Patents by Inventor Masaki Hirayama
Masaki Hirayama 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: 20220020574Abstract: There is provided a technique capable of improving plasma uniformity in a parallel plate-type plasma processing apparatus having a plasma excitation frequency of a VHF band or an UHF band. A plasma processing apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment includes a process container, a stage provided in the process container, a dielectric plate provided above the upper surface of the stage via a space in the process container, and an upper electrode provided above the dielectric plate. An gap is provided between the upper electrode and the dielectric plate, and the width of the gap is non-uniform in a direction in which the dielectric plate extends.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 26, 2019Publication date: January 20, 2022Inventor: Masaki HIRAYAMA
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Publication number: 20210375588Abstract: In a plasma processing apparatus and a plasma processing method, improvement of the in-plane uniformity of plasma on a stage is required. The plasma processing apparatus includes a processing container, a stage, and a dielectric plate. The stage is provided within the processing container, the dielectric plate includes a plurality of through-holes for gas injection, and an upper surface of the dielectric plate is provided with a conductive film. A space between the conductive film and the stage within the processing container is used as a plasma processing space. The dielectric plate has a central portion and an outer peripheral portion, upper surfaces of the central portion and the outer peripheral portion include flat portions, and the central portion is larger in thickness than the outer peripheral portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 26, 2019Publication date: December 2, 2021Inventors: Taro IKEDA, Satoru KAWAKAMI, Masaki HIRAYAMA
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Publication number: 20210343501Abstract: A plasma-processing apparatus includes a processing container, a stage provided within the processing container, an upper electrode provided above a front surface of the stage, with a space within the processing container interposed therebetween, a waveguide configured to introduce radio-frequency waves in a VHF/UHF band into the space, and a conductive part extending between the outer peripheral portion of the stage and a side wall of the processing container. The stage includes a metal layer. Its outer peripheral portion includes a part of the metal layer. The waveguide includes an end portion from which radio-frequency waves are emitted. The end portion is disposed to face the space. The side wall is grounded. The conductive part is electrically connected to the metal layer and the side wall while extending from the outer peripheral portion toward the side wall so that the radio-frequency waves are introduced into the space.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 26, 2019Publication date: November 4, 2021Inventor: Masaki HIRAYAMA
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Patent number: 11118262Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a chamber, a manifold including a tubular portion above the chamber, first and second introduction pipes provided on a side surface of the tubular portion, and a gas guide portion to guide, in a direction opposite the chamber, gases introduced from the first and second introduction pipes into the tubular portion, and then introduce the gases into the chamber. The gas guide portion does not contact a top of the manifold, and the manifold includes a space above the gas guide portion to allow the gases to flow from between the gas guide portion and the tubular portion into a space surrounded by the gas guide portion. The gas guide portion advantageously enables the gases to broadly diffuse and uniformly mix, increasing the quality of a film formed on a substrate inside the chamber.Type: GrantFiled: October 11, 2018Date of Patent: September 14, 2021Assignee: ASM IP Holding B.V.Inventors: Naoto Tsuji, Masaki Hirayama
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Publication number: 20200242233Abstract: Provided is an information linkage system, comprising: a processor; and a storage device coupled to the processor, the storage device holds identification information of a user and information on the user, which are added by a first organization, in association with each other, the processor: transmits to a second organization an information linkage application regarding information on any one item included in the information on the user; acquires, when the information linkage application is received, identification information of the user and information on the user of the item specified by the information linkage application, which are added by the second organization; and stores the acquired information in the storage device in association with the identification information of the user and the information on the user regarding the same user as a user identified by the acquired identification information, which are added by the first organization.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 18, 2019Publication date: July 30, 2020Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Hiroaki Konoura, Masafumi Kinoshita, Hirofumi Inomata, Masaki Hirayama, Ryouichi Tanaka
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Patent number: 10674595Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus according to one embodiment includes a grounded processing container, a mounting table configured to support a workpiece inside the processing container, a plurality of electrodes arranged to face the mounting table and insulated from one another, a high frequency power supply configured to supply a high frequency power for generating plasma and electrically connected between two different electrodes out of the plurality of electrodes or between one of the plurality of electrodes and the processing container, and an impedance variable circuit configured to control an impedance and electrically connected between two different electrodes out of the plurality of electrodes or between one of the plurality of electrodes and the processing container.Type: GrantFiled: October 12, 2017Date of Patent: June 2, 2020Assignees: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED, TOHOKU UNIVERSITYInventor: Masaki Hirayama
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Publication number: 20200115797Abstract: Examples of a substrate processing apparatus includes a chamber, a manifold including a tubular portion provided above the chamber, a first introduction pipe provided on a side surface of the tubular portion, a second introduction pipe provided on the side surface of the tubular portion, and a gas guide portion configured to once guide, in a direction opposite to the chamber, gases introduced from the first introduction pipe and the second introduction pipe into the tubular portion, and then introduce the gases into the chamber, a first gas source configured to supply gas into the first introduction pipe, and a second gas source configured to supply gas into the second introduction pipe.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 11, 2018Publication date: April 16, 2020Applicant: ASM IP Holding B.V.Inventors: Naoto TSUJI, Masaki HIRAYAMA
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Publication number: 20190295828Abstract: A plasma treatment device includes: a chamber body including a chamber defined therein; a gas supply part that supplies a processing gas into the chamber; a stage disposed within the chamber; an upper electrode having a circular surface that faces the stage; a conductor connected to the upper electrode; a high-frequency power supply that generates a first high-frequency wave; a bias power supply that applies a second high-frequency wave or a direct current bias voltage to the upper electrode; an annular insulating ring extending along an outer edge of the circular surface; a waveguide through which electromagnetic waves generated around the conductor based on the first high-frequency wave propagate, the waveguide being connected to the annular insulating ring outside the upper electrode; and a controller that controls the second high-frequency wave or the direct current bias voltage to be applied to the upper electrode.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 16, 2017Publication date: September 26, 2019Inventor: Masaki HIRAYAMA
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Publication number: 20190246485Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus according to one embodiment includes a grounded processing container, a mounting table configured to support a workpiece inside the processing container, a plurality of electrodes arranged to face the mounting table and insulated from one another, a high frequency power supply configured to supply a high frequency power for generating plasma and electrically connected between two different electrodes out of the plurality of electrodes or between one of the plurality of electrodes and the processing container, and an impedance variable circuit configured to control an impedance and electrically connected between two different electrodes out of the plurality of electrodes or between one of the plurality of electrodes and the processing container.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 12, 2017Publication date: August 8, 2019Inventor: Masaki HIRAYAMA
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Patent number: 10354844Abstract: An insulator for a processing apparatus including an upper electrode, a lower electrode and a reaction chamber, the insulator being adapted to be arranged around the upper electrode and the insulator including: a bottom end adapted to face the reaction chamber; and a side wall facing a side wall of the upper electrode, wherein an edge portion of the bottom end of the insulator extends radially inwardly to form a projecting portion such that the projecting portion covers an edge of a bottom surface of the upper electrode and a clearance between the side wall of the upper electrode and the side wall of the insulator.Type: GrantFiled: May 12, 2017Date of Patent: July 16, 2019Assignee: ASM IP HOLDING B.V.Inventors: Hiroshi Kondo, Masaki Hirayama
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Publication number: 20180330924Abstract: An insulator for a processing apparatus including an upper electrode, a lower electrode and a reaction chamber, the insulator being adapted to be arranged around the upper electrode and the insulator including: a bottom end adapted to face the reaction chamber; and a side wall facing a side wall of the upper electrode, wherein an edge portion of the bottom end of the insulator extends radially inwardly to form a projecting portion such that the projecting portion covers an edge of a bottom surface of the upper electrode and a clearance between the side wall of the upper electrode and the side wall of the insulator.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 12, 2017Publication date: November 15, 2018Applicant: ASM IP HOLDING B.V.Inventors: Hiroshi KONDO, Masaki HIRAYAMA
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Patent number: 9196460Abstract: A ratio between gas conductances of a main gas passage and a plurality of branch gas passages is increased. A plasma processing apparatus is an apparatus for plasma-processing an object to be processed by exciting gas, and includes a processing container; a gas supply source for supplying a desired gas; a main gas passage distributing the gas supplied from the gas supply source; a plurality of branch gas passages connected to a lower stream side of the main gas passage; a plurality of throttle portions formed on the plurality of branch gas passages to narrow the branch gas passages; and one, two, or more gas discharging holes per each of the branch gas passages, for discharging the gas that has passed through the plurality of throttle portions formed on the plurality of branch gas passages into the processing container.Type: GrantFiled: June 3, 2009Date of Patent: November 24, 2015Assignees: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED, TOHOKU UNIVERSITYInventors: Masaki Hirayama, Tadahiro Ohmi
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Patent number: 9105450Abstract: A microwave plasma processing apparatus includes: a processing container wherein a gas is excited by microwaves and a substrate is plasma-processed; a microwave source which outputs microwaves; a transmission line through which the microwaves output from the microwave source are transmitted; a plurality of dielectric plates which are arranged on an inner surface of the processing container and emit the microwaves into the processing container; a plurality of first coaxial waveguides which are adjacent to the dielectric plates and through which the microwaves are transmitted to the dielectric plates; and a coaxial waveguide distributor which distributes and transmits the microwaves transmitted through the transmission line to the first coaxial waveguides. The coaxial waveguide distributor includes a second coaxial waveguide which has an input portion and 2 types of branched structures which are connected to the first coaxial waveguides and have different configurations.Type: GrantFiled: November 2, 2009Date of Patent: August 11, 2015Assignees: TOHOKU UNIVERSITY, TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Masaki Hirayama, Tadahiro Ohmi
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Patent number: 9095039Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus can excite uniform plasma on a large substrate. The plasma processing apparatus 10 includes a vacuum chamber 100 having therein a mounting table 115 configured to mount a substrate G, and a plasma space, formed above the mounting table, in which plasma is generated; a first coaxial waveguide 225 through which a high frequency power for exciting plasma is supplied into the vacuum chamber 100; a waveguide path 205, connected to the first coaxial waveguide 225, having a slit-shaped opening toward the plasma space; and an adjusting unit configured to adjust a wavelength of the high frequency power propagating in the waveguide path in a lengthwise direction of the slit-shaped opening. By adjusting the wavelength of the high frequency power propagating in the waveguide path to be sufficiently lengthened, uniform plasma can be excited on the large substrate.Type: GrantFiled: July 14, 2011Date of Patent: July 28, 2015Assignees: TOHOKU UNIVERSITY, TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Masaki Hirayama, Tadahiro Ohmi
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Publication number: 20140368110Abstract: There is provided a plasma processing apparatus which can improve density uniformity of plasma excited by a high frequency wave as in the VHF frequency band for a substrate having a large size. The plasma processing apparatus includes a waveguide member defining a waveguide, a coaxial tube supplying electromagnetic energy from a predetermined power supply position in the longitudinal direction of the waveguide into the waveguide, first and second electrodes for electric field formation disposed so as to face a plasma formation space, and a coil member disposed in the waveguide so as to generate a voltage by electromagnetic induction due to a magnetic field and also electrically connected to the first and second electrodes.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 17, 2012Publication date: December 18, 2014Applicant: TOHOKU UNIVERSITYInventor: Masaki Hirayama
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Publication number: 20140335288Abstract: There is provided a plasma processing apparatus which can improve density uniformity of plasma excited by a high frequency wave as in the VHF frequency band and reduce production costs by downsizing for a substrate having a large size. The plasma processing apparatus includes a waveguide member defining a waveguide, first and second electrodes disposed so as to face a plasma formation space, defining the waveguide in cooperation with the waveguide member, and electrically connected to the waveguide member; a coaxial tube supplying electromagnetic energy into the waveguide; a dielectric plate disposed in the waveguide and extending in a longitudinal direction; and first and second conductors disposed, in the waveguide, on at least one side of the waveguide in a width direction with respect to the dielectric plate, extending along the dielectric plate, and electrically connected to the first and second electrodes.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 24, 2012Publication date: November 13, 2014Applicant: Tohoku UniversityInventor: Masaki Hirayama
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Patent number: 8733281Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes: a processing chamber produced from a metal; a susceptor configured to mount a substrate; an electromagnetic wave source that supplies an electromagnetic wave; one or more dielectric member provided at an inner wall of the processing chamber, and configured to transmit the electromagnetic wave into an inside of the processing chamber; one or more metal electrode, wherein each metal electrode is installed on a bottom surface of each dielectric member such that a part of the each dielectric member is exposed to the inside of the processing chamber; and a surface wave propagating section which is a metal surface facing the susceptor, the surface wave propagating section being installed adjacent to the dielectric member and being exposed to the inside of the processing chamber. The surface wave propagating section and a bottom surface of the metal electrode are positioned on the same plane.Type: GrantFiled: December 26, 2012Date of Patent: May 27, 2014Assignees: Tokyo Electron Limited, Tohoku UniversityInventors: Masaki Hirayama, Tadahiro Ohmi, Takahiro Horiguchi
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Publication number: 20140042123Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus which can improve density uniformity of plasma excited by a high frequency wave (such as in the VHF frequency band) for a substrate having a large size. The plasma processing apparatus includes a waveguide member defining a waveguide, a coaxial tube supplying electromagnetic energy from a predetermined power supply position in the longitudinal direction of the waveguide into the waveguide, and a plurality of electrodes for electric field formation, to which the electromagnetic energy is supplied through the waveguide and which is disposed so as to face a plasma formation space, the plurality of electrodes are being arranged in the longitudinal direction of the waveguide, and each of the plurality of electrodes extends in the width direction of the waveguide.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 23, 2012Publication date: February 13, 2014Applicant: TOHOKU UNIVERSITYInventor: Masaki Hirayama
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Patent number: 8573151Abstract: A conventional microwave plasma processing apparatus, even when krypton (Kr) is used as a plasma-generation gas, can only obtain an oxide film or a nitride film having the same level of characteristics as those obtained when a rare gas such as argon (Ar) is used as a plasma-generation gas. Accordingly, instead of forming a dielectric window of a microwave plasma processing apparatus with only a ceramic member, a planarization film capable of obtaining a stoichiometric SiO2 composition by thermal treatment is coated on one of a plurality of surfaces of the ceramic member, the surface facing a process space, and then thermally-treated, thereby forming a planarization insulation film having a very flat and dense surface. A corrosion-resistant film is formed on the planarization insulation film.Type: GrantFiled: February 26, 2009Date of Patent: November 5, 2013Assignees: Tokyo Electron Limited, Tohoku UniversityInventors: Tadahiro Ohmi, Masaki Hirayama, Tetsuya Goto, Yasuyuki Shirai, Masafumi Kitano, Kohei Watanuki, Takaaki Matsuoka, Shigemi Murakawa
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Patent number: 8568556Abstract: The plasma processing apparatus includes: a processing container including a metal; an electromagnetic wave source outputting an electromagnetic wave; a dielectric plate facing an inner wall of the processing container and transmitting the electromagnetic wave, which is output from the electromagnetic wave source, into the processing container; and a groove formed in an inner surface of the processing container and functioning as a propagation disturbing portion. If a low frequency microwave is supplied, the propagation of a conductor surface wave can be suppressed by the groove.Type: GrantFiled: June 11, 2008Date of Patent: October 29, 2013Assignees: Tokyo Electron Limited, Tohoku UniversityInventors: Masaki Hirayama, Tadahiro Ohmi