Patents by Inventor Yoshio Bamba

Yoshio Bamba 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: 9097686
    Abstract: This optical inspection device has: a line sensor on which channels are arranged; a moving means for moving a wafer mounted on a stage relative to the line sensor; a stage position detection means for detecting the on-stage positions of pseudo-defects in images formed on the channels as pseudo-defect stage coordinates, said coordinate management wafer being a wafer on which one pseudo-defect die is formed per row and column of a matrix of dies and each pseudo-defect die has a plurality of pseudo-defects formed in a line in the columnar direction; a coordinate transformation means for transforming the pseudo-defect stage coordinates into pseudo-defect die coordinates; a difference computation means for computing the differences of the pseudo-defect die coordinates from design coordinates; and a characteristic pattern acquisition means for obtaining a coordinate error characteristic pattern in which the differences from the pseudo-defect stage coordinates increase or decrease along a straight line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshio Bamba, Yukihisa Mohara, Kowa Tabei
  • Publication number: 20140192352
    Abstract: This optical inspection device has: a line sensor on which channels are arranged; a moving means for moving a wafer mounted on a stage relative to the line sensor; a stage position detection means for detecting the on-stage positions of pseudo-defects in images formed on the channels as pseudo-defect stage coordinates, said coordinate management wafer being a wafer on which one pseudo-defect die is formed per row and column of a matrix of dies and each pseudo-defect die has a plurality of pseudo-defects formed in a line in the columnar direction; a coordinate transformation means for transforming the pseudo-defect stage coordinates into pseudo-defect die coordinates; a difference computation means for computing the differences of the pseudo-defect die coordinates from design coordinates; and a characteristic pattern acquisition means for obtaining a coordinate error characteristic pattern in which the differences from the pseudo-defect stage coordinates increase or decrease along a straight line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2012
    Publication date: July 10, 2014
    Applicant: HITACHI HIGH-TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshio Bamba, Yukihisa Mohara, Kowa Tabei
  • Patent number: 8625089
    Abstract: A foreign-matter inspection apparatus is implemented which allows the stable detection sensitivity to be maintained. A laser beam emitted from a laser apparatus is applied to a beam irradiation sample via an irradiation unit and a mirror. Then, the laser beam is captured into a beam-capturing camera via an image-forming lens and a beam-direction switching mirror. Based on the captured beam image, an image computational processing unit judges inclination of the laser beam, then adjusting the irradiation unit thereby to correct the inclination of the laser beam. Also, the beam is captured into the beam-capturing camera in specified number-of-times while focus of the laser beam is being changed by an arbitrary amount by the irradiation unit. Based on the captured beam, the focus of the laser beam is corrected by adjusting the irradiation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshio Bamba, Masayuki Ochi, Shigehisa Nozawa
  • Publication number: 20110075136
    Abstract: A foreign-matter inspection apparatus is implemented which allows the stable detection sensitivity to be maintained. A laser beam emitted from a laser apparatus is applied to a beam irradiation sample via an irradiation unit and a mirror. Then, the laser beam is captured into a beam-capturing camera via an image-forming lens and a beam-direction switching mirror. Based on the captured beam image, an image computational processing unit judges inclination of the laser beam, then adjusting the irradiation unit thereby to correct the inclination of the laser beam. Also, the beam is captured into the beam-capturing camera in specified number-of-times while focus of the laser beam is being changed by an arbitrary amount by the irradiation unit. Based on the captured beam, the focus of the laser beam is corrected by adjusting the irradiation unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2010
    Publication date: March 31, 2011
    Applicant: HITACHI HIGH-TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshio Bamba, Masayuki Ochi, Shigehisa Nozawa
  • Patent number: 7876431
    Abstract: A foreign-matter inspection apparatus is implemented which allows the stable detection sensitivity to be maintained. A laser beam emitted from a laser apparatus is applied to a beam irradiation sample via an irradiation unit and a mirror. Then, the laser beam is captured into a beam-capturing camera via an image-forming lens and a beam-direction switching mirror. Based on the captured beam image, an image computational processing unit judges inclination of the laser beam, then adjusting the irradiation unit thereby to correct the inclination of the laser beam. Also, the beam is captured into the beam-capturing camera in specified number-of-times while focus of the laser beam is being changed by an arbitrary amount by the irradiation unit. Based on the captured beam, the focus of the laser beam is corrected by adjusting the irradiation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshio Bamba, Masayuki Ochi, Shigehisa Nozawa
  • Publication number: 20090303470
    Abstract: A foreign-matter inspection apparatus is implemented which allows the stable detection sensitivity to be maintained. A laser beam emitted from a laser apparatus is applied to a beam irradiation sample via an irradiation unit and a mirror. Then, the laser beam is captured into a beam-capturing camera via an image-forming lens and a beam-direction switching mirror. Based on the captured beam image, an image computational processing unit judges inclination of the laser beam, then adjusting the irradiation unit thereby to correct the inclination of the laser beam. Also, the beam is captured into the beam-capturing camera in specified number-of-times while focus of the laser beam is being changed by an arbitrary amount by the irradiation unit. Based on the captured beam, the focus of the laser beam is corrected by adjusting the irradiation unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2009
    Publication date: December 10, 2009
    Applicant: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshio BAMBA, Masayuki Ochi, Shigehisa Nozawa
  • Patent number: 7589833
    Abstract: A foreign-matter inspection apparatus is implemented which allows the stable detection sensitivity to be maintained. A laser beam emitted from a laser apparatus is applied to a beam irradiation sample via an irradiation unit and a mirror. Then, the laser beam is captured into a beam-capturing camera via an image-forming lens and a beam-direction switching mirror. Based on the captured beam image, an image computational processing unit judges inclination of the laser beam, then adjusting the irradiation unit thereby to correct the inclination of the laser beam. Also, the beam is captured into the beam-capturing camera in specified number-of-times while focus of the laser beam is being changed by an arbitrary amount by the irradiation unit. Based on the captured beam, the focus of the laser beam is corrected by adjusting the irradiation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2009
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshio Bamba, Masayuki Ochi, Shigehisa Nozawa
  • Publication number: 20080088848
    Abstract: A foreign-matter inspection apparatus is implemented which allows the stable detection sensitivity to be maintained. A laser beam emitted from a laser apparatus is applied to a beam irradiation sample via an irradiation unit and a mirror. Then, the laser beam is captured into a beam-capturing camera via an image-forming lens and a beam-direction switching mirror. Based on the captured beam image, an image computational processing unit judges inclination of the laser beam, then adjusting the irradiation unit thereby to correct the inclination of the laser beam. Also, the beam is captured into the beam-capturing camera in specified number-of-times while focus of the laser beam is being changed by an arbitrary amount by the irradiation unit. Based on the captured beam, the focus of the laser beam is corrected by adjusting the irradiation unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2007
    Publication date: April 17, 2008
    Inventors: Yoshio BAMBA, Masayuki OCHI, Shigehisa NOZAWA