Patents by Inventor Kotaro Hosoya

Kotaro Hosoya 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: 20220402000
    Abstract: To provide a charged particle beam apparatus. The charged particle beam apparatus includes: a stage on which a sample is placed; a cleaner configured to remove a contaminant on the sample; and a stage control unit configured to adjust a relative positional relationship between the cleaner and the sample by moving the stage during use of the cleaner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2022
    Publication date: December 22, 2022
    Inventors: Akinari MORIKAWA, Kotaro HOSOYA
  • Patent number: 11458513
    Abstract: To provide a charged particle beam apparatus. The charged particle beam apparatus includes: a stage on which a sample is placed; a cleaner configured to remove a contaminant on the sample; and a stage control unit configured to adjust a relative positional relationship between the cleaner and the sample by moving the stage during use of the cleaner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Tech Corporation
    Inventors: Akinari Morikawa, Kotaro Hosoya
  • Patent number: 10937626
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a holder includes a top member, a side member, and a bottom member. The top member has a hole for allowing transmission of a charged particle beam, and the sample is mountable in the hole. The bottom member is provided to overlap with the top member in a plan view. The side member is connected to a part of the top member and a part of the bottom member such that the top member and the bottom member are separated from each other in a cross-sectional view. An opening portion is a region surrounded by the top member, the side member, and the bottom member, and a scintillator is provided in the opening portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kotaro Hosoya
  • Publication number: 20200373119
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a holder includes a top member, a side member, and a bottom member. The top member has a hole for allowing transmission of a charged particle beam, and the sample is mountable in the hole. The bottom member is provided to overlap with the top member in a plan view. The side member is connected to a part of the top member and a part of the bottom member such that the top member and the bottom member are separated from each other in a cross-sectional view. An opening portion is a region surrounded by the top member, the side member, and the bottom member, and a scintillator is provided in the opening portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2020
    Publication date: November 26, 2020
    Inventor: Kotaro HOSOYA
  • Publication number: 20200303157
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a holder includes a top member, a side member, and a bottom member. The top member has a hole for allowing transmission of a charged particle beam, and the sample is mountable in the hole. The bottom member is provided to overlap with the top member in a plan view. The side member is connected to a part of the top member and a part of the bottom member such that the top member and the bottom member are separated from each other in a cross-sectional view. An opening portion is a region surrounded by the top member, the side member, and the bottom member, and a scintillator is provided in the opening portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2019
    Publication date: September 24, 2020
    Inventor: Kotaro HOSOYA
  • Patent number: 10777379
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a holder includes a top member, a side member, and a bottom member. The top member has a hole for allowing transmission of a charged particle beam, and the sample is mountable in the hole. The bottom member is provided to overlap with the top member in a plan view. The side member is connected to a part of the top member and a part of the bottom member such that the top member and the bottom member are separated from each other in a cross-sectional view. An opening portion is a region surrounded by the top member, the side member, and the bottom member, and a scintillator is provided in the opening portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kotaro Hosoya
  • Publication number: 20200206789
    Abstract: To provide a charged particle beam apparatus. The charged particle beam apparatus includes: a stage on which a sample is placed; a cleaner configured to remove a contaminant on the sample; and a stage control unit configured to adjust a relative positional relationship between the cleaner and the sample by moving the stage during use of the cleaner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2017
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Inventors: Akinari MORIKAWA, Kotaro HOSOYA
  • Patent number: 9881769
    Abstract: The objective of the present invention is to provide a charged particle beam device, wherein the positional relationship between reflected electron detection elements and a sample and the vacuum state of the sample surroundings are evaluated to select automatically a reflected electron detection element appropriate for acquiring an intended image. In this charged particle beam device, all the reflected electron detection elements are selected when the degree of vacuum inside the sample chamber is high and the sample is distant from the reflected electron detectors, while a reflected electron detection element appropriate for acquiring a compositional image or a height map image is selected when the degree of vacuum inside the sample chamber is high and the sample is close to the reflected electron detectors. When the degree of vacuum inside the sample chamber is low, all the reflected electron detection elements are selected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Kenji Aoki, Tsutomu Saitou, Kotaro Hosoya, Mitsuhiro Nakamura, Kunji Shigeto
  • Publication number: 20160203947
    Abstract: The objective of the present invention is to provide a charged particle beam device, wherein the positional relationship between reflected electron detection elements and a sample and the vacuum state of the sample surroundings are evaluated to select automatically a reflected electron detection element appropriate for acquiring an intended image. In this charged particle beam device, all the reflected electron detection elements are selected when the degree of vacuum inside the sample chamber is high and the sample is distant from the reflected electron detectors, while a reflected electron detection element appropriate for acquiring a compositional image or a height map image is selected when the degree of vacuum inside the sample chamber is high and the sample is close to the reflected electron detectors. When the degree of vacuum inside the sample chamber is low, all the reflected electron detection elements are selected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2014
    Publication date: July 14, 2016
    Inventors: Kenji AOKI, Tsutomu SAITOU, Kotaro HOSOYA, Mitsuhiro NAKAMURA, Kunji SHIGETO
  • Patent number: 9159530
    Abstract: The present invention makes it possible, even when using an ordinary electron beam device (not an environment-controlled electron beam device), to create locally a low vacuum condition in the vicinity of a sample and cool said sample by means of a sample holder alone, without modifying the device or adding equipment such as a gas cylinder. The sample to be observed is placed in a sample holder provided with: a vessel that can contain a substance to serve as a gas source; and a through-hole in the bottom of a sample mount on said vessel. Via the through-hole, gas evaporating or volatilizing from the vessel is supplied to the sample under observation, thereby creating a localized low-vacuum state at or in the vicinity of the sample. Also, the heat of vaporization required for volatilization can be used to cool the sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kotaro Hosoya, Masaomi Ohno, Haruhiko Hatano
  • Publication number: 20140014835
    Abstract: The present invention makes it possible, even when using an ordinary electron beam device (not an environment-controlled electron beam device), to create locally a low vacuum condition in the vicinity of a sample and cool said sample by means of a sample holder alone, without modifying the device or adding equipment such as a gas cylinder. The sample to be observed is placed in a sample holder provided with: a vessel that can contain a substance to serve as a gas source; and a through-hole in the bottom of a sample mount on said vessel. Via the through-hole, gas evaporating or volatilizing from the vessel is supplied to the sample under observation, thereby creating a localized low-vacuum state at or in the vicinity of the sample. Also, the heat of vaporization required for volatilization can be used to cool the sample.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2011
    Publication date: January 16, 2014
    Applicant: HITACHI HIGH-TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kotaro Hosoya, Masaomi Ohno, Haruhiko Hatano
  • Patent number: 8044352
    Abstract: Using, as a detector, a CCD detector having a CCD element to which a scintillator is closely fixed, a backscattered or scanning transmission image is obtained by the following method. The detector is disposed directly under an objective lens to obtain the backscattered electron image. When one point of a specimen is irradiated with an electron beam, backscattered or transmission electrons generated from the specimen collide with the scintillator to form a luminescent pattern. This pattern is detected by the CCD detector, and stored in a memory. This processing is sequentially repeated for each irradiation position to obtain all the patterns in an electron beam scanning range. Arithmetic processing is performed on each pattern to convert it into an image. Usually, image data for one pixel is calculated from one pattern. By sequentially repeating this, a backscattered or transmission electron image in the electronic beam scanning range can be obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Kotaro Hosoya, Yoshihiko Nakayama, Isao Nagaoki
  • Publication number: 20090242792
    Abstract: Using, as a detector, a CCD detector having a CCD element to which a scintillator is closely fixed, a backscattered or scanning transmission image is obtained by the following method. The detector is disposed directly under an objective lens to obtain the backscattered electron image. When one point of a specimen is irradiated with an electron beam, backscattered or transmission electrons generated from the specimen collide with the scintillator to form a luminescent pattern. This pattern is detected by the CCD detector, and stored in a memory. This processing is sequentially repeated for each irradiation position to obtain all the patterns in an electron beam scanning range. Arithmetic processing is performed on each pattern to convert it into an image. Usually, image data for one pixel is calculated from one pattern. By sequentially repeating this, a backscattered or transmission electron image in the electronic beam scanning range can be obtained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2009
    Publication date: October 1, 2009
    Inventors: KOTARO HOSOYA, Yoshihiko Nakayama, Isao Nagaoki
  • Patent number: D679411
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Kotaro Hosoya, Yoshihiro Takahoko
  • Patent number: D684274
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Kotaro Hosoya, Yoshihiro Takahoko