Patents by Inventor Akihiro Aiba

Akihiro Aiba 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: 9758901
    Abstract: The present invention provides a vitreous silica crucible which inhibits a deformation even when used under a high temperature condition for a long time, and a method for manufacturing the same. The vitreous silica crucible comprises: a substantially cylindrical straight body portion having an opening on the top end and extending in a vertical direction, a curved bottom portion, and a corner portion connecting the straight body portion with the bottom portion and a curvature of which is greater than that of the bottom portion, wherein, the vitreous silica crucible comprises a transparent layer on the inside and a bubble layer on the outside thereof, a compressive stress layer in which compressive stress remains in the inner surface side of the transparent layer, and a tensile stress layer in which tensile stress remains and is adjacent to the compressive stress layer at a gradual rate of change of stress.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: SUMCO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshiaki Sudo, Ken Kitahara, Akihiro Aiba, Kazushi Ousyuya, Fumie Yoshida, Makiko Hinooka, Eriko Kitahara, Tadahiro Sato
  • Publication number: 20160108550
    Abstract: The present invention provides a vitreous silica crucible which inhibits a deformation even when used under a high temperature condition for a long time, and a method for manufacturing the same. The vitreous silica crucible comprises: a substantially cylindrical straight body portion having an opening on the top end and extending in a vertical direction, a curved bottom portion, and a corner portion connecting the straight body portion with the bottom portion and a curvature of which is greater than that of the bottom portion, wherein, the vitreous silica crucible comprises a transparent layer on the inside and a bubble layer on the outside thereof, a compressive stress layer in which compressive stress remains in the inner surface side of the transparent layer, and a tensile stress layer in which tensile stress remains and is adjacent to the compressive stress layer at a gradual rate of change of stress.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2013
    Publication date: April 21, 2016
    Inventors: Toshiaki SUDO, Ken KITAHARA, Akihiro AIBA, Kazushi OUSYUYA, Fumie YOSHIDA, Makiko HINOOKA, Eriko KITAHARA, Tadahiro SATO
  • Patent number: 8814997
    Abstract: An electroless plating pretreatment agent that can retain stably Pd(II) over a long period of time in an organic solvent, an electroless plating method using the same that is capable of forming an electroless plated film having excellent adhesion, and an electroless plated object. The electroless plating pretreatment agent contains an organic palladium compound and a coordination compound having a functional group with a metal-capturing capability dissolved in an organic solvent, the coordination compound being selected from the group consisting of the imidazole analogs, polyethyleneamines, ethyleneimines and polyethyleneimines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: JX Nippon Mining & Metals Corporation
    Inventors: Toru Imori, Jun Suzuki, Ryu Murakami, Akihiro Aiba, Junichi Ito
  • Publication number: 20140158546
    Abstract: An electrolytic copper plating solution for filling for forming microwiring for ULSI, is characterized in that it has a pH of from 1.8 to 3.0. The electrolytic copper plating solution preferably contains a saturated carboxylic acid having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms at a concentration from 0.01 to 2.0 mol/L.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2013
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Inventors: Junnosuke SEKIGUCHI, Hirofumi TAKAHASHI, Akihiro AIBA
  • Patent number: 8252157
    Abstract: An electrolytic copper plating method characterized in employing a phosphorous copper anode having a crystal grain size of 1,500 ?m (or more) to 20,000 ?m in an electrolytic copper plating method employing a phosphorous copper anode. Upon performing electrolytic copper plating, an object is to provide an electrolytic copper plating method of a semiconductor wafer for preventing the adhesion of particles, which arise at the anode side in the plating bath, to the plating object such as a semiconductor wafer, a phosphorous copper anode for electrolytic copper plating, and a semiconductor wafer having low particle adhesion plated with such method and anode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: JX Nippon Mining & Metals Corporation
    Inventors: Akihiro Aiba, Takeo Okabe
  • Publication number: 20120192758
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide an electroless plating pretreatment agent that can retain stably Pd(II) over a long period of time in an organic solvent, an electroless plating method using the same that is capable of forming an electroless plated film having excellent adhesion, and an electroless plated object. The object is achieved by an electroless plating pretreatment agent comprising an organic palladium compound and a coordination compound having a functional group with a metal-capturing capability dissolved in an organic solvent, the coordination compound being selected from the group consisting of the imidazole analogs, polyethyleneamines, ethyleneimines and polyethyleneimines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2011
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Inventors: Toru Imori, Jun Suzuki, Ryu Murakami, Akihiro Aiba, Junichi Ito
  • Patent number: 8216438
    Abstract: Provided is a copper anode or a phosphorous-containing copper anode for use in performing electroplating copper on a semiconductor wafer, wherein purity of the copper anode or the phosphorous-containing copper anode excluding phosphorous is 99.99 wt % or higher, and silicon as an impurity is 10 wtppm or less. Additionally provided is an electroplating copper method capable of effectively preventing the adhesion of particles on a plating object, particularly onto a semiconductor wafer during electroplating copper, a phosphorous-containing copper anode for use in such electroplating copper, and a semiconductor wafer comprising a copper layer with low particle adhesion formed by the foregoing copper electroplating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: JX Nippon Mining & Metals Corporation
    Inventors: Akihiro Aiba, Hirofumi Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20120103820
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an electrolytic copper plating solution which can suppress, upon electrolytic copper plating on a copper seed layer during fabrication of ULSI copper microwiring (damascene copper wiring) having trends to further miniaturization, dissolution of the copper seed layer and accordingly can suppress occurrence of voids on the inner wall of vias/trenches. The present invention provides an electrolytic copper plating solution for filling for forming microwiring for ULSI, characterized in that it has a pH of 1.8 or higher and 3.0 or lower. The electrolytic copper plating solution preferably comprises a saturated carboxylic acid having 1 or more and 4 or less carbon atoms at 0.01 mol/L or more and 2.0 mol/L or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2010
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Inventors: Junnosuke Sekiguchi, Hirofumi Takahashi, Akihiro Aiba
  • Patent number: 7943033
    Abstract: The present invention pertains to an electrolytic copper plating method characterized in employing pure copper as the anode upon performing electrolytic copper plating, and performing electrolytic copper plating with the pure copper anode having a crystal grain diameter of 10 ?m or less or 60 ?m or more. Provided are an electrolytic copper plating method and a pure copper anode for electrolytic copper plating used in such electrolytic copper plating method capable of suppressing the generation of particles such as sludge produced on the anode side within the plating bath upon performing electrolytic copper plating, and capable of preventing the adhesion of particles to a semiconductor wafer, as well as a semiconductor wafer plated with the foregoing method and anode having low particle adhesion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: JX Nippon Mining & Metals Corporation
    Inventors: Akihiro Aiba, Takeo Okabe, Junnosuke Sekiguchi
  • Publication number: 20100307923
    Abstract: The present invention pertains to an electrolytic copper plating method characterized in employing pure copper as the anode upon performing electrolytic copper plating, and performing electrolytic copper plating with the pure copper anode having a crystal grain diameter of 10 ?m or less or 60 ?m or more. Provided are an electrolytic copper plating method and a pure copper anode for electrolytic copper plating used in such electrolytic copper plating method capable of suppressing the generation of particles such as sludge produced on the anode side within the plating bath upon performing electrolytic copper plating, and capable of preventing the adhesion of particles to a semiconductor wafer, as well as a semiconductor wafer plated with the foregoing method and anode having low particle adhesion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2010
    Publication date: December 9, 2010
    Applicant: NIPPON MINING & METALS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akihiro Aiba, Takeo Okabe, Junnosuke Sekiguchi
  • Patent number: 7799188
    Abstract: The present invention pertains to an electrolytic copper plating method characterized in employing pure copper as the anode upon performing electrolytic copper plating, and performing electrolytic copper plating with the pure copper anode having a crystal grain diameter of 10 ?m or less or 60 ?m or more. Provided are an electrolytic copper plating method and a pure copper anode for electrolytic copper plating used in such electrolytic copper plating method capable of suppressing the generation of particles such as sludge produced on the anode side within the plating bath upon performing electrolytic copper plating, and capable of preventing the adhesion of particles to a semiconductor wafer, as well as a semiconductor wafer plated with the foregoing method and anode having low particle adhesion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: Nippon Mining & Metals Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Akihiro Aiba, Takeo Okabe, Junnosuke Sekiguchi
  • Patent number: 7704307
    Abstract: An electroless palladium plating liquid, with excellent bath stability, that can provide a film with excellent corrosion resistance, solder bondability, and wire bondability is provided. The invention is an electroless palladium plating liquid, containing: a water soluble palladium compound; at least one of ammonia, an amine compound, an aminocarboxylic acid compound, and carboxylic acid as a complexing agent; and bismuth or a bismuth compound as a stabilizer. Preferably the electroless palladium plating liquid further contains at least one of hypophosphorous acid, phosphorous acid, formic acid, acetic acid, hydrazine, a boron hydride compound, an amine borane compound, and salts thereof as a reducing agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: Nippon Mining & Metals Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akihiro Aiba, Hirofumi Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20100096271
    Abstract: Provided is a copper anode or a phosphorous-containing copper anode for use in performing electroplating copper on a semiconductor wafer, wherein purity of the copper anode or the phosphorous-containing copper anode excluding phosphorous is 99.99 wt % or higher, and silicon as an impurity is 10 wtppm or less. Additionally provided is an electroplating copper method capable of effectively preventing the adhesion of particles on a plating object, particularly onto a semiconductor wafer during electroplating copper, a phosphorous-containing copper anode for use in such electroplating copper, and a semiconductor wafer comprising a copper layer with low particle adhesion formed by the foregoing copper electroplating.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2008
    Publication date: April 22, 2010
    Applicant: NIPPON MINING & METALS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akihiro Aiba, Hirofumi Takahashi
  • Patent number: 7648621
    Abstract: The present invention pertains to an electrolytic copper plating method characterized in employing pure copper as the anode upon performing electrolytic copper plating, and performing electrolytic copper plating with the pure copper anode having a crystal grain diameter of 10 ?m or less or 60 ?m or more or a non-recrystallized anode. Provided are an electrolytic copper plating method and a pure copper anode for electrolytic copper plating used in such electrolytic copper plating method capable of suppressing the generation of particles such as sludge produced on the anode side within the plating bath upon performing electrolytic copper plating, and capable of preventing the adhesion to a semiconductor wafer, as well as a semiconductor wafer plated with the foregoing method and anode having low particle adhesion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2010
    Assignee: Nippon Mining & Metals Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akihiro Aiba, Takeo Okabe, Junnosuke Sekiguchi
  • Publication number: 20100000871
    Abstract: The present invention pertains to an electrolytic copper plating method characterized in employing pure copper as the anode upon performing electrolytic copper plating, and performing electrolytic copper plating with the pure copper anode having a crystal grain diameter of 10 ?m or less or 60 ?m or more. Provided are an electrolytic copper plating method and a pure copper anode for electrolytic copper plating used in such electrolytic copper plating method capable of suppressing the generation of particles such as sludge produced on the anode side within the plating bath upon performing electrolytic copper plating, and capable of preventing the adhesion of particles to a semiconductor wafer, as well as a semiconductor wafer plated with the foregoing method and anode having low particle adhesion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2009
    Publication date: January 7, 2010
    Applicant: NIPPON MINING & METALS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akihiro Aiba, Takeo Okabe, Junnosuke Sekiguchi
  • Publication number: 20090081369
    Abstract: An electroless palladium plating liquid, with excellent bath stability, that can provide a film with excellent corrosion resistance, solder bondability, and wire bondability is provided. The invention is an electroless palladium plating liquid, comprising: a water soluble palladium compound; at least one of ammonia, an amine compound, an aminocarboxylic acid compound, and carboxylic acid as a complexing agent; and bismuth or a bismuth compound as a stabilizer. Preferably the electroless palladium plating liquid further comprises at least one of hypophosphorous acid, phosphorous acid, formic acid, acetic acid, hydrazine, a boron hydride compound, an amine borane compound, and salts thereof as a reducing agent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2006
    Publication date: March 26, 2009
    Inventors: Akihiro Aiba, Hirofumi Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20080210568
    Abstract: An electrolytic copper plating method characterized in employing a phosphorous copper anode having a crystal grain size of 1,500 ?m (or more) to 20,000 ?m in an electrolytic copper plating method employing a phosphorous copper anode. Upon performing electrolytic copper plating, an object is to provide an electrolytic copper plating method of a semiconductor wafer for preventing the adhesion of particles, which arise at the anode side in the plating bath, to the plating object such as a semiconductor wafer, a phosphorous copper anode for electrolytic copper plating, and a semiconductor wafer having low particle adhesion plated with such method and anode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2008
    Publication date: September 4, 2008
    Applicant: NIPPON MINING & METALS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akihiro Aiba, Takeo Okabe
  • Patent number: 7419536
    Abstract: There is provided a cyanide-free immersion type electroless gold plating liquid that is low in toxicity, can be used near a neutral ph, and has a good solder adhesion and plating film adhesion. The electroless gold plating liquid contains a cyanide-free water-soluble gold compound and a pyrosulfurous acid compound. The plating liquid may further contain a sulfurous acid compound and an aminocarboxylic acid compound. Pyrosulfurous acid or an alkali metal, alkaline earth metal, ammonium, or another such salt thereof can be used as the pyrosulfurous acid compound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2008
    Assignee: Nikko Materials Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akihiro Aiba, Yoshiyuki Hisumi, Kazumi Kawamura
  • Patent number: 7396394
    Abstract: The invention provides a displacement electroless gold plating solution that is low in toxicity, can be used at a pH near to neutrality, and affords good solder adhesion and film adhesion. The displacement electroless gold plating solution contains a non-cyanide water-soluble gold compound and a hydrogensulfite compound. Preferably, the plating solution further contains a thiosulfuric acid compound or an aminocarboxylic acid compound. Sodium hydrogensulfite, potassium hydrogensulfite, ammonium hydrogensulfite or the like can be used as the hydrogensulfite compound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2008
    Assignee: Nippon Mining & Metals Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akihiro Aiba, Kazumi Kawamura, Hirofumi Takahashi
  • Patent number: 7393395
    Abstract: The present invention provides a surface-treating agent which improves heat resistance, adhesiveness to resin and solder wettability. The surface-treating agent for metal contains a tetrazole derivative represented by the following formula and/or a salt thereof, wherein R1 and R2 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, or an alkyl group or an aryl group, etc., which each have a carbon number of not more than 10, and a group having a halogen atom, a hydroxyl group, a carboxyl group, an amino group or a mercapto group added thereto, or represent an amino group, a mercapto group, a hydroxyl group or a carboxyl group; and R3 represents a bond or an alkylene group, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2008
    Assignee: Nippon Mining & Metals Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akihiro Aiba, Tomoharu Mimura