Patents by Inventor Hironobu Hirata
Hironobu Hirata 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: 9552983Abstract: A manufacturing method for a semiconductor device, including: loading a wafer into a reaction chamber; placing the wafer on a push-up shaft moved up; preheating the wafer under controlling an in-plane temperature distribution of the wafer to be a recess state under a state of placing the wafer on the push-up shaft moved up; lowering the push-up shaft with the wafer kept in the recess state to hold the wafer on a wafer holding member; heating the wafer to a predetermined temperature; rotating the wafer; and supplying a process gas onto the wafer.Type: GrantFiled: April 28, 2015Date of Patent: January 24, 2017Assignee: NuFlare Technology, Inc.Inventors: Hironobu Hirata, Masayoshi Yajima, Yoshikazu Moriyama
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Publication number: 20150228477Abstract: A manufacturing method for a semiconductor device, including: loading a wafer into a reaction chamber; placing the wafer on a push-up shaft moved up; preheating the wafer under controlling an in-plane temperature distribution of the wafer to be a recess state under a state of placing the wafer on the push-up shaft moved up; lowering the push-up shaft with the wafer kept in the recess state to hold the wafer on a wafer holding member; heating the wafer to a predetermined temperature; rotating the wafer; and supplying a process gas onto the wafer.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 28, 2015Publication date: August 13, 2015Inventors: Hironobu HIRATA, Masayoshi YAJIMA, Yoshikazu MORIYAMA
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Patent number: 9090990Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes an out-heater including a heater element formed in an annular shape with a disconnected portion at one place, a first electrode component connected to a first heater electrode part of the heater element, a second electrode component connected to a second heater electrode part of the heater element, and a base including a first groove in which the first electrode component is fixedly disposed, and a second groove in which the second electrode component is movably disposed and a groove width in a circumferential direction of the heater element is formed such that a width of a second gap formed between a side of the second electrode component and an inner wall of the groove is wider than a width of a first gap formed between a side of the first electrode component and an inner wall of the first groove.Type: GrantFiled: May 16, 2012Date of Patent: July 28, 2015Assignee: NuFlare Technology, Inc.Inventors: Kunihiko Suzuki, Hironobu Hirata
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Patent number: 8795435Abstract: In accordance with the embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a susceptor which includes an annular first susceptor portion for supporting the peripheral portion of a silicon wafer and further includes a second susceptor portion provided in contact with the peripheral portion of the first susceptor portion and covering the opening of the first susceptor portion. The second susceptor portion is disposed so that, when the silicon wafer is supported on the first susceptor portion, a gap of a predetermined size is formed between the silicon wafer and the second susceptor portion, and so that another gap of a size substantially equal to the predetermined size and directly connected to the above gap is formed between the first susceptor portion and the second susceptor portion.Type: GrantFiled: July 1, 2010Date of Patent: August 5, 2014Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, NuFlare Technology, Inc.Inventors: Shinya Higashi, Hironobu Hirata
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Patent number: 8632634Abstract: In a coating apparatus, a distributor plate 104 is disposed upstream of a silicon wafer 101 relative to the direction of flow of reactive gas. The distributor plate 104 has therein first through-holes 104a and second through-holes 104b arranged so as not to meet the first through-holes 104a. The reactive gas passes through the first through-holes 104a and flows down toward the silicon wafer 101. Further, a cooling gas passes through the second through-holes 104b.Type: GrantFiled: July 23, 2009Date of Patent: January 21, 2014Assignee: NuFlare Technology, Inc.Inventors: Yoshikazu Moriyama, Kunihiko Suzuki, Hironobu Hirata
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Patent number: 8597429Abstract: Provided is a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus including: a reaction chamber including a gas supply inlet and a gas exhaust outlet, and into which a wafer is to be introduced; a process gas supply mechanism that supplies process gas into the reaction chamber from the gas supply inlet of the reaction chamber; a wafer retaining member that is arranged in the reaction chamber and that retains the wafer; a heater that heats the wafer retained by the wafer retaining member to a predetermined temperature; a rotation drive control mechanism that rotates the wafer retaining member together with the wafer; a gas exhaustion mechanism that exhausts gas in the reaction chamber from the gas exhaust outlet of the reaction chamber; and a drain that is disposed at a bottom portion near a wall surface in the reaction chamber and that collects and discharges oily silane that drips from the wall surface.Type: GrantFiled: January 13, 2012Date of Patent: December 3, 2013Assignee: NuFlare Technology, Inc.Inventors: Kunihiko Suzuki, Hironobu Hirata
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Patent number: 8460470Abstract: A vapor phase deposition apparatus includes a chamber, a support table arranged in the chamber, and having a first support unit which is in contact with a back side surface of a substrate and on which the substrate is placed and a second support unit which is connected to the first support unit to support the first support unit, a heat source arranged at a position having a distance from a back side surface of the substrate, the distance being larger than a distance between back side surface of the support table and the heat source, and which heats the substrate, a first flow path configured to supply a gas to form a film into the chamber, and a second flow path configured to exhaust the gas from the chamber.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 2011Date of Patent: June 11, 2013Assignee: NuFlare Technology, Inc.Inventors: Hironobu Hirata, Akira Jyogo, Yoshikazu Moriyama
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Publication number: 20120291697Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes an out-heater including a heater element formed in an annular shape with a disconnected portion at one place, a first electrode component connected to a first heater electrode part of the heater element, a second electrode component connected to a second heater electrode part of the heater element, and a base including a first groove in which the first electrode component is fixedly disposed, and a second groove in which the second electrode component is movably disposed and a groove width in a circumferential direction of the heater element is formed such that a width of a second gap formed between a side of the second electrode component and an inner wall of the groove is wider than a width of a first gap formed between a side of the first electrode component and an inner wall of the first groove.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 16, 2012Publication date: November 22, 2012Inventors: Kunihiko Suzuki, Hironobu Hirata
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Patent number: 8257499Abstract: A vapor phase deposition apparatus includes: a chamber, a supply unit configured to supply a raw gas into the chamber, a support table disposed in the chamber and configured to support a substrate in the chamber, a rotatable bladed wheel configured to have a plurality of blades, to be arranged to surround the support table, and to discharge the raw gas from above the substrate, and a exhaust unit configured to exhaust the raw gas discharged by the bladed wheel after a vapor phase deposition reaction from the chamber.Type: GrantFiled: February 12, 2008Date of Patent: September 4, 2012Assignee: NuFlare Technology, Inc.Inventors: Kunihiko Suzuki, Hideki Arai, Hironobu Hirata
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Publication number: 20120184054Abstract: Provided is a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus including: a reaction chamber including a gas supply inlet and a gas exhaust outlet, and into which a wafer is to be introduced; a process gas supply mechanism that supplies process gas into the reaction chamber from the gas supply inlet of the reaction chamber; a wafer retaining member that is arranged in the reaction chamber and that retains the wafer; a heater that heats the wafer retained by the wafer retaining member to a predetermined temperature; a rotation drive control mechanism that rotates the wafer retaining member together with the wafer; a gas exhaustion mechanism that exhausts gas in the reaction chamber from the gas exhaust outlet of the reaction chamber; and a drain that is disposed at a bottom portion near a wall surface in the reaction chamber and that collects and discharges oily silane that drips from the wall surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 13, 2012Publication date: July 19, 2012Inventors: Kunihiko SUZUKI, Hironobu HIRATA
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Publication number: 20120055406Abstract: A vapor phase deposition apparatus includes a chamber, a support table arranged in the chamber, and having a first support unit which is in contact with a back side surface of a substrate and on which the substrate is placed and a second support unit which is connected to the first support unit to support the first support unit, a heat source arranged at a position having a distance from a back side surface of the substrate, the distance being larger than a distance between back side surface of the support table and the heat source, and which heats the substrate, a first flow path configured to supply a gas to form a film into the chamber, and a second flow path configured to exhaust the gas from the chamber.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 16, 2011Publication date: March 8, 2012Inventors: Hironobu Hirata, Akira Jyogo, Yoshikazu Moriyama
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Publication number: 20110171380Abstract: In accordance with the embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a susceptor which includes an annular first susceptor portion for supporting the peripheral portion of a silicon wafer and further includes a second susceptor portion provided in contact with the peripheral portion of the first susceptor portion and covering the opening of the first susceptor portion. The second susceptor portion is disposed so that, when the silicon wafer is supported on the first susceptor portion, a gap of a predetermined size is formed between the silicon wafer and the second susceptor portion, and so that another gap of a size substantially equal to the predetermined size and directly connected to the above gap is formed between the first susceptor portion and the second susceptor portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 1, 2010Publication date: July 14, 2011Inventors: Shinya HIGASHI, Hironobu Hirata
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Publication number: 20110120366Abstract: An outer peripheral portion of the silicon wafer is supported by the first susceptor part. The second susceptor part is a close fit in the opening of the first susceptor part to support a portion other than the outer peripheral portion of the silicon wafer. The second susceptor part comes into contact with the outer peripheral portion of the first susceptor part and is disposed in such a manner that a clearance having a predetermined size is formed between the first susceptor part and the second susceptor part and between the opening and the outer peripheral portion thereof. A gas exiting the clearance, which was expanded by heating, is expelled into the chamber via through holes.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 18, 2010Publication date: May 26, 2011Inventors: Shinya HIGASHI, Hironobu Hirata
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Patent number: 7699604Abstract: A manufacturing apparatus for a semiconductor includes a reaction chamber into which a wafer is introduced, gas supply unit for supplying a gas to the reaction chamber, gas exhaust unit for exhausting the gas from the reaction chamber, a holder for holding the wafer at an outer circumferential part of the wafer, a first heater for heating the wafer from below, a reflector provided above the holder, and a drive mechanism for driving the reflector.Type: GrantFiled: July 26, 2007Date of Patent: April 20, 2010Assignee: NuFlare Technology, Inc.Inventors: Hideki Ito, Shinichi Mitani, Hironobu Hirata
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Publication number: 20100075509Abstract: A manufacturing method for a semiconductor device, including: loading a wafer into a reaction chamber; placing the wafer on a push-up shaft moved up; preheating the wafer under controlling an in-plane temperature distribution of the wafer to be a recess state under a state of placing the wafer on the push-up shaft moved up; lowering the push-up shaft with the wafer kept in the recess state to hold the wafer on a wafer holding member; heating the wafer to a predetermined temperature; rotating the wafer; and supplying a process gas onto the wafer.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 21, 2009Publication date: March 25, 2010Inventors: Hironobu Hirata, Masayoshi Yajima, Yoshikazu Moriyama
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Publication number: 20100021631Abstract: In a coating apparatus, a distributor plate 104 is disposed upstream of a silicon wafer 101 relative to the direction of flow of reactive gas. The distributor plate 104 has therein first through-holes 104a and second through-holes 104b arranged so as not to meet the first through-holes 104a. The reactive gas passes through the first through-holes 104a and flows down toward the silicon wafer 101. Further, a cooling gas passes through the second through-holes 104b.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 23, 2009Publication date: January 28, 2010Inventors: Yoshikazu MORIYAMA, Kunihiko SUZUKI, Hironobu HIRATA
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Publication number: 20090239362Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing a semiconductor device, including in a reaction chamber: a rotor provided with a holding member holding a wafer thereon and a heater heating the wafer therein; a rotation drive mechanism; a gas supply mechanism; a gas exhaust mechanism; and a rectifying plate for rectifying the supplied process gas to supply the rectified gas, and including: an annular rectifying fin mounted on a lower portion of the plate, having a larger lower end inside diameter than an upper end inside diameter thereof and downward rectifying gas exhausted in an outer circumferential direction from above the wafer; and a distance control mechanism controlling a vertical distance between the plate and the wafer and a vertical distance between the fin and the rotor top face to be predetermined distances, respectively, thereby providing higher film formation efficiency.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 18, 2009Publication date: September 24, 2009Inventors: Hironobu Hirata, Shinichi Mitani
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Publication number: 20090194018Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing an epitaxial wafer, includes: a chamber; a gas inlet provided in the chamber and introducing a reaction gas into the chamber; a gas outlet provided in the chamber and exhausting the reaction gas; a rotator unit provided inside the chamber; a wafer holder provided on an upper portion of the rotator unit and holding a wafer; an inner heater provided inside the rotator unit; and an outer heater provided between the rotator unit and an inner wall of the chamber.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 15, 2009Publication date: August 6, 2009Inventors: Shinya HIGASHI, Hirotaka YANAGISAWA, Shinichi MITANI, Hironobu HIRATA
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Publication number: 20090139448Abstract: A vapor phase growth apparatus and a vapor phase growth method capable of improving the yield rate of wafers by stopping infiltration of metal contaminants generated below a horizontal disk-like susceptor is provided. The vapor phase growth apparatus according to embodiments of the present invention includes a holder having an annular shape and on which a wafer can be placed, a disk-shaped susceptor on which the holder can be placed and provided on an upper surface thereof with circumferential steps inscribed in inner circumferential edge of the holder when the holder is placed, a rotation driving mechanism for rotating the susceptor and the holder at a predetermined rotational speed, a heating mechanism for heating the wafer placed on the holder, and a wafer push-up mechanism to push up an undersurface of the holder outside the rotation driving mechanism.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 25, 2008Publication date: June 4, 2009Inventors: Hironobu HIRATA, Masayoshi Yajima
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Publication number: 20090068851Abstract: A susceptor of the present invention includes an inner susceptor having a diameter smaller than a diameter of a wafer w and a protruding part for placing the wafer w on a surface thereof, and an outer susceptor having an opening in the central portion thereof, a first step section for placing the inner susceptor so as to block the opening and a second step section provided above the first step section for placing the wafer.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 10, 2008Publication date: March 12, 2009Inventors: Hironobu Hirata, Yoshikazu Moriyama, Masayoshi Yajima, Shinichi Mitani