Patents by Inventor Hiroshi Takamura

Hiroshi Takamura 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: 20150001069
    Abstract: Provided is a polycrystalline silicon target produced by a melting method. In the polycrystalline silicon sputtering target, the average amount of nitride or carbide grains having a size of 100 ?m or more for samples of 100×100 mm taken from an arbitrary plane of the target is less than three. Also provided is a method of producing a polycrystalline silicon sputtering target. The method is characterized in that a silicon ingot is produced by melting silicon as a raw material with an electron beam and pouring the molten silicon into a crucible heated at 90° C. or more, and the resulting ingot is machined into a target. The present invention has focused on polycrystalline silicon produced by a melting method, and an object of the present invention is to provide a polycrystalline silicon sputtering target having high quality by reducing the presence of silicon nitride and silicon carbide and to provide a polycrystalline silicon sputtering target having a high bending strength by devising the production process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2013
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Inventors: Hiroshi Takamura, Ryo Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8659022
    Abstract: A hybrid silicon wafer which is a silicon wafer having a structure wherein monocrystalline silicon is embedded in polycrystalline silicon that is prepared by the unidirectional solidification/melting method. The longitudinal plane of crystal grains of the polycrystalline portion prepared by the unidirectional solidification/melting method is used as the wafer plane, and the monocrystalline silicon is embedded so that the longitudinal direction of the crystal grains of the polycrystalline portion forms an angle of 120° to 150° relative to the cleaved surface of the monocrystalline silicon. Thus provided is a hybrid silicon wafer comprising the functions of both a polycrystalline silicon wafer and a monocrystalline wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: JX Nippon Mining & Metals Corporation
    Inventors: Ryo Suzuki, Hiroshi Takamura
  • Patent number: 8647747
    Abstract: Provided is a hybrid silicon wafer in which molten state polycrystalline silicon and solid state single-crystal silicon are mutually integrated, comprising fine crystals having an average crystal grain size of 8 mm or less at a polycrystalline portion within 10 mm from a boundary with a single-crystal portion. Additionally provided is a method of manufacturing a hybrid silicon wafer, wherein a columnar single-crystal silicon ingot is sent in a mold in advance, molten silicon is cast around and integrated with the single-crystal ingot to prepare an ingot complex of single-crystal silicon and polycrystalline silicon, and a wafer shape is cut out therefrom. The provided hybrid silicon wafer comprises the functions of both a polycrystalline silicon wafer and a single-crystal wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: JX Nippon Mining & Metals Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Takamura, Ryo Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20130341622
    Abstract: Provided is a polycrystalline silicon wafer produced by a melting and unidirectional solidification method, where the polycrystalline silicon wafer has a diameter of 450 mm or more, a thickness of 900 ?m or more, and an average crystal grain size of 5 to 50 mm, and is made up of one piece. The present invention provides a large-sized polycrystalline silicon wafer having a wafer size of 450 mm or more, of which: mechanical properties are similar to those of monocrystalline silicon wafers; the crystal size is large; the surface roughness is low; the surface has a high cleanliness; the polished surface has less unevenness by having a definite crystal orientation; and the sag value is similar to that of monocrystalline silicon wafers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2012
    Publication date: December 26, 2013
    Applicant: JX NIPPON MINING & METALS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi Takamura, Ryo Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8512868
    Abstract: A hybrid silicon wafer which is a silicon wafer having a structure wherein the main plane orientation of polycrystalline silicon that is prepared by a unidirectional solidification/melting method is (311), and monocrystalline silicon is embedded in the polycrystalline silicon. The hybrid silicon wafer according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the purity of the polycrystalline silicon portion excluding gas components is 6N or higher, the total amount of metal impurities is 1 wtppm or less, and, among the metal impurities, Cu, Fe, Ni, and Al are respectively 0.1 wtppm or less. Thus, a hybrid silicon wafer having the functions of both a polycrystalline silicon wafer and a monocrystalline silicon wafer is provided and the occurrence of polish bumps and macro-sized unevenness between the polycrystalline silicon and the monocrystalline silicon are prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: JX Nippon Mining & Metals Corporation
    Inventors: Ryo Suzuki, Hiroshi Takamura
  • Patent number: 8252422
    Abstract: Provided is a hybrid silicon wafer made of a wafer comprised primarily of two or more types of concentric single-crystal silicon or polycrystalline silicon prepared by mutually integrating one in a molten state and another in a solid state, and having specific resistances that differ by two orders of magnitude or more. Additionally provided is a method of manufacturing a hybrid silicon wafer, wherein high specific resistance silicon or an ingot comprised primarily of silicon is disposed at a central portion or a decentered position in a crucible, a nugget or powdered silicon having a specific resistance that is lower by two orders of magnitude or more than the ingot is filled in a void part around the ingot in the crucible, the nugget or powdered silicon is selectively melted and integrated with the ingot to form a complex, and a wafer shape is cut out therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: JX Nippon Mining & Metals Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Takamura, Ryo Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20120187409
    Abstract: A hybrid silicon wafer which is a silicon wafer having a structure wherein monocrystalline silicon is embedded in polycrystalline silicon that is prepared by the unidirectional solidification/melting method. The longitudinal plane of crystal grains of the polycrystalline portion prepared by the unidirectional solidification/melting method is used as the wafer plane, and the monocrystalline silicon is embedded so that the longitudinal direction of the crystal grains of the polycrystalline portion forms an angle of 120° to 150° relative to the cleaved surface of the monocrystalline silicon. Thus provided is a hybrid silicon wafer comprising the functions of both a polycrystalline silicon wafer and a monocrystalline wafer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2010
    Publication date: July 26, 2012
    Applicant: JX NIPPON MINING & METALS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryo Suzuki, Hiroshi Takamura
  • Publication number: 20120181536
    Abstract: A hybrid silicon wafer which is a silicon wafer having a structure wherein the main plane orientation of polycrystalline silicon that is prepared by a unidirectional solidification/melting method is (311), and monocrystalline silicon is embedded in the polycrystalline silicon. The hybrid silicon wafer according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the purity of the polycrystalline silicon portion excluding gas components is 6N or higher, the total amount of metal impurities is 1 wtppm or less, and, among the metal impurities, Cu, Fe, Ni, and Al are respectively 0.1 wtppm or less. Thus, a hybrid silicon wafer having the functions of both a polycrystalline silicon wafer and a monocrystalline silicon wafer is provided and the occurrence of polish bumps and macro-sized unevenness between the polycrystalline silicon and the monocrystalline silicon are prevented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2010
    Publication date: July 19, 2012
    Applicant: JX NIPPON MINING & METALS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryo Suzuki, Hiroshi Takamura
  • Publication number: 20120009373
    Abstract: Provided is a hybrid silicon wafer made of a wafer comprised primarily of two or more types of concentric single-crystal silicon or polycrystalline silicon prepared by mutually integrating one in a molten state and another in a solid state, and having specific resistances that differ by two orders of magnitude or more. Additionally provided is a method of manufacturing a hybrid silicon wafer, wherein high specific resistance silicon or an ingot comprised primarily of silicon is disposed at a central portion or a decentered position in a crucible, a nugget or powdered silicon having a specific resistance that is lower by two orders of magnitude or more than the ingot is filled in a void part around the ingot in the crucible, the nugget or powdered silicon is selectively melted and integrated with the ingot to form a complex, and a wafer shape is cut out therefrom.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2010
    Publication date: January 12, 2012
    Applicant: NIPPON MINING & METALS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Takamura, Ryo Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20120009374
    Abstract: Provided is a hybrid silicon wafer in which molten state polycrystalline silicon and solid state single-crystal silicon are mutually integrated, comprising fine crystals having an average crystal grain size of 8 mm or less at a polycrystalline portion within 10 mm from a boundary with a single-crystal portion. Additionally provided is a method of manufacturing a hybrid silicon wafer, wherein a columnar single-crystal silicon ingot is sent in a mold in advance, molten silicon is cast around and integrated with the single-crystal ingot to prepare an ingot complex of single-crystal silicon and polycrystalline silicon, and a wafer shape is cut out therefrom. The provided hybrid silicon wafer comprises the functions of both a polycrystalline silicon wafer and a single-crystal wafer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2010
    Publication date: January 12, 2012
    Applicant: NIPPON MINING & METALS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Takamura, Ryo Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20100330325
    Abstract: Provided is a sintered silicon wafer in which the maximum crystal grain size is 20?m or less and the average crystal grain size is 1?m or more but not more than 10?m; specifically, provides is a sintered silicon wafer having the following mechanical properties measured by collecting a plurality of test samples from the sintered silicon wafer having a diameter of 400mm or more, namely, the average deflecting strength based on a three-point bending test of 20kgf/mm2 or more but not more than 50kgf/mm2, the average tensile strength of 5kgf/mm2 or more but not more than 20kgf/mm2, and the average Vickers hardness of Hv 800 or more but not more than Hv 1200. The provided sintered silicon wafer is a sintered compact wafer having a fixed strength and mechanical properties similar to those of single-crystal silicon even when it is a sintered silicon wafer of large-size disk shape.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 4, 2008
    Publication date: December 30, 2010
    Applicant: NIPPON MINING & METALS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ryo Suzuki, Hiroshi Takamura
  • Publication number: 20100187661
    Abstract: Provided is a sintered silicon wafer, wherein the ratio [I(220)/I(111) . . . (1)] of intensity of a (220) plane and intensity of a (111) plane measured by X-ray diffraction is 0.5 or more and 0.8 or less, and the ratio [I(311)/I(111) . . . (2)] of intensity of a (311) plane and intensity of a (111) plane is 0.3 or more and 0.5 or less. The provided sintered silicon wafer has a smooth surface in which its surface roughness is equivalent to a single crystal silicon.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 4, 2008
    Publication date: July 29, 2010
    Applicant: NIPPON MINING & METALS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ryo Suzuki, Hiroshi Takamura
  • Publication number: 20100016144
    Abstract: Provided is a sintered silicon wafer, wherein the volume ratio of silicon oxide contained in the wafer is 0.01% or more and 0.2% or less, the volume ratio of silicon carbide is 0.01% or more and 0.15% or less, and the volume ratio of metal silicide is 0.006% or less. Additionally provided is a sintered silicon wafer having a diameter of 400 mm or more and having the following mechanical properties (1) to (3) measured by collecting a plurality of test samples from the sintered silicon wafers: (1) average value of the deflecting strength based on a three-point bending test is 20 kgf/mm2 or more and 50 kgf/mm2 or less; (2) average value of the tensile strength is 5 kgf/mm2 or more and 20 kgf/mm2 or less; and (3) average value of the Vickers hardness is Hv 800 or more and Hv 1200 or less. Even in the case of a large disk-shaped sintered silicon wafer, it is possible to provide a sintered compact wafer having definite strength and similar mechanical properties as single crystal silicon.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 4, 2008
    Publication date: January 21, 2010
    Applicant: NIPPON MINING & METALS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ryo Suzuki, Hiroshi Takamura
  • Patent number: 6844532
    Abstract: A MoSi2 arc-shaped heater formed in a continuous waveform, characterized in that U-shaped heater members having parallel parts are connected alternately to each other at the end parts, and the parallel faces of the U-shaped heater members have an angle relative to each other and an arc-shaped face with a specified curvature in a connecting direction, wherein a large number of parallel U-shaped heater members having heating parts are connected to each other and welded so that the heater can have a generally arc-shaped curved surface to install the heater onto the inner wall of a heating furnace, whereby the arc heater having an excellent joining strength and capable of being manufactured stably, and a method and a device for manufactured the heater can be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2005
    Assignee: Nikko Materials Company, Limited
    Inventors: Hiroshi Takamura, Daisuke Takagaki
  • Publication number: 20040094536
    Abstract: A MoSi2 arc-shaped heater formed in a continuous waveform, characterized in that U-shaped heater members having parallel parts are connected alternately to each other at the end parts, and the parallel faces of the U-shaped heater members have an angle relative to each other and an arc-shaped face with a specified curvature in a connecting direction, wherein a large number of parallel U-shaped heater members having heating parts are connected to each other and welded so that the heater can have a generally arc-shaped curved surface to install the heater onto the inner wall of a heating furnace, whereby the arc heater having an excellent joining strength and capable of being manufactured stably, and a method and a device for manufactured the heater can be provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2003
    Publication date: May 20, 2004
    Inventors: Hiroshi Takamura, Daisuke Takagaki