Patents by Inventor Hiroshi Sone
Hiroshi Sone 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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Publication number: 20240209509Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes: a stage having a first contact surface; a freezing device having a second contact surface; an elevating device to be capable of thermally connecting or separating the second contact surface and the first contact surface; and a heat conductive member interposed between the first contact surface and the second contact surface, wherein the heat conductive member is made of a soft metal that is softer than at least one of a material of the first contact surface or a material of the second contact surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 15, 2023Publication date: June 27, 2024Inventors: Naoya FUKUDA, Motoi YAMAGATA, Hiroshi SONE
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Publication number: 20230249306Abstract: A method of cooling a substrate by bringing a cooler into direct contact with a stage on which the substrate is placed, and processing the substrate while rotating the stage in a state in which the cooler is moved away from the stage, includes: cooling the cooler to a target temperature in a state in which the stage is brought into direct contact with the cooler, and cooling the stage to an initial cooling temperature; raising a temperature of the stage; controlling the temperature of the stage to a steady cooling temperature when the temperature of the stage reaches the steady cooling temperature; and placing the substrate on the stage kept at the steady cooling temperature, and continuously performing a substrate processing on a plurality of substrates while rotating the stage in a state in which the stage is moved away from the cooler.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 3, 2023Publication date: August 10, 2023Inventors: Yusuke KIKUCHI, Masato SHINADA, Motoi YAMAGATA, Hiroshi SONE
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Patent number: 11551918Abstract: A film forming apparatus includes: a processing container; a substrate holder that holds the substrate in the processing container; and a target assembly disposed in an upper side of the substrate holder. The target assembly includes: a target made of metal, including a main body and a flange provided around the main body, and emitting sputter particles from the main body; a target holder including a target electrode configured to supply power to the target, and holding the target; a target clamp that clamps the flange of the target to the target holder; and an anti-deposition shield provided around the main body of the target to cover the flange, the target clamp, and the target holder, and having a labyrinth structure in which an inner tip end thereof is disposed to enter a recess between the main body of the target and the target clamp.Type: GrantFiled: May 26, 2020Date of Patent: January 10, 2023Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Kenichi Imakita, Yasuhiko Kojima, Atsushi Gomi, Hiroyuki Yokohara, Hiroshi Sone
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Patent number: 11414747Abstract: A sputtering device includes a processing chamber where a substrate is accommodated, and a slit plate that partitions the processing chamber into a first space where a target member is disposed and a second space where the substrate is disposed. The slit plate includes an inner member having an opening that penetrates therethrough in a thickness direction of the slit plate, and an outer member disposed around the inner member. The inner member is attachable to and detachable from the outer member.Type: GrantFiled: June 19, 2019Date of Patent: August 16, 2022Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Junichi Takei, Hiroshi Sone, Naoyuki Suzuki, Shinji Orimoto
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Publication number: 20220238314Abstract: A mounting table structure includes a mounting table on which a substrate is mounted, a refrigerating mechanism configured to cool the substrate, an elevating drive part configured to move the mounting table or the refrigerating mechanism up and down, and at least one contact provided at a position between the refrigerating mechanism and the mounting table which face each other. The refrigerating mechanism and the mounting table are allowed to be brought into contact with each other via the contact by moving the mounting table or the refrigerating mechanism up and down by the elevating drive part.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 13, 2022Publication date: July 28, 2022Inventors: Motoi YAMAGATA, Hiroshi SONE, Masato SHINADA
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Publication number: 20220189813Abstract: There is provided a mounting table. The mounting table comprises: a dielectric plate having a through-hole at an outer peripheral portion thereof and having a substrate support on which a substrate is placed; a support member; a first heat insulating member disposed between the dielectric plate and the support member; a first biasing member disposed between the first heat insulating member and the support member, and a fastening member configured to detachably fix the dielectric plate to the support member by way of penetrating through the through-hole of the dielectric plate, the first heat insulating member, and the first biasing member.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 13, 2021Publication date: June 16, 2022Inventors: Katsuyoshi AIKAWA, Hiroshi SONE, Shinji ORIMOTO
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Publication number: 20220098717Abstract: A film forming apparatus according to the present invention comprises: a processing chamber; a substrate holder for holding a substrate within the processing chamber; a target electrode, disposed above the substrate holder, for holding a metal target and supplying electrical power from a power source to the target; an oxidizing gas introduction mechanism for supplying an oxidizing gas to the substrate; and a gas supply unit for supplying an inert gas to the space where the target is disposed. Constituent metal is discharged from the target in the form of sputter particles, whereby a metal film is deposited on the substrate, and the metal film is oxidized by the oxidizing gas introduced by the oxidizing gas introduction mechanism, thereby forming a metal oxide film. When the oxidizing gas is introduced, the gas supply unit supplies the inert gas to the space where the target is disposed so that the pressure therein is positive with respect to the pressure in a processing space.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 20, 2019Publication date: March 31, 2022Inventors: Kenichi IMAKITA, Kazunaga ONO, Toru KITADA, Keisuke SATO, Atsushi GOMI, Hiroyuki YOKOHARA, Hiroshi SONE
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Patent number: 11282733Abstract: There is provided a stage mechanism, including: an electrostatic chuck having a conductive film formed on a front surface thereof, the conductive film configured to make electrically contact with a rear surface of a substrate; a conductive member electrically connected to the conductive film and formed to extend to a rear surface of the electrostatic chuck; and a moving member electrically connected to the conductive member via a connecting member and configured to move between a first position connected to a ground potential and a second position not connected to the ground potential.Type: GrantFiled: July 24, 2019Date of Patent: March 22, 2022Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Yuuki Motomura, Hiroshi Sone, Yasuyuki Kagaya, Naoyuki Suzuki
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Patent number: 11193200Abstract: Disclosed is a PVD processing method including a first process, a second process, a third process, and a fourth process. In the first process, an opening of a shield, which is provided between a first target containing a metal oxide and a second target containing a metal constituting the metal oxide, and a stage on which a substrate as a film formation object is placed, is made to coincide with the first target so as to expose the first target to the stage and the opening is brought close to the first target. In the second process, sputtering is performed using the first target. In the third process, the opening is made to coincide with the second target so as to expose the first target to the stage, and the opening is brought close to the second target. In the fourth process, sputtering is performed using the second target.Type: GrantFiled: November 28, 2018Date of Patent: December 7, 2021Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Koji Maeda, Hiroyuki Yokohara, Hiroshi Sone, Tetsuya Miyashita
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Patent number: 11149342Abstract: A sputtering apparatus includes: a target disposed on a ceiling of a processing container capable of being depressurized; a gas inlet configured to supply a sputtering gas into the processing container; a first shield disposed around the target and configured to prevent deposition of a film around the target; and a second shield disposed in the processing container to cover an inner wall of the ceiling with a space from the ceiling, and including an opening in a portion corresponding to the target.Type: GrantFiled: February 6, 2020Date of Patent: October 19, 2021Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Junichi Takei, Hiroshi Sone
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Publication number: 20210262080Abstract: The sputter device according to one embodiment of the present invention has: a treatment vessel in which a substrate is housed; a slit plate which is disposed above the substrate inside the treatment vessel so as to be located parallel to a surface of the substrate and which has formed therein an opening that penetrates in the plate-thickness direction; and a heat-receiving plate which is formed of a material having a higher heat resistance than the slit plate and which is placed on top of the slit plate beneath a target material provided at a slant with respect the slit plate.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 17, 2019Publication date: August 26, 2021Inventors: Junichi TAKEI, Naoki WATANABE, Hiroshi SONE, Naoyuki SUZUKI
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Publication number: 20200381226Abstract: A film forming apparatus includes: a processing container; a substrate holder that holds the substrate in the processing container; and a target assembly disposed in an upper side of the substrate holder. The target assembly includes: a target made of metal, including a main body and a flange provided around the main body, and emitting sputter particles from the main body; a target holder including a target electrode configured to supply power to the target, and holding the target; a target clamp that clamps the flange of the target to the target holder; and an anti-deposition shield provided around the main body of the target to cover the flange, the target clamp, and the target holder, and having a labyrinth structure in which an inner tip end thereof is disposed to enter a recess between the main body of the target and the target clamp.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 26, 2020Publication date: December 3, 2020Inventors: Kenichi IMAKITA, Yasuhiko KOJIMA, Atsushi GOMI, Hiroyuki YOKOHARA, Hiroshi SONE
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Patent number: 10748750Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a supporting table having a mounting region for a substrate. A rotation shaft supporting a shutter extends in a vertical direction. The shutter is moved between a first region above the supporting table and a second region by rotating the rotation shaft about its central axis. The shutter includes a pipe having gas output holes. When the shutter is disposed in the first region, the gas output holes are located outside the mounting region in a rotation direction from the second region toward the first region. The minimum distance between the central axis and the gas output holes is smaller than or equal to the minimum distance between the central axis and the mounting region. The maximum distance between the central axis and the gas output holes is greater than equal to the maximum distance between the central axis and the mounting region.Type: GrantFiled: December 3, 2018Date of Patent: August 18, 2020Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Hiroaki Chihaya, Hiroshi Sone
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Publication number: 20200255935Abstract: A sputtering apparatus includes: a target disposed on a ceiling of a processing container capable of being depressurized; a gas inlet configured to supply a sputtering gas into the processing container; a first shield disposed around the target and configured to prevent deposition of a film around the target; and a second shield disposed in the processing container to cover an inner wall of the ceiling with a space from the ceiling, and including an opening in a portion corresponding to the target.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 6, 2020Publication date: August 13, 2020Inventors: Junichi Takei, Hiroshi Sone
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Publication number: 20200035537Abstract: There is provided a stage mechanism, including: an electrostatic chuck having a conductive film formed on a front surface thereof, the conductive film configured to make electrically contact with a rear surface of a substrate; a conductive member electrically connected to the conductive film and formed to extend to a rear surface of the electrostatic chuck; and a moving member electrically connected to the conductive member via a connecting member and configured to move between a first position connected to a ground potential and a second position not connected to the ground potential.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 24, 2019Publication date: January 30, 2020Inventors: Yuuki MOTOMURA, Hiroshi SONE, Yasuyuki KAGAYA, Naoyuki SUZUKI
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Publication number: 20190390326Abstract: A substrate stage includes: a shaft rotatably disposed with respect to a bottom surface of a processing container; a base provided on the shaft; and a horizontal mover attached to the base and configured to move a substrate in the processing container in a horizontal direction with respect to the bottom surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 17, 2019Publication date: December 26, 2019Inventors: Junichi Takei, Naoyuki Suzuki, Hiroshi Sone, Shinji Orimoto
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Publication number: 20190390325Abstract: A sputtering device includes a processing chamber where a substrate is accommodated, and a slit plate that partitions the processing chamber into a first space where a target member is disposed and a second space where the substrate is disposed. The slit plate includes an inner member having an opening that penetrates therethrough in a thickness direction of the slit plate, and an outer member disposed around the inner member. The inner member is attachable to and detachable from the outer member.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 19, 2019Publication date: December 26, 2019Inventors: Junichi TAKEI, Hiroshi SONE, Naoyuki SUZUKI, Shinji ORIMOTO
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Patent number: 10381258Abstract: In a processing apparatus according to one embodiment, a stage is installed inside a process chamber. The stage has a plurality of through-holes formed therein, which corresponds to a plurality of lift pins. The plurality of lift pins is supported by a spline shaft through a support body. The spline shaft is supported by a spline bearing such that the spline shaft is vertically moved. The plurality of lift pins is biased upward by a spring member through the spline shaft. The spline shaft, the spline bearing, and the spring member are installed in an outer space separated from a depressurizable inner space of the process chamber.Type: GrantFiled: November 29, 2016Date of Patent: August 13, 2019Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Takuya Umise, Hiroshi Sone, Naoyuki Suzuki
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Publication number: 20190169737Abstract: Disclosed is a PVD processing method including a first process, a second process, a third process, and a fourth process. In the first process, an opening of a shield, which is provided between a first target containing a metal oxide and a second target containing a metal constituting the metal oxide, and a stage on which a substrate as a film formation object is placed, is made to coincide with the first target so as to expose the first target to the stage and the opening is brought close to the first target. In the second process, sputtering is performed using the first target. In the third process, the opening is made to coincide with the second target so as to expose the first target to the stage, and the opening is brought close to the second target. In the fourth process, sputtering is performed using the second target.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 28, 2018Publication date: June 6, 2019Inventors: Koji Maeda, Hiroyuki Yokohara, Hiroshi Sone, Tetsuya Miyashita
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Publication number: 20190172690Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a supporting table having a mounting region for a substrate. A rotation shaft supporting a shutter extends in a vertical direction. The shutter is moved between a first region above the supporting table and a second region by rotating the rotation shaft about its central axis. The shutter includes a pipe having gas output holes. When the shutter is disposed in the first region, the gas output holes are located outside the mounting region in a rotation direction from the second region toward the first region. The minimum distance between the central axis and the gas output holes is smaller than or equal to the minimum distance between the central axis and the mounting region. The maximum distance between the central axis and the gas output holes is greater than equal to the maximum distance between the central axis and the mounting region.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 3, 2018Publication date: June 6, 2019Inventors: Hiroaki CHIHAYA, Hiroshi SONE