Patents by Inventor Kunihiro Yamauchi

Kunihiro Yamauchi 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: 11618954
    Abstract: The dry etching method of the present invention etches a metal film formed on a surface of a workpiece by bringing etching gases each containing a ?-diketone into contact with the metal film. The method includes: a first etching step of bringing a first etching gas containing a first ?-diketone into contact with the metal film; and a second etching step of bringing a second etching gas containing a second ?-diketone into contact with the metal film after the first etching step. The first ?-diketone is a compound capable of forming a first complex through a reaction with the metal film. The second ?-diketone is a compound capable of forming a second complex having a lower sublimation point than the first complex through a reaction with the metal film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: CENTRAL GLASS COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Yuuta Takeda, Kunihiro Yamauchi, Akifumi Yao
  • Publication number: 20220415667
    Abstract: A dry etching method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes reacting an etching target film formed on a surface of a workpiece with a ?-diketone and nitrogen dioxide to etch the etching target film in a non-plasma state, the etching target film containing a metal having an M-O bond energy of 5 eV or higher or an oxide of the metal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2020
    Publication date: December 29, 2022
    Inventors: Kunihiro YAMAUCHI, Hikaru KITAYAMA, Akifumi YAO
  • Patent number: 11335573
    Abstract: Disclosed is a dry etching method for etching a metal film on a substrate with an etching gas containing a ?-diketone and an additive gas, wherein the metal film contains a metal element capable of forming a complex with the ?-diketone; and wherein the amount of water contained in the etching gas is 30 mass ppm or less relative to the amount of the ?-diketone. It is preferable that the ?-diketone used for the dry etching method is supplied from a ?-diketone filled container, wherein the ?-diketone filled container has a sealed container body filled with a ?-diketone whose water content is 15 mass ppm or less relative to the ?-diketone. This etching method enables etching of the metal film while suppressing etching rate variations from the initial stage to the later stage of use of the filled container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: Cental Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Kunihiro Yamauchi, Takashi Masuda, Akifumi Yao
  • Patent number: 11282714
    Abstract: The etching method of the present invention includes the step of supplying a first mixed gas containing a ?-diketone-containing etching gas and a nitrogen oxide gas to a target having, on a surface, both a first metal film containing cobalt, iron, or manganese and a second metal film containing copper, thereby selectively etching the first metal film over the second metal film, or the step of supplying a second mixed gas containing a ?-diketone-containing etching gas and oxygen gas to the target, thereby selectively etching the second metal film over the first metal film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignees: CENTRAL GLASS COMPANY, LIMITED, TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Akifumi Yao, Kunihiro Yamauchi, Tatsuo Miyazaki, Jun Lin, Susumu Yamauchi, Kazuaki Nishimura
  • Publication number: 20220056593
    Abstract: The dry etching method of the present invention etches a metal film formed on a surface of a workpiece by bringing etching gases each containing a ?-diketone into contact with the metal film. The method includes: a first etching step of bringing a first etching gas containing a first ?-diketone into contact with the metal film; and a second etching step of bringing a second etching gas containing a second ?-diketone into contact with the metal film after the first etching step. The first ?-diketone is a compound capable of forming a first complex through a reaction with the metal film. The second ?-diketone is a compound capable of forming a second complex having a lower sublimation point than the first complex through a reaction with the metal film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2020
    Publication date: February 24, 2022
    Applicant: CENTRAL GLASS COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Yuuta TAKEDA, Kunihiro YAMAUCHI, Akifumi YAO
  • Publication number: 20210287915
    Abstract: The etching method of the present invention includes the step of supplying a first mixed gas containing a ?-diketone-containing etching gas and a nitrogen oxide gas to a target having, on a surface, both a first metal film containing cobalt, iron, or manganese and a second metal film containing copper, thereby selectively etching the first metal film over the second metal film, or the step of supplying a second mixed gas containing a ?-diketone-containing etching gas and oxygen gas to the target, thereby selectively etching the second metal film over the first metal film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2017
    Publication date: September 16, 2021
    Applicants: CENTRAL GLASS COMPANY, LIMITED, TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Akifumi YAO, Kunihiro YAMAUCHI, Tatsuo MIYAZAKI, Jun LIN, Susumu YAMAUCHI, Kazuaki NISHIMURA
  • Patent number: 10957554
    Abstract: Disclosed is a dry etching method for etching a metal film on a substrate with the use of an etching gas, wherein the etching gas contains a ?-diketone and first and second additive gases; wherein the metal film contains a metal element capable of forming a complex with the ?-diketone; wherein the first additive gas is at least one kind of gas selected from the group consisting of NO, NO2, O2 and O3; wherein the second additive gas is at least one kind of gas selected from the group consisting of H2O and H2O2; wherein the amount of the ?-diketone contained is 10 vol % to 90 vol % relative to the etching gas; and wherein the amount of the second additive gas contained is 0.1 vol % to 15 vol % relative to the etching gas. The etching rate of the metal film is increased by this etching method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Central Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Kunihiro Yamauchi, Takashi Masuda, Akifumi Yao
  • Publication number: 20200066541
    Abstract: Disclosed is a dry etching method for etching a metal film on a substrate with the use of an etching gas, wherein the etching gas contains a ?-diketone and first and second additive gases; wherein the metal film contains a metal element capable of forming a complex with the ?-diketone; wherein the first additive gas is at least one kind of gas selected from the group consisting of NO, NO2, O2 and O3; wherein the second additive gas is at least one kind of gas selected from the group consisting of H2O and H2O2; wherein the amount of the ?-diketone contained is 10 vol % to 90 vol % relative to the etching gas; and wherein the amount of the second additive gas contained is 0.1 vol % to 15 vol % relative to the etching gas. The etching rate of the metal film is increased by this etching method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2017
    Publication date: February 27, 2020
    Inventors: Kunihiro YAMAUCHI, Takashi MASUDA, Akifumi YAO
  • Publication number: 20190348307
    Abstract: Disclosed is a dry etching method for etching a metal film on a substrate with an etching gas containing a ?-diketone and an additive gas, wherein the metal film contains a metal element capable of forming a complex with the ?-diketone; and wherein the amount of water contained in the etching gas is 30 mass ppm or less relative to the amount of the ?-diketone. It is preferable that the ?-diketone used for the dry etching method is supplied from a ?-diketone filled container, wherein the ?-diketone filled container has a sealed container body filled with a ?-diketone whose water content is 15 mass ppm or less relative to the ?-diketone. This etching method enables etching of the metal film while suppressing etching rate variations from the initial stage to the later stage of use of the filled container.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2017
    Publication date: November 14, 2019
    Inventors: Kunihiro YAMAUCHI, Takashi MASUDA, Akifumi YAO
  • Patent number: 10460946
    Abstract: A technique capable of removing a natural oxide film formed on a surface of a semiconductor layer which contains a compound of indium and an element other than indium as a main ingredient, without making a temperature of the semiconductor layer relatively high. The technique includes supplying a first etching gas which is ?-diketone to the semiconductor layer and heating the semiconductor layer to remove an oxide of the indium constituting the natural oxide film; and supplying a second etching gas to the semiconductor layer and heating the semiconductor layer to remove an oxide of the element constituting the natural oxide film. By using the first etching gas, it is possible to remove the indium oxide even if the temperature of the semiconductor layer is relatively low. This eliminates the need to increase the temperature to a relatively high level when removing the natural oxide film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignees: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED, CENTRAL GLASS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jun Lin, Koji Takeya, Shinichi Kawaguchi, Mitsuhiro Tachibana, Akifumi Yao, Kunihiro Yamauchi
  • Patent number: 10156012
    Abstract: There is provided a cleaning method improving cleaning efficiency in a process container after an oxygen-containing film forming process is having performed, including: (a) supplying at least a hydrogen fluoride gas into the process container; and (b) supplying an alcohol into the process container in a state where supply of the hydrogen fluoride gas into the process container is stopped, wherein (a) and (b) are continuously performed without providing an intermittent period therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignees: KOKUSAI ELECTRIC CORPORATION, CENTRAL GLASS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kenji Kameda, Masaya Nagato, Akiou Kikuchi, Yuta Takeda, Kunihiro Yamauchi
  • Publication number: 20180211844
    Abstract: A technique capable of removing a natural oxide film formed on a surface of a semiconductor layer which contains a compound of indium and an element other than indium as a main ingredient, without making a temperature of the semiconductor layer relatively high. The technique includes supplying a first etching gas which is ?-diketone to the semiconductor layer and heating the semiconductor layer to remove an oxide of the indium constituting the natural oxide film; and supplying a second etching gas to the semiconductor layer and heating the semiconductor layer to remove an oxide of the element constituting the natural oxide film. By using the first etching gas, it is possible to remove the indium oxide even if the temperature of the semiconductor layer is relatively low. This eliminates the need to increase the temperature to a relatively high level when removing the natural oxide film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2016
    Publication date: July 26, 2018
    Inventors: Jun LIN, Koji TAKEYA, Shinichi KAWAGUCHI, Mitsuhiro TACHIBANA, Akifumi YAO, Kunihiro YAMAUCHI
  • Patent number: 9991138
    Abstract: An etching method includes a step of etching a cobalt film formed on a surface of a target object by supplying an etching gas containing ?-diketone and an oxidizing gas for oxidizing the cobalt film to the target object. The supply of the etching gas and the oxidizing gas is carried out such that a flow rate ratio of the oxidizing gas to the etching gas is ranging from 0.5% to 50% while heating the target object to a temperature lower than or equal to 250° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Jun Lin, Koji Takeya, Mitsuhiro Tachibana, Akifumi Yao, Kunihiro Yamauchi, Tatsuo Miyazaki
  • Publication number: 20180138053
    Abstract: Disclosed is a wet etching method for etching a metal-containing film on a substrate with the use of an etching solution, wherein the etching solution contains an organic solvent and a ?-diketone having a trifluoromethyl group and a carbonyl group bonded to each other, and wherein the metal-containing film contains a metal element capable of forming a complex with the ?-diketone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2016
    Publication date: May 17, 2018
    Inventors: Akifumi YAO, Kunihiro YAMAUCHI, Masaki FUJIWARA, Tatsuo MIYAZAKI
  • Publication number: 20180057936
    Abstract: There is provided a cleaning method improving cleaning efficiency in a process container after an oxygen-containing film forming process is having performed, including: (a) supplying at least a hydrogen fluoride gas into the process container; and (b) supplying an alcohol into the process container in a state where supply of the hydrogen fluoride gas into the process container is stopped, wherein (a) and (b) are continuously performed without providing an intermittent period therebetween.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2017
    Publication date: March 1, 2018
    Applicants: HITACHI KOKUSAI ELECTRIC INC., CENTRAL GLASS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kenji KAMEDA, Masaya NAGATO, Akiou KIKUCHI, Yuta TAKEDA, Kunihiro YAMAUCHI
  • Publication number: 20170032990
    Abstract: An etching method includes a step of etching a cobalt film formed on a surface of a target object by supplying an etching gas containing ?-diketone and an oxidizing gas for oxidizing the cobalt film to the target object. The supply of the etching gas and the oxidizing gas is carried out such that a flow rate ratio of the oxidizing gas to the etching gas is ranging from 0.5% to 50% while heating the target object to a temperature lower than or equal to 250° C.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2016
    Publication date: February 2, 2017
    Inventors: Jun LIN, Koji TAKEYA, Mitsuhiro TACHIBANA, Akifumi YAO, Kunihiro YAMAUCHI, Tatsuo MIYAZAKI
  • Patent number: 6568797
    Abstract: An ink jet head, comprises partition walls made of an piezoelectric material and for dividing ink chambers; and driving electrodes provided on the partition walls, wherein lead conductors each of which is provided at a bottom portion of each ink chamber and is connected with a driving circuit, each lead conductor connected with the driving electrode so that a voltage is applied from the driving circuit through the lead conductor to the driving electrodes for each ink chamber, whereby the partition walls are deformed by shearing forces and an ink is jetted from each ink chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2003
    Assignee: Konica Corporation
    Inventors: Kunihiro Yamauchi, Shinichi Nishi, Yoshikazu Maekawa
  • Patent number: 6560833
    Abstract: A method of manufacture an ink jet head in which an ink is jetted from a nozzle hole by applying an electric voltage to an electrode so as to deform ink chambers divided by a partition wall. The method includes the steps of providing plural piezoelectric base plates having polarization side by side on a first non-piezoelectric plate, forming plural grooves for the ink chambers on the piezoelectric base plates and at connecting portions where each edge of the plural piezoelectric base plates provided side by side comes to face other edge; and mounting a second non-piezoelectric base plate on the plural piezoelectric base plates as so to cover the plural grooves so that the ink chambers divided by the partition wall are formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2003
    Assignee: Konica Corporation
    Inventors: Shinichi Nishi, Katsuaki Komatsu, Takao Yamaguchi, Kunihiro Yamauchi, Yoshio Takeuchi, Kunio Ito, Hiroyuki Nomori, Takemasa Namiki, Shozo Kikugawa
  • Publication number: 20020089574
    Abstract: An ink jet head, comprises partition walls made of an piezoelectric material and for dividing ink chambers; and driving electrodes provided on the partition walls, wherein lead conductors each of which is provided at a bottom portion of each ink chamber and is connected with a driving circuit, each lead conductor connected with the driving electrode so that a voltage is applied from the driving circuit through the lead conductor to the driving electrodes for each ink chamber, whereby the partition walls are deformed by shearing forces and an ink is jetted from each ink chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2000
    Publication date: July 11, 2002
    Inventors: Kunihiro Yamauchi, Shinichi Nishi, Yoshikazu Maekawa
  • Patent number: 4456372
    Abstract: A copying machine is equipped with a transparent document glass table under which a document detecting member is arranged to travel a certain path relative to a document on said document glass table, for detecting either or both the copy density and the size of a document. The detection step is carried out automatically upon movement of a platen cover downward prior to copying.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1982
    Date of Patent: June 26, 1984
    Assignee: Konishiroku Photo Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kunihiro Yamauchi