Patents by Inventor Sachio Uto

Sachio Uto 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: 9976966
    Abstract: To increase the illumination efficiency by facilitating the change of the incident angle of illumination light with a narrow illumination width according to an inspection object and enabling an illumination region to be effectively irradiated with light, provided is a defect inspection method for obliquely irradiating a sample mounted on a table that is moving continuously in one direction with illumination light, collecting scattered light from the sample obliquely irradiated with the illumination light, detecting an image of the surface of the sample formed by the scattered light, processing a signal obtained by detecting the image formed by the scattered light, and extracting a defect candidate, wherein the oblique irradiation of the light is implemented by linearly collecting light emitted from a light source, and obliquely projecting the collected light onto the surface of the sample, thereby illuminating a linear region on the surface of the sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yukihiro Shibata, Kei Shimura, Sachio Uto, Toshifumi Honda
  • Publication number: 20170102338
    Abstract: To increase the illumination efficiency by facilitating the change of the incident angle of illumination light with a narrow illumination width according to an inspection object and enabling an illumination region to be effectively irradiated with light, provided is a defect inspection method for obliquely irradiating a sample mounted on a table that is moving continuously in one direction with illumination light, collecting scattered light from the sample obliquely irradiated with the illumination light, detecting an image of the surface of the sample formed by the scattered light, processing a signal obtained by detecting the image formed by the scattered light, and extracting a defect candidate, wherein the oblique irradiation of the light is implemented by linearly collecting light emitted from a light source, and obliquely projecting the collected light onto the surface of the sample, thereby illuminating a linear region on the surface of the sample.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2016
    Publication date: April 13, 2017
    Inventors: Yukihiro SHIBATA, Kei SHIMURA, Sachio UTO, Toshifumi HONDA
  • Patent number: 9513228
    Abstract: To increase the illumination efficiency by facilitating the change of the incident angle of illumination light with a narrow illumination width according to an inspection object and enabling an illumination region to be effectively irradiated with light, provided is a defect inspection method for obliquely irradiating a sample mounted on a table that is moving continuously in one direction with illumination light, collecting scattered light from the sample obliquely irradiated with the illumination light, detecting an image of the surface of the sample formed by the scattered light, processing a signal obtained by detecting the image formed by the scattered light, and extracting a defect candidate, wherein the oblique irradiation of the light is implemented by linearly collecting light emitted from a light source, and obliquely projecting the collected light onto the surface of the sample, thereby illuminating a linear region on the surface of the sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Yukihiro Shibata, Kei Shimura, Sachio Uto, Toshifumi Honda
  • Patent number: 9151719
    Abstract: When it is tried to detect a microscopic defect, it is desired that the width of the above-mentioned illuminated region in the minor axis direction should be short. In the related art, although an illuminated region is formed by converging light by some means, it is not easy to form an illuminated region with a narrower width. This is because various aberrations possessed by optical elements themselves used for convergence, aberrations possessed by other optical elements disposed on optical paths, assembly errors, and the like have undesired influence on the formation of linear illumination. In the related art, sufficient consideration has not been paid to the above points. The present invention is characterized in that it includes a system for changing the wavefront of light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Koichi Taniguchi, Kei Shimura, Sachio Uto
  • Patent number: 8975582
    Abstract: A method of inspecting defects of a sample on a movable table includes a first step for, on a basis of position information of the defects which is previously detected by an other inspection system, driving the table so that the defects come into a viewing field of an optical microscope having a focus which is adjusted, a second step for re-detecting the defects to obtain a first detection result, a third step for correcting the position information of defects on a basis of position information of the re-detected defects, and a fourth step for reviewing the defects whose position information is corrected to obtain a second detection result. At the second step, re-detecting is performed using reflection light or scattered light from the sample which passes an optical filter which includes a light shielding portion and a light transmitting portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Hidetoshi Nishiyama, Toshifumi Honda, Sachio Uto
  • Publication number: 20150022806
    Abstract: To increase the illumination efficiency by facilitating the change of the incident angle of illumination light with a narrow illumination width according to an inspection object and enabling an illumination region to be effectively irradiated with light, provided is a defect inspection method for obliquely irradiating a sample mounted on a table that is moving continuously in one direction with illumination light, collecting scattered light from the sample obliquely irradiated with the illumination light, detecting an image of the surface of the sample formed by the scattered light, processing a signal obtained by detecting the image formed by the scattered light, and extracting a defect candidate, wherein the oblique irradiation of the light is implemented by linearly collecting light emitted from a light source, and obliquely projecting the collected light onto the surface of the sample, thereby illuminating a linear region on the surface of the sample.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2012
    Publication date: January 22, 2015
    Inventors: Yukihiro Shibata, Kei Shimura, Sachio Uto, Toshifumi Honda
  • Publication number: 20140333923
    Abstract: When it is tried to detect a microscopic defect, it is desired that the width of the above-mentioned illuminated region in the minor axis direction should be short. In the related art, although an illuminated region is formed by converging light by some means, it is not easy to form an illuminated region with a narrower width. This is because various aberrations possessed by optical elements themselves used for convergence, aberrations possessed by other optical elements disposed on optical paths, assembly errors, and the like have undesired influence on the formation of linear illumination. In the related art, sufficient consideration has not been paid to the above points. The present invention is characterized in that it includes a system for changing the wavefront of light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2012
    Publication date: November 13, 2014
    Inventors: Koichi Taniguchi, Kei Shimura, Sachio Uto
  • Patent number: 8760643
    Abstract: An aspect of the invention provides a defect inspection apparatus being able to accurately inspect a micro foreign matter or defect at a high speed for an inspection target substrate in which a repetitive pattern and a non-repetitive pattern are mixed. In a foreign matter anti-adhesive means 180, a transparent plate 187 is placed on a placement table 34 through a frame 185. In the foreign matter anti-adhesive means 180, a shaft 181 which is rotatably supported by two columnar supports 184 fixed onto a base 186 is coupled to a motor 182 by a coupling 183. The shaft 181 is inserted into a part of a frame 185 between the two columnar supports 184 such that the frame 185 and the transparent plate 187 are turnable about the shaft 181. Therefore, the whole of the frame 185 is opened and closed in a Z-direction about the shaft 181, and a wafer 1 on the placement table 34 can be covered with the frame 185 and the transparent plate 187.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Sachio Uto, Hidetoshi Nishiyama, Minori Noguchi
  • Patent number: 8748795
    Abstract: When using a CCD sensor as a photo-detector in a device for inspecting foreign matters and defects, it has a problem of causing electric noise while converting the signal charge, produced inside by photoelectric conversion, into voltage and reading it. Therefore, the weak detected signal obtained by detecting reflected and scattered light from small foreign matters and defects is buried in the electric noise, which has been an obstacle in detecting small foreign matters and defects. In order to solve the above problem, according to the present invention, an electron multiplying CCD sensor is used as a photo-detector. The electron multiplying CCD sensor is capable of enlarging signals brought about by inputted light relatively to the electric noise by multiplying the electrons produced through photoelectric conversion and reading them. Accordingly, compared to a conventional CCD sensor, it can detect weaker light and, therefore, smaller foreign matters and defects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Yuta Urano, Hiroyuki Nakano, Shunji Maeda, Sachio Uto
  • Publication number: 20130269126
    Abstract: An aspect of the invention provides a defect inspection apparatus being able to accurately inspect a micro foreign matter or defect at a high speed for an inspection target substrate in which a repetitive pattern and a non-repetitive pattern are mixed. In a foreign matter anti-adhesive means 180, a transparent plate 187 is placed on a placement table 34 through a frame 185. In the foreign matter anti-adhesive means 180, a shaft 181 which is rotatably supported by two columnar supports 184 fixed onto a base 186 is coupled to a motor 182 by a coupling 183. The shaft 181 is inserted into a part of a frame 185 between the two columnar supports 184 such that the frame 185 and the transparent plate 187 are turnable about the shaft 181. Therefore, the whole of the frame 185 is opened and closed in a Z-direction about the shaft 181, and a wafer 1 on the placement table 34 can be covered with the frame 185 and the transparent plate 187.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2013
    Publication date: October 17, 2013
    Inventors: Sachio UTO, Hidetoshi NISHIYAMA, Minori NOGUCHI
  • Patent number: 8553214
    Abstract: An inspection apparatus and method includes a light source, an illuminating unit having a polarization controller and an object lens for illuminating a specimen with light emitted from the light source and passed through the polarization controller and the object lens, a detection unit having a sensor for detecting light from the specimen illuminated by the illuminating unit, a processor which processes a signal output from the sensor so as to detect a defect on the specimen, and a display which displays information output from the processor. The processor processes an image formed from the signal output from the sensor in which the image is reduced in speckle pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Shishido, Yasuhiro Yoshitake, Toshihiko Nakata, Shunji Maeda, Minoru Yoshida, Sachio Uto
  • Patent number: 8508727
    Abstract: An inspecting apparatus and method including first and second illuminating units for illuminating a surface of a specimen to be inspected with different incident angles and first and second detecting optical units arranged at different elevation angle directions to the surface of the specimen for detecting images of the specimen illuminated by the first and second illuminating units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Sachio Uto, Minori Noguchi, Hidetoshi Nishiyama, Yoshimasa Ohshima, Akira Hamamatsu, Takahiro Jingu, Toshihiko Nakata, Masahiro Watanabe
  • Patent number: 8482728
    Abstract: An aspect of the invention provides a defect inspection apparatus being able to accurately inspect a micro foreign matter or defect at a high speed for an inspection target substrate in which a repetitive pattern and a non-repetitive pattern are mixed. In a foreign matter anti-adhesive means 180, a transparent plate 187 is placed on a placement table 34 through a frame 185. In the foreign matter anti-adhesive means 180, a shaft 181 which is rotatably supported by two columnar supports 184 fixed onto a base 186 is coupled to a motor 182 by a coupling 183. The shaft 181 is inserted into a part of a frame 185 between the two columnar supports 184 such that the frame 185 and the transparent plate 187 are turnable about the shaft 181. Therefore, the whole of the frame 185 is opened and closed in a Z-direction about the shaft 181, and a wafer 1 on the placement table 34 can be covered with the frame 185 and the transparent plate 187.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Sachio Uto, Hidetoshi Nishiyama, Minori Noguchi
  • Patent number: 8467048
    Abstract: A pattern defect inspection apparatus capable of detecting minute defects on a sample with high sensitivity without generating speckle noise in signals is realized. Substantially the same region on a surface of a wafer is detected by using two detectors at mutually different timings. Output signals from the two detectors are summed and averaged to eliminate noise. Since a large number of rays of illumination light are not simultaneously irradiated to the same region on the wafer, a pattern defect inspection apparatus capable of suppressing noise resulting from interference of a large number of rays, eliminating noise owing to other causes and detecting with high sensitivity minute defects on the sample without the occurrence of speckle noise in the signal can be accomplished.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Hidetoshi Nishiyama, Kei Shimura, Sachio Uto, Minori Noguchi
  • Patent number: 8462330
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting defects are provided for detecting defects or foreign matter on an object to be inspected. The apparatus includes a movable stage for mounting a specimen, an illumination system for irradiating a circuit pattern with light from an inclined direction, and an image-forming optical system for forming an image of an irradiated detection area on a detector from the upward and oblique directions. With this arrangement, diffracted light and scattered light caused on the circuit pattern through the illumination by the illumination system is collected. A spatial filter is provided on a Fourier transform surface for blocking the diffracted light from a linear part of the circuit pattern. The scattered and reflected light received by the detector is converted into an electrical signal. The converted electrical signal of one chip is compared with that of the other adjacent chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Nakano, Toshihiko Nakata, Sachio Uto, Akira Hamamatsu, Shunji Maeda, Yuta Urano
  • Patent number: 8451439
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for inspecting defects includes emitting an ultraviolet light from an ultraviolet light source, illuminating a specimen with the ultraviolet light in which a polarization condition of the ultraviolet light is controlled, controlling a polarization condition of light reflected from the specimen which is illuminated by the polarization condition controlled ultraviolet light, detecting the light reflected from the specimen, processing the detected light so as to detect defects, and outputting information about the defects. The ultraviolet light source is disposed in a clean environment supplied with clean gas and separated from outside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Sachio Uto, Minoru Yoshida, Toshihiko Nakata, Shunzi Maeda, Atsushi Shimoda
  • Publication number: 20120268734
    Abstract: A pattern defect inspection apparatus capable of detecting minute defects on a sample with high sensitivity without generating speckle noise in signals is realized. Substantially the same region on a surface of a wafer is detected by using two detectors at mutually different timings. Output signals from the two detectors are summed and averaged to eliminate noise. Since a large number of rays of illumination light are not simultaneously irradiated to the same region on the wafer, a pattern defect inspection apparatus capable of suppressing noise resulting from interference of a large number of rays, eliminating noise owing to other causes and detecting with high sensitivity minute defects on the sample without the occurrence of speckle noise in the signal can be accomplished.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2012
    Publication date: October 25, 2012
    Inventors: Hidetoshi NISHIYAMA, Kei SHIMURA, Sachio UTO, Minori NOGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20120262709
    Abstract: An inspecting apparatus and method including first and second illuminating units for illuminating a surface of a specimen to be inspected with different incident angles and first and second detecting optical units arranged at different elevation angle directions to the surface of the specimen for detecting images of the specimen illuminated by the first and second illuminating units.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2012
    Publication date: October 18, 2012
    Inventors: Sachio Uto, Minori Noguchi, Hidetoshi Nishiyama, Yoshimasa Ohshima, Akira Hamamatsu, Takahiro Jingu, Toshihiko Nakata, Masahiro Watanabe
  • Patent number: 8289507
    Abstract: A method and apparatus of detecting a defect by inspecting a specimen in which a surface of a specimen on which plural patterns are formed is illuminated with an elongated shape light flux from one of plural directions which are different in elevation angle by switching an optical path of the light flux emitted from an illuminating light source in accordance with a kind of defect to be detected. Plural optical images of the specimen illuminated by the elongated shape light flux are captured with plural image sensors installed in different elevation angle directions by changing an enlarging magnification in accordance with a density of the pattern formed on the sample in an area irradiated with the illuminating elongated shape light flux. A defect on the specimen is detected by processing the images captured by the plural image sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Hamamatsu, Minori Noguchi, Yoshimasa Ohshima, Sachio Uto, Taketo Ueno, Hiroyuki Nakano, Takahiro Jingu, Hisashi Hatano, Yukihisa Mohara, Seiji Otani, Takahiro Togashi
  • Patent number: 8269959
    Abstract: The present invention provides an inspection apparatus and inspection method. The inspection apparatus includes a stage mechanism for supporting an object under inspection. A spatial filter is provided in the detection optical system to inspect the object. A printer is used to print the results of the spatial filter. The spatial filter can be provided in the form of a Fourier transformed image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Hamamatsu, Minori Noguchi, Hidetoshi Nishiyama, Yoshimasa Ohshima, Takahiro Jingu, Sachio Uto