Patents by Inventor Masanobu Matsunaga
Masanobu Matsunaga 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: 20230146375Abstract: A substrate processing method of etching a SiN film formed on the substrate includes supplying a HF gas at a processing temperature of 450 degrees C. or higher to etch the SiN film.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 17, 2021Publication date: May 11, 2023Inventors: Hiroki MURAKAMI, Masanobu MATSUNAGA, Yamato TONEGAWA
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Publication number: 20150376789Abstract: A vertical heat treatment apparatus includes: a gas supply part that supplies a film forming gas into a reaction chamber; and gas distribution adjusting members arranged above and below a region in which target substrates are disposed. The gas distribution adjusting members include a first plate-shaped member with convex and concave portions and a second plate-shaped member with convex and concave portions, the first plate-shaped member and the second plate-shaped member being arranged above and below each other, and the first plate-shaped member and the second plate-shaped member being arranged above a bottom plate of a substrate holding and supporting part and below a ceiling plate of a substrate holding and supporting part. The first plate-shaped member has a first surface area and the second plate-shaped member has a second surface area different from the first surface area.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 4, 2015Publication date: December 31, 2015Inventors: Yutaka MOTOYAMA, Kohei FUKUSHIMA, Masanobu MATSUNAGA, Keiji TABUKI, Yamato TONEGAWA
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Publication number: 20150275368Abstract: A film forming apparatus includes: first and second source gas nozzles installed so as to extend in an arrangement direction of the substrates, each of the source gas nozzles including a plurality of gas ejection holes formed to eject the source gas toward central regions of the substrates at height positions corresponding to gaps between the substrates; a reaction gas supply unit configured to supply the reaction gas into the reaction vessel; first and second source gas supply lines respectively connected to the first and second source gas nozzles; first and second tanks respectively installed on the first and source gas supply lines, and configured to accumulate the source gas in a pressurized state; valves respectively installed at upstream and downstream sides of the first tank and at upstream and downstream sides of the second tank; and an exhaust port configured to evacuate the interior of the reaction vessel.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 24, 2015Publication date: October 1, 2015Inventors: Yutaka MOTOYAMA, Kohei FUKUSHIMA, Masanobu MATSUNAGA, Yamato TONEGAWA, Keisuke SUZUKI
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Publication number: 20150259799Abstract: A vertical heat treatment apparatus for performing a film forming treatment on a plurality of target substrates having a surface with convex and concave portions includes: a gas supply unit that supplies a film forming gas into a reaction chamber; and gas distribution adjusting members made of quartz and installed to be positioned respectively above and below a region in which the plurality of target substrates held and supported by a substrate holding and supporting unit are disposed, wherein if S is a surface area per unit region of the gas distribution adjusting members and S0 is a surface area per unit region obtained by dividing a surface area of the target substrate by a surface area calculated based on an external dimension of the target substrate, a value obtained by dividing S by S0 (S/S0) is set to be 0.8 or more.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 9, 2015Publication date: September 17, 2015Inventors: Yutaka MOTOYAMA, Kohei FUKUSHIMA, Masanobu MATSUNAGA, Pao-Hwa CHOU
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Patent number: 8563096Abstract: A method for using a vertical film formation apparatus includes performing a coating process inside the process container without product target objects present therein to cover an inner surface of the process container with a coating film, and then performing a film formation process inside the process container accommodating the holder with the product target objects placed thereon to form a predetermined film on the product target objects. The coating process alternately supplies the first and second process gases into the process container without turning either of the first and second process gases into plasma. The film formation process alternately supplies the first and second process gases into the process container while turning at least one of the first and second process gases into plasma.Type: GrantFiled: November 26, 2010Date of Patent: October 22, 2013Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Masanobu Matsunaga, Pao-Hwa Chou, Masato Yonezawa, Masayuki Hasegawa, Kazuhide Hasebe
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Publication number: 20130189853Abstract: This invention discloses the method of forming silicon nitride, silicon oxynitride, silicon oxide, carbon-doped silicon nitride, carbon-doped silicon oxide and carbon-doped oxynitride films at low deposition temperatures. The silicon containing precursors used for the deposition are monochlorosilane (MCS) and monochloroalkylsilanes. The method is preferably carried out by using plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition, plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition, and plasma enhanced cyclic chemical vapor deposition.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 21, 2012Publication date: July 25, 2013Applicants: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED, AIR PRODUCTS AND CHEMICALS, INC.Inventors: Liu Yang, Xinjian Lei, Bing Han, Manchao Xiao, Eugene Joseph Karwacki, JR., Kazuhide Hasebe, Masanobu Matsunaga, Masato Yonezawa, Hansong Cheng
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Patent number: 8298628Abstract: This invention discloses the method of forming silicon nitride, silicon oxynitride, silicon oxide, carbon-doped silicon nitride, carbon-doped silicon oxide and carbon-doped oxynitride films at low deposition temperatures. The silicon containing precursors used for the deposition are monochlorosilane (MCS) and monochloroalkylsilanes. The method is preferably carried out by using plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition, plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition, and plasma enhanced cyclic chemical vapor deposition.Type: GrantFiled: June 2, 2009Date of Patent: October 30, 2012Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.Inventors: Liu Yang, Xinjian Lei, Bing Han, Manchao Xiao, Eugene Joseph Karwacki, Jr., Kazuhide Hasebe, Masanobu Matsunaga, Masato Yonezawa, Hansong Cheng
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Patent number: 8257789Abstract: A film formation method, in a vertical batch CVD apparatus, is preset to repeat a cycle a plurality of times to laminate thin films formed by respective times. The cycle alternately includes an adsorption step of adsorbing a source gas onto a surface of the target substrates and a reaction step of causing a reactive gas to react with the adsorbed source gas. The adsorption step is arranged to make a plurality of times a supply sub-step of performing supply of the source gas to the process field with an intermediate sub-step of stopping supply of the source gas to the process field interposed therebetween, while maintaining a shut-off state of supply of the reactive gas. The reaction step is arranged to continuously perform supply of the reactive gas to the process field, while maintaining a shut-off state of supply of the source gas.Type: GrantFiled: September 22, 2009Date of Patent: September 4, 2012Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Masanobu Matsunaga, Nobutake Nodera, Kazuhide Hasebe
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Patent number: 8216648Abstract: A film formation method includes setting a target object at a temperature of 150 to 550° C., the target object being placed inside the process container configured to hold a vacuum state therein, and then, repeating a cycle alternately including a first supply step and a second supply step a plurality of times to form a silicon nitride film on the target object. The first supply step is a step of supplying monochlorosilane gas as an Si source into the process container while setting the process container at a pressure of 66.65 to 666.5 Pa therein. The second supply step is a step of supplying a nitrogen-containing gas as a nitriding gas into the process container.Type: GrantFiled: November 26, 2010Date of Patent: July 10, 2012Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Masanobu Matsunaga, Keisuke Suzuki, Jaehyuk Jang, Pao-Hwa Chou, Masato Yonezawa, Masayuki Hasegawa, Kazuhide Hasebe
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Publication number: 20120164848Abstract: A plasma-assisted ALD method using a vertical furnace and being performed by repeating a cycle until a desired film thickness is obtained is disclosed. The cycle comprises introducing a source gas containing a source to be nitrided, adsorbing, purging, introducing a nitriding gas and nitriding the source, and then, purging. A flow rate of a second carrier gas during introduction of the nitriding gas is reduced relative to that of a first carrier gas during introduction of the source gas. Particularly, a flow ratio of NH3 gas as the nitriding gas to N2 gas as the second carrier gas is 50:3 or less.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 28, 2011Publication date: June 28, 2012Applicants: Tokyo Electron Limited, Elpida Memory, Inc.Inventors: Motoki FUJII, Masanobu MATSUNAGA, Kazuya YAMAMOTO, Kota UMEZAWA
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Patent number: 8178448Abstract: Disclosed is a method for using a film formation apparatus to form a silicon nitride film by CVD on target substrates while suppressing particle generation. The apparatus includes a process container and an exciting mechanism attached on the process container. The method includes conducting a pre-coating process by performing pre-cycles and conducting a film formation process by performing main cycles. Each of the pre-cycles and main cycles alternately includes a step of supplying a silicon source gas and a step of supplying a nitriding gas with steps of exhausting gas from inside the process container interposed therebetween. The pre-coating process includes no period of exciting the nitriding gas by the exciting mechanism. The film formation process repeats a first cycle set that excites the nitriding gas by the exciting mechanism and a second cycle that does not excite the nitriding gas by the exciting mechanism.Type: GrantFiled: August 6, 2010Date of Patent: May 15, 2012Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Nobutake Nodera, Masanobu Matsunaga, Kazuhide Hasebe, Koto Umezawa, Pao-Hwa Chou
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Patent number: 8080290Abstract: A film formation method is used for forming a silicon nitride film on a target substrate by repeating a plasma cycle and a non-plasma cycle a plurality of times, in a process field configured to be selectively supplied with a first process gas containing a silane family gas and a second process gas containing a nitriding gas and communicating with an exciting mechanism for exciting the second process gas to be supplied. The method includes obtaining a relation formula or relation table that represents relationship of a cycle mixture manner of the plasma cycle and the non-plasma cycle relative to a film quality factor of the silicon nitride film; determining a specific manner of the cycle mixture manner based on a target value of the film quality factor with reference to the relation formula or relation table; and arranging the film formation process in accordance with the specific manner.Type: GrantFiled: January 14, 2009Date of Patent: December 20, 2011Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Kazuhide Hasebe, Nobutake Nodera, Masanobu Matsunaga, Jun Satoh, Pao-Hwa Chou
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Patent number: 8080477Abstract: A method for using a film formation apparatus for a semiconductor process to form a thin film on a target substrate inside a reaction chamber includes performing a cleaning process to remove a by-product film deposited on a predetermined region in a gas route from a film formation gas supply system, which supplies a film formation gas contributory to film formation, through the reaction chamber to an exhaust system, by alternately repeating an etching step and an exhaust step a plurality of times in a state where the reaction chamber does not accommodate the target substrate. The etching step includes supplying a cleaning gas in an activated state for etching the by-product film onto the predetermined region, thereby etching the by-product film. The exhaust step includes stopping supply of the cleaning gas and exhausting gas by the exhaust system from a space in which the predetermined region is present.Type: GrantFiled: October 7, 2008Date of Patent: December 20, 2011Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Nobutake Nodera, Jun Sato, Masanobu Matsunaga, Kazuhide Hasebe
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Publication number: 20110129619Abstract: A film formation method includes setting a target object at a temperature of 150 to 550° C., the target object being placed inside the process container configured to hold a vacuum state therein, and then, repeating a cycle alternately including a first supply step and a second supply step a plurality of times to form a silicon nitride film on the target object. The first supply step is a step of supplying monochlorosilane gas as an Si source into the process container while setting the process container at a pressure of 66.65 to 666.5 Pa therein. The second supply step is a step of supplying a nitrogen-containing gas as a nitriding gas into the process container.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 26, 2010Publication date: June 2, 2011Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Masanobu Matsunaga, Keisuke Suzuki, Jaehyuk Jang, Pao-Hwa Chou, Masato Yonezawa, Masayuki Hasegawa, Kazuhide Hasebe
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Publication number: 20110129618Abstract: A method for using a vertical film formation apparatus includes performing a coating process inside the process container without product target objects present therein to cover an inner surface of the process container with a coating film, and then performing a film formation process inside the process container accommodating the holder with the product target objects placed thereon to form a predetermined film on the product target objects. The coating process alternately supplies the first and second process gases into the process container without turning either of the first and second process gases into plasma. The film formation process alternately supplies the first and second process gases into the process container while turning at least one of the first and second process gases into plasma.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 26, 2010Publication date: June 2, 2011Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Masanobu MATSUNAGA, Pao-Hwa Chou, Masato Yonezawa, Masayuki Hasegawa, Kazuhide Hasebe
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Publication number: 20100304574Abstract: Disclosed is a method for using a film formation apparatus to form a silicon nitride film by CVD on target substrates while suppressing particle generation. The apparatus includes a process container and an exciting mechanism attached on the process container. The method includes conducting a pre-coating process by performing pre-cycles and conducting a film formation process by performing main cycles. Each of the pre-cycles and main cycles alternately includes a step of supplying a silicon source gas and a step of supplying a nitriding gas with steps of exhausting gas from inside the process container interposed therebetween. The pre-coating process includes no period of exciting the nitriding gas by the exciting mechanism. The film formation process repeats a first cycle set that excites the nitriding gas by the exciting mechanism and a second cycle that does not excite the nitriding gas by the exciting mechanism.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 6, 2010Publication date: December 2, 2010Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Nobutake NODERA, Masanobu Matsunaga, Kazuhide Hasebe, Koto Umezawa, Pao-Hwa Chou
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Publication number: 20100304047Abstract: This invention discloses the method of forming silicon nitride, silicon oxynitride, silicon oxide, carbon-doped silicon nitride, carbon-doped silicon oxide and carbon-doped oxynitride films at low deposition temperatures. The silicon containing precursors used for the deposition are monochlorosilane (MCS) and monochloroalkylsilanes. The method is preferably carried out by using plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition, plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition, and plasma enhanced cyclic chemical vapor deposition.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 2, 2009Publication date: December 2, 2010Applicants: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc., Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Liu Yang, Xinjian Lei, Bing Han, Manchao Xiao, Eugene Joseph Karwacki, JR., Kazuhide Hasebe, Masanobu Matsunaga, Masato Yonezawa, Hansong Cheng
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Publication number: 20100136260Abstract: A film formation method, in a vertical batch CVD apparatus, is preset to repeat a cycle a plurality of times to laminate thin films formed by respective times. The cycle alternately includes an adsorption step of adsorbing a source gas onto a surface of the target substrates and a reaction step of causing a reactive gas to react with the adsorbed source gas. The adsorption step is arranged to make a plurality of times a supply sub-step of performing supply of the source gas to the process field with an intermediate sub-step of stopping supply of the source gas to the process field interposed therebetween, while maintaining a shut-off state of supply of the reactive gas. The reaction step is arranged to continuously perform supply of the reactive gas to the process field, while maintaining a shut-off state of supply of the source gas.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 22, 2009Publication date: June 3, 2010Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Masanobu Matsunaga, Nobutake Nodera, Kazuhide Hasebe
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Publication number: 20090191722Abstract: A film formation method is used for forming a silicon nitride film on a target substrate by repeating a plasma cycle and a non-plasma cycle a plurality of times, in a process field configured to be selectively supplied with a first process gas containing a silane family gas and a second process gas containing a nitriding gas and communicating with an exciting mechanism for exciting the second process gas to be supplied. The method includes obtaining a relation formula or relation table that represents relationship of a cycle mixture manner of the plasma cycle and the non-plasma cycle relative to a film quality factor of the silicon nitride film; determining a specific manner of the cycle mixture manner based on a target value of the film quality factor with reference to the relation formula or relation table; and arranging the film formation process in accordance with the specific manner.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 14, 2009Publication date: July 30, 2009Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Kazuhide Hasebe, Nobutake Nodera, Masanobu Matsunaga, Jun Satoh, Pao-Hwa Chou
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Publication number: 20090124087Abstract: A vertical plasma processing apparatus for a semiconductor process for performing a plasma process on target substrates all together includes an exciting mechanism configured to turn at least part of a process gas into plasma. The exciting mechanism includes first and second electrodes provided to a plasma generation box and facing each other with a plasma generation area interposed therebetween, and an RF power supply configured to supply an RF power for plasma generation to the first and second electrodes and including first and second output terminals serving as grounded and non-grounded terminals, respectively. A switching mechanism is configured to switch between a first state where the first and second electrodes are connected to the first and second output terminals, respectively, and a second state where the first and second electrodes are connected to the second and first output terminals, respectively.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 15, 2008Publication date: May 14, 2009Inventors: Nobutake Nodera, Jun Sato, Masanobu Matsunaga, Kazuhide Hasebe, Hisashi Inoue