Patents Assigned to Kokusai Electric Corporation
  • Patent number: 11935762
    Abstract: There is provided a technique that includes: a first processing module including a first process container in which at least one substrate is processed, a first utility system including a first supply system which supplies a first processing gas into the first process container and a surface of the first utility system is connected or arranged close to the first processing module; and a first vacuum pump arranged at the same level as a first exhaust port of the first process container. The first vacuum pump exhausts an inside of the first process container and includes a first intake port formed laterally at a position substantially facing the first exhaust port of the first process container. A first exhaust pipe configured to substantially linearly bring the first exhaust port into fluid communication with the first intake port and including a first valve installed in a flow path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: KOKUSAI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Daigi Kamimura, Tomoshi Taniyama, Kenji Shirako, Hironori Shimada, Akira Horii, Takayuki Nakada, Norihiro Yamashima
  • Patent number: 11935742
    Abstract: There is provided a technique that includes: (a) forming a film formation suppression layer on a surface of a first material of a concave portion of the substrate, by supplying a precursor to the substrate provided with the concave portion on a surface of the substrate to adsorb at least a portion of a molecular structure of molecules constituting the precursor on the surface of the first material of the concave portion, the concave portion having a top surface and a side surface composed of the first material containing a first element and a bottom surface composed of a second material containing a second element; and (b) growing a film on a surface of the second material of the concave portion by supplying a film-forming material to the substrate having the film formation suppression layer formed on the surface of the first material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: KOKUSAI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshitomo Hashimoto, Kimihiko Nakatani, Takayuki Waseda
  • Publication number: 20240087946
    Abstract: There is provided a technique that includes: a substrate mounting table vertically movable and incorporating a heating mechanism; a process chamber divided by the substrate mounting table into a process region where a substrate is processed and a transfer region where transfer of the substrate is performed; a cooling gas supply system that supplies a cooling gas into the process chamber; a cleaning gas supply system that supplies a cleaning gas into the process chamber; an exhaust system that exhausts the process chamber; a controller capable of controlling the substrate mounting table, the cooling gas supply system, the cleaning gas supply system, and the exhaust system to perform: supplying the cooling gas into the process chamber in a state where the substrate mounting table is moved below the process region; and supplying the cleaning gas into the process chamber at a temperature lower than a temperature during substrate processing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2023
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Applicant: KOKUSAI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshitomo HASHIMOTO, Naofumi OHASHI
  • Publication number: 20240087937
    Abstract: According to the present disclosure, there is provided a technique capable of suppressing an erroneous detection of a presence or absence of a substrate caused by a light receiver receiving a specularly reflected light. There is provided a technique that includes: a holding structure provided with a placing surface capable of accommodating a substrate thereon; a light detector including: a light emitter arranged to irradiate an irradiation light toward a back surface of the substrate placed on the placing surface; and a light receiver arranged to be capable of receiving a diffusely reflected light of the irradiation light irradiated from the light emitter without receiving a specularly reflected light of the irradiation light; and a controller configured to be capable of determining a presence or absence of the substrate based on a light receiving state of the light receiver.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2023
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Applicant: Kokusai Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Naoki Hara, Tomihiro Amano, Shin Hiyama
  • Patent number: 11929272
    Abstract: There is provided a technique that includes a substrate support including a support column made of metal and a plurality of supports installed at the support column and configured to support a plurality of substrates in multiple stages; a process chamber configured to accommodate the plurality of substrates supported by the substrate support; and a heater configured to heat the plurality of substrates accommodated in the process chamber, wherein the plurality of supports includes at least a contact portion configured to make contact with the plurality of substrates and made of at least one selected from the group of a metal oxide and a non-metal material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: KOKUSAI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kenichi Suzaki
  • Patent number: 11926893
    Abstract: Described herein is a technique capable of suppressing generation of particles by removing by-products in a groove of a high aspect ratio. According to one aspect of the technique, there is provided a substrate processing apparatus including: a process chamber in which a substrate is processed; and a substrate support provided in the process chamber and including a plurality of supports where the substrate is placed, wherein the process chamber includes a process region where a process gas is supplied to the substrate and a purge region where the process gas above the substrate is purged, and the purge region includes a first pressure purge region to be purged at a first pressure and a second pressure purge region to be purged at a second pressure higher than the first pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: Kokusai Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Naofumi Ohashi, Tetsuaki Inada
  • Publication number: 20240076780
    Abstract: Described herein is a technique capable of adjusting an inner pressure of a process chamber into a high vacuum state in a short time. According to one aspect of the technique, there is provided a substrate processing apparatus including: a pressure sensor; a first exhaust line including a first pipe and a first valve provided thereat; a second exhaust line including a second pipe and a second valve provided thereat; and a controller for adjusting an inner pressure of a process chamber by performing: (a) reducing the inner pressure, based on information from the pressure sensor, from an atmospheric pressure to a vacuum pressure by using the first exhaust line and the second exhaust line; and (b) adjusting either an opening degree of the first valve or the second valve by switching an exhaust path between the first exhaust line and the second exhaust line according to the process pressure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2023
    Publication date: March 7, 2024
    Applicant: KOKUSAI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masamichi YACHI, Takayuki NAKADA
  • Patent number: 11923188
    Abstract: There is included providing a substrate in a process chamber; and forming a film on the substrate in the process chamber by supplying an inert gas from a first supplier, supplying a first processing gas from a second supplier, and supplying an inert gas from a third supplier to the substrate, the third supplier being installed at an opposite side of the first supplier with respect to a straight line that passes through the second supplier and a center of the substrate and is interposed between the first supplier and the third supplier, to the substrate, wherein in the film, a substrate in-plane film thickness distribution of the film is adjusted by controlling a balance between a flow rate of the inert gas supplied from the first supplier and a flow rate of the inert gas supplied from the third supplier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: KOKUSAI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takeo Hanashima
  • Patent number: 11923191
    Abstract: A substrate processing technique including: (a) modifying a first base surface of a substrate by supplying a first modifier and a second modifier to the substrate having a surface on which the first base and a second base are exposed, wherein the first modifier contains one or more atoms to which at least one first functional group and at least one second functional group are directly bonded, wherein the second modifier contains an atom to which at least one first functional group and at least one second functional group are directly bonded, and wherein the number of the at least one first functional group contained in one molecule of the second modifier is smaller than the number of the at least one first functional group contained in one molecule of the first modifier; and (b) forming a film on a second base surface by supplying film-forming gas to the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Kokusai Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Shoma Miyata, Kimihiko Nakatani, Takayuki Waseda, Takashi Nakagawa, Motomu Degai
  • Patent number: 11923193
    Abstract: There is provided a technique that includes: (a) modifying a surface of a first base exposed on a surface of substrate by supplying modifying gas to the substrate including the first base and a second base exposed on the surface of the substrate; (b) selectively forming a first film on a surface of the second base by supplying first film-forming gas to the substrate after performing (a); (c) etching the first film formed on the surface of the first base to expose the surface of the first base and remodifying the surface of the first base by supplying first fluorine-containing gas to the substrate after the first film is formed on the surface of the first base after performing (b); and (d) selectively forming a second film on the first film formed on the surface of the second base by supplying second film-forming gas to the substrate after performing (c).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: KOKUSAI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kimihiko Nakatani, Motomu Degai
  • Patent number: 11923173
    Abstract: There is provided a technique capable of improving a uniformity of a substrate processing on a substrate surface. According to one aspect thereof, there is provided a substrate processing apparatus including: a substrate processing room; a plasma generation room; a gas supplier supplying a gas into the plasma generation room; a first coil surrounding the plasma generation room and to which an electric power is supplied; and a second coil surrounding the plasma generation room and to which an electric power is supplied. An axial direction of the second coil is equal to that of the first coil, a winding diameter of the second coil is different from that of the first coil, and a peak of a voltage distribution generated by supplying the electric power to the second coil does not overlap with a peak of a voltage distribution generated by the first coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Kokusai Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Teruo Yoshino, Naofumi Ohashi, Tadashi Takasaki
  • Publication number: 20240071752
    Abstract: There is provided a technique that includes: (a) modifying a surface of a first base exposed on a surface of a substrate to be terminated with a hydrocarbon group by supplying a hydrocarbon group-containing gas to the substrate having the first base and a second base exposed on the surface of the substrate; and (b) selectively forming a film on a surface of the second base by supplying an oxygen- and hydrogen-containing gas to the substrate after modifying the surface of the first base.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2023
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Applicant: KOKUSAI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takayuki WASEDA, Takashi NAKAGAWA, Kimihiko NAKATANI, Motomu DEGAI, Takao IZAKI, Yoshitomo HASHIMOTO
  • Publication number: 20240071750
    Abstract: A method of processing a substrate includes: (a) providing a substrate; (b) supplying a processing gas comprising H2O-containing radicals to the substrate; (c) supplying a gas including at least one element of Si, Ti, Mo, Al, W, Hf or Zr and a halogen element to the substrate; (d) supplying a gas including one or both of an oxygen element and a nitrogen element to the substrate after (c); and (e) repeating (c) and (d).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2023
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Applicant: KOKUSAI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi ASHIHARA, Toshiyuki KIKUCHI
  • Patent number: 11915938
    Abstract: There is provided a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, including forming a metal nitride film substantially not containing a silicon atom on a substrate by sequentially repeating: (a) supplying a metal-containing gas and a reducing gas, which contains silicon and hydrogen and does not contain a halogen, to the substrate in a process chamber by setting an internal pressure of the process chamber to a value which falls within a range of 130 Pa to less than 3,990 Pa during at least the supply of the reducing gas, wherein (a) includes a timing of simultaneously supplying the metal-containing gas and the reducing gas; (b) removing the metal-containing gas and the reducing gas that remain in the process chamber; (c) supplying a nitrogen-containing gas to the substrate; and (d) removing the nitrogen-containing gas remaining in the process chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Kokusai Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Arito Ogawa, Atsuro Seino
  • Patent number: 11913116
    Abstract: Described herein is a technique capable of improving a uniformity of a semiconductor manufacturing process by placing a substrate at an appropriate position on the basis of actual installation dimensions of a reaction tube. According to one aspect of the technique, there is provided a substrate processing apparatus including: a boat on which substrates are placed; a process furnace including a reaction tube into which the boat is to be inserted, wherein a film is formed on the substrates placed on the boat in the reaction tube; and a substrate transport device configured to transfer the substrates into the boat, wherein the substrates are transferred into the boat by the substrate transport device referring to a virtual center axis of the reaction tube measured in advance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Kokusai Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Motoya Takewaki, Tomoshi Taniyama
  • Patent number: 11915927
    Abstract: Described herein is a technique capable of improving the controllability of firm thickness distribution. According to one aspect of the technique, there is provided a substrate processing apparatus including: a process chamber; a first and a second gas supply system; an exhaust system; and a controller for controlling the first and the second gas supply system and the exhaust system to form a film. The first gas supply system includes: a first and a second storage part; a first gas supply port for supplying a gas stored in the first storage part from an outer periphery toward a center of a substrate; and a second gas supply for supplying the gas stored in the second storage part from the outer periphery along a direction more inclined toward the outer periphery than a direction from the outer periphery toward the center of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Kokusai Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Okuda, Syuzo Sakurai, Yasuhiro Inokuchi, Masayoshi Minami
  • Patent number: 11908737
    Abstract: There is provided a technique that performs: (a) forming a first metal film by supplying a plurality of times a first metal-containing gas and a first reducing gas without being mixed with each other to a substrate having a concave portion in a surface of the substrate; and (b) forming a second metal film on the first metal film by supplying a plurality of times at least a second metal-containing gas and a second reducing gas different from the first reducing gas without being mixed with each other or by simultaneously supplying at least a second metal-containing gas and a second reducing gas different from the first reducing gas, to the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: KOKUSAI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Arito Ogawa
  • Patent number: 11908682
    Abstract: According to one aspect of the technique, there is provided a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, including: (a) forming a first oxide layer by modifying a surface of a substrate at a first temperature with a plasma of a first oxygen-containing gas; and (b) forming a second oxide layer thicker than the first oxide layer by heating the substrate to a second temperature higher than the first temperature and modifying the surface of the substrate, on which the first oxide layer is formed, with a plasma of a second oxygen-containing gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Kokusai Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroto Igawa, Masanori Nakayama, Katsunori Funaki, Tatsushi Ueda, Yasutoshi Tsubota, Eiko Takami, Yuichiro Takeshima, Yuki Yamakado
  • Patent number: 11905596
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus comprising: a substrate process chamber having a plasma generation space where a processing gas is plasma-excited and a substrate processing space communicating with the plasma generation space; a substrate mounting table installed inside the substrate processing space and for mounting a substrate; an inductive coupling structure provided with a coil installed to be wound around an outer periphery of the plasma generation space; a substrate support table elevating part for raising and lowering the substrate mounting table; a gas supply part for supplying the processing gas to the plasma generation space; and a controller for controlling the substrate support table elevating part, based on a power value of a high-frequency power supplied to the coil, so that the substrate mounted on the substrate mounting table is positioned at a target height according to the power value and spaced apart from a lower end of the coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: KOKUSAI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Teruo Yoshino, Takeshi Yasui, Masaki Murobayashi, Koichiro Harada, Tadashi Terasaki, Masanori Nakayama
  • Patent number: D1017561
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: KOKUSAI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hironori Shimada