Patents by Inventor Etsuji Ito

Etsuji Ito 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: 10943766
    Abstract: A power feed member having high heat insulation and capable of transmitting a power at a low loss is provided. The power feed member configured to supply a power includes a first conductive member; a second conductive member; and a connecting member configured to electrically connect the first conductive member and the second conductive member. At least a part of the connecting member is formed of a porous metal or multiple bulk metals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Shunichi Ito, Shinji Himori, Etsuji Ito, Naokazu Furuya, Gen Tamamushi
  • Patent number: 10763087
    Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a stage including a lower electrode in an inner space of a chamber main body. An upper electrode is provided above the stage. A first radio frequency power supply is electrically connected to the upper electrode through a power feed conductor. A second radio frequency power supply is electrically connected to a lower electrode. A ground conductor extends above the chamber main body to cover the upper electrode. The ground conductor provides an external space at the outside thereof on the side of the inner space. the third portion, the external space being provided on the second portion and above the inner space. The external space is spaced upward from the upper electrode and is shielded from the upper electrode by the ground conductor. An electromagnet is disposed in the external space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Shuichi Takahashi, Takaharu Miyadate, Norinao Takasu, Etsuji Ito, Akihiro Yokota, Naohiko Okunishi
  • Patent number: 10699935
    Abstract: A semiconductor manufacturing device includes a stage, a plurality of pins, and a driving unit. The stage includes a mounting surface. The mounting surface has a first region for mounting thereon a substrate, and a second region for mounting thereon a focus ring. The second region is provided to surround the first region. A plurality of holes is formed in the stage. The holes extend in a direction that intersects the mounting surface while passing through the boundary between the first region and the second region. The pins are provided in the respective holes. Each of the pins has a first and a second upper end surface. The second upper end surface is provided above the first upper end surface, and is offset towards the first region with respect to the first upper end surface. The driving unit moves the pins up and down in the aforementioned direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: TOKO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Shinji Himori, Yoshiyuki Kobayashi, Takehiro Kato, Etsuji Ito
  • Patent number: 10651012
    Abstract: A substrate processing method performed by a substrate processing apparatus is provided. The substrate processing method comprises: setting a magnetic pole on a processing space side of each electromagnet belonging to one of first, second and third electromagnet groups to be different from a magnetic pole on the processing space side of each electromagnet belonging to the other two electromagnet groups; generating an electric field by applying a high frequency power to a lower electrode; and performing a first process on the substrate with plasma generated by the electric field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Akihiro Yokota, Etsuji Ito, Shinji Himori
  • Publication number: 20190096639
    Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a stage including a lower electrode in an inner space of a chamber main body. An upper electrode is provided above the stage. A first radio frequency power supply is electrically connected to the upper electrode through a power feed conductor. A second radio frequency power supply is electrically connected to a lower electrode. A ground conductor extends above the chamber main body to cover the upper electrode. The ground conductor provides an external space at the outside thereof on the side of the inner space. the third portion, the external space being provided on the second portion and above the inner space. The external space is spaced upward from the upper electrode and is shielded from the upper electrode by the ground conductor. An electromagnet is disposed in the external space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2018
    Publication date: March 28, 2019
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Shuichi TAKAHASHI, Takaharu MIYADATE, Norinao TAKASU, Etsuji ITO, Akihiro YOKOTA, Naohiko OKUNISHI
  • Publication number: 20180374679
    Abstract: A power feed member having high heat insulation and capable of transmitting a power at a low loss is provided. The power feed member configured to supply a power includes a first conductive member; a second conductive member; and a connecting member configured to electrically connect the first conductive member and the second conductive member. At least a part of the connecting member is formed of a porous metal or multiple bulk metals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2018
    Publication date: December 27, 2018
    Inventors: Shunichi Ito, Shinji Himori, Etsuji Ito, Naokazu Furuya, Gen Tamamushi
  • Patent number: 10147633
    Abstract: A transfer apparatus transfers an object to be transferred onto a case. The transfer apparatus includes a transfer arm, an arm shaft, a plurality of electromagnets, and a control unit. The transfer arm has a pick unit on a front end thereof and extends and retracts in a horizontal direction. The object to be transferred is held on the pick unit. The arm shaft supports the transfer arm. The plurality of electromagnets apply an force in upward direction to the transfer arm by generating a magnetic field in the case. The control unit controls the plurality of electromagnets in such a manner that when the transfer arm extends and retracts in the horizontal direction, the force in upward direction applied to the transfer arm increases as a length from the arm shaft to the front end of the transfer arm increases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Shinji Himori, Takehiro Kato, Etsuji Ito
  • Patent number: 9978566
    Abstract: Disclosed is a plasma etching method which is performed using a plasma processing apparatus that is a capacitively coupled plasma processing apparatus, and includes: a processing container; a gas supply unit that supply an etching processing gas into the processing container; a placing table including a lower electrode; an upper electrode provided above the placing table; and a plurality of electromagnets including a plurality of coils, or a plurality of electromagnets each including a coil, on the upper electrode. The plasma etching method includes generating plasma of the processing gas to perform a plasma etching on a single film of a workpiece placed on the placing table; and controlling a current supplied to the plurality of electromagnet to change a distribution of an etching rate of the single film in the diametric direction with respect to the central axis during the generating of the plasma of the processing gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Akihiro Yokota, Shinji Himori, Tatsuro Ohshita, Shu Kusano, Etsuji Ito, Kazuya Nagaseki
  • Publication number: 20180114717
    Abstract: A semiconductor manufacturing device includes a stage, a plurality of pins, and a driving unit. The stage includes a mounting surface. The mounting surface has a first region for mounting thereon a substrate, and a second region for mounting thereon a focus ring. The second region is provided to surround the first region. A plurality of holes is formed in the stage. The holes extend in a direction that intersects the mounting surface while passing through the boundary between the first region and the second region. The pins are provided in the respective holes. Each of the pins has a first and a second upper end surface. The second upper end surface is provided above the first upper end surface, and is offset towards the first region with respect to the first upper end surface. The driving unit moves the pins up and down in the aforementioned direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2017
    Publication date: April 26, 2018
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Shinji HIMORI, Yoshiyuki KOBAYASHI, Takehiro KATO, Etsuji ITO
  • Patent number: 9859146
    Abstract: A semiconductor manufacturing device includes a stage, a plurality of pins, and a driving unit. The stage includes a mounting surface. The mounting surface has a first region for mounting thereon a substrate, and a second region for mounting thereon a focus ring. The second region is provided to surround the first region. A plurality of holes is formed in the stage. The holes extend in a direction that intersects the mounting surface while passing through the boundary between the first region and the second region. The pins are provided in the respective holes. Each of the pins has a first and a second upper end surface. The second upper end surface is provided above the first upper end surface, and is offset towards the first region with respect to the first upper end surface. The driving unit moves the pins up and down in the aforementioned direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Shinji Himori, Yoshiyuki Kobayashi, Takehiro Kato, Etsuji Ito
  • Publication number: 20170162367
    Abstract: A substrate processing method performed by a substrate processing apparatus is provided. The substrate processing method comprises: setting a magnetic pole on a processing space side of each electromagnet belonging to one of first, second and third electromagnet groups to be different from a magnetic pole on the processing space side of each electromagnet belonging to the other two electromagnet groups; generating an electric field by applying a high frequency power to a lower electrode; and performing a first process on the substrate with plasma generated by the electric field.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2016
    Publication date: June 8, 2017
    Inventors: Akihiro YOKOTA, Etsuji ITO, Shinji HIMORI
  • Publication number: 20170103877
    Abstract: Disclosed is a plasma etching method which is performed using a plasma processing apparatus that is a capacitively coupled plasma processing apparatus, and includes: a processing container; a gas supply unit that supply an etching processing gas into the processing container; a placing table including a lower electrode; an upper electrode provided above the placing table; and a plurality of electromagnets including a plurality of coils, or a plurality of electromagnets each including a coil, on the upper electrode. The plasma etching method includes generating plasma of the processing gas to perform a plasma etching on a single film of a workpiece placed on the placing table; and controlling a current supplied to the plurality of electromagnet to change a distribution of an etching rate of the single film in the diametric direction with respect to the central axis during the generating of the plasma of the processing gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2016
    Publication date: April 13, 2017
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Akihiro YOKOTA, Shinji HIMORI, Tatsuro OHSHITA, Shu KUSANO, Etsuji ITO, Kazuya NAGASEKI
  • Patent number: 9390943
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus generates an electric field in a processing space between a lower electrode to which a high frequency power is supplied and an upper electrode facing the lower electrode and performs plasma processing on a substrate mounted on the lower electrode by using a plasma generated by the electric field. Distribution of a plasma density in the processing space is controlled by a magnetic field generated by controlling a plurality of electromagnets provided at a top surface of the upper electrode which is provided to be opposite to the processing space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Kazuya Nagaseki, Etsuji Ito, Akihiro Yokota, Shinji Himori, Shoichiro Matsuyama
  • Publication number: 20150072534
    Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus for performing a plasma process on a substrate includes: a mounting table configured to mount thereon the substrate; an electromagnet including a core member and a plurality of coils; a current source connected to both ends of the coils for supplying currents to the coils; and a control unit configured to control the current source to start or stop and to control a current value of the current source. The core member is made of a magnetic material and has a structure including a column-shaped member, multiple cylindrical members, and a base member. The plurality of coils are accommodated in grooves and wound around an outer peripheral surface of the column-shaped member and the cylindrical members, and the grooves are formed between the column-shaped member and one of the cylindrical members and between the cylindrical members.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2014
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Inventors: Shinji Himori, Etsuji Ito, Akihiro Yokota, Shu Kusano, Hiroaki Ishizuka, Kazuya Nagaseki
  • Publication number: 20140346040
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus can easily control a plasma intensity distribution in a processing space. A substrate processing apparatus 10 generates an electric field E in a processing space S between a susceptor 12 to which a high frequency power is applied and an upper electrode 13 provided to face the susceptor 12, and also performs a plasma process on a wafer W mounted on the susceptor 12 with plasma generated by the electric field E. The substrate processing apparatus 10 includes multiple electromagnets 20 arranged on a top surface 13a of the upper electrode 13 opposite to the processing space S, and each of the electromagnets 20 is radially arranged with respect to a central portion C of the upper electrode 13 facing a central portion of the wafer W.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2013
    Publication date: November 27, 2014
    Inventors: Akihiro Yokota, Etsuji Ito, Shinji Himori
  • Patent number: 8895454
    Abstract: In an etching method of a multilayer film including a first oxide film and a second oxide film, a high frequency power in etching an organic film is set to be higher than those in etching a first and second oxide films, and high frequency bias powers in the etching of the first and second oxide films are set to be higher than that in the etching of the organic film. In the etching of the first and second oxide films and the organic film, a magnetic field is generated such that horizontal magnetic field components in a radial direction with respect to a central axis line of a target object have an intensity distribution having a peak value at a position far from the central axis line, and a position of the peak value in the etching of the organic film is closer to the central axis line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Shinji Himori, Etsuji Ito, Akihiro Yokota, Shu Kusano, Hiroaki Ishizuka, Kazuya Nagaseki
  • Publication number: 20140213055
    Abstract: A semiconductor manufacturing device includes a stage, a plurality of pins, and a driving unit. The stage includes a mounting surface. The mounting surface has a first region for mounting thereon a substrate, and a second region for mounting thereon a focus ring. The second region is provided to surround the first region. A plurality of holes is formed in the stage. The holes extend in a direction that intersects the mounting surface while passing through the boundary between the first region and the second region. The pins are provided in the respective holes. Each of the pins has a first and a second upper end surface. The second. upper end surface is provided above the first upper end surface, and is offset towards the first region with respect to the first upper end surface. The driving unit moves the pins up and down in the aforementioned direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2012
    Publication date: July 31, 2014
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Shinji Himori, Yoshiyuki Kobayashi, Takehiro Kato, Etsuji Ito
  • Publication number: 20140206199
    Abstract: In an etching method of a multilayer film including a first oxide film and a second oxide film, a high frequency power in etching an organic film is set to be higher than those in etching a first and second oxide films, and high frequency bias powers in the etching of the first and second oxide films are set to be higher than that in the etching of the organic film. In the etching of the first and second oxide films and the organic film, a magnetic field is generated such that horizontal magnetic field components in a radial direction with respect to a central axis line of a target object have an intensity distribution having a peak value at a position far from the central axis line, and a position of the peak value in the etching of the organic film is closer to the central axis line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2014
    Publication date: July 24, 2014
    Inventors: Shinji Himori, Etsuji Ito, Akihiro Yokota, Shu KUSANO, Hiroaki Ishizuka, Kazuya Nagaseki
  • Publication number: 20130062016
    Abstract: A transfer apparatus transfers an object to be transferred onto a case. The transfer apparatus includes a transfer arm, an arm shaft, a plurality of electromagnets, and a control unit. The transfer arm has a pick unit on a front end thereof and extends and retracts in a horizontal direction. The object to be transferred is held on the pick unit. The arm shaft supports the transfer arm. The plurality of electromagnets apply an force in upward direction to the transfer arm by generating a magnetic field in the case. The control unit controls the plurality of electromagnets in such a manner that when the transfer arm extends and retracts in the horizontal direction, the force in upward direction applied to the transfer arm increases as a length from the arm shaft to the front end of the transfer arm increases.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2012
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Shinji HIMORI, Takehiro KATO, Etsuji ITO
  • Patent number: 7368876
    Abstract: A low-cost plasma processing apparatus which permits reduction of the cost, as well as reduction of the loss of transmitted power. The plasma processing apparatus 1 has an apparatus main body 2 and auxiliary equipment 3. The auxiliary equipment 3 is comprised of a power supply apparatus 5 that supplies power to a processing chamber 4, and a plurality of dry pumps 6 and 7, and so on. The power supply apparatus 5 is comprised of a matching unit 9, an RF amplifier 13 that is connected to the matching unit 9 via a coaxial cable 24, and a power controller 12 having a DC amplifier 14 therein. The RF amplifier 13 is formed in a separate body to the DC amplifier 14 and disposed in a position away from the DC amplifier 14 and close to the matching unit 9, and is connected to the DC amplifier 14 via an ordinary cable 25.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Assignees: Tokyo Electron Limited, Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Toshihiro Hayami, Etsuji Ito, Itsuko Sakai