With Detector Patents (Class 250/397)
  • Patent number: 11515120
    Abstract: A charged particle beam apparatus using a light guide that improves light utilization efficiency includes a detector including a scintillator for emitting light when a charged particle is incident, a light receiving element, and a light guide for guiding the light from the scintillator to the light receiving element. The light guide includes: an incident surface that faces a light emitting surface of the scintillator and to which the light emitted by the scintillator is incident; an emitting surface that is configured to emit light; and a reflecting surface that is inclined with respect to the incident surface so that the light from the incident surface is reflected toward the emitting surface. The emitting surface is smaller than the incident surface. A slope surface is provided between the incident surface and the emitting surface, faces the reflecting surface, and is inclined with respect to the incident surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshifumi Sekiguchi, Shin Imamura, Shunsuke Mizutani, Shahedul Hoque, Uki Ikeda
  • Patent number: 11508552
    Abstract: Provided is an ion milling device capable of improving the reproducibility of an ion distribution. An ion milling device includes: an ion source (1); a sample stage (2) on which a sample (4) to be processed by being irradiated with an unfocused ion beam from the ion source (1) is placed; and a drive unit (8) configured to be arranged between the ion source (1) and the sample stage (2), and to move a linear ion beam measuring member (7) extending in a first direction to a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, in which the drive unit (8) moves the ion beam measuring member (7) within an emission range of the ion beam in a state where the ion beam is outputted from the ion source (1) under a first emission condition, and an ion beam current flowing through the ion beam measuring member (7) is measured by irradiating the ion beam measuring member (7) with the ion beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Tech Corporation
    Inventors: Hitoshi Kamoshida, Hisayuki Takasu, Atsushi Kamino
  • Patent number: 11508553
    Abstract: A multi-charged particle beam writing apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention includes a region setting unit configured to set, as an irradiation region for a beam array to be used, the region of the central portion of an irradiation region for all of multiple beams of charged particle beams implemented to be emittable by a multiple beam irradiation mechanism, and a writing mechanism, including the multiple beam irradiation mechanism, configured to write a pattern on a target object with the beam array in the region of the central portion having been set in the multiple beams implemented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: NuFlare Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 11498475
    Abstract: A motor vehicle includes a projection device to project a light distribution for driver information in the longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle onto the ground in front of the motor vehicle. The light function of the projected light distribution is different from a low beam and a high beam light. During operation of the projection device within a predefined interval of the vehicle speed in the forward direction of the motor vehicle, an increase in the extent of the light distribution in the longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle occurs as the vehicle speed increases. The extent of the light distribution at each vehicle speed is thereby greater than or equal to the extent at lower vehicle speeds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Johannes Aulbach, Marina Budanow, Thomas Hausmann, Stefan Weber
  • Patent number: 11487211
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device and a method for processing a microstructured component, in particular for microlithography. A device for processing a microstructured component comprises an ion beam source for applying an ion beam to at least regions of the component, wherein an ion energy of this ion beam is no more than 5 keV, and a detector for detecting particles backscattered at the component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH
    Inventors: Nicole Auth, Timo Luchs, Joachim Welte
  • Patent number: 11467488
    Abstract: A method of operating a semiconductor apparatus includes forming a first electron beam passing through a first shaping aperture; modifying an energy distribution of the first electron beam by a second shaping aperture, such that the first electron beam has a main region and an edge region having a greater energy than the main region; and exposing a workpiece to the main region and the edge region of the first electron beam to create a pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Wen Lo, Shih-Ming Chang, Chun-Hung Liu
  • Patent number: 11462410
    Abstract: A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus is provided including a beam shaper arranged on a light path of a laser beam and including a plurality of mask modules. The plurality of mask modules defines a light blocking region and a light transmitting region. At least one mask module of the plurality of mask modules includes a blocking plate configured to block a portion of the laser beam, and a driver is configured to move the blocking plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Nohsung Kwak, Euijin Seo, Jonghwi Seo, Jaehee Lee, Ilyoung Han, Guesuk Lee
  • Patent number: 11456150
    Abstract: A charged particle beam device capable of generating an image having uniform image quality in a field of view is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Tech Corporation
    Inventors: Kaori Bizen, Yuzuru Mizuhara, Minoru Yamazaki, Daisuke Bizen, Noritsugu Takahashi
  • Patent number: 11454792
    Abstract: A light microscope comprises: a structuring optical unit comprising a waveguide chip for providing a structured illumination; an input selection device for variably directing light to one of several inputs of the waveguide chip; the waveguide chip further comprising a light guide path following each of the inputs; each light guide path divides into several path divisions; and each path division leads to one output of the wave-guide chip. The outputs of the waveguide chip can be arranged at a pupil plane of the light microscope, and an exit direction of light from the outputs is transverse to a plane defined by the waveguide chip. A method for providing structured illumination light using the light microscope is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignees: Carl Zeiss Microscopy GmbH, LioniX International B.V.
    Inventors: Gerhard Krampert, Kai Wicker, Ralf Netz, Ronald Dekker, Edwin Jan Klein, Douwe Harmen Geuzebroek
  • Patent number: 11393658
    Abstract: The invention provides a charged particle beam apparatus capable of observing a sample even when light is emitted from the sample, and a sample observation method using the charged particle beam apparatus. The charged particle beam apparatus includes: a charged particle beam source configured to irradiate a sample with a charged particle beam; a detector configured to detect charged particles emitted from the sample; and a control device configured to generate an image based on an output signal from the detector. The charged particle beam apparatus further includes a filter configured to allow at least a part of the charged particles emitted from the sample to transmit through the filter and configured to shield light emitted from the sample. The filter covers a detection surface of the detector expected from the sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Tech Corporation
    Inventors: Yuki Tani, Kunji Shigeto, Kenji Aoki
  • Patent number: 11393656
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an inspection device includes: a lens barrel that irradiates a substrate having a first main surface on which a pattern is formed with a charged particle; a terminal that comes into contact with the substrate at a first site on a second main surface of the substrate or on a side surface of the substrate and applies a predetermined potential to the substrate; and at least one light source that irradiates a predetermined area of the substrate including the first site with light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Kioxia Corporation
    Inventor: Motoki Kadowaki
  • Patent number: 11387073
    Abstract: A system and method that is capable of measuring the incident angle of an ion beam, especially an ion beam comprising heavier ions, is disclosed. In one embodiment, X-rays, rather than ions, are used to determine the channeling direction. In another embodiment, the workpiece is constructed, at least in part, of a material having a high molecular weight such that heaver ion beams can be measured. Further, in another embodiment, the parameters of the ion beam are measured across an entirety of the beam, allowing components of the ion implantation system to be further tuned to create a more uniform beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank Sinclair, Jonathan Gerald England, Joseph C. Olson
  • Patent number: 11264202
    Abstract: A method, a non-transitory computer readable medium and a three-dimensional evaluation system for providing three dimensional information regarding structural elements of a specimen. The method can include illuminating the structural elements with electron beams of different incidence angles, where the electron beams pass through the structural elements and the structural elements are of nanometric dimensions; detecting forward scattered electrons that are scattered from the structural elements to provide detected forward scattered electrons; and generating the three dimensional information regarding structural elements based at least on the detected forward scattered electrons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS ISRAEL LTD.
    Inventors: Konstantin Chirko, Itamar Shani, Albert Karabekov, Guy Eytan, Lior Yaron, Alon Litman
  • Patent number: 11264198
    Abstract: An objective lens arrangement that may include a magnetic lens and an electrostatic lens. The magnetic lens may include one or more coils, an upper polepiece and a lower polepiece. The electrostatic lens may include an upper electrode, an internal lower electrode and an external lower electrode. A majority of the internal lower electrode may be surrounded by a majority of the external lower electrode. The upper electrode, the internal lower electrode, and the external lower electrode are arranged in a coaxial relationship along an optical axis of the objective lens arrangement. An area of a bottom aperture of the external lower electrode may not exceed an area of a bottom aperture of the internal lower electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: Applied Materials Israel Ltd.
    Inventors: Igor Petrov, Zvika Rosenberg, Arie Bader
  • Patent number: 11256168
    Abstract: The present application relates to an apparatus for processing a photolithographic mask, said apparatus comprising: (a) at least one time-varying particle beam, which is embodied for a local deposition reaction and/or a local etching reaction on the photolithographic mask; (b) at least one first means for providing at least one precursor gas, wherein the precursor gas is embodied to interact with the particle beam during the local deposition reaction and/or the local etching reaction; and (c) at least one second means, which reduces a mean angle of incidence (?) between the time-varying particle beam and a surface of the photolithographic mask.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Budach, Ottmar Hoinkis
  • Patent number: 11243179
    Abstract: An inspection method for a substrate, the inspection method including: providing an electron beam having a first polarization state to a sample of the semiconductor substrate; detecting a first response signal of the sample caused by interaction of the electron beam having the first polarization state with the sample; providing an electron beam having a second polarization state to the sample of the semiconductor substrate; detecting a second response signal of the sample caused by interaction of the electron beam having the second polarization state with the sample; and determining a geometric or material property of the sample, based on the first response signal and the second response signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Erwin Paul Smakman, Albertus Victor Gerardus Mangnus, Thomas Jarik Huisman
  • Patent number: 11205560
    Abstract: An ion implanter includes a beam scanner that performs a scanning with an ion beam in a scanning direction perpendicular to a traveling direction of the ion beam, and a beam profiler that is disposed downstream of the beam scanner and measures a beam current distribution of the ion beam when the scanning by the beam scanner is performed. The beam profiler includes an aperture array that includes a first aperture and a second aperture, a cup electrode array that is disposed to be fixed with respect to the aperture array, the cup electrode array including a first cup electrode and a second cup electrode, and a plurality of magnets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: SUMITOMO HEAVY INDUSTRIES ION TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: David Edward Potkins, Phillip Thomas Jackle
  • Patent number: 11183363
    Abstract: A scanning electron microscope apparatus including an electron gun configured to generate an electron beam, a focusing lens configured to concentrate the electron beam from the electron gun, an electron detector configured to detect signals emitted from a sample in response to the electron beam incident on the sample, a stage configured to receive the sample thereon, and a focus calibration structure on an upper part of the stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yongmin Cho, Taeyong Lee, Sangkyo Lim
  • Patent number: 11146222
    Abstract: The circuit area of an amplifier provided in a photon-counting radiation detector is decreased compared with the related art. A pulse amplification measurement circuit includes: an inverting amplification circuit that inverts and amplifies an input signal to generate an inverted amplified output; a feedback transistor that connects an input unit and an output unit of the inverting amplification circuit to each other; and a pulse measurement circuit that generates an output signal corresponding to the number of pulses of the inverted amplified output. The pulse measurement circuit is capable of supplying the output signal toward the feedback transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takahiro Shindoh, Kunihiko Iizuka, Shigenari Taguchi
  • Patent number: 11120973
    Abstract: An apparatus may include a main chamber, a substrate holder, disposed in a lower region of the main chamber, and defining a substrate region, as well as an RF applicator, disposed adjacent an upper region of the main chamber, to generate an upper plasma within the upper region. The apparatus may further include a central chamber structure, disposed in a central portion of the main chamber, where the central chamber structure is disposed to shield at least a portion of the substrate position from the upper plasma. The apparatus may include a bias source, electrically coupled between the central chamber structure and the substrate holder, to generate a glow discharge plasma in the central portion of the main chamber, wherein the substrate region faces the glow discharge region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Vikram M. Bhosle, Christopher J. Leavitt, Guillermo Colom, Timothy J. Miller
  • Patent number: 11117195
    Abstract: A High Energy Beam Processing (HEBP) system provides feedback signal monitoring and feedback control for the improvement of process repeatability and three-dimensional (3D) printed part quality. Electrons deflected from a substrate in the processing area impinge on a surface of a sensor. The electrons result from the deflection of an electron beam from the substrate. Either one or both of an initial profile of an electron beam and an initial location of the electron beam relative to the substrate are determined based on a feedback electron signal corresponding to the impingement of the electrons on the surface of the sensor. With an appropriate profile and location of the electron beam, the build structure is fabricated on the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignees: Howmedica Osteonics Corp.
    Inventors: Christopher J. Sutcliffe, Eric Jones, Hay Wong
  • Patent number: 11062892
    Abstract: The objective of the present invention is to provide a charged particle detector and a charged particle beam device with which it is possible to acquire a high luminous output while rapidly eliminating charged particles that are incident to a scintillator. In order to achieve said objective the present invention proposes: a charged particle detector provided with a light-emitting unit including a laminated structure obtained by laminating a GaInN-containing layer and a GaN layer, and provided with a conductive layer that is in contact with the GaInN-containing layer on the charged particle incidence surface side of the laminated structure; and a charged particle beam device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shin Imamura, Takashi Ohshima, Tomonobu Tsuchiya, Hajime Kawano, Makoto Suzuki
  • Patent number: 10971330
    Abstract: This automatic processing device for fabricating a sample piece from a sample by irradiating the sample with a charged particle beam is provided with: a structural information acquiring unit which acquires structural information indicating the structure of the sample before processing; a processing termination position acquiring unit which acquires termination position specifying information specifying a processing termination position corresponding to the structure of the sample; an image acquiring unit which acquires a processed surface image in which a processed surface appearing at the position at which the sample has been irradiated by the charged particle beam is captured; and a determining unit which determines whether the position of the processing by the charged particle beam has reached the termination position, on the basis of a comparison between the structural information acquired by the structural information acquiring unit and the processed surface image acquired by the image acquiring unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH SCIENCE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shota Torikawa
  • Patent number: 10940332
    Abstract: A monitor for pulsed high energy radiation therapy using a radiation beam passing through a treatment zone, the radiation of 0.2 MEV or greater; has a camera for imaging Cherenkov light from the treatment zone; apparatus for preventing interference by room lighting, the camera synchronized to pulses of the radiation beam; and an image processor adapted to determine extent of the beam area on the patient skin from the images. Additionally an image processor determines cumulative skin dose in the treatment zone from the images. In embodiments, the processor uses a three-dimensional model of a subject to determine mapping of image intensity in images of Cherenkov light to radiation intensity in skin, applies the mapping to images of Cherenkov light to verify skin dose delivered, and accumulates skin dose by summing the maps of skin dose.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: THE TRUSTEES OF DARTMOUTH COLLEGE
    Inventors: Rongxiao Zhang, Brian William Pogue, Adam K. Glaser, David J. Gladstone, Lesley A. Jarvis, Jacqueline M. Andreozzi, Shudong Jiang, Scott Christian Davis, Johan Jakob Axelsson
  • Patent number: 10861670
    Abstract: Disclosed is a charged particle optical apparatus. The charged particle optical apparatus has a liner electrode in a first vacuum zone. The liner electrode is used to generate an electrostatic objective lens field. The apparatus has a second electrode which surrounds at least a section of the primary particle beam path. The section extends in the first vacuum zone and downstream of the liner electrode. A third electrode is provided having a differential pressure aperture through which the particle beam path exits from the first vacuum zone. A particle detector is configured for detecting emitted particles, which are emitted from the object and which pass through the differential pressure aperture of the third electrode. The liner electrode, the second and third electrodes are operable at different potentials relative to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss Microscopy GmbH
    Inventors: Erik Essers, Michael Albiez, Stefan Meyer, Daniel Kirsten, Stewart Bean
  • Patent number: 10832896
    Abstract: The present embodiment relates to an ion detector provided with a structure for suppressing degradation over time in an electron multiplication mechanism in the ion detector. The ion detector includes a dynode unit, serving as an electron multiplication mechanism, which multiplies secondary electrons which are emitted in response to incidence of ions, and a semiconductor detector having an electron multiplication function. Further, a focus electrode having an opening that allows passage of secondary electrons is disposed on a trajectory of secondary electrons which are directed from the dynode unit toward the semiconductor detector, and the focus electrode functions to guide secondary electrons from the dynode unit onto an electron incidence surface of the semiconductor detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kobayashi, Takeshi Endo, Hiroki Moriya, Toshinari Mochizuki
  • Patent number: 10811225
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides one embodiment of an IC method. First pattern densities (PDs) of a plurality of templates of an IC design layout are received. Then a high PD outlier template and a low PD outlier template from the plurality of templates are identified. The high PD outlier template is split into multiple subsets of template and each subset of template carries a portion of PD of the high PD outlier template. A PD uniformity (PDU) optimization is performed to the low PD outlier template and multiple individual exposure processes are applied by using respective subset of templates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Jyuh-Fuh Lin, Cheng-Hung Chen, Pei-Yi Liu, Wen-Chuan Wang, Shy-Jay Lin, Burn Jeng Lin
  • Patent number: 10784072
    Abstract: A charged particle beam device for inspection of a specimen with an array of primary charged particle beamlets is described. The charged particle beam device includes a charged particle beam source to generate a primary charged particle beam; a multi-aperture plate having at least two openings to generate an array of charged particle beamlets having at least a first beamlet having a first resolution on the specimen and a second beamlet having a second resolution on the specimen; an aberration correction element to correct at least one of spherical aberrations and chromatic aberrations of rotational symmetric charged particle lenses; and an objective lens assembly for focusing each primary charged particle beamlet of the array of primary charged particle beamlets onto a separate location on the specimen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: ICT Integrated Circuit Testing Gesellschaft für Halbleiterprüftechnik mbH
    Inventor: John Breuer
  • Patent number: 10777393
    Abstract: A sensing device for measuring a plasma process parameter in a plasma chamber for processing workpieces may include a substrate with one or more sensor embedded in the substrate. The substrate can have a surface made of substantially the same material as workpieces that are plasma processed in the plasma chamber. Each sensor can include a collector portion made of substantially the same material as the substrate surface. The collector portion includes a surface that is level with the surface of the substrate. The collector portion is the top surface of the substrate. Sensor electronics are embedded into the substrate and coupled to the collector portion. When the substrate surface is exposed to a plasma one or more signals resulting from the plasma can be measured with the sensor(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: KLA-Tencor Corporation
    Inventors: Earl Jensen, Mei Sun
  • Patent number: 10734189
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an ion implantation amount adjustment device that includes: an adjuster configured to turn on or off an ion outlet of the ion implantation apparatus; and an actuator configured to control movement of the adjuster to adjust an opening degree of the ion outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignees: CHENGDU BOE OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD., BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hao Jing, Dongwoo Kang, Yongyi Fu, Chenliang Liu, Rujian Li, Kang Luo
  • Patent number: 10714302
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes a beam current measuring device and a first electrode. The beam current measuring device is retractably movable into an ion beam trajectory so as to measure an ion beam current. The first electrode is disposed immediately upstream of the beam current measuring device in an ion beam transport channel. The first electrode serves both as a suppressor electrode for repelling secondary electrons released from the beam current measuring device, back toward the beam current measuring device, and as a beam optical element other than the suppressor electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: NISSIN ION EQUIPMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Tetsuro Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 10702710
    Abstract: Systems and methods are proposed for accurate and efficient automatic measurement of jaw and leaf positioning in multi-leaf collimator imaging systems. Specifically, the method enables the automated and objective processing of images to determine characteristics of collimator jaws and MLC leaves. These novel techniques enable verification of collimator component positioning to ensure accurate beam modulation for radiation application procedures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: Varian Medical Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen Gaudio
  • Patent number: 10672586
    Abstract: A beamline device includes a deflection device deflecting an ion beam in a first direction perpendicular to a beam traveling direction by applying at least one of an electric field and a magnetic field to the ion beam. A slit is disposed such that the first direction coincides with a slit width direction. A beam current measurement device is configured to be capable of measuring a beam current at a plurality of measurement positions to be different positions in the first direction. A control device calculates angle information in the first direction on the ion beam by acquiring a plurality of beam current values measured at the plurality of measurement positions to be the different positions in the first direction by the beam current measurement device while changing a deflection amount of the ion beam in the first direction with the deflection device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: SUMITOMO HEAVY INDUSTRIES ION TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sho Kawatsu, Noriyasu Ido
  • Patent number: 10569471
    Abstract: A 3D object forming device and a method thereof are provided. The device includes a tank used for containing a liquid forming material. A light source irradiates the liquid forming material to cure a 3D object layer-by-layer on a moving platform. In the irradiation process, when a target position currently irradiated by the light source is located on a first layer next to the moving platform, the light source is maintained to an original intensity; when the target position is not located on the first layer next to the moving platform, and when it is determined that a non-cured hollow layer exists in a predetermined number of layers at one side of the target position opposite to the light source according to the slicing data, the intensity of the light source is correspondingly decreased according to the number of layers between the hollow layer and the target position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignees: XYZprinting, Inc., Kinpo Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Ming-Hsiung Ding, Tsung-Hua Kuo, Wei-Chun Jau
  • Patent number: 10532229
    Abstract: A beam transport assembly conveys a particle beam from a particle source to an irradiation nozzle, which rotates about a swivel axis at the horizontal input of the nozzle. A support can move horizontally in a plane perpendicular to the swivel axis. The beam transport assembly can change a path length of the particle beam so as to follow a vertical location of the swivel axis of the irradiation nozzle with respect to the support. A controller can coordinate the path length change of the particle beam, rotation of the irradiation nozzle about the swivel axis, and/or horizontal motion of the support to provide irradiation of a supported object from various angles in the plane perpendicular to the swivel axis while maintaining the irradiation nozzle at a constant distance from the supported object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignees: VARIAN MEDICAL SYSTEMS PARTICLE THERAPY GMBH, VARIAN MEDICAL SYSTEMS, INC
    Inventors: Jan H. Timmer, Juergen Schultheiss
  • Patent number: 10504696
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a multi charged particle beam writing apparatus includes an aperture plate having a plurality of holes to form multiple beams, a blanking aperture array having a plurality of blankers which switch ON-OFF of corresponding respective beams among the multiple beams, a stage on which a writing target substrate is placed, an inspection aperture provided on the stage and that allows one beam among the multiple beams to pass therethrough, a deflector deflecting the multiple beams, a current detector detecting a beam current of each of the multiple beams that has passed through the inspection aperture in a case where the multiple beams are scanned on the inspection aperture, and a control computing machine that generates a beam image based on the detected beam current and detects a defect of the blanking aperture array or the aperture plate based on the beam image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: NuFlare Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Osamu Iizuka, Yukitaka Shimizu
  • Patent number: 10497539
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a multi charged particle beam writing apparatus includes an objective lens adjusting a focus position of multiple beams, a coil correcting astigmatism of the multiple beams, an inspection aperture disposed in a stage and configured to allow one beam of the multiple beams to pass therethrough, a deflector deflecting the multiple beams, a current detector detecting a beam current of each beam of the multiple beams scanned over the inspection aperture in the XY direction and passed through the inspection aperture, and a controller generating a beam image on the basis of the detected beam current, calculating a feature quantity of the beam image, and controlling the objective lens or the coil on the basis of the feature quantity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: NuFlare Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Osamu Iizuka, Yukitaka Shimizu
  • Patent number: 10484610
    Abstract: A mobile terminal apparatus includes a geometrical arrangement detecting section (111) detecting groups of edge pixels arranged in a shape of a line segment in an image captured by an image-capturing apparatus; and a display processing section (112) causes a contour line representative of a contour of a rectangular captured object to be displayed on the captured image displayed on a display section so that the contour line is superimposed on the groups of edge pixels detected by the geometrical arrangement detecting section (111).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroshi Ishida
  • Patent number: 10483088
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a multi charged particle beam writing apparatus includes an aperture plate forming multiple beams, a stage on which a writing target substrate is placed, a stage position detector detecting the position of the stage, an inspection aperture plate provided in the stage, the inspection aperture plate permitting one of the multiple beams to pass through the inspection aperture plate, a deflector deflecting the multiple beams, a current detector detecting a beam current of each of the multiple beams scanned over the inspection aperture plate in X and Y directions and passed through the inspection aperture plate, and a control computer generating a beam image based on the detected beam currents and calculating positions of the beams based on the beam image and the position of the stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: NuFlare Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Osamu Iizuka, Yukitaka Shimizu
  • Patent number: 10483087
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a multi charged particle beam writing apparatus includes a blanking plate including a plurality of blankers, bitmap generation processing circuitry generating bitmap data for each writing pass of multi-pass writing, the bitmap data specifying irradiation time periods for a plurality of irradiation positions, a plurality of dose correction units configured to receive bitmap subdata items obtained by dividing the bitmap data from the bitmap generation processing circuitry, and correct the irradiation time periods to generate a plurality of dose data items corresponding to respective processing ranges, and data transfer processing circuitry transferring the plurality of dose data items to the blanking plate through a plurality of signal line groups. Each of the signal line groups corresponds to the blankers located in a predetermined region of the blanking plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: NuFlare Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Kei Hasegawa, Hayato Kimura, Ryoh Kawana
  • Patent number: 10473621
    Abstract: A device, including a non-radioactive detection source, configured to detect airborne particulates and/or gases in an environment by applying a voltage bias to the non-radioactive detection source to create at least one detecting condition, and determining if airborne particulates are present within the at least one detection condition. A method of creating a detecting condition for airborne particulates and/or gases in an environment, the method including the steps of coupling a pair of electrical conductors to a nanocellular material, and applying a voltage bias to the pair of electrical conductors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: CARRIER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michael J. Birnkrant, Marcin Piech, Michael T. Gorski, Wayde R. Schmidt
  • Patent number: 10460909
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a charged particle beam writing apparatus includes a current limiting aperture, a blanking deflector switching between beam ON and beam OFF so as to control an irradiation time by deflecting the charged particle beam having passed through the current limiting aperture, a blanking aperture blocking the charged particle beam deflected by the blanking deflector in such a manner that the beam OFF state is entered, and an electron lens disposed between the current limiting aperture and the blanking aperture. A lens value set for the electron lens is substituted into a given function to calculate an offset time. The offset time is added to an irradiation time for writing a pattern to correct the irradiation time. The blanking deflector switches between the beam ON and the beam OFF based on the corrected irradiation time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: NuFlare Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Haruyuki Nomura
  • Patent number: 10460902
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a charged particle beam writing apparatus includes a blanking circuit applying a blanking voltage to a blanking deflector, a stage on which a substrate is placed, a mark on the stage, a detector detecting an irradiation position of the charged particle beam based on irradiation of the mark with the charged particle beam, and a diagnostic electric circuitry that causes the charged particle beam to enter a predetermined defocused state relative to the mark, obtains a difference between a first irradiation position when the mark is scanned under first irradiation conditions and a second irradiation position when the mark is scanned under second irradiation conditions in which at least either of irradiation time and settling time in the first irradiation conditions is varied, and determines occurrence of a failure of the blanking circuit when the difference is a predetermined value or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: NuFlare Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Takahito Nakayama
  • Patent number: 10437144
    Abstract: Disclosed are a mask assembly, and a method for assembling the same. The mask assembly includes: a frame including a hollow area; a mask arranged across the hollow area, wherein two opposite ends of the mask are fixed on the frame; and first support sheets configured to support the mask, wherein the first support sheets include first sub-support sheets and second sub-support sheets stacked over each other, the first sub-support sheets and the second sub-support sheets are arranged across the hollow area of the frame, and two opposite ends of each of the first sub-support sheets, and two opposite ends of each of the second sub-support sheets are fixed on the frame; wherein orthographic projections of the first sub-support sheets onto the second sub-support sheets lie into the second sub-support sheets; and the thickness of the second sub-support sheets is smaller than the thickness of the first sub-support sheets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Wei Zhang
  • Patent number: 10431423
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides one embodiment of an IC method. First pattern densities (PDs) of a plurality of templates of an IC design layout are received. Then a high PD outlier template and a low PD outlier template from the plurality of templates are identified. The high PD outlier template is split into multiple subsets of template and each subset of template carries a portion of PD of the high PD outlier template. A PD uniformity (PDU) optimization is performed to the low PD outlier template and multiple individual exposure processes are applied by using respective subset of templates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Jyuh-Fuh Lin, Cheng-Hung Chen, Pei-Yi Liu, Wen-Chuan Wang, Shy-Jay Lin, Burn Jeng Lin
  • Patent number: 10395882
    Abstract: A tunable photocathode for use in vacuum electronic devices includes a nanostructured photoemission layer including quantum confined nanostructures, such as quantum dots. The quantum confined nanostructures can be tuned (e.g., prepared to have various characteristics or parameters) in order to independently optimize various characteristics of the electron beam emitted by the photocathode. For example, by changing the material composition, size and geometry of the quantum confined nanostructures, the energy levels of the quantum confined nanostructures in the photoemission layer can be tuned to provide a photocathode having a high quantum efficiency, low emittance, fast response time to incident light pulses, long operational lifetime, and increased environmental stability compared with conventional photocathodes and cathodes in vacuum electronic devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: Triad National Security, LLC
    Inventors: Nathan Moody, Jeffrey Pietryga, Istvan Robel
  • Patent number: 10361062
    Abstract: A scanning electron microscope includes: a liner tube which transmits an electron beam; a scintillator having a through-hole into which the liner tube is inserted; a light guide which guides light generated by the scintillator; a conductive layer provided on a sensitive surface of the scintillator; and a conductive member provided in the scintillator, wherein the shortest distance between the liner tube and the conductive member is shorter than the shortest distance between the liner tube and the conductive layer, a voltage for accelerating electrons is applied to the conductive layer, and the conductive layer and the conductive member have a same potential.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: JEOL Ltd.
    Inventors: Tatsuru Kuramoto, Yuichiro Ohori, Yoshinori Matsuda, Makoto Aoshima
  • Patent number: 10354831
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a charged particle system comprising: a charged particle source; a first multi aperture plate; a second multi aperture plate disposed downstream of the first multi aperture plate, the second multi aperture plate; a controller configured to selectively apply at least first and second voltage differences between the first and second multi aperture plates; wherein the charged particle source and the first and second multi aperture plates are arranged such that each of a plurality of charged particle beamlets traverses an aperture pair, said aperture pair comprising one aperture of the first multi aperture plate and one aperture of the second multi aperture plate, wherein plural aperture pairs are arranged such that a center of the aperture of the first multi aperture plate is, when seen in a direction of incidence of the charged particle beamlet traversing the aperture of the first multi aperture plate, displaced relative to a center of the aperture of the second multi aperture p
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignees: Carl Zeiss Microscopy GmbH, Applied Materials Israel, Ltd
    Inventors: Thomas Kemen, Rainer Knippelmeyer, Stefan Schubert
  • Patent number: 10347460
    Abstract: A method for imaging a surface of a substrate using a multi-beam imaging system includes: modifying an electron beam using a multipole-field device; generating beamlets from the electron beam using a beam-splitting device having multiple apertures; in response to projecting foci of the beamlets onto the surface, driving the beamlets using a deflector set to scan a region of the surface for receiving signals based on electrons scattered from the region; and determining an image of the region for inspection based on the signals. The multi-beam imaging system includes: an electron source; a first multipole-field device for beam shaping and beam aberration correction; a beam-splitting device; a projection lens set; a deflector set; an objective lens set; a detector array; a second multipole-field device; a processor; and a memory storing instructions to determine an image of the region for inspection based on the signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: Dongfang Jingyuan Electron Limited
    Inventors: Yan Zhao, Weiqiang Sun, Tao Feng
  • Patent number: RE48046
    Abstract: Lithography system, sensor and method for measuring properties of a massive amount of charged particle beams of a charged particle beam system, in particular a direct write lithography system, in which the charged particle beams are converted into light beams by using a converter element, using an array of light sensitive detectors such as diodes, CCD or CMOS devices, located in line with said converter element, for detecting said light beams, electronically reading out resulting signals from said detectors after exposure thereof by said light beams, utilizing said signals for determining values for one or more beam properties, thereby using an automated electronic calculator, and electronically adapting the charged particle system so as to correct for out of specification range values for all or a number of said charged particle beams, each for one or more properties, based on said calculated property values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.
    Inventors: Pieter Kruit, Erwin Slot, Tijs Frans Teepen, Marco Jan-Jaco Wieland, Stijn Willem Herman Karel Steenbrink