Patents by Inventor Masahide Iwasaki

Masahide Iwasaki 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: 11969712
    Abstract: A catalyst for purification of exhaust gas in which Pd-based nanoparticles and ceria nanoparticles are supported on a composite metal oxide support containing alumina, ceria, and zirconia, wherein a molar ratio (Ce/Pd) of Ce and Pd supported on the support is 1 to 8, a proximity ? between Pd and Ce is 0.15 to 0.50, wherein the proximity ? is determined, based on Pd and Ce distribution maps in an element mapping image of energy dispersive X-ray analysis, by the following formula (1): ? = ? j = 0 N - 1 ? ? i = 0 M - 1 ? ( ( I ? ( i , j ) - I ave ) ? ( T ? ( i , j ) - T ave ) ) ? j = 0 N - 1 ? ? i = 0 M - 1 ? ( I ? ( i , j ) - I ave ) 2 - ? j = 0 N - 1 ? ? i = 0 M - 1 ? ( T ? ( i , j ) - T ave ) 2 , ( 1 ) a Pd dispersity after a heat-resistance test at 1050° C. for 25 hours is 0.8% or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Naoki Kumatani, Akira Morikawa, Masaoki Iwasaki, Miho Hatanaka, Taizo Yoshinaga, Masahide Miura, Takahiro Hayashi
  • Patent number: 10844489
    Abstract: A film forming apparatus includes: a mounting table configured to place a substrate thereon and to be rotatable around an axis; a unit provided in a first region such that its bottom surface faces the mounting table and having first and second buffer spaces therein; and a flow rate controller that independently controls flow rates of a precursor gas supplied to the first and second buffer spaces. In the bottom surface, the unit includes: an inside injection section including injection ports communicated with the first buffer space and configured to inject the precursor gas supplied to the first buffer space; and an intermediate injection section including injection ports communicated with the second buffer space and configured to inject the precursor gas supplied to the second buffer space. All the first injection ports are provided at a location closer to the axis, as compared to the second injection ports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Masahide Iwasaki, Toshihisa Nozawa, Kohei Yamashita
  • Patent number: 10734197
    Abstract: A plasma process apparatus that utilizes plasma so as to perform a predetermined process on a substrate, and includes a process chamber that houses a substrate subjected to the predetermined plasma process; a microwave generator; a dielectric window attached to the process chamber and provided with a concave portion provided at an outer surface of the dielectric window opposite to the process chamber and a through hole penetrating the dielectric window to the process chamber; a microwave transmission line; and a first process gas supplying portion including a gas conduit including a first portion provided at a front end and a second portion having a larger diameter than the first portion, the gas conduit being inserted from outside of the process chamber such that the first portion is inserted in the through hole and the second portion is inserted in the concave portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Masahide Iwasaki
  • Patent number: 10513777
    Abstract: A processing chamber accommodating a mounting table includes a first region and a second region. As the mounting table rotates, a substrate mounting region of the mounting table moves in a circumferential direction around the axis to pass through the first region and the second region. A first gas supply unit supplies a precursor gas to the first region from an injection unit disposed to face the mounting table. An exhaust outlet exhausts an exhaust port formed to extend along a closed path surrounding the exhaust outlet. A second gas supply unit supplies purge gas from an injection port formed to extend along a closed path surrounding the exhaust port. A plasma generation unit generates plasma from a reaction gas in the second region. An angular range of the second region is larger than an angular range of the first region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Masahide Iwasaki, Satoshi Yonekura, Toshihiko Iwao
  • Publication number: 20190177845
    Abstract: A semiconductor process chamber is provided. The semiconductor process chamber includes a susceptor on which a plurality of wafers are disposed; a showerhead structure opposing the susceptor and disposed to be spaced apart from the susceptor; a plurality of plates opposing the susceptor and disposed to be spaced apart from the susceptor; and a blocking structure disposed between plates, among the plurality of plates, disposed adjacent to each other, wherein a distance between the showerhead structure and the susceptor is less than a distance between the plurality of plates and the susceptor, and a distance between the blocking structure and the susceptor is less than the distance between the plurality of plates and the susceptor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2018
    Publication date: June 13, 2019
    Inventors: Seung Jae Baek, Hyun Namkoong, Tae Jong Lee, Sun Jung Kim, Ju Yeon Kim, Noriaki Fukiage, Masahide Iwasaki, Yuta Sorita
  • Patent number: 10145014
    Abstract: Provided is a film forming apparatus including a placement stage; a processing container that defines a processing chamber which accommodates the placement stage and includes a first region and a second region; a gas supply section that supplies a precursor gas to the first region; and a plasma generation section that generates plasma of a reactive gas in the second region. The plasma generation section includes: at least one waveguide that defines a wave guiding path above the placement stage and above the second region, a microwave generator connected to the at least one waveguide, and a plurality of protrusions made of a dielectric material. The protrusions pass through a plurality of openings formed in a lower conductive part of the at least one waveguide to extend into the second region. The protrusions are arranged in a radial direction with respect an axis of the placement stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Toshihisa Nozawa, Masahide Iwasaki, Toshihiko Iwao
  • Publication number: 20180245216
    Abstract: A film forming apparatus for carrying out a film forming process on a substrate by performing a cycle of sequentially supplying a first processing gas and a second processing gas a plurality of times in a vacuum container, includes: a rotary table having one surface on which a substrate mounting region for mounting a substrate is formed; a first gas supply part including a gas discharge portion having gas discharge holes of a first gas with a uniform hole diameter, an exhaust port surrounding the gas discharge portion, and a purge gas discharge port surrounding the gas discharge portion, which are formed on an opposing surface opposite the rotary table; a second gas supply part configured to supply a second gas to a region spaced apart in a circumferential direction of the rotary table from the first gas supply part; and an evacuation port configured to evacuate the vacuum container.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2018
    Publication date: August 30, 2018
    Inventors: Jun OGAWA, Noriaki FUKIAGE, Shimon OTSUKI, Muneyuki OTANI, Takayuki KARAKAWA, Takeshi OYAMA, Masahide IWASAKI
  • Publication number: 20180108515
    Abstract: A plasma process apparatus that utilizes plasma so as to perform a predetermined process on a substrate, and includes a process chamber that houses a substrate subjected to the predetermined plasma process; a microwave generator; a dielectric window attached to the process chamber and provided with a concave portion provided at an outer surface of the dielectric window opposite to the process chamber and a through hole penetrating the dielectric window to the process chamber; a microwave transmission line; and a first process gas supplying portion including a gas conduit including a first portion provided at a front end and a second portion having a larger diameter than the first portion, the gas conduit being inserted from outside of the process chamber such that the first portion is inserted in the through hole and the second portion is inserted in the concave portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2017
    Publication date: April 19, 2018
    Inventor: Masahide IWASAKI
  • Patent number: 9887068
    Abstract: A plasma process apparatus that utilizes plasma so as to perform a predetermined process on a substrate, and includes a process chamber that houses a substrate subjected to the predetermined plasma process; a microwave generator; a dielectric window attached to the process chamber and provided with a concave portion provided at an outer surface of the dielectric window opposite to the process chamber and a through hole penetrating the dielectric window to the process chamber; a microwave transmission line; and a first process gas supplying portion including a gas conduit including a first portion provided at a front end and a second portion having a larger diameter than the first portion, the gas conduit being inserted from outside of the process chamber such that the first portion is inserted in the through hole and the second portion is inserted in the concave portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventor: Masahide Iwasaki
  • Patent number: 9831067
    Abstract: In a film-forming apparatus according to an aspect, a substrate placed on a substrate placing region passes through a first region and a second region in this order by rotation of a placing table. A precursor gas is supplied to the first region. Plasma of a reaction gas is generated in the second region by a plasma generation section. The plasma generation section includes an antenna that supplies microwaves as a plasma source. The antenna includes a dielectric window member and a waveguide. The window member is provided above the second region. The waveguide defines a waveguide path that extends in a radial direction. The waveguide is formed with a plurality of slot holes that allow the microwaves to pass therethrough from the waveguide path toward the window member plate. A bottom surface of the window member defines a groove that extends in the radial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Masahide Iwasaki, Toshihiko Iwao, Koji Yamagishi, Satoshi Yonekura
  • Patent number: 9691591
    Abstract: The microwave plasma processing apparatus includes a power feeding rod that applies high frequency wave for RF bias, the upper end of which is connected to a susceptor, and the lower end of which is connected to a high frequency output terminal of a matcher in a matching unit; a cylindrical external conductor that encloses around the power feeding rod serving as an internal conductor; and a coaxial line. The coaxial line is installed with a choke mechanism configured to block undesired microwave that enters the line from a plasma producing space in a chamber, and leakage of the microwave to an RF feeding line is prevented in the middle of the line, thereby suppressing the microwave leakage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventor: Masahide Iwasaki
  • Patent number: 9631274
    Abstract: Provided is a plasma processing apparatus comprising an exhaust path extending from the exhaust hole to the pump, wherein the pump is configured to depressurize inside of the processing container and the exhausting path, wherein the exhaust path includes a horizontally linearly extended portion, wherein the horizontally linearly extended portion of the exhaust path has a rectangular or oval cross-section having a horizontal length longer than a vertical length; wherein the plasma processing apparatus further includes a pressure control valve disposed in the horizontally linearly extended portion of the exhaust path; and wherein the pressure control valve is formed of a pressure control valve plate having substantially same shape and size as those of the cross-section and a shaft formed in the pressure control valve along the horizontal length of the cross-section, in such a manner that the pressure control valve plate rotates about the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Toshihisa Nozawa, Shinji Komoto, Masahide Iwasaki
  • Patent number: 9574267
    Abstract: Provided is a plasma processing apparatus comprising an exhaust path extending from the exhaust hole to the pump, wherein the pump is configured to depressurize inside of the processing container and the exhausting path, wherein the exhaust path includes a horizontally linearly extended portion, wherein the horizontally linearly extended portion of the exhaust path has a rectangular or oval cross-section having a horizontal length longer than a vertical length; wherein the plasma processing apparatus further includes a pressure control valve disposed in the horizontally linearly extended portion of the exhaust path; and wherein the pressure control valve is formed of a pressure control valve plate having substantially same shape and size as those of the cross-section and a shaft formed in the pressure control valve along the horizontal length of the cross-section, in such a manner that the pressure control valve plate rotates about the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Toshihisa Nozawa, Shinji Komoto, Masahide Iwasaki
  • Publication number: 20160322218
    Abstract: A film forming method for forming a nitride film on a workpiece substrate accommodated within a process vessel, including: performing a first reaction of supplying a first precursor gas to the workpiece substrate accommodated within the process vessel; performing a second reaction of supplying a second precursor gas to the workpiece substrate accommodated within the process vessel; performing a modification of generating plasma of a modifying gas just above the workpiece substrate by supplying the modifying gas into the process vessel and supplying microwaves from an antenna into the process vessel, and plasma-processing, by the plasma thus generated, a surface of the workpiece substrate subjected to the first and second reactions using the first and second precursor gases.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2016
    Publication date: November 3, 2016
    Inventors: Noriaki FUKIAGE, Masahide IWASAKI, Toyohiro KAMADA, Ryosuke EBIHARA, Masanobu IGETA
  • Publication number: 20160138162
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes: a mounting table configured to place a substrate thereon to be rotatable around an axis; an antenna provided in a first region; and a reaction gas supply section configured to supply a reaction gas to the first region. The reaction gas supply section includes an inside injection port and an outside injection port. The inside injection port is provided at a position closer to the axis than an antenna region when viewed in the axis direction, and configured to inject the reaction gas in a direction getting away from the axis. The outside injection port is provided at a position farther from the axis than the antenna region when viewed in the axis direction, and configured to inject the reaction gas in a direction approaching the axis at a flow rate controlled independently of that of the reaction gas injected from the inside injection port.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2015
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Inventors: Masahide Iwasaki, Yuta Sorita
  • Publication number: 20160122873
    Abstract: A film forming apparatus includes: a mounting table configured to place a substrate thereon and to be rotatable around an axis; a unit provided in a first region such that its bottom surface faces the mounting table and having first and second buffer spaces therein; and a flow rate controller that independently controls flow rates of a precursor gas supplied to the first and second buffer spaces. In the bottom surface, the unit includes: an inside injection section including injection ports communicated with the first buffer space and configured to inject the precursor gas supplied to the first buffer space; and an intermediate injection section including injection ports communicated with the second buffer space and configured to inject the precursor gas supplied to the second buffer space. All the first injection ports are provided at a location closer to the axis, as compared to the second injection ports.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2015
    Publication date: May 5, 2016
    Inventors: Masahide Iwasaki, Toshihisa Nozawa, Kohei Yamashita
  • Patent number: 9275837
    Abstract: A parallel resonance frequency can be adjusted in order to stably and securely block different high frequency noises flowing into a line such as a power feed line or a signal line from electric members including a high frequency electrode within a processing chamber. A filter 102(1) coaxially accommodates a coil 104(1) within a cylindrical outer conductor 110, and a ring member 122 is coaxially installed between the coil 104(1) and the outer conductor 110. The ring-shaped member 122 may be a plate body of a circular ring shape on a plane orthogonal to an axial direction of the outer conductor 110 and made of a conductor such as cupper or aluminum and electrically connected with the outer conductor 110 while electrically insulated from the coil 104(1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Yohei Yamazawa, Naoki Matsumoto, Masahide Iwasaki, Naohiko Okunishi
  • Publication number: 20150279627
    Abstract: In a film-forming apparatus according to an aspect, a substrate placed on a substrate placing region passes through a first region and a second region in this order by rotation of a placing table. A precursor gas is supplied to the first region. Plasma of a reaction gas is generated in the second region by a plasma generation section. The plasma generation section includes an antenna that supplies microwaves as a plasma source. The antenna includes a dielectric window member and a waveguide. The window member is provided above the second region. The waveguide defines a waveguide path that extends in a radial direction. The waveguide is formed with a plurality of slot holes that allow the microwaves to pass therethrough from the waveguide path toward the window member plate. A bottom surface of the window member defines a groove that extends in the radial direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2013
    Publication date: October 1, 2015
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Masahide Iwasaki, Toshihiko Iwao, Koji Yamagishi, Satoshi Yonekura
  • Publication number: 20150255258
    Abstract: Provided is a plasma processing apparatus including: a rotary mounting table supported by a rotatory shaft arranged rotatably within a processing chamber and including multiple substrate placement units arranged side by side in a circumferential direction; a processing gas supplying section for supplying processing gas into the processing chamber; a plasma generating section wherein multiple microwave introducing mechanisms, each provided on the ceiling of the processing chamber so as to face the rotary mounting table and used for generating a plasma of the processing gas, are arranged in multiple rows spaced apart from each other from the inside of the movement path of the substrates when the rotary mounting table is rotated to the outside, each row of microwave introducing mechanisms being formed by arranging the microwave introducing mechanisms annularly side by side along the circumferential direction; and an exhaust unit that evacuates an inside of the processing chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2013
    Publication date: September 10, 2015
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Toshihisa Nozawa, Masahide Iwasaki, Takenao Nemoto, Yasuo Kobayashi, Takehisa Saito
  • Publication number: 20150211124
    Abstract: Provided is a film forming apparatus including a placement stage; a processing container that defines a processing chamber which accommodates the placement stage and includes a first region and a second region; a gas supply section that supplies a precursor gas to the first region; and a plasma generation section that generates plasma of a reactive gas in the second region. The plasma generation section includes: at least one waveguide that defines a wave guiding path above the placement stage and above the second region, a microwave generator connected to the at least one waveguide, and a plurality of protrusions made of a dielectric material. The protrusions pass through a plurality of openings formed in a lower conductive part of the at least one waveguide to extend into the second region. The protrusions are arranged in a radial direction with respect an axis of the placement stage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2013
    Publication date: July 30, 2015
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Toshihisa Nozawa, Masahide Iwasaki, Toshihiko Iwao