With Target Means Patents (Class 250/398)
  • Patent number: 10533195
    Abstract: Biomass (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, and municipal waste biomass) is processed to produce useful products, such as fuels. For example, systems can use feedstock materials, such as cellulosic and/or lignocellulosic materials and/or starchy or sugary materials, to produce ethanol and/or butanol, e.g., by fermentation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: Xyleco, Inc.
    Inventor: Marshall Medoff
  • Patent number: 10535522
    Abstract: Provided herein are techniques for treating vertical surface features of a semiconductor device with ions. In some embodiments, a method for forming a semiconductor device, may include providing a set of surface features extending from a substrate, the set of surface features including a sidewall. The method may include treating the sidewall with an ion beam disposed at an angle, the angle being a non-zero angle of inclination with respect to a perpendicular to a plane of an upper surface of the substrate. The method may further include rotating the substrate about the perpendicular to the plane while the sidewall is treated with the ion beam to impact an entire height of the sidewall with the ion beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: VARIAN SEMICONDUCTOR EQUIPMENT ASSOCIATES, INC.
    Inventors: Gang Shu, Glen Gilchrist, Shurong Liang
  • Patent number: 10510510
    Abstract: Methods and systems are described for processing cellulosic and lignocellulosic materials and useful intermediates and products, such as energy and fuels. For example, irradiating methods and systems are described to aid in the processing of the cellulosic and lignocellulosic materials. The electron beam accelerator has multiple windows foils and these foils are cooled with cooling gas. In one configuration a secondary foil is integral to the electron beam accelerator and in another configuration the secondary foil is part of the enclosure for the biomass conveying system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: Xyleco, Inc.
    Inventors: Marshall Medoff, Anthony Peters, Thomas Craig Masterman, Robert Paradis, Kenny Kin-Chui Ip
  • Patent number: 10504681
    Abstract: A particle-optical arrangement comprises a charged-particle source for generating a beam of charged particles; a multi-aperture plate arranged in a beam path of the beam of charged particles, wherein the multi-aperture plate has a plurality of apertures formed therein in a predetermined first array pattern, wherein a plurality of charged-particle beamlets is formed from the beam of charged particles downstream of the multi-aperture plate, and wherein a plurality of beam spots is formed in an image plane of the apparatus by the plurality of beamlets, the plurality of beam spots being arranged in a second array pattern; and a particle-optical element for manipulating the beam of charged particles and/or the plurality of beamlets; wherein the first array pattern has a first pattern regularity in a first direction, and the second array pattern has a second pattern regularity in a second direction electron-optically corresponding to the first direction, and wherein the second regularity is higher than the first re
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignees: CARL ZEISS MICROSCOPY GMBH, APPLIED MATERIALS ISRAEL LTD.
    Inventors: Rainer Knippelmeyer, Oliver Kienzle, Thomas Kemen, Heiko Mueller, Stephan Uhlemann, Maximilian Haider, Antonio Casares, Steven Rogers
  • Patent number: 10497536
    Abstract: A multi-beam scanning electron microscopy (SEM) system is disclosed. The system includes an electron beam source configured to generate a source electron beam. The system includes a set of electron-optical elements configured to generate a flood electron beam from the source electron beam. The system includes a multi-beam lens array with a plurality of electron-optical pathways configured to split the flood electron beam into a plurality of primary electron beams, and a plurality of electrically-charged array layers configured to adjust at least some of the plurality of primary electron beams. The system includes a set of electron-optical elements configured to direct at least some of the plurality of primary electron beams onto a surface of a sample secured by a stage. The system includes a detector array configured to detect a plurality of electrons emanated from the surface of the sample in response to the plurality of primary electron beams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventor: Alan D. Brodie
  • Patent number: 10483086
    Abstract: An ion implantation system and method are provided where an ion beam is tuned to a first process recipe. The ion beam is scanned along a scan plane at a first frequency, defining a first scanned ion beam. A beam profiling apparatus is translated through the first scanned ion beam and one or more properties of the first scanned ion beam are measured across a width of the first scanned ion, thus defining a first beam profile associated with the first scanned ion beam. The ion beam is then scanned at a second frequency, thus defining a second scanned ion beam, wherein the second frequency is less than the first frequency. A second beam profile associated with the second scanned ion beam is determined based, at least in part, on the first beam profile. Ions are subsequently implanted into a workpiece via the second scanned ion beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Axcelis Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Andy M. Ray, Edward C. Eisner, Bo H. Vanderberg
  • Patent number: 10468222
    Abstract: In the present invention, a computed tomography system, an X-ray tube used therein and a cathode assembly disposed in the X-ray tube, as well as an associated method of use, is provided that includes a gantry and the X-ray tube coupled to the gantry. The X-ray tube includes the cathode assembly having a pair of emitters for generating an electron beam, where the pair of emitters are disposed in the casing at angles with respect to one another. The X-ray tube further includes a focusing electrode for focusing the electron beam, an extraction electrode which electrostatically controls the intensity of the electron beam, a target for generating X-rays when impinged upon by the electron beam and a magnetic focusing assembly located between the cathode assembly and the target for focusing the electron beam towards the target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Sergio Lemaitre
  • Patent number: 10460908
    Abstract: A multiple charged particle beam writing apparatus includes a circuitry to calculate, for each of the plurality of combinations, a first distribution coefficient for each of the three beams configuring the combination concerned, for distributing a dose to irradiate the design grid concerned to the three beams such that the gravity center position of each distributed dose coincides with the position of the design grid concerned and the sum of the each distributed dose coincides with the dose to irradiate the design grid concerned; and a circuitry to calculate, for each of the four or more beams, a second distribution coefficient of each of the four or more beams relating to the design grid concerned by dividing the total value of at least one first distribution coefficient corresponding to the beam concerned in the four or more beams by the number of the plurality of combinations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: NuFlare Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 10456591
    Abstract: An example particle therapy system includes: a synchrocyclotron to output a particle beam; a magnet to affect a direction of the particle beam to scan the particle beam across at least part of an irradiation target; scattering material that is configurable to change a spot size of the particle beam, where the scattering material is down-beam of the magnet relative to the synchrocyclotron; and a degrader to change an energy of the beam prior to output of the particle beam to the irradiation target, where the degrader is down-beam of the scattering material relative to the synchrocyclotron.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: Mevion Medical Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Gerrit Townsend Zwart, James Cooley, Ken Yoshiki Franzen, Mark R. Jones, Tao Li, Michael Busky
  • Patent number: 10440810
    Abstract: A system that generates short charged particle packets or pulses (e.g., electron packets) without requiring a fast-switching-laser source is described. This system may include a charged particle source that produces a stream of continuous charged particles to propagate along a charged particle path. The system also includes a charged particle deflector positioned in the charged particle path to deflect the stream of continuous charged particles to a set of directions different from the charged particle path. The system additionally includes a series of beam blockers located downstream from the charged particle deflector and spaced from one another in a linear configuration as a beam-blocker grating. This beam-blocker grating can interact with the deflected stream of charged particles and divide the stream of the charged particles into a set of short particle packets. In one embodiment, the charged particles are electrons. The beam blockers can be conductors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: Cornell University
    Inventors: Amit Lal, Yue Shi, Serhan Ardanuc, June-Ho Hwang, Farhan Rana
  • Patent number: 10431421
    Abstract: An apparatus for monitoring of an ion beam. The apparatus may include a processor; and a memory unit coupled to the processor, including a display routine, where the display routine operative on the processor to manage monitoring of the ion beam. The display routine may include a measurement processor to receive a plurality of spot beam profiles of the ion beam, the spot beam profiles collected during a fast scan of the ion beam and a slow mechanical scan of a detector, conducted simultaneously with the fast scan. The fast scan may comprise a plurality of scan cycles having a frequency of 10 Hz or greater along a fast scan direction, and the slow mechanical scan being performed in a direction parallel to the fast scan direction. The measurement processor may also send a display signal to display at least one set of information, derived from the plurality of spot beam profiles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: VARIAN SEMICONDUCTOR EQUIPMENT ASSOCIATES, INC
    Inventors: Eric D. Wilson, George M. Gammel, Sruthi Chennadi, Daniel Tieger, Shane Conley
  • Patent number: 10410896
    Abstract: A device for determining alignment errors of structures which are present on, or which have been applied to a substrate, comprising a substrate holder for accommodating the substrate with the structures and detection means for detecting X-Y positions of first markings on the substrate and/or second markings on the structures by moving the substrate or the detection means in a first coordinate system, wherein in a second coordinate system which is independent of the first coordinate system X?-Y? structure positions for the structures are given whose respective distance from the X-Y positions of the first markings and/or second markings can be determined by the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: EV Group E. Thallner GmbH
    Inventor: Thomas Wagenleitner
  • Patent number: 10395883
    Abstract: Lithographic apparatuses suitable for complementary e-beam lithography (CEBL) are described. In an example, a blanker aperture array (BAA) for an e-beam tool includes a first column of openings along a first direction and having a pitch. Each opening of the first column of openings has a dimension in the first direction. The BAA also includes a second column of openings along the first direction and staggered from the first column of openings. The second column of openings has the pitch. Each opening of the second column of openings has the dimension in the first direction. A scan direction of the BAA is along a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. The openings of the first column of openings overlap with the openings of the second column of openings by at least 5% but less than 50% of the dimension in the first direction when scanned along the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Shakul Tandon, Mark C. Phillips, Gabriele Canzi
  • Patent number: 10395889
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling an ion implantation system as a function of sampling ion beam current and uniformity thereof. The ion implantation system includes a plurality of ion beam optical elements configured to selectively steer and/or shape the ion beam as it is transported toward a workpiece, wherein the ion beam is sampled at a high frequency to provide a plurality of ion beam current samples, which are then analyzed to detect fluctuations and/or nonuniformities or unpredicted variations amongst the plurality of ion beam current samples. Beam current samples are compared against predetermined threshold levels, and/or predicted nonuniformity levels to generate a control signal when a detected nonuniformity in the plurality of ion beam current density samples exceeds a predetermined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: Axcelis Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Alfred Mike Halling
  • Patent number: 10362666
    Abstract: The invention provides a method for accelerating protons and carbon ions up to 450 MeV/u in a very compact linac, the method comprising subjecting the particles to a radio frequency quadrupole field to accelerate the particles to at least 3 MeV/u, a drift tube linac (DTL) to an energy of 20 MeV/u, followed by a coupled DTL to 45 MeV/u and finally a high-gradient section made of CCL-type standing wave cavities or negative harmonic traveling wave cavities operating at S-band frequencies and capable of delivering voltage gradients of 40 to 60 MV/m. Focusing the accelerated particles while accelerated to higher energy is provided by appropriately placed constant field permanent magnets and electromagnetic quadrupoles. The compactness and power efficiency of the linac is enabled by using high-gradient structure in the S-band frequencies for lower energy particles than ever before.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: UCHICAGO ARGONNE, LLC
    Inventors: Brahim Mustapha, Alireza Nassiri, Peter N. Ostroumov, Alexander S. Plastun, Aditya Goel
  • Patent number: 10340120
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a blanking aperture array is for a multi-charged particle beam writing apparatus. The blanking aperture array includes a substrate and a plurality of blankers. Each of the plurality of blankers includes a blanking electrode and a ground electrode that are formed on a first surface of the substrate. The plurality of blankers includes at least a normal blanker which is capable of applying a predetermined voltage between the blanking electrode and the ground electrode and for which a through hole bored through the substrate is formed, and a defective blanker which is not capable of applying the predetermined voltage between the blanking electrode and the ground electrode and for which the through hole bored through the substrate is filled with a beam shield.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: NuFlare Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Takao Tamura
  • Patent number: 10330904
    Abstract: A compact microscope including an enclosure, a support element, a primary optical support element located within the enclosure and supported by the support element, at least one vibration isolating mount between the support element and the primary optical support element, an illumination section, an objective lens system, a sample stage mounted on the primary optical support element, an illumination optical system to direct an illumination light beam from the illumination section to the sample stage, and a return optical system to receive returned light from sample stage and transmit returned light to a detection apparatus, wherein the illumination optical system and return optical system are mounted on the primary optical support element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: Oxford University Innovation Limited
    Inventors: Achillefs Kapanidis, Bo Jing, Robert Crawford
  • Patent number: 10325757
    Abstract: In a charged-particle multi-beam writing method a desired pattern is written on a target using a beam of energetic electrically charged particles, by imaging apertures of a pattern definition device onto the target, as a pattern image which is moved over the target. Thus, exposure stripes are formed which cover the region to be exposed in sequential exposures, and the exposure stripes are mutually overlapping, such that each area of said region is exposed by at least two different areas of the pattern image at different transversal offsets (Y1). For each pixel, a corrected dose amount is calculated by dividing the value of the nominal dose amount by a correction factor (q), wherein the same correction factor (q) is used with pixels located at positions which differ only by said transversal offsets (Y1) of overlapping stripes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: IMS Nanofabrication GmbH
    Inventors: Elmar Platzgummer, Christoph Spengler, Hanns Peter Petsch
  • Patent number: 10307618
    Abstract: A radiation therapy system includes an accelerator and beam transport system that generates a beam of particles. The accelerator and beam transport system guides the beam on a path and into a nozzle that is operable for aiming the beam toward an object. The nozzle includes a scanning magnet operable for steering the beam toward different locations within the object, and also includes a beam energy adjuster configured to adjust the beam by, for example, placing different thicknesses of material in the path of the beam to affect the energies of the particles in the beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: Varian Medical Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Stanley Mansfield
  • Patent number: 10292790
    Abstract: Techniques and methods for utilizing ion implantation to modify dental archwires are provided. An example of a method of ion implanting a wire target includes providing the wire target in an ion implant system, implanting ions into the wire target such that a color of the wire target material after the implanting exhibits a changed appearance from the color of the wire target material before the implanting, and removing the wire target from the ion implant system. An example of a copper-aluminum-nickel (CuAlNi) wire includes an ion implanted atomic species wherein a color of an implanted CuAlNi wire is white, off-white and/or silver and further wherein the implanted CuAlNi wire exhibits mechanical properties of an unimplanted CuAlNi wire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: N2 Biomedical LLC
    Inventor: Nader M. Kalkhoran
  • Patent number: 10290463
    Abstract: A particle beam device including a magnet, the device including: a particle beam source configured to emit electron and ion beams; a plurality of yokes arranged in a substantially rectangular shape; a coil set including a plurality of coils, wherein windings of the plurality of coils are uniformly distributed across and wound around the plurality of yokes, wherein the coil set is configured to produce both dipole and quadrupole fields, wherein the magnet is configured to deflect and focus electron and ion beams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: IMATREX, INC.
    Inventors: Roy E. Rand, Vitaliy Ziskin
  • Patent number: 10283314
    Abstract: A charged particle beam writing apparatus includes a number of shots calculation circuit to calculate the number of shots in the case where a deflection region is irradiated with a shot of a charged particle beam, a deflection position correcting circuit to correct a deflection position of the charged particle beam to be shot in the deflection region, depending on the number of shots to be shot in the deflection region, and a deflector to deflect the charged particle beam to a corrected deflected position on the target object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: NUFLARE TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventor: Rieko Nishimura
  • Patent number: 10267746
    Abstract: Methods and systems for determining parameter(s) of a metrology process to be performed on a specimen are provided. One system includes one or more computer subsystems configured for automatically generating regions of interest (ROIs) to be measured during a metrology process performed for the specimen with the measurement subsystem based on a design for the specimen. The computer subsystem(s) are also configured for automatically determining parameter(s) of measurement(s) performed in first and second subsets of the ROIs during the metrology process with the measurement subsystem based on portions of the design for the specimen located in the first and second subsets of the ROIs, respectively. The parameter(s) of the measurement(s) performed in the first subset are determined separately and independently of the parameter(s) of the measurement(s) performed in the second subset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: KLA-Tencor Corp.
    Inventors: Brian Duffy, Ajay Gupta, Thanh Huy Ha
  • Patent number: 10258810
    Abstract: An example particle therapy system includes: a synchrocyclotron to output a particle beam; a magnet to affect a direction of the particle beam to scan the particle beam across at least part of an irradiation target; scattering material that is configurable to change a spot size of the particle beam, where the scattering material is down-beam of the magnet relative to the synchrocyclotron; and a degrader to change an energy of the beam prior to output of the particle beam to the irradiation target, where the degrader is down-beam of the scattering material relative to the synchrocyclotron.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: Mevion Medical Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Gerrit Townsend Zwart, James Cooley, Ken Yoshiki Franzen, Mark R. Jones, Tao Li, Michael Busky
  • Patent number: 10256074
    Abstract: To form a complex and fine pattern by combining optical exposure technology and charged particle beam exposure technology, provided is an exposure apparatus that radiates a charged particle beam at a position corresponding to a line pattern on a sample, including a beam generating section that generates a plurality of the charged particle beams at different irradiation positions in a width direction of the line pattern; a scanning control section that performs scanning with the irradiation positions of the charged particle beams along a longitudinal direction of the line pattern; a selecting section that selects at least one charged particle beam to irradiate the sample from among the plurality of charged particle beams, at a designated irradiation position in the longitudinal direction of the line pattern; and an irradiation control section that controls the at least one selected charged particle beam to irradiate the sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: INTEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akio Yamada, Shinji Sugatani, Masaki Kurokawa, Masahiro Seyama
  • Patent number: 10249400
    Abstract: An electron accelerator comprising a resonant cavity, an electron source, an RF system, and at least one magnet unit is provided. The resonant cavity further comprises a hollow closed conductor and the electron source is configured to radially inject a beam of electrons into the cavity. The RF system is configured to generate an electric field to accelerate the electrons along radial trajectories. The at least one magnet unit further comprises a deflecting magnet configured to generate a magnetic field that deflects an electron beam emerging out of the resonant cavity along a first radial trajectory and redirects the electron beam into the resonant cavity along a second radial trajectory. The resonant cavity further comprises a first half shell, a second half shell, and a central ring element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: Ion Beam Applications S.A.
    Inventors: Michel Abs, Willem Kleeven, Jarno Van De Walle, Jérémy Brison, Denis Deschodt
  • Patent number: 10236161
    Abstract: Lithographic apparatuses suitable for, and methodologies involving, complementary e-beam lithography (CEBL) are described. In an example, a method of fine alignment of an e-beam tool includes projecting an electron image of a plurality of apertures of an e-beam column over an X-direction alignment feature of a wafer while moving the wafer along the Y-direction. The method also includes detecting a time-resolved back-scattered electron (BSE) detection response waveform during the projecting. The method also includes determining an X-position of every edge of every feature of the X-direction alignment feature by calculating a derivative of the BSE detection response waveform. The method also includes, subsequent to determining an X-position of every edge of every feature of the X-direction alignment feature, adjusting an alignment of the e-beam column to the wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: Yan A. Borodovsky
  • Patent number: 10213624
    Abstract: The invention comprises a method and apparatus for tracking and/or imaging impact of a particle beam treating a tumor using one or more imaging systems positionable about the tumor, such as a positron emission tracking and/or imaging system, where resulting tracking/imaging data: dynamically determines a treatment beam position, tracks a history of treatment beam positions, guides the treatment beam, and/or images a tumor before, during, and/or after treatment with the charged particle beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Inventors: W. Davis Lee, Mark R. Amato, Susan L. Michaud
  • Patent number: 10121267
    Abstract: Spectral estimation and poly-energetic reconstructions methods and x-ray systems are disclosed. According to an aspect, a spectral estimation method includes using multiple, poly-energetic x-ray sources to generate x-rays and to direct the x-rays towards a target object. The method also includes acquiring a series of poly-energetic measurements of x-rays from the target object. Further, the method includes estimating cross-sectional images of the target object based on the poly-energetic measurements. The method also includes determining path lengths through the cross-sectional images. Further, the method includes determining de-noised poly-energetic measurements and de-noised path lengths based on the acquired poly-energetic measurements and the determined path lengths. The method also includes estimating spectra for angular trajectories of a field of view based on the de-noised poly-energetic measurements and the path lengths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: Duke University
    Inventors: Yuan Lin, Ehsan Samei
  • Patent number: 10068758
    Abstract: An apparatus which has the capability of filtering unwanted species from an extracted ion beam without the use of a mass analyzer magnet is disclosed. The apparatus includes an ion source having chamber walls that are biased by an RF voltage. The use of RF extraction causes ions to exit the ion source at different energies, where the energy of each ion species is related to its mass. The extracted ion beam can then be filtered using only electrostatic energy filters to eliminate the unwanted species. The electrostatic energy filter may act as a high pass filter, allowing ions having an energy above a certain threshold to reach the workpiece. Alternatively, the electrostatic energy filter may act as a low pass filter, allowing ions having an energy below a certain threshold to reach the workpiece. In another embodiment, the electrostatic energy filter operates as a bandpass filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.
    Inventor: Alexandre Likhanskii
  • Patent number: 10054557
    Abstract: A method is provided of measuring the mass thickness of a target sample for use in electron microscopy. Reference data are obtained which is representative of the X-rays (28) generated within a reference sample (12) when a particle beam (7) is caused to impinge upon a region (14) of the reference sample (12). The region (14) is of a predetermined thickness of less than 300 nm and has a predetermined composition. The particle beam (7) is caused to impinge upon a region (18) of the target sample (16). The resulting X-rays (29) generated within the target sample (16) are monitored (27) so as to produce monitored data. Output data are then calculated based upon the monitored data and the reference data, the output data including the mass thickness of the region (18) of the target sample (16).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: OXFORD INSTRUMENTS NANOTECHNOLOGY TOOLS LIMITED
    Inventor: Peter Statham
  • Patent number: 10056282
    Abstract: A robot fork calibration method and system is provided. At least three non-linear arranged lower sensors are provided on a bottom surface of the fork to detect distances to a fixed detection point. The fixed detection point and a horizontal plane of the detection point define a reference coordinate system. Spatial coordinates of the lower sensors in the reference coordinate system are calculated and a plane equation as well as a tilted angle of the fork are obtained according to the spatial coordinates. Therefore, the height of the fork can be calibrated according to the Z axis coordinates of the lower sensors and the levelness of the fork can be calibrated according to the tilted angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: BEIJING NAURA MICROELECTRONICS EQUIPMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Dong Xu
  • Patent number: 10056229
    Abstract: A charged-particle beam exposure method includes providing a sample that has patterns having shot densities different from each other, using the sample to obtain pattern drift values correlated with the shot densities, and irradiating the sample with a charged-particle beam to perform an exposure process on the sample. The irradiating of the sample with the charged-particle beam is carried out while a deflection voltage, which is applied to the charged-particle beam to deflect the charged-particle beam, is corrected based on the pattern drift value corresponding to a shot density of a pattern to be formed on the sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sukjong Bae, Myoungsoo Lee, Inkyun Shin
  • Patent number: 10046460
    Abstract: A robot teaching position correcting method and system is provided. The robot is driven to move along wafer pick-and-place operation paths defined by a sequence of waypoints. Distances between the waypoint and a wafer supporter of the wafer carrier above the waypoint are detected by upper sensors provided on a top surface of the robot when the robot is positioned at the waypoint. Then, the position parameter of the waypoint is corrected accordingly, so as to ensure safe wafer handling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: BEIJING NAURA MICROELECTRONICS EQUIPMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Dong Xu
  • Patent number: 10043286
    Abstract: An apparatus for restoring a cubical object includes: a vanishing point computing part configured to compute vanishing points corresponding to an image; an image depth computing part configured to compute an image depth of a cubical object in the image; a central rectangle computing part configured to compute a central rectangle based on a representative rectangle of the image and the vanishing points; a restored rectangle computing part configured to compute a restored rectangle corresponding to the central rectangle and a projection center point using a coupled line camera (CLC) method; a cube depth computing part configured to computed a restored cubical object depth based on the central rectangle, the restored rectangle and the projection center point; and a cube restoring part configured to restore a cubical object having the restored rectangle as one surface thereof and having a depth of the restored cubical object depth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: ELECTRONICS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventor: Joo-Haeng Lee
  • Patent number: 10037864
    Abstract: The invention relates to a charged particle beam generator. The generator may comprise a high voltage shielding arrangement (201) for shielding components outside the shielding arrangement from high voltages within the shielding arrangement, and a vacuum pump (220) located outside the shielding arrangement for regulating a pressure of a space within the shielding arrangement. The generator may comprise a collimator system with a cooling arrangement (405a/407a-407b/405b) comprising cooling channels inside electrodes of the collimator system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: MAPPER LITHOGRAPHY IP B.V.
    Inventors: Alexander Hendrik Vincent Van Veen, Willem Henk Urbanus
  • Patent number: 10031427
    Abstract: Systems and apparatus for performing photolithography processes are described. The system and apparatus may comprise a slab, at least one stage disposed on the slab, and a vibration damping system disposed on the slab, the vibration damping system comprising a weight that is substantially equal to a weight of one of the at least one stage and a substrate that moves simultaneously with movement of the one of the at least one stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Benjamin M. Johnston, Jeffrey Kaskey, Thomas Laidig
  • Patent number: 10029122
    Abstract: The invention comprises a system for controlling a charged particle beam shape and direction relative to a controlled and dynamically positioned patient and/or an imaging surface, such as a scintillation plate of a tomography system and/or a first two-dimensional imaging system coupled to a second two-dimensional imaging system. Multiple interlinked beam/patient/imaging control stations allow safe zone operation and clear interaction with the charged particle beam system and the patient. Both treatment and imaging are facilitated using automated sequences controlled with a work-flow control system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Inventors: Susan L. Michaud, Stephen L. Spotts, James P. Bennett, W. Davis Lee
  • Patent number: 9995695
    Abstract: An imaging system can use high-energy electrons at a low dose level to generate 3D computed tomography images and/or 2D radiographic images of living tissue and other objects. In some embodiments, a nozzle directs a source of high-energy electrons to the imaging target, and a detector system detects physical quantities of electrons that interact with the imaging target. In some embodiments, a computer system can calculate estimated paths taken by individual electrons within the imaging target, determine interactions between voxels of a digitized image of the imaging target and individual electrons, and reconstruct a digitized image of the imaging target based at least in part on the determined interactions between individual electrons and voxels. The imaging target can include but is not limited to living tissue, humans, pediatric patients, small animals, and other objects, such as those used in industrial applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: Loma Linda University
    Inventors: Reinhard W. Schulte, Vladimir A. Bashkirov
  • Patent number: 9983489
    Abstract: A method for compensating for an exposure error in an exposure process of a lithographic apparatus that comprises a substrate table, the method comprising: obtaining a dose measurement indicative of a dose of IR radiation that reaches substrate level, wherein the dose measurement can be used to calculate an amount of IR radiation absorbed by an object in the lithographic apparatus during an exposure process; and using the dose measurement to control the exposure process so as to compensate for an exposure error associated with the IR radiation absorbed by the object during the exposure process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Christianus Wilhelmus Johannes Berendsen, Marcel Beckers, Henricus Jozef Castelijns, Hubertus Antonius Geraets, Adrianus Hendrik Koevoets, Leon Martin Levasier, Peter Schaap, Bob Streefkerk, Siegfried Alexander Tromp
  • Patent number: 9978556
    Abstract: Provided herein are approaches for controlling a charged particle beam using a series of electrodes including a plurality of different shapes. In one approach, an electrostatic optical element includes a first set of electrodes having a first electrode shape for parallelizing and deflecting the charged particle beam using a first set of electrodes having a first electrode shape, such as a concave or convex profile. The electrostatic optical element further includes a second set of electrodes adjacent the first set of electrodes for accelerating or decelerating the charged particle beam along a beamline, wherein the second set of electrodes include a cylindrical shape. In one approach, a power supply is electrically connected to the first and second sets of electrodes, the power supply arranged to enable independent voltage/current control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: William Davis Lee, Frank Sinclair
  • Patent number: 9977337
    Abstract: Provided is an exposure apparatus that exposes a pattern on a sample, the exposure apparatus including a plurality of blanking electrodes that are provided corresponding to a plurality of charged particle beams and each switch whether the corresponding particle beam irradiates the sample according to an input voltage; an irradiation control section that outputs switching signals for switching blanking voltages supplied respectively to the blanking electrodes; and a measuring section that, for each blanking electrode, measures a delay amount that is from when the switching signal changes to when the blanking voltage changes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: ADVANTEST CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shoji Kojima, Akio Yamada, Masahiro Seyama
  • Patent number: 9968905
    Abstract: Biomass (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, and municipal waste biomass) is processed to produce useful products, such as fuels. For example, systems can use feedstock materials, such as cellulosic and/or lignocellulosic materials and/or starchy or sugary materials, to produce ethanol and/or butanol, e.g., by fermentation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: XYLECO, INC.
    Inventor: Marshall Medoff
  • Patent number: 9966228
    Abstract: A multi charged particle beam apparatus includes a forming aperture array substrate, where there are formed a plurality of first openings and a plurality of second openings on the periphery of the whole plurality of first openings, each being larger than each of the plurality of first openings, to form multi-beams by the plurality of first openings, and to be able to form a plurality of calibration beams by the plurality of second openings, a shutter to select, one by one, one of the plurality of calibration beams formed by passing through the plurality of second openings, in accordance with a slide position, and a detector to detect a secondary electron including a reflected electron generated by scanning a mark by deflecting the selected calibration beam, in the state of all the multi-beams controlled to be OFF.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: NuFlare Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Osamu Iizuka
  • Patent number: 9960013
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides one embodiment of a method that includes slicing a first sub-polygon out of the pattern layout and writing the first sub-polygon onto the substrate using a beam with a first beam setting that is associated with the first sub-polygon. The method additional includes slicing a second sub-polygon out of the remaining pattern layout that does not include the first sub-polygon. The second sub-polygon interfaces with the first sub-polygon on at least one edge. Also, the method includes, without turning off the beam after writing the first sub-polygon onto the substrate, writing the second sub-polygon onto the substrate with a second beam setting that is associated with the second sub-polygon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Shih-Ming Chang
  • Patent number: 9953802
    Abstract: A method of manipulating an electron beam is disclosed. The method comprises transmitting the beam through a phase mask selected to spatially modulate a phase of the beam over a cross-section thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Ramot at Tel-Aviv University Ltd.
    Inventors: Roy Shiloh, Yossi Lereah, Ady Arie
  • Patent number: 9949425
    Abstract: An apparatus includes at least one electron beam generator for generating accelerated electrons with which bulk material particles are impingeable during free fall. The electron beam generator has an annular design in which the electrons are emitted and accelerated by an annular cathode. The electrons exit from an electron outlet window in the direction of the ring axis. The annular electron beam generator is arranged in such a way that the ring axis of the electron beam generator is oriented perpendicular to, or at an angle of up to 45° from the horizontal. The apparatus may further include a device for separating bulk material particles arranged above the annular electron beam generator, the bottom wall of said device having at least one opening out of which the bulk material particles fall and, from there, fall through the ring which is formed by the electron beam generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: FRAUNHOFER-GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FÖRDERUNG DER ANGEWANDTEN FORSCHUNG E.V.
    Inventors: Frank-Holm Rögner, André Weidauer, Gösta Mattausch, Jörg Kubusch
  • Patent number: 9934935
    Abstract: A multi charged particle beam writing apparatus includes a maximum irradiation time acquisition processing circuitry to acquire, for each shot of multi-beams, a maximum irradiation time of irradiation time of each of the multi-beams, a unit region writing time calculation processing circuitry to calculate, using the maximum irradiation time for each shot, a unit region writing time by totalizing the maximum irradiation time of each shot of a plurality of times of shots of the multi-beams which irradiate a unit region concerned during stage moving, for each unit region of a plurality of unit regions obtained by dividing a writing region of a target object, a stage speed calculation processing circuitry to calculate speed of the stage for each unit region so that the stage speed becomes variable, by using the unit region writing time and a stage control processing circuitry to variably control the stage speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: NuFlare Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Ryoichi Yoshikawa, Hideo Inoue, Hayato Kimura, Yasuo Kato, Jun Yashima
  • Patent number: 9875876
    Abstract: A charged particle beam writing apparatus according to an embodiment starts a wiring operation when the sum of the amount of shot data stored in a buffer memory of a transfer control calculator, the amount of shot data being transferred by a transfer unit, and the amount of shot data stored in a buffer memory of a deflection control circuit reaches the amount of data for one stripe region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: NuFlare Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Jun Yashima
  • Patent number: 9863032
    Abstract: Herein, an improved technique for processing a substrate is disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the technique may be achieved using a mask for processing the substrate. The mask may be incorporated into a substrate processing system such as, for example, an ion implantation system. The mask may comprise one or more first apertures disposed in a first row; and one or more second apertures disposed in a second row, each row extending along a width direction of the mask, wherein the one or more first apertures and the one or more second apertures are non-uniform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin M. Daniels, Russell J. Low, Nicholas P. T. Bateman, Benjamin B. Riordon