X-ray apparatus and structure manufacturing method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9953799-B2
Application number	US-201514668029-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 25, 2015
Priority date	Sep 26, 2012
Publication date	Apr 24, 2018
Grant date	Apr 24, 2018

Abstract

Provided is an X-ray apparatus including: a target configured to generate an X-ray by collision of electrons or transmission of electrons; a filament configured to release the electrons to the target; a housing that has the filament therein; and a first holding member configured to hold a portion of the target disposed on an outer side of the housing on the outer side of the housing.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An X-ray apparatus, comprising:
a target configured to generate an X-ray by collision of electrons or transmission of electrons;
a filament configured to release the electrons to the target;
a housing that has the filament therein; and
a first holding member configured to hold a portion of the target on an outer side of the housing, wherein said target is disposed on the outer side of the housing.

2. The X-ray apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a second holding member configured to hold the housing.

3. The X-ray apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the second holding member is configured to movably hold the housing.

4. The X-ray apparatus according to claim 2 , further comprising a support member configured to support the first holding member and the second holding member.

5. The X-ray apparatus according to claim 4 , further comprising:
a stage apparatus configured to hold an object to which the X-ray from the target is irradiated; and
a detection device configured to detect at least a portion of the X-ray that passes through the object;
wherein the support member is configured to support the stage apparatus and the detection device.

6. The X-ray apparatus according to claim 4 , further comprising:
a stage apparatus configured to hold an object to which the X-ray from the target is irradiated;
a detection device configured to detect at least a portion of the X-ray that passes through the object;
a first driving device configured to move the support member; and
a second driving device configured to move the detection device in synchronization with the movement of the support member.

7. The X-ray apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the stage apparatus rotates the object during at least a portion of a period of X-ray irradiation of the object.

8. An X-ray apparatus, comprising:
a filament configured to release electrons;
a target configured to generate an X-ray by collision of electrons or transmission of electrons;
an electron guiding member configured to guide the electrons from the filament to the target;
a housing configured to hold the filament, the electron guiding member, and the target; and
a first holding member configured to hold a first portion of the housing,
wherein a first distance between the first portion of the housing and the target is shorter than a second distance between the first portion of the housing and the filament.

9. The X-ray apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein a third distance between the first portion of the housing and the electron guiding member is shorter than the second distance.

10. The X-ray apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein
the electron guiding member includes a plurality of electron guiding members, and
the third distance is a distance to an electron guiding member closest to the target.

11. The X-ray apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the first portion of the housing is disposed between the electron guiding member and the target.

12. The X-ray apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein
the electron guiding member includes a plurality of electron guiding members, and
the first portion of the housing is disposed between the electron guiding member closest to the target and the target.

13. The X-ray apparatus according to claim 8 , further comprising a second holding member configured to hold a second portion of the housing closer to the filament than the first portion of the housing.

14. The X-ray apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the second holding member is configured to movably hold the housing.

15. The X-ray apparatus according to claim 13 , further comprising a support member configured to support the first holding member and the second holding member.

16. The X-ray apparatus according to claim 15 , further comprising:
a stage apparatus configured to hold an object to which the X-ray from the target is irradiated; and
a detection device configured to detect at least a portion of the X-ray that passes through the object;

wherein the support member is configured to support the stage apparatus and the detection device.

17. The X-ray apparatus according to claim 15 , further comprising:
a stage apparatus configured to hold an object to which the X-ray from the target is irradiated;
a detection device configured to detect at least a portion of the X-ray that passes through the object;
a first driving device configured to move the support member; and
a second driving device configured to move the detection device in synchronization with the movement of the support member.

18. The X-ray apparatus according to claim 8 , further comprising:
the stage apparatus configured to hold the object to which the X-ray from the target is irradiated;
the detection device configured to detect at least a portion of the X-ray that passes through the object; and
the support member configured to support the stage apparatus and the detection device;

wherein the target is held so that changes in relative positions of the detection device and the target are suppressed.

19. The X-ray apparatus according to claim 18 , wherein the stage apparatus rotates the object during at least a portion of a period of X-ray irradiation of the object.

20. A structure manufacturing method comprising:
generating design information relating to a shape of the structure;
manufacturing the structure based on the design information;
measuring the shape of the manufactured structure using the X-ray apparatus as defined claim 1 ; and
comparing shape information acquired in the measuring step and the design information.

21. The structure manufacturing method according to claim 20 , further comprising implementing reworking of the structure based on a comparison result.

22. The structure manufacturing method according to claim 21 , wherein implementing reworking of the structure is manufacturing the structure based on the design information once more.

23. The structure manufacturing method according to claim 20 , wherein measuring the shape of the manufactured structure includes measuring dimensions of an outer shape of the structure.

24. An X-ray apparatus comprising:
a target configured to generate an X-ray by collision of electrons, and wherein said target has first and second end portions;
a filament configured to release the electrons to the target;
a housing that has the filament therein; and
a first holding member that extends parallel to a propagation direction of electrons that have passed through an electron guiding member, and wherein said first holding member is configured to hold the first and second end portions from an outer side of the housing.

25. The X-ray apparatus according to claim 24 , further comprising
a second holding member that is oriented orthogonal to the propagation direction of the electrons of the electron guiding member and is configured to hold the first holding member from the outer side of the housing;
wherein the second holding member and the housing make contact.

26. The X-ray apparatus according to claim 25 , wherein the second holding member includes a contact surface formed in an annular shape.

27. The X-ray apparatus according to claim 25 , further comprising a third holding member that joins to the second holding member and is configured to movably hold the housing.

28.

Assignees

• Nikon Corp
• Nikon Metrology Nv

Inventors

• Hakoda Fumihiko
• Takahashi Satoshi
• Smith Jim

Classifications

• H01J9/42

  Measurement or testing during manufacture · CPC title

• H05G1/02

  Constructional details · CPC title

• H01J35/045

  Electrodes for controlling the current of the cathode ray, e.g. control grids · CPC title

• H01J2235/163

  shaped for a particular application · CPC title

• H01J35/16 Primary

  Vessels; Containers; Shields associated therewith · CPC title