Patents by Inventor Mitsunori Nishizawa

Mitsunori Nishizawa 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: 20240012047
    Abstract: An inspection apparatus includes a light source that emits light, an optical amplifier that amplifies input light and outputs the amplified light, an optical system (an objective lens, an imaging optical system, and a scanning optical system) that irradiates a semiconductor device with the light from the light source and guides light from the semiconductor device to the optical amplifier, and a photodetector that detects the light output from the optical amplifier, and the optical amplifier amplifies the input light so that saturation does not occur.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2021
    Publication date: January 11, 2024
    Applicant: HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.
    Inventors: Tomonori NAKAMURA, Akihito UCHIKADO, Mitsunori NISHIZAWA
  • Patent number: 10962932
    Abstract: A time measurement device for calculating a time from an input of a first trigger signal to an input of a second trigger signal as a measured time includes a start gate configured to generate a start signal, a stop gate configured to generate a stop signal, a TDC circuit configured to generate a digital code corresponding to the time from an input of a start signal to an input of a stop signal, a delay circuit configured to delay an input of at least one of the start signal and the stop signal to the TDC circuit by a predetermined delay time, and a control unit configured to calculate a measured time on the basis of a plurality of digital codes generated by the TDC circuit, wherein the time delay unit selects at least two delay times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.
    Inventors: Ken Kitazawa, Mitsunori Nishizawa, Takashi Ito
  • Patent number: 10408874
    Abstract: A light source device includes a light source that generates incoherent light, and an optical amplifier having gain characteristics indicating a gain at each wavelength, which receives the incoherent light output by the light source as input light, and outputs amplified light obtained by amplifying the input light, and a central wavelength of an intensity distribution indicating an intensity at each wavelength of the input light is a wavelength longer than a central wavelength of the gain characteristics indicating a gain at each wavelength of the optical amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.
    Inventors: Tomonori Nakamura, Mitsunori Nishizawa
  • Patent number: 10191104
    Abstract: A semiconductor device inspection system includes a laser beam source, a tester, an optical sensor, a first spectrum analyzer for measuring first phase information serving as phase information of the detection signal, a reference signal generating unit for generating a reference signal of a predetermined frequency, a second spectrum analyzer for measuring second phase information serving as phase information of a reference signal, and an analysis unit for deriving phase information of the detection signal at the predetermined frequency, wherein the first spectrum analyzer measures the first phase information with respect to the reference frequency, the second spectrum analyzer measures the second phase information with respect to the reference frequency, and the frequency of the base signal of the first spectrum analyzer and the phase thereof are synchronized with the frequency of the base signal of the second spectrum analyzer and the phase thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.
    Inventors: Tomonori Nakamura, Mitsunori Nishizawa
  • Patent number: 10139447
    Abstract: An image generation apparatus is an image generation apparatus that generates an image based on measurement light from the semiconductor device, and the image generation apparatus includes an optical sensor that detects the measurement light, an optical sensor power supply that applies a constant voltage to the optical sensor to supply a current to the optical sensor, a current detector that generates a pattern signal according to magnitude of the current supplied to the optical sensor by the optical sensor power supply, and a control device that generates a pattern image based on the pattern signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.
    Inventors: Tomonori Nakamura, Mitsunori Nishizawa
  • Patent number: 10101383
    Abstract: A semiconductor device inspection system includes a laser light source for generating light to be irradiated a semiconductor device, an optical sensor for detecting the light reflected by the semiconductor device and outputting the detection signal, a tester unit for applying a operating signal to the semiconductor device, an electricity measurement unit to which the detection signal is input, an electricity measurement unit to which the detection signal and the operating signal are selectively input, and a switching unit having a detection signal terminal and a operating signal terminal. The switching unit inputs the detection signal to the electricity measurement unit by connecting a connection section to the detection signal terminal and inputs the operating signal by connecting the connection section to the operating signal terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.
    Inventors: Tomonori Nakamura, Mitsunori Nishizawa
  • Publication number: 20180156860
    Abstract: A light source device includes a light source that generates incoherent light, and an optical amplifier having gain characteristics indicating a gain at each wavelength, which receives the incoherent light output by the light source as input light, and outputs amplified light obtained by amplifying the input light, and a central wavelength of an intensity distribution indicating an intensity at each wavelength of the input light is a wavelength longer than a central wavelength of the gain characteristics indicating a gain at each wavelength of the optical amplifier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2016
    Publication date: June 7, 2018
    Applicant: HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.
    Inventors: Tomonori NAKAMURA, Mitsunori NISHIZAWA
  • Publication number: 20170285579
    Abstract: A time measurement device for calculating a time from an input of a first trigger signal to an input of a second trigger signal as a measured time includes a start gate configured to generate a start signal, a stop gate configured to generate a stop signal, a TDC circuit configured to generate a digital code corresponding to the time from an input of a start signal to an input of a stop signal, a delay circuit configured to delay an input of at least one of the start signal and the stop signal to the TDC circuit by a predetermined delay time, and a control unit configured to calculate a measured time on the basis of a plurality of digital codes generated by the TDC circuit, wherein the time delay unit selects at least two delay times.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2015
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Applicant: HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.
    Inventors: Ken KITAZAWA, Mitsunori NISHIZAWA, Takashi ITO
  • Publication number: 20170176521
    Abstract: A semiconductor device inspection system includes a laser light source for generating light to be irradiated a semiconductor device, an optical sensor for detecting the light reflected by the semiconductor device and outputting the detection signal, a tester unit for applying a operating signal to the semiconductor device, an electricity measurement unit to which the detection signal is input, an electricity measurement unit to which the detection signal and the operating signal are selectively input, and a switching unit having a detection signal terminal and a operating signal terminal. The switching unit inputs the detection signal to the electricity measurement unit by connecting a connection section to the detection signal terminal and inputs the operating signal by connecting the connection section to the operating signal terminal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2017
    Publication date: June 22, 2017
    Inventors: Tomonori NAKAMURA, Mitsunori NISHIZAWA
  • Patent number: 9618550
    Abstract: A semiconductor device testing apparatus 1A includes a tester unit 16 that generates an operational pulse signal, an optical sensor 10 that outputs a detection signal as a response to the operational pulse signal, a pulse generator 17 that generates a reference signal containing a plurality of harmonics for the operational pulse signal in synchronization with the operational pulse signal, a spectrum analyzer 13 that receives the detection signal and acquires a phase and amplitude of the detection signal at a detection frequency, a spectrum analyzer 14 that receives the reference signal and acquires a phase of the reference signal at a detection frequency, and an analysis control unit 18 that acquires a time waveform of the detection signal based on the phase and the amplitude of the detection signal acquired by the spectrum analyzer 13 and the phase of the reference signal acquired by the spectrum analyzer 14.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.
    Inventors: Tomonori Nakamura, Akihiro Otaka, Mitsunori Nishizawa
  • Patent number: 9618563
    Abstract: A semiconductor device inspection system includes a laser light source for generating light to be irradiated a semiconductor device, an optical sensor for detecting the light reflected by the semiconductor device and outputting the detection signal, a tester unit for applying a operating signal to the semiconductor device, an electricity measurement unit to which the detection signal is input, an electricity measurement unit to which the detection signal and the operating signal are selectively input, and a switching unit having a detection signal terminal and a operating signal terminal. The switching unit inputs the detection signal to the electricity measurement unit by connecting a connection section to the detection signal terminal and inputs the operating signal by connecting the connection section to the operating signal terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.
    Inventors: Tomonori Nakamura, Mitsunori Nishizawa
  • Patent number: 9618576
    Abstract: A semiconductor device measurement apparatus 1A includes a tester 2 that generates an operational pulse signal to be input to a semiconductor device 3, a light source 5 that generates light, a light branch optical system 6 that irradiates the semiconductor device with the light, a light detector 7 that detects reflected light obtained by the semiconductor device 3 reflecting the light, and outputs a detection signal, an analog signal amplifier 8 that amplifies the detection signal and outputs an amplified signal, and an analysis apparatus 10 that analyzes an operation of the semiconductor device 3 based on the amplified signal and a predetermined correction value, wherein the predetermined correction value is obtained based on a signal obtained by the analog signal amplifier 8 amplifying a signal corresponding to a harmonic of a fundamental frequency of the operational pulse signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.
    Inventors: Akihiro Otaka, Mitsunori Nishizawa, Nobuyuki Hirai, Tomonori Nakamura
  • Patent number: 9562944
    Abstract: A semiconductor device inspection system includes a laser beam source, a tester, an optical sensor, a first spectrum analyzer for measuring first phase information serving as phase information of the detection signal, a reference signal generating unit for generating a reference signal of a predetermined frequency, a second spectrum analyzer for measuring second phase information serving as phase information of a reference signal, and an analysis unit for deriving phase information of the detection signal at the predetermined frequency, wherein the first spectrum analyzer measures the first phase information with respect to the reference frequency, the second spectrum analyzer measures the second phase information with respect to the reference frequency, and the frequency of the base signal of the first spectrum analyzer and the phase thereof are synchronized with the frequency of the base signal of the second spectrum analyzer and the phase thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.
    Inventors: Tomonori Nakamura, Mitsunori Nishizawa
  • Publication number: 20160334459
    Abstract: A semiconductor device inspection system includes a laser beam source, a tester, an optical sensor, a first spectrum analyzer for measuring first phase information serving as phase information of the detection signal, a reference signal generating unit for generating a reference signal of a predetermined frequency, a second spectrum analyzer for measuring second phase information serving as phase information of a reference signal, and an analysis unit for deriving phase information of the detection signal at the predetermined frequency, wherein the first spectrum analyzer measures the first phase information with respect to the reference frequency, the second spectrum analyzer measures the second phase information with respect to the reference frequency, and the frequency of the base signal of the first spectrum analyzer and the phase thereof are synchronized with the frequency of the base signal of the second spectrum analyzer and the phase thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2016
    Publication date: November 17, 2016
    Inventors: Tomonori NAKAMURA, Mitsunori NISHIZAWA
  • Publication number: 20150377959
    Abstract: A semiconductor device inspection system includes a laser beam source, a tester, an optical sensor, a first spectrum analyzer for measuring first phase information serving as phase information of the detection signal, a reference signal generating unit for generating a reference signal of a predetermined frequency, a second spectrum analyzer for measuring second phase information serving as phase information of a reference signal, and an analysis unit for deriving phase information of the detection signal at the predetermined frequency, wherein the first spectrum analyzer measures the first phase information with respect to the reference frequency, the second spectrum analyzer measures the second phase information with respect to the reference frequency, and the frequency of the base signal of the first spectrum analyzer and the phase thereof are synchronized with the frequency of the base signal of the second spectrum analyzer and the phase thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2014
    Publication date: December 31, 2015
    Inventors: Tomonori NAKAMURA, Mitsunori NISHIZAWA
  • Publication number: 20150369755
    Abstract: A semiconductor device inspection system includes a laser light source for generating light to be irradiated a semiconductor device, an optical sensor for detecting the light reflected by the semiconductor device and outputting the detection signal, a tester unit for applying a operating signal to the semiconductor device, an electricity measurement unit to which the detection signal is input, an electricity measurement unit to which the detection signal and the operating signal are selectively input, and a switching unit having a detection signal terminal and a operating signal terminal. The switching unit inputs the detection signal to the electricity measurement unit by connecting a connection section to the detection signal terminal and inputs the operating signal by connecting the connection section to the operating signal terminal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2014
    Publication date: December 24, 2015
    Inventors: Tomonori NAKAMURA, Mitsunori NISHIZAWA
  • Publication number: 20150309115
    Abstract: An image generation apparatus is an image generation apparatus that generates an image based on measurement light from the semiconductor device, and the image generation apparatus includes an optical sensor that detects the measurement light, an optical sensor power supply that applies a constant voltage to the optical sensor to supply a current to the optical sensor, a current detector that generates a pattern signal according to magnitude of the current supplied to the optical sensor by the optical sensor power supply, and a control device that generates a pattern image based on the pattern signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2015
    Publication date: October 29, 2015
    Inventors: Tomonori NAKAMURA, Mitsunori NISHIZAWA
  • Publication number: 20150153408
    Abstract: A semiconductor device measurement apparatus 1A includes a tester 2 that generates an operational pulse signal to be input to a semiconductor device 3, a light source 5 that generates light, a light branch optical system 6 that irradiates the semiconductor device with the light, a light detector 7 that detects reflected light obtained by the semiconductor device 3 reflecting the light, and outputs a detection signal, an analog signal amplifier 8 that amplifies the detection signal and outputs an amplified signal, and an analysis apparatus 10 that analyzes an operation of the semiconductor device 3 based on the amplified signal and a predetermined correction value, wherein the predetermined correction value is obtained based on a signal obtained by the analog signal amplifier 8 amplifying a signal corresponding to a harmonic of a fundamental frequency of the operational pulse signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2014
    Publication date: June 4, 2015
    Inventors: Akihiro OTAKA, Mitsunori NISHIZAWA, Nobuyuki HIRAI, Tomonori NAKAMURA
  • Publication number: 20150130474
    Abstract: A semiconductor device testing apparatus 1A includes a tester unit 16 that generates an operational pulse signal, an optical sensor 10 that outputs a detection signal as a response to the operational pulse signal, a pulse generator 17 that generates a reference signal containing a plurality of harmonics for the operational pulse signal in synchronization with the operational pulse signal, a spectrum analyzer 13 that receives the detection signal and acquires a phase and amplitude of the detection signal at a detection frequency, a spectrum analyzer 14 that receives the reference signal and acquires a phase of the reference signal at a detection frequency, and an analysis control unit 18 that acquires a time waveform of the detection signal based on the phase and the amplitude of the detection signal acquired by the spectrum analyzer 13 and the phase of the reference signal. acquired by the spectrum analyzer 14.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2014
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Inventors: Tomonori NAKAMURA, Akihiro OTAKA, Mitsunori NISHIZAWA
  • Patent number: 7619199
    Abstract: A time-resolved measurement apparatus (100) reads a detection timing pulse from an MCP (24) in a front-side MCP stack (30) in a photomultiplier tube (14). A detection timing of a photon is determined based on this pulse. A principal component of this pulse is a potential rise pulse in response to the emission of photoelectrons from the MCP (24), and it has the positive polarity. On the other hand, when photoelectrons are incident on the front-side stack (30), a pulse of the negative polarity is generated to deform the waveform of the detection timing pulse. However, since the number of the photoelectrons incident on the front-side stack (30) is fewer than that of those incident on a rear-side stack (32), the negative component is small in the detection timing pulse. This results in enhancing the time precision of the time-resolved measurement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2009
    Assignee: Hamamatsu Photonics K.K.
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Hirai, Mitsunori Nishizawa