Patents by Inventor Kazushi Kaneko

Kazushi Kaneko 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).

  • Publication number: 20240136154
    Abstract: A frequency-variable power supply that outputs radio-frequency (RF) waves of a set frequency and includes an operation part configured to calculate a correction value according to each of a plurality of frequencies within an outputtable frequency range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2023
    Publication date: April 25, 2024
    Inventor: Kazushi KANEKO
  • Patent number: 11887816
    Abstract: There is provided a plasma processing apparatus. The apparatus comprises: a chamber body; and a power supply unit configured to output power for exciting a gas supplied to an inside of the chamber body. The power supply unit supplies, as power having a center frequency, a bandwidth, and a carrier pitch respectively corresponding to a set frequency, a set bandwidth, and a set carrier pitch that are indicated by a controller, power which is pulse-modulated so as to be a pulse frequency, a duty ratio, a high level, and a low level respectively corresponding to a set pulse frequency, a set duty ratio, a high-level set power, and a low-level set power indicated by the controller, and in which a pulse on time determined by the set pulse frequency and the set duty ratio is longer than a power fluctuation cycle of the power having the bandwidth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Kazushi Kaneko, Yohei Ishida
  • Patent number: 11721524
    Abstract: Embodiments are described herein for power generation systems and methods that use quadrature splitters and combiners to facilitate plasma stability and control. For one embodiment, a quadrature splitter receives an input signal and generates a first and second signals as outputs with the second signal being ninety degrees out of phase with respect to the first signal. Two amplifiers then generate a first and second amplified signals. A quadrature combiner receives the first and second amplified signals and generates a combined amplified signal that represents re-aligned versions of the first and second amplified signals. The power amplifiers can be combined into a system to generate a high power output to a processing chamber. Further, detectors can generate measurements used to monitor and control power generation. The power amplifiers, system, and methods provide significant advantages for high-power generation delivered to process chambers for plasma generation during plasma processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Merritt Funk, Chelsea Dubose, Justin Moses, Kazuki Moyama, Kazushi Kaneko
  • Patent number: 11587769
    Abstract: A device includes a microwave generator configured to generate a microwave having a bandwidth, an output unit, a directional coupler and a measurer. The microwave generator generates a microwave a power of which is pulse-modulated to be a High level and a Low level. A set carrier pitch is set to satisfy a preset condition. The preset condition includes a condition that a value obtained by dividing a set pulse frequency by the set carrier pitch or a value obtained by dividing the set carrier pitch by the set pulse frequency is not an integer and a condition that an ON-time of the High level is equal to or larger than 50%. The microwave generator averages a first High measurement value and a first Low measurement value in a preset moving average time longer than a sum of the ON-time of the High level at a preset sampling interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignees: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED, TOKYO KEIKI INC.
    Inventors: Yohei Ishida, Kazushi Kaneko, Hajime Tamura, Koichi Murai
  • Patent number: 11569068
    Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a microwave output unit, a wave guide tube, a tuner, a demodulation unit, and a calculation unit. The microwave output unit outputs a microwave having power corresponding to setting power while frequency-modulating the microwave in a setting frequency range. The wave guide tube guides the microwave to an antenna of a chamber main body. The tuner is provided in the wave guide tube and adjusts a position of a movable plate. The demodulation unit is provided in the wave guide tube, and acquires travelling wave power and reflected wave power for each frequency. The calculation unit calculates a frequency at which a reflection coefficient, which is calculated on the basis of the travelling wave power and the reflected wave power, for each frequency becomes a minimum point as an absorption frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Kazushi Kaneko, Takashi Hasegawa, Koji Koyama, Naoki Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 11527386
    Abstract: A microwave output device includes a microwave generator configured to generate a pulse-modulated microwave; an output unit; a first directional coupler configured to output a part of a progressive wave; and a measurement device configured to determine measurement values of High and Low levels of a power of the progressive wave. The microwave generator alternately generates a first microwave having a bandwidth and a second microwave having a single frequency peak in synchronization with switching of the High level and the Low level; averages the measurement value corresponding to the first microwave with a moving average time equal to or larger than a reciprocal of a carrier pitch; averages the measurement value corresponding to the second microwave with a moving average time less than the reciprocal of the carrier pitch; and controls the powers of High and Low levels based on the averaged measurement values and set powers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Kazushi Kaneko, Yohei Ishida
  • Publication number: 20220130643
    Abstract: There is provided a plasma processing apparatus. The apparatus comprises: a chamber body; and a power supply unit configured to output power for exciting a gas supplied to an inside of the chamber body. The power supply unit supplies, as power having a center frequency, a bandwidth, and a carrier pitch respectively corresponding to a set frequency, a set bandwidth, and a set carrier pitch that are indicated by a controller, power which is pulse-modulated so as to be a pulse frequency, a duty ratio, a high level, and a low level respectively corresponding to a set pulse frequency, a set duty ratio, a high-level set power, and a low-level set power indicated by the controller, and in which a pulse on time determined by the set pulse frequency and the set duty ratio is longer than a power fluctuation cycle of the power having the bandwidth.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2021
    Publication date: April 28, 2022
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Kazushi KANEKO, Yohei ISHIDA
  • Publication number: 20220115208
    Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a processing chamber configured to accommodate a substrate, a gas supply configured to supply a processing gas into the processing chamber, a power supply configured to supply power to the processing chamber to generate plasma such that the substrate is processed by using the generated plasma, and a control device configured to control the power supply. The control device controls the power supply to perform a process of supplying a first power including a frequency component within a first band having a first bandwidth to the processing chamber when the plasma is generated from the processing gas, and a process of supplying a second power including a frequency component within a second band having a second bandwidth smaller than or equal to the first bandwidth to the processing chamber when the substrate is processed by using the generated plasma.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2021
    Publication date: April 14, 2022
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventor: Kazushi KANEKO
  • Patent number: 11249126
    Abstract: A method includes measuring first travelling wave power of a microwave having a single frequency peak and second travelling wave power having a single frequency peak, acquiring duty ratios of the first travelling wave power and the second travelling wave power based on measured values and a first determination threshold value, measuring third travelling wave power of a microwave having a bandwidth and fourth travelling wave power having a bandwidth, acquiring duty ratios of the third travelling wave power and the fourth travelling wave power based on measured values and a second determination threshold value, approximating a pulse width error between the first travelling wave power and the third travelling wave power and a pulse width error between the second travelling wave power and the fourth travelling wave power with linear functions, and determining the correction function based on the linear functions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Kazushi Kaneko, Yohei Ishida
  • Publication number: 20220028661
    Abstract: A device includes a microwave generator configured to generate a microwave having a bandwidth, an output unit, a directional coupler and a measurer. The microwave generator generates a microwave a power of which is pulse-modulated to be a High level and a Low level. A set carrier pitch is set to satisfy a preset condition. The preset condition includes a condition that a value obtained by dividing a set pulse frequency by the set carrier pitch or a value obtained by dividing the set carrier pitch by the set pulse frequency is not an integer and a condition that an ON-time of the High level is equal to or larger than 50%. The microwave generator averages a first High measurement value and a first Low measurement value in a preset moving average time longer than a sum of the ON-time of the High level at a preset sampling interval.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2021
    Publication date: January 27, 2022
    Inventors: Yohei Ishida, Kazushi Kaneko, Hajime Tamura, Koichi Murai
  • Patent number: 11209515
    Abstract: A method includes setting a setting duty ratio of a pulse to a predefined first setting duty ratio, detecting a measured value of power of a microwave, and calculating an error of the measured value of the power with respect to the setting power level for each setting power level, calculating a correction value for the power for each setting power level on the basis of the error, and determining a first function indicating a relationship between the setting power level and the correction value by logarithmically approximating the relationship between the setting power level and the correction value, and determining the correction function indicating a relationship among the setting duty ratio, the setting power level, and the correction value by approximating the correction value defined by the first function, and the predefined correction value at a setting duty ratio of 100%, with a linear function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Kazushi Kaneko, Yohei Ishida
  • Publication number: 20210343504
    Abstract: Embodiments are described herein for power generation systems and methods that use quadrature splitters and combiners to facilitate plasma stability and control. For one embodiment, a quadrature splitter receives an input signal and generates a first and second signals as outputs with the second signal being ninety degrees out of phase with respect to the first signal. Two amplifiers then generate a first and second amplified signals. A quadrature combiner receives the first and second amplified signals and generates a combined amplified signal that represents re-aligned versions of the first and second amplified signals. The power amplifiers can be combined into a system to generate a high power output to a processing chamber. Further, detectors can generate measurements used to monitor and control power generation. The power amplifiers, system, and methods provide significant advantages for high-power generation delivered to process chambers for plasma generation during plasma processing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2021
    Publication date: November 4, 2021
    Inventors: Merritt Funk, Chelsea Dubose, Justin Moses, Kazuki Moyama, Kazushi Kaneko
  • Publication number: 20210280390
    Abstract: A microwave output device includes a microwave generator configured to generate a pulse-modulated microwave; an output unit; a first directional coupler configured to output a part of a progressive wave; and a measurement device configured to determine measurement values of High and Low levels of a power of the progressive wave. The microwave generator alternately generates a first microwave having a bandwidth and a second microwave having a single frequency peak in synchronization with switching of the High level and the Low level; averages the measurement value corresponding to the first microwave with a moving average time equal to or larger than a reciprocal of a carrier pitch; averages the measurement value corresponding to the second microwave with a moving average time less than the reciprocal of the carrier pitch; and controls the powers of High and Low levels based on the averaged measurement values and set powers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2021
    Publication date: September 9, 2021
    Inventors: Kazushi Kaneko, Yohei Ishida
  • Patent number: 11094507
    Abstract: Embodiments are described herein for power generation systems and methods that use quadrature splitters and combiners to facilitate plasma stability and control. For one embodiment, a quadrature splitter receives an input signal and generates a first and second signals as outputs with the second signal being ninety degrees out of phase with respect to the first signal. Two amplifiers then generate a first and second amplified signals. A quadrature combiner receives the first and second amplified signals and generates a combined amplified signal that represents re-aligned versions of the first and second amplified signals. The power amplifiers can be combined into a system to generate a high power output to a processing chamber. Further, detectors can generate measurements used to monitor and control power generation. The power amplifiers, system, and methods provide significant advantages for high-power generation delivered to process chambers for plasma generation during plasma processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Merritt Funk, Chelsea DuBose, Justin Moses, Kazuki Moyama, Kazushi Kaneko
  • Patent number: 11050394
    Abstract: Embodiments are described for modules, multi-stage systems, and related methods for radio frequency (RF) power amplifiers with reduced size and weight requirements. Fluid cooling is incorporated directly into the power amplifier (PA) module design rather than requiring PA modules to be mounted on separate cooling devices. For one embodiment, a PA module includes a circuit board, RF circuit components, a ground plane, and a cooling plate having one or more cooling channels to receive a cooling fluid. The cooling channels are positioned to dissipate heat from the RF circuit components through the ground plane. For a further embodiment, the PA module also includes RF bias and power electronics within a housing for the PA module without requiring an external control board or power conversion electronics. Also disclosed are multi-stage PA systems having a plurality of PA modules that are similarly cooled using cooling channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Chelsea DuBose, Merritt Funk, Justin Moses, Kazuki Moyama, Kazushi Kaneko
  • Patent number: 11031213
    Abstract: A device includes a microwave generation unit that averages the first measured values and the second measured values at a predetermined movement average time and a predetermined sampling interval, and controls the microwave such that a value obtained by subtracting the averaged second measured value from the averaged first measured value comes close to the setting power, and in which the predetermined movement average time is 60 ?s or less, and a relationship of y?78.178x0.1775 is satisfied when the predetermined sampling interval is indicated by x, and the predetermined movement average time is indicated by y.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Kazushi Kaneko, Yuji Onuma
  • Patent number: 10971337
    Abstract: A device includes a microwave generation unit that generates a microwave having a bandwidth, an output unit, a directional coupler, and a measurement unit. The microwave generation unit generates a microwave of which power is pulse-modulated to have a high level and a low level. The measurement unit determines a first high measured value and a first low measured value respectively indicating a high level and a low level of power of travelling waves in the output unit on the basis of parts of the travelling waves output from the directional coupler. The microwave generation unit controls high level power of the pulse-modulated microwave on the basis of and averaged first high measured value and high level setting power, and controls low level power of the pulse-modulated microwave on the basis of an averaged first low measured value and low level setting power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Kazushi Kaneko, Yohei Ishida
  • Publication number: 20210027992
    Abstract: Embodiments are described herein for power generation systems and methods that use quadrature splitters and combiners to facilitate plasma stability and control. For one embodiment, a quadrature splitter receives an input signal and generates a first and second signals as outputs with the second signal being ninety degrees out of phase with respect to the first signal. Two amplifiers then generate a first and second amplified signals. A quadrature combiner receives the first and second amplified signals and generates a combined amplified signal that represents re-aligned versions of the first and second amplified signals. The power amplifiers can be combined into a system to generate a high power output to a processing chamber. Further, detectors can generate measurements used to monitor and control power generation. The power amplifiers, system, and methods provide significant advantages for high-power generation delivered to process chambers for plasma generation during plasma processing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2019
    Publication date: January 28, 2021
    Inventors: Merritt Funk, Chelsea DuBose, Justin Moses, Kazuki Moyama, Kazushi Kaneko
  • Publication number: 20210020406
    Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment includes a chamber, a microwave generator, an antenna, and a coaxial waveguide. The antenna is configured to radiate a microwave into the chamber. The coaxial waveguide is configured to cause a microwave output from the microwave generator to propagate between the microwave generator and the antenna. A diameter d of an outer circumferential surface of an inner conductor and a diameter D of an inner circumferential surface of an outer conductor of each of one or more coaxial tubes configuring the coaxial waveguide satisfy D+d?76.3 mm, d?21 mm, and D?3.71×(R+1)/log10(R). R is D/d.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2020
    Publication date: January 21, 2021
    Applicant: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Kazushi KANEKO
  • Patent number: 10879045
    Abstract: Detection accuracy of a power of a progressive wave and detection accuracy of a power of a reflection wave can be improved. In a plasma processing apparatus, a first directional coupler is provided in a first waveguide which is configured to connect a microwave generating unit and a first port of a circulator. A first detector is connected to the first directional coupler. A second port of the circulator is connected to a plasma generating unit via a second waveguide. Further, a second directional coupler is provided in a third waveguide which is configured to connect a third port of the circulator and a dummy load. A second detector is connected to the second directional coupler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Kazushi Kaneko, Koji Koyama