Patents by Inventor Munehiro Ogasawara

Munehiro Ogasawara 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: 20170309440
    Abstract: A multi charged particle beam irradiation apparatus includes a shaping aperture array substrate, where plural openings are formed as an aperture array, to shape multi-beams by making a region including entire plural openings irradiated by a charged particle beam, and making portions of a charged particle beam individually pass through a corresponding one of the plural openings; and a plurality of stages of lenses, arranged such that a reduction ratio of multi-beams by at least one lens of a stage before the last stage lens is larger than that of the multi-beams by the last stage lens, to correct distortion of a formed image obtained by forming an image of the aperture array by the multi-beams, and to form the image of the aperture array by the multi-beams at a height position between the last stage lens and a last-but-one stage lens, and at the surface of a target object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2017
    Publication date: October 26, 2017
    Applicant: NuFlare Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Shinsuke NISHIMURA, Munehiro Ogasawara, Takanao Touya, Hirofumi Morita
  • Patent number: 9748074
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a data generating apparatus generates data including an irradiation amount of a beam in each pixel for an energy beam writing apparatus. The data generating apparatus includes a target irradiation amount calculating section configured to calculate a first irradiation amount in each pixel, an irradiation amount rounding section configured to round the first irradiation amount based on an irradiation amount control unit and calculate a second irradiation amount, a difference calculating section configured to calculate a first difference between the first irradiation amount and the second irradiation amount, a difference sum calculating section configured to calculate a sum of the first differences in a first group of a plurality of adjacent pixels, and an allocating section configured to allocate an irradiation amount based on the irradiation amount control unit and the sum to a pixel in the first group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: NuFlare Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Munehiro Ogasawara
  • Publication number: 20170243716
    Abstract: An inspection apparatus according to an embodiment includes an irradiation part configured to irradiate an inspection target substrate with multiple beams including energy beams, a detector, on which a plurality of charged particle beams of charged particles released from the inspection target substrate are imaged, configured to detect each of the charged particle beams as an electrical signal, and a comparing unit configured to compare reference image data and image data that is reproduced based on the detected electrical signals and that represents patterns formed on the inspection target substrate to inspect the patterns. The detector includes a plurality of detecting elements corresponding one-to-one to the charged particle beams. The detecting elements each have a size greater than a size that covers a beam blur of each charged particle beam imaged on the detector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2016
    Publication date: August 24, 2017
    Applicant: NuFlare Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Munehiro OGASAWARA
  • Publication number: 20170243715
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an inspection apparatus includes an irradiation device irradiating an inspection target substrate with multiple beams, a detector detecting each of a plurality of charged particle beams formed by charged particles emitted from the inspection target substrate as an electrical signal, and a comparison processing circuitry performing pattern inspection by comparing image data of a pattern formed on the inspection target substrate, the pattern being reconstructed in accordance with the detected electrical signals, and reference image data. The detector includes a plurality of detection elements that accumulate charges, and a detection circuit that reads out the accumulated charges. The plurality of detection elements are grouped into a plurality of groups.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2017
    Publication date: August 24, 2017
    Applicant: NuFlare Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Munehiro OGASAWARA
  • Patent number: 9691585
    Abstract: A multi charged particle beam writing method includes, shifting a writing position of each corresponding beam to a next writing position by performing another beam deflection of multi charged particle beams, in addition to the beam deflection for a tracking control, while continuing the beam deflection for the tracking control after the maximum writing time has passed; emitting the each corresponding beam in the “on” state to the next writing position having been shifted of the each corresponding beam, during a corresponding writing time while continuing the tracking control; and returning a tracking position such that a next tracking start position is a former tracking start position where the tracking control was started, by resetting the beam deflection for the tracking control after emitting the each corresponding beam to the next writing position having been shifted at least once of the each corresponding beam while continuing the tracking control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: NuFlare Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Matsumoto, Munehiro Ogasawara, Ryoichi Yoshikawa
  • Publication number: 20170178862
    Abstract: A multiple charged particle beam apparatus includes: a first aperture array substrate to form multiple beams; a first grating lens that constitutes a concave lens by using the first aperture array substrate as a grating; a second aperture array substrate that allows the multiple beams to pass through; and a first limiting aperture substrate arranged in a position of a convergent point of the multiple beams between the first aperture array substrate and the second aperture array substrate, wherein a first aperture array image having passed through the first shaping aperture array substrate is formed on the second aperture array substrate by a lens action including a magnetic field distribution generated between the first aperture array substrate and the second aperture array substrate and having opposite signs and same magnitude and an electric field distribution generated by the first grating lens.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2016
    Publication date: June 22, 2017
    Applicant: NuFlare Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Munehiro OGASAWARA
  • Publication number: 20170098524
    Abstract: A multi charged particle beam writing method includes performing ON/OFF switching of a beam by an individual blanking system for the beam concerned, for each beam in multi-beams of charged particle beam, with respect to each time irradiation of irradiation of a plurality of times, by using a plurality of individual blanking systems that respectively perform beam ON/OFF control of a corresponding beam in the multi-beams, and performing blanking control, in addition to the performing ON/OFF switching of the beam for the each beam by the individual blanking system, with respect to the each time irradiation of the irradiation of the plurality of times, so that the beam is in an ON state during an irradiation time corresponding to irradiation concerned, by using a common blanking system that collectively performs beam ON/OFF control for a whole of the multi-beams.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2016
    Publication date: April 6, 2017
    Applicant: NuFlare Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroshi MATSUMOTO, Tomohiro IIJIMA, Munehiro OGASAWARA, Hideo INOUE, Ryoichi YOSHIKAWA
  • Patent number: 9570267
    Abstract: A multi charged particle beam writing method includes performing ON/OFF switching of a beam by an individual blanking system for the beam concerned, for each beam in multi-beams of charged particle beam, with respect to each time irradiation of irradiation of a plurality of times, by using a plurality of individual blanking systems that respectively perform beam ON/OFF control of a corresponding beam in the multi-beams, and performing blanking control, in addition to the performing ON/OFF switching of the beam for the each beam by the individual blanking system, with respect to the each time irradiation of the irradiation of the plurality of times, so that the beam is in an ON state during an irradiation time corresponding to irradiation concerned, by using a common blanking system that collectively performs beam ON/OFF control for a whole of the multi-beams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: NuFlare Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Matsumoto, Tomohiro Iijima, Munehiro Ogasawara, Hideo Inoue, Ryoichi Yoshikawa
  • Patent number: 9530610
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a blanking aperture array device for multi-beams includes forming, using a substrate over which a first insulating film, a first metal film, a second insulating film, and a second metal film are laminated in order, electrodes and pads on the second metal film, removing a part of the second metal film, removing the second insulating film using, as a mask, the electrodes, the pads, and a remaining part of the second metal film, and forming openings each being between a pair of electrodes, wherein, a part of the second metal film is etched such that some part of it remains in regions each connecting one of the electrodes and one of the pads, and a region in which entire openings are formed except the openings themselves is configured by the electrodes, pads, and first and second metal films such that the insulating film is not exposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignees: NuFlare Technology, Inc., NTT Advanced Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Chiba, Hiroshi Matsumoto, Munehiro Ogasawara, Ryoichi Yoshikawa, Hirofumi Morita, Hirokazu Yamada, Teruaki Safu, Toshifumi Konishi, Takaaki Matsushima, Kazuhisa Kudo, Masaki Yano, Katsuyuki Machida
  • Publication number: 20160365226
    Abstract: According to one aspect of the present invention, a charged particle beam lithography method includes forming, such that a shape identical to a first figure pattern obtained using a first charged particle beam having a first resolution can be obtained by superimposing a plurality of second figure patterns, said plurality of second figure patterns that have different widths and are obtained by using a second charged particle beam having a second resolution higher than the first resolution; and performing multiple writing of the plurality of second figure patterns, which are stacked, by using the second charged particle beam.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2016
    Publication date: December 15, 2016
    Applicant: NuFlare Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Munehiro OGASAWARA
  • Publication number: 20160155600
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a blanking aperture array device for multi-beams includes forming, using a substrate over which a first insulating film, a first metal film, a second insulating film, and a second metal film are laminated in order, electrodes and pads on the second metal film, removing a part of the second metal film, removing the second insulating film using, as a mask, the electrodes, the pads, and a remaining part of the second metal film, and forming openings each being between a pair of electrodes, wherein, a part of the second metal film is etched such that some part of it remains in regions each connecting one of the electrodes and one of the pads, and a region in which entire openings are formed except the openings themselves is configured by the electrodes, pads, and first and second metal films such that the insulating film is not exposed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2015
    Publication date: June 2, 2016
    Applicants: NuFlare Technology, Inc., NTT Advanced Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuhiro CHIBA, Hiroshi Matsumoto, Munehiro Ogasawara, Ryoichi Yoshikawa, Hirofumi Morita, Hirokazu Yamada, Teruaki Safu, Toshifumi Konishi, Takaaki Matsushima, Kazuhisa Kudo, Masaki Yano, Katsuyuki Machida
  • Patent number: 9343266
    Abstract: A charged particle beam pattern writing method according to an embodiment, includes measuring a position displacement amount of a stage above which a target object is placed, in a rotation direction; and writing a pattern of a beam image on the target object above the stage while the beam image is rotated, by using a plurality of electrostatic lenses at least one of which is arranged in a magnetic field of each of the plurality of electromagnetic lenses whose magnetic fields are in opposite directions, to avoid a focus displacement of a charged particle beam passing through the plurality of electromagnetic lenses and to correct the position displacement amount measured, in the rotation direction of the stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: NuFlare Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Munehiro Ogasawara, Takanao Touya, Shuichi Tamamushi
  • Patent number: 9343268
    Abstract: In accordance with one aspect of this invention, a multi charged particle beam writing apparatus includes an aperture member, in which a plurality of openings are formed, configured to form multi-beams by making portions of the charged particle beam pass through the plurality of openings; a plurality of blankers configured to perform blanking-deflect regarding beams corresponding to the multi-beams; a writing processing control unit configured to control writing processing with a plurality of beams having passed through different openings among the plurality of openings being irradiated on the target object at a predetermined control grid interval; and a dose controlling unit configured to variably control a dose of a beam associated with deviation according to a deviation amount when an interval between the plurality of beams irradiated is deviated from the control grid interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: Nuflare Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Ryoichi Yoshikawa, Munehiro Ogasawara
  • Patent number: 9299535
    Abstract: A multi charged particle beam writing apparatus includes an aperture member to form multiple beams, a blanking plate in which there are arranged a plurality of blankers to respectively perform blanking deflection for a corresponding beam in the multiple beams having passed through a plurality of openings of the aperture member, a blanking aperture member to block each beam having been deflected to be in OFF state by at least one of the plurality of blankers, a first grating lens, using the aperture member as gratings, to correct spherical aberration of the charged particle beam, and a correction lens configured to correct high order spherical aberration produced by the first grating lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: NuFlare Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Munehiro Ogasawara
  • Publication number: 20160071692
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a data generating apparatus generates data including an irradiation amount of a beam in each pixel for an energy beam writing apparatus. The data generating apparatus includes a target irradiation amount calculating section configured to calculate a first irradiation amount in each pixel, an irradiation amount rounding section configured to round the first irradiation amount based on an irradiation amount control unit and calculate a second irradiation amount, a difference calculating section configured to calculate a first difference between the first irradiation amount and the second irradiation amount, a difference sum calculating section configured to calculate a sum of the first differences in a first group of a plurality of adjacent pixels, and an allocating section configured to allocate an irradiation amount based on the irradiation amount control unit and the sum to a pixel in the first group.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2015
    Publication date: March 10, 2016
    Applicant: NuFlare Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Munehiro OGASAWARA
  • Publication number: 20160042908
    Abstract: A multi charged particle beam writing method includes performing ON/OFF switching of a beam by an individual blanking system for the beam concerned, for each beam in multi-beams of charged particle beam, with respect to each time irradiation of irradiation of a plurality of times, by using a plurality of individual blanking systems that respectively perform beam ON/OFF control of a corresponding beam in the multi-beams, and performing blanking control, in addition to the performing ON/OFF switching of the beam for the each beam by the individual blanking system, with respect to the each time irradiation of the irradiation of the plurality of times, so that the beam is in an ON state during an irradiation time corresponding to irradiation concerned, by using a common blanking system that collectively performs beam ON/OFF control for a whole of the multi-beams.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2015
    Publication date: February 11, 2016
    Applicant: NuFlare Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroshi MATSUMOTO, Tomohiro IIJIMA, Munehiro OGASAWARA, Hideo INOUE, Ryoichi YOSHIKAWA
  • Patent number: 9202673
    Abstract: A multi charged particle beam writing method includes performing ON/OFF switching of a beam by an individual blanking system for the beam concerned, for each beam in multi-beams of charged particle beam, with respect to each time irradiation of irradiation of a plurality of times, by using a plurality of individual blanking systems that respectively perform beam ON/OFF control of a corresponding beam in the multi-beams, and performing blanking control, in addition to the performing ON/OFF switching of the beam for the each beam by the individual blanking system, with respect to the each time irradiation of the irradiation of the plurality of times, so that the beam is in an ON state during an irradiation time corresponding to irradiation concerned, by using a common blanking system that collectively performs beam ON/OFF control for a whole of the multi-beams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: NuFlare Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Matsumoto, Tomohiro Iijima, Munehiro Ogasawara, Hideo Inoue, Ryoichi Yoshikawa
  • Publication number: 20150340196
    Abstract: A multi charged particle beam writing method includes, shifting a writing position of each corresponding beam to a next writing position by performing another beam deflection of multi charged particle beams, in addition to the beam deflection for a tracking control, while continuing the beam deflection for the tracking control after the maximum writing time has passed; emitting the each corresponding beam in the “on” state to the next writing position having been shifted of the each corresponding beam, during a corresponding writing time while continuing the tracking control; and returning a tracking position such that a next tracking start position is a former tracking start position where the tracking control was started, by resetting the beam deflection for the tracking control after emitting the each corresponding beam to the next writing position having been shifted at least once of the each corresponding beam while continuing the tracking control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2015
    Publication date: November 26, 2015
    Applicant: NuFlare Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroshi MATSUMOTO, Munehiro OGASAWARA, Ryoichi YOSHIKAWA
  • Publication number: 20150255249
    Abstract: A multi charged particle beam writing apparatus includes an aperture member to form multiple beams, a blanking plate in which there are arranged a plurality of blankers to respectively perform blanking deflection for a corresponding beam in the multiple beams having passed through a plurality of openings of the aperture member, a blanking aperture member to block each beam having been deflected to be in OFF state by at least one of the plurality of blankers, a first grating lens, using the aperture member as gratings, to correct spherical aberration of the charged particle beam, and a correction lens configured to correct high order spherical aberration produced by the first grating lens.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2015
    Publication date: September 10, 2015
    Applicant: NuFlare Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Munehiro OGASAWARA
  • Patent number: 9076564
    Abstract: A multi charged particle beam writing apparatus according to an embodiment, includes a setting unit to set a second region such that more openings in remaining openings except for an opening through which the defective beam passes are included in the second region, a selection unit to select a mode from a first mode in which a pattern is written on a target object by using multiple beams having passed openings in the second region and a second mode in which multiple writing is performed while shifting a position by using at least one of remaining multiple beams in the state where the defective beam is controlled to be beam off and additional writing is performed for a position which was supposed to be written by the defective beam, and a writing processing control unit to control to write in the mode selected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: NuFlare Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Ryoichi Yoshikawa, Munehiro Ogasawara