Company patents

HITACHI HIGH-TECH CORPORATION

HITACHI HIGH-TECH CORPORATION's patent strategy is heavily concentrated in Material & Chemical Analysis (44.6% of its portfolio) and Electron / Ion Tubes & Discharge (32.4%), indicating a strong foundation in materials and semiconductor technologies. While Semiconductor Manufacturing Process showed rapid growth of +41.5% in 2024, suggesting an emerging focus, the significant year-over-year declines across most categories in 2025 and so far in 2026, such as Material & Chemical Analysis (-12.4% in 2025 and -60.5% so far in 2026) and Electron / Ion Tubes & Discharge (-65.7% so far in 2026), point to a potential shift in patenting priorities or a slowdown in new filings.

Patent Trend by Technology Area

Yearly patent publications since 2023

Product themes

Product-level themes inferred from filings since 2023, with category chips showing where each theme appears. Select a theme to filter the patents below.

1,709 US filings (since 2023) · 12 categories · 43 themes

Ion Implantation Control & Metrology is up +23.3% YoY. Worth a look.
Automated Liquid Handling

Systems and components designed for precise, automated manipulation, transfer, and dispensing of liquid samples and reagents, often involving pipettes, robotic arms, and specialized sample containers.

Laboratory Apparatus
Who else files here? →
393since 2023
-20.3%YoY
Ion Implantation Control & Metrology

Methods and apparatus for precise wafer positioning, ion beam uniformity, and dose monitoring during ion implantation processes in semiconductor device manufacturing.

Electron / Ion Tubes & Discharge
Who else files here? →
344since 2023
+23.3%YoY
Charged Particle Beam Optics

Techniques and devices for generating, shaping, focusing, and deflecting electron or ion beams, often involving multi-pole lenses, deflectors, and aberration correction for applications like microscopy or processing.

Electron / Ion Tubes & Discharge
Who else files here? →
316since 2023
+8.2%YoY
Advanced Etching & Patterning Control

Techniques for precise material removal, pattern shaping, and controlling etch selectivity or uniformity, often involving plasma, wet chemistry, or directed beams to achieve desired features on semiconductor substrates.

Semiconductor Manufacturing Process
Who else files here? →
301since 2023
+5.6%YoY
Advanced Biomarker Detection Assays

Methods and compositions for identifying, quantifying, or characterizing specific biological molecules (e.g., nucleic acids, proteins, metabolites, antibodies) or microbial species, often for diagnostic, prognostic, or quality control applications.

Material & Chemical Analysis
Who else files here? →
287since 2023
-40.0%YoY
Integrated Molecular Diagnostic Systems

Self-contained or modular devices designed to automate and integrate multiple steps of molecular diagnostic assays, from sample preparation to result interpretation, often for point-of-care or high-throughput applications.

Laboratory ApparatusGenetic & Microbiological Assays
Who else files here? →
236since 2023
-43.0%YoY
Plasma Process Chamber Engineering

Design and control of plasma processing chambers, including heating, gas delivery, electrode configurations, and magnetic field control for uniform and efficient material processing in semiconductor manufacturing.

Electron / Ion Tubes & Discharge
Who else files here? →
168since 2023
+3.6%YoY
RF Plasma Power Delivery

Systems and methods for delivering radio frequency (RF) power to plasma processing chambers, including impedance matching, pulse shaping, and feedback control for stable and efficient plasma generation.

Electron / Ion Tubes & Discharge
Who else files here? →
130since 2023
+43.2%YoY
Automated Visual Inspection

Systems that employ imaging and image processing to automatically detect defects, verify states, or ensure quality control in manufactured goods, printed materials, or industrial processes.

Material & Chemical Analysis
Who else files here? →
129since 2023
+7.7%YoY
In-situ Process Monitoring

Techniques and systems for real-time or near-real-time measurement and adjustment of semiconductor manufacturing parameters (e.g., temperature, etch rate, ion beam uniformity) to ensure process quality and consistency.

Semiconductor Testing
Who else files here? →
122since 2023
+20.6%YoY
Optical & Image-based Metrology

Utilizing optical systems, cameras, and image processing algorithms for precise measurement of physical dimensions, alignment, defects, and features on semiconductor wafers or packages.

Semiconductor Testing
Who else files here? →
97since 2023
0.0%YoY
Wafer Handling and Process Environment Control

Systems and methods for automated substrate transport, precise positioning, temperature regulation, and chamber environment management to ensure process stability, uniformity, and yield in semiconductor manufacturing.

Semiconductor Manufacturing Process
Who else files here? →
91since 2023
+45.5%YoY
Advanced Material Characterization

Techniques and systems for precisely measuring electrical or electromagnetic properties of materials or components, often involving specialized resonators, waveguides, or multi-range measurement systems to ensure accuracy.

Semiconductor Testing
Who else files here? →
69since 2023
+210.0%YoY
Thermal Control for Bio-Reactions

Apparatus and methods for precisely controlling temperature profiles (heating, cooling, incubation) within laboratory reaction vessels or modules to optimize biochemical processes like gene amplification or protein assays.

Laboratory Apparatus
Who else files here? →
60since 2023
-9.5%YoY
Vacuum System & Chamber Evacuation

Techniques and apparatus for achieving and maintaining vacuum conditions within charged particle and plasma processing chambers, including pump control, vacuum degree monitoring, and chamber sealing.

Electron / Ion Tubes & Discharge
Who else files here? →
56since 2023
+22.2%YoY
Nucleic Acid Capture & Prep

Methods and reagents designed to improve the specificity, efficiency, or yield of nucleic acid capture, ligation, amplification, or library preparation steps, particularly for sequencing applications or quantitative analysis.

Genetic & Microbiological Assays
Who else files here? →
38since 2023
-9.1%YoY
Conveyor Belt Design & Monitoring

Innovations in the physical structure, materials, support mechanisms, and operational monitoring of conveyor belts to improve durability, cleanliness, safety, or specific handling capabilities, including specialized drive mechanisms.

Conveying & Handling
Who else files here? →
16since 2023
+75.0%YoY
Microfluidic Lab-on-Chip Devices

Miniaturized devices that manipulate small volumes of fluids (nanoliters to picoliters) through microchannels to perform laboratory functions like mixing, separation, reaction, and detection on a single chip.

Laboratory Apparatus
Who else files here? →
16since 2023
-60.0%YoY
Rapid Isothermal Amplification

Methods and kits for amplifying nucleic acids at a constant temperature, enabling faster results and point-of-care applications, often used for pathogen or contamination detection.

Genetic & Microbiological Assays
Who else files here? →
16since 2023
-75.0%YoY
Advanced Optical Imaging & Lens Design

Development of sophisticated optical lens assemblies and computational methods to achieve high-resolution, precise, or specialized imaging, often for medical or scientific applications.

Optical Elements & Systems
Who else files here? →
15since 2023
-50.0%YoY
CRISPR-based Nucleic Acid Detection

Assays leveraging CRISPR-Cas systems (e.g., Cas12, Cas13) for highly specific and sensitive detection of target nucleic acids, often involving collateral cleavage activity or reporter molecules.

Genetic & Microbiological Assays
Who else files here? →
14since 2023
-50.0%YoY
Microbiome & Susceptibility Profiling

Techniques for identifying microorganisms, assessing their viability, quantifying their presence, profiling their metabolic activity, or determining their susceptibility to antimicrobial agents, often in complex biological or environmental samples.

Genetic & Microbiological Assays
Who else files here? →
14since 2023
-60.0%YoY
Conformal & Selective Film Deposition

Methods for depositing thin films with controlled conformality, thickness, and material properties, including selective deposition on specific areas, often using atomic layer deposition (ALD), chemical vapor deposition (CVD), or epitaxial growth.

Semiconductor Manufacturing Process
Who else files here? →
12since 2023
-33.3%YoY
Wafer Bonding & Stacked Device Inspection

Inspection and testing methods specifically designed for wafers before, during, or after bonding processes, including verification of bonding surfaces, alignment, and defect detection in multi-wafer or stacked die assemblies.

Semiconductor Testing
Who else files here? →
10since 2023
+50.0%YoY
AI for Medical Diagnostics

Utilizing machine learning, particularly deep learning, to analyze medical data such as images, sensor readings, or physiological signals for disease prediction, diagnosis, or treatment assessment.

Image ProcessingComputer VisionMachine Learning & AI
Who else files here? →
10since 2023
0.0%YoY
Metasurface & Diffractive Optics

Engineering of artificial subwavelength structures (meta-atoms) to create metasurfaces that manipulate light properties (phase, polarization, wavelength) for multi-functional optical devices.

Optical Elements & Systems
Who else files here? →
8since 2023
+200.0%YoY
Vision-Based Object & Pose Estimation

Methods and apparatus for detecting objects and determining their three-dimensional position and orientation (pose) using imagery or point cloud data, often for navigation, surveying, or environmental understanding.

Computer Vision
Who else files here? →
8since 2023
0.0%YoY
Optical 3D Surface Metrology

Techniques and systems for measuring three-dimensional shapes, depths, or surface profiles using optical principles, including diffraction, interferometry, structured light, and imaging.

Length / Distance Measurement
Who else files here? →
7since 2023
-66.7%YoY
Molecular Biomarkers for Disease

Identification and measurement of specific nucleic acid sequences (DNA, RNA), their expression levels, or epigenetic modifications (e.g., methylation) as indicators for disease presence, progression, risk, or treatment response.

Genetic & Microbiological Assays
Who else files here? →
7since 2023
0.0%YoY
On-chip Test Structuresfiltered

Integration of dedicated physical structures or built-in circuitry within semiconductor devices to enable characterization of process variations, material properties, electrical leakage, or device performance.

Semiconductor Testing
Who else files here? →
7since 2023
-66.7%YoY
Video Enhancement & Object Tracking

Methods and systems for improving the quality of video streams, generating intermediate frames, or continuously locating and following objects within a sequence of images, even under occlusion.

Image Processing
Who else files here? →
4since 2023
new
Antibody Engineering & Therapeutics

Design and modification of antibodies or antibody-derived fragments for targeted therapeutic intervention, including bispecific formats, Fc region modifications, and activatable constructs.

Material & Chemical Analysis
Who else files here? →
3since 2023
new
Video Quality & Encoding Optimization

Methods and apparatus for improving the visual fidelity, resolution, or compression efficiency of video signals, often through advanced processing, up-scaling, or neural network-based filters.

Computer Vision
Who else files here? →
3since 2023
+100.0%YoY
In Vitro Disease Modeling & Cell Engineering

Development and use of engineered biological systems, such as organ-on-a-chip devices, dynamic hydrogels, or genetically modified cells, to mimic physiological conditions, study disease mechanisms, screen compounds, or develop cell-based therapies.

Material & Chemical Analysis
Who else files here? →
3since 2023
0.0%YoY
Multi-Modal Process Monitoring

Integrated systems that combine multiple types of measurements (e.g., dimensional, thermal, strain, flow) to monitor and control industrial processes, structural integrity, or product quality.

Length / Distance Measurement
Who else files here? →
1since 2023
new
Remote Tracking and Ranging

Technologies for non-contact measurement of distance, position, or 3D properties of a target object, often involving active emission and detection of light or radio frequency waves, including target tracking.

Length / Distance Measurement
Who else files here? →
1since 2023
new
Temporary Wafer Bonding & Debonding

Methods for temporarily attaching a wafer or substrate to a carrier for thinning, dicing, or other processing, followed by controlled debonding, often using light-sensitive resins, temporary adhesives, or roughened interfaces.

Semiconductor Manufacturing Process
Who else files here? →
1since 2023
new
Magnetic Position Sensing

Methods and devices that determine the position, angle, or distance of an object by detecting changes in magnetic fields or inductive coupling.

Length / Distance Measurement
Who else files here? →
1since 2023
new
Precision Motion Metrology

Systems and methods for accurately measuring and compensating for position, orientation, and movement errors in mechanical systems, often for manufacturing, robotics, or optical alignment.

Length / Distance Measurement
Who else files here? →
1since 2023
new
Large Model Text Generation

Techniques for generating human-like text or other content using large pre-trained models, often involving prompt engineering, speculative decoding, or multi-modal inputs for content creation.

Machine Learning & AI
Who else files here? →
1since 2023
new
X-ray Tube Design & Cooling

Engineering solutions for X-ray tube components, including integrated cooling systems (e.g., oil circulation) and control mechanisms for tube voltage and current to ensure stable and safe operation.

Electron / Ion Tubes & Discharge
Who else files here? →
1since 2023
n/a
Chemical Mechanical Planarization & Wet Surface Treatment

Processes involving chemical and mechanical forces to planarize surfaces (CMP) or wet chemical treatments for cleaning, etching, or material removal, often utilizing specialized compositions, nozzles, or fluid management systems.

Semiconductor Manufacturing Process
Who else files here? →
1since 2023
n/a
Damage Detection & Structural Assessment

Automated systems using image processing and artificial intelligence to identify, classify, and assess the extent of damage to structures or objects, supporting maintenance or insurance claims.

Image Processing
Who else files here? →
1since 2023
n/a

Patents

Showing 1-10 of 14

On-chip Test Structures
Page 1 of 2
US 20210270891 A1APPLICATION
G01R31/307

Semiconductor Inspection Device

Filed:2018-06-28Pub:2021-09-02
Applicant:Hitachi High-Tech Corporation

There is provided a semiconductor inspection device capable of detecting an abnormality with high sensitivity in a failure analysis of a fine-structured device. The semiconductor inspection device includes: a sample stage 6 on which a sample is placed; an electron optical system 1 configured to radiate an electron beam to the sample; a measurement probe 3 configured to come into contact with the sample; a measurement device 8 configured to measure an output from the measurement probe; and an information processing device 9 configured to acquire a measurement value of the output from the measurement probe in response to radiation of the electron beam to the sample. The information processing device sets a timing to start the radiation of the electron beam to the sample and a timing to freeze the radiation of the electron beam, a first measurement period in which the measurement device measures the output from the measurement probe in a state where the electron beam is radiated to the sample, and a second measurement period in which the measurement device measures the output from the measurement probe after the radiation of the electron beam is frozen, and obtains the measurement value of the output from the measurement probe in response to the radiation of the electron beam to the sample from a difference between a first measurement value measured in the first measurement period and a second measurement value measured in the second measurement period.