Patents by Inventor Toshio Masuda

Toshio Masuda 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: 6706543
    Abstract: A method and system are provided for controlling and/or monitoring a semiconductor processing apparatus while predicting its processing results.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2004
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Junichi Tanaka, Hiroyuki Kitsunai, Akira Kagoshima, Daisuke Shiraishi, Hideyuki Yamamoto, Shoji Ikuhara, Toshio Masuda
  • Publication number: 20040045675
    Abstract: A plasma etching apparatus for processing a sample disposed inside of a processing chamber by generating a plasma in the processing chamber. An antenna is disposed above the sample for radiating electromagnetic waves toward the inside of the processing chamber. A dielectric member is disposed with respect to an outer periphery of the antenna, and a member is disposed above the sample in the processing chamber and facing the sample at the outer periphery of the antenna. The sample is processed in the processing chamber while enabling control of a temperature on a surface of the member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2003
    Publication date: March 11, 2004
    Inventors: Toshio Masuda, Kazue Takahashi, Mitsuru Suehiro, Tetsunori Kaji, Saburo Kanai
  • Publication number: 20040040933
    Abstract: A method of processing a wafer, incorporating a processing chamber for subjecting a semiconductor wafer to a plasma process, a generator for generating plasma in the processing chamber, and a wafer stage for carrying thereon the semiconductor wafer so as to subject the semiconductor wafer to the plasma process, wherein the wafer stage has an attaching part for attachment to the wafer processing apparatus, which is commonly used among a plurality of wafer stages, and is configured to cope with a change of the wafer stage into a wafer stage having a different function, and a high frequency voltage for applying a bias voltage to the semiconductor wafer, and a D.C. voltage for providing a potential difference between the semiconductor wafer and the wafer stage are applied to the wafer stage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2003
    Publication date: March 4, 2004
    Inventors: Seiichiro Kanno, Hironobu Kawahara, Mitsuru Suehiro, Saburou Kanai, Toshio Masuda
  • Publication number: 20040016508
    Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus having a plasma generating unit, a process chamber capable of having an inside pressure thereof reduced, a process gas supply unit for supplying gas in the process chamber, a specimen table for holding a specimen, a vacuum pumping unit, and a monitor unit. The process chamber includes an outer cylinder having the capability of withstanding a reduced pressure, and an inner cylinder arranged inside the outer cylinder. The monitor unit enables monitoring of a temperature of the inner cylinder of the process chamber continuously or optionally at a time of processing a specimen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2003
    Publication date: January 29, 2004
    Inventors: Toshio Masuda, Kazue Takahashi, Mitsuru Suehiro, Tetsunori Kaji, Saburo Kanai
  • Publication number: 20040009617
    Abstract: A plasma processing method for plasma processing a specimen utilizing a plasma processing apparatus including a plasma generating unit, a process chamber capable of having an inside pressure thereof reduced, wherein the process chamber includes an outer cylinder having the capability of withstanding a reduced pressure, and an inner cylinder arranged inside the outer cylinder and a process gas supply unit for supplying a gas to the process chamber, a specimen table for holding a specimen, a vacuum pumping unit, and a monitor unit. the method includes detecting a temperature of the inner cylinder of the process chamber utilizing the monitor unit to one of continuously monitor the inner cylinder temperature and optionally monitor the inner cylinder temperature at a time of plasma processing of a specimen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2003
    Publication date: January 15, 2004
    Inventors: Toshio Masuda, Kazue Takahashi, Mitsuru Suehiro, Tetsunori Kaji, Saburo Kanai
  • Patent number: 6677167
    Abstract: A wafer processing apparatus comprising a wafer stage, wherein a semiconductor wafer is mounted on the wafer stage so as to process the semiconductor wafer, wherein a holding mechanism of the wafer stage is commonly used for a plurality of wafer stages, and accordingly, the wafer stage can be changed into a wafer stage having a different function so as to process the semiconductor wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2004
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Seiichiro Kanno, Hironobu Kawahara, Mitsuru Suehiro, Saburou Kanai, Toshio Masuda
  • Publication number: 20030201240
    Abstract: For maintenance after wet cleaning of a plasma processing apparatus which processes a specimen in a vacuum processing chamber by using a plasma, when restoration processing after the wet cleaning of members configuring the vacuum processing chamber is performed with the vacuum processing chamber opened to the atmosphere, it is automatically or semiautomatically judged whether the restoration processing is appropriate or not according to a predetermined optimum sequence inherent in the apparatus, and the next processing is started automatically or semiautomatically according to the results.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2003
    Publication date: October 30, 2003
    Inventors: Hideyuki Yamamoto, Toshio Masuda, Shoji Ikujhara, Akira Kagoshima, Junichi Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20030203640
    Abstract: A plasma etching apparatus for processing a sample placed within a processing chamber having a sidewall member which is electrically grounded to earth and constitutes at least a portion of the processing chamber and a removable member which constitutes an inner wall surface of the processing chamber. The removable member is thermally conductive and is held on the sidewall member and movable therefrom for removal from the processing chamber. The sample is processed in the processing chamber while controlling a temperature of the removable member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2003
    Publication date: October 30, 2003
    Inventors: Toshio Masuda, Kazue Takahashi, Mitsuru Suehiro, Tetsunori Kaji, Saburo Kanai
  • Publication number: 20030199108
    Abstract: A method and system are provided for controlling and/or monitoring a semiconductor processing apparatus while predicting its processing results.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2003
    Publication date: October 23, 2003
    Inventors: Junichi Tanaka, Hiroyuki Kitsunai, Akira Kagoshima, Daisuke Shiraishi, Hideyuki Yamamoto, Shoji Ikuhara, Toshio Masuda
  • Patent number: 6626268
    Abstract: In an opening and closing apparatus for an elevator door, a light-emitter and a light-detector are disposed in safety shoes disposed on doorstop edges of each of two abutting elevator doors. The light-emitter emits a reflection detection beam toward a landing side obliquely, relative to an opening and closing direction of the elevator doors. The reflection detection beam reflected by an obstruction on the landing enters the light-detector. When the reflection detection beam enters the light-detector, a reflection detection signal is output by a reflection detector portion and the direction of operation of the elevator doors is reversed to an opening direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2003
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshio Masuda, Yasuyuki Oikawa
  • Publication number: 20030168171
    Abstract: A data processing apparatus for a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus includes a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus for executing processing for a wafer, a data collecting semiconductor device for collecting processing data generated in association with the processing, and a data copying semiconductor device for extracting the processing data collected in the data collecting semiconductor device and for producing a copy of the processing data. The apparatus may include a data analyzer for analyzing the data copy produced by the data copying semiconductor device and for diagnosing a processing state of the processing apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2002
    Publication date: September 11, 2003
    Inventors: Junichi Tanaka, Toshio Masuda, Akira Kagoshima, Shoji Ikuhara, Hideyuki Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 6616759
    Abstract: A method and system are provided for controlling and/or monitoring a semiconductor processing apparatus while predicting its processing results.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2003
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Junichi Tanaka, Hiroyuki Kitsunai, Akira Kagoshima, Daisuke Shiraishi, Hideyuki Yamamato, Shoji Ikuhara, Toshio Masuda
  • Publication number: 20030164226
    Abstract: A wafer processing apparatus comprising a wafer stage, wherein a semiconductor wafer is mounted on the wafer stage so as to process the semiconductor wafer, wherein a holding mechanism of the wafer stage is commonly used for a plurality of wafer stages, and accordingly, the wafer stage can be changed into a wafer stage having a different function so as to process the semiconductor wafer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2002
    Publication date: September 4, 2003
    Inventors: Seiichiro Kanno, Hironobu Kawahara, Mitsuru Suehiro, Saburou Kanai, Toshio Masuda
  • Publication number: 20030152263
    Abstract: The digital camera being capable of recording stereoscopic first and second still images includes an imaging device that captures the first and second still images in this order, a display unit that displays a moving image captured by the imaging device to allow framing an image to be taken. The display unit superimpose a framing assisting pattern on the moving image to facilitate the framing of the image to be taken. A grid pattern may be utilized as the framing assisting pattern. After the first still image is captured, the display unit displays the first still image, with the framing assisting pattern superimposed thereon, besides the moving image after said first still image is captured.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2003
    Publication date: August 14, 2003
    Applicant: PENTAX Corporation
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Kawano, Tadayuki Kirigaya, Hitoshi Uwabu, Toshio Masuda
  • Publication number: 20030151659
    Abstract: The digital camera is adapted to generates a stereoscopic pair of images from a first image taken from a first camera location and a second image taken from a second camera location. The digital camera includes an imaging device for capturing an image of the object to be taken, an optical system for forming an optical image of the object and a processor for controlling the digital camera. The processor determines a distance from the digital camera to the object, or object distance, from the position of a focusing lens of the optical system. The processor further calculates a distance for which the digital camera should be moved after the first image is taken to be located at the second camera location. The distance for which the digital camera should be moved is displayed on an LCD monitor to inform the user of the digital camera.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2003
    Publication date: August 14, 2003
    Applicant: PENTAX Corporation
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Kawano, Toshio Masuda
  • Publication number: 20030113945
    Abstract: A plasma processing control system and method which can suppress influences caused by disturbances. The control system includes a plasma processor for performing processing operation over a sample accommodated within a vacuum processing chamber, a sensor for monitoring process parameters during processing operation of the plasma processor, a processed-result estimation model for estimating a processed result on the basis of a monitored output of the sensor and a preset processed-result prediction equation, and an optimum recipe calculation model for calculating correction values of processing conditions on the basis of an estimated result of the processed-result estimation model in such a manner that the processed result becomes a target value. The plasma processor is controlled on the basis of a recipe generated by the optimum recipe calculation model.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2003
    Publication date: June 19, 2003
    Inventors: Akira Kagoshima, Hideyuki Yamamoto, Shoji Ikuhara, Toshio Masuda, Hiroyuki Kitsunai, Junichi Tanaka, Natsuyo Morioka, Kenji Tamaki
  • Publication number: 20030102083
    Abstract: The present apparatus comprises a vacuum process chamber 100 that contains an upper electrode 110 having a conductive plate 115 with gas supply holes for supplying a process gas and a lower electrode 130 having a platform on which a sample is to be mounted; process gas supply means 117 for supplying the process gas to the gas supply holes in the upper electrode 110 and exhaust means 106 for exhausting the vacuum process chamber; a high frequency power supply 121 for applying a high frequency power to the upper electrode to generate a plasma between the upper and lower electrodes; a high frequency bias power supply 122 for applying a high frequency power to the upper electrode to generate a direct current bias potential in the upper electrode; and abnormal discharge determination means 152 for determining whether an abnormal discharge has occurred or not based on the direct current bias potential generated in the upper electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2002
    Publication date: June 5, 2003
    Inventors: Ichiro Sasaki, Toshio Masuda, Muneo Furuse, Hideyuki Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 6533075
    Abstract: An elevator group supervisory control system includes individual car control units which individually control elevator units, hall control units which control hall equipment including hall call buttons provided on each floor, a group supervisory control unit which processes assignment of elevators based on hall information transmitted from the plurality of hall control units, and a communication control unit having an independent power supply for each individual car control unit, the communication control unit being connected with a corresponding individual car control unit, a corresponding hall control unit, and the group a supervisory control unit for, data communications. The transmission paths of the communication control units and the group supervisory control unit are connected with each other through buses to constitute the elevator group supervisory control system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2003
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Toshio Masuda
  • Publication number: 20030045009
    Abstract: A method and system are provided for controlling and/or monitoring a semiconductor processing apparatus while predicting its processing results.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2001
    Publication date: March 6, 2003
    Inventors: Junichi Tanaka, Hiroyuki Kitsunai, Akira Kagoshima, Daisuke Shiraishi, Hideyuki Yamamoto, Shoji Ikuhara, Toshio Masuda
  • Publication number: 20030045007
    Abstract: A method and system are provided for controlling and/or monitoring a semiconductor processing apparatus while predicting its processing results.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2002
    Publication date: March 6, 2003
    Inventors: Junichi Tanaka, Hiroyuki Kitsunai, Akira Kagoshima, Daisuke Shiraishi, Hideyuki Yamamoto, Shoji Ikuhara, Toshio Masuda