Patents by Inventor Michikazu Morimoto
Michikazu Morimoto 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: 20230187174Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus including: a processing chamber in which a sample is plasma-processed; a radio frequency power supply configured to supply a radio frequency power for generating plasma; a first radio frequency power supply ; a second radio frequency power supply configured to supply, a second radio frequency power having a frequency higher than a frequency of the first radio frequency power supplied; and a control device configured to control the first radio frequency power supply and the second radio frequency power supply such that the supply of one radio frequency power is stopped while the other radio frequency power is supplied, in which the frequency of the first radio frequency power and the frequency of the second radio frequency power are defined based on a full width at half maximum of a peak value of an ion energy distribution with respect to the frequency.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 2, 2020Publication date: June 15, 2023Inventors: Takayuki Tokunaga, Mitsuhiro Jomura, Michikazu Morimoto
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Patent number: 11658011Abstract: A plasma processing method in which a stable process region can be ensured in a wide range, from low microwave power to high microwave power. The plasma processing method includes making production of plasma easy in a region in which production of plasma by continuous discharge is difficult, and plasma-processing an object to be processed, with the generated plasma, wherein the plasma is produced by pulsed discharge in which ON and OFF are repeated, radio-frequency power for producing the pulsed discharge, during an ON period, is a power to facilitate production of plasma by continuous discharge, and a duty ratio of the pulsed discharge is controlled so that an average power of the radio-frequency power per cycle is power in the region in which production of plasma by continuous discharge is difficult.Type: GrantFiled: January 22, 2020Date of Patent: May 23, 2023Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH CORPORATIONInventors: Yoshiharu Inoue, Tetsuo Ono, Michikazu Morimoto, Masaki Fujii, Masakazu Miyaji
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Patent number: 11004658Abstract: In a plasma processing apparatus including a first radio-frequency power supply which supplies first radio-frequency power for generating plasma in a vacuum chamber, a second radio-frequency power supply which supplies second radio-frequency power to a sample stage on which a sample is mounted, and a matching box for the second radio-frequency power supply, the matching box samples information for performing matching during a sampling effective period which is from a point of time after elapse of a prescribed time from a beginning of on-state of the time-modulated second radio-frequency power until an end of the on-state and maintains a matching state attained during the sampling effective period from after the end of the on-state until a next sampling effective period.Type: GrantFiled: July 31, 2018Date of Patent: May 11, 2021Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH CORPORATIONInventors: Michikazu Morimoto, Naoki Yasui, Yasuo Ohgoshi
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Patent number: 10727088Abstract: The present invention provides a plasma processing apparatus having a radio frequency power supply supplying time-modulated radio frequency power which is controllable widely with high precision, and a plasma processing method using the plasma processing apparatus. The plasma processing apparatus includes: a vacuum chamber; a first radio frequency power supply for generating plasma in the vacuum chamber; a sample holder disposed in the vacuum chamber, on which a sample is placed; and a second radio frequency power supply supplying radio frequency power to the sample holder, wherein at least one of the first radio frequency power supply and the second radio frequency power supply supplies time-modulated radio frequency power, one of parameters of controlling the time-modulation has two or more different control ranges, and one of the control ranges is a control range for a high-precision control.Type: GrantFiled: October 4, 2016Date of Patent: July 28, 2020Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH CORPORATIONInventors: Michikazu Morimoto, Yasuo Ohgoshi, Yuuzou Oohirabaru, Tetsuo Ono
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Publication number: 20200161092Abstract: A plasma processing method in which a stable process region can be ensured in a wide range, from low microwave power to high microwave power. The plasma processing method includes making production of plasma easy in a region in which production of plasma by continuous discharge is difficult, and plasma-processing an object to be processed, with the generated plasma, wherein the plasma is produced by pulsed discharge in which ON and OFF are repeated, radio-frequency power for producing the pulsed discharge, during an ON period, is a power to facilitate production of plasma by continuous discharge, and a duty ratio of the pulsed discharge is controlled so that an average power of the radio-frequency power per cycle is power in the region in which production of plasma by continuous discharge is difficult.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 22, 2020Publication date: May 21, 2020Applicant: HITACHI HIGH-TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATIONInventors: Yoshiharu Inoue, Tetsuo Ono, Michikazu Morimoto, Masaki Fujii, Masakazu Miyaji
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Patent number: 10600619Abstract: A plasma processing method in which a stable process region can be ensured in a wide range, from low microwave power to high microwave power. The plasma processing method includes making production of plasma easy in a region in which production of plasma by continuous discharge is difficult, and plasma-processing an object to be processed, with the generated plasma, wherein the plasma is produced by pulsed discharge in which ON and OFF are repeated, radio-frequency power for producing the pulsed discharge, during an ON period, is a power to facilitate production of plasma by continuous discharge, and a duty ratio of the pulsed discharge is controlled so that an average power of the radio-frequency power per cycle is power in the region in which production of plasma by continuous discharge is difficult.Type: GrantFiled: April 6, 2016Date of Patent: March 24, 2020Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATIONInventors: Yoshiharu Inoue, Tetsuo Ono, Michikazu Morimoto, Masaki Fujii, Masakazu Miyaji
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Patent number: 10559481Abstract: Provided are a plasma processing apparatus with a radio-frequency power supply supplying temporally modulated intermittent radio-frequency power which can be controlled with high precision in a wide repetition frequency band, and a plasma processing method using the plasma processing apparatus. A plasma processing apparatus includes: a vacuum vessel; a plasma generating section plasma in the vacuum vessel; a stage installed in the vacuum vessel and mounted with a sample; and a radio-frequency power supply applying temporally modulated intermittent radio-frequency power to the stage, wherein the radio-frequency power supply has two or more different frequency bands and temporally modulates the radio-frequency power by a repetition frequency which has the same range of analog signals used in each of the frequency band.Type: GrantFiled: February 29, 2016Date of Patent: February 11, 2020Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATIONInventors: Michikazu Morimoto, Yasuo Ohgoshi, Yuuzou Oohirabaru, Tetsuo Ono
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Patent number: 10522331Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a processing chamber for processing a sample with a plasma, an RF power supply for generating the plasma within the processing chamber, an RF bias power supply for supplying RF bias power to a sample stage on which the sample is mounted, a pulse generation unit for creating first pulses for modulating the output from the RF power supply for generating the plasma and second pulses for modulating the output from the RF bias power supply, and a controller for providing control of the processing of the sample with the sample. The pulse generation unit creates the first pulses and the second pulses synchronized based on a pulse delay time transmitted from the controller. The pulse delay time is established to delay the second pulses relative to the first pulses.Type: GrantFiled: October 25, 2016Date of Patent: December 31, 2019Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATIONInventors: Yasuo Ohgoshi, Michikazu Morimoto, Yuuzou Oohirabaru, Tetsuo Ono
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Patent number: 10192718Abstract: In a plasma processing apparatus including a first radio-frequency power supply which supplies first radio-frequency power for generating plasma in a vacuum chamber, a second radio-frequency power supply which supplies second radio-frequency power to a sample stage on which a sample is mounted, and a matching box for the second radio-frequency power supply, the matching box samples information for performing matching during a sampling effective period which is from a point of time after elapse of a prescribed time from a beginning of on-state of the time-modulated second radio-frequency power until an and of the on-state and maintains a matching state attained during the sampling effective period from after the end of the on-state until a next sampling effective period.Type: GrantFiled: April 19, 2016Date of Patent: January 29, 2019Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATIONInventors: Michikazu Morimoto, Naoki Yasui, Yasuo Ohgoshi
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Publication number: 20180337022Abstract: In a plasma processing apparatus including a first radio-frequency power supply which supplies first radio-frequency power for generating plasma in a vacuum chamber, a second radio-frequency power supply which supplies second radio-frequency power to a sample stage on which a sample is mounted, and a matching box for the second radio-frequency power supply, the matching box samples information for performing matching during a sampling effective period which is from a point of time after elapse of a prescribed time from a beginning of on-state of the time-modulated second radio-frequency power until an end of the on-state and maintains a matching state attained during the sampling effective period from after the end of the on-state until a next sampling effective period.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 31, 2018Publication date: November 22, 2018Inventors: Michikazu MORIMOTO, Naoki YASUI, Yasuo OHGOSHI
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Patent number: 10037909Abstract: In a plasma processing apparatus, a connector section with the film-like electrode of a sintered plate of a sample stage to which high-frequency power is supplied includes a conductor section disposed inside a through hole, an upper part of which is bonded to the film-like electrode and a lower part of which is connected to an end of a power supply path of the high-frequency power, and a boss disposed between the conductor section and a substrate surrounding an outer periphery of the conductor section inside the through hole and made of an insulating material. Upper ends of a rod-like member at the center of the conductor section and a socket surrounding the rod-like member are disposed at a position higher than the boss, and an adhesive is prevented from entering between the socket and the rod-like member in the upper end of the socket.Type: GrantFiled: February 19, 2015Date of Patent: July 31, 2018Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATIONInventors: Tooru Aramaki, Michikazu Morimoto, Kenetsu Yokogawa
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Patent number: 9741579Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a sample stage disposed in a processing chamber within a vacuum chamber. A wafer mounted on a top surface of the sample stage is processed by using plasma formed in the processing chamber. The plasma processing apparatus further includes electrodes disposed on a part on a center side and a part on a peripheral side within the sample stage and supplied with radio frequency power. Large amplitude and small amplitude are repeated with a predetermined period in each of the radio frequency powers supplied respectively to the electrode on the center side and the electrode on the peripheral side. A control apparatus adjusts a length of large amplitude term, or the length of the large amplitude term and a ratio of the length to a period in each of the radio frequency powers to different values.Type: GrantFiled: September 5, 2015Date of Patent: August 22, 2017Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies CorporationInventors: Nanako Tamari, Michikazu Morimoto, Naoki Yasui
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Publication number: 20170040143Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a processing chamber for processing a sample with a plasma, an RF power supply for generating the plasma within the processing chamber, an RF bias power supply for supplying RF bias power to a sample stage on which the sample is mounted, a pulse generation unit for creating first pulses for modulating the output from the RF power supply for generating the plasma and second pulses for modulating the output from the RF bias power supply, and a controller for providing control of the processing of the sample with the sample. The pulse generation unit creates the first pulses and the second pulses synchronized based on a pulse delay time transmitted from the controller. The pulse delay time is established to delay the second pulses relative to the first pulses.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 25, 2016Publication date: February 9, 2017Applicant: HITACHI HIGH-TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATIONInventors: Yasuo Ohgoshi, Michikazu Morimoto, Yuuzou Oohirabaru, Tetsuo Ono
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Publication number: 20170025289Abstract: The present invention provides a plasma processing apparatus having a radio frequency power supply supplying time-modulated radio frequency power which is controllable widely with high precision, and a plasma processing method using the plasma processing apparatus. The plasma processing apparatus includes: a vacuum chamber; a first radio frequency power supply for generating plasma in the vacuum chamber; a sample holder disposed in the vacuum chamber, on which a sample is placed; and a second radio frequency power supply supplying radio frequency power to the sample holder, wherein at least one of the first radio frequency power supply and the second radio frequency power supply supplies time-modulated radio frequency power, one of parameters of controlling the time-modulation has two or more different control ranges, and one of the control ranges is a control range for a high-precision control.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 4, 2016Publication date: January 26, 2017Applicant: HITACHI HIGH-TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATIONInventors: Michikazu Morimoto, Yasuo Ohgoshi, Yuuzou Oohirabaru, Tetsuo Ono
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Patent number: 9514967Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a processing chamber for processing a sample with a plasma, an RF power supply for generating the plasma within the processing chamber, an RF bias power supply for supplying RF bias power to a sample stage on which the sample is mounted, a pulse generation unit for creating first pulses for modulating the output from the RF power supply for generating the plasma and second pulses for modulating the output from the RF bias power supply, and a controller for providing control of the processing of the sample with the sample. The pulse generation unit creates the first pulses and the second pulses synchronized based on a pulse delay time transmitted from the controller. The pulse delay time is established to delay the second pulses relative to the first pulses.Type: GrantFiled: January 16, 2013Date of Patent: December 6, 2016Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATIONInventors: Yasuo Ohgoshi, Michikazu Morimoto, Yuuzou Oohirabaru, Tetsuo Ono
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Patent number: 9502217Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a processing chamber which plasma-processes a sample, a first high-frequency power supply which supplies first high-frequency power for plasma generation to the processing chamber, a second high-frequency power supply which supplies second high-frequency power to a sample stage on which the sample is placed and a pulse generation device which generate first pulses for time-modulating the first high-frequency power and second pulses for time-modulating the second high-frequency power. The pulse generation device includes a control device which controls the first and second pulses so that frequency of the first pulses is higher than frequency of the second pulses and the on-period of the second pulse is contained in the on-period of the first pulse.Type: GrantFiled: January 30, 2015Date of Patent: November 22, 2016Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies CorporationInventors: Shunsuke Kanazawa, Naoki Yasui, Michikazu Morimoto, Yasuo Ohgoshi
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Publication number: 20160254163Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a sample stage disposed in a processing chamber within a vacuum chamber. A wafer mounted on a top surface of the sample stage is processed by using plasma formed in the processing chamber. The plasma processing apparatus further includes electrodes disposed on a part on a center side and a part on a peripheral side within the sample stage and supplied with radio frequency power. Large amplitude and small amplitude are repeated with a predetermined period in each of the radio frequency powers supplied respectively to the electrode on the center side and the electrode on the peripheral side. A control apparatus adjusts a length of large amplitude term, or the length of the large amplitude term and a ratio of the length to a period in each of the radio frequency powers to different values.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 5, 2015Publication date: September 1, 2016Inventors: Nanako TAMARI, Michikazu MORIMOTO, Naoki YASUI
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Publication number: 20160233057Abstract: In a plasma processing apparatus including a first radio-frequency power supply which supplies first radio-frequency power for generating plasma in a vacuum chamber, a second radio-frequency power supply which supplies second radio-frequency power to a sample stage on which a sample is mounted, and a matching box for the second radio-frequency power supply, the matching box samples information for performing matching during a sampling effective period which is from a point of time after elapse of a prescribed time from a beginning of on state of the time-modulated second radio-frequency power until an and of the on-state and maintains a matching state attained during the sampling effective period from after the end of the so-state until a next sampling effective period.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 19, 2016Publication date: August 11, 2016Inventors: Michikazu MORIMOTO, Naoki YASUI, Yasuo OHGOSHI
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Publication number: 20160225587Abstract: A plasma processing method in which a stable process region can be ensured in a wide range, from low microwave power to high microwave power. The plasma processing method includes making production of plasma easy in a region in which production of plasma by continuous discharge is difficult, and plasma-processing an object to be processed, with the generated plasma, wherein the plasma is produced by pulsed discharge in which ON and OFF are repeated, radio-frequency power for producing the pulsed discharge, during an ON period, is a power to facilitate production of plasma by continuous discharge, and a duty ratio of the pulsed discharge is controlled so that an average power of the radio-frequency power per cycle is power in the region in which production of plasma by continuous discharge is difficult.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 6, 2016Publication date: August 4, 2016Applicant: HITACHI HIGH-TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATIONInventors: Yoshiharu Inoue, Tetsuo Ono, Michikazu Morimoto, Masaki Fujii, Masakazu Miyaji
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Publication number: 20160181131Abstract: Provided are a plasma processing apparatus with a radio-frequency power supply supplying temporally modulated intermittent radio-frequency power which can be controlled with high precision in a wide repetition frequency band, and a plasma processing method using the plasma processing apparatus. A plasma processing apparatus includes: a vacuum vessel; a plasma generating section plasma in the vacuum vessel; a stage installed in the vacuum vessel and mounted with a sample; and a radio-frequency power supply applying temporally modulated intermittent radio-frequency power to the stage, wherein the radio-frequency power supply has two or more different frequency bands and temporally modulates the radio-frequency power by a repetition frequency which has the same range of analog signals used in each of the frequency band.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 29, 2016Publication date: June 23, 2016Applicant: HITACHI HIGH-TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATIONInventors: Michikazu Morimoto, Yasuo Ohgoshi, Yuuzou Oohirabaru, Tetsuo Ono