Diffractometry Patents (Class 378/71)
  • Patent number: 11921060
    Abstract: A sample holder unit for a single-crystal X-ray structure analysis apparatus that quickly, surely and easily performs structure analysis with a crystalline sponge, the structure analysis inclusive of an operation of attaching a sample soaked in the crystalline sponge thereto, even if having no specialized knowledge, is provided. There are provided a sample holder, and an applicator comprising an opening 302 and a storing space in which the sample holder is stored, and a pull-out prevention part that selectively prevents and releases the sample holder stored in the storing space from being pulled out from the opening 302, wherein the pull-out prevention part comprises an operation part that releases pull-out prevention thereof in a state where the sample holder stored in the applicator is attached to the goniometer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Rigaku Corporation
    Inventor: Takashi Sato
  • Patent number: 11822108
    Abstract: The present invention provides a polarizing element which has an excellent antireflection function as being applied to an image display device; and a circularly polarizing plate and an image display device, each of which has a polarizing element. The polarizing element has an alignment film and an anisotropic light-absorbing film formed using a dichroic substance, in which a degree S of alignment of the anisotropic light-absorbing film is 0.92 or more, an average refractive index nave at a wavelength of 400 to 700 nm of the alignment film is 1.55 or more and less than 1.78, an in-plane refractive index anisotropy ?n at a wavelength of 550 nm of the alignment film is less than 0.10.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Yasukazu Kuwayama, Fumitake Mitobe, Yuzo Fujiki, Jun Takeda
  • Patent number: 11808721
    Abstract: Provided is an X-ray analysis apparatus including: a goniometer; a sample stage provided at a rotation center of the goniometer; an X-ray source configured to irradiate a sample with an X-ray, the sample being fixed on the sample stage; an X-ray detector configured to detect the X-ray diffracted by the sample; and an opening/closing mechanism configured to vary a width of a slit, which is formed between a pair of shielding members, by opening/closing the pair of shielding members, the opening/closing mechanism including an asymmetric control unit configured to control aperture widths of the pair of shielding members asymmetrically for one of the pair of shielding members on one side and another one of the pair of shielding members on another side depending on a rotation angle of the goniometer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: RIGAKU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takeshi Osakabe
  • Patent number: 11774380
    Abstract: A diffraction analysis device and a method for a full-field X-ray fluorescence imaging analysis are disclosed. The device includes a switching assembly, collimation assemblies, an X-ray source, an X-ray detector, a laser indicator, and a computer control system. The switching assembly combines with the collimation assemblies to achieve a functional effect that is previously achieved by two different types of devices through only one device by changing the positioning layout of the X-ray source and the X-ray detector. The full-field X-ray fluorescence imaging analysis can be realized, and the crystal phase composition information and the element distribution imaging information of the sample can be quickly obtained through the same device without scanning, which not only greatly improves the utilization rate of each assembly in the device, reduces the assemblies cost of the device, makes the device structure more compact, but also greatly improves the analysis efficiency and detection accuracy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: SICHUAN UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Yuanjun Xu, Ze He, Peng Wang, Ning Huang, Zhu An
  • Patent number: 11768323
    Abstract: A polarizer with a high degree of alignment and an image display device including the polarizer. The polarizer is formed of a polarizer-forming composition containing a liquid crystal compound, a first dichroic material, and a second dichroic material, in which the polarizer has an array structure formed of the first dichroic material and an array structure formed of the second dichroic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Wataru Hoshino, Yoshiaki Takada, Yasuhiro Ishiwata, Yuzo Fujiki, Kengo Saito
  • Patent number: 11609088
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of measuring a pattern on a substrate comprising: preparing a substrate having a relief pattern comprising organic or inorganic material; directing an excitation light to the relief pattern on the substrate to emit a fluorescent light from the relief pattern; detecting an intensity of the fluorescent light emitted from the relief pattern; and determining a volume of the relief pattern on the substrate based on the detected intensity of the fluorescent light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Inventor: Sangu Chon
  • Patent number: 11543310
    Abstract: A method for measuring a residual stress of a curved-surface bulk material includes steps of: locating a point at which a to-be-detected curved surface of a curved-surface bulk material has a highest curvature as a to-be-detected point; applying an instrument integrating an X-ray light resource and a detector, measuring the to-be-detected point by using an X-ray diffraction theory, and analyzing and calculating, in combination with a cos ? method, a strain value measured by using the instrument; and calculating, in combination with material property measurement data of the curved-surface bulk material, a curved-surface residual stress by introducing a curved-surface bulk material residual stress calculation model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: METAL INDUSTRIES RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT CENTRE
    Inventors: Zong-Rong Liu, Hsiu-An Tsai
  • Patent number: 11109828
    Abstract: A metal grid includes: a valve metal plate which includes a curved principal surface; an anodic oxide film which is formed on the principal surface of the valve metal plate; and a lattice structure which has an uneven shape periodically formed on the anodic oxide film. Further, a production method for a metal grid includes: a step of bending a principal surface of a valve metal plate including the principal surface; a step of forming an anodic oxide film on the principal surface of the valve metal plate; and a step of forming a lattice structure with a periodic uneven shape on the anodic oxide film by forming an etching mask with a periodic opening on a surface of the anodic oxide film and etching the anodic oxide film through the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.
    Inventors: Masahiro Kotani, Hiroki Kawakami
  • Patent number: 10942290
    Abstract: The present application discloses an X-ray detection system and method. The detection system includes: a beam source generator, first detectors, a second detector, a collimating device and a processor. The first detectors and the second detector are alternately arranged in a transmission direction of an object to be detected. The beam source generator emits a plurality of columns of beam signals, wherein each column of beam signals comprises a plurality of beam signals; the first detectors receive a plurality of columns of transmitted beam signals passing through the object; the collimating device performs a specificity selection from a plurality of columns of scattered beam signals passing through the object; the second detector receives scattered beam signals selected by the collimating device; and the processor determines a detection result of the object according to the plurality of columns of transmitted beam signals and the selected scattered beam signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: Nuctech Company limited
    Inventors: Li Zhang, Zhiqiang Chen, Yunda Sun, Xin Jin, Ming Chang, Xiaofei Xu
  • Patent number: 10921908
    Abstract: A stylus pen includes: a first body with a first opening at one end and a second opening at the other end; a stylus tip, at least part of which protrudes from the first opening and has conductivity; a guide portion attached to the second opening and including a cavity; and a conductive member that extends through the cavity within the first body, with one end attached to the stylus tip, and that is electrically connected to the cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: HIDEEP INC.
    Inventor: Seyeob Kim
  • Patent number: 10900913
    Abstract: An X-ray diffraction apparatus including an X-ray detector that is configured to detect diffracted X-rays diffracted from a sample when a surface of the sample is irradiated with X-rays, a counter arm which rotates around a rotation center axis set within the surface of the sample while the X-ray detector is installed on the counter arm, and a plate-like X-ray shielding member that is installed on the counter arm and rotated together with the X-ray detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: RIGAKU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takeshi Osakabe, Tetsuya Ozawa
  • Patent number: 10816487
    Abstract: A system for X-ray topography, the system includes a source assembly, a detector assembly, a filter and a processor. The source assembly is configured to direct at least an X-ray beam to impinge, at an angle, on a first surface of a sample, the X-ray beam is divergent when impinging on the first surface. The detector assembly is configured to detect the X-ray beam that had entered the sample at the first surface, diffracted while passing through the sample and exited the sample at a second surface that is opposite to the first surface, and to produce an electrical signal in response to the detected X-ray beam. The filter is mounted between the source assembly and the first surface, and is configured to attenuate an intensity of a selected spectral portion of the X-ray beam. The processor is configured to detect one or more defects in the sample based on the electrical signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: BRUKER TECHNOLOGIES LTD.
    Inventors: Kevin Monroe Matney, Oliver Whear, Richard Thake Bytheway, John Leonard Wall, Matthew Wormington
  • Patent number: 10753869
    Abstract: In one aspect, embodiments disclosed herein relate to a lens-free imaging system. The lens-free imaging system includes: an image sampler, a radiation source, a mask disposed between the image sampler and a scene, and an image sampler processor. The image sampler processor obtains signals from the image sampler that is exposed, through the mask, to radiation scattered by the scene which is illuminated by the radiation source. The image sampler processor then estimates an image of the scene based on the signals from the image sampler, processed using a transfer function that relates the signals and the scene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: William Marsh Rice University
    Inventors: Ashok Veeraraghavan, Richard Baraniuk, Jacob Robinson, Vivek Boominathan, Jesse Adams, Benjamin Avants
  • Patent number: 10718726
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a method for determining the concentration of an element of a heteroepitaxial layer includes generating a reciprocal space map in Qz and Qx directions in a portion of reciprocal space describing positions of diffracted X-ray peaks of a heteroepitaxial layer and of a substrate on which the heteroepitaxial layer is positioned, determining the position of a diffracted X-ray peak of the substrate in the reciprocal space map in the Qx direction, determining the expected position of the diffracted X-ray peak of the heteroepitaxial layer in the Qx direction based on the determined position of the diffracted X-ray peak of the substrate in the Qx direction, generating a scan of the heteroepitaxial layer in a Qz direction at the expected position in the Qx direction, and determining the concentration of a constituent element of the heteroepitaxial layer based on the scan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventor: Katja Hoenes
  • Patent number: 10598615
    Abstract: A method for adjusting a primary side of an X-ray diffractometer wherein the primary side comprises a collimator, X-ray optics, an X-ray source, in particular an X-ray tube, wherein the collimator, the X-ray optics and the X-ray source are mounted directly or indirectly on a base structure, and wherein the orientation and position of the X-ray optics and the position of the X-ray source are adjusted relative to the base structure, wherein the method is characterized in that the orientation and position of the X-ray optics and the position of the X-ray tube relative to the base structure are measured and set at predetermined target values, so that with these set target values, X-ray radiation emanating from the X-ray source and conditioned by the X-ray optics is detectable at the output end of the collimator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Inventors: Andreas Kleine, Nima Bashiry, Detlef Bahr, Carsten Michaelsen
  • Patent number: 10585053
    Abstract: An X-ray diffractometer for obtaining X-ray diffraction angles of diffracted X-rays by detecting with an X-ray detector diffracted X-rays diffracted at a sample when X-rays are emitted at the sample at each angle of the angles about a center point of goniometer circles, the X-ray diffractometer having a pinhole member provided with a pinhole, the pinhole allowing X-rays diffracted from the sample to pass so that the diffracted X-rays pass through the center point of the goniometer circle, and other diffracted X-rays are shielded by the pinhole member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Assignee: RIGAKU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shintaro Kobayashi, Katsuhiko Inaba
  • Patent number: 10496321
    Abstract: The data storage system according to certain aspects can filter secondary copies of data (e.g., backups, snapshots, archives, etc.) generated by multiple client computing devices into a single, filtered, global reference copy. A reference copy may be a filtered view or representation of secondary storage data in a data storage system. A reference copy may include a data structure that includes references to a subset of secondary storage data that meets certain filtering criteria. The filtering criteria may be specified by users according to user preference. Data included in a reference copy may be stored in native format (e.g., format of the application that generated the data) and be accessible through the application associated with the data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: Commvault Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Prakash Varadharajan, Manas Bhikchand Mutha, Vinit Dilip Dhatrak, Pavan Kumar Reddy Bedadala, Hetal Kapadia
  • Patent number: 10444169
    Abstract: A method of determining the spatial orientation of a two-dimensional detector in an X-ray diffractometry system, and calibrating the detector position in response thereto, uses diffraction patterns from a powder sample collected at a plurality of detector swing angles. The overlapping of the detected patterns indicates relative errors in the detector orientation. In particular, intersection points between the different diffraction patterns may be located, and their relative locations may be used to identify errors. Such errors may be in the detector position, or they may be errors in different rotational directions, such as roll, pitch or yaw. Determination and correction of the detector orientation using this method may be part of a calibration routine for the diffractometry system. Roll error may also be determined using a single measurement with the detector at a swing angle perpendicular to the X-ray beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Inventor: Bob Baoping He
  • Patent number: 10318206
    Abstract: The data storage system according to certain aspects can filter secondary copies of data (e.g., backups, snapshots, archives, etc.) generated by multiple client computing devices into a single, filtered, global reference copy. A reference copy may be a filtered view or representation of secondary storage data in a data storage system. A reference copy may include a data structure that includes references to a subset of secondary storage data that meets certain filtering criteria. The filtering criteria may be specified by users according to user preference. Data included in a reference copy may be stored in native format (e.g., format of the application that generated the data) and be accessible through the application associated with the data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: Commvault Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Prakash Varadharajan, Manas Bhikchand Mutha, Vinit Dilip Dhatrak, Pavan Kumar Reddy Bedadala, Hetal Kapadia
  • Patent number: 10319484
    Abstract: A method of creating a computer-generated model of a portion of a nuclear reactor that is positioned between an emitter and a detector of an imaging device. The method includes transmitting energy by the detector emitter toward the containment vessel; receiving at the detector at least a portion of the energy transmitted by the emitter, the at least a portion of the energy being attenuated by a tracing agent in a tube sheet or scattered by the tubesheet of the nuclear reactor within the containment vessel; and creating a computer-generated model of the tubesheet based on the at least a portion of the energy received at the detector, the computer-generated model comprising one or more 3D images of the tubesheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: NuScale Power, LLC
    Inventor: José N. Reyes, Jr.
  • Patent number: 10195699
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to the treatment of rods made of metal, particularly to the method of reclamation of used standard length rods, such as pump rods already used in the mechanical deep-pumping extraction of oil, as well as to the product made with the help of the mentioned method. The method of remanufacturing of standard length rods includes the reheating of the rod body to a temperature favorable for the plastic treatment of the rod such as plastic deformation of the rod body under pressure. Such methods allow for the reclamation of rods of the desired geometric form and enhancement of the mechanical properties of the remanufactured rod. The technical outcome of the claimed invention consists in the reclamation of rods of the desired geometric form and enhancement of the mechanical properties of the remanufactured rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: TRC Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Eric Johnson, Donald Mike Johnson, Aleksei Averyanov, Viktor Smerdin
  • Patent number: 10176292
    Abstract: The present invention provides STING crystals. The present invention also provides STING modulators that interact with sites present in and/or defined by such crystals. The present invention also provides methods of making and using such crystals and modulators. Other aspects and/or features of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art, reading the present specification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignees: Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, The Rockefeller University, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, University of Bonn
    Inventors: Dinshaw J. Patel, Thomas Tuschl, Roger Jones, Gunther Hartmann, Winfried Barchet, Thomas Zillinger, Weiyi Wang, Pu Gao, Liang Deng, Manuel Ascano, Jr.
  • Patent number: 10079078
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for processing energy spectra of a radiation transmitted by an object irradiated by a source of ionizing radiations, in particular an X radiation, for applications in medical imaging or non-destructive inspection. The method implements a detector comprising a plurality of pixels, each pixel being able to establish a spectrum of the radiation transmitted by the object. The method makes it possible, from a plurality of spectra detected, to establish so-called corrected spectra. Each corrected spectrum is an estimation of the spectrum of a radiation, called primary radiation, transmitted by the object. The invention makes it possible to reduce the influence of the scattering, by the object, of the spectrum emitted by the source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Assignee: Commissariat A L'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives
    Inventors: Artur Sossin, Veronique Rebuffel, Joachim Tabary
  • Patent number: 10060947
    Abstract: The invention refers to a method for analyzing a defect of an optical element for the extreme ultra-violet wavelength range comprising at least one substrate and at least one multi-layer structure, the method comprising the steps: (a) determining first data by exposing the defect to ultra-violet radiation, (b) determining second data by scanning the defect with a scanning probe microscope, (c) determining third data by scanning the defect with a scanning particle microscope, and (d) com-bining the first, the second and the third data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Budach, Tristan Bret, Klaus Edinger, Thorsten Hofmann
  • Patent number: 10031286
    Abstract: A laser or nonlinear optical waveguide is presented that is formed from a core anisotropic crystal sandwiched by a cladding of anisotropic crystals of the same material but slightly rotated optical axes. The core and cladding crystals can be cut from the same crystal boule and bonded without adhesives between them. Because the crystals are anisotropic, the core and slightly skewed cladding crystals exhibit different refractive indexes to a propagating light beam. The difference in refractive indexes should be ?1.2×10?6 for mode confinement and 2d/?*Sqrt(ncore2?nclad2)?1.37 to achieve single mode operation in a square cross section, ?1 for a planar cross section. Alternative embodiments use slightly different doping amounts in crystals to achieve the difference in refractive indexes between the core and cladding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: ONYX OPTICS, INC.
    Inventors: Da Li, Helmuth E. Meissner, Stephanie K. Meissner
  • Patent number: 10001568
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an X-ray computed tomography apparatus includes an X-ray tube, collimators including through holes respectively collimating an X-ray and diffraction bodies provided in the holes respectively, diffracting the X-ray at an angle to an X-ray energy, X-ray detection elements provided at predetermined distances from the bodies, counting circuitry counting the number of photons originating from the X-ray, storage circuitry storing statistical information, corresponding to energy bins in the X-ray, concerning a count distribution of count values with positions of the elements, classification circuitry classifying the numbers of counted photons for the bins by using the information, reconstruction circuitry reconstructing a medical image to the bins based on the number of photons classified for the bins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation
    Inventor: Manabu Teshigawara
  • Patent number: 9897559
    Abstract: An X-ray diffraction system uses a two-dimensional detector to detect diffracted X-ray energy at a plurality of radial positions surrounding a sample location, the results at each position being combined to form a final diffraction image. To minimize smearing in the final image, the detector pixel intensities at each position are reapportioned among the pixel locations prior to being combined with the intensities collected at other positions. A two-dimensional pixel array space of the detector is projected onto a cylinder to form a projected pixel array space, and a virtual cylindrical detection surface representative of an ideal cylindrical detector is determined. An overlap between the pixels of the projected pixel array space and the pixels of the virtual cylindrical detection surface is determined, and pixel intensities are reapportioned accordingly. The reapportionment may include dividing each pixel space into subpixels and redistributing the subpixels among adjacent pixels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Inventors: Bob Baoping He, Olaf Meding, Christian Maurer, Christoph Ollinger
  • Patent number: 9678023
    Abstract: Provided is a method of determining a surface orientation of a single crystal wafer. The method of determining a surface orientation of a single crystal wafer using high resolution X-ray rocking curve measurement may determine a surface angle of the wafer and a direction of the surface angle using rocking curve measurement of a high resolution X-ray diffraction method and measuring a misalignment angle formed by a rotation axis of a measuring apparatus and a surface normal of the wafer and an orientation of the misalignment angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: KOREA RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND SCIENCE
    Inventors: Chang Soo Kim, Seok Min Bin
  • Patent number: 9614026
    Abstract: An electronic device includes a trigonal crystal substrate defining a (0001) C-plane. The substrate may comprise Sapphire or other suitable material. A plurality of rhombohedrally aligned SiGe (111)-oriented crystals are disposed on the (0001) C-plane of the crystal substrate. A first region of material is disposed on the rhombohedrally aligned SiGe layer. The first region comprises an intrinsic or doped Si, Ge, or SiGe layer. The first region can be layered between two secondary regions comprising n+doped SiGe or n+doped Ge, whereby the first region collects electrons from the two secondary regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: Sang Hyouk Choi, Yeonjoon Park, Glen C. King, Hyun-Jung Kim, Kunik Lee
  • Patent number: 9506880
    Abstract: A method of imaging phases in an inhomogeneous polycrystalline sample having a plurality of crystallites of at least a first crystalline component includes illuminating an illuminated area extending across a surface of a sample with substantially monochromatic X-rays incident at a Bragg-Brentano parafocussing geometry at first angle ?1 to the surface of the sample. X-rays diffracted by the sample at a second angle ?2 pass through a pinhole. The diffraction angle ?1+?2 fulfils a Bragg condition for the first crystalline component which is imaged by a detector to provide a two-dimensional image of the first crystalline component at the surface of the sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: PANALYTICAL B.V.
    Inventors: Detlef Beckers, Milen Gateshki
  • Patent number: 9494535
    Abstract: Methods and systems for performing measurements of semiconductor structures and materials based on scatterometry measurement data are presented. Scatterometry measurement data is used to generate an image of a material property of a measured structure based on the measured intensities of the detected diffraction orders. In some examples, a value of a parameter of interest is determined directly from the map of the material property of the measurement target. In some other examples, the image is compared to structural characteristics estimated by a geometric, model-based parametric inversion of the same measurement data. Discrepancies are used to update the geometric model of the measured structure and improve measurement performance. This enables a metrology system to converge on an accurate parametric measurement model when there are significant deviations between the actual shape of a manufactured structure subject to model-based measurement and the modeled shape of the structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: KLA-Tencor Corporation
    Inventors: Abdurrahman Sezginer, John Hench, Michael S. Bakeman
  • Patent number: 9110003
    Abstract: A method of X-ray diffraction illuminates a beam (4) of X-rays along an illuminated strip (16) on a surface (14) of a sample (10). The X-rays are diffracted by the sample (10) and pass through a mask (20) having a slit extending essentially perpendicularly to the strip (16). The X-rays are detected by a two-dimensional X-ray detector to measure the diffracted X-rays at different positions along the strip (16).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: PANALYTICAL B.V.
    Inventors: Detlef Beckers, Milen Gateshki
  • Patent number: 9086367
    Abstract: An X-ray intensity correction method makes the background uniform by adjusting a raster element and an X-ray diffractometer. An X-ray intensity correction method for correcting the intensity of diffracted X-rays includes the steps of focusing X-rays on a sample for correction placed at a gonio center, entering fluorescent X-rays excited by the focused X-rays into a raster element formed by polycapillaries and having a unique focal point, detecting the fluorescent X-rays having passed through the raster element; and adjusting the arrangement of the raster element so that the fluorescent X-rays can uniformly be detected regardless of the detecting position. Since fluorescent X-rays are used, it is possible to adjust the position of the raster element because if the focal point of the raster element coincides with the gonio center, the intensity becomes uniform regardless of the detected position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: RIGAKU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toru Mitsunaga, Kazuhiko Omote, Katsuhiko Inaba
  • Patent number: 9068927
    Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure relate to X-ray imaging systems. In one embodiment, the X-ray imaging system features a target configured to receive a focused electron beam from an electron emitter and emit a line source X-ray beam as a result of receiving the focused electron beam; and a monochromator crystal configured to receive the line source X-ray beam from the target and diffract only a portion of the X-rays, wherein the portion of X-rays satisfies the Bragg diffraction condition for the monochromator crystal, and wherein the monochromator crystal is oriented relative to the target such that the portion of the X-rays from the target that satisfy the Bragg condition illuminate an entire length of a surface of the monochromator crystal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Susanne Madeline Lee, Sudeep Mandal
  • Patent number: 9031201
    Abstract: An X-ray imaging apparatus includes: an X-ray source including an electron source and a target, the target having a plurality of projections, each having an emitting surface; a diffraction grating configured to diffract X rays emitted from the X-ray source; and a detector configured to detect the X rays diffracted by the diffraction grating. Electron beams output from the electron source are incident on the emitting surfaces so that X rays are emitted from the emitting surfaces and are output to the diffraction grating. The X rays emitted from the emitting surfaces are diffracted by the diffraction grating so as to form a plurality of interference patterns. The projections are arranged such that bright portions of the interference patterns overlap each other and such that dark portions thereof overlap each other. Distances from the emitting surfaces to the diffraction grating are equal to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Genta Sato
  • Publication number: 20150117610
    Abstract: Disclosed are apparatus and methods for determining overlay error in a semiconductor target. For illumination x-rays having at least one angle of incidence (AOI), a correlation model is obtained, and the correlation model correlates overlay error of a target with a modulation intensity parameter for each of one or more diffraction orders (or a continuous diffraction intensity distribution) for x-rays scattered from the target in response to the illumination x-rays. A first target is illuminated with illumination x-rays having the at least one AOI and x-rays that are scattered from the first target in response to the illumination x-rays are collected. An overlay error of the first target is determined based on the modulation intensity parameter of the x-rays collected from the first target for each of the one or more diffraction orders (or the continuous diffraction intensity distribution) and the correlation model.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2014
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Applicant: KLA-Tencor Corporation
    Inventors: Andrei Veldman, Michael S. Bakeman, Andrei V. Shchegrov, Walter D. Mieher
  • Patent number: 9001967
    Abstract: Embodiments of methods and apparatus are disclosed for obtaining a phase-contrast digital radiographic imaging system and methods for same that can include an x-ray source for radiographic imaging; a beam shaping assembly including a collimator and a source grating, an x-ray grating interferometer including a phase grating, and an analyzer grating; and an x-ray detector, where a single arrangement of the beam shaping assembly, the x-ray grating interferometer and a position of the detector is configured to provide spectral information (e.g. at least two images obtained at different relative beam energies).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Carestream Health, Inc.
    Inventors: Pavlo Baturin, Mark E. Shafer
  • Patent number: 9001969
    Abstract: An X-ray imaging system is provided with an X-ray source (11), first and second absorption gratings (31, 32), and a flat panel detector (FPD) (30), and obtains a phase contrast image of an object H by performing imaging while moving the second absorption grating (32) in x direction relative to the first absorption grating (31). The following mathematical expression is satisfied where p1? denotes a period of a first pattern image at a position of the second absorption grating (32), and p2? denotes a substantial grating pitch of the second absorption grating (32), and DX denotes a dimension, in the x-direction, of an X-ray imaging area of each pixel of the FPD (30). Here, “n” denotes a positive integer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventors: Dai Murakoshi, Takuji Tada, Toshitaka Agano, Kenji Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20150078526
    Abstract: An X-ray defraction (XRD) characterization method for sigma=3 twin defects in cubic semiconductor (100) wafers includes a concentration measurement method and a wafer mapping method for any cubic tetrahedral semiconductor wafers including GaAs (100) wafers and Si (100) wafers. The methods use the cubic semiconductor's (004) pole figure in order to detect sigma=3/{111} twin defects. The XRD methods are applicable to any (100) wafers of tetrahedral cubic semiconductors in the diamond structure (Si, Ge, C) and cubic zinc-blende structure (InP, InGaAs, CdTe, ZnSe, and so on) with various growth methods such as Liquid Encapsulated Czochralski (LEC) growth, Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE), Organometallic Vapor Phase Epitaxy (OMVPE), Czochralski growth and Metal Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition (MOCVD) growth.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2014
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Inventors: Yeonjoon Park, Hyun Jung KIM, Jonathan R. SKUZA, Kunik LEE, Glen C. KING, Sang Hyouk CHOI
  • Publication number: 20150071402
    Abstract: An X-ray imaging system includes: a micro X-ray source array formation part configured to form a micro X-ray source array by partially shielding an X-ray emitted from an X-ray source; and an X-ray detector configured to detect an X-ray transmitted through a test object. The micro X-ray source array formation part includes a plurality of gratings disposed between the X-ray source and the X-ray detector. A ratio of X-rays transmitted through all of the plurality of gratings to X-rays generated from the X-ray source varies depending on a position of an X-ray generating point on the X-ray source, and the micro X-ray source array formation part forms a micro X-ray source array of a pattern in accordance with the variation of the ratio of the transmitted X-rays.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2014
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Inventor: Soichiro Handa
  • Patent number: 8971483
    Abstract: There is provided an X-ray composite apparatus capable of performing, with one unit, X-ray CT and element analysis by fluorescent X-rays. The X-ray composite apparatus 100 includes an X-ray source 110 generating cone beam X-rays, a sample support 150 holding a sample S, collimator parts 130 and 140 capable of narrowing the cone beam X-rays to form parallel X-rays, depending on the intended use, between the X-ray source and the sample support 150, a two-dimensional detector 170 detecting the cone beam X-rays transmitted through the sample S, and a fluorescent X-ray detector 176 detecting fluorescent X-rays radiated from the sample S, and when the apparatus is used for X-ray CT, the apparatus irradiates the sample with the cone beam X-rays, while when the apparatus is used for fluorescent X-ray analysis, the apparatus irradiates the sample S with the parallel X-rays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Rigaku Corporation
    Inventors: Katsunari Sasaki, Yukihiro Hara, Kiyoshi Akiyama
  • Patent number: 8971492
    Abstract: Peak positions and integrated intensities of diffraction X-ray are determined on the basis of X-ray diffraction measurement data output from an X-ray diffractometer, the number of determined peaks of the diffraction X-ray is counted, and analysis processing is started when the counted number of peaks reaches a preset peak number. The analysis processing is repetitively executed on the basis of X-ray diffraction measurement data. The peak positions and the integrated intensities of the diffraction X-ray are determined from the X-ray diffraction measurement data obtained from the start of the measurement till the analysis processing concerned, and qualitative analysis of collating the determined peak positions and integrated intensities with standard peak card data whose data base is made in advance and searching materials contained in a measurement sample, and quantitative analysis of determining the quantities of the materials contained in the measurement sample are executed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Rigaku Corporation
    Inventors: Akito Sasaki, Keiichi Morikawa, Akihiro Himeda, Hiroki Yoshida
  • Publication number: 20150055756
    Abstract: A method of measuring a thickness of a Fe—Zn alloy phase included in the Fe—Zn alloy coating of the galvannealed steel sheet includes: an X-ray irradiation process of irradiating the galvannealed steel sheet with the incident X-rays; and an X-ray detection process of detecting the diffracted X-rays obtained in the X-ray irradiation process, derived from a ?·?1 phase, a ?1 phase, and a ? phase included in the Fe—Zn alloy coating with a crystal lattice spacing d of 1.5 ? or higher.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2013
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Inventor: Makoto Nakazawa
  • Patent number: 8923480
    Abstract: There is provided an X-ray diffraction instrument including: a two-dimensional plate-like X-ray detector; an X-ray emitter integrated with the X-ray detector so as to penetrate the plate of the X-ray detector; a cylinder-like shield to define an orientation of the X-ray emitter and to prevent X-ray leakage, the X-ray detector being attached to one open end of the cylinder-like shield; and a standard powder attachment device to attach a standard powder for X-ray diffraction measurement to a surface of an object to be measured. The X-ray diffraction instrument can perform an X-ray diffraction measurement to an object larger than the X-ray detector thereof. The invented X-ray diffraction instrument is small in size, and can perform accurate X-ray diffraction measurement of stationary immovable objects without limitation on an orientation of the measurement surface. In addition, X-ray leakage is prevented for operator safety.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yun Wang, Hisamitu Hatou, Toshikazu Kikuchi
  • Publication number: 20140376694
    Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, a substrate measurement apparatus circuit includes a light source, a detector, a data calculation unit, a mirror unit, a mirror drive unit, and a mirror drive calculation unit. The light source applies the electromagnetic waves to a measurement target substrate. The detector detects the electromagnetic waves diffracted or scattered by the application of the electromagnetic waves to the substrate. The data calculation unit processes a signal from the detector to acquire substrate information. The mirror unit includes a deflecting mirror which is adjusted to an optical condition where incident electromagnetic waves are totally reflected to control the track of the electromagnetic waves. The mirror drive unit drives the deflecting mirror in at least one of vertical, horizontal, and rotational directions. The mirror drive calculation unit calculates a drive amount to drive the deflecting mirror in at least one of the vertical, horizontal, and rotational directions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2013
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Hideaki ABE, Yasuhiko ISHIBASHI
  • Patent number: 8913718
    Abstract: A method for identifying a nano textile, including: (1) determining whether a textile belongs to a woven fabric or a non-woven fabric by appearance; and (2) when the textile is a woven fabric, determining whether the woven fabric is a nano textile according to the surface grains of the woven fabric and a finishing material for the woven fabric; or when the textile is a non-woven fabric, determining whether the non-woven fabric is a nano textile according to the fiber diameter and a fused material of the non-woven fabric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Inventors: Jun Chen, Yanguang Lu, Liuyan Yang, Juanhong Gu, Tianyu Yang, Yuqiong Tang
  • Patent number: 8908274
    Abstract: A microstructure manufacturing method includes: preparing a mold having on a front side thereof a plurality of fine structures, with conductivity being imparted to a bottom portion between the plurality of fine structures; forming a first plating layer between the plurality of fine structures by plating the bottom portion; and forming a second plating layer of larger stress than the first plating layer on the first plating layer between the plurality of fine structures, wherein the stress of the second plating layer is used to curve a back side surface of the mold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takayuki Teshima, Shinan Wang, Yutaka Setomoto, Takashi Nakamura
  • Patent number: 8903044
    Abstract: An X-ray shielding member is provided so as to confront an X-ray incident face of a sample, and a gap through which an X-ray emitted from an X-ray source is passed and irradiated to an X-ray incident face of the sample is formed between the X-ray shielding member and the X-ray incident face of the sample. A gap adjusting mechanism for moving the X-ray shielding member is further provided to move the X-ray shielding member in accordance with change of an X-ray incident angle to the sample by a goniometer, whereby the breadth of the gap formed between the X-ray shielding member and the X-ray incident face of the sample can be adjusted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Rigaku Corporation
    Inventors: Sigematsu Asano, Ichiro Tobita, Atsushi Ohbuchi, Takayuki Konya
  • Publication number: 20140314206
    Abstract: The X-ray diffraction apparatus irradiates a sample with an X-ray and performs frame photographing in each X-ray diffraction angle, and includes a control section (141) controlling the frame photographing by scanning without closing a shutter, a data acquisition section (142) acquiring detection data of each frame which has been detected by a semiconductor pixel detector in the frame photographing, a frame integration section (146) integrating the detection data which has been acquired in each scanning for each frame, and a determination section (147) determining whether the integrated detection data has a sufficient intensity or not, and the control section (141) controls so as to finish measurement when the integrated detection data has a sufficient intensity and so as to perform the scanning again when the integrated detection data does not have a sufficient intensity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2014
    Publication date: October 23, 2014
    Applicant: Rigaku Corporation
    Inventor: Shoichi YASUKAWA
  • Patent number: 8867704
    Abstract: A method for performing an X-ray diffractometry analysis of a crystalline and/or amorphous sample, by means of an optical X-ray apparatus having an X-ray source with an X-ray anode constructed from a mixed configuration of at least two metals is characterized in that an energy-dispersive semi-conductor is used for acquiring detector events from the X-rays emanating from the sample, and that X-rays diffracted or scattered by the sample with different characteristic energy lines belonging to the metals of the mixed configuration of the X-ray anode used, are acquired simultaneously during an angle scan. With this method, X-ray diffractometry analysis with multiple characteristic energy lines are possible without any need for conversion or switchover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Bruker AXS GmbH
    Inventors: Rolf Schipper, Joachim Lange