Patents by Inventor Kenji Tanimoto

Kenji Tanimoto 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: 12174551
    Abstract: A computation device is provided for measuring the dimensions of patterns formed on a sample based on a signal obtained from a charged particle beam device. The computation device includes a positional deviation amount calculation unit for calculating the amount of positional deviation in a direction parallel to a wafer surface between two patterns having different heights based on an image acquired at a given beam tilt angle; a pattern inclination amount calculation unit for calculating an amount of pattern inclination from the amount of positional deviation using a predetermined relational expression for the amount of positional deviation and the amount of pattern inclination; and a beam tilt control amount calculation unit for controlling the beam tilt angle so as to match the amount of pattern inclination. The pattern measurement device sets the beam tilt angle to a calculated beam tilt angle, reacquires an image and measures the patterns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2024
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Takuma Yamamoto, Hiroya Ohta, Kenji Tanimoto, Yusuke Abe, Tomohiro Tamori, Masaaki Nojiri
  • Publication number: 20240379318
    Abstract: Provided is a charged particle beam device that can precisely manage a temperature at which a cold field emitter is heated. A charged particle beam device includes: a cold field emitter including a tip having a sharpened distal end, a filament connected to the tip, and an auxiliary electrode covering the filament and having an opening from which the tip protrudes; an extraction electrode to which an extraction voltage for extracting electrons from the cold field emitter is applied; and an acceleration electrode to which an acceleration voltage for accelerating the electrons extracted from the cold field emitter is applied. When the tip and the filament are heated, thermionic electrons emitted from the tip and the filament are collected by the auxiliary electrode to measure a current by applying a positive voltage with respect to the tip to the auxiliary electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2021
    Publication date: November 14, 2024
    Inventors: Keigo KASUYA, Shuhei ISHIKAWA, Kenji TANIMOTO, Shunichi WATANABE, Takashi DOI, Yusuke SAKAI
  • Publication number: 20240371601
    Abstract: A high-quality image is acquired while maintaining an improvement in throughput of image acquisition (measurement (length measurement)) in a charged particle beam system including a charged particle beam device and a computer system configured to control the charged particle beam device. The charged particle beam device includes an objective lens, a sample stage, and a backscattered electron detector that is disposed between the objective lens and the sample stage and that adjusts a focus of a charged particle beam with which a sample is irradiated. The computer system adjusts a value of an electric field on the sample in accordance with a change in a voltage applied to the backscattered electron detector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2024
    Publication date: November 7, 2024
    Inventors: Yusuke NAKAMURA, Yusuke ABE, Kenji TANIMOTO, Takeyoshi OHASHI
  • Patent number: 12068128
    Abstract: An object of the invention is to acquire a high-quality image while maintaining an improvement in throughput of image acquisition (measurement (length measurement)). The present disclosure provides a charged particle beam system including a charged particle beam device and a computer system configured to control the charged particle beam device. The charged particle beam device includes an objective lens, a sample stage, and a backscattered electron detector that is disposed between the objective lens and the sample stage and that adjusts a focus of a charged particle beam with which a sample is irradiated. The computer system adjusts a value of an electric field on the sample in accordance with a change in a voltage applied to the backscattered electron detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2024
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Tech Corporation
    Inventors: Yusuke Nakamura, Yusuke Abe, Kenji Tanimoto, Takeyoshi Ohashi
  • Publication number: 20240242918
    Abstract: Provided are a structure for particle acceleration and a charged particle beam apparatus, which enable the suppression of electric field concentration occurring near a negative electrode part. The structure for particle acceleration includes: a ceramic body 1 having a through hole 10 formed by an inner wall surface; and a negative electrode 2 and a positive electrode 3 which are arranged, respectively, on one end and the other end of the through hole 10 in the ceramic body. The inner wall surface of the ceramic body 1 is configured such that a first region 22, which is electrically connected with the negative electrode 2, and a second region 23, which is electrically connected with the positive electrode 3, are electrically connected to each other. The surface resistivity of the first region 22 is lower than the surface resistivity of the second region 23.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2021
    Publication date: July 18, 2024
    Inventors: RYO SUGIYAMA, Kenji TANIMOTO, Shuhei ISHIKAWA
  • Publication number: 20230352262
    Abstract: In an electron source including a suppressor electrode having an opening at one end portion thereof in a direction along a central axis and an electron emission material having a distal end protruding from the opening, the suppressor electrode further includes a receding portion receding to a position farther from the distal end of the electron emission material than the opening in the direction along the central axis at a position in an outer peripheral direction than the opening, and at least a part of the receding portion is disposed within a diameter of 2810 ?m from a center of the opening. Accordingly, an electron source, an electron gun, and a charged particle beam device such as an electron microscope using the same, in which a machine difference in a device performance due to an axial shift between the electron emission material and the suppressor electrode is reduced, are implemented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2020
    Publication date: November 2, 2023
    Applicant: Hitachi High-Tech Corporation
    Inventors: Keigo KASUYA, Shuhei ISHIKAWA, Kenji TANIMOTO, Takashi DOI, Soichiro MATSUNAGA, Hiroshi MORITA, Daigo KOMESU, Kenji MIYATA
  • Patent number: 11670479
    Abstract: When focus adjustment is performed according to the height of the surface of a sample at each inspection point in order to continuously inspect a plurality of inspection points on a wafer by using an electron microscope, even when the focus adjustment by an electrostatic lens in which a variation of heights of inspection points is greater than a predetermined range, and that can perform adjustment at a high speed and adjustment by an electromagnetic lens with a low speed are required to be used together, a flow of focus adjustment in which the number of times of the adjustment by the electromagnetic lens is reduced by using a relation of changes of heights at inspection points, an inspection order, and a range in which an electrostatic focus can be performed is realized, so that inspection with high throughput is made possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takeyoshi Ohashi, Hyejin Kim, Yusuke Abe, Kenji Tanimoto
  • Patent number: 11626266
    Abstract: Provided is a charged particle beam device capable of focusing with high accuracy even when a charged particle beam has a large off-axis amount. The charged particle beam device generates an observation image of a sample by irradiating the sample with a charged particle beam, and includes: a deflection unit that inclines the charged particle beam; a focusing lens that focuses the charged particle beam; an adjustment unit that adjusts a lens strength of the focusing lens based on an evaluation value calculated from the observation image; a storage unit that stores a relationship between a visual field movement amount and the lens strength; and a filter setting unit that calculates the visual field movement amount based on an inclination angle of the charged particle beam and the relationship, and sets an image filter to be superimposed on the observation image based on the calculated visual field movement amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Tech Corporation
    Inventors: Keiichiro Hitomi, Kenji Tanimoto, Yusuke Abe, Takuma Yamamoto, Kei Sakai, Satoru Yamaguchi, Yasunori Goto, Shuuichirou Takahashi
  • Patent number: 11601021
    Abstract: A motor includes a rotor and a stator. The stator is formed by laminating a plurality of magnetic thin strips each having a plurality of teeth parts. The magnetic thin strip includes an elliptical-shaped inner diameter part formed along tip end portions of the plural teeth parts. At least one magnetic thin strip in the laminated magnetic thin strips is shifted by a given angle with respect to other magnetic thin strips in a horizontal direction, and positions of all teeth parts of the laminated magnetic thin strips correspond to one another to reduce cogging torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Mitsuo Saitoh, Naoki Nojiri, Hideaki Hamada, Kenji Tanimoto, Fumihiko Kawai, Yukio Nishikawa
  • Publication number: 20220359149
    Abstract: To provide a charged particle beam device including a booster electrode and an object lens that generates a magnetic field in a vicinity of a sample, and capable of preventing ion discharge, an insulator is disposed between a magnetic field lens and the booster electrode. A tip of the insulator protrudes to a tip side of an upper magnetic path from a tip of a lower magnetic path of the magnetic field lens. The tip on a lower side of the insulator is above the lower magnetic path, and a non-magnetic metal electrode is embedded between the upper magnetic path and the lower magnetic path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2019
    Publication date: November 10, 2022
    Applicant: Hitachi High-Tech Corporation
    Inventors: Makoto SAKAKIBARA, Momoyo ENYAMA, Hajime KAWANO, Makoto SUZUKI, Kenji TANIMOTO, Yuko SASAKI
  • Publication number: 20220351938
    Abstract: An object of the invention is to acquire a high-quality image while maintaining an improvement in throughput of image acquisition (measurement (length measurement)). The present disclosure provides a charged particle beam system including a charged particle beam device and a computer system configured to control the charged particle beam device. The charged particle beam device includes an objective lens, a sample stage, and a backscattered electron detector that is disposed between the objective lens and the sample stage and that adjusts a focus of a charged particle beam with which a sample is irradiated. The computer system adjusts a value of an electric field on the sample in accordance with a change in a voltage applied to the backscattered electron detector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2022
    Publication date: November 3, 2022
    Inventors: Yusuke NAKAMURA, Yusuke ABE, Kenji TANIMOTO, Takeyoshi OHASHI
  • Publication number: 20220260930
    Abstract: A computation device is provided for measuring the dimensions of patterns formed on a sample based on a signal obtained from a charged particle beam device. The computation device includes a positional deviation amount calculation unit for calculating the amount of positional deviation in a direction parallel to a wafer surface between two patterns having different heights based on an image acquired at a given beam tilt angle; a pattern inclination amount calculation unit for calculating an amount of pattern inclination from the amount of positional deviation using a predetermined relational expression for the amount of positional deviation and the amount of pattern inclination; and a beam tilt control amount calculation unit for controlling the beam tilt angle so as to match the amount of pattern inclination. The pattern measurement device sets the beam tilt angle to a calculated beam tilt angle, reacquires an image and measures the patterns.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2022
    Publication date: August 18, 2022
    Inventors: Takuma Yamamoto, Hiroya Ohta, Kenji Tanimoto, Yusuke Abe, Tomohiro Tamori, Masaaki Nojiri
  • Patent number: 11353798
    Abstract: The present invention has a computation device for measuring the dimensions of patterns formed on a sample on the basis of a signal obtained from a charged particle beam device. The computation device has a positional deviation amount calculation unit for calculating the amount of positional deviation in a direction parallel to a wafer surface between two patterns having different heights on the basis of an image acquired at a given beam tilt angle; a pattern inclination amount calculation unit for calculating an amount of pattern inclination from the amount of positional deviation using a predetermined relational expression for the amount of positional deviation and the amount of pattern inclination; and a beam tilt control amount calculation unit for controlling the beam tilt angle so as to match the amount of pattern inclination. The pattern measurement device sets the beam tilt angle to a calculated beam tilt angle, reacquires an image and measures the patterns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Takuma Yamamoto, Hiroya Ohta, Kenji Tanimoto, Yusuke Abe, Tomohiro Tamori, Masaaki Nojiri
  • Publication number: 20220130638
    Abstract: Provided is a charged particle beam device capable of focusing with high accuracy even when a charged particle beam has a large off-axis amount. The charged particle beam device generates an observation image of a sample by irradiating the sample with a charged particle beam, and includes: a deflection unit that inclines the charged particle beam; a focusing lens that focuses the charged particle beam; an adjustment unit that adjusts a lens strength of the focusing lens based on an evaluation value calculated from the observation image; a storage unit that stores a relationship between a visual field movement amount and the lens strength; and a filter setting unit that calculates the visual field movement amount based on an inclination angle of the charged particle beam and the relationship, and sets an image filter to be superimposed on the observation image based on the calculated visual field movement amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2021
    Publication date: April 28, 2022
    Applicant: Hitachi High-Tech Corporation
    Inventors: Keiichiro HITOMI, Kenji TANIMOTO, Yusuke ABE, Takuma YAMAMOTO, Kei SAKAI, Satoru YAMAGUCHI, Yasunori GOTO, Shuuichirou TAKAHASHI
  • Patent number: 11276554
    Abstract: A scanning electron microscope includes an electron-optical system including an electron source and an objective lens, a stage on which a sample is placed, a secondary electron detector disposed adjacent to the electron source relative to the objective lens and configured to detect secondary electrons, a backscattered electron detector disposed between the objective lens and the stage and configured to detect backscattered electrons, a backscattered electron detection system controller configured to apply a voltage to the backscattered electron detector, and a device-control computer configured to detect a state of an electrical charge carried by the backscattered electron detector based on signal intensity at the secondary electron detector when the primary electrons are applied to the sample with a predetermined voltage applied to the backscattered electron detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takeyoshi Ohashi, Yusuke Abe, Kenji Tanimoto, Kaori Bizen, Hyejin Kim
  • Patent number: 11251018
    Abstract: Provided is a scanning electron microscope which can perform high-speed focus correction even when an electron beam having high energy is used. The scanning electron microscope includes an electron optical system including an electron source 100 that emits an electron beam and an objective lens 113, a sample stage 1025 which is disposed on a stage 115 and on which a sample 114 is placed, a backscattered electron detector 1023 which is disposed between the objective lens and the sample stage and is configured to detect backscattered electrons 1017 emitted due to interaction between the electron beam and the sample, a backscattered electron detection system control unit 138 which is provided corresponding to the backscattered electron detector and is configured to apply a voltage to the backscattered electron detector, and a device control calculation device 146.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Tech Corporation
    Inventors: Yasunari Sohda, Kaori Bizen, Yusuke Abe, Kenji Tanimoto
  • Publication number: 20210384006
    Abstract: When focus adjustment is performed according to the height of the surface of a sample at each inspection point in order to continuously inspect a plurality of inspection points on a wafer by using an electron microscope, even when the focus adjustment by an electrostatic lens in which a variation of heights of inspection points is greater than a predetermined range, and that can perform adjustment at a high speed and adjustment by an electromagnetic lens with a low speed are required to be used together, a flow of focus adjustment in which the number of times of the adjustment by the electromagnetic lens is reduced by using a relation of changes of heights at inspection points, an inspection order, and a range in which an electrostatic focus can be performed is realized, so that inspection with high throughput is made possible.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2021
    Publication date: December 9, 2021
    Inventors: Takeyoshi Ohashi, Hyejin Kim, Yusuke Abe, Kenji Tanimoto
  • Publication number: 20210272770
    Abstract: Provided is a scanning electron microscope which can perform high-speed focus correction even when an electron beam having high energy is used. The scanning electron microscope includes an electron optical system including an electron source 100 that emits an electron beam and an objective lens 113, a sample stage 1025 which is disposed on a stage 115 and on which a sample 114 is placed, a backscattered electron detector 1023 which is disposed between the objective lens and the sample stage and is configured to detect backscattered electrons 1017 emitted due to interaction between the electron beam and the sample, a backscattered electron detection system control unit 138 which is provided corresponding to the backscattered electron detector and is configured to apply a voltage to the backscattered electron detector, and a device control calculation device 146.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2018
    Publication date: September 2, 2021
    Inventors: Yasunari SOHDA, Kaori BIZEN, Yusuke ABE, Kenji TANIMOTO
  • Publication number: 20210043420
    Abstract: A scanning electron microscope includes an electron-optical system including an electron source and an objective lens, a stage on which a sample is placed, a secondary electron detector disposed adjacent to the electron source relative to the objective lens and configured to detect secondary electrons, a backscattered electron detector disposed between the objective lens and the stage and configured to detect backscattered electrons, a backscattered electron detection system controller configured to apply a voltage to the backscattered electron detector, and a device-control computer configured to detect a state of an electrical charge carried by the backscattered electron detector based on signal intensity at the secondary electron detector when the primary electrons are applied to the sample with a predetermined voltage applied to the backscattered electron detector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2020
    Publication date: February 11, 2021
    Inventors: Takeyoshi Ohashi, Yusuke Abe, Kenji Tanimoto, Kaori Bizen, Hyejin Kim
  • Patent number: 10903037
    Abstract: An object of the invention is to stably supply an electron beam from an electron gun, that is, to prevent variation in intensity of the electron beam. The invention provides a charged particle beam device that includes an electron gun having an electron source, an extraction electrode to which a voltage used for extracting electrons from the electron source is applied, and an acceleration electrode to which a voltage used for accelerating the electrons extracted from the electron source is applied, a first heating unit that heats the extraction electrode, and a second heating unit that heats the acceleration electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Keigo Kasuya, Shuhei Ishikawa, Kenji Tanimoto, Hajime Kawano, Hideo Todokoro, Souichi Katagiri, Takashi Doi, Soichiro Matsunaga