Patents by Inventor Morimichi Watanabe

Morimichi Watanabe 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: 20160145768
    Abstract: Disclosed is a self-supporting zinc oxide substrate composed of a plate composed of a plurality of zinc-oxide-based single crystal grains, wherein the plate has a single crystal structure in an approximately normal direction, and the zinc-oxide-based single crystal grains have a cross-sectional average diameter of greater than 1 ?m. This substrate can be manufactured by a method comprising providing an oriented polycrystalline sintered body; forming a layer with a thickness of 20 ?m or greater composed of zinc-oxide-based crystals on the oriented polycrystalline sintered body so that the layer has crystal orientation mostly in conformity with crystal orientation of the oriented polycrystalline sintered body; and removing the oriented polycrystalline sintered body to obtain the self-supporting zinc oxide substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2015
    Publication date: May 26, 2016
    Inventors: Morimichi WATANABE, Jun YOSHIKAWA, Hirofumi YAMAGUCHI, Tsutomu NANATAKI
  • Patent number: 9312446
    Abstract: Provided is a self-supporting gallium nitride substrate useful as an alternative material for a gallium nitride single crystal substrate, which is inexpensive and also suitable for having a large area. This substrate is composed of a plate composed of gallium nitride-based single crystal grains, wherein the plate has a single crystal structure in the approximately normal direction. This substrate can be manufactured by a method comprising providing an oriented polycrystalline sintered body; forming a seed crystal layer composed of gallium nitride on the sintered body so that the seed crystal layer has crystal orientation mostly in conformity with the crystal orientation of the sintered body; forming a layer with a thickness of 20 ?m or greater composed of gallium nitride-based crystals on the seed crystal layer so that the layer has crystal orientation mostly in conformity with crystal orientation of the seed crystal layer; and removing the sintered body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Morimichi Watanabe, Jun Yoshikawa, Tsutomu Nanataki, Katsuhiro Imai, Tomohiko Sugiyama, Takashi Yoshino, Yukihisa Takeuchi, Kei Sato
  • Patent number: 9287144
    Abstract: A heating apparatus 1A includes a susceptor part 9A having a heating face 9a of heating a semiconductor W, and a ring shaped part 6A provided in the outside of the heating face 9a. The ring shaped part 6A is composed of a ceramic material comprising magnesium, aluminum, oxygen and nitrogen as main components. The ceramic material comprises a main phase comprising magnesium-aluminum oxynitride phase exhibiting an XRD peak at least in 2?=47 to 50° taken by using CuK? ray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Kondo, Morimichi Watanabe, Asumi Jindo, Yuji Katsuda, Yosuke Sato, Yoshinori Isoda
  • Patent number: 9245775
    Abstract: A heating apparatus 11A includes a susceptor having a heating face 12a of heating a semiconductor. The susceptor includes a plate shaped main body 13 and a surface corrosion resistant layer 14 including the heating face. The surface corrosion resistant layer 14 is made of a ceramic material comprising magnesium, aluminum, oxygen and nitrogen as main components. The ceramic material comprises a main phase comprising magnesium-aluminum oxynitride phase exhibiting an XRD peak at least in 2?=47 to 50° by CuK? X-ray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Kondo, Morimichi Watanabe, Asumi Jindo, Yuji Katsuda, Yosuke Sato, Yoshinori Isoda
  • Publication number: 20150372191
    Abstract: Provided is a surface light-emitting device comprising a substrate composed of an oriented polycrystalline zinc oxide sintered body in a plate shape, a light emitting functional layer provided on the substrate, and an electrode provided on the light emitting functional layer. According to the present invention, a surface light-emitting device having high luminous efficiency can be inexpensively provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2015
    Publication date: December 24, 2015
    Inventors: Morimichi WATANABE, Katsuhiro IMAI, Jun YOSHIKAWA, Tsutomu NANATAKI, Takashi YOSHINO, Yukihisa TAKEUCHI
  • Patent number: 9202718
    Abstract: An electrostatic chuck 1A includes a susceptor 11A having an adsorption face 11a of adsorbing a semiconductor, and an electrostatic chuck electrode 4 embedded in the susceptor. The susceptor 11A includes a plate shaped main body 3 and a surface corrosion resistant layer 2 including the adsorption face 2. The surface corrosion resistant layer 2 is made of a ceramic material comprising magnesium, aluminum, oxygen and nitrogen as main components. The ceramic material comprises a main phase comprising magnesium-aluminum oxynitride phase exhibiting an XRD peak at least in 2?=47 to 50° by CuK? X-ray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenichiro Aikawa, Morimichi Watanabe, Asumi Jindo, Yuji Katsuda, Yosuke Sato, Yoshinori Isoda
  • Patent number: 9184081
    Abstract: Each of electrostatic chucks 1A to 1F includes a susceptor 11A having an adsorption face 11a of adsorbing a semiconductor, and an electrostatic chuck electrode 4 embedded in the susceptor. The susceptor includes a plate shaped main body 3 and a surface corrosion resistant layer 2 including the adsorption face 2. The surface corrosion resistant layer 2 is made of a ceramic material comprising magnesium, aluminum, oxygen and nitrogen as main components. The ceramic material comprises a main phase comprising MgO—AlN solid solution wherein aluminum nitride is dissolved into magnesium oxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenichiro Aikawa, Morimichi Watanabe, Asumi Jindo, Yuji Katsuda, Yosuke Sato, Yoshinori Isoda
  • Publication number: 20150144956
    Abstract: Provided is a self-supporting gallium nitride substrate useful as an alternative material for a gallium nitride single crystal substrate, which is inexpensive and also suitable for having a large area. This substrate is composed of a plate composed of gallium nitride-based single crystal grains, wherein the plate has a single crystal structure in the approximately normal direction. This substrate can be manufactured by a method comprising providing an oriented polycrystalline sintered body; forming a seed crystal layer composed of gallium nitride on the sintered body so that the seed crystal layer has crystal orientation mostly in conformity with the crystal orientation of the sintered body; forming a layer with a thickness of 20 ?m or greater composed of gallium nitride-based crystals on the seed crystal layer so that the layer has crystal orientation mostly in conformity with crystal orientation of the seed crystal layer; and removing the sintered body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2014
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Inventors: Morimichi WATANABE, Jun YOSHIKAWA, Tsutomu NANATAKI, Katsuhiro IMAI, Tomohiko SUGIYAMA, Takashi YOSHINO, Yukihisa TAKEUCHI, Kei SATO
  • Publication number: 20140290863
    Abstract: A ceramic member 30 according to the present invention includes a ceramic base 32, which contains a solid solution Mg(Al)O(N) in which Al and N components are dissolved in magnesium oxide as the main phase, and an electrode 34 disposed on a portion of the ceramic base 32 and containing at least one of nitrides, carbides, carbonitrides, and metals as an electrode component. The ceramic base 32 may have an XRD peak of a (111), (200), or (220) plane of Mg(Al)O(N) measured using a CiK? ray at 2?=36.9 to 39, 42.9 to 44.8, or 62.3 to 65.2 degrees, respectively, between a magnesium oxide cubic crystal peak and an aluminum nitride cubic crystal peak.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Morimichi WATANABE, Asumi JINDO, Yuji KATSUDA, Yosuke SATO, Yoshinori ISODA, Atsushi WATANABE
  • Patent number: 8685313
    Abstract: A mixed powder was prepared by weighing Yb2O3 and SrCO3 in such a way that the molar ratio became 1:1. The resulting mixed powder was subjected to uniaxial pressure forming, so as to produce a disc-shaped compact. The compact was heat-treated in an air atmosphere, so that a complex oxide was synthesized. The resulting complex oxide was pulverized. After the pulverization, a slurry was taken out and was dried in a nitrogen gas stream, so as to produce a synthesized powder material. The resulting synthesized powder material was subjected to uniaxial pressure forming, so as to produce a disc-shaped compact. The resulting compact was fired by a hot-press method, so as to obtain a corrosion-resistant member for semiconductor manufacturing apparatus. The resulting corrosion-resistant member was made from a SrYb2O4.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Morimichi Watanabe, Yuji Katsuda, Toru Hayase
  • Patent number: 8679998
    Abstract: Initially, an Yb2O3 raw material was subjected to uniaxial pressure forming at a pressure of 200 kgf/cm2, so that a disc-shaped compact having a diameter of about 35 mm and a thickness of about 10 mm was produced, and was stored into a graphite mold for firing. Subsequently, firing was performed by using a hot-press method at a predetermined firing temperature (1,500° C.), so as to obtain a corrosion-resistant member for semiconductor manufacturing apparatus. The press pressure during firing was specified to be 200 kgf/cm2 and an Ar atmosphere was kept until the firing was finished. The retention time at the firing temperature (maximum temperature) was specified to be 4 hours. In this manner, the corrosion-resistant member for semiconductor manufacturing apparatus made from an Yb2O3 sintered body having an open porosity of 0.2% was obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Morimichi Watanabe, Yuji Katsuda, Toru Hayase, Asumi Jindo
  • Patent number: 8597776
    Abstract: A ceramic material mainly contains magnesium, aluminum, oxygen, and nitrogen, in which the ceramic material has a magnesium-aluminum oxynitride phase serving as a main phase, wherein XRD peaks of the magnesium-aluminum oxynitride phase measured with CuK? radiation appear at at least 2?=47 to 50°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Morimichi Watanabe, Asumi Jindo, Yuji Katsuda, Yosuke Sato, Yoshinori Isoda
  • Patent number: 8541328
    Abstract: A ceramic material according to the present invention mainly contains magnesium, aluminum, oxygen, and nitrogen, the ceramic material has the crystal phase of a MgO—AlN solid solution in which aluminum nitride is dissolved in magnesium oxide, the crystal phase serving as a main phase. Preferably, XRD peaks corresponding to the (200) and (220) planes of the MgO—AlN solid solution measured with CuK? radiation appear at 2?=42.9 to 44.8° and 62.3 to 65.2°, respectively, the XRD peaks being located between peaks of cubic magnesium oxide and peaks of cubic aluminum nitride. More preferably, the XRD peak corresponding to the (111) plane appears at 2?=36.9 to 39°, the XRD peak being located between a peak of cubic magnesium oxide and a peak of cubic aluminum nitride.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Morimichi Watanabe, Asumi Jindo, Yuji Katsuda, Yosuke Sato, Yoshinori Isoda
  • Publication number: 20130235507
    Abstract: Electrostatic chucks (1A to 1F) are provided with: susceptors (11A to 11F) having an attracting surface (11a) that attracts and holds semiconductors; and electrostatic chuck electrodes (4) that are embedded in the susceptors. The susceptors are provided with plate-shape bodies (3) and surface corrosion-resistant layers (2) that face the attracting surface. The surface corrosion-resistant layer (2) is made from a ceramic material having magnesium, aluminum, oxygen and nitrogen as main components, the ceramic material having, as a main phase, an MgO—AlN solid solution crystal phase obtained by dissolving aluminum nitride in magnesium oxide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2013
    Publication date: September 12, 2013
    Applicant: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenichiro AIKAWA, Morimichi WATANABE, Asumi JINDO, Yuji KATSUDA, Yosuke SATO, Yoshinori ISODA
  • Publication number: 20130229746
    Abstract: An electrostatic chuck 1A includes a susceptor 11A having an adsorption face 11a of adsorbing a semiconductor, and an electrostatic chuck electrode 4 embedded in the susceptor. The susceptor 11A includes a plate shaped main body 3 and a surface corrosion resistant layer 2 including the adsorption face 2. The surface corrosion resistant layer 2 is made of a ceramic material comprising magnesium, aluminum, oxygen and nitrogen as main components. The ceramic material comprises a main phase comprising magnesium-aluminum oxynitride phase exhibiting an XRD peak at least in 2?=47 to 50° by CuK? X-ray.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2013
    Publication date: September 5, 2013
    Applicant: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Kenichiro AIKAWA, Morimichi WATANABE, Asumi JINDO, Yuji KATSUDA, Yosuke SATO, Yoshinori ISODA
  • Publication number: 20130228566
    Abstract: A heating apparatus 11A includes a susceptor having a heating face 12a of heating a semiconductor. The susceptor includes a plate shaped main body 13 and a surface corrosion resistant layer 14 including the heating face. The surface corrosion resistant layer 14 is made of a ceramic material comprising magnesium, aluminum, oxygen and nitrogen as main components. The ceramic material comprises a main phase comprising magnesium-aluminum oxynitride phase exhibiting an XRD peak at least in 2?=47 to 50° by CuK? X-ray.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2013
    Publication date: September 5, 2013
    Applicant: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Nobuyuki KONDO, Morimichi WATANABE, Asumi JINDO, Yuji KATSUDA, Yosuke SATO, Yoshinori ISODA
  • Publication number: 20130228565
    Abstract: A heating apparatus 1A includes a susceptor part 9A having a heating face 9a of heating a semiconductor W, and a ring shaped part 6A provided in the outside of the heating face 9a. The ring shaped part 6A is composed of a ceramic material comprising magnesium, aluminum, oxygen and nitrogen as main components. The ceramic material comprises a main phase comprising magnesium-aluminum oxynitride phase exhibiting an XRD peak at least in 2?=47 to 50° taken by using CuK? ray.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2013
    Publication date: September 5, 2013
    Applicant: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Nobuyuki KONDO, Morimichi WATANABE, Asumi JINDO, Yuji KATSUDA, Yosuke SATO, Yoshinori ISODA
  • Publication number: 20120231243
    Abstract: A ceramic material mainly contains magnesium, aluminum, oxygen, and nitrogen, in which the ceramic material has a magnesium-aluminum oxynitride phase serving as a main phase, wherein XRD peaks of the magnesium-aluminum oxynitride phase measured with CuK? radiation appear at at least 2?=47 to 50°.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2012
    Publication date: September 13, 2012
    Applicant: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Morimichi Watanabe, Asumi Jindo, Yuji Katsuda, Yosuke Sato, Yoshinori Isoda
  • Publication number: 20120231945
    Abstract: A ceramic material according to the present invention mainly contains magnesium, aluminum, oxygen, and nitrogen, the ceramic material has the crystal phase of a MgO—AlN solid solution in which aluminum nitride is dissolved in magnesium oxide, the crystal phase serving as a main phase. Preferably, XRD peaks corresponding to the (200) and (220) planes of the MgO—AlN solid solution measured with CuK? radiation appear at 2?=42.9 to 44.8° and 62.3 to 65.2°, respectively, the XRD peaks being located between peaks of cubic magnesium oxide and peaks of cubic aluminum nitride. More preferably, the XRD peak corresponding to the (111) plane appears at 2?=36.9 to 39°, the XRD peak being located between a peak of cubic magnesium oxide and a peak of cubic aluminum nitride.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2012
    Publication date: September 13, 2012
    Applicant: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Morimichi WATANABE, Asumi Jindo, Yuji Katsuda, Yosuke Sato, Yoshinori Isoda
  • Patent number: 6895721
    Abstract: A plurality of engaging pieces each formed of washer (35) for instance are fixed to the rear surface of a building board (30). A plurality of elongated fixtures (10), each provided at the lower end thereof with an engaging tongue (20a) and at the upper end thereof with an engaging region (12a) designed to be engaged with the engaging tongue (20a), are engaged with the engaging pieces. The fixtures (10) thus engaged are directly fixed to the posts (1) or studs (2) of a building. Since each fixture (10) is provided with a rising portion (12), a ventilation space (Sc) is secured between the framework of the building and the rear surface of a building board (30). The coupling between upper and lower building boards (30) can be effected through the linkage between a couple of fixtures (10). Since the engaging tongue (20a) is made separable from the building board (30), the building boards (30) can be transported for instance without becoming bulky.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2005
    Assignee: Nichiha Corporation
    Inventors: Morimichi Watanabe, Hiroshi Ito