公开(公告)号：US20190080879A1

公开(公告)日：2019-03-14

申请号：US16126105

申请日：2018-09-10

Applicant: NUFLARE TECHNOLOGY, INC.

Inventor： Nobuo MIYAMOTO ,  Munehiro OGASAWARA

IPC: H01J37/07 ,  H01J37/317 ,  H01J37/063 ,  H01J37/09

Abstract: A charged-particle beam apparatus is provided with a cathode to emit charged particle beams, an anode to propagate the charged particle beams emitted from the cathode in a sample surface direction, an aperture to propagate a charged particle beam passing through an opening at a predetermined position and of a predetermined shape, among the charged particle beams passing through the anode, in the sample surface direction, and a first electrode that is disposed between the anode and the aperture, and is set at a first electric potential of a polarity repelling a polarity of an ion generated due to collision of a charged particle beam.

公开(公告)号：US20230154720A1

公开(公告)日：2023-05-18

申请号：US17942295

申请日：2022-09-12

Applicant: NuFlare Technology, Inc.

Inventor： Nobuo MIYAMOTO

IPC: H01J37/073 ,  H01J37/317 ,  H01J37/24

CPC classification number: H01J37/073 ,  H01J37/3177 ,  H01J37/243 ,  H01J2237/0435

Abstract: A method for estimating the cathode lifetime of an electron gun includes recording the change amount, per unit temperature increase of the cathode of an electron gun which emits an electron beam, with respect to a parameter value relating to the electron beam, to be recorded in relation to the usage time of the cathode, and estimating the lifetime of the cathode by one of estimating a time obtained by adding a predetermined time to a time at which the change amount recorded a plurality of times becomes lower than a prescribed value as the lifetime of the cathode, and estimating, using an approximate line obtained by approximating the change amount recorded a plurality of times, a time at which the change amount becomes zero as the lifetime of the cathode, and outputting the estimated lifetime.

公开(公告)号：US20220157553A1

公开(公告)日：2022-05-19

申请号：US17505008

申请日：2021-10-19

Applicant: NuFlare Technology, Inc.

Inventor： Nobuo MIYAMOTO ,  Taku YAMADA

IPC: H01J37/073 ,  H01J37/317 ,  H01J37/304

Abstract: A method for controlling operation of an electron emission source includes acquiring, while varying an emission current of an electron beam, a characteristic between a surface current of a target object at a position on the surface of the target object irradiated with the electron beam, and the emission current, calculating, based on the characteristic, first gradient values each obtained by dividing the surface current of the target object by the emission current, in a predetermined range of the emission current in the characteristic, calculating a second gradient value by dividing a surface current of the target object by an emission current in a state where the electron beam has been adjusted, and adjusting a cathode temperature to make the second gradient value in the state where the electron beam has been adjusted be in the range of the first gradient values in the predetermined range of the emission current.

公开(公告)号：US20170032926A1

公开(公告)日：2017-02-02

申请号：US15211124

申请日：2016-07-15

Applicant: NuFlare Technology, Inc.

Inventor： Nobuo MIYAMOTO

IPC: H01J37/06 ,  B08B7/00 ,  H01J37/317

CPC classification number: H01J37/06 ,  H01J37/3174 ,  H01J37/3177 ,  H01J2237/022

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method of cleaning an electron source included in an electron gun for an electron beam writing apparatus includes supplying an inert gas to an electron gun chamber, allowing the electron source to emit electrons, ionizing the inert gas with the electrons to produce ions, and removing contaminants deposited on the electron source by bombardment with the ions, and cutting off the supply of the inert gas based on a change in electron beam emission characteristic of the electron gun.

Abstract translation: 在一个实施例中，一种清洁电子束写入装置用电子枪中的电子源的方法包括向电子枪室供给惰性气体，允许电子源发射电子，使电子与惰性气体电离产生 离子，通过用离子轰击除去沉积在电子源上的污染物，并且基于电子枪的电子束发射特性的变化来切断惰性气体的供应。

公开(公告)号：US20220230834A1

公开(公告)日：2022-07-21

申请号：US17577630

申请日：2022-01-18

Applicant: NUFLARE TECHNOLOGY, INC.

Inventor： Satoshi NAKAHASHI ,  Nobuo MIYAMOTO ,  Takahito NAKAYAMA ,  Shunji SHINKAWA

IPC: H01J37/073 ,  H01J37/317

Abstract: An electron beam writing apparatus comprising, a cathode configured to emit an electron beam, a condition controller configured to change a condition under which the electron beam is emitted from the cathode in a plurality of ways, and a prediction unit configured to predict a life span of the cathode based on a temporal change in an amount of fluctuation of a beam characteristic of the electron beam to a change in the condition when the condition is changed.

公开(公告)号：US20160064174A1

公开(公告)日：2016-03-03

申请号：US14833447

申请日：2015-08-24

Applicant: NuFlare Technology, Inc.

Inventor： Nobuo MIYAMOTO

IPC: H01J29/02 ,  H01J29/48

CPC classification number: H01J29/025 ,  H01J3/027 ,  H01J3/38 ,  H01J29/02 ,  H01J29/485 ,  H01J29/92 ,  H01J29/96 ,  H01J37/065 ,  H01J2237/032 ,  H01J2237/038 ,  H01J2237/061 ,  H01J2237/31776

Abstract: An electron gun supporting member includes an insulating supporting member configured such that its one end is connected to a predetermined member having a ground potential and other end is connected to a high-voltage electrode to which a high potential being a negative high potential for emitting electrons from an electron source is applied, so as to support the high-voltage electrode, and a metal film formed in a partial region, which contacts neither the high-voltage electrode nor the predetermined member, on the outer surface of the insulating supporting member.

Abstract translation: 电子枪支撑构件包括绝缘支撑构件，其构造成使得其一端连接到具有接地电位的预定构件，并且另一端连接到高电压电极，高电位是用于发射电子的负高电位 施加电子源，以便在绝缘支撑构件的外表面上支撑高压电极和形成在部分区域中的金属膜，其也不与高压电极或预定构件接触。

公开(公告)号：US20140239200A1

公开(公告)日：2014-08-28

申请号：US14186366

申请日：2014-02-21

Applicant: NuFlare Technology, Inc

Inventor： Nobuo MIYAMOTO

IPC: H01J37/304 ,  H01J37/317

CPC classification number: H01J37/304 ,  B82Y10/00 ,  B82Y40/00 ,  H01J3/26 ,  H01J37/06 ,  H01J37/07 ,  H01J37/3174 ,  H01J2237/0653 ,  H01J2237/24585 ,  H01J2237/30461

Abstract: A cathode operating temperature adjusting method includes acquiring an approximate equation approximating a correlation between an emission current value in an electron beam source using a cathode and an operating temperature of the cathode at which a bias voltage becomes saturated at the emission current, measuring a current density of an electron beam from the cathode when in the state where an n-th emission current value and an n-th cathode operating temperature are set in the electron beam source, determining whether the measured current density is within a first tolerance range, changing the n-th emission current value to an (n+1)th emission current value when the measured current density is not within the first tolerance range, calculating an operating temperature of the cathode corresponding to the (n+1)th emission current value by the approximate equation, and setting the calculated operating temperature, as an (n+1)th cathode operating temperature, in the electron beam source.

Abstract translation: 阴极工作温度调节方法包括获取接近于使用阴极的电子束源中的发射电流值与在发射电流下偏置电压饱和的阴极的工作温度之间的相关性的近似方程，测量电流密度 当在电子束源中设置第n个发射电流值和第n个阴极操作温度的状态下，确定所测量的电流密度是否处于第一公差范围内，从而改变阴极的电子束 当测量的电流密度不在第一公差范围内时，将第n发射电流值设置为第（n + 1）个发射电流值，通过以下方式计算与第（n + 1）个发射电流值对应的阴极的工作温度： 近似等式，并将计算出的工作温度设定为电子束源中的第（n + 1）个阴极工作温度。