Patents by Inventor Nobuyuki Okayama

Nobuyuki Okayama 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: 10896842
    Abstract: A manufacturing method of sample table is provided. The sample table holds a semiconductor wafer on which a plasma process is to be performed, and the manufacturing method includes: preparing an adsorption plate that has a contact surface on which a lapping process has been performed and surface-contacting the semiconductor wafer, and that adsorbs the semiconductor wafer; and preparing a supporting substrate which has a recess surface to which a noncontact surface of the adsorption plate is adhered, wherein a difference between a depth of an approximate center portion of the recess surface and a depth of a distant portion spaced apart from the approximate center portion is larger than a difference between a thickness of the adsorption plate at a portion contacting the approximate center portion and a thickness of the adsorption plate at a portion contacting the distant portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Wataru Yoshikawa, Kazuki Moyama, Nobuyuki Okayama, Kenji Sudou, Yasuhiro Otsuka
  • Publication number: 20180286740
    Abstract: A manufacturing method of sample table is provided. The sample table holds a semiconductor wafer on which a plasma process is to be performed, and the manufacturing method includes: preparing an adsorption plate that has a contact surface on which a lapping process has been performed and surface-contacting the semiconductor wafer, and that adsorbs the semiconductor wafer; and preparing a supporting substrate which has a recess surface to which a noncontact surface of the adsorption plate is adhered, wherein a difference between a depth of an approximate center portion of the recess surface and a depth of a distant portion spaced apart from the approximate center portion is larger than a difference between a thickness of the adsorption plate at a portion contacting the approximate center portion and a thickness of the adsorption plate at a portion contacting the distant portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2018
    Publication date: October 4, 2018
    Inventors: Wataru YOSHIKAWA, Kazuki MOYAMA, Nobuyuki OKAYAMA, Kenji SUDOU, Yasuhiro OTSUKA
  • Patent number: 9466468
    Abstract: A shower head includes a gas injection plate and a gas supply unit. The gas supply unit has a first gas supply path provided in a region along the axis and a second gas supply path provided in a region surrounding the region where the first gas supply path is provided. The first gas supply path has a first gas diffusion space connected to a first gas line of the gas supply unit, second gas lines, a second gas diffusion space, third gas lines and a third gas diffusion space which are connected in that order. The second gas supply path has a fourth gas diffusion space connected to a fourth gas line of the gas supply unit, fifth gas lines, a fifth gas diffusion space, sixth gas lines, and a sixth gas diffusion space which are connected in that order.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Okayama, Koichi Kazama, Shuichiro Uda, Satoshi Yamada, Shinji Fuchigami
  • Patent number: 9263298
    Abstract: A plasma etching apparatus 11 includes a mounting table that holds a semiconductor substrate W thereon; a first heater 18a that heats a central region of the semiconductor substrate W held on the mounting table 14; a second heater 18b that heats an edge region around the central region of the semiconductor substrate W held on the mounting table 14; a reactant gas supply unit 13 that supplies a reactant gas for a plasma process toward the central region of the semiconductor substrate W held on the mounting table 14; and a control unit 20 that performs a plasma etching process on the semiconductor substrate W while controlling the first heater 18a and the second heater 18b to heat the central region and the edge region of the processing target substrate W held on the mounting table 14 to different temperatures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Naoki Matsumoto, Kazuto Takai, Reika Ko, Nobuyuki Okayama
  • Publication number: 20140291286
    Abstract: A shower head includes a gas injection plate and a gas supply unit. The gas supply unit has a first gas supply path provided in a region along the axis and a second gas supply path provided in a region surrounding the region where the first gas supply path is provided. The first gas supply path has a first gas diffusion space connected to a first gas line of the gas supply unit, second gas lines, a second gas diffusion space, third gas lines and a third gas diffusion space which are connected in that order. The second gas supply path has a fourth gas diffusion space connected to a fourth gas line of the gas supply unit, fifth gas lines, a fifth gas diffusion space, sixth gas lines, and a sixth gas diffusion space which are connected in that order.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Nobuyuki OKAYAMA, Koichi KAZAMA, Shuichiro UDA, Satoshi YAMADA, Shinji FUCHIGAMI
  • Publication number: 20120211165
    Abstract: A sample table which stably holds a semiconductor wafer by maintaining smoothness of a contact surface via a lapping process and forming the contact surface to have an approximate recess shape, and a microwave plasma processing apparatus including the sample table.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2010
    Publication date: August 23, 2012
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Wataru Yoshikawa, Kazuki Moyama, Nobuyuki Okayama, Kenji Sudou, Yasuhiro Otsuka
  • Publication number: 20120012556
    Abstract: A plasma etching apparatus 11 includes a mounting table that holds a semiconductor substrate W thereon; a first heater 18a that heats a central region of the semiconductor substrate W held on the mounting table 14; a second heater 18b that heats an edge region around the central region of the semiconductor substrate W held on the mounting table 14; a reactant gas supply unit 13 that supplies a reactant gas for a plasma process toward the central region of the semiconductor substrate W held on the mounting table 14; and a control unit 20 that performs a plasma etching process on the semiconductor substrate W while controlling the first heater 18a and the second heater 18b to heat the central region and the edge region of the processing target substrate W held on the mounting table 14 to different temperatures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2009
    Publication date: January 19, 2012
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Naoki Matsumoto, Kazuto Takai, Reika Ko, Nobuyuki Okayama
  • Publication number: 20110240598
    Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus 11 includes a reactant gas supply unit 13 for supplying a reactant gas for a plasma process into a processing chamber 12. The reactant gas supply unit 13 includes a first reactant gas supply unit 61 provided at a center of a dielectric plate 16 and configured to supply the reactant gas in a directly downward direction toward a central region of a processing target substrate W held on a holding table 14; and a second reactant gas supply unit 62 provided at a position directly above the holding table 14 but not directly above the processing target substrate W held on the holding table 14 and configured to supply the reactant gas toward a center of the processing target substrate W held on the holding table 14.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2009
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Okayama, Naoki Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 7658816
    Abstract: A focus ring and a plasma processing apparatus capable of improving an in-surface uniformity of a surface and reducing occurrences of deposition on a backside surface of a peripheral portion of a semiconductor wafer compared to a conventional case are provided. Installed in a vacuum chamber is a susceptor for mounting the semiconductor wafer thereon and a focus ring is installed to surround the semiconductor wafer mounted on the susceptor. The focus ring includes an annular lower member made of a dielectric, and an annular upper member made of a conductive material and mounted on the lower member. The upper member includes a flat portion which is an outer peripheral portion having a top surface positioned higher than a surface to be processed of the semiconductor wafer W, and an inclined portion which is an inner peripheral portion inclined inwardly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2010
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Akira Koshiishi, Hideaki Tanaka, Nobuyuki Okayama, Masaaki Miyagawa, Shunsuke Mizukami, Wataru Shimizu, Jun Hirose, Toshikatsu Wakaki, Tomonori Miwa, Jun Ooyabu, Daisuke Hayashi
  • Patent number: 7544393
    Abstract: The susceptor of a plasma treating device, or the electrostatic chuck of a substrate table, is formed by ceramic thermal spray method. A thermally sprayed ceramic layer is pore-sealed by methacrylic resin. Resin raw material mainly containing methyl methacrylate is applied to and impregnated into the thermally sprayed ceramic layer and then is cured to thereby fill pores between ceramic particles in the thermally sprayed ceramic layer with methacrylic resin. Methacrylic resin raw material solution, which does not produce pores at curing, can complete perfect pore sealing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2009
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Shinji Muto, Chihiro Taguchi, Nobuyuki Okayama
  • Publication number: 20080087382
    Abstract: A substrate stage capable of reducing the running cost of a plasma processing apparatus and improving the operation rate of the apparatus. A lower electrode as a substrate stage is disposed in a chamber of the apparatus, and an electrostatic chuck is incorporated in the lower electrode. An oxide film of a IIIA group element of the periodic system, such as for example, a yttria film, having a film thickness falling within the range from 1000 to 2000 ?m, is formed as a sprayed coating on a side wall of the electrostatic chuck.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2007
    Publication date: April 17, 2008
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Hideki SUGIYAMA, Nobuyuki Okayama, Nobuyuki Nagayama
  • Publication number: 20070283891
    Abstract: The present invention is a table for supporting a substrate to be processed, comprising a metallic member, and a ceramic plate laminated to the top surface of the metallic member, characterized in that an electrostatic chuck electrode is embedded in the ceramic plate, that a groove for forming a cooling medium passageway is made in at least one of the back surface of the ceramic plate and the top surface of the metallic member, and that the ceramic plate and the metallic member are joined together with an adhesive layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2007
    Publication date: December 13, 2007
    Inventor: Nobuyuki Okayama
  • Publication number: 20070169891
    Abstract: A focus ring and a plasma processing apparatus capable of improving an in-surface uniformity of a surface and reducing occurrences of deposition on a backside surface of a peripheral portion of a semiconductor wafer compared to a conventional case are provided. Installed in a vacuum chamber is a susceptor for mounting the semiconductor wafer thereon and a focus ring is installed to surround the semiconductor wafer mounted on the susceptor. The focus ring includes an annular lower member made of a dielectric, and an annular upper member made of a conductive material and mounted on the lower member. The upper member includes a flat portion which is an outer peripheral portion having a top surface positioned higher than a surface to be processed of the semiconductor wafer W, and an inclined portion which is an inner peripheral portion inclined inwardly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2004
    Publication date: July 26, 2007
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Akira Koshiishi, Hideaki Tanaka, Nobuyuki Okayama, Masaaki Miyagawa, Shunsuke Mizukami, Wataru Shimizu, Jun Hirose, Toshikatsu Wakaki, Tomonori Miwa, Jun Ooyabu, Daisuke Hayashi
  • Patent number: 7067178
    Abstract: The susceptor (10) of a plasma treating device, or the electrostatic chuck (12) of a substrate table is formed by ceramic thermal spray method. A ceramic spray layer (12A) is pore-sealed by methacrylic resin (12D). Resin raw material mainly containing methyl methacrylate is applied to and impregnated into the ceramic spray layer and then is cured to thereby fill pores between ceramic particles in the ceramic spray layer with methacrylic resin. Methacrylic resin raw material solution, which does not produce pores at curing, can complete perfect pore sealing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2006
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Shinji Muto, Chihiro Taguchi, Nobuyuki Okayama
  • Publication number: 20060115600
    Abstract: The susceptor (10) of a plasma treating device, or the electrostatic chuck (12) of a substrate table is formed by ceramic thermal spray method. A ceramic spray layer (12A) is pore-sealed by methacrylic resin (12D). Resin raw material mainly containing methyl methacrylate is applied to and impregnated into the ceramic spray layer and then is cured to thereby fill pores between ceramic particles in the ceramic spray layer with methacrylic resin. Methacrylic resin raw material solution, which does not produce pores at curing, can complete perfect pore sealing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2006
    Publication date: June 1, 2006
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Shinji Muto, Chihiro Taguchi, Nobuyuki Okayama
  • Publication number: 20040200804
    Abstract: A member of processing a quartz member for a plasma processing device capable of suppressing the production of particles at the beginning of the use thereof and the production of chips thereafter, the quartz member for the plasma processing device, and the plasma processing device having the quartz member mounted thereon, the method comprising the steps of removing a large number of cracks 155 produced, after a diamond grinding, in the quartz member 151 for the plasma processing device used for a shield ring and a focus ring by performing a surface processing with abrasive grains of, for example, #320 to 400 in grain size, and performing the surface processing by using abrasive grains of smaller grain size to remove ruptured layers 163 while maintaining irregularities capable of adhering and holding deposit thereto.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2004
    Publication date: October 14, 2004
    Inventors: Norikazu Sugiyama, Hidehito Saegusa, Nobuyuki Okayama, Shunichi Iimuro, Kosuke Imafuku, Nobuyuki Nagayama, Kouji Mitsuhashi, Hiroyuki Nakayama, Yahui Huang
  • Publication number: 20040168640
    Abstract: The susceptor (10) of a plasma treating device, or the electrostatic chuck (12) of a substrate table is formed by ceramic thermal spray method. A ceramic spray layer (12A) is pore-sealed by methacrylic resin (12D). Resin raw material mainly containing methyl methacrylate is applied to and impregnated into the ceramic spray layer and then is cured to thereby fill pores between ceramic particles in the ceramic spray layer with methacrylic resin. Methacrylic resin raw material solution, which does not produce pores at curing, can complete perfect pore sealing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2003
    Publication date: September 2, 2004
    Inventors: Shinji Muto, Chihiro Taguchi, Nobuyuki Okayama
  • Patent number: RE39939
    Abstract: A processing system has an upper electrode with gas discharge holes of a shape corresponding to the external we of insulating members. The insulating members are formed of a poly(ether etherketone) resin, a polyimide resin, a poly (ether imide) resin or the like. Each insulating member has a step at its outer surface and an internal longitudinal through hole tapered to expand toward the processing chamber. The insulating members are pressed in the gas discharge holes to bring the steps into contact with shoulders formed in the sidewalls of the gas discharge holes. A part of each insulting member, as fitted in the gas discharge hole, projects from a surface of the upper electrode that faces a susceptor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2007
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Okayama, Hidehito Saegusa, Jun Ozawa, Daisuke Hayashi, Naoki Takayama, Koichi Kazama
  • Patent number: RE39969
    Abstract: A processing system has an upper electrode with gas discharge holes of a shape corresponding to the external we of insulating members. The insulating members are formed of a poly(ether etherketone) resin, a polyimide resin, a poly (ether imide) resin or the like. Each insulating member has a step at its outer surface and an internal longitudinal through hole tapered to expand toward the processing chamber. The insulating members are pressed in the gas discharge holes to bring the steps into contact with shoulders formed in the sidewalls of the gas discharge holes. A part of each insulating member, as fitted in the gas discharge hole, projects from a surface of the upper electrode that faces a susceptor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2008
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Okayama, Hidehito Saegusa, Jun Ozawa, Daisuke Hayashi, Naoki Takayama, Koichi Kazama
  • Patent number: RE40046
    Abstract: A processing system has an upper electrode with gas discharge holes of a shape corresponding to the external we of insulating members. The insulating members are formed of a poly(ether etherketone) resin, a polyimide resin, a poly(ether imide) resin or the like. Each insulating member has a step at its outer surface and an internal longitudinal through hole tapered to expand toward the processing chamber. The insulating members are pressed in the gas discharge holes to bring the steps into contact with shoulders formed in the sidewalls of the gas discharge holes. A part of each insulating member, as fitted in the gas discharge hole, projects from a surface of the upper electrode that faces a susceptor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2008
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Okayama, Hidehito Saegusa, Jun Ozawa, Daisuke Hayashi, Naoki Takayama, Koichi Kazama