Patents by Inventor Ryoichi Hirano

Ryoichi Hirano 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: 20150041645
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an image acquisition apparatus includes an electron beam source configured to generate an electron beam to be radiated onto an object to be measured, an image detecting unit configured to detect an electronic image of the object based on the electron beam radiated from the electron beam source onto the object, and a voltage modulating unit configured to modulate at least one of a voltage to be applied to the electron beam source and a voltage to be applied to the object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2014
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Inventors: Susumu IIDA, Ryoichi HIRANO, Hidehiro WATANABE, Masahiro HATAKEYAMA
  • Patent number: 8442320
    Abstract: A pattern inspection apparatus includes: an optical image acquiring unit configured to acquire optical image data of a target object on which each of a plurality of identical patterns is respectively formed at a respective corresponding position of a plurality of forming positions with distortion; a cut-out unit configured to cut out a plurality of partial optical image data from the optical image data; a correction unit configured to correct positions of the plurality of partial optical image data by using distortion information from which each amount of distortion of the plurality of identical patterns respectively formed at the respective corresponding position of the plurality of forming positions on the target object can be acquired; and a comparison unit configured to compare a plurality of corrected partial optical image data against each other on a pixel to pixel basis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Ikunao Isomura, Ryoichi Hirano, Nobutaka Kikuiri
  • Patent number: 8254663
    Abstract: A workpiece inspection apparatus includes a measured image generator unit configured to measure a pattern of a workpiece and generate a measured image; and a comparator unit configured to compare the measured image to a fiducial image, wherein said measured image generator unit includes a light-receiving device having an interconnection of two or more time delay integration (TDI) sensors each being arranged by two or more line sensors each being arranged by two or more pixels, for generating as the measured image an average value of pixel values excluding an abnormal pixel value from pixels of each TDI sensor with respect to a position of the pattern of the workpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Kataoka, Ikunao Isomura, Ryoichi Hirano, Nobutaka Kikuiri, Susumu Iida
  • Publication number: 20120081538
    Abstract: This pattern inspection apparatus includes an inspection region information storage unit that stores an inspection region specified in a pattern region, a pattern surface height detection unit that detects a pattern surface height signal corresponding to a pattern surface height measurement position on the inspection sample, an autofocus mechanism that focuses on the inspection sample using the pattern surface height signal detected by the pattern surface height detection unit, a determination unit, and an autofocus mechanism control unit. When the determination unit determines that the pattern surface height measurement position is located within the inspection region, the autofocus mechanism control unit drives the autofocus mechanism, and the determination unit determines that the pattern surface height measurement position is not located within the inspection region, the autofocus mechanism control unit stops the autofocus mechanism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Applicants: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, NuFlare Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Riki Ogawa, Masatoshi Hirono, Takeshi Nishizaka, Ryoichi Hirano, Ikunao Isomura, Kazuto Matsuki, Fumio Ozaki
  • Patent number: 8049897
    Abstract: A reticle defect inspection apparatus that suppresses deterioration of optical components resulting from luminescent spots generated by an integrator and can sustain a defect inspection with high precision for a long time is provided. The reticle defect inspection apparatus is a reticle defect inspection apparatus for inspecting for defects on a reticle using a pattern image obtained by irradiating the reticle on which a pattern is formed with light. And the apparatus includes an illuminating optical system for irradiating the reticle with an inspection light and a detecting optical system for detecting a pattern image of the reticle irradiated with the inspection light, wherein the illuminating optical system comprises an integrator for equalizing illumination distribution of the inspection light and a moving mechanism for enabling the integrator to slightly move in a direction perpendicular to an optical axis of the integrator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Ryoichi Hirano, Riki Ogawa
  • Publication number: 20110229009
    Abstract: A pattern inspection apparatus includes: an optical image acquiring unit configured to acquire optical image data of a target object on which each of a plurality of identical patterns is respectively formed at a respective corresponding position of a plurality of forming positions with distortion; a cut-out unit configured to cut out a plurality of partial optical image data from the optical image data; a correction unit configured to correct positions of the plurality of partial optical image data by using distortion information from which each amount of distortion of the plurality of identical patterns respectively formed at the respective corresponding position of the plurality of forming positions on the target object can be acquired; and a comparison unit configured to compare a plurality of corrected partial optical image data against each other on a pixel to pixel basis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2010
    Publication date: September 22, 2011
    Applicant: Advanced Mask Inspection Technology Inc.
    Inventors: Ikunao ISOMURA, Ryoichi Hirano, Nobutaka Kikuiri
  • Patent number: 7894051
    Abstract: A reticle defect inspection apparatus that controls damage of a reticle by irradiation with an inspection light when the reticle is caused to be at rest is provided. The reticle defect inspection apparatus is a reticle defect inspection apparatus for inspecting for defects on a reticle using a pattern image obtained by irradiating the reticle on which a pattern is formed with light. The reticle defect inspection apparatus has a dose monitoring part for measuring a dose of the light to the reticle, a comparing part for comparing, after calculating accumulated irradiation from the dose measured by the dose monitoring part, the accumulated irradiation with a preset threshold, and a stop mechanism for stopping irradiation of the reticle with the light when, as a result of the comparison, the accumulated irradiation exceeds the threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Ryoichi Hirano, Riki Ogawa
  • Publication number: 20090238446
    Abstract: A workpiece inspection apparatus includes a measured image generator unit configured to measure a pattern of a workpiece and generate a measured image; and a comparator unit configured to compare the measured image to a fiducial image, wherein said measured image generator unit includes a light-receiving device having an interconnection of two or more time delay integration (TDI) sensors each being arranged by two or more line sensors each being arranged by two or more pixels, for generating as the measured image an average value of pixel values excluding an abnormal pixel value from pixels of each TDI sensor with respect to a position of the pattern of the workpiece.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2009
    Publication date: September 24, 2009
    Applicant: Advanced Mask Inspection Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Akira Kataoka, Ikunao Isomura, Ryoichi Hirano, Nobutaka Kikuiri, Susumu Iida
  • Publication number: 20080259323
    Abstract: A reticle defect inspection apparatus that controls damage of a reticle by irradiation with an inspection light when the reticle is caused to be at rest is provided. The reticle defect inspection apparatus is a reticle defect inspection apparatus for inspecting for defects on a reticle using a pattern image obtained by irradiating the reticle on which a pattern is formed with light. The reticle defect inspection apparatus has a dose monitoring part for measuring a dose of the light to the reticle, a comparing part for comparing, after calculating accumulated irradiation from the dose measured by the dose monitoring part, the accumulated irradiation with a preset threshold, and a stop mechanism for stopping irradiation of the reticle with the light when, as a result of the comparison, the accumulated irradiation exceeds the threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2008
    Publication date: October 23, 2008
    Applicant: Advanced Mask Inspection Technology Inc.
    Inventors: Ryoichi Hirano, Riki Ogawa
  • Publication number: 20080259328
    Abstract: A reticle defect inspection apparatus that suppresses deterioration of optical components resulting from luminescent spots generated by an integrator and can sustain a defect inspection with high precision for a long time is provided. The reticle defect inspection apparatus is a reticle defect inspection apparatus for inspecting for defects on a reticle using a pattern image obtained by irradiating the reticle on which a pattern is formed with light. And the apparatus includes an illuminating optical system for irradiating the reticle with an inspection light and a detecting optical system for detecting a pattern image of the reticle irradiated with the inspection light, wherein the illuminating optical system comprises an integrator for equalizing illumination distribution of the inspection light and a moving mechanism for enabling the integrator to slightly move in a direction perpendicular to an optical axis of the integrator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2008
    Publication date: October 23, 2008
    Applicant: Advanced Mask Inspection Technology Inc.
    Inventors: Ryoichi HIRANO, Riki Ogawa
  • Publication number: 20060147822
    Abstract: A pattern forming apparatus includes a drawing chamber having a drawing substrate on which an original pattern is drawn, a first temperature control unit having a first temperature regulator to make the temperature of the drawing chamber constant, and a constant-temperature member arranged near the drawing substrate. The pattern forming apparatus further includes a second temperature control unit having a second temperature regulator. The second temperature control unit is configured to control the set temperature of the constant-temperature member independently such that the temperature of the drawing substrate becomes substantially constant when the original pattern is drawn.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2006
    Publication date: July 6, 2006
    Applicants: TOSHIBA MACHINE CO., LTD., KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Ryoichi Hirano, Satoshi Imura, Noriaki Nakayamada
  • Patent number: 7036980
    Abstract: A pattern forming apparatus includes a drawing chamber having a drawing substrate on which an original pattern is drawn, a first temperature control unit having a first temperature regulator to make the temperature of the drawing chamber constant, and a constant-temperature member arranged near the drawing substrate. The pattern forming apparatus further includes a second temperature control unit having a second temperature regulator. The second temperature control unit is configured to control the set temperature of the constant-temperature member independently such that the temperature of the drawing substrate becomes substantially constant when the original pattern is drawn.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2006
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Machine Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryoichi Hirano, Satoshi Imura, Noriaki Nakayamada
  • Publication number: 20060034344
    Abstract: A pattern forming apparatus includes a drawing chamber having a drawing substrate on which an original pattern is drawn, a first temperature control unit having a first temperature regulator to make the temperature of the drawing chamber constant, and a constant-temperature member arranged near the drawing substrate. The pattern forming apparatus further includes a second temperature control unit having a second temperature regulator. The second temperature control unit is configured to control the set temperature of the constant-temperature member independently such that the temperature of the drawing substrate becomes substantially constant when the original pattern is drawn.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2002
    Publication date: February 16, 2006
    Applicants: TOSHIBA MACHINE CO.,LTD, KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Ryoichi Hirano, Satoshi Imura, Noriaki Nakayamada
  • Patent number: 6676289
    Abstract: According to one embodiment of the present invention, the present invention may provide a temperature measuring method in a pattern drawing apparatus having a drawing chamber for drawing a pattern on a substrate to be transferred inside, a stage installed inside the drawing chamber, a standby chamber connected to the drawing chamber, and a thermostatic device installed inside the standby chamber, characterized in that a dummy substrate having a temperature measuring device and a recording device for recording the temperature measured by the temperature measuring device is transferred to the thermostatic device, then transferred into the drawing chamber, and then put on the stage, thus the temperature history of the dummy substrate in the transfer route from the thermostatic device to the stage is measured by the temperature measuring device and recorded in the recording device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2004
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Kikai Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ryoichi Hirano, Shusuke Yoshitake, Toru Tojo, Shuichiro Fukutome, Teruaki Yamamoto, Masaki Toriumi
  • Patent number: 6411023
    Abstract: A vacuum processing apparatus performs processing such-as a pattern depiction with a charged beam within a process chamber evacuated to a high vacuum by an ion pump. The vacuum processing apparatus, which makes it possible to prevent the accuracy of the charged beam pattern depiction from being deteriorated by ions and electrons leaking from the ion pump, has a conductor and a voltage applying unit. The conductor is arranged in the vicinity of the suction port of the process chamber communicating with the ion pump such that the conductor is electrically insulated from the process chamber. The voltage applying unit imparts a potential differing from that of the process chamber to the conductor. Because of the potential difference between the conductor and the process chamber, the ions and electrons leaking from the ion pump are reflected or adsorbed by the conductor so as to suppress leakage of the ions and electrons into the process chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2002
    Assignee: Toshiba Machine Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsuhito Ogura, Ryoichi Hirano, Toru Tojo
  • Publication number: 20020027945
    Abstract: According to one embodiment of the present invention, the present invention may provide a temperature measuring method in a pattern drawing apparatus having a drawing chamber for drawing a pattern on a substrate to be transferred inside, a stage installed inside the drawing chamber, a standby chamber connected to the drawing chamber, and a thermostatic device installed inside the standby chamber, characterized in that a dummy substrate having a temperature measuring device and a recording device for recording the temperature measured by the temperature measuring device is transferred to the thermostatic device, then transferred into the drawing chamber, and then put on the stage, thus the temperature history of the dummy substrate in the transfer route from the thermostatic device to the stage is measured by the temperature measuring device and recorded in the recording device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2001
    Publication date: March 7, 2002
    Inventors: Ryoichi Hirano, Shusuke Yoshitake, Toru Tojo, Shuichiro Fukutome, Teruaki Yamamoto, Masaki Toriumi
  • Patent number: 6281510
    Abstract: A method of transferring a sample to and from a treating chamber kept in a vacuum atmosphere through a pressure regulatively preparatory chamber. The sample is contained in the sample transfer container, which is kept air-permeable by a dust filtering filter, in a cleaned atmosphere before the sample is transferred to the treating chamber. The sample transfer container is transferred into the preparatory chamber, and the inside of the preparatory chamber is evacuated to a vacuum atmosphere. The sample is then extracted from the sample transfer container in the vacuum atmosphere and is transferred into the treating chamber. Also disclosed is an apparatus for supporting the sample transferring method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2001
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Shusuke Yoshitake, Yoshiaki Tsukumo, Ryoichi Hirano, Toru Tojo, Yoshiaki Tada, Makoto Kanda
  • Patent number: 6239443
    Abstract: An apparatus for emitting a beam to a sample used for manufacturing a semiconductor device in order to process the sample, includes a chamber having an opening, a moving mechanism provided in the chamber, for moving the sample in X-, Y- and Z-axis directions, and a beam emitting system associated with the opening of the chamber, for emitting a beam to the sample in the chamber. The apparatus further includes an optical position detector for guiding a coherent light beam into the chamber and detecting a light beam output from the chamber. The optical position detector has light beam generating unit for generating a coherent light beam to be emitted to the sample, light-receiving unit for receiving a light beam from a surface of the sample, and converting unit for converting a signal output from the light-receiving unit into signals in the X-, Y- and Z-axis directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2001
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Topcon Corporation
    Inventors: Toru Tojo, Ryoichi Hirano, Susumu Saito, Hitoshi Suzuki, Kazuo Abe, Shinya Watanabe
  • Patent number: 6182369
    Abstract: A pattern forming apparatus comprising a sample base for positioning a sample on the base and moving a drawing position of the sample, a position measuring unit for measuring a position of the sample base, a correcting unit for mutually independently correcting drawing positions at those respective areas into which a whole drawing section of the sample is divided, the drawing position being calculated by the position measuring unit at the respective area, and a drawing unit for drawing a pattern on the sample on the basis of the position of the sample base measured by the position measuring unit and drawing position of the respective area corrected by the correcting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2001
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Ryoichi Hirano, Shusuke Yoshitake, Kazuto Matsuki, Toru Tojo
  • Patent number: 6090176
    Abstract: A method of transferring a sample to and from a treating chamber kept in a vacuum atmosphere through a pressure regulative preparatory chamber. The sample is contained in the sample transfer container, which is kept air-permeable by a dust filtering filter, in a cleaned atmosphere before the sample is transferred to the treating chamber. The sample transfer container is transferred into the preparatory chamber, and the inside of the preparatory chamber is evacuated to a vacuum atmosphere. The sample is then extracted from the sample transfer container in the vacuum atmosphere and is transferred into the treating chamber. Also disclosed is an apparatus for supporting the sample transferring method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2000
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Shusuke Yoshitake, Yoshiaki Tsukumo, Ryoichi Hirano, Toru Tojo, Yoshiaki Tada, Makoto Kanda