Patents by Inventor Shinichi Imai

Shinichi Imai 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: 6089183
    Abstract: In performing plasma etching or plasma CVD, a gas containing an interhalogen compound gas or a XeF.sub.2 gas is used as a process gas. Such a process gas generates, in the state of non-plasma and with activation energy lower than a specified level, a volatile material from a deposition species generated in the above etching so as to contribute to the suppression of film formation. For example, the XeF.sub.2 gas, a BrF.sub.3 gas, a BrCl gas are used in the cases of etching a silicon dioxide film, a silicide film, and a polysilicon film, respectively. On the surface of a substrate is formed a non-volatile protective film so as to improve the profiles of an opening. At the wall surface of a reaction chamber which is barely influenced by the plasma, the deposition species is turned into a volatile material (e.g., SiF.sub.4) so as to suppress the deposition of reaction products thereon. If the interhalogen compound gas, XeF.sub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2000
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinichi Imai, Tokuhiko Tamaki
  • Patent number: 6069092
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a dry etching method using a high density plasma, in which a fluorocarbon gas, whose fluorine to carbon ratio is less than 2:1, is used. Such arrangement provides improved etching selectivity ratios to the resist film. The adding of an inert gas and oxygen to such a fluorocarbon gas provides further improved etching selectivity ratios and improved etching rates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2000
    Assignee: Matsushita Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Shinichi Imai, Nobuhiro Jiwari
  • Patent number: 6057247
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a semiconductor device according to the present invention includes the steps of: forming an oxide film on a substrate having a silicon region at least on the surface thereof; defining a resist pattern on the oxide film; placing the substrate on an electrode provided inside a reaction chamber of a plasma etching apparatus, and etching the oxide film by using plasma generated from a gas including a fluorocarbon gas with a bias voltage applied to the substrate; and removing fluorine from the reaction chamber by generating oxygen plasma inside the reaction chamber with substantially no bias voltage applied to the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2000
    Assignee: Matsushita Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Shinichi Imai, Nobuhiro Jiwari
  • Patent number: 5989929
    Abstract: A reactor is composed of a lower frame of a chamber, a quartz dome, an upper electrode, an 0 ring, and the like. A lower electrode and a substrate as a workpiece to be processed thereon are disposed in the reactor. The temperature of the quartz dome is maintained at a temperature of 180.degree. C. or higher by means of a heater. Fluorocarbon gas such as C.sub.2 F.sub.6 gas or C.sub.4 F.sub.8 gas is introduced into the reactor through a gas inlet and RF power from a first RF power source is applied to an antenna coil to produce a plasma and thereby etch an oxide film on the substrate. By heating the quartz dome to a high temperature, a deposit which hinders the release of oxygen from a wall face is prevented from being attached and the deposit on the bottom of the hole which causes an etch stop during processing is removed with oxygen. This prevents the etch stop during an etching process for forming a deep hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 23, 1999
    Assignee: Matsushita Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Hideo Nikoh, Shinichi Imai, Nobuhiro Jiwari, Satoshi Nakagawa, Shoji Matsumoto, Yoji Bito
  • Patent number: 5767021
    Abstract: In performing plasma etching or plasma CVD, a gas containing an interhalogen compound gas or a XeF.sub.2 gas is used as a process gas. Such a process gas generates, in the state of non-plasma and with activation energy lower than a specified level, a volatile material from a deposition species generated in the above etching so as to contribute to the suppression of film formation. For example, the XeF.sub.2 gas, a BrF.sub.3 gas, a BrCl gas are used in the cases of etching a silicon dioxide film, a silicide film, and a polysilicon film, respectively. On the surface of a substrate is formed a non-volatile protective film so as to improve the profiles of an opening. At the wall surface of a reaction chamber which is barely influenced by the plasma, the deposition species is turned into a volatile material (e.g., SiF.sub.4) so as to suppress the deposition of reaction products thereon. If the interhalogen compound gas, XeF.sub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 16, 1998
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinichi Imai, Tokuhiko Tamaki
  • Patent number: 5716494
    Abstract: In performing plasma etching or plasma CVD, a gas containing an interhalogen compound gas or a XeF.sub.2 gas is used as a process gas. Such a process gas generates, in the state of non-plasma and with activation energy lower than a specified level, a volatile material from a deposition species generated in the above etching so as to contribute to the suppression of film formation. For example, the XeF.sub.2 gas, a BrF.sub.3 gas, a BrCl gas are used in the cases of etching a silicon dioxide film, a silicide film, and a polysilicon film, respectively. On the surface of a substrate is formed a non-volatile protective film so as to improve the profiles of an opening. At the wall surface of a reaction chamber which is barely influenced by the plasma, the deposition species is turned into a volatile material (e.g., SiF.sub.4) so as to suppress the deposition of reaction products thereon. If the interhalogen compound gas, XeF.sub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 10, 1998
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinichi Imai, Tokuhiko Tamaki
  • Patent number: 5633211
    Abstract: The characteristic of semiconductor devices is satisfactorily maintained because the planarization of a dielectric film of a semiconductor device is carried out at a lower flow temperature. In the case of a silicon dioxide film being a dielectric film, a network structure is composed of atoms of silicon which serve as a main constituent, and of atoms of oxygen which serve as a sub-constituent of a matrix of the dielectric film. These oxygen atoms are replaced by non-bridging constituents such as atoms of halogen including fluorine. This breaks a bridge, via an oxygen atom, between the silicon atoms, at a position where such a replacement takes place. In consequence, the viscosity of the dielectric film falls with the flow temperature. If, for example, part of the oxygen in a BPSG film is substituted by fluorine, this allows the dielectric film to flow at a lower temperature of 850.degree. C. The short channel effects can be suppressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 27, 1997
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ld.
    Inventors: Shinichi Imai, Yuka Terai, Masanori Fukumoto, Kousaku Yano, Hiroyuki Umimoto, Shinji Odanaka, Yasuo Mizuno
  • Patent number: 5546890
    Abstract: Inert gas is introduced in and then discharged from the inside of a pneumatic device such as a chamber, a pipe or the like which is used for producing semiconductor devices and through which interhalogen compound gas passes. Then, gas having humidity exceeding 1% is introduced into the chamber or the like. Before the gas having humidity exceeding 1% is introduced into the chamber or the like, the interhalogen compound gas in the chamber or the like is lowered in concentration to such an extent that the inner wall of the chamber or the like is not corroded. Thereafter, when the gas having humidity exceeding 1% is introduced, the interhalogen compound (for example, ClF.sub.3 gas) is decomposed into a substance such as HF or the like of which toxicity is low and of which adsorptivity to the inner wall of the chamber or the like is also low. Thereafter, the inside of the chamber or the like is opened to atmosphere.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 20, 1996
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tokuhiko Tamaki, Shinichi Imai
  • Patent number: 5318668
    Abstract: The invention provides an improved dry etching method for selectively etching a silicon nitride layer 3 formed on the surface of a SiO.sub.2 layer 2 formed on a p-type semiconductor substrate, the method comprising the steps of supplying a mixed gas of HBr and ClF.sub.3 to a reaction chamber wherein SiBr.sub.4, caused, during the dry etching, by a reaction of the silicon nitride layer 3 and the HBr contained in the mixed gas, partly deposits on an etching wall of the p-type semiconductor substrate 1 while at the same time an excess of the SiBr.sub.4 reacts, between the p-type semiconductor substrate 1 and a wall of the reaction chamber, with the ClF.sub.3 contained in the mixed gas to produce a fluoride. The fluoride thus produced can be easily discharged to the outside, since it is more volatile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 1992
    Date of Patent: June 7, 1994
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tokuhiko Tamaki, Shinichi Imai, Tadashi Kimura, Yoshimasa Inamoto
  • Patent number: 5314848
    Abstract: Described is a method for manufacturing semiconductor devices which includes a heat treating process for heating and cooling semiconductor substrates mounted on a boat at a predetermined pitch according to a predetermined temperature profile, in order to flatten the surface of each semiconductor substrate by reflowing an insulating film containing impurities, for example, a BPSG film formed on the substrate. In the heat treating process, one of the control factors which affects the formation of grains or particles due to the impurities contained in the insulating film is set so as to prevent the impurities from generating grains or particles during the heat treatment. Also disclosed is a method of preventing the generation of grains or particles by widening the pitch of the mounted substrates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 24, 1994
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takatoshi Yasui, Chiaki Kudo, Ichiro Nakao, Toyokazu Fujii, Yuka Terai, Shinichi Imai, Hiroshi Yamamoto, Yasushi Naito
  • Patent number: 5231200
    Abstract: A method for refining and fractionation of palm oil is disclosed. In this method, palm oil or palm fractionated oil which has been treated by physical refining is treated with an adsorbent, followed by subjecting it to dry fractionation. An apparatus for refining and fractionation of palm oil comprising means for treating palm oil or palm fractionated oil with an adsorbent and dry fractionation means connected thereto is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1991
    Date of Patent: July 27, 1993
    Assignee: Fuji Oil Company, Limited
    Inventors: Yuji Kuwabara, Hiroshi Hidaka, Shinichi Imai, Ayumi Yabuuchi, Masaaki Miyabe
  • Patent number: 4425162
    Abstract: Colored ink useful within an ink-jet printing device is disclosed. The ink is comprised of specifically disclosed yellow dyes, magenta dyes and cyan dyes within an aqueous ink composition. The use of the specific dyes within the aqueous ink composition prevents clogging within the nozzle of the ink-jet printer during operation or after operation has been restarted after a suspension of use of the printer. The ink composition has a high light-fastness characteristic, is not easily discolored by exposure to light and produces faithful color reproduction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 1981
    Date of Patent: January 10, 1984
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masatoshi Sugiyama, Keiichi Adachi, Eiichi Kato, Akira Ogawa, Shinichi Imai
  • Patent number: 4388115
    Abstract: An aqueous ink composition having a water-soluble dye and a wetting agent dissolved in water is disclosed. The composition uses at least one water-soluble dye of the formula (I): ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 is a phenyl group, a substituted phenyl group, an alkyl group or a substituted alkyl group; R.sub.2 is an alkyl group, a phenyl group, a substituted phenyl group, a cyano group, a hydroxyl group, an alkoxy group, an amino group, an acylamino group, an anilino group, a ureido group, an alkoxycarbonyl group or a carbamoyl group; X is a halogen atom, an alkyl group or an alkoxy group; n is 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5; and m is 1, 2, or 3, provided that the sulfo group in the formula (I) may be an alkali metal salt, an ammonium salt or an organic amine salt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 1981
    Date of Patent: June 14, 1983
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masatoshi Sugiyama, Akira Ogawa, Shinichi Imai
  • Patent number: 4124393
    Abstract: Photographic dye developing agents represented by the following formula (I): ##STR1## wherein A represents an anthraquinone dye moiety, X represents a hydrogen atom, an aliphatic hydrocarbon group, an alicyclic hydrocarbon group, an aryl group or a heterocyclic group, at least one of A and X contains an o-dihydroxyphenyl group or a p-dihydroxyphenyl group as a dye developing agent moiety, n is an integer of 1 to 4, and COY represents a group which is released from the nitrogen atom at a pH of above 9.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 1975
    Date of Patent: November 7, 1978
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinichi Imai, Seiki Sakanoue
  • Patent number: 4065435
    Abstract: Water-soluble oxidation-reduction polymers containing therein recurring units of the formula (I): ##STR1## or recurring units of formula (II): ##STR2## wherein X represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, an alkyl group, an allyl group or an aryl group; R.sub.1 represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group; R.sub.2 represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group or an aryl group; R.sub.3 represents a divalent group; and M represents a cation. These polymers have excellent oxidation-reduction properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 1976
    Date of Patent: December 27, 1977
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinji Sakaguchi, Shinichi Imai, Junn Yamaguchi, Nobuo Tsuji
  • Patent number: 3992449
    Abstract: 1-(.gamma.-Aminopropyl)-2,5-dihydroxybenzene and derivatives thereof having additional substituents on the benzene nucleus, .beta.-(2,5-di-lower alkoxyphenyl)acrylonitriles and derivatives thereof having additional substituents on the benzene nucleus, and .gamma.-aminopropyl-2,5-di-lower alkoxybenzenes and derivatives thereof having additional substituents on the benzene nucleus and a process for producing 1-(.gamma.-aminopropyl)-2,5-dihydroxybenzene or derivatives thereof having additional substituents on the benzene nucleus which comprises reacting a 2,5-di-lower alkoxybenzaldehyde or a derivative thereof having additional substituents on the benzene nucleus in the 3-, 4- and/or 6-positions (wherein the substituents can be one or more of an alkyl group of 5 or less carbon atoms or a halogen atom) with cyanoacetic acid or an ester thereof to form a .beta.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 1974
    Date of Patent: November 16, 1976
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shinichi Imai
  • Patent number: 3953211
    Abstract: A color diffusion transfer photographic light-sensitive material which comprises a support having thereon at least one light-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer containing a silver halide combined with a dye developer, one of the light-sensitive silver halide emulsion layers being combined with a dye developer represented by the following General Formula (I); ##EQU1## wherein Ar represents a divalent aromatic group; X represents ##EQU2## with R being an alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, --NHCO-- with the nitrogen atom being connected to the Ar group or --OCO-- with the oxygen atom being connected to the Ar group; and Y represents an aromatic group having a substituent containing a hydroquinonyl group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 1974
    Date of Patent: April 27, 1976
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinichi Imai, Shinsaku Fujita, Yukio Maekawa, Seiki Sakanoue