The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 16, 2026
Filed:
Dec. 16, 2021
Hitachi High-tech Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Ayumi Tomiyama, Tokyo, JP;
Masaya Yamamoto, Tokyo, JP;
Katsuhiko Kimura, Tokyo, JP;
Yoshihiro Satou, Tokyo, JP;
Hitachi High-Tech Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
Provided is a surface inspection device including a sample-driving unit that stably holds a sample irrespective of a rotation angle and that can precisely control the position of the sample relative to vertical-direction driving. The sample-driving unit has a support member that holds the sample and that can displace a sample-holding unit in the vertical direction, and a sample drive source that generates drive force for driving the sample. Based on the in-plane position and vertical-direction position of the sample as sensed by a displacement sensor while a spindle shaft is rotating, a controller calculates a different vertical-direction adjustment amount for each in-plane position of the sample and drives the sample by a first adjustment amount in the vertical direction by using a vertical driving stage. The sample-driving unit drives the sample in the vertical direction by a second adjustment amount smaller than the first adjustment amount.