Patents by Inventor Hiroshi Ashihara

Hiroshi Ashihara 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: 20160211135
    Abstract: There is provided a technique including: (a) forming a thin film containing a predetermined element, oxygen and carbon on a substrate by performing a cycle a predetermined number of times, the cycle including: (a-1) supplying a source gas containing the predetermined element, carbon and a halogen element having a chemical bond between the predetermined element and carbon to the substrate; (a-2) supplying an oxidizing gas to the substrate; and (a-3) supplying a catalytic gas to the substrate; (b) removing a first impurity from the thin film by thermally processing the thin film at a first temperature higher than a temperature of the substrate in (a); and (c) removing a second impurity different from the first impurity from the thin film by thermally processing the thin film at a second temperature equal to or higher than the first temperature after performing (b).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2016
    Publication date: July 21, 2016
    Applicant: HITACHI KOKUSAI ELECTRIC INC.
    Inventors: Takaaki NODA, Shingo NOHARA, Satoshi SHIMAMOTO, Hiroshi ASHIHARA, Takeo HANASHIMA, Yoshiro HIROSE, Tsukasa KAMAKURA
  • Patent number: 9368358
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes: (a) supplying a halogen-based source gas containing a first element to a substrate; (b) supplying a reaction gas containing a second element to react with the first element to the substrate; (c) forming a first layer containing the first element and the second element by time-dividing and performing (a) and (b) a predetermined number of times; (d) supplying an organic source gas containing the first element to the substrate; (e) supplying the reaction gas to the substrate; (f) forming a second layer containing the first element and the second element by time-dividing and performing (d) and (e) a predetermined number of times; and (g) forming a thin film containing the first element and the second element on the substrate by time-dividing and performing (c) and (f) a predetermined number of times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: Hitachi Kokusai Electric, Inc.
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Harada, Arito Ogawa, Motomu Degai, Masahito Kitamura, Hiroshi Ashihara
  • Publication number: 20160155627
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device is disclosed. The method includes forming a film on a substrate by performing a cycle a predetermined number of times, wherein the cycle includes non-simultaneously performing: supplying a precursor gas to the substrate in a process chamber; exhausting the precursor gas in the process chamber through an exhaust system; confining a reaction gas, which differs in chemical structure from the precursor gas, in the process chamber by supplying the reaction gas to the substrate in the process chamber while the exhaust system is closed; and exhausting the reaction gas in the process chamber through the exhaust system while the exhaust system is opened.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2016
    Publication date: June 2, 2016
    Applicant: HITACHI KOKUSAI ELECTRIC INC
    Inventors: Takeo HANASHIMA, Hiroshi ASHIHARA
  • Publication number: 20160155634
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a thin film having excellent etching resistance and a low dielectric constant on a substrate, removing first impurities containing H2O and Cl from the thin film by heating the thin film at a first temperature higher than a temperature of the substrate in the forming of the thin film, and removing second impurities containing a hydrocarbon compound (CxHy-based impurities) from the thin film in which heat treatment is performed at the first temperature by heating the thin film at a second temperature equal to or higher than the first temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2016
    Publication date: June 2, 2016
    Inventors: Satoshi SHIMAMOTO, Takaaki NODA, Takeo HANASHIMA, Yoshiro HIROSE, Hiroshi ASHIHARA, Tsukasa KAMAKURA, Shingo NOHARA
  • Patent number: 9349586
    Abstract: A thin film having excellent etching resistance and a low dielectric constant is described. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a thin film on a substrate, removing first impurities containing H2O and Cl from the thin film by heating the thin film at a first temperature higher than a temperature of the substrate in the forming of the thin film, and removing second impurities containing a hydrocarbon compound (CxHy-based impurities) from the thin film in which heat treatment is performed at the first temperature by heating the thin film at a second temperature equal to or higher than the first temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: Hitachi Kokusai Electric Inc.
    Inventors: Satoshi Shimamoto, Takaaki Noda, Takeo Hanashima, Yoshiro Hirose, Hiroshi Ashihara, Tsukasa Kamakura, Shingo Nohara
  • Publication number: 20160090651
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a processing chamber configured to accommodate a substrate therein; a first processing gas supply part configured to supply a first processing gas to the substrate, the first processing gas supply part including a vaporizer configured to vaporize a first processing gas precursor into the first processing gas; a second processing gas supply part configured to supply a second processing gas to the substrate; a vaporizer remaining amount measuring part configured to measure a remaining amount of the first processing gas precursor within the vaporizer; and a control part configured to adjust a number of cycles for supplying the first processing gas and the second processing gas based on the remaining amount of the first processing gas precursor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2015
    Publication date: March 31, 2016
    Applicant: HITACHI KOKUSAI ELECTRIC INC.
    Inventors: Hiroshi ASHIHARA, Naofumi OHASHI
  • Publication number: 20160056044
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes: (a) supplying a halogen-based source gas containing a first element to a substrate; (b) supplying a reaction gas containing a second element to react with the first element to the substrate; (c) forming a first layer containing the first element and the second element by time-dividing and performing (a) and (b) a predetermined number of times; (d) supplying an organic source gas containing the first element to the substrate; (e) supplying the reaction gas to the substrate; (f) forming a second layer containing the first element and the second element by time-dividing and performing (d) and (e) a predetermined number of times; and (g) forming a thin film containing the first element and the second element on the substrate by time-dividing and performing (c) and (f) a predetermined number of times.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2015
    Publication date: February 25, 2016
    Applicant: HITACHI KOKUSAI ELECTRIC INC.
    Inventors: Kazuhiro HARADA, Arito OGAWA, Motomu DEGAI, Masahito KITAMURA, Hiroshi ASHIHARA
  • Publication number: 20160042940
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes: (a) forming a first film containing a metal element on a substrate by performing a cycle a predetermined number of times, the cycle including: (a-1) supplying a first precursor gas being a fluorine-free inorganic gas containing the metal element to the substrate; and (a-2) supplying a first reactant gas having reducibility to the substrate; (b) forming a second film containing the metal element on the first film by performing a cycle a predetermined number of times, the cycle including: (b-1) supplying a second precursor gas containing the metal element and fluorine to the substrate; and (b-2) supplying a second reactant gas having reducibility to the substrate; and (c) forming a film containing the metal element and obtained by the first film and the second film being laminated on the substrate by performing the (a) and (b).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2015
    Publication date: February 11, 2016
    Applicant: HITACHI KOKUSAI ELECTRIC INC.
    Inventors: Kimihiko NAKATANI, Kazuhiro HARADA, Hiroshi ASHIHARA, Ryuji YAMAMOTO
  • Publication number: 20160024650
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes: a reaction zone configured to accommodate a substrate; a substrate supporting member having a projecting part extending outward; a partition plate configured to partition off the reaction zone and a transferring zone, coming in contact with the projecting part of the substrate supporting member when the substrate is processed; a process gas supplying system configured to supply a process gas to the reaction zone; and a partitioning purge gas supplying system configured to supply a purge gas to a gap formed between the projecting part and the partition plate when supplying the process gas to the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2015
    Publication date: January 28, 2016
    Applicant: HITACHI KOKUSAI ELECTRIC INC.
    Inventors: Kazuyuki TOYODA, Hiroshi ASHIHARA, Atsushi SANO, Naonori AKAE, Hidehiro YANAI
  • Publication number: 20160013053
    Abstract: By obtaining a high-quality film by improving the quality of an oxide film formed at a low temperature, manufacturing costs of a large-scale integrated circuit (LSI) may be decreased. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes (a) accommodating a substrate having thereon a film containing a silazane bond in a process chamber; (b) generating a process gas by supplying a process liquid containing hydrogen peroxide to an evaporator and supplying the process gas to the substrate; and (c) supplying a microwave to the substrate after processing the substrate with the process gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2015
    Publication date: January 14, 2016
    Inventors: Hiroshi ASHIHARA, Shin HIYAMA, Masahisa OKUNO, Yuichi WADA, Harunobu SAKUMA
  • Publication number: 20150340226
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device by processing a substrate by supplying a processing space with a gas dispersed in a buffer space disposed at an upstream side of the processing space is provided. The method includes (a) transferring the substrate into the processing space while exhausting a transfer space of the substrate by a first vacuum pump; (b) closing a first valve disposed at a downstream side of the first vacuum pump; (c) supplying the gas into the processing space via the buffer space; and (d) exhausting the buffer space through an exhaust pipe connected to a downstream side of the first valve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2015
    Publication date: November 26, 2015
    Applicant: HITACHI KOKUSAI ELECTRIC INC.
    Inventors: Hiroshi ASHIHARA, Arito OGAWA
  • Patent number: 9190299
    Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing semiconductor devices is provided with a processing liquid supply part for supplying processing liquid into a processing chamber which houses a substrate, a heater part for heating the processing liquid in the processing chamber, and a substrate support part which is provided in the processing chamber and supports the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: Hitachi Kokusai Electric, Inc.
    Inventors: Yuichi Wada, Harunobu Sakuma, Hiroshi Ashihara, Hideto Tateno
  • Patent number: 9190281
    Abstract: The method of manufacturing a semiconductor device in accordance with the present invention provides a metal-containing film capable of adjusting a work function. The including: (a) alternately supplying a first source containing a first metal element and a halogen element and a second source containing a second metal element different from the first metal element and at least one selected from the group consisting of a ligand of a methyl group, a ligand of an ethyl group and a ligand of a cyclopenta-based group onto a substrate in a process chamber to form a composite metal-containing film on the substrate; and (b) alternately supplying a third source containing a third metal element and a fourth source containing nitrogen onto the substrate in the process chamber to form a metal nitride film on the composite metal-containing film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: HITACHI KOKUSAI ELECTRIC INC.
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Harada, Arito Ogawa, Hiroshi Ashihara
  • Patent number: 9187826
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes: (a) forming a first film containing a metal element on a substrate by performing a cycle a predetermined number of times, the cycle including: (a-1) supplying a first precursor gas being a fluorine-free inorganic gas containing the metal element to the substrate; and (a-2) supplying a first reactant gas having reducibility to the substrate; (b) forming a second film containing the metal element on the first film by performing a cycle a predetermined number of times, the cycle including: (b-1) supplying a second precursor gas containing the metal element and fluorine to the substrate; and (b-2) supplying a second reactant gas having reducibility to the substrate; and (c) forming a film containing the metal element and obtained by the first film and the second film being laminated on the substrate by performing the (a) and (b).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: HITACHI KOKUSAI ELECTRIC INC.
    Inventors: Kimihiko Nakatani, Kazuhiro Harada, Hiroshi Ashihara, Ryuji Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20150325447
    Abstract: Provided is a technique of adjusting a work function. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a film having a predetermined thickness and containing a first metal element, carbon and nitrogen on a substrate by: (a) forming a first layer containing the first metal element and carbon by supplying a metal-containing gas containing the first metal element and a carbon-containing gas to the substrate M times and (b) forming a second layer containing the first metal element, carbon and nitrogen by supplying a nitrogen-containing gas to the substrate having the first layer formed thereon N times to nitride the first layer, wherein M and N are selected in a manner that a work function of the film has a predetermined value (where M and N are natural numbers).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2015
    Publication date: November 12, 2015
    Applicant: HITACHI KOKUSAI ELECTRIC INC.
    Inventors: Arito OGAWA, Kazuhiro HARADA, Yukinao KAGA, Hideharu ITATANI, Hiroshi ASHIHARA
  • Publication number: 20150279682
    Abstract: A halogen element-containing metal material and a nitrogen-containing material are alternately supplied to a process chamber with a flow rate of an inert gas supplied to the process chamber together with the nitrogen-containing material during the supplying of the nitrogen-containing material to the process chamber being more increased than a flow rate of the inert gas supplied to the process chamber together with the metal material during the supplying of the metal material to the process chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2015
    Publication date: October 1, 2015
    Applicant: HITACHI KOKUSAI ELECTRIC INC.
    Inventors: Kimihiko NAKATANI, Kazuhiro HARADA, Hiroshi ASHIHARA
  • Publication number: 20150243507
    Abstract: The method of manufacturing a semiconductor device in accordance with the present invention provides a metal-containing film capable of adjusting a work function. The including: (a) alternately supplying a first source containing a first metal element and a halogen element and a second source containing a second metal element different from the first metal element and at least one selected from the group consisting of a ligand of a methyl group, a ligand of an ethyl group and a ligand of a cyclopenta-based group onto a substrate in a process chamber to form a composite metal-containing film on the substrate; and (b) alternately supplying a third source containing a third metal element and a fourth source containing nitrogen onto the substrate in the process chamber to form a metal nitride film on the composite metal-containing film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2015
    Publication date: August 27, 2015
    Applicant: HITACHI KOKUSAI ELECTRIC INC.
    Inventors: Kazuhiro HARADA, Arito OGAWA, Hiroshi ASHIHARA
  • Publication number: 20150228474
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device is disclosed. The method includes forming a film on a substrate by performing a cycle a predetermined number of times, wherein the cycle includes non-simultaneously performing: supplying a precursor gas to the substrate in a process chamber; exhausting the precursor gas in the process chamber through an exhaust system; confining a reaction gas, which differs in chemical structure from the precursor gas, in the process chamber by supplying the reaction gas to the substrate in the process chamber while the exhaust system is closed; and exhausting the reaction gas in the process chamber through the exhaust system while the exhaust system is opened.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2015
    Publication date: August 13, 2015
    Applicant: HITACHI KOKUSAI ELECTRIC INC.
    Inventors: Takeo HANASHIMA, Hiroshi ASHIHARA
  • Publication number: 20150221503
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device is disclosed. The method includes (a) loading a substrate into a process chamber; (b) processing the substrate by supplying a process gas into the process chamber via a shower head disposed above the process chamber and including a buffer chamber; (c) unloading the substrate from the process chamber; and (d) cleaning the buffer chamber and the process chamber after performing the step (c), wherein the step (d) comprises: (d-1) cleaning the buffer chamber by a plasma generation from a cleaning gas in the buffer chamber by a plasma generation unit including a plasma generation region switching unit; and (d-2) cleaning the process chamber by switching the plasma generation from the cleaning gas in the buffer chamber to a plasma generation from the cleaning gas in the process chamber by the plasma generation region switching unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2014
    Publication date: August 6, 2015
    Applicant: HITACHI KOKUSAI ELECTRIC INC.
    Inventors: Kazuyuki TOYODA, Tadashi TAKASAKI, Hiroshi ASHIHARA, Atsushi SANO, Naonori AKAE, Hidehiro YANAI
  • Publication number: 20150214044
    Abstract: Generation of adhered materials in a space over a gas guide of a shower head is inhibited. A substrate processing apparatus includes a process chamber; a buffer chamber including a dispersion unit; a process gas supply hole installed in a ceiling portion of the buffer chamber; an inert gas supply hole installed in the ceiling portion; a gas guide disposed in a gap between the dispersion unit and the ceiling portion, the gas guide including a base end portion disposed at a side of the process gas supply hole, a leading end portion disposed closer to the inert gas supply hole than to the process gas supply hole, and a plate portion connecting the base end portion and the leading end portion; a process chamber exhaust unit; and a control unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2014
    Publication date: July 30, 2015
    Applicant: HITACHI KOKUSAI ELECTRIC INC.
    Inventors: Hidehiro YANAI, Hiroshi ASHIHARA, Atsushi SANO, Tadashi TAKASAKI