinates of an actual position of the specimen; a function to optimize a coordinate correcting expression to minimize the measured deviation amount; and a function to determine that the deviation amounts have converged. When the deviation amounts have converged, the measurement for the coordinate-correcting-expression optimization is terminated. Thereby, the reduction in throughput is suppressed to the minimum level, and furthermore a FOV necessary for the specimen to be within the field of view is set according to a convergence value of the calculated deviation amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2010
    Publication date: March 17, 2011
    Applicant: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Takehiro HIRAI, Kenji Obara, Kohei Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 7881558
    Abstract: A method which, while displacing the field-of-view, allows the image in a target area to be acquired without degradations such as out-of-focus of the image. Plural pieces of images are acquired before and after a target area while displacing the field-of-view. Next, these images are grouped into groups each of which includes several pieces of images, and integrated images on each group basis are created. Moreover, a relational expression is calculated which holds between image displacement quantity calculated by comparing the integrated images with each other and the number of the photographed pieces of images. Furthermore, image displacement quantities between the acquired plural pieces of images are calculated from this relational expression. Finally, these images are corrected by the amounts of these displacement quantities, then being integrated. This process allows reconfiguration of the image in the target area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Kohei Yamaguchi, Kazuo Aoki, Kenji Obara
  • Patent number: 7866746
    Abstract: The present invention can include a frame member which attaches the monitor panel at a back side of a vehicle seat, a skin member covering the vehicle seat, a pad member having a seat outer shape, the frame member is harder than the pad member, and the frame member is arranged at a back side of the vehicle seat in place of the pad member and covered by the skin member and the monitor panel is attached to the frame member through the skin member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Toyota Boshoku Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toyotaka Watanabe, Takayuki Niwa, Nobuhiko Kazui, Masahiro Iwamoto, Satoshi Sugiyama, Kenji Obara, Naoki Mitsuoka, Hideyuki Yamanaka, Yuji Nishiyama
  • Patent number: 7869969
    Abstract: A defect review apparatus for reviewing a specimen by moving the specimen to pre-calculated coordinate includes: a function to measure a deviation amount between the pre-calculated coordinates and coordinates of an actual position of the specimen; a function to optimize a coordinate correcting expression to minimize the measured deviation amount; and a function to determine that the deviation amounts have converged. When the deviation amounts have converged, the measurement for the coordinate-correcting-expression optimization is terminated, minimizing a reduction in throughput. field of view (FOV) necessary for the specimen to be within the FOV is set according to a convergence value of the calculated deviation amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Takehiro Hirai, Kenji Obara, Kohei Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 7834651
    Abstract: Provided is a power supply circuit that supplies an electronic device with a supply power, including a voltage control section that outputs a control voltage that tracks an input voltage with a prescribed frequency characteristic and applies a voltage corresponding to the control voltage to the electronic device, a voltage adjusting section that detects the voltage applied to the electronic device and adjusts the input voltage based on the detected voltage, a current adjusting section that detects a current applied to the electronic device and adjusts the input voltage when the detected current is outside of a prescribed limit range, and a frequency characteristic adjusting section that increases a speed at which the control voltage tracks the input voltage by adjusting the frequency characteristic of the voltage control section when the applied current is outside of the limit range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: Advantest Corporation
    Inventor: Kenji Obara
  • Publication number: 20100213371
    Abstract: A technique executes autofocus adjustment stably even when a plurality of patterns or foreign matter capable of being imaged only by a specific detector are included independently. Such an image as a concavo-convex image having a weak contrast can be picked up. The technique can automatically focus such an image even when it is difficult to find a focus position in the image. A scanning electron microscope includes a plurality of detectors for detecting secondary signals from a specimen when irradiated with an electron beam, and a calculation unit for combining the signals obtained from the detectors. At least two of the detectors are provided to be symmetric with respect to the electron beam. The focus of the electron beam is adjusted based on the signals of the detectors or on a signal corresponding to a combination of the signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2010
    Publication date: August 26, 2010
    Applicant: HITACHI HIGH-TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kohei Yamaguchi, Kenji Obara
  • Patent number: 7732765
    Abstract: A technique executes autofocus adjustment stably even when a plurality of patterns or foreign matter capable of being imaged only by a specific detector are included independently. Such an image as a concavo-convex image having a weak contrast can be picked up. The technique can automatically focus such an image even when it is difficult to find a focus position in the image. A scanning electron microscope includes a plurality of detectors for detecting secondary signals from a specimen when irradiated with an electron beam, and a calculation unit for combining the signals obtained from the detectors. At least two of the detectors are provided to be symmetric with respect to the electron beam. The focus of the electron beam is adjusted based on the signals of the detectors or on a signal corresponding to a combination of the signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Kohei Yamaguchi, Kenji Obara
  • Patent number: 7682541
    Abstract: A manufacturing method of a microchemical chip made of a resin and having a micro channel, which comprises forming a photoresist film over the surface of one side of a metal support substratum, stacking a photomask for the formation of a channel pattern over the photoresist film, forming a minute-structure photoresist pattern over the metal support substratum by a photofabrication technology as a flat-sheet mold, disposing the flat-sheet mold or unit mold obtained by separating the flat-sheet mold on the bottom of a contour forming frame for resin molding, pouring a resin into the contour forming frame for resin molding and curing the resin to form a resin structure having a micro channel formed by the mold, and attaching the resin structure having a micro channel to a flat sheet to be a lid of the micro channel; and microchemical chips manufactured by this method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: Nippon Filcon Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsuru Saito, Yoshiyuki Ikegami, Kenji Obara
  • Patent number: 7664562
    Abstract: The invention proposes a system that interrupts a processing associated with an ADC having low priority when an ADC processing cannot catch up with ADR by an ADC alone that is not under execution but uses an ADC for an ADR having high priority. To preferentially execute ADR/ADC having high priority, the invention employs an algorithm for serially selecting ADR/ADC in the order of higher processing capacity (in the order of greater numerical values in the expression by a DPH unit) from among ADR/ADCs that have the lowest priority, no matter whether the ADR/DC is now under execution or not.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2010
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Takehiro Hirai, Kazuo Aoki, Kenji Obara
  • Publication number: 20100021047
    Abstract: The invention proposes a system that interrupts a processing associated with an ADC having low priority when an ADC processing cannot catch up with ADR by an ADC alone that is not under execution but uses an ADC for an ADR having high priority. To preferentially execute ADR/ADC having high priority, the invention employs an algorithm for serially selecting ADR/ADC in the order of higher processing capacity (in the order of greater numerical values in the expression by a DPH unit) from among ADR/ADCs that have the lowest priority, no matter whether the ADR/DC is now under execution or not.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2009
    Publication date: January 28, 2010
    Applicant: HITACHI HIGH-TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION.
    Inventors: Takehiro Hirai, Kazuo Aoki, Kenji Obara
  • Patent number: 7638767
    Abstract: There is provided an electron microscope which can clearly detect a microscopic unevenness in a sample. According to a scanning electron microscope, when luminance signals from one pair of backscattered electron detectors are given by L and R, and when a luminance signal from a scattered electron detector is given by S, an adjustment value Lc of L and an adjustment value Rc of R are calculated by using primary homogeneous expressions of L, R, and S.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Kohei Yamaguchi, Kenji Obara
  • Publication number: 20090268959
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for reviewing defects in a large number of samples within a short period of time through the use of a defect review apparatus. To collect defect images steadily and at high throughput, a defect detection method is selected before imaging and set up for each of review target defects in the samples in accordance with the external characteristics of the samples that are calculated from the design information about the samples. The defect images are collected after an imaging sequence is set up for the defect images and reference images in such a manner as to reduce the time required for stage movement in accordance with the defect coordinates of the samples and the selected defect detection method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2009
    Publication date: October 29, 2009
    Inventors: Minoru Harada, Ryo Nakagaki, Kenji Obara, Atsushi Miyamoto
  • Publication number: 20090252403
    Abstract: A method for reviewing a defect on a sample involves the steps of imaging a defect image containing the defect in first magnification by using an image acquisition unit, synthesizing a reference image not containing the defect from the defect image, comparing the defect image acquired with the reference image synthesized to detect a defect applicant, executing a processing for classifying the defect applicant into a defect and a normal portion and imaging only the portion identified as the detect in second magnification. The method makes it possible to specify a defect position without error from the image taken in the first magnification and to image the defect in the second magnification when a large number of defects are observed within a short time by using the image acquisition unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2009
    Publication date: October 8, 2009
    Inventors: Minoru Harada, Ryo Nakagaki, Kenji Obara
  • Patent number: 7593564
    Abstract: Absolute coordinates designate position coordinates of a defect of a calibrating substrate, and inspection coordinates designate position coordinates of the defect of the calibrating substrate detected by an inspection apparatus. A deviation of the inspection coordinates with respect to the absolute coordinates is an error included in the inspection coordinates. When “nonrandom errors” are removed from the inspection coordinates, a “random error” is left in the inspection coordinates. The view size for defect search in a defect reviewing apparatus is set based on the random error. Further, a defect for fine alignment is selected based on the tendency of a detected value of the defect size of the calibrating substrate detected by the inspection apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2009
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Kenji Obara, Kazuo Aoki
  • Publication number: 20090222753
    Abstract: Setting of a parameter of a defect inspection tool is based on trial and error in which effects are confirmed one by one and set, and the setting requires a high technique and is significantly inefficient. The present invention is to provide an inspection method and an inspection tool capable of solving such a problem and of setting the parameter (hereinafter, referred to as an inspection parameter) required for detecting the defect easily.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2009
    Publication date: September 3, 2009
    Inventors: Kohei YAMAGUCHI, Kenji Obara, Takehiro Hirai
  • Patent number: 7584012
    Abstract: An automatic defect review and classification system including at least one automatic defect review apparatus for specifically observing defect portions of a sample and at least one automatic defect classification apparatus for automatically classifying the defects, the system further comprising a device which outputs a status for combination of the automatic review apparatus and the automatic defect classification apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2009
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Takehiro Hirai, Kazuo Aoki, Kenji Obara
  • Publication number: 20090206259
    Abstract: A defect review method and a defect review device using an electron microscope, reduce the number of user processes necessary to set automatic focal adjustment of an electron beam to provide easier sample observation. The review method comprises the steps of: performing focal adjustment for a plurality of coordinate positions pre-registered on the coordinate on an object under observation; creating a criterion for focal adjustment based on a focal position at each of the plurality of coordinate positions; setting a focal probe range based on a deviation between the criterion and the focal position; and determining an automatic focal adjustment range for defect detection on the object under observation based on the set focal probe range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2009
    Publication date: August 20, 2009
    Inventors: Kenji Obara, Takehiro Hirai, Kohei Yamaguchi, Naoma Ban