Methods are derived for measuring local strain, stress, and crystallographic texture (orientation) in polycrystalline samples when 1–10 grains are simultaneously illuminated by an energy scanable or broad-bandpass x-ray beam. The orientation and unit-cell shape for each illuminated grain can be determined from the diffracted directions of four Bragg reflections. The unit-cell volume is determined by measuring the energy (wavelength) of one reflection. The methods derived include an algorithm for simultaneously indexing the reflections from overlapping crystal Laue patterns and for determining the average strain and stress tensor of each grain. This approach allows measurements of the local strain and stress tensors which are impractical with traditional techniques.

Automated indexing for texture and strain measurement with broad-bandpass x-ray microbeams

A continuous monitoring system (100) for regulating access to a computer system or other restricted environment is disclosed. The system employs real-time face recognition (150) to initially detect the presence of an authorized individual and to grant the individual access to the computer system. In some embodiments, the system also employs real-time face recognition (150) to continuously or periodically track the continued present of the authorized individual. Access to the computer system is revoked when the individual's presence is no longer detected. In other embodiments, the system employs a screen saver program to deny access to the computer system when a predetermined period of user inactivity is detected. Other aspects of the invention include a stranger detector which warns the authorized individual of the approach of an unauthorized individual, a multimedia messaging center which permits unauthorized individuals to leave messages for authorized individuals, and an adaptive enrollment program which permits the system to update the stored video images (170) of authorized individuals to reflect the individuals' current appearance.

Continuous video monitoring using face recognition for access control

The high diffraction efficiency regime of binary gratings occurs at periodicities on the order of a wavelength in order to produce grating which diffract radiation with efficiencies of greater than 90%, a fabrication procedure is disclosed which uses halographic and very large scale integration techniques which allow fine control over the periodicity and depth parameters to produce binary planar optical elements having a ratio of λ/T greater than one (where λ equals the wavelength of an illuminating wavefront, and T equals the grating periodicity). Additionally, the disclosed process produces high optical quality diffractive elements with phase precision of as high as λ/100. These diffractive elements include laser beam multiplexers, beam profile shapers, and binary lenses which are lossless optical transfer functions.

Method of fabricating high efficiency binary planar optical elements

A charged particle beam exposure method for selectively exposing a resist layer by use of a charged particle beam to form a desired pattern, comprising the steps of repeatedly exposing a basic pattern (1) by use of a charged particle beam so as to expose a pattern within a first predetermined region (2) by a main exposure (3), where the pattern within the first predetermined region is a repetition of the basic pattern, and exposing a second predetermined region (2b, 5) by an auxiliary exposure (6) with an intensity lower than that of the main exposure. The second predetermined region excludes a central portion (2a) of the first predetermined region and includes a region in which proximity occurs due to the main exposure.

Charged particle beam exposure method

A thin-film coating apparatus for forming a metal oxide film or diffusion source film on the surface of materials to be treated. The apparatus includes a solution-dropping nozzle device including an inner tube adapted to cause a solution to flow down therethrough and an outer tube enclosing the inner tube. The inner wall of the outer tube is spaced from the outer wall of the inner tube so as to define a flow path therebetween, the flow path being adapted to supply a cleaning solution to the tip portion of the inner tube. Because the tip portion of the inner tube can be cleaned efficiently, any concentration or deposition of the dropping solution is prevented from occurring at the tip portion of the inner tube.

Thin-film coating apparatus

A method of forming a fine pattern with a charged beam, comprises steps of irradiating, with a charged beam, a predetermined region of a sample to form an exposure pattern on the sample, and irradiating, with at least one of a charged beam or an electromagnetic wave, and at a dose smaller than the dose for forming the main pattern, the entire surface of the specific pattern and nonpattern regions around the specific pattern region to perform an auxiliary exposure. The step of performing the auxiliary exposure is performed at a high voltage of, for example, more than 30 KeV so as not to change the molecular distribution along the direction of thickness of an irradiated portion of the sample.

Method of forming a fine pattern with a charged particle beam

The generation of a triangular and rectangular shaped beam is very useful in increasing throughput for writing ULSI patterns which often include many oblique lines. To make use of these shaped beams in ULSI pattern formation, a new rectangular and triangular shaped beam calibration method has been developed on the EB exposure system EX-7. The shaped beam calibration method is established by analyzing the beam current of shaped beams and the backscattered electron signal from a fine gold particle on the target. Resultant accuracies were 0.013 µm for a beam size of 1.6 µm and 0.025 %micro;m for the relative beam position on the target. Using this method, 0.2 µm ULSI patterns including oblique lines have been accurately formed.

Triangular Shaped Beam Technique in EB Exposure System EX-7 for ULSI Pattern Formation

PURPOSE:To reduce the dimensional error of a pattern by auxiliarily emitting a beam to the prescribed region in the emitting amount less than the beam emitting amount necessary to form the pattern before or after drawing an electron beam. CONSTITUTION:A sample 10 coated with a positive type resist 12 on an Si wafer 11 is prepared, an electron beam 21 is emitted in the beam emitting amount D0 necessary to selectively form a pattern on the sample 11, and a desired pattern is drawn. Then, an electron beam 22 is drawn on the entire surfaces of the pattern region and nonpattern region of the sample 10 by the beam emitting amount D2 of 20% of the emitting amount D1 necessary to form the selective pattern. Thus, the dimensional variation amount of the pattern formed by drawing and particularly the dimensional variation amount of 0.5mum line can be fallen within + or -10% of the 0.5mum pattern to sufficiently remedy the formation of the device of submicron pattern in future.

Charged beam lithography method

PURPOSE:To improve not only the rate of operation but also throughput capacity by detecting the omission of shots after comparing the number of reference shots which are required for the time of data conversion processing and the like with the number of the shots which are exposed actually. CONSTITUTION:Writing data transmitted by a calculator and the like are divided into shot figures in a shot dividing circuit 13 and the number of shots is counted in such a case. The number of the shots which are exposed actually is allowed to pass through a low pass filter 32 and its noise components are removed and are converted into pulse signals through a binary circuit 33 after detecting signals of a reflex electronic detector 26 which is mounted at a lower part of an electronic optical tube 20 are amplified by a pre-amp 31. The shot number is obtained after counting the pulse signals by a shot counter 35. The count value (the number of exposed shots) of the shot counter is transmitted to a shot number comparing circuit 36 and is compared with the number of reference shots which are transmitted from the above mentioned shot dividing circuit 13. The omission of shots caused by treatment, conversion or transmission errors, and the like is thus detected rapidly, easily and its detection is performed in real time during the wiring.

Charged particle beam lithography equipment

A new evaluation method for main-field positioning error for electron beam (E-Beam) writing systems has been developed. Main-field distortion caused by system-based main-field positioning error such as contamination charging, deflector calibration error, substrate height error and so on is the main factor impairing accuracy in E-Beam writing systems. Main-field distortion after elimination of deflection distortion is classified into four modes. The origin of main-field positioning error can be estimated by investigating the behavior of these four modes of main-field distortion. This method has been applied to the variable shaped beam (VSB), vector scanning, and continuously moving stage E-Beam system. Contamination charging problems in the final lens surface in opposition to substrate and problems in the deflector calibration method have been found. Main-field positioning error of the E-Beam system decreased from 0.1 µm to 0.04 µm after solving the above problems. The evaluation method for main-field positioning error has been proved to be very effective in accuracy improvement of E-Beam systems.

Nishimura Eiji

Papers

Method of forming a fine pattern with a charged particle beam

Triangular Shaped Beam Technique in EB Exposure System EX-7 for ULSI Pattern Formation

Charged beam lithography method

Charged particle beam lithography equipment

Main-Field Stitching Accuracy Analysis in Electron Beam Writing Systems