Patents by Inventor Hiroyuki Yokohara

Hiroyuki Yokohara 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).

  • Patent number: 11605547
    Abstract: A temperature measuring device that measures a temperature of a rotatable stage that holds a substrate, includes: a contact portion provided at a position that does not hinder placing of the substrate on the stage, and a temperature detector having a temperature sensor, and provided at a position separated from the temperature detection contact portion except when measuring a temperature. When measuring the temperature of the stage, the temperature detection contact portion and the temperature detector are relatively moved and brought into contact with each other in a state where the stage is not rotating to detect the temperature of the stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Manabu Nakagawasai, Naoyuki Suzuki, Shinji Orimoto, Hiroyuki Yokohara
  • Patent number: 11551918
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Kenichi Imakita, Yasuhiko Kojima, Atsushi Gomi, Hiroyuki Yokohara, Hiroshi Sone
  • Publication number: 20220341028
    Abstract: A vacuum processing apparatus includes: a stage on which a substrate is placed; and a shutter configured to be able to move between a shielding position at which the stage is covered and a retracted position that is retracted from the shielding position, wherein the shutter arranged at the shielding position forms a processing space between the shutter and the stage, and includes: a gas supplier configured to supply a gas into the processing space; and a gas exhauster provided closer to a center side of the processing space than the gas supplier and configured to exhaust the gas from the processing space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2022
    Publication date: October 27, 2022
    Inventors: Kanto NAKAMURA, Hiroyuki YOKOHARA, Yuki MOTOMURA
  • Publication number: 20220336194
    Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus for performing plasma processing on a substrate includes: a plasma generator configured to generate plasma in a processing container; a support structure configured to mount the substrate on a tilted mounting surface in the processing container and rotatably support the substrate; a first slit plate made of quartz and provided between the plasma generator and the support structure, the first slit plate having first slits formed in the first slit plate; and a second slit plate made of quartz and provided between the plasma generator and the support structure and below the first slit plate, the second slit plate having second slits formed in the second slit plate, wherein the first slits are staggered from adjacent ones of the second slits in a reverse direction of a tilting direction of the mounting surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2020
    Publication date: October 20, 2022
    Inventors: Hiroyuki YOKOHARA, Koji MAEDA, Yasunobu SUZUKI, Atsushi SHIMADA, Takuya UMISE
  • Patent number: 11417504
    Abstract: A stage device includes a stage configured to hold a target substrate in a vacuum chamber, a cold heat transfer body fixedly disposed below a bottom surface of the stage with a gap between the stage and the cold heat transfer body and cooled to an extremely low temperature by a chiller disposed below the cold heat transfer body, and cooling fluid supplied to the gap to transfer cold heat of the cold heat transfer body to the stage. The stage device further includes a stage support configured to rotatably support the stage and formed in a cylindrical shape to surround an upper part of the cold heat transfer body wherein the stage support has a vacuum insulation structure, and a rotation part configured to support the stage support and rotated by a driving mechanism while being sealed with magnetic fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Manabu Nakagawasai, Naoyuki Suzuki, Shinji Orimoto, Hiroyuki Yokohara, Motoi Yamagata, Koji Maeda
  • Publication number: 20220098717
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2019
    Publication date: March 31, 2022
    Inventors: Kenichi IMAKITA, Kazunaga ONO, Toru KITADA, Keisuke SATO, Atsushi GOMI, Hiroyuki YOKOHARA, Hiroshi SONE
  • Patent number: 11193200
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Koji Maeda, Hiroyuki Yokohara, Hiroshi Sone, Tetsuya Miyashita
  • Publication number: 20200381226
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2020
    Publication date: December 3, 2020
    Inventors: Kenichi IMAKITA, Yasuhiko KOJIMA, Atsushi GOMI, Hiroyuki YOKOHARA, Hiroshi SONE
  • Publication number: 20200303223
    Abstract: A temperature measuring device that measures a temperature of a rotatable stage that holds a substrate, includes: a contact portion provided at a position that does not hinder placing of the substrate on the stage, and a temperature detector having a temperature sensor, and provided at a position separated from the temperature detection contact portion except when measuring a temperature. When measuring the temperature of the stage, the temperature detection contact portion and the temperature detector are relatively moved and brought into contact with each other in a state where the stage is not rotating to detect the temperature of the stage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2020
    Publication date: September 24, 2020
    Inventors: Manabu Nakagawasai, Naoyuki Suzuki, Shinji Orimoto, Hiroyuki Yokohara
  • Publication number: 20200135434
    Abstract: A stage device includes a stage configured to hold a target substrate in a vacuum chamber, a cold heat transfer body fixedly disposed below a bottom surface of the stage with a gap between the stage and the cold heat transfer body and cooled to an extremely low temperature by a chiller disposed below the cold heat transfer body, and cooling fluid supplied to the gap to transfer cold heat of the cold heat transfer body to the stage. The stage device further includes a stage support configured to rotatably support the stage and formed in a cylindrical shape to surround an upper part of the cold heat transfer body wherein the stage support has a vacuum insulation structure, and a rotation part configured to support the stage support and rotated by a driving mechanism while being sealed with magnetic fluid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2019
    Publication date: April 30, 2020
    Inventors: Manabu NAKAGAWASAI, Naoyuki SUZUKI, Shinji ORIMOTO, Hiroyuki YOKOHARA, Motoi YAMAGATA, Koji MAEDA
  • Publication number: 20190169737
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2018
    Publication date: June 6, 2019
    Inventors: Koji Maeda, Hiroyuki Yokohara, Hiroshi Sone, Tetsuya Miyashita
  • Patent number: 10254693
    Abstract: A fixing unit fixes a plate-shaped member to a fixing base member. The fixing unit includes: a pressing unit configured to press the plate-shaped member toward the fixing base member; and a plurality of positioning units, installed at the fixing base member to be in contact with side surfaces of the plate-shaped member, and configured to place the plate-shaped member with respect to the fixing base member. Each of the positioning units includes: a shaft to be installed at the fixing base member; and a slide part movable along the shaft, and the slide part includes a contact part to be in contact with one of the side surfaces of the plate-shaped member and a clearance part formed on the contact part to have a smaller width than that of the contact part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Yokohara, Shinji Orimoto, Hiroshi Sone, Naoyuki Suzuki
  • Patent number: 9324600
    Abstract: A mounting table structure includes a mounting table body, made of a conductive material, for mounting thereon the processing target object and serving as an electrode; a base table, made of a conductive material, disposed below the mounting table body with a gap therebetween in a state insulated from the mounting table body; a support column, connected to the ground side, for supporting the base table; a high frequency power supply line, connected to the mounting table body, for supplying a high frequency bias power to the mounting table body; and a power stabilization capacitor provided between the ground side and a hot side to which the high frequency bias power is applied. Here, an electrostatic capacitance of the power stabilization capacitor is set to be larger than an electrostatic capacitance of a stray capacitance between the mounting table body and the protective cover member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Toshiaki Fujisato, Shiro Hayashi, Hiroyuki Yokohara
  • Publication number: 20150370204
    Abstract: A fixing unit fixes a plate-shaped member to a fixing base member. The fixing unit includes: a pressing unit configured to press the plate-shaped member toward the fixing base member; and a plurality of positioning units, installed at the fixing base member to be in contact with side surfaces of the plate-shaped member, and configured to place the plate-shaped member with respect to the fixing base member. Each of the positioning units includes: a shaft to be installed at the fixing base member; and a slide part movable along the shaft, and the slide part includes a contact part to be in contact with one of the side surfaces of the plate-shaped member and a clearance part formed on the contact part to have a smaller width than that of the contact part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2015
    Publication date: December 24, 2015
    Inventors: Hiroyuki YOKOHARA, Shinji ORIMOTO, Hiroshi SONE, Naoyuki SUZUKI
  • Publication number: 20130001076
    Abstract: A mounting table structure includes a mounting table body, made of a conductive material, for mounting thereon the processing target object and serving as an electrode; a base table, made of a conductive material, disposed below the mounting table body with a gap therebetween in a state insulated from the mounting table body; a support column, connected to the ground side, for supporting the base table; a high frequency power supply line, connected to the mounting table body, for supplying a high frequency bias power to the mounting table body; and a power stabilization capacitor provided between the ground side and a hot side to which the high frequency bias power is applied. Here, an electrostatic capacitance of the power stabilization capacitor is set to be larger than an electrostatic capacitance of a stray capacitance between the mounting table body and the protective cover member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2010
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Toshiaki Fujisato, Shiro Hayashi, Hiroyuki Yokohara
  • Publication number: 20120247949
    Abstract: A film forming method includes depositing a metal thin film on a target substrate by generating an inductively coupled plasma in a processing chamber while introducing a plasma generating gas in the processing chamber with the substrate disposed on a placing table, by supplying DC power to a metal target from a DC power source, and by applying high-frequency bias to the placing table. A resputtering method includes resputtering the deposited metal thin film by stopping the generating of the inductively coupled plasma, by stopping the power supply from the DC power source, and by applying the high-frequency bias to the placing table while introducing the plasma generating gas in the processing chamber to form a capacitively coupled plasma in the processing chamber and by attracting ions of the plasma generating gas to the target substrate where the metal thin film is deposited.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2012
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Inventors: Takashi SAKUMA, Tadahiro Ishizaka, Tatsuo Hatano, Shiro Hayashi, Toshiaki Fujisato, Hiroyuki Yokohara, Hiroyuki Toshima
  • Patent number: 5148334
    Abstract: Every other input pulse is extracted from an input signal containing alternate phase-advanced and phase-delayed pulses read out of a magnetic disk unit, a magnetic tape unit or the like. Output pulses in synchronism with the pulses thus extracted are produced. This extraction may be effected only during a predetermined length of time after staring application of the input pulses at the time of pull-in of a phase sync circuit. Whether phase synchronization is to be effected in accordance with advanced-phase or delayed-phase input pulses is determined from time to time as required.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 1989
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1992
    Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi Computer Peripherals Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takikazu Takeuchi, Hiroyuki Yokohara, Takuji Ogawa, Noboru Sakurai