Patents by Inventor Tatsuya Aota

Tatsuya Aota 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).

  • Apparatus and a method for inspection of a mask blank, a method for manufacturing a reflective exposure mask, a method for reflective exposure, and a method for manufacturing semiconductor integrated circuits
    Patent number: 7911600
    Abstract: The mask blank inspection apparatus is constituted of a stage for mounting a reflective mask blank thereon, a light source for generating inspection light, a mirror serving as an illuminating optics, an imaging optical system, a beam splitter, two two-dimensional array sensors, signal storage units, an image processing unit, a main control unit for controlling operation of the whole apparatus, the first sensor being located at a position which is displaced by a predetermined distance from the focal plane of a first light beam, the second sensor being located at a position which is displaced by a predetermined distance from the focal plane of a second light beam along a opposite direction, whereby accurately and conveniently inspecting presence/absence and types of defects in reflective mask blank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Tsuneo Terasawa, Toshihiko Tanaka, Tatsuya Aota
  • APPARATUS AND A METHOD FOR INSPECTION OF A MASK BLANK, A METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING A REFLECTIVE EXPOSURE MASK, A METHOD FOR REFLECTIVE EXPOSURE, AND A METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING SEMICONDUCTOR INTEGRATED CIRCUITS
    Publication number: 20090091752
    Abstract: The mask blank inspection apparatus is constituted of a stage for mounting a reflective mask blank thereon, a light source for generating inspection light, a mirror serving as an illuminating optics, an imaging optical system, a beam splitter, two two-dimensional array sensors, signal storage units, an image processing unit, a main control unit for controlling operation of the whole apparatus, the first sensor being located at a position which is displaced by a predetermined distance from the focal plane of a first light beam, the second sensor being located at a position which is displaced by a predetermined distance from the focal plane of a second light beam along a opposite direction, whereby accurately and conveniently inspecting presence/absence and types of defects in reflective mask blank.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Publication date: April 9, 2009
    Inventors: Tsuneo TERASAWA, Toshihiko Tanaka, Tatsuya Aota