Patents by Inventor Hideki Nishihata
Hideki Nishihata 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).
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Patent number: 8183133Abstract: There is provided a method for suppressing the occurrence of defects such as voids or blisters even in the laminated wafer having no oxide film wherein hydrogen ions are implanted into a wafer for active layer having no oxide film on its surface to form a hydrogen ion implanted layer, and ions other than hydrogen are implanted up to a position that a depth from the surface side the hydrogen ion implantation is shallower than the hydrogen ion implanted layer, and the wafer for active layer is laminated onto a wafer for support substrate, and then the wafer for active layer is exfoliated at the hydrogen ion implanted layer.Type: GrantFiled: October 12, 2010Date of Patent: May 22, 2012Assignee: Sumco CorporationInventors: Satoshi Murakami, Nobuyuki Morimoto, Hideki Nishihata, Akihiko Endo
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Patent number: 8003494Abstract: In a method for producing a bonded wafer by bonding a wafer for active layer and a wafer for support layer and thinning the wafer for active layer according to the invention, oxygen ions are implanted into the wafer for active layer at a state of holding a temperature of the wafer for active layer below 200° C. under a dose of 5×1015 to 5×1016 atoms/cm2, whereby there can be obtained a bonded wafer being excellent in the thickness uniformity after thinning and having a dramatically improved surface roughness.Type: GrantFiled: August 6, 2008Date of Patent: August 23, 2011Assignee: SUMCO CorporationInventors: Hideki Nishihata, Nobuyuki Morimoto, Tatsumi Kusaba, Akihiko Endo
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Patent number: 7960225Abstract: The thickness of a semiconductor wafer layer, extending from a mirror-finished surface thereof to a solid-state image sensing device, is measured. Based on the residual thickness data, plasma etching is performed from the mirror-finished surface until a predetermined thickness is reached by controlling the plasma etching amount. By doing this, it is possible to reduce variation in the thickness of the solid-state image sensing device at low cost without causing an increase in the number of processes.Type: GrantFiled: August 27, 2010Date of Patent: June 14, 2011Assignee: Sumco CorporationInventors: Etsurou Morita, Akihiko Endo, Yoshihisa Nonogaki, Hideki Nishihata
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Publication number: 20110136267Abstract: The thickness of a semiconductor wafer layer, extending from a mirror-finished surface thereof to a solid-state image sensing device, is measured. Based on the residual thickness data, plasma etching is performed from the mirror-finished surface until a predetermined thickness is reached by controlling the plasma etching amount. By doing this, it is possible to reduce variation in the thickness of the solid-state image sensing device at low cost without causing an increase in the number of processes.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 27, 2010Publication date: June 9, 2011Applicant: SUMCO CORPORATIONInventors: Etsurou MORITA, Akihiko ENDO, Yoshihisa NONOGAKI, Hideki NISHIHATA
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Patent number: 7951692Abstract: There is provided a method for suppressing the occurrence of defects such as voids or blisters even in the laminated wafer having an oxide film of a thickness thinner than the conventional one, wherein hydrogen ions are implanted into a wafer for active layer having an oxide film of not more than 50 nm in thickness to form a hydrogen ion implanted layer, and ions other than hydrogen are implanted up to a position that a depth from the surface side the hydrogen ion implantation is shallower than the hydrogen ion implanted layer, and the wafer for active layer is laminated onto a wafer for support substrate through the oxide film, and then the wafer for active layer is exfoliated at the hydrogen ion implanted layer.Type: GrantFiled: November 13, 2008Date of Patent: May 31, 2011Assignee: Sumco CorporationInventors: Satoshi Murakami, Nobuyuki Morimoto, Hideki Nishihata, Akihiko Endo
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Patent number: 7927957Abstract: A bonded silicon wafer is produced by a method including an oxygen ion implantation step on a silicon wafer for active layer having the specified wafer face; a step of bonding the silicon wafer for active layer to a silicon wafer for support; a first heat treatment step; an inner SiO2 layer exposing step; a step of removing the inner SiO2 layer; and a planarizing step of polishing a silicon wafer composite or subjecting the silicon wafer composite to a heat treatment in a reducing atmosphere (a second heat treatment step).Type: GrantFiled: September 11, 2009Date of Patent: April 19, 2011Assignee: SUMCO CorporationInventors: Tatsumi Kusaba, Akihiko Endo, Hideki Nishihata, Nobuyuki Morimoto
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Publication number: 20110084367Abstract: A method of producing an epitaxial wafer, comprising: implanting oxygen ions from a surface of a silicon wafer, thereby forming an ion implanted layer in a surface layer of the silicon wafer; after forming the ion implanted layer, implanting boron ions from the surface of the silicon wafer to the whole area in the ion implanted layer; performing heat treatment of the silicon wafer after implanting boron ions, thereby forming a thinning-stopper layer including a mixture of silicon particles, silicon oxides, and boron, and forming an active layer in the silicon wafer on the surface side of the thinning-stopper layer; and forming an epitaxial layer on the surface of the silicon wafer after the heat treatment.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 5, 2010Publication date: April 14, 2011Applicant: SUMCO CORPORATIONInventors: Hideki NISHIHATA, Yoshihisa NONOGAKI, Akihiko ENDO
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Publication number: 20110027969Abstract: There is provided a method for suppressing the occurrence of defects such as voids or blisters even in the laminated wafer having no oxide film wherein hydrogen ions are implanted into a wafer for active layer having no oxide film on its surface to form a hydrogen ion implanted layer, and ions other than hydrogen are implanted up to a position that a depth from the surface side the hydrogen ion implantation is shallower than the hydrogen ion implanted layer, and the wafer for active layer is laminated onto a wafer for support substrate, and then the wafer for active layer is exfoliated at the hydrogen ion implanted layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 12, 2010Publication date: February 3, 2011Applicant: SUMCO CORPORATIONInventors: Satoshi MURAKAMI, Nobuyuki Morimoto, Hideki Nishihata, Akihiko Endo
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Patent number: 7858494Abstract: Adhesion of particles due to static buildup during a laminated substrate manufacturing process is constrained, so as to reduce generation of a void or a blister in a lamination step and improve yield. A laminate 13 is formed by superimposing a first semiconductor substrate 11, which is to be an active layer, on a second semiconductor substrate 12, which is to be a supporting substrate, via an oxide film 11a. Electric resistance of either or both of the first and second semiconductor substrates 11 and 12 before superimposition is 0.005-0.2 ?cm.Type: GrantFiled: August 24, 2006Date of Patent: December 28, 2010Assignee: Sumco CorporationInventors: Akihiko Endo, Hideki Nishihata, Nobuyuki Morimoto
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Patent number: 7851337Abstract: There is provided a method for suppressing the occurrence of defects such as voids or blisters even in the laminated wafer having no oxide film wherein hydrogen ions are implanted into a wafer for active layer having no oxide film on its surface to form a hydrogen ion implanted layer, and ions other than hydrogen are implanted up to a position that a depth from the surface side the hydrogen ion implantation is shallower than the hydrogen ion implanted layer, and the wafer for active layer is laminated onto a wafer for support substrate, and then the wafer for active layer is exfoliated at the hydrogen ion implanted layer.Type: GrantFiled: May 9, 2007Date of Patent: December 14, 2010Assignee: Sumco CorporationInventors: Satoshi Murakami, Nobuyuki Morimoto, Hideki Nishihata, Akihiko Endo
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Publication number: 20100248447Abstract: In a method for producing a bonded wafer by bonding a wafer for active layer and a wafer for support layer and thinning the wafer for active layer according to the invention, oxygen ions are implanted into the wafer for active layer at a state of holding a temperature of the wafer for active layer below 200° C. under a dose of 5×1015 to 5×1016 atoms/cm2, whereby there can be obtained a bonded wafer being excellent in the thickness uniformity after thinning and having a dramatically improved surface roughness.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 6, 2008Publication date: September 30, 2010Applicant: Sumco CorporationInventors: Hideki Nishihata, Nobuyuki Morimoto, Tatsumi Kusaba, Akihiko Endo
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Patent number: 7795117Abstract: There is provided a method for suppressing the occurrence of defects such as voids or blisters even in the laminated wafer having an oxide film of a thickness thinner than the conventional one, wherein hydrogen ions are implanted into a wafer for active layer having an oxide film of not more than 50 nm in thickness to form a hydrogen ion implanted layer, and ions other than hydrogen are implanted up to a position that a depth from the surface side the hydrogen ion implantation is shallower than the hydrogen ion implanted layer, and the wafer for active layer is laminated onto a wafer for support substrate through the oxide film, and then the wafer for active layer is exfoliated at the hydrogen ion implanted layer.Type: GrantFiled: April 25, 2007Date of Patent: September 14, 2010Assignee: Sumco CorporationInventors: Satoshi Murakami, Nobuyuki Morimoto, Hideki Nishihata, Akihiko Endo
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Publication number: 20100178750Abstract: A bonded wafer is produced by removing a part or all of native oxide films formed on each surface of both a wafer for active layer and a wafer for support substrate to be bonded; forming a uniform oxide film with a thickness of less than 5 nm on at least one surface of these wafers by a given oxide film forming method; bonding the wafer for active layer to the wafer for support substrate through the uniform oxide film; thinning the wafer for active layer; and subjecting the bonded wafer to a given heat treatment in a non-oxidizing atmosphere to substantially remove the uniform oxide film existing in the bonding interface.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 15, 2009Publication date: July 15, 2010Applicant: SUMCO CORPORATIONInventors: Satoshi Murakami, Akihiko Endo, Nobuyuki Morimoto, Hideki Nishihata
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Patent number: 7713842Abstract: In a method for producing a bonded wafer by bonding a wafer for active layer to wafer for support layer and then thinning the wafer for active layer, a terrace grinding for forming a terrace portion is carried out prior to a step of exposing the oxygen ion implanted layer to thereby leave an oxide film on a terrace portion of the wafer for support layer.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2008Date of Patent: May 11, 2010Assignee: Sumco CorporationInventors: Hideki Nishihata, Isoroku Ono, Akihiko Endo
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Publication number: 20100068867Abstract: A bonded silicon wafer is produced by a method comprising an oxygen ion implantation step on a silicon wafer for active layer having the specified wafer face; a step of bonding the silicon wafer for active layer to a silicon wafer for support; a first heat treatment step; an inner SiO2 layer exposing step; a step of removing the inner SiO2 layer; and a planarizing step of polishing a silicon wafer composite or subjecting the silicon wafer composite to a heat treatment in a reducing atmosphere (a second heat treatment step).Type: ApplicationFiled: September 11, 2009Publication date: March 18, 2010Applicant: SUMCO CORPORATIONInventors: Tatsumi Kusaba, Akihiko Endo, Hideki Nishihata, Nobuyuki Morimoto
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Patent number: 7625808Abstract: A thickness of silicon oxide film of a wafer for active layer is controlled to be thinner than that of buried silicon oxide film. Consequently, uniformity in film thickness of the active layer of a bonded wafer is improved even if a variation in the in-plane thickness of the silicon oxide film is large at a time of ion implantation. Furthermore, since the silicon oxide film is rather thinner and thereby the ion implantation depth is relatively deeper, damages to the active layer and the buried silicon oxide film caused by the ion implantation can be reduced.Type: GrantFiled: September 1, 2004Date of Patent: December 1, 2009Assignee: Sumco CorporationInventors: Akihiko Endo, Hideki Nishihata
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Publication number: 20090186464Abstract: In the method for producing a bonded wafer by bonding a wafer for active layer to a wafer for support layer and then thinning the wafer for active layer, when oxygen ions are implanted into the wafer for active layer, the implantation step is divided into two stages conducted under specified conditions.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 22, 2009Publication date: July 23, 2009Applicant: SUMCO CORPORATIONInventors: Nobuyuki Morimoto, Hideki Nishihata, Hidehiko Okuda, Akihiko Endo
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Patent number: 7563697Abstract: Hydrogen gas is ion-implanted into a silicon wafer for active layer via an insulating film, and thus ion-implanted wafer is then bonded with a supporting wafer via an insulating film interposed therebetween. This bonded wafer is heated to 500° C., so that a part of the bonded wafer is cleaved and separated, thereby producing an SOI wafer. Subsequently, thus-obtained SOI wafer is subjected to a heat treatment in an argon gas atmosphere. After that, the SOI wafer is subjected to an oxidation process in an oxidizing atmosphere, and thus formed oxide film is removed using an HF solution. Consequently, the surface of the SOI wafer is recrystallized and thus planarized.Type: GrantFiled: September 3, 2004Date of Patent: July 21, 2009Assignee: Sumco CorporationInventors: Nobuyuki Morimoto, Hideki Nishihata
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Patent number: 7534728Abstract: In the production process of an SOI substrate using a hydrogen ion implantation method, a process is provided for cleaning the substrate which can prevent formation of voids when bonding substrates and formation of blistering after exfoliation. In the process for cleaning, cleaning of the substrate is performed before performing hydrogen ion implantation. As the cleaning method, one or more of a combination selected from the group consisting of SC-1 cleaning, SC-1 cleaning+SC-2 cleaning, HF/O3 cleaning, and HF cleaning+O3 cleaning, can be used.Type: GrantFiled: April 12, 2006Date of Patent: May 19, 2009Assignee: Sumco CorporationInventors: Hideki Nishihata, Tatsumi Kusaba, Nobuyuki Morimoto
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Publication number: 20090117708Abstract: A method for manufacturing an SOI substrate includes steps of forming a first oxide film on a surface of a first silicon substrate; implanting hydrogen ions into the surface of the first silicon substrate on which the first oxide film is formed to form an ion implant region inside the first silicon substrate; removing the entire or the portion of first oxide film; forming a laminate by bonding the second silicon substrate to a hydrogen ion-implanted surface of the first silicon substrate with the first oxide film, or second oxide film formed on a surface of the second silicon substrate, or the first oxide film and second oxide film, interposed therebetween; and subjecting the laminate to a heat treatment at a predetermined temperature to separate the first silicon substrate along the ion implant region, thereby obtaining an SOI substrate including a thin SOI layer formed on the second silicon substrate with the oxide film interposed therebetween.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 1, 2007Publication date: May 7, 2009Inventors: Hideki Nishihata, Nobuyuki Morimoto, Akihiko Endo