Patents by Inventor Masanao Fukuda
Masanao Fukuda 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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Patent number: 10290494Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus including: a reaction tube configured to process a plurality of substrates; a heater configured to heat an inside of the reaction tube; a holder configured to arrange and hold the plurality of substrates within the reaction tube; a hydrogen-containing gas supply system including a first nozzle disposed in an area which horizontally surrounds a substrate arrangement area where the plurality of substrates are arranged, and configured to supply a hydrogen-containing gas from a plurality of locations of the area into the reaction tube; an oxygen-containing gas supply system including a second nozzle disposed in the area which horizontally surrounds the substrate arrangement area, and configured to supply an oxygen-containing gas from a plurality of locations of the area into the reaction tube; a pressure controller configured to control a pressure inside the reaction tube to be lower than an atmospheric pressure; and a controller configured to control the heater, the hydrogen-contType: GrantFiled: July 13, 2016Date of Patent: May 14, 2019Assignee: Kokusai Electric CorporationInventors: Masanao Fukuda, Takafumi Sasaki, Kazuhiro Yuasa
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Publication number: 20160322217Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus including: a reaction tube configured to process a plurality of substrates; a heater configured to heat an inside of the reaction tube; a holder configured to arrange and hold the plurality of substrates within the reaction tube; a hydrogen-containing gas supply system including a first nozzle disposed in an area which horizontally surrounds a substrate arrangement area where the plurality of substrates are arranged, and configured to supply a hydrogen-containing gas from a plurality of locations of the area into the reaction tube; an oxygen-containing gas supply system including a second nozzle disposed in the area which horizontally surrounds the substrate arrangement area, and configured to supply an oxygen-containing gas from a plurality of locations of the area into the reaction tube; a pressure controller configured to control a pressure inside the reaction tube to be lower than an atmospheric pressure; and a controller configured to control the heater, the hydrogen-contType: ApplicationFiled: July 13, 2016Publication date: November 3, 2016Inventors: Masanao FUKUDA, Takafumi SASAKI, Kazuhiro YUASA
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Patent number: 9412582Abstract: A structure for constituting a process chamber in which a plurality of substrates is processed by reacting a predetermined precursor gas therein includes an outer tube having a cylindrical shape with an upper end portion closed and a lower end portion opened, and an inner tube, installed within the outer tube, including a first exhaust slit and a second exhaust slit through which the predetermined precursor gas is exhausted, the first exhaust slit located in a substrate arrangement region in which the plurality of substrates are arranged, and the second exhaust slit located in a region lower than the substrate arrangement region.Type: GrantFiled: March 23, 2015Date of Patent: August 9, 2016Assignee: HITACHI KOKUSAI ELECTRIC INC.Inventors: Takafumi Sasaki, Kazuhiro Morimitsu, Eisuke Nishitani, Tetsuo Yamamoto, Masanao Fukuda
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Publication number: 20150270125Abstract: A structure for constituting a process chamber in which a plurality of substrates is processed by reacting a predetermined precursor gas therein includes an outer tube having a cylindrical shape with an upper end portion closed and a lower end portion opened, and an inner tube, installed within the outer tube, including a first exhaust slit and a second exhaust slit through which the predetermined precursor gas is exhausted, the first exhaust slit located in a substrate arrangement region in which the plurality of substrates are arranged, and the second exhaust slit located in a region lower than the substrate arrangement region.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 23, 2015Publication date: September 24, 2015Applicant: HITACHI KOKUSAI ELECTRIC INC.Inventors: Takafumi SASAKI, Kazuhiro MORIMITSU, Eisuke NISHITANI, Tetsuo YAMAMOTO, Masanao FUKUDA
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Patent number: 9084298Abstract: There are provided a substrate processing apparatus capable of suppressing leakage of magnetic field during processing of a substrate.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 2011Date of Patent: July 14, 2015Assignee: Hitachi Kokusai Electric Inc.Inventors: Yukitomo Hirochi, Akinori Tanaka, Akihiro Sato, Takeshi Itoh, Daisuke Hara, Kenji Shirako, Kazuhiro Morimitsu, Masanao Fukuda
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Patent number: 9074284Abstract: Provided is a heat treatment apparatus that can form films having a uniform thickness on a plurality of substrates. The heat treatment apparatus comprises a process chamber configured to grow silicon carbide (SiC) films on wafers, a boat configured to hold a plurality of wafers in a state where the wafers are vertically arranged and approximately horizontally oriented so as to hold the wafers in the process chamber, a heating unit installed in the process chamber, and a gas supply nozzle configured to supply a reaction gas. The heating unit comprises a susceptor configured to cover at least a part of the boat, and a susceptor wall disposed between the boat and the susceptor.Type: GrantFiled: April 27, 2010Date of Patent: July 7, 2015Assignee: HITACHI KOKUSAI ELECTRIC, INC.Inventors: Masanao Fukuda, Kenji Shirako, Akihiro Sato, Kazuhiro Morimitsu, Sadao Nakashima
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Patent number: 9028614Abstract: When processing such as SiC epitaxial growth is performed at an ultrahigh temperature of 1500° C. to 1700° C., a film-forming gas can be decreased to heat-resistant temperature of a manifold and film quality uniformity can be improved. A substrate processing apparatus includes a reaction chamber for processing a plurality of substrates, a boat for holding the plurality of substrates, a gas supply nozzle for supplying a film-forming gas to the plurality of substrates, an exhaust port for exhausting the film-forming gas supplied into the reaction chamber, a heat exchange part which defines a second flow path narrower than a first flow path defined by an inner wall of the reaction chamber and the boat, and a gas discharge part installed under the lowermost substrate of the plurality of substrates.Type: GrantFiled: February 27, 2012Date of Patent: May 12, 2015Assignee: Hitachi Kokusai Electric Inc.Inventors: Daisuke Hara, Takeshi Itoh, Masanao Fukuda, Takatomo Yamaguchi, Hiroaki Hiramatsu, Shuhei Saido, Takafumi Sasaki
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Patent number: 8901013Abstract: An oxygen-containing gas and a hydrogen-containing gas are supplied into a pre-reaction chamber heated to a second temperature and having the pressure set to less than an atmospheric pressure, and a reaction is induced between both gases in the pre-reaction chamber to generate reactive species, and the reactive species are supplied into the process chamber and exhausted therefrom, in which a substrate heated to the first temperature is housed and the pressure is set to less than the atmospheric pressure, and processing is applied to the substrate by the reactive species, with the second temperature set to be not less than the first temperature at this time.Type: GrantFiled: August 2, 2011Date of Patent: December 2, 2014Assignee: Hitachi Kokusai Electric Inc.Inventors: Kazuhiro Yuasa, Masanao Fukuda, Takafumi Sasaki, Yasuhiro Megawa, Masayoshi Minami
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Publication number: 20130157474Abstract: An oxygen-containing gas and a hydrogen-containing gas are supplied into a pre-reaction chamber heated to a second temperature and having the pressure set to less than an atmospheric pressure, and a reaction is induced between both gases in the pre-reaction chamber to generate reactive species, and the reactive species are supplied into the process chamber and exhausted therefrom, in which a substrate heated to the first temperature is housed and the pressure is set to less than the atmospheric pressure, and processing is applied to the substrate by the reactive species, with the second temperature set to be not less than the first temperature at this time.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 2, 2011Publication date: June 20, 2013Applicant: HITACHI KOKUSAI ELECTRIC INC.Inventors: Kazuhiro Yuasa, Masanao Fukuda, Takafumi Sasaki, Yasuhiro Megawa, Masayoshi Minami
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Publication number: 20120220108Abstract: When processing such as SiC epitaxial growth is performed at an ultrahigh temperature of 1500° C. to 1700° C., a film-forming gas can be decreased to heat-resistant temperature of a manifold and film quality uniformity can be improved. A substrate processing apparatus includes a reaction chamber for processing a plurality of substrates, a boat for holding the plurality of substrates, a gas supply nozzle for supplying a film-forming gas to the plurality of substrates, an exhaust port for exhausting the film-forming gas supplied into the reaction chamber, a heat exchange part which defines a second flow path narrower than a first flow path defined by an inner wall of the reaction chamber and the boat, and a gas discharge part installed under the lowermost substrate of the plurality of substrates.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 27, 2012Publication date: August 30, 2012Applicant: HITACHI KOKUSAI ELECTRIC INC.Inventors: Daisuke Hara, Takeshi Itoh, Masanao Fukuda, Takatomo Yamaguchi, Hiroaki Hiramatsu, Shuhei Saido, Takafumi Sasaki
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Publication number: 20120220107Abstract: Provided is a substrate processing apparatus having a stack structure of wafers that can endure a high temperature without bad influence on film-forming precision. The stack structure includes a holder base (110) configured to hold a wafer (14) at an inner circumference side thereof, and boat columns (31a to 31c) each including a holder retainer (HS) configured to hold an outer circumference side of the holder base (110), wherein an outer diameter of the holder base (110) is larger than that of the wafer (14), and the holder base (110) is detachable from the holder retainers (HS).Type: ApplicationFiled: February 27, 2012Publication date: August 30, 2012Applicant: HITACHI KOKUSAI ELECTRIC INC.Inventors: Masanao Fukuda, Takafumi Sasaki, Takatomo Yamaguchi, Daisuke Hara
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Publication number: 20120156886Abstract: Production efficiency of a substrate (in particular, a substrate on which a SiC epitaxial film is formed) is improved and formation of the film inside a gas supply port is suppressed. This is accomplished by a substrate processing apparatus including a reaction chamber configured to accommodate a plurality of substrates 14, a heating part installed to surround the reaction chamber and configured to heat the reaction chamber, and a first gas supply pipe 60 extending in the reaction chamber, wherein the first gas supply pipe 60 includes a first gas supply port 68 configured to inject a first gas toward the plurality of substrates 14, and first shielding walls installed at both sides of the first gas supply port to expose the first gas supply port 68, the first shielding walls extending toward the plurality of substrates 14 from the first gas supply port 68.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 20, 2011Publication date: June 21, 2012Applicant: HITACHI KOKUSAI ELECTRIC INC.Inventors: Kenji Shirako, Masanao Fukuda, Takafumi Sasaki, Yoshinori Imai, Daisuke Hara, Shuhei Saido, Koei Kuribayashi
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Publication number: 20110306212Abstract: Embodiments described herein relate to a substrate processing apparatus includes a reaction tube, a processing chamber provided inside the reaction tube to process a substrate therein, an induction target provided inside the reaction tube to surround the processing chamber and configured to heat the substrate, a heat insulator provided inside the reaction tube to surround the induction target, an induction target provided outside the reaction tube to inductively heat at least the induction target, a first gas supply unit for supplying a first gas into the processing chamber, and a second gas supply unit for supplying a second gas to a first gap provided between the induction target and the heat insulator.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 10, 2011Publication date: December 15, 2011Applicant: HITACHI KOKUSAI ELECTRIC INC.Inventors: Akihiro SATO, Akinori TANAKA, Takeshi ITOH, Masanao FUKUDA, Kazuhiro MORIMITSU
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Publication number: 20110253049Abstract: There is provided a semiconductor processing apparatus comprising a processing tube for housing a substrate support member that supports a plurality of substrates stacked at a prescribed pitch in a vertical direction; a gas supply part that extends in a direction in which the substrates are stacked in the processing tube and that has a plurality of gas supply openings; an exhaust part that opens onto the processing tube; a gas rectifying plate that is disposed in a space between a penumbra of the substrates supported on the substrate support member and an inner wall of the processing tube, and that extends from the gas supply part in a circumferential direction of the processing tube and in the direction in which the substrates are stacked; and a gas flow regulating part disposed in a space in the processing tube that is above a top-most gas supply opening and a top-most substrate and in a space in the processing tube that is below a bottom-most substrate and a bottom-most gas supply opening.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 18, 2011Publication date: October 20, 2011Applicant: HITACHI KOKUSAI ELECTRIC INC.Inventors: Masanao Fukuda, Kazuhiro Morimitsu
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Publication number: 20110210118Abstract: There are provided a substrate processing apparatus and a method of manufacturing a substrate in which induction heating of members made of a metal material and installed outside an induction coil is suppressed and safety may be improved during processing of a substrate. The substrate processing apparatus includes: a reaction tube for accommodating a substrate; an induction heating unit installed to surround an outer circumference of the reaction tube; a shielding unit installed to surround an outside of the induction heating unit; a gas supply unit for supplying at least a source gas into the reaction tube; and a controller for processing the substrate by heating an inside of the reaction tube using the induction heating unit, and supplying at least the source gas from the gas supply unit into the reaction tube.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 24, 2011Publication date: September 1, 2011Applicant: HITACHI KOKUSAI ELECTRIC INC.Inventors: Yukitomo HIROCHI, Akinori TANAKA, Akihiro SATO, Takeshi ITOH, Daisuke HARA, Kenji SHIRAKO, Kazuhiro MORIMITSU, Masanao FUKUDA
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Publication number: 20110065286Abstract: At a low temperature of 500° C. to 700° C., the concentration of atomic oxygen is controlled in a wafer stacked direction, and the thickness distribution of oxide films is kept uniform in the wafer stacked direction. A semiconductor device manufacturing method includes a process of oxidizing substrates by supplying oxygen-containing gas and hydrogen-containing gas through a mixing part from an end side of a substrate arrangement region where the substrates are arranged inside the process chamber so that the gases flow toward the other end side of the substrate arrangement region, and supplying hydrogen-containing gas from mid-flow locations corresponding to the substrate arrangement region.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 22, 2010Publication date: March 17, 2011Applicant: HITACHI-KOKUSAI ELECTRIC INC.Inventors: Takafumi SASAKI, Masanao FUKUDA, Masayoshi MINAMI, Yasuhiro MEGAWA
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Publication number: 20100282166Abstract: Provided is a heat treatment apparatus. The heat treatment apparatus comprises a process chamber configured to grow silicon carbide (SiC) epitaxial films on SiC substrates, a substrate holding tool configured to hold a plurality of substrates in a state where the substrates are vertically arranged and approximately horizontally oriented, so as to hold the substrates in the process chamber, a first reaction gas supply nozzle configured to supply a carbon-containing gas into the process chamber, a second reaction gas supply nozzle configured to supply a silicon-containing gas into the process chamber, a magnetic field generating coil disposed at an outside of the process chamber for electromagnetic induction heating, and a coil supporter configured to support the magnetic field generating coil. An upper end of the second reaction gas supply nozzle is lower than a lower end of the coil supporter configured to support the magnetic field generating coil.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 5, 2010Publication date: November 11, 2010Applicant: HITACHI-KOKUSAI ELECTRIC INC.Inventors: Masanao FUKUDA, Akihiro SATO, Akinori TANAKA, Kazuhiro MORIMITSU
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Publication number: 20100275848Abstract: Provided is a heat treatment apparatus that can form films having a uniform thickness on a plurality of substrates. The heat treatment apparatus comprises a process chamber configured to grow silicon carbide (SiC) films on wafers, a boat configured to hold a plurality of wafers in a state where the wafers are vertically arranged and approximately horizontally oriented so as to hold the wafers in the process chamber, a heating unit installed in the processing chamber, and a gas supply nozzle configured to supply a reaction gas. The heating unit comprises a susceptor configured to cover at least a part of the boat, and a susceptor wall disposed between the boat and the susceptor.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 27, 2010Publication date: November 4, 2010Applicant: HITACHI-KOKUSAI ELECTRIC INC.Inventors: Masanao Fukuda, Kenji Shirako, Akihiro Sato, Kazuhiro Morimitsu, Sadao Nakashima
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Publication number: 20100035440Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes: a reaction tube configured to process a plurality of substrates; a heater configured to heat the inside of the reaction tube; a holder configured to arrange and hold the plurality of substrates within the reaction tube; a first nozzle disposed in an area corresponding to a substrate arrangement area where the plurality of substrates are arranged, and configured to supply hydrogen-containing gas from a plurality of locations of the area into the reaction tube; a second nozzle disposed in the area corresponding to the substrate arrangement area, and configured to supply oxygen-containing gas from a plurality of locations of the area into the reaction tube; an exhaust outlet configured to exhaust the inside of the reaction tube; and a pressure controller configured to control pressure inside the reaction tube to be lower than atmospheric pressure, wherein the first nozzle is provided with a plurality of first gas ejection holes, and the second nozzle is provided with asType: ApplicationFiled: August 5, 2009Publication date: February 11, 2010Inventors: Masanao Fukuda, Takafumi Sasaki, Kazuhiro Yuasa
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Publication number: 20090029561Abstract: There is provided a semiconductor processing apparatus comprising a processing tube for housing a substrate support member that supports a plurality of substrates stacked at a prescribed pitch in a vertical direction; a gas supply part that extends in a direction in which the substrates are stacked in the processing tube and that has a plurality of gas supply openings; an exhaust part that opens onto the processing tube; a gas rectifying plate that is disposed in a space between a penumbra of the substrates supported on the substrate support member and an inner wall of the processing tube, and that extends from the gas supply part in a circumferential direction of the processing tube and in the direction in which the substrates are stacked; and a gas flow regulating part disposed in a space in the processing tube that is above a top-most gas supply opening and a top-most substrate and in a space in the processing tube that is below a bottom-most substrate and a bottom-most gas supply opening.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 16, 2008Publication date: January 29, 2009Applicant: HITACHI KOKUSAI ELECTRIC INC.Inventors: Masanao Fukuda, Kazuhiro Morimitsu, Takafumi Sasaki