Patents Assigned to Speedfam Co., Ltd.
  • Patent number: 11145492
    Abstract: A local dry etching apparatus includes a vacuum chamber that has a predetermined degree of vacuum therewithin, a nozzle including a first end and a second end, at least the first end of the nozzle open to the vacuum chamber, a discharge tube including a first end that is connected to the second end of the nozzle, a plasma generator provided in the discharge tube, an electromagnetic wave irradiation part configured to oscillate electromagnetic waves and connected to the discharge tube via the electromagnetic wave transmitter to introduce the oscillated electromagnetic waves to the plasma generator, and a spacer interposed between the nozzle and the discharge tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: SPEEDFAM CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yasushi Obara
  • Publication number: 20170278674
    Abstract: A local dry etching apparatus includes a vacuum chamber, a nozzle opened in the vacuum chamber, a discharge tube connected to the nozzle, a workpiece table disposed in the vacuum chamber for mounting a workpiece thereon, a table driving device, a table driving control device, an electromagnetic wave oscillator, a gas supply device for supplying a raw material gas to the discharge tube, a plasma generation portion formed in the discharge tube, and an electromagnetic wave transmission unit for irradiation of electromagnetic waves oscillated in the electromagnetic wave oscillator to the plasma generation portion, in which the nozzle and the discharge tube are composed of separate parts and a temperature adjusting unit is provided for adjusting the temperature of at least one of the nozzle and the discharge tube.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2017
    Publication date: September 28, 2017
    Applicant: SPEEDFAM Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yasushi OBARA
  • Publication number: 20160203989
    Abstract: A local dry etching apparatus includes a vacuum chamber, a single workpiece table, a plurality of discharge tubes, a raw material gas supply device for supplying a raw material gas to a selected discharge tube, a single electromagnetic wave oscillator capable of output adjustment, and waveguides provided with an electromagnetic wave switcher. A discharge tube selected from the plurality of discharge tubes to be irradiated with the electromagnetic wave is switched sequentially by the electromagnetic wave switcher.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2014
    Publication date: July 14, 2016
    Applicant: SPEEDFAM Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yasushi OBARA
  • Publication number: 20160104601
    Abstract: A local dry etching apparatus includes a single vacuum chamber, a plurality of gas introduction units each including a discharge tube having an injection port opened in the vacuum chamber, a single workpiece table disposed in the vacuum chamber and mounting a workpiece thereon, a table driving device, a table driving control device, a gas supply device for supplying raw material gases to the gas introduction units, a single electromagnetic wave oscillator, plasma generation portions each formed to each of the discharge tubes of the gas introduction units, and an electromagnetic wave transmission unit having an electromagnetic wave switching unit capable of switching an electromagnetic wave such that one of the plasma generation portions is irradiated with the electromagnetic wave, in which the respective gas introduction units inject plasma having different fabrication characteristics.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2015
    Publication date: April 14, 2016
    Applicant: SPEEDFAM Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yasushi OBARA
  • Patent number: 8114178
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a polishing composition for a semiconductor wafer which is excellent in polishing property, and a polishing method. The polishing composition for a semiconductor wafer comprises colloidal silica consisting of non-spherical silica particles having a ratio of long axis to short axis of 1.5 to 15. The polishing method for a semiconductor wafer uses the polishing composition. The polishing composition can provide a remarkably high polishing rate compared with a polishing composition using spherical colloidal silica, and can provide good mirror-polishing without causing scratches. In addition, small alkali metal content enables reduction of adverse effects on a semiconductor wafer, such as residual abrasives after polishing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignees: Nippon Chemical Industrial Co., Ltd., Speedfam Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Izumi, Shinsuke Miyabe, Kuniaki Maejima, Hiroaki Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20080311750
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a polishing composition for a semiconductor wafer which is excellent in polishing property, and a polishing method. The polishing composition for a semiconductor wafer comprises colloidal silica consisting of non-spherical silica particles having a ratio of long axis to short axis of 1.5 to 15. The polishing method for a semiconductor wafer uses the polishing composition. The polishing composition can provide a remarkably high polishing rate compared with a polishing composition using spherical colloidal silica, and can provide good mirror-polishing without causing scratches. In addition, small alkali metal content enables reduction of adverse effects on a semiconductor wafer, such as residual abrasives after polishing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2008
    Publication date: December 18, 2008
    Applicants: NIPPON CHEMICAL INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD., SPEEDFAM CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masahiro Izumi, Shinsuke Miyabe, Kuniaki Maejima, Hiroaki Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20080287038
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a polishing composition for a substrate including a metal such as wiring, etc., formed on a semiconductor wafer, which can provide a high polishing rate without causing scratches on the wiring metal, a method of producing the polishing composition, and a polishing method. The polishing composition for a semiconductor wafer comprises an acid and an aqueous medium dispersion containing positively-charged silica particles having an amino group-containing silane coupling agent bonded on a surface thereof, the polishing composition having a pH of 2 to 6.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2008
    Publication date: November 20, 2008
    Applicants: NIPPON CHEMICAL INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD., SPEEDFAM CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shinsuke Miyabe, Kuniaki Maejima, Masahiro Izumi, Hiroaki Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20080237535
    Abstract: A composition for polishing a semiconductor wafer contains fumed silica particles that are produced by wet grinding using a grinding medium and that have characteristics (A) to (C): (A) a specific surface area in the range of 50 to 200 m2/g measured by a BET method; (B) an average particle diameter in the range of 10 to 50 nm measured by a laser light-scattering method; and (C) an average ratio A/B of the major axis A to the minor axis B of the fumed silica particles in the range of 1.2 to 2.0 measured by TEM observation, wherein the concentration of silica particles containing the fumed silica particles is in the range of 0.5 to 50 weight percent relative to the total weight of an aqueous dispersion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2008
    Publication date: October 2, 2008
    Applicants: SpeedFam Co., Ltd., Nippon Chemical Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kuniaki Maejima, Masaru Nakajo, Hiroaki Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20080038996
    Abstract: A polishing composition for semiconductor wafers containing colloidal silica is disclosed, wherein the colloidal silica is prepared from an active silicic acid aqueous solution obtained by removing alkali from an alkali silicate aqueous solution and a quaternary ammonium base, and is stabilized with a quaternary ammonium base. The polishing composition contains no alkali metals. The polishing composition contains a buffer solution that is a combination of a weak acid having a pKa from 8.0 to 12.5 at 25° C. (pKa is a logarithm of the reciprocal of acid dissociation constant) and a quaternary ammonium base, and exhibits a buffer action in the range from pH8 to pH11.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2007
    Publication date: February 14, 2008
    Applicants: NIPPON CHEMICAL INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD., SPEEDFAM CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kuniaki MAEJIMA, Shinsuke MIYABE, Masahiro IZUMI, Hiroaki TANAKA, Makiko KURODA
  • Patent number: 7147541
    Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a double side polisher capable of maintaining thickness control accuracy over a long period of time without being affected by a gradual change in thickness of a polishing pad, and a thickness control method. The first polishing operation is finished based on the polishing duration time, and the second and subsequent polishing operations are finished based on the measured distance values of a distance sensor, and after each polishing operation including the first polishing, the measured value of the distance sensor is calibrated based on the measured value and target value of finishing thickness of the work piece. Since the calibration is performed for each polishing operation, it is possible to maintain thickness control accuracy over a long period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Assignee: Speedfam Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hitoshi Nagayama, Yusuke Inoue
  • Patent number: 7137867
    Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a thickness control method for a double side polisher, accuracy of which is not affected by wearing of polishing pad and applicable to polishing of nonconductive work pieces. An eddy current sensor in a cavity of an upper polishing plate measures distance from the senor to the upper surface of carrier with holes for the work pieces being inserted respectively. The measured distance is successively monitored and polishing is stopped when the distance has become a predetermined value corresponding to target amount of material removal from the work piece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2006
    Assignee: Speedfam Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hitoshi Nagayama, Yusuke Inoue
  • Publication number: 20060194511
    Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a double side polisher capable of maintaining thickness control accuracy over a long period of time without being affected by a gradual change in thickness of a polishing pad, and a thickness control method. The first polishing operation is finished based on the polishing duration time, and the second and subsequent polishing operations are finished based on the measured distance values of a distance sensor, and after each polishing operation including the first polishing, the measured value of the distance sensor is calibrated based on the measured value and target value of finishing thickness of the work piece. Since the calibration is performed for each polishing operation, it is possible to maintain thickness control accuracy over a long period of time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2006
    Publication date: August 31, 2006
    Applicant: SPEEDFAM Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hitoshi Nagayama, Yusuke Inoue
  • Publication number: 20060194512
    Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a thickness control method for a double side polisher, accuracy of which is not affected by wearing of polishing pad and applicable to polishing of nonconductive work pieces. An eddy current sensor in a cavity of an upper polishing plate measures distance from the senor to the upper surface of carrier with holes for the work pieces being inserted respectively. The measured distance is successively monitored and polishing is stopped when the distance has become a predetermined value corresponding to target amount of material removal from the work piece.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2006
    Publication date: August 31, 2006
    Applicant: SPEEDFAM Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hitoshi Nagayama, Yusuke Inoue
  • Patent number: 7094355
    Abstract: This invention provides a local dry etching method comprising the step of removing an oxide film formed on the surface of a semiconductor water before unevenness on the semiconductor wafer is removed by scanning the surface of the semiconductor wafer at a controlled relative speed with a nozzle for applying a flow of activated species gas to the surface of the semiconductor wafer. The removal of this oxide film is carried out by widening an etching profile and a scan pitch and making the nozzle speed constant, and then flattening is carried out in the same local dry etching apparatus. For flattening, the nozzle speed is changed for each area according to initial unevenness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2006
    Assignee: Speedfam Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Michihiko Yanagisawa, Tadayoshi Okuya
  • Patent number: 7005032
    Abstract: To resolve a problem that an etching rate profile is changed by a position of a nozzle relative to a semiconductor wafer and accordingly, at a vicinity of an outer edge of the semiconductor wafer, an accurate machining result is difficult to achieve, gas including activated species produced by plasma is blown from a nozzle locally to a surface of the semiconductor wafer W supported on a wafer table concentrically therewith to thereby remove unevenness on the surface of the semiconductor wafer. In this case, the wafer table is provided with a radius larger than a radius of the semiconductor wafer supported thereby by an outstretched portion to thereby prevent an outer edge from being removed excessively by reflected gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2006
    Assignee: Speedfam Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Michihiko Yanagisawa, Kazuyuki Tsuruoka, Chikai Tanaka
  • Patent number: 6908566
    Abstract: In a local dry etching method, position-thickness data of a semiconductor wafer is previously obtained by measuring the wafer surface, components of position-thickness data shorter than a predetermined spatial wavelength are cut off by filtering and nozzle-wafer relative speed for planarizing the surface is calculated using the filtered data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2005
    Assignee: Speedfam Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Michihiko Yanagisawa, Kazuyuki Tsuruoka
  • Patent number: 6875701
    Abstract: To remove nanotopography (unevenness of wavelength: 0.2 mm through 20 mm, wave height: 1 through several hundreds nm) which has already been produced on a surface of a semiconductor wafer which has been regarded as impossible to remove conventionally, a half value width of an etching profile of activated species gas is set to fall in a range equal to or smaller than a wavelength a of nanotopography and equal to or larger than a half thereof. Based on previously measured data of nanotopography, moving speed and locus of injected activated species gas along a surface of a semiconductor wafer are calculated and controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2005
    Assignee: Speedfam Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Michihiko Yanagisawa, Tadayoshi Okuya
  • Patent number: 6840841
    Abstract: Disclosed is a wafer edge polishing system which improves the throughput and reduces the average processing cost. The system incorporates a wafer inspection unit. A wafer is polished in a wafer edge polishing unit and carried by a carrier unit to the wafer inspection unit where the polished surfaces of the wafer is inspected, and if it is judged as poorly polished, it is re-carried to the wafer edge polishing unit by the carrier unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2005
    Assignee: Speedfam Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shunji Hakomori
  • Patent number: 6773335
    Abstract: When a device wafer is chucked and is rotated about an axis thereof, arc-shaped work faces of first and second inclined-face-polishing members are brought into line-contact with inclined faces disposed at front and rear faces, respectively, of the device wafer, the arc-shaped work face of a peripheral-face-polishing member is brought into line-contact with a peripheral face of the device wafer, and a disc-shaped work face of a peripheral-edge-polishing member is brought into planar contact with the front face of the device wafer at a peripheral edge thereof, whereby the inclined faces, the peripheral face, and the peripheral edge are polished simultaneously by the respective polishing members. Thus, an unnecessary part of a metallic film is removed from the periphery of the device wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2004
    Assignee: Speedfam Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shunji Hakomori
  • Publication number: 20040142571
    Abstract: This invention provides a local dry etching method comprising the step of removing an oxide film formed on the surface of a semiconductor water before unevenness on the semiconductor wafer is removed by scanning the surface of the semiconductor wafer at a controlled relative speed with a nozzle for applying a flow of activated species gas to the surface of the semiconductor wafer. The removal of this oxide film is carried out by widening an etching profile and a scan pitch and making the nozzle speed constant, and then flattening is carried out in the same local dry etching apparatus. For flattening, the nozzle speed is changed for each area according to initial unevenness.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2003
    Publication date: July 22, 2004
    Applicant: Speedfam Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Michihiko Yanagisawa, Tadayoshi Okuya