Patents by Inventor Ken Yoshioka

Ken Yoshioka 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: 8083889
    Abstract: A plasma etching apparatus capable of performing processing with excellent in-plane uniformity on an object to be processed having a large diameter is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Go Miya, Manabu Edamura, Ken Yoshioka, Ryoji Nishio
  • Publication number: 20110297320
    Abstract: The invention aims at suppressing the self bias generated at the surface of the inner wall of the vacuum processing chamber, to thereby suppress the chipping of the inner wall surface of the vacuum processing chamber or the consumption of the inner parts of the vacuum processing chamber. The present invention provides a plasma processing apparatus comprising a vacuum processing chamber, a vacuum processing chamber lid sealing an upper portion of the vacuum processing chamber, an induction antenna, a Faraday shield disposed between the induction antenna and the vacuum processing chamber lid, and a high frequency power supply for supplying high frequency power to the induction antenna, wherein the induction antenna is divided into two or more parts, the Faraday shield is divided into a division number corresponding to the division number of the induction antenna, and high frequency voltages are applied thereto via a matching box from the one high frequency power supply.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2010
    Publication date: December 8, 2011
    Inventors: Yusaku Sakka, Ryoji Nishio, Ken Yoshioka
  • Patent number: 8062473
    Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes in a processing chamber, a sample stage, a bell jar, a coil antenna, a Faraday shield, and a gas ring member located below a skirt portion of the bell jar and above the sample stage. The gas ring member supplies a process gas to a plasma generating space inside the bell jar from a gas port disposed on an inner surface of the gas ring member. A ring shaped plate is disposed near a periphery of the Faraday shield and having an inner surface facing and covering along the inner surface of the gas ring member and being spaced from the inner surface of the gas ring member so as to delimit a gap therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Ryoji Nishio, Ken Yoshioka, Saburou Kanai, Tadamitsu Kanekiyo, Hideki Kihara, Koji Okuda
  • Publication number: 20110132540
    Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus is disclosed in which a wafer mounted on a sample stage arranged in a processing chamber in a vacuum vessel is processed using a plasma formed in the processing chamber. A dielectric bell jar makes up the upper part of the vacuum vessel and surrounds processing chamber. A coil-shaped antenna wound on the outer periphery of the bell jar is supplied with the high-frequency power to form the plasma. A Faraday shield of a conductive material is formed of double layers including inner and outer layers arranged in spaced relation to each other between the antenna and the bell jar, each layer having a plurality of slits and set at a predetermined potential. The slits of the inner and outer layers of the Faraday shield are arranged in staggered fashion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2010
    Publication date: June 9, 2011
    Inventors: Yusaku SAKKA, Ken Yoshioka, Ryoji Nishio
  • Publication number: 20110108194
    Abstract: The invention provides a plasma processing apparatus in which ring-like conductors 8a and 8b are arranged closed to and along an induction antenna 1 composed of an inner circumference coil 1a and an outer circumference coil 1b. Ring-like conductors 8a and 8b are each characterized in that the radius from the center of the apparatus and the cross-sectional shape of the conductor body varies along the circumferential angle of the coils. Since the mutual inductances between the ring-like conductors 8a and 8b and the induction antenna 1 and between the ring-like conductors 8a and 8b and the plasma along the circumferential position are controlled, it becomes possible to compensate for the coil currents varied along the circumference of the coils of the induction antenna 1, and to improve the non-uniformity in the circumferential direction of the current in the generated plasma.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2010
    Publication date: May 12, 2011
    Inventors: Ken YOSHIOKA, Motohiko Yoshigai, Ryoji Nishio, Tadayoshi Kawaguchi
  • Publication number: 20100294432
    Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus, a processing chamber having one surface formed by a flat-plate-like insulating-material manufactured window, a sample mounting electrode having a sample mounting plane formed on a surface opposed to the insulating-material manufactured window, a gas-inlet for a flat-plate-structured capacitively coupled antenna formed on an outer surface of the insulating-material manufactured window with slits provided in a radial pattern, an inductively coupled antenna formed outside OF the insulating-material manufactured window and performing an inductive coupling with a plasma via the window, the plasma being formed within the processing chamber, a radio-frequency power supply, and an LC circuit. The inductively coupled antenna is configured by a coil which is wound a plurality of times with a direction defined as a longitudinal direction, the direction extending perpendicular to the sample mounting plane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2010
    Publication date: November 25, 2010
    Inventors: Manabu EDAMURA, Ken YOSHIOKA, Takeshi SHIMADA
  • Patent number: 7833429
    Abstract: A plasma processing method for a plasma processing apparatus which includes, a gas ring, a bell jar, an antenna, a sample table, a Faraday shield, and an RF power source circuit for supplying a power source voltage to the antenna and the Faraday shield. The RF power source circuit includes an RF power source, an antenna connected with the RF power source, a resonance circuit connected in series with the antenna and supplying a resonance voltage, a detection circuit for detecting the resonance voltage of the resonance circuit, and a comparator circuit for comparing the resonance voltage detected by the detection circuit with a predetermined set value. A RF bias voltage is adjusted based on the result of comparison by the comparison circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Ryoji Nishio, Ken Yoshioka, Saburou Kanai, Tadamitsu Kanekiyo, Hideki Kihara, Koji Okuda
  • Publication number: 20100263796
    Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a processing chamber, a sample stage for mounting an object to be processed, a power supply, and at least one induction coil connected to the power supply. The induction coil is formed by connecting at least two identical coil elements in a parallel circuit-like arrangement so that current flows in each of the plurality of identical coil elements in a same direction when viewed from the sample stage. The induction coil is positioned so that a center thereof corresponds to a center of the object, and input ends of the coil elements are displaced circumferentially at equal angular intervals calculated by dividing 360° by the number of identical coil elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2010
    Publication date: October 21, 2010
    Inventors: Manabu Edamura, Go Miya, Ken Yoshioka
  • Publication number: 20100177455
    Abstract: In a repairing method for an electrostatic chuck device in which at least an adhesive layer and an attracting layer are provided on a metal base, a side surface of an eroded adhesive layer is wound with a string-like adhesive and thermal compression is performed thereafter. A repairing apparatus for an electrostatic chuck device, which is used in the repairing method, includes a rotatable table for rotating the electrostatic chuck device and a bobbin for supplying the adhesive to the adhesive layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2010
    Publication date: July 15, 2010
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Ken Yoshioka, Syuichi Takahashi, Yasuharu Sasaki
  • Patent number: 7744721
    Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus including a processing chamber for subjecting an object to plasma processing, a gas inlet, an evacuation device, a sample stage for the object, a power supply, and at least one induction coil. The at least one induction coil enables generation of the plasma in the processing chamber and is formed by connecting a plurality of identical coil elements in a parallel circuit-like arrangement so that current flows in each of the plurality of identical coil elements in a same direction when viewed from the sample stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Manabu Edamura, Go Miya, Ken Yoshioka
  • Patent number: 7740739
    Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a gas ring forming a portion of a vacuum processing chamber and having a blowing port for a processing gas, a bell jar to define a vacuum processing chamber, an antenna for supplying an RF electric field into the vacuum processing chamber to form plasmas, a sample table, a Faraday shield, and a deposition preventive plate attached detachably at least to the inner surface of the gas ring excluding the blowing port. An area of the inner surface of the gas ring including the deposition preventive plate that can be viewed from the sample surface is set to about ½ or more of the area of the sample. A susceptor made of a dielectric material covers the outer surface and the outer lateral side of the sample table. A metal film is disposed with respect to the susceptor, and an RF voltage is applied to the metal film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2010
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Ryoji Nishio, Ken Yoshioka, Saburou Kanai, Tadamitsu Kanekiyo, Hideki Kihara, Koji Okuda
  • Patent number: 7713756
    Abstract: A plasma etching method for a plasma etching apparatus including: a processing chamber for performing plasma etching on an object to be processed; a first gas supply source; a second gas supply source; a first gas inlet for introducing a processing gas into the processing chamber; a second gas inlet for introducing a processing gas into the processing chamber; a flow rate regulator for regulating the flow rate of the processing gas; and a gas shunt for dividing the first processing gas into a plurality of portions, wherein the second processing gas is merged with at least one part between the gas shunt and the first gas inlet and between the gas shunt and the second gas inlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Go Miya, Manabu Edamura, Ken Yoshioka, Ryoji Nishio
  • Publication number: 20100078130
    Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus including a processing chamber for subjecting an object to plasma processing, a gas inlet, an evacuation device, a sample stage for the object, a power supply, and at least one induction coil. The at least one induction coil enables generation of the plasma in the processing chamber and is formed by connecting a plurality of identical coil elements in a parallel circuit-like arrangement so that current flows in each of the plurality of identical coil elements in a same direction when viewed from the sample stage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2009
    Publication date: April 1, 2010
    Inventors: Manabu Edamura, Go Miya, Ken Yoshioka
  • Publication number: 20100018649
    Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a sample stage disposed at a lower part of a processing chamber, a bell jar made of an insulative material constituting an upper portion of a vacuum vessel, a coil antenna disposed outside and around the bell jar to which electric power is supplied so as to generate the plasma in a plasma generating space inside of the bell jar, and a Faraday shield mounted on the bell jar and disposed between an external surface of the bell jar and the coil antenna. A ring shaped member made of an electric conductive material is disposed inside of an inner surface of a ring portion of the processing chamber located below a skirt portion of the bell jar and constitutes a part of the processing chamber. The ring shaped member extends upwardly so as to cover a portion of an inner surface of the bell jar.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2009
    Publication date: January 28, 2010
    Inventors: Ryoji Nishio, Ken Yoshioka, Saburou Kanai, Tadamitsu Kanekiyo, Hideki Kihara, Koji Okuda
  • Publication number: 20090321017
    Abstract: There is disclosed a plasma processing apparatus wherein a sample placed on the top surface of the sample table located within the processing chamber contained in a vacuum vessel is processed with plasma formed in the processing chamber, comprising a set of ducts cut within the sample table through which cooling medium flows; a film-shaped heater whose heating elements are concentrically embedded in the dielectric film serving as the top surface of the sample table; plural temperature controllers which set up the temperature of the cooling medium flowing through the ducts at different values, respectively; and a control unit which switches over the circulations through the ducts of the cooling medium supplied from the plural temperature controllers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2008
    Publication date: December 31, 2009
    Inventors: Tsunehiko Tsubone, Hiroho Kitada, Yosuke Sakai, Ken Yoshioka, Yutaka Omoto, Mamoru Yakushiji, Yutaka Kouzuma
  • Publication number: 20090317624
    Abstract: Disclosed is a uniformly-dispersed photocatalyst coating liquid having excellent dispersion stability of titanium oxide particles which have photocatalytic activity, which coating liquid places no burden on the environment while being excellent in handling properties. In addition, this uniformly-dispersed photocatalyst coating liquid enables to form a photocatalyst coating film, which is excellent in photocatalytic activities (antifouling property and/or antibacterial property), transparency and durability, on the surface of a base when applied thereto. Also disclosed are a method for producing such a uniformly-dispersed photocatalyst coating liquid, and a photocatalytically active composite material obtained by using such a uniformly-dispersed photocatalyst coating liquid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2007
    Publication date: December 24, 2009
    Inventors: Ken Yoshioka, Masutake Tamaoka, Toshitsura Cho, Ryuichi Ohyama, Tetsuya Okuda, Hisashi Fujii, Yoshihito Kamimoto, Yoshiyuki Fukazawa
  • Patent number: 7608162
    Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a high-frequency power source for applying bias power to an electrode on which a substrate is disposed, an insulating layer formed on a surface of the electrode, a conductive material buried within the insulating layer, a feeder line connecting the high-frequency power source and the conductive material, a variable capacitor provided in the feeder line, and a direct current power source connected to the electrode at a position between the electrode and the high-frequency power source. One portion of the insulating layer where the conductive material is buried formed on an outer part of the electrode has a thickness which is greater than a thickness of another portion of the insulating layer where the conducting material is not buried and which extends from a central part of the electrode to the one portion of the insulating layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yutaka Ohmoto, Hironobu Kawahara, Ken Yoshioka, Kazue Takahashi, Saburou Kanai
  • Publication number: 20090223633
    Abstract: A plasma etching apparatus capable of performing processing with excellent in-plane uniformity on an object to be processed having a large diameter is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2009
    Publication date: September 10, 2009
    Inventors: Go MIYA, Manabu EDAMURA, Ken YOSHIOKA, Ryoji NISHIO
  • Publication number: 20090220322
    Abstract: A vacuum processing apparatus is composed of a cassette block and a vacuum processing block. The cassette block has a cassette table for mounting a plurality of cassettes containing a sample and an atmospheric transfer means. The vacuum processing block has a plurality of processing chambers for performing vacuum processing to the sample and a vacuum transfer means for transferring the sample. Both of the plan views of the cassette block and the vacuum processing block are nearly rectangular, and the width of the cassette block is designed larger than the width of the vacuum processing block, and the plan view of the vacuum processing apparatus is formed in an L-shape or a T-shape.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2009
    Publication date: September 3, 2009
    Inventors: Minoru Soraoka, Ken Yoshioka, Yoshinao Kawasaki
  • Publication number: 20090218316
    Abstract: A manufacturing method includes steps of: placing a film composed of dielectric, on the top surface of a sample stage, forming a film-like heater on the film made of the dielectric, supplying power to the heater to detect a temperature distribution, adjusting a resistance value of the heater on the basis of a result of detection of a temperature distribution so that the temperature distribution has a predetermined value, and then forming the film composed of the dielectric, on the heater.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2008
    Publication date: September 3, 2009
    Inventors: Yutaka KOUZUMA, Yutaka Ohmoto, Mamoru Yakushiji, Ken Yoshioka, Tsunehiko Tsubone