Patents by Inventor Mitsuhiro Iwano

Mitsuhiro Iwano 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).

  • Publication number: 20250232954
    Abstract: The purpose of the technique is to improve controllability of plasma formed on a substrate. A plasma processing apparatus includes a chamber; a substrate support that is disposed in the chamber and includes a lower electrode; an upper electrode that is disposed above the substrate support; a first RF power supply configured to supply a first RF signal having a first RF frequency to the upper electrode or the lower electrode; a second RF power supply configured to supply a second RF signal having a second RF frequency to the lower electrode; and a third RF power supply configured to supply a third RF signal having a third RF frequency to the lower electrode. Three RF power supplies supply RF signals having respective power levels in four periods in each cycle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2025
    Publication date: July 17, 2025
    Applicant: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro IWANO, Motoki NORO
  • Publication number: 20250226181
    Abstract: A technique for improving controllability of plasma generated on a substrate is provided. A plasma processing apparatus includes a chamber, a substrate support disposed inside the chamber and including a lower electrode, an upper electrode disposed above the substrate support, a first RF power supply for supplying a first RF signal having a first RF frequency to the upper electrode or the lower electrode, a second RF power supply for suppling a second RF signal having a second RF frequency to the lower electrode, and a third RF power supply for supplying a third RF signal having a third RF frequency to the lower electrode. The three RF power supplies supply RF signals having respective power levels in three periods in each cycle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2025
    Publication date: July 10, 2025
    Applicant: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro IWANO, Motoki NORO
  • Publication number: 20250201536
    Abstract: A plasma processing method includes: (a) preparing a substrate having an etching film and a dielectric film; (b) etching the etching film by repeatedly executing, a plurality of times, a cycle including (b-a) supplying a processing gas containing at least a carbon-containing gas into the chamber and forming a protective film at least on the dielectric film, and (b-b) supplying a processing gas containing at least a noble gas into the chamber; and (c) etching the etching film by executing, one or more times, a cycle including (c-a) supplying a processing gas containing at least a carbon-containing gas into the chamber, and (c-b) supplying a processing gas containing at least a noble gas into the chamber and supplying a bias signal to the substrate support.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2025
    Publication date: June 19, 2025
    Applicant: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Mitsuhiro IWANO
  • Publication number: 20240290625
    Abstract: In an etching method, plasma from a processing gas containing a fluorocarbon gas is formed within a chamber of a plasma processing apparatus, and a deposit containing fluorocarbon is formed on a substrate. The substrate includes a first region formed of a silicon containing material and a second region formed of a metal containing material. Subsequently, plasma from a rare gas is formed within the chamber, and rare gas ions are supplied to the substrate. As a result, the first region is etched by the fluorocarbon contained in the deposit. When the plasma from the rare gas is formed, a magnetic field distribution in which a horizontal component on an edge side of the substrate is higher than a horizontal component on a center of the substrate is formed by an electromagnet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2024
    Publication date: August 29, 2024
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Iwano, Masanori Hosoya
  • Patent number: 12014930
    Abstract: In an etching method, plasma from a processing gas containing a fluorocarbon gas is formed within a chamber of a plasma processing apparatus, and a deposit containing fluorocarbon is formed on a substrate. The substrate includes a first region formed of a silicon containing material and a second region formed of a metal containing material. Subsequently, plasma from a rare gas is formed within the chamber, and rare gas ions are supplied to the substrate. As a result, the first region is etched by the fluorocarbon contained in the deposit. When the plasma from the rare gas is formed, a magnetic field distribution in which a horizontal component on an edge side of the substrate is higher than a horizontal component on a center of the substrate is formed by an electromagnet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2024
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Iwano, Masanori Hosoya
  • Patent number: 11710643
    Abstract: A method includes etching a first region by plasma etching such that an upper surface of the first region is provided at a deeper position within a substrate than a second region; forming a deposit containing carbon on the substrate by forming plasma of a hydrocarbon gas inside a chamber of a plasma processing apparatus; and further etching the first region by plasma etching. In the forming of the plasma of the hydrocarbon gas, magnetic field distribution in which a horizontal component on an edge side of the substrate is larger than a horizontal component on a center of the substrate is formed by an electromagnet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Iwano, Masanori Hosoya
  • Publication number: 20210366718
    Abstract: In an etching method, plasma from a processing gas containing a fluorocarbon gas is formed within a chamber of a plasma processing apparatus, and a deposit containing fluorocarbon is formed on a substrate. The substrate includes a first region formed of a silicon containing material and a second region formed of a metal containing material. Subsequently, plasma from a rare gas is formed within the chamber, and rare gas ions are supplied to the substrate. As a result, the first region is etched by the fluorocarbon contained in the deposit. When the plasma from the rare gas is formed, a magnetic field distribution in which a horizontal component on an edge side of the substrate is higher than a horizontal component on a center of the substrate is formed by an electromagnet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2019
    Publication date: November 25, 2021
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Iwano, Masanori Hosoya
  • Publication number: 20210335623
    Abstract: A method includes etching a first region by plasma etching such that an upper surface of the first region is provided at a deeper position within a substrate than a second region; forming a deposit containing carbon on the substrate by forming plasma of a hydrocarbon gas inside a chamber of a plasma processing apparatus; and further etching the first region by plasma etching. In the forming of the plasma of the hydrocarbon gas, magnetic field distribution in which a horizontal component on an edge side of the substrate is larger than a horizontal component on a center of the substrate is formed by an electromagnet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2019
    Publication date: October 28, 2021
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Iwano, Masanori Hosoya
  • Patent number: 10734205
    Abstract: In a cleaning method according to an exemplary embodiment, a plasma is formed from a cleaning gas in a chamber of a plasma processing apparatus. A focus ring is mounted on a substrate support in the chamber to extend around a central axis of the chamber. While the plasma is formed, a magnetic field distribution is formed in the chamber by an electromagnet. The magnetic field distribution has a maximum horizontal component in a location on the focus ring or a location outside the focus ring in a radial direction with respect to the central axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Iwano, Masanori Hosoya
  • Publication number: 20200135436
    Abstract: In a cleaning method according to an exemplary embodiment, a plasma is formed from a cleaning gas in a chamber of a plasma processing apparatus. A focus ring is mounted on a substrate support in the chamber to extend around a central axis of the chamber. While the plasma is formed, a magnetic field distribution is formed in the chamber by an electromagnet. The magnetic field distribution has a maximum horizontal component in a location on the focus ring or a location outside the focus ring in a radial direction with respect to the central axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2019
    Publication date: April 30, 2020
    Applicant: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro IWANO, Masanori HOSOYA
  • Patent number: 10529583
    Abstract: An etching method is provided. A processing target object includes a first region made of silicon oxide and a second region made of silicon nitride. The second region is extended to provide a recess and has a bottom region extended on a bottom of the recess. The first region is configured to cover the second region. In the etching method, a deposit of fluorocarbon is formed on the processing target object, and the first region is etched by irradiating ions of atoms of a rare gas toward the processing target object. Then, on the bottom region, a modified region is formed by supplying hydrogen ions. Subsequently, the deposit of fluorocarbon is formed on the processing target object, and the modified region is etched by irradiating ions of atoms of the rare gas toward the processing target object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Iwano, Masanori Hosoya
  • Publication number: 20190139780
    Abstract: An etching method is provided. A processing target object includes a first region made of silicon oxide and a second region made of silicon nitride. The second region is extended to provide a recess and has a bottom region extended on a bottom of the recess. The first region is configured to cover the second region. In the etching method, a deposit of fluorocarbon is formed on the processing target object, and the first region is etched by irradiating ions of atoms of a rare gas toward the processing target object. Then, on the bottom region, a modified region is formed by supplying hydrogen ions. Subsequently, the deposit of fluorocarbon is formed on the processing target object, and the modified region is etched by irradiating ions of atoms of the rare gas toward the processing target object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2018
    Publication date: May 9, 2019
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Iwano, Masanori Hosoya