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).

  • Publication number: 20090068851
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2008
    Publication date: March 12, 2009
    Inventors: Hironobu Hirata, Yoshikazu Moriyama, Masayoshi Yajima, Shinichi Mitani
  • Publication number: 20090007841
    Abstract: A vapor-phase growing apparatus and a vapor-phase growing method which reduce sticking of a wafer to a holder during vapor-phase growth are provided. In the vapor-phase growing apparatus, a holder arranged in a chamber includes a disk-like member having a recessed portion at the center of a holder or a ring-like member having a recessed portion at a center of a holder and having an opening in a bottom center of the holder. A first projecting portion is arranged on an inner circumference wall surface of the holder, and a second projecting portion is formed on a bottom surface of the recessed portion of the holder. In this manner, the holder can support a wafer with a small contact area. In vapor-phase growth, the wafer can be prevented from sticking to the holder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2008
    Publication date: January 8, 2009
    Inventors: Hironobu Hirata, Hideki Arai
  • Publication number: 20080308036
    Abstract: There is provided a vapor-phase growth apparatus which shortens a temperature decrease time of a wafer substrate after an epitaxial growth step to make it easy to realize a high throughput in film formation of an epitaxial layer. The vapor-phase growth apparatus includes a gas supply port formed in a top portion of a reactor, a gas distribution plate arranged in the reactor, a discharge port formed in a bottom portion of the reactor, an annular holder on which a semiconductor wafer is placed to face the gas distribution plate. A separation distance between the gas distribution plate and the annular holder is set such that a cooling gas which flows downward from the gas supply port through the gas distribution plate to decrease the temperature is in a laminar flow state on a surface of the semiconductor wafer or a surface of the annular holder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2008
    Publication date: December 18, 2008
    Inventors: Hideki ITO, Hironobu Hirata, Shinichi Mitani
  • Publication number: 20080311294
    Abstract: There is provided a vapor-phase growth apparatus which reduces particle generation and an adhering material in epitaxial growth to make it easy to improve the productivity. The vapor-phase growth apparatus includes a gas supply port formed in a top portion of a reactor, a gas distribution plate arranged in the reactor, a discharge port formed in a bottom portion of the reactor, at a head portion and which covers a side wall of the reactor, an annular holder on which a semiconductor wafer is placed. A separation distance between the gas distribution plate and the annular holder is set such that a film forming gas which flows downward from the gas supply port through the gas distribution plate is in a laminar flow state on a surface of the semiconductor wafer or a surface of the annular holder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2008
    Publication date: December 18, 2008
    Inventors: Hideki ITO, Hironobu HIRATA, Shinichi MITANI
  • Publication number: 20080193646
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2008
    Publication date: August 14, 2008
    Applicant: NUFLARE TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Kunihiko Suzuki, Hideki Arai, Hironobu Hirata
  • Publication number: 20080032036
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2007
    Publication date: February 7, 2008
    Applicant: NuFlare Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Hideki ITO, Shinichi Mitani, Hironobu Hirata
  • Publication number: 20070204796
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2007
    Publication date: September 6, 2007
    Inventors: Hironobu Hirata, Akira Jyogo, Yoshikazu Moriyama
  • Publication number: 20070026148
    Abstract: A vapor phase deposition apparatus includes a chamber, a support table which is accommodated in the chamber and supports a substrate in the chamber, a first passage which supplies a gas to form a film and is connected to the chamber, and a second passage which discharges the gas and is connected to the chamber, the support table is provided with a plurality of first projecting portions to constrain a substantially horizontal movement in the same direction as a substrate surface with respect to the substrate, and the substrate is supported on a surface to come in contact with a back face of the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2006
    Publication date: February 1, 2007
    Inventors: Hideki Arai, Hironobu Hirata, Yoshikazu Moriyama, Shinichi Mitani
  • Patent number: 5984764
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of discovering optimal conditions such as the rotational speed ratio of an abrasive cloth and a dresser, to improve the flatness of the abrasive cloth after it has been dressed. A narrow annular dresser having an inner diameter of at least the width of a wide annular utilization region of the abrasive cloth is pressed while rotating against the abrasive cloth which is fixed onto a turn table. A rotational motion is imparted to the abrasive cloth in the same direction as the rotation of the dresser and at a predetermined rotational speed. The abrasive cloth is dressed thereby in such a manner that there is a uniform distribution of distances through which the grindstone slides over various points within the utilization region of the abrasive cloth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 16, 1999
    Assignee: Toshiba Kikai Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hideo Saito, Hiromi Nishihara, Fumitaka Ito, Hironobu Hirata