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: 20200395901
    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: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2019
    Publication date: December 17, 2020
    Inventors: Chelsea DuBose, Merritt Funk, Justin Moses, Kazuki Moyama, Kazushi Kaneko
  • Patent number: 10847353
    Abstract: A device monitors a pulse frequency and a duty ratio of a microwave generated by a microwave output device provided in a plasma processing apparatus. The plasma processing apparatus includes a chamber main body, the microwave output device, a wave guide tube, and a tuner. The microwave output device generates the microwave of which power is pulse-modulated. The device includes a wave detection unit and an acquisition unit. The wave detection unit detects a measured value corresponding to travelling wave power of a microwave in the wave guide tube. The acquisition unit acquires a frequency and a duty ratio of the travelling wave power on the basis of the measured value detected by the wave detection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Kazushi Kaneko, Yukinori Hanada
  • Publication number: 20200341043
    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: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2020
    Publication date: October 29, 2020
    Applicant: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Kazushi KANEKO, Yohei ISHIDA
  • Publication number: 20200341106
    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: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2020
    Publication date: October 29, 2020
    Applicant: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Kazushi KANEKO, Yohei ISHIDA
  • Patent number: 10796886
    Abstract: A detection device includes a substrate on which a connector connected to a transmission line for microwaves, a detection circuit configured to convert the microwaves inputted from the transmission line via the connector to a detection value indicating power of the microwaves, and an output port configured to output the detection value obtained by the detection circuit are disposed. The detection device further includes a housing that has a first opening and a second opening and accommodates the substrate in a state where the connector is inserted into the first opening and the output port is inserted into the second opening. The detection device further includes a first sealing member provided at the first opening of the housing to seal a periphery of the connector; and a second sealing member provided at the second opening of the housing to seal a periphery of the output port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Kazushi Kaneko, Yohei Ishida
  • Patent number: 10748746
    Abstract: A microwave output device include: a microwave generation unit configured to generate a microwave, power of the microwave being pulse-modulated such that a pulse frequency, a duty ratio, a high level, and a low level respectively corresponding to a setting pulse frequency, a setting duty ratio, high level setting power, and low level setting power given from a controller; and an output unit configured to output a microwave propagating from the microwave generation unit, wherein the microwave generation unit alternately generates a microwave having a center frequency and a bandwidth respectively corresponding to a setting frequency and a setting bandwidth given from the controller and a microwave having a single frequency peak at a center frequency corresponding to a setting frequency given from the controller, in synchronization with switching between a high level and a low level of the power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Kazushi Kaneko, Yukinori Hanada
  • Patent number: 10679826
    Abstract: A microwave control method is used in a microwave plasma processing apparatus including a microwave generation unit, a waveguide for guiding a microwave generated by the microwave generation unit, a tuner for controlling a position of a movable short-circuiting plate, and a stub provided between the tuner and an antenna in the waveguide and insertable into an inner space of the waveguide. The method includes detecting the position of the movable short-circuiting plate controlled by the tuner for the microwave outputted by the microwave generation unit, determining whether or not a difference between a reference position and the detected position of the movable short-circuiting plate is within a tolerable range, and controlling an insertion length of the stub into the inner space of the waveguide when it is determined that the difference between the position of the movable short-circuiting plate and the reference position is not within the tolerable range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Jun Yoshikawa, Naoki Matsumoto, Kazushi Kaneko
  • Patent number: 10662531
    Abstract: Disclosed is a plasma processing apparatus including a processing container, a plasma generation mechanism, a regulation unit, a detection unit, and a determination unit. The plasma generation mechanism includes a microwave oscillator, and generates plasma within the processing container using microwaves oscillated by the microwave oscillator. The regulation unit regulates an oscillation frequency, which corresponds to a frequency of the microwaves oscillated by the microwave oscillator, to a predetermined frequency. The detection unit detects the oscillation frequency regulated to the predetermined frequency by the regulation unit. The determination unit determines the success/failure of regulation of the oscillation frequency by the regulation unit, using the oscillation frequency detected by the detection unit, or using a parameter which is changed depending on a difference between the oscillation frequency and the predetermined frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Kazushi Kaneko, Yunosuke Hashimoto, Yohei Ishida
  • Publication number: 20200035462
    Abstract: A detection device includes a substrate on which a connector connected to a transmission line for microwaves, a detection circuit configured to convert the microwaves inputted from the transmission line via the connector to a detection value indicating power of the microwaves, and an output port configured to output the detection value obtained by the detection circuit are disposed. The detection device further includes a housing that has a first opening and a second opening and accommodates the substrate in a state where the connector is inserted into the first opening and the output port is inserted into the second opening. The detection device further includes a first sealing member provided at the first opening of the housing to seal a periphery of the connector; and a second sealing member provided at the second opening of the housing to seal a periphery of the output port.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2019
    Publication date: January 30, 2020
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Kazushi KANEKO, Yohei ISHIDA
  • Publication number: 20200013587
    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: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2018
    Publication date: January 9, 2020
    Applicant: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Kazushi KANEKO, Yuji ONUMA
  • Patent number: 10510513
    Abstract: Provided is a plasma processing device which processes an object to be processed using plasma. The plasma processing device includes: a processing container configured to perform a processing by the plasma therein; and a plasma generation mechanism including a high-frequency generator disposed outside the processing container to generate high-frequency waves. The plasma generation mechanism is configured to generate the plasma in the processing container using the high-frequency waves generated by the high-frequency generator. The high-frequency generator includes a high-frequency oscillator configured to oscillate the high-frequency waves and an injection unit configured to inject a signal into the high-frequency oscillator. The signal has a frequency which is the same as a fundamental frequency oscillated by the high-frequency oscillator and has reduced different frequency components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Kazushi Kaneko, Kazunori Funazaki, Hideo Kato
  • Publication number: 20190341228
    Abstract: A microwave output device include: a microwave generation unit configured to generate a microwave, power of the microwave being pulse-modulated such that a pulse frequency, a duty ratio, a high level, and a low level respectively corresponding to a setting pulse frequency, a setting duty ratio, high level setting power, and low level setting power given from a controller; and an output unit configured to output a microwave propagating from the microwave generation unit, wherein the microwave generation unit alternately generates a microwave having a center frequency and a bandwidth respectively corresponding to a setting frequency and a setting bandwidth given from the controller and a microwave having a single frequency peak at a center frequency corresponding to a setting frequency given from the controller, in synchronization with switching between a high level and a low level of the power.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2019
    Publication date: November 7, 2019
    Applicant: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Kazushi KANEKO, Yukinori HANADA
  • Publication number: 20190267216
    Abstract: In a microwave output device of an embodiment, a part of travelling wave propagating from a microwave generation unit to an output are output from a directional coupler. A first measurement unit generates an analog signal corresponding to a power of the part of the travelling wave by using diode detection, and converts the analog signal into a digital value. One or more correction coefficients associated with a set frequency and a set power of a microwave designated for the microwave output device are selected. The selected one or more correction coefficients are multiplied by the digital value, and thus a measured value is determined.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2017
    Publication date: August 29, 2019
    Applicants: Tokyo Electron Limited, TOKYO KEIKI INC.
    Inventors: Kazushi KANEKO, Yuki KAWADA, Kouichi MURAI, Takayuki USHIKUBO
  • Publication number: 20190244789
    Abstract: In a microwave output device of an embodiment, a part of a travelling wave propagating from a microwave generation unit to an output are output from a directional coupler. A first measurement unit generates an analog signal corresponding to a power of the part of the travelling wave by using diode detection, and converts the analog signal into a digital value. One or more correction coefficients associated with a set frequency, a set power, a set bandwidth of a microwave designated for the microwave output device are selected. The selected one or more correction coefficients are multiplied by the digital value, and thus a measured value is determined.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2017
    Publication date: August 8, 2019
    Applicant: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Kazushi KANEKO, Yuki KAWADA
  • Publication number: 20190148112
    Abstract: A device monitors a pulse frequency and a duty ratio of a microwave generated by a microwave output device provided in a plasma processing apparatus. The plasma processing apparatus includes a chamber main body, the microwave output device, a wave guide tube, and a tuner. The microwave output device generates the microwave of which power is pulse-modulated. The device includes a wave detection unit and an acquisition unit. The wave detection unit detects a measured value corresponding to travelling wave power of a microwave in the wave guide tube. The acquisition unit acquires a frequency and a duty ratio of the travelling wave power on the basis of the measured value detected by the wave detection unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2018
    Publication date: May 16, 2019
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Kazushi KANEKO, Yukinori HANADA
  • Publication number: 20190057844
    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: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2018
    Publication date: February 21, 2019
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Kazushi KANEKO, Yohei ISHIDA
  • Publication number: 20190057843
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a chamber main body, a microwave output device that generates a microwave having a bandwidth, a wave guide tube that is connected between the microwave output device and the chamber main body, and tuner that is provided in the wave guide tube. The microwave output device generates a microwave of which power is pulse-modulated to have a high level and a low level. The tuner includes a stub configured to be adjusted a protrusion amount with respect to an internal space of the wave guide tube, a tuner wave detection unit that detects a measured value corresponding to power of a microwave in the wave guide tube at a timing based on the pulse frequency and the setting duty ratio, and a tuner control unit that adjusts a protrusion amount of the stub on the basis of the measured value detected by the tuner wave detection unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2018
    Publication date: February 21, 2019
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Kazushi Kaneko, Kazunori Funazaki, Koji Itadani, Kensuke Fukata, Kouki Uchida
  • Patent number: 10109463
    Abstract: A microwave automatic matcher includes a movable body, a driving unit, a matching control unit, a reflection coefficient measuring unit, and a setting unit. The matching control unit consecutively moves the movable body from a start position in one direction by a distance of a difference between the start position and the target position in a matching operation carried out for the plasma process and then variably controls the position of the movable body until the measurement of the reflection coefficient obtained by the reflection coefficient measuring unit falls within the first neighboring range by monitoring the measurement of the reflection coefficient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Kazushi Kaneko, Hideo Kato, Kazunori Funazaki, Yuji Otsuka, Shinji Kawada
  • Publication number: 20180277339
    Abstract: A microwave generator of a plasma processing apparatus of an embodiment includes a first module, a second module, and a combiner. The first module includes a distributor which distributes a high-frequency electric signal, and outputs a plurality of high-frequency electric signals. A plurality of amplifier modules of the second module respectively amplify the plurality of high-frequency electric signals from the first module to output a plurality of microwaves. The combiner combines the plurality of microwaves from the plurality of amplifier modules to output a microwave. Each of the plurality of amplifier modules has a DC/DC converter and an amplifier. The DC/DC converter steps down the voltage of a first direct-current power from an external direct-current power supply to output a second direct-current power. The amplifier amplifies a high-frequency electric signal by using the second direct-current power to output a microwave.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2018
    Publication date: September 27, 2018
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Kazushi KANEKO, Yohei ISHIDA, Hajime TAMURA
  • Patent number: 10074524
    Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus (11) is provided with: a processing container (12), in which processing is performed using plasma; a plasma generating mechanism (19), which has a high frequency oscillator that oscillates high frequency, includes a high frequency generator that generates high frequency by being disposed outside of the processing container (12), and which generates plasma in the processing container (12) using the high frequency generated by means of the high frequency generator; a determining mechanism, which determines the state of the high frequency oscillator; and a notifying mechanism, which performs notification of determination results obtained from the determining mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Kazushi Kaneko, Kazunori Funazaki, Hideo Kato