Patents Assigned to Shin-Etsu Quartz Products Co., Ltd.
  • Patent number: 7686887
    Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide a quartz glass crucible reduced in the generation of vibration occurring on the surface of a silicon melt and free from the generation of rough surface and cristobalite spots, yet capable of pulling up single crystal silicon stably and at high yield even in long-term operations; it is also an object to provide a method for producing the same. In a quartz glass crucible for pulling up single crystal silicon comprising a crucible base body having a bottom part and a straight shell part with an inner layer provided to the inner surface thereof, the quartz glass crucible is characterized by that said inner layer comprises a synthetic quartz glass layer from the lowest end to at least a height of 0.25 H; a naturally occurring quartz glass layer or a mixed layer of naturally occurring quartz glass and synthetic quartz glass extended in a range of from at least 0.5 H to 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignees: Heraeus Quarzglas GmbH & Co. KG, Shin-Etsu Quartz Products Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuo Ohama, Takayuki Togawa
  • Patent number: 7661277
    Abstract: As a jig material to use under plasma reaction for producing semiconductors, the present invention provides a quartz glass having resistance against plasma corrosion, particularly corrosion resistance against fluorine-based plasma gases, and which is usable without causing anomalies to silicon wafers; the present invention furthermore provides a quartz glass jig, and a method for producing the same. A quartz glass containing 0.1 to 20 wt % in total of two or more types of metallic elements, said metallic elements comprising at least one type of metallic element selected from Group 3B of the periodic table as a first metallic element and at least one type of metallic element selected from the group consisting of Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Sc, Y, Ti, Zr, Hf, lanthanoids, and actinoids as a second metallic element, provided that the maximum concentration of each of the second metallic elements is 1.0 wt % or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2010
    Assignee: Shin-Etsu Quartz Products Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tatsuhiro Sato, Nobumasa Yoshida, Mamoru Endo
  • Patent number: 7587912
    Abstract: The present invention refers to a method for producing a quartz glass crucible for use in pulling silicon single crystal, said crucible having at least a double-layer structure comprising a pore-free transparent inner layer and an opaque base body or outer layer having pores, characterized in that at least the base body is formed with a silica powder maintained in a gas having a mixing ratio of 0.0005 to 0.0065 kg/kg (dry gas), and a quartz glass crucible produced by said production method. The obtained crucible has an average OH group concentration of 50 ppm or lower and is capable of suppressing the vibration occurring on the surface of silicon melt during pulling the silicon single crystal. Further the obtained crucible suffers less deformation of the crucible on pulling the silicon single crystal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2009
    Assignees: Heraeus Quarzglas GmbH & Co. KG, Shin-Etsu Quartz Products Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuo Ohama, Hiroshi Matsui
  • Publication number: 20090163344
    Abstract: The invention starts from a known component of quartz glass for use in semiconductor manufacture, which component at least in a near-surface region shows a co-doping of a first dopant and of a second oxidic dopant, said second dopant containing one or more rare-earth metals in a concentration of 0.1-3% by wt. each (based on the total mass of SiO2 and dopant). Starting from this, to provide a quartz glass component for use in semiconductor manufacture in an environment with etching action, which component is distinguished by both high purity and high resistance to dry etching and avoids known drawbacks caused by co-doping with aluminum oxide, it is suggested according to the invention that the first dopant should be nitrogen and that the mean content of metastable hydroxyl groups of the quartz glass is less than 30 wtppm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2007
    Publication date: June 25, 2009
    Applicants: Heraeus Quarzglas GmbH & Co., KG, Shin-Etsu Quartz Products Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Juergen Weber, Tatsuhiro Sato, Ralf Schneider, Achim Hofmann, Christian Gebauer
  • Publication number: 20090139265
    Abstract: Problem To provide a method for manufacturing silica glass and device for manufacturing silica glass that facilitates the simple manufacture of a highly pure, bubble-free large flat-plate silica glass ingot in a short time. Solving Means In a method for manufacturing silica glass in which a silica glass powder is dropped from a powder supply device above a rotating furnace and layered in a centre portion of a furnace bottom, and then heat-fused and expanded in an outer circumferential direction of the furnace to form an ingot, the drop position and a fusion position of the silica glass powder is dispersed in the bottom portion of the furnace. The drop position of the silica glass powder is displaced from the centre portion of the bottom portion of the furnace, and the silica glass powder is preferably dispersed in the bottom portion of the furnace by the rotational movement of one or both of the powder supply device and the bottom portion of the furnace.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2008
    Publication date: June 4, 2009
    Applicants: Heraeus Quarzglas GmbH & Co., KG, Shin-Etsu Quartz Products Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Tatsuhiro Sato, Nobumasa Yoshida, Masaki Andou
  • Publication number: 20090100871
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a silica glass block is provided in which, by markedly reducing the bubbles within the silica glass block, the quality of a silica glass block can be improved, contamination of the silica glass block can be prevented, and the yield of the silica glass block can be improved. The method comprises preparing a natural or synthetic silica raw material powder, packing the silica raw material powder into a glass fusing furnace, preheat treating the silica raw material powder packed into the fusing furnace, heating and fusing the heat preheat-treated silica raw material powder, and cooling a silica glass melt fused in the fusing furnace. The silica raw material powder packed into the fusing furnace is closely packed in the packing step, and an evacuation and a rare gas or H2 gas introduction treatment is performed in the preheat treating step.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2008
    Publication date: April 23, 2009
    Applicants: HERAEUS QUARZGLAS GMBH & CO. KG, SHIN-ETSU QUARTZ PRODUCTS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jiro Sawazaki, Choji Sanada
  • Publication number: 20090098370
    Abstract: To provide a black synthetic quartz glass with a transparent layer, which has high emissivity in the far infrared region, has excellent light-shielding properties, maintains the same degree of purity as synthetic quartz glass in terms of metal impurities, has high-temperature viscosity characteristics comparable to natural quartz glass, can undergo high-temperature processing like welding, and does not release carbon from its surface; together with a method for the production thereof. A porous silica glass body containing hydroxyl groups is subjected to a gas phase reaction in a volatile organosilicon compound atmosphere at a temperature between 100° C. and 1200° C. and, following the reaction, evacuation is commenced and, on reaching a degree of vacuum exceeding 10 mmHg (1343 Pa), heating is carried out at a temperature between 1200° C. and 2000° C. to produce a compact glass body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2008
    Publication date: April 16, 2009
    Applicants: HERAEUS QUARZGLAS GMBH & CO. KG, SHIN-ETSU QUARTZ PRODUCTS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tatsuhiro Sato, Nobumasa Yoshida
  • Publication number: 20090041960
    Abstract: A rotating mold has a plurality of air channels that communicate with a cavity formed in the mold. Silica grain is deposited in the rotating mold and then formed into the shape of a crucible having a lower portion that comprises a substantially uniformly thick wall. An upper portion of the grain is formed into a substantially narrowed wall portion about the perimeter of the formed shape. The silica grain is heated, and a pump draws gas through the air channels while the silica fuses. There is a pressure drop across the narrowed wall portion. After fusing, the upper portion of the crucible, including the narrowed wall portion, is cut off.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2007
    Publication date: February 12, 2009
    Applicants: HERAEUS SHIN-ETSU AMERICA, INC., SHIN-ETSU QUARTZ PRODUCTS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Katsuhiko Kemmochi, Yasuo Ohama
  • Publication number: 20080241412
    Abstract: A member for a plasma etching device, which comprises a device substrate comprising quartz glass, aluminum, alumite or a combination thereof and, formed on the surface thereof, a coating film of yttrium oxide or YAG having a film thickness of 10 ?m or more and a variation in the thickness of 10% or less, and preferably a surface roughness (Ra) of 1 ?m or less; and a method for manufacturing the member for a plasma etching device, which comprises a step of plasma-spraying yttrium oxide or YAG to the surface of said device substrate or a step of fusing yttrium oxide or YAG with an oxyhydrogen flame, followed by coating the surface with the fused product, or a step of applying a solution containing yttrium, a yttrium compound or YAG on the above surface, followed by heating to fuse the resultant coating, or a combination of the above steps, thereby forming a coating film of yttrium oxide or YAG having a film thickness 10 ?m or more and a variation in the thickness of 10% or less, and preferably a surface roughne
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2007
    Publication date: October 2, 2008
    Applicant: Shin-Etsu Quartz Products Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kyoichi Inaki, Itsuo Araki
  • Publication number: 20080216513
    Abstract: To provide a technique with which a quartz glass jig and a doped quartz glass jig are regenerated by completely removing the impurities which are attached to the surface and the impurities which have diffused into the interior from quartz glass jigs which have been used in semiconductor production processes and then carrying out working repair and removing the contamination from the working processes as well. After use, the impurities are removed from the aforementioned quartz glass jigs in the said purification treatment process which includes a purification treatment process in which the quartz glass jigs are subjected to a purification treatment in a gaseous atmosphere which includes a halogen element at a temperature within the region above a prescribed temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2006
    Publication date: September 11, 2008
    Applicants: Heraeus Quarzglas GmbH & Co. KG, Shin-Etsu Quartz Products Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tatsuhiro Sato, Akira Fujinoki, Itsuo Araki
  • Publication number: 20080164631
    Abstract: A process for producing a transparent or opaque silica glass product including mixing a silica fine powder and a cellulose derivative and injection molding the mixture, followed by degreasing treatment and baking treatment, which is characterized in that the cellulose derivative is a cellulose derivative which causes reversible thermal gelation in an aqueous solution of at least one member selected from methyl cellulose, hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose and hydroxyethylmethyl cellulose; in producing a transparent silica glass product, the cellulose derivative is added in water heated at a gelation temperature thereof or higher, and after cooling, the formed aqueous solution is kneaded with the silica fine powder; and in producing an opaque silica glass product, the cellulose derivative is added in a silica slurry containing a silica powder and heated at a gelation temperature of the cellulose derivative or higher.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2006
    Publication date: July 10, 2008
    Applicant: Shin-Etsu Quartz Products Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Watanabe, Akira Fujinoki, Takayuki Imaizumi, Kazuhisa Hayakawa, Shingo Niinobe
  • Publication number: 20080149575
    Abstract: To provide a quartz glass tool, for silicon wafer heat treatment, having a transparent grooving face, which is free from the deposition of particles of a transition metal element foreign material derived from glass dust or diamond blade produced by breakdown of acute irregularities based on opening of very small concaves and convexes and microcracks, causes no significant change in dimension also in cleaning with hydrofluoric acid, and can maintain a high degree of cleanness even after use of a long period of time, and to provide a process for producing the same. A quartz glass tool for silicon wafer heat treatment, comprising a wafer mounting member having a grooving face formed by machining, characterized in that the whole grooving face of the wafer mounting member is transparent, the surface roughness is 0.03 to 0.3 ?m in terms of center line average roughness (Ra) and 0.2 to 3.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2006
    Publication date: June 26, 2008
    Applicant: Shin-Etsu Quartz Products Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Junichi Tsuruzoe, Shinichi Okoshi, Kunihiro Yamasaki
  • Publication number: 20080141929
    Abstract: A fused glass crucible includes a collar of doped aluminum silica that defines uppermost and outermost surfaces of the crucible. The melt line that defines the surface of molten silicon in the crucible may be substantially at the lower end of the collar or slightly above it. Crystallization of the collar makes it hard and therefore supports the remaining uncrystallized portion of the crucible above the melt line. The melt line may also be below the lower end of the collar, especially if the melt is drawn down or poured early in the process. Because there is little or no overlap or because the overlap does not last long, the doped aluminum collar is not damaged by the heat of from the melt.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2006
    Publication date: June 19, 2008
    Applicants: HERAEUS SHIN-ETSU AMERICA, INC., SHIN-ETSU QUARTZ PRODUCTS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Katsuhiko Kemmochi, Yasuo Ohama
  • Publication number: 20080113174
    Abstract: As a jig material to use under plasma reaction for producing semiconductors, the present invention provides a quartz glass having resistance against plasma corrosion, particularly corrosion resistance against fluorine-based plasma gases, and which is usable without causing anomalies to silicon wafers; the present invention furthermore provides a quartz glass jig, and a method for producing the same. A quartz glass containing 0.1 to 20 wt % in total of two or more types of metallic elements, said metallic elements comprising at least one type of metallic element selected from Group 3B of the periodic table as a first metallic element and at least one type of metallic element selected from the group consisting of Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Sc, Y, Ti, Zr, Hf, lanthanoids, and actinoids as a second metallic element, provided that the maximum concentration of each of the second metallic elements is 1.0 wt % or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Publication date: May 15, 2008
    Applicant: SHIN-ETSU QUARTZ PRODUCTS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tatsuhiro Sato, Nobumasa Yoshida, Mamoru Endo
  • Patent number: 7365037
    Abstract: As a jig material to use under plasma reaction for producing semiconductors the present invention provides a quartz glass having resistance against plasma corrosion, particularly corrosion resistance against fluorine-based plasma gases, and which is usable without causing anomalies to silicon wafers; the present invention furthermore provides a quartz glass jig, and a method for producing the same. A quartz glass containing 0.1 to 20 wt % in total of two or more types of metallic elements, said metallic elements comprising at least one type of metallic element selected from Group 3B of the periodic table as a first metallic element and at least one type of metallic element selected from the group consisting of Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Sc, Y, Ti, Zr, Hf, lanthanoids, and actinoids as a second metallic element, provided that the maximum concentration of each of the second metallic elements is 1.0 wt % or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2008
    Assignee: Shin-Etsu Quartz Products Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tatsuhiro Sato, Nobumasa Yoshida, Mamoru Endo
  • Publication number: 20080053151
    Abstract: A mixed quartz powder contains quartz powder and two or more types of doping element in an amount of from 0.1 to 20 mass %. The aforementioned doped elements include a first dope element selected from the group consisting of N, C and F, and a second dope element selected from the group consisting of Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Sc, Y, Ti, Zr, Hf, the lanthanides and the actinides. The “quartz powder” is a powder of crystalline quartz or it is a powder of glassy SiO2 particles. It is made form natural occurring quartz or it is fabricated synthetically. The “quartz powder” may be doped. The compounding ratio of the total amount (M1) of the aforementioned first elements and the total amount (M2) of the aforementioned second elements as the ratio of the number of atoms (M1)/(M2) is preferably from 0.1 to 20. Al as well as the aforementioned doped elements is preferably included in a mixed quartz powder of this invention.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2007
    Publication date: March 6, 2008
    Applicants: Heraeus Quarzglas GmbH & Co. KG, Shin-Etsu Quartz Products Co. Ltd.
    Inventor: Tatsuhiro Sato
  • Patent number: 7312170
    Abstract: The present invention provides an optical synthetic quartz glass material which substantially does not cause changes in transmitted wave surface (TWS) by solarization, compaction (TWS delayed), rarefaction (TWS progressed) and photorefractive effect when ArF excimer laser irradiation is applied at a low energy density, e.g. at energy density per pulse of 0.3 mJ/cm2 or less. The present invention further provides a method for manufacturing the same. In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the optical synthetic quartz glass material of the present invention is characterized in that, in a synthetic quartz glass prepared by a flame hydrolysis method using a silicon compound as a material, the followings are satisfied that the amount of SiOH is within a range of more than 10 ppm by weight to 400 ppm by weight, content of fluorine is 30 to 1000 ppm by weight, content of hydrogen is 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2007
    Assignees: Heraeus Quarzglas GmbH & Co. KG, Shin-Etsu Quartz Products Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Nishimura, Akira Fujinoki
  • Patent number: 7299658
    Abstract: A quartz glass crucible for use in pulling up a silicon single crystal, wherein it has, at least in the curved portion thereof, a three-layer structure comprising a transparent inner layer being composed of a synthetic quartz glass and having a low Al concentration, a transparent or nontransparent intermediate layer being composed of a natural quartz glass or a mixture of natural and synthetic quartz glasses and having a high Al concentration, and a nontransparent outer layer being composed of a natural quartz glass and having an Al concentration higher than that of the intermediate layer. The quartz glass crucible is reduced in the deformation of the transparent inner layer, and allows the suppression of the change in the amount of dissolution of the quartz glass crucible associated with the pull-up of a single crystal and the achievement of the uniform oxygen concentration in the longitudinal direction of a single crystal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2007
    Assignees: Heraeus Quarzglas GmbH & Co. K.G., Shin-Etsu Quartz Products Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuo Ohama, Takayuki Togawa, Shigeo Mizuno
  • Patent number: 7288775
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide synthetic quartz glass optical materials suitable for use in YAG of higher order harmonics. The damage threshold value in J/cm2 (energy density at which cracks occur generated by irradiation) is to be considered when synthetic quartz glass material is irradiated with YAG laser of third or higher order harmonics with single pulses or continuously. Regarding a synthetic quartz glass optical material in use for the optical parts constituting the prism and lens used in a laser beam machine, this invention provides a synthetic quartz glass material suitably used for the YAG laser with the third or higher order of harmonic, choosing the following conditions: OH group concentration is in the range of ?1 to ?300 ppm; contained hydrogen molecule concentration is in the range of ?2×1018 to ?2×1019 molecules/cm3; transmittance of ultraviolet rays at 245 nm of wavelength is 99.9% or more; and the fictive temperature is in the range of ?880 to ?990° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2007
    Assignees: Heraeus Quarzglas GmbH & Co. KG, Shin-Etsu Quartz Products Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Fujinoki, Hiroyuki Nishimura, Kunio Yoshida
  • Patent number: 7198247
    Abstract: A mandrel for producing a large quartz glass body, comprising at least two columnar or cylindrical, carbon fiber-reinforced carbon composite members and joined in series by screw thread parts, wherein preferably the contact surface of the screw thread parts of the mandrel is impregnated and/or coated with carbon, and more preferably a reinforcing member made of a C/C composite is provided on the outer periphery of the screw thread parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2007
    Assignees: Shin-Etsu Quartz Products Co., Ltd., Toyo Tanso Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshihisa Kusano, Atsuyuki Shimada, Toshiharu Hiraoka