Patents by Inventor Akitaka Makino

Akitaka Makino has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 7976632
    Abstract: A vacuum processing apparatus includes a transfer unit disposed at a center thereof, plural processing chambers, each processing chamber having a processing table for supporting an object to be processed and carrying out processing using a gas, and a mass flow controller unit interposed between two of the processing chambers for supplying gas to the chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Akitaka Makino, Youji Takahashi, Minoru Soraoka, Hideki Kihara, Susumu Tauchi
  • Patent number: 7833382
    Abstract: A vacuum processing apparatus comprising a transfer unit disposed at a center thereof, plural processing chambers, each processing chamber having a processing table for supporting an object to be processed and carrying out processing using a gas; and amass flow controller unit interposed between two processing chambers for supplying gas to the chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Akitaka Makino, Youji Takahashi, Minoru Soraoka, Hideki Kihara, Susumu Tauchi
  • Patent number: 7828928
    Abstract: A vacuum processing apparatus includes an outer chamber comprising a vacuum container, an inner chamber in which a plasma used for processing a wafer is generated, the inner chamber being detachably disposed inside of the outer chamber, a wafer holder on which the wafer is located is disposed inside of the inner chamber, and an exhausting device disposed below the wafer holder which exhausts the inside of the inner chamber. The inner chamber is sealed in air-tight manner with respect to a space between the inner chamber and the outer chamber while the space is maintained at a vacuum pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Akitaka Makino, Youji Takahashi, Minoru Soraoka, Hideki Kihara, Susumu Tauchi
  • Patent number: 7807581
    Abstract: The present invention provides a plasma processing apparatus or a plasma processing method that can etch a multilayer film structure for constituting a gate structure with high accuracy and high efficiency. A plasma processing method of, on processing a sample on a sample stage 112 in a depressurized discharge room 117, etching a multilayer film (including a high-k and a metal gate) at 0.1 Pa or less and with the sample stage 112 temperature-regulated by using a pressure gauge 133 to be used for pressure regulation and connected to the processing room and a main pump for exhaustion 130.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Susumu Tauchi, Akitaka Makino, Seiichi Watanabe, Naoki Yasui
  • Publication number: 20100171061
    Abstract: The invention provides a highly reliable plasma processing apparatus having stable sealing performance. The vacuum processing apparatus comprises a vacuum vessel having its inside decompressed; an opening disposed in a wall of the vacuum vessel for communicating the inside with the outside thereof and through which a sample to be processed is taken in and out; a valve body 701 disposed outside the wall for airtightly sealing or opening the opening; and a drive unit for driving the valve body to carry out the sealing or opening operation, the drive unit comprising a first member 705 coupled to an actuator 702 that moves along a substantially linear first direction as a result of operation of the actuator, a second member 706 coupled to the first member 705 that moves along a substantially linear second direction that intersects with the first direction, and the valve body 701 coupled to the second member that seals the opening as a result of the movement of the second member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2010
    Publication date: July 8, 2010
    Inventors: Susumu TAUCHI, Akitaka Makino
  • Patent number: 7674351
    Abstract: A vacuum processing apparatus that includes an inner wall member disposed inside of an outer side wall member of a vacuum container, the inner wall member surrounding a side of a sample stand on which a sample to be processed is placed and facing to a plasma generated in a chamber inside of the inner wall member. The apparatus also includes an upper member arranged in the vacuum chamber above a flange portion of the inner wall member, contacting with an upper surface of the flange portion and transmitting a force pressing downwardly in a state where the inside of the vacuum container is reduced in pressure. The inner wall member is thermally connected with a temperature adjusting device which controls a temperature of the inner wall member through the upper surface of the flange portion and the upper member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Akitaka Makino, Hideki Kihara, Susumu Tauchi
  • Patent number: 7641069
    Abstract: The invention provides a highly reliable plasma processing apparatus having stable sealing performance. The vacuum processing apparatus comprises a vacuum vessel having its inside decompressed; an opening disposed in a wall of the vacuum vessel for communicating the inside with the outside thereof and through which a sample to be processed is taken in and out; a valve body 701 disposed outside the wall for airtightly sealing or opening the opening; and a drive unit for driving the valve body to carry out the sealing or opening operation, the drive unit comprising a first member 705 coupled to an actuator 702 that moves along a substantially linear first direction as a result of operation of the actuator, a second member 706 coupled to the first member 705 that moves along a substantially linear second direction that intersects with the first direction, and the valve body 701 coupled to the second member that seals the opening as a result of the movement of the second member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2010
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Susumu Tauchi, Akitaka Makino
  • Publication number: 20090324367
    Abstract: A vacuum processing apparatus includes vacuum processing vessels each having a processing chamber with a pressure-reduced interior space, a vacuum transfer vessel which is coupled to the vacuum vessels disposed therearound and which has a low-pressure interior space in which a to-be-processed workpiece is conveyed, an atmospheric air transfer vessel which is coupled to the front side of the vacuum transfer vessel and which includes on its front face side cassette tables mounting thereon a cassette with the workpiece received therein for conveying the workpiece in an interior space under an atmospheric pressure, a position-aligning machine disposed within the atmospheric air transfer vessel at one of right and left ends for adjusting a position of the workpiece, and an adjuster disposed between lower part of this machine and a floor face for adjusting the supply of a fluid being fed to the vacuum processing vessels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2008
    Publication date: December 31, 2009
    Inventors: Masakazu Isozaki, Akitaka Makino, Shingo Kimura, Minoru Yatomi
  • Publication number: 20090214399
    Abstract: The invention provides a vacuum processing apparatus for processing a sample placed within a processing chamber in a vacuum reactor using plasma generated within the processing chamber, the apparatus comprising an atmospheric transfer chamber disposed on a front portion of the apparatus for transferring the sample under atmospheric pressure, a vacuum transfer chamber arranged on a rear side of the atmospheric transfer chamber for transferring the sample in the inner side of the chamber being vacuumed, a lock chamber disposed between and connecting the vacuum transfer chamber and the atmospheric transfer chamber, a plurality of vacuum processing units including vacuum reactors and arranged in the circumference of and connected to the vacuum transfer chamber, and a plurality of flow controllers arranged in a space below the vacuum transfer chamber or the lock chamber for controlling flow rates of a plurality of gases for processing the sample to be supplied respectively to the vacuum processing units.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2008
    Publication date: August 27, 2009
    Inventors: Minoru Yatomi, Akitaka Makino, Shingo Kimura
  • Publication number: 20090165952
    Abstract: The invention provides a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus having a high productivity per installed area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 29, 2008
    Publication date: July 2, 2009
    Inventors: Susumu Tauchi, Shingo Kimura, Minoru Yatomi, Masakazu Isozaki, Akitaka Makino
  • Publication number: 20090152242
    Abstract: The invention provides a plasma treatment apparatus or a plasma treatment method having a high productivity while maintaining a stable treatment performance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 29, 2008
    Publication date: June 18, 2009
    Inventors: Kohei Sato, Hideaki Kondo, Susumu Tauchi, Akitaka Makino
  • Publication number: 20090001052
    Abstract: A plasma processing method for processing a sample mounted on a sample stage in a decompressable processing chamber in which plasma is produced. The method includes detecting a distribution of a concentration of a substance over a surface of a sample in the processing chamber using both of (1) a result of receiving light emission of the plasma and in different directions along the surface of the sample inside the processing chamber, detecting on the respective directions a constituent of the plasma and providing outputs indicative thereof, respectively, and (2) a result of taking in gases in the processing chamber and determining a mass of a constituent of the gases, and adjusting an operation of the processing of the sample so as to adjust a distribution of the processing on the sample surface based on the detected distribution of the concentration of the substance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2008
    Publication date: January 1, 2009
    Inventors: Akitaka Makino, Koichi Mishima, Takashi Kaneko, Toyoharu Okumoto
  • Publication number: 20090000739
    Abstract: A vacuum processing apparatus comprising a transfer unit disposed at a center thereof, plural processing chambers, each processing chamber having a processing table for supporting an object to be processed and carrying out processing using a gas; and amass flow controller unit interposed between two processing chambers for supplying gas to the chambers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2008
    Publication date: January 1, 2009
    Inventors: Akitaka Makino, Youji Takahashi, Minoru Soraoka, Hideki Kihara, Susumu Tauchi
  • Publication number: 20080317581
    Abstract: A vacuum processing apparatus includes an outer chamber comprising a vacuum container, an inner chamber in which a plasma used for processing a wafer is generated, the inner chamber being detachably disposed inside of the outer chamber, a wafer holder on which the wafer is located is disposed inside of the inner chamber, and an exhausting device disposed below the wafer holder which exhausts the inside of the inner chamber. The inner chamber is sealed in air-tight manner with respect to a space between the inner chamber and the outer chamber while the space is maintained at a vacuum pressure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2008
    Publication date: December 25, 2008
    Inventors: Akitaka MAKINO, Youji Takahashi, Minoru Soraoka, Hideki Kihara, Susumu Tauchi
  • Publication number: 20080217295
    Abstract: The present invention provides a plasma processing apparatus or a plasma processing method that can etch a multilayer film structure for constituting a gate structure with high accuracy and high efficiency. A plasma processing method of, on processing a sample on a sample stage 112 in a depressurized discharge room 117, etching a multilayer film (including a high-k and a metal gate) at 0.1 Pa or less and with the sample stage 112 temperature-regulated by using a pressure gauge 133 to be used for pressure regulation and connected to the processing room and a main pump for exhaustion 130.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2007
    Publication date: September 11, 2008
    Inventors: SUSUMU TAUCHI, Akitaka Makino, Seiichi Watanabe, Naoki Yasui
  • Patent number: 7416633
    Abstract: Described is a vacuum processing apparatus that includes a vacuum container which has a processing chamber inside thereof, wherein a plasma used for processing a sample is formed inside the processing chamber. The processing chamber has an upper side wall which surrounds a space in which the plasma is formed and contacts the plasma, and a lower side wall inside of which a sample stand, supporting the sample to be processed, is arranged. A connecting portion is provided between the upper and lower side walls, and a heater is provided for heating the upper side wall. The apparatus also includes structure at the connecting portion to impede heat transfer between the upper and lower side walls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2008
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Akitaka Makino, Hideki Kihara, Susumu Tauchi
  • Publication number: 20080145193
    Abstract: A vacuum processing apparatus includes a transfer unit disposed at a center thereof, plural processing chambers, each processing chamber having a processing table for supporting an object to be processed and carrying out processing using a gas, and a mass flow controller unit interposed between two of the processing chambers for supplying gas to the chambers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2008
    Publication date: June 19, 2008
    Inventors: Akitaka Makino, Youji Takahashi, Minoru Soraoka, Hideki Kihara, Susumu Tauchi
  • Publication number: 20080066859
    Abstract: A vacuum pump exhausts gas within the processing chamber from a lower portion of a sample so as to reduce pressure within a processing chamber. The vacuum pump includes a rotary vane and a fixed vane which are arranged within a case of the vacuum pump and have a plurality of impeller blades in a coaxial manner; an exhausting port for exhausting the gas exhausted from the rotary vane outside the case; and a conducting port arranged along a lower direction of the rotary vane, into which inert gas is conducted, which are provided on a circumference thereof. An MFC (flow rate adjusting device) is arranged between a gas storage unit of the inert gas and the conducting port, for adjusting an amount of the inert gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2006
    Publication date: March 20, 2008
    Inventors: Michiaki Kobayashi, Tsutomu Nakamura, Akitaka Makino
  • Patent number: 7335277
    Abstract: A vacuum processing apparatus comprising a transfer unit disposed at a center thereof, plural processing chambers, each processing chamber having a processing table for supporting an object to be processed and carrying out processing using a gas; and a mass flow controller unit interposed between two processing chambers for supplying gas to the chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Akitaka Makino, Youji Takahashi, Minoru Soraoka, Hideki Kihara, Susumu Tauchi
  • Patent number: 7322561
    Abstract: The invention provides a highly reliable plasma processing apparatus having stable sealing performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Susumu Tauchi, Akitaka Makino