Patents by Inventor Yoshiki Matoba

Yoshiki Matoba 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: 8912503
    Abstract: A transmission X-ray analyzer for detecting a transmission X-ray image of a sample that moves relatively in a predetermined scanning direction includes; a time delay and integration (TDI) sensor including a plurality of stages of line sensors including the plurality of two-dimensionally arranged image pickup devices arranged in a direction perpendicular to the predetermined scanning direction, being configured to transfer charge accumulated in one line sensor to an adjacent subsequent line sensor; a shield unit for shielding a part of the image of light entering the TDI sensor by moving back and forth in the predetermined scanning direction, the shield unit being disposed between the TDI sensor and the sample; and a shield unit position control unit for controlling a position of the shield unit so as to shield a predetermined number of stages of line sensors among the plurality of stages of line sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: SII NanoTechnology Inc.
    Inventor: Yoshiki Matoba
  • Patent number: 8891729
    Abstract: An X-ray analyzer includes a transmission X-ray inspecting portion having a first X-ray source and a transmission X-ray detector for detecting a transmission X-ray that passed through a sample from the first X-ray source, and a fluorescent X-ray inspecting portion having a second X-ray source and a fluorescent X-ray detector for detecting a fluorescent X-ray output from the sample when the sample is irradiated with an X-ray from the second X-ray source. A movement mechanism moves a sample stage that supports the sample. A foreign matter position calculating unit calculates a position of foreign matter in the sample, and a movement mechanism control unit controls the movement mechanism so that the position of the foreign matter calculated by the foreign matter position calculating unit coincides with an optical axis of the second X-ray source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: SII NanoTechnology Inc.
    Inventors: Yoshiki Matoba, Rintaro Nakatani, Tsuneo Sato
  • Publication number: 20140294145
    Abstract: An X-ray fluorescence spectrometer includes: an X-ray source which irradiates a sample with primary X-rays; a light condensing device which condenses the primary X-rays to reduce an irradiation area on the sample; a detector which detects fluorescent X-rays produced from the sample irradiated with the primary X-rays; a housing which accommodates the X-ray source and the light condensing device; a temperature sensor which is disposed in at least one of the X-ray source and the periphery of the X-ray source; at least one external-air fan which is disposed on the housing, and which can exchange internal air with external air; and a control section which drives the external-air fan based on temperature information detected by the temperature sensor, to adjust the ambient temperature around the X-ray source to a constant temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: Hitachi High-Tech Science Corporation
    Inventors: Ryusuke Hirose, Haruo Takahashi, Yoshiki Matoba, Koichi Tamura
  • Publication number: 20140294143
    Abstract: An X-ray fluorescence spectrometer includes: a sample stage configured to place a sample thereon; an X-ray source configured to irradiate the sample with primary X-rays; a detector, which is configured to detect fluorescent X-rays produced from the sample irradiated with the primary X-rays, and which includes an X-ray incident window formed by a window material through which fluorescent X-rays is transmittable; and a gas blowing mechanism configured to blow a gas to at least one of an outer surface of the X-ray incident window and the sample stage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: Hitachi High-Tech Science Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroaki Nohara, Yoshiki Matoba, Noriaki Sakai, Toshitada Takeuchi
  • Publication number: 20140294144
    Abstract: A foreign matter detector includes an X-ray source which irradiates a sample moving in a constant direction with primary X-rays, a parallel two-dimensional slit which includes a plurality of slits arranged in at least a moving direction of the sample and emits parallel secondary X-rays by extracting a parallel component of secondary X-rays generated from the sample, a dispersing element which disperses the parallel secondary X-rays to obtain a specific X-ray fluorescence, a TDI sensor which receives the X-ray fluorescence, and a control unit which controls the TDI sensor to detect a foreign matter corresponding to the X-ray fluorescence. The control unit integrates a luminance value of the X-ray fluorescence received by the TDI sensor while matching a direction and a speed of charge transfer of the TDI sensor to a direction and a speed of movement of the sample.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: HITACHI HIGH-TECH SCIENCE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yoshiki Matoba
  • Publication number: 20140286474
    Abstract: An X-ray fluorescence analyzer includes a sample stage having an opening at an X-ray irradiation position, an X-ray source which irradiates a sample placed on the opening with a primary X-ray from below, a detector which detects an X-ray fluorescence generated from the sample, a transparent drop prevention plate supported to be advanced and retracted immediately below the opening, a drive mechanism which advances and retracts the drop prevention plate, an observation camera which observes the drop prevention plate positioned immediately below the opening, and an operation unit which processes an image of the drop prevention plate which is captured by the observation camera. The operation unit detects a foreign matter on the drop prevention plate based on an image difference between images before and after the drive mechanism moves or vibrates the drop prevention plate within an observation range of the observation camera.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2014
    Publication date: September 25, 2014
    Applicant: HITACHI HIGH-TECH SCIENCE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masahiro Sakuta, Kiyoshi Hasegawa, Yoshiki Matoba
  • Patent number: 8596866
    Abstract: To prevent erroneous detection in detecting a foreign matter, which is caused by a change in distance between a sample and an X-ray detector, provided is an X-ray transmission inspection apparatus including an X-ray tube (11) that irradiates an inspection sample element with an X-ray, an X-ray detector (13) that detects a transmission X-ray when the X-ray is transmitted through a sample, an operation portion (17) that obtains a contrast image from a transmission image of a transmission X-ray, a sensor that calculates a distance between the sample and the detector, and a mechanism that adjusts the position of the X-ray detector, in which an X-ray transmission image is picked up while the distance between the sample and the X-ray detector is kept constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: SII NanoTechnology Inc.
    Inventor: Yoshiki Matoba
  • Patent number: 8422630
    Abstract: In order to prevent misdetection and erroneous detection by clearly determining only a contrast caused by a foreign matter, there are provided an X-ray inspection method and an X-ray inspection device including: an X-ray tube (11) for irradiating a measurement sample with a characteristic X-ray having energy lower than an X-ray absorption edge of one element contained in the measurement sample and having energy higher than an X-ray absorption edge of a detection element; an X-ray detector (13) for receiving a transmission X-ray obtained when the X-ray passes through the sample; and an operation portion (15) for obtaining a contrast image from a transmission image of the transmission X-ray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: SII NanoTechnology Inc.
    Inventor: Yoshiki Matoba
  • Publication number: 20130034204
    Abstract: An X-ray analyzer (1) includes: a transmission X-ray inspecting portion (10) including: a first X-ray source (12); and a transmission X-ray detector (14) for detecting a transmission X-ray (12x) having passed through a sample (100) from the first X-ray source; a fluorescent X-ray inspecting portion (20) including: a second X-ray source (22); and a fluorescent X-ray detector (24) for detecting a fluorescent X-ray (22y) output from the sample when the sample is irradiated with an X-ray from the second X-ray source; a movement mechanism (30) for moving a sample stage (50); a foreign matter position calculating unit (60) for calculating a position of a foreign matter (101); and a movement mechanism control unit (61) for controlling the movement mechanism so that the position of the foreign matter calculated by the foreign matter position calculating unit coincides with an optical axis (22c) of the second X-ray source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2012
    Publication date: February 7, 2013
    Inventors: Yoshiki MATOBA, Rintaro Nakatani, Tsuneo Sato
  • Publication number: 20130032728
    Abstract: A transmission X-ray analyzer for detecting a transmission X-ray image of a sample that moves relatively in a predetermined scanning direction includes; a time delay and integration (TDI) sensor including a plurality of stages of line sensors including the plurality of two-dimensionally arranged image pickup devices arranged in a direction perpendicular to the predetermined scanning direction, being configured to transfer charge accumulated in one line sensor to an adjacent subsequent line sensor; a shield unit for shielding a part of the image of light entering the TDI sensor by moving back and forth in the predetermined scanning direction, the shield unit being disposed between the TDI sensor and the sample; and a shield unit position control unit for controlling a position of the shield unit so as to shield a predetermined number of stages of line sensors among the plurality of stages of line sensors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2012
    Publication date: February 7, 2013
    Inventor: Yoshiki MATOBA
  • Patent number: 8068583
    Abstract: Provided is an X-ray analysis apparatus including: an X-ray tubular bulb for irradiating a sample with a radiation beam; an X-ray detector for detecting a characteristic X-ray and a scattered X-ray and outputting a signal containing energy information on the characteristic X-ray and the scattered X-ray; an analyzer for analyzing the signal; a sample stage capable of moving an irradiation point relatively with respect to the sample within a mapping area set in advance; and an X-ray mapping processing section for discriminating an X-ray intensity corresponding to a specific element, determining an intensity contrast in which a color or lightness is changed in accordance with the X-ray intensity, and for performing image display at a position corresponding to the irradiation point, in which the X-ray mapping processing section determines the intensity contrast of the X-ray intensity at the irradiation point by setting in advance the X-ray intensity discriminated as to a reference material in which a component el
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: SII Nanotechnology Inc.
    Inventors: Yoshiki Matoba, Kanji Nagasawa
  • Publication number: 20110222656
    Abstract: To prevent erroneous detection in detecting a foreign matter, which is caused by a change in distance between a sample and an X-ray detector, provided is an X-ray transmission inspection apparatus including an X-ray tube (11) that irradiates an inspection sample element with an X-ray, an X-ray detector (13) that detects a transmission X-ray when the X-ray is transmitted through a sample, an operation portion (17) that obtains a contrast image from a transmission image of a transmission X-ray, a sensor that calculates a distance between the sample and the detector, and a mechanism that adjusts the position of the X-ray detector, in which an X-ray transmission image is picked up while the distance between the sample and the X-ray detector is kept constant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2011
    Publication date: September 15, 2011
    Inventor: Yoshiki Matoba
  • Patent number: 8000439
    Abstract: An X-ray tube which irradiates a primary X-ray to an irradiation point on a sample, an X-ray detector which detects a characteristic X-ray and a scattered X-ray emitted from the sample and outputs a signal including energy information of the characteristic X-ray and scattered X-ray, an analyzer which analyzes the signal, a first observation system which optically observes a surface of the sample in order to determine the irradiation point, and a second observation system which has a smaller depth of field than the first observation system, optically observes a narrow region, and measures the distance from the determined irradiation point by focus adjustment are included.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: SII NanoTechnology Inc.
    Inventor: Yoshiki Matoba
  • Patent number: 7970101
    Abstract: An X-ray tube which irradiates a primary X-ray to an irradiation point on a sample, an X-ray detector which detects a characteristic X-ray and a scattered X-ray emitted from the sample and outputs a signal including energy information on the characteristic X-ray and scattered X-ray, an analyzer which analyzes the signal, a sample stage on which the sample is placed, a moving mechanism which moves the sample on the sample stage, the X-ray tube, and the X-ray detector relative to each other, a height measuring mechanism which measures a maximum height of the sample, and a control unit which adjusts the distance between the sample and the X-ray tube and the distance between the sample and the X-ray detector by controlling the moving mechanism on the basis of the measured maximum height of the sample, are included.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: SII Nanotechnology Inc.
    Inventors: Noriaki Sakai, Toshiyuki Takahara, Yoshiki Matoba
  • Publication number: 20100316187
    Abstract: In order to prevent misdetection and erroneous detection by clearly determining only a contrast caused by a foreign matter, there are provided an X-ray inspection method and an X-ray inspection device including: an X-ray tube (11) for irradiating a measurement sample with a characteristic X-ray having energy lower than an X-ray absorption edge of one element contained in the measurement sample and having energy higher than an X-ray absorption edge of a detection element; an X-ray detector (13) for receiving a transmission X-ray obtained when the X-ray passes through the sample; and an operation portion (15) for obtaining a contrast image from a transmission image of the transmission X-ray.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2010
    Publication date: December 16, 2010
    Inventor: Yoshiki Matoba
  • Patent number: 7680248
    Abstract: To be able to achieve further small-sized formation and light-weighted formation and to promote a sensitivity by further efficiently detecting a fluorescent X-ray or the like in an X-ray tube and an X-ray analyzing apparatus, there are provided a vacuum cabinet 2 inside of which is brought into a vacuum state and which includes a window portion 1 formed by an X-ray transmitting film through which an X-ray can be transmitted, an electron beam source 3 installed at inside of the vacuum cabinet 2 for emitting an electron beam e, a target T generating a primary X-ray X1 by being irradiated with the electron beam e and installed at inside of the vacuum cabinet 2 to be able to emit the primary X-ray X1 to an outside sample S by way of the window portion 1, and an X-ray detecting element 4 arranged at inside of the vacuum cabinet 2 to be able to detect a fluorescent X-ray and a scattered X-ray X2 emitted from the sample S and incident from the window portion 1 for outputting a signal including energy information of
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2010
    Assignee: SII NanoTechnology Inc.
    Inventor: Yoshiki Matoba
  • Publication number: 20100046700
    Abstract: An X-ray tube which irradiates a primary X-ray to an irradiation point on a sample, an X-ray detector which detects a characteristic X-ray and a scattered X-ray emitted from the sample and outputs a signal including energy information on the characteristic X-ray and scattered X-ray, an analyzer which analyzes the signal, a sample stage on which the sample is placed, a moving mechanism which moves the sample on the sample stage, the X-ray tube, and the X-ray detector relative to each other, a height measuring mechanism which measures a maximum height of the sample, and a control unit which adjusts the distance between the sample and the X-ray tube and the distance between the sample and the X-ray detector by controlling the moving mechanism on the basis of the measured maximum height of the sample, are included.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2009
    Publication date: February 25, 2010
    Inventors: Noriaki Sakai, Toshiyuki Takahara, Yoshiki Matoba
  • Publication number: 20100046701
    Abstract: An X-ray tube which irradiates a primary X-ray to an irradiation point on a sample, an X-ray detector which detects a characteristic X-ray and a scattered X-ray emitted from the sample and outputs a signal including energy information of the characteristic X-ray and scattered X-ray, an analyzer which analyzes the signal, a first observation system which optically observes a surface of the sample in order to determine the irradiation point, and a second observation system which has a smaller depth of field than the first observation system, optically observes a narrow region, and measures the distance from the determined irradiation point by focus adjustment are included.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2009
    Publication date: February 25, 2010
    Inventor: Yoshiki MATOBA
  • Publication number: 20100002833
    Abstract: Provided is an X-ray analysis apparatus including: an X-ray tubular bulb for irradiating a sample with a radiation beam; an X-ray detector for detecting a characteristic X-ray and a scattered X-ray and outputting a signal containing energy information on the characteristic X-ray and the scattered X-ray; an analyzer for analyzing the signal; a sample stage capable of moving an irradiation point relatively with respect to the sample within a mapping area set in advance; and an X-ray mapping processing section for discriminating an X-ray intensity corresponding to a specific element, determining an intensity contrast in which a color or lightness is changed in accordance with the X-ray intensity, and for performing image display at a position corresponding to the irradiation point, in which the X-ray mapping processing section determines the intensity contrast of the X-ray intensity at the irradiation point by setting in advance the X-ray intensity discriminated as to a reference material in which a component el
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2009
    Publication date: January 7, 2010
    Inventors: Yoshiki Matoba, Kanji Nagasawa
  • Patent number: 7634054
    Abstract: Provided are an X-ray tube and an X-ray analysis apparatus, which can be further reduced in size as well as in weight and more efficiently detect a fluorescent X-ray and the like to increase sensitivity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2009
    Assignee: SII NanoTechnology Inc.
    Inventors: Yoshiki Matoba, Yutaka Ikku