Patents by Inventor Masaharu Tokiwa

Masaharu Tokiwa 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: 9667858
    Abstract: In an image acquisition device, an optical path length difference in a second light figure can be formed by arrangement of an optical path difference generating member, without need for splitting light in a second optical path for focus control. Therefore, it reduces the quantity of light into the second optical path necessary for acquisition of information of focal position while ensuring the quantity of light enough for execution of imaging by a first imaging device. Furthermore, in this image acquisition device, a light reduction portion is provided between a first face and a second face of the optical path difference generating member. This light reduction portion can narrow a light superimposed region on the imaging surface of the second imaging device, which allows control of the focal position to a sample to be accurately carried out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.
    Inventors: Hideshi Oishi, Masaharu Tokiwa
  • Publication number: 20160142617
    Abstract: In an image acquisition device, an optical path length difference in a second light figure can be formed by arrangement of an optical path difference generating member, without need for splitting light in a second optical path for focus control. Therefore, it reduces the quantity of light into the second optical path necessary for acquisition of information of focal position while ensuring the quantity of light enough for execution of imaging by a first imaging device. Furthermore, in this image acquisition device, a light reduction portion is provided between a first face and a second face of the optical path difference generating member. This light reduction portion can narrow a light superimposed region on the imaging surface of the second imaging device, which allows control of the focal position to a sample to be accurately carried out.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2014
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Inventors: Hideshi OISHI, Masaharu TOKIWA
  • Patent number: 7576910
    Abstract: For a semiconductor device S as an inspected object, there are provided an image acquisition part 1, an optical system 2 including an objective lens 20, and a solid immersion lens (SIL) 3 movable between an insertion position including an optical axis from the semiconductor device S to the objective lens 20 and a standby position off the optical axis. Then observation is carried out in two control modes consisting of a first mode in which the SIL 3 is located at the standby position and in which focusing and aberration correction are carried out based on a refractive index n0 and a thickness t0 of a substrate of the semiconductor device S, and a second mode in which the SIL 3 is located at the insertion position and in which focusing and aberration correction are carried out based on the refractive index n0 and thickness t0 of the substrate, and a refractive index n1, a thickness d1, and a radius of curvature R1 of SIL 3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2009
    Assignee: Hamamatsu Photonics K.K.
    Inventors: Hirotoshi Terada, Ikuo Arata, Masaharu Tokiwa, Hiroshi Tanabe, Shigeru Sakamoto, Yoshio Isobe
  • Publication number: 20080074739
    Abstract: For a semiconductor device S as an inspected object, there are provided an image acquisition part 1, an optical system 2 including an objective lens 20, and a solid immersion lens (SIL) 3 movable between an insertion position including an optical axis from the semiconductor device S to the objective lens 20 and a standby position off the optical axis. Then observation is carried out in two control modes consisting of a first mode in which the SIL 3 is located at the standby position and in which focusing and aberration correction are carried out based on a refractive index n0 and a thickness t0 of a substrate of the semiconductor device S, and a second mode in which the SIL 3 is located at the insertion position and in which focusing and aberration correction are carried out based on the refractive index n0 and thickness t0 of the substrate, and a refractive index n1, a thickness d1, and a radius of curvature R1 of SIL 3.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2007
    Publication date: March 27, 2008
    Inventors: Hirotoshi Terada, Ikuo Arata, Masaharu Tokiwa, Hiroshi Tanabe, Shigeru Sakamoto, Yoshio Isobe
  • Patent number: 7312921
    Abstract: For a semiconductor device S as an inspected object, there are provided an image acquisition part 1, an optical system 2 including an objective lens 20, and a solid immersion lens (SIL) 3 movable between an insertion position including an optical axis from the semiconductor device S to the objective lens 20 and a standby position off the optical axis. Then observation is carried out in two control modes consisting of a first mode in which the SIL 3 is located at the standby position and in which focusing and aberration correction are carried out based on a refractive index n0 and a thickness t0 of a substrate of the semiconductor device S, and a second mode in which the SIL 3 is located at the insertion position and in which focusing and aberration correction are carried out based on the refractive index n0 and thickness t0 of the substrate, and a refractive index n1, a thickness d1, and a radius of curvature R1 of SIL 3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2007
    Assignee: Hamamatsu Photonics K.K.
    Inventors: Hirotoshi Terada, Ikuo Arata, Masaharu Tokiwa, Hiroshi Tanabe, Shigeru Sakamoto, Yoshio Isobe
  • Patent number: 7110172
    Abstract: For a semiconductor device S as an inspected object, there are provided an image acquisition part 1, an optical system 2 including an objective lens 20, and a solid immersion lens (SIL) 3 movable between an insertion position including an optical axis from the semiconductor device S to the objective lens 20 and a standby position off the optical axis. Then observation is carried out in two control modes consisting of a first mode in which the SIL 3 is located at the standby position and in which focusing and aberration correction are carried out based on a refractive index no and a thickness to of a substrate of the semiconductor device S, and a second mode in which the SIL 3 is located at the insertion position and in which focusing and aberration correction are carried out based on the refractive index no and thickness t0 of the substrate, and a refractive index n1, a thickness d1, and a radius of curvature R1 of SIL 3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2006
    Assignee: Hamamatsu Photonics K.K.
    Inventors: Hirotoshi Terada, Ikuo Arata, Masaharu Tokiwa, Hiroshi Tanabe, Shigeru Sakamoto
  • Publication number: 20060176548
    Abstract: For a semiconductor device S as an inspected object, there are provided an image acquisition part 1, an optical system 2 including an objective lens 20, and a solid immersion lens (SIL) 3 movable between an insertion position including an optical axis from the semiconductor device S to the objective lens 20 and a standby position off the optical axis. Then observation is carried out in two control modes consisting of a first mode in which the SIL 3 is located at the standby position and in which focusing and aberration correction are carried out based on a refractive index n0 and a thickness t0 of a substrate of the semiconductor device S, and a second mode in which the SIL 3 is located at the insertion position and in which focusing and aberration correction are carried out based on the refractive index n0 and thickness t0 of the substrate, and a refractive index n1, a thickness d1, and a radius of curvature R1 of SIL 3.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2006
    Publication date: August 10, 2006
    Inventors: Hirotoshi Terada, Ikuo Arata, Masaharu Tokiwa, Hiroshi Tanabe, Shigeru Sakamoto, Yoshio Isobe
  • Publication number: 20050190436
    Abstract: For a semiconductor device S as an inspected object, there are provided an image acquisition part 1, an optical system 2 including an objective lens 20, and a solid immersion lens (SIL) 3 movable between an insertion position including an optical axis from the semiconductor device S to the objective lens 20 and a standby position off the optical axis. Then observation is carried out in two control modes consisting of a first mode in which the SIL 3 is located at the standby position and in which focusing and aberration correction are carried out based on a refractive index no and a thickness to of a substrate of the semiconductor device S, and a second mode in which the SIL 3 is located at the insertion position and in which focusing and aberration correction are carried out based on the refractive index no and thickness t0 of the substrate, and a refractive index n1, a thickness d1, and a radius of curvature R1 of SIL 3.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2004
    Publication date: September 1, 2005
    Inventors: Hirotoshi Terada, Ikuo Arata, Masaharu Tokiwa, Hiroshi Tanabe, Shigeru Sakamoto