Patents by Inventor Naonori Akae

Naonori Akae 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).

  • Patent number: 9508546
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device is disclosed. The method includes (a) loading a substrate into a process chamber; (b) processing the substrate by supplying a process gas into the process chamber via a shower head disposed above the process chamber and including a buffer chamber; (c) unloading the substrate from the process chamber; and (d) cleaning the buffer chamber and the process chamber after performing the step (c), wherein the step (d) comprises: (d-1) cleaning the buffer chamber by a plasma generation from a cleaning gas in the buffer chamber by a plasma generation unit including a plasma generation region switching unit; and (d-2) cleaning the process chamber by switching the plasma generation from the cleaning gas in the buffer chamber to a plasma generation from the cleaning gas in the process chamber by the plasma generation region switching unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: HITACHI KOKUSAI ELECTRIC INC.
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Toyoda, Tadashi Takasaki, Hiroshi Ashihara, Atsushi Sano, Naonori Akae, Hidehiro Yanai
  • Publication number: 20160298235
    Abstract: A cleaning method includes (a) providing a process chamber after forming an oxide film on a substrate in the process chamber formed by a reaction tube and a manifold supporting the reaction tube by performing a cycle a predetermined number of times, the cycle including supplying a source gas to the substrate through a first nozzle in the manifold extending upward to an inside of the reaction tube, and supplying an oxidizing gas to the substrate through a second nozzle in the manifold extending upward to the inside of the reaction tube; and (b) cleaning an inside of the process chamber. The step (b) includes a first cleaning process of supplying a hydrogen fluoride gas into the reaction tube through the second nozzle; and a second cleaning process of supplying a hydrogen fluoride gas onto an inner wall surface of the manifold through a third nozzle disposed in the manifold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2016
    Publication date: October 13, 2016
    Applicant: HITACHI KOKUSAI ELECTRIC INC.
    Inventors: Masato TERASAKI, Naonori AKAE, Hideki HORITA
  • Patent number: 9425075
    Abstract: The present disclosure suppresses oxidation of a base film on a substrate surface during the formation of an oxide film. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device according to the present disclosure includes forming an initial layer including a predetermined element and having a thickness of several atomic layers on a substrate in a process chamber by supplying a predetermined-element-containing gas to the substrate, and forming an oxide film including the predetermined element on the initial layer by performing a cycle a predetermined number of times, the cycle including supplying a precursor gas including the predetermined element to the substrate in the process chamber and supplying an oxygen-containing gas and a hydrogen-containing gas to the substrate heated in the process chamber under a pressure lower than an atmospheric pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: HITACHI KOKUSAI ELECTRIC INC.
    Inventors: Atsushi Sano, Yoshiro Hirose, Naonori Akae
  • Patent number: 9401272
    Abstract: A cleaning method includes (a) providing a process chamber after forming an oxide film on a substrate in the process chamber formed by a reaction tube and a manifold supporting the reaction tube by performing a cycle a predetermined number of times, the cycle including supplying a source gas to the substrate through a first nozzle in the manifold extending upward to an inside of the reaction tube, and supplying an oxidizing gas to the substrate through a second nozzle in the manifold extending upward to the inside of the reaction tube; and (b) cleaning an inside of the process chamber. The step (b) includes a first cleaning process of supplying a hydrogen fluoride gas into the reaction tube through the second nozzle; and a second cleaning process of supplying a hydrogen fluoride gas onto an inner wall surface of the manifold through a third nozzle disposed in the manifold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: HITACHI KOKUSAI ELECTRIC INC.
    Inventors: Masato Terasaki, Naonori Akae, Hideki Horita
  • Patent number: 9269566
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus capable of forming an oxide film on a substrate by forming a layer on the substrate by supplying a source gas into a process vessel accommodating the substrate via the first nozzle, and simultaneously supplying an oxygen-containing gas through a second nozzle and a hydrogen-containing gas through a first nozzle into the process vessel having an inside pressure thereof lower than atmospheric pressure; mixing and reacting the oxygen-containing gas with the hydrogen-containing gas in a non-plasma atmosphere within the process vessel to generate atomic oxygen; and oxidizing the layer with the atomic oxygen to change the layer into an oxide layer is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: Hitachi Kokusai Electric Inc.
    Inventors: Naonori Akae, Yoshiro Hirose, Yushin Takasawa, Yosuke Ota
  • Publication number: 20160024650
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes: a reaction zone configured to accommodate a substrate; a substrate supporting member having a projecting part extending outward; a partition plate configured to partition off the reaction zone and a transferring zone, coming in contact with the projecting part of the substrate supporting member when the substrate is processed; a process gas supplying system configured to supply a process gas to the reaction zone; and a partitioning purge gas supplying system configured to supply a purge gas to a gap formed between the projecting part and the partition plate when supplying the process gas to the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2015
    Publication date: January 28, 2016
    Applicant: HITACHI KOKUSAI ELECTRIC INC.
    Inventors: Kazuyuki TOYODA, Hiroshi ASHIHARA, Atsushi SANO, Naonori AKAE, Hidehiro YANAI
  • Patent number: 9196473
    Abstract: A method that includes: forming a specific element-containing layer by supplying a source gas to the substrate heated in a processing vessel, under a condition that a thermal decomposition reaction of the source gas is caused; changing the specific element-containing layer to a nitride layer by supplying a nitrogen-containing gas to the substrate; and changing the nitride layer to an oxynitride layer by supplying an oxygen-containing gas to the substrate, the source gas is sprayed in parallel to a surface of the substrate more strongly than a case of spraying the inert gas in parallel to the surface of the substrate in purging the inside of the processing vessel, by supplying an inert gas or a hydrogen-containing gas through the nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: HITACHI KOKUSAI ELECTRIC INC.
    Inventors: Yosuke Ota, Yoshiro Hirose, Naonori Akae, Yushin Takasawa
  • Patent number: 9190264
    Abstract: A semiconductor manufacturing method includes forming an oxide film on a substrate by performing a first cycle a predetermined number of times, including supplying a first source gas, an oxidizing gas and a reducing gas to the substrate heated to a first temperature in a process container under a sub-atmospheric pressure; forming a seed layer on a surface of the oxide film by supplying a nitriding gas to the substrate in the process container, the substrate being heated to a temperature equal to or higher than the first temperature and equal to or lower than a second temperature; and forming a nitride film on the seed layer formed on the surface of the oxide film by performing a second cycle a predetermined number of times, including supplying a second source gas and the nitriding gas to the substrate heated to the second temperature in the process container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: HITACHI KOKUSAI ELECTRIC INC.
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Yuasa, Naonori Akae, Masato Terasaki
  • Publication number: 20150221503
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device is disclosed. The method includes (a) loading a substrate into a process chamber; (b) processing the substrate by supplying a process gas into the process chamber via a shower head disposed above the process chamber and including a buffer chamber; (c) unloading the substrate from the process chamber; and (d) cleaning the buffer chamber and the process chamber after performing the step (c), wherein the step (d) comprises: (d-1) cleaning the buffer chamber by a plasma generation from a cleaning gas in the buffer chamber by a plasma generation unit including a plasma generation region switching unit; and (d-2) cleaning the process chamber by switching the plasma generation from the cleaning gas in the buffer chamber to a plasma generation from the cleaning gas in the process chamber by the plasma generation region switching unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2014
    Publication date: August 6, 2015
    Applicant: HITACHI KOKUSAI ELECTRIC INC.
    Inventors: Kazuyuki TOYODA, Tadashi TAKASAKI, Hiroshi ASHIHARA, Atsushi SANO, Naonori AKAE, Hidehiro YANAI
  • Patent number: 9096928
    Abstract: Provided is a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, including: forming a silicon oxide film on a surface of a substrate holder by repeatedly performing forming a silicon-containing layer on the surface of the substrate holder and oxidizing the silicon-containing layer; forming a thin film on a substrate by using a process gas; removing deposits attached onto the substrate holder by using a fluorine-containing gas; and reforming a silicon oxide film on the surface of the substrate holder after removal of the deposits by repeatedly performing forming a silicon-containing layer on the surface of the substrate holder and oxidizing the silicon-containing layer by using an oxygen-containing gas and a hydrogen-containing gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: HITACHI KOKUSAI ELECTRIC INC.
    Inventors: Ryota Sasajima, Yoshiro Hirose, Naonori Akae, Osamu Kasahara
  • Publication number: 20150214028
    Abstract: Provided is a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2015
    Publication date: July 30, 2015
    Applicant: Hitachi Kokusai Electric Inc.
    Inventors: Ryota SASAJIMA, Yoshiro HIROSE, Yosuke OTA, Naonori AKAE, Kojiro YOKOZAWA
  • Publication number: 20150214042
    Abstract: Provided is a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2015
    Publication date: July 30, 2015
    Applicant: Hitachi Kokusai Electric Inc.
    Inventors: Ryota SASAJIMA, Yoshiro HIROSE, Yosuke OTA, Naonori AKAE, Kojiro YOKOZAWA
  • Publication number: 20150206736
    Abstract: The uniformity of the thickness of the film of a film to be formed on a substrate within a plane of the substrate can be improved. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor includes performing a cycle, a predetermined number of times, to form a film on a substrate, the cycle including non-simultaneously performing: (a) supplying a source gas to the substrate in a process chamber; (b) removing the source gas from the process chamber; (c) supplying a reactive gas having a chemical structure different from that of the source gas to the substrate in the process chamber; and (d) removing the reactive gas from the process chamber, wherein the (d) includes alternately repeating: (d-1) exhausting an inside of the process chamber to depressurize the inside of the process chamber; and (d-2) purging the inside of the process chamber using an inert gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2015
    Publication date: July 23, 2015
    Applicant: HITACHI KOKUSAI ELECTRIC INC.
    Inventors: Naonori AKAE, Tatsuya YOTSUTANI
  • Publication number: 20150194302
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus capable of forming an oxide film on a substrate by forming a layer on the substrate by supplying a source gas into a process vessel accommodating the substrate via the first nozzle, and simultaneously supplying an oxygen-containing gas through a second nozzle and a hydrogen-containing gas through a first nozzle into the process vessel having an inside pressure thereof lower than atmospheric pressure; mixing and reacting the oxygen-containing gas with the hydrogen-containing gas in a non-plasma atmosphere within the process vessel to generate atomic oxygen; and oxidizing the layer with the atomic oxygen to change the layer into an oxide layer is disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2015
    Publication date: July 9, 2015
    Applicant: HITACHI KOKUSAI ELECTRIC INC.
    Inventors: Naonori AKAE, Yoshiro HIROSE, Yushin TAKASAWA, Yosuke OTA
  • Patent number: 9039838
    Abstract: Provided is a substrate processing apparatus. The apparatus includes: a process vessel, a heater, a source gas supply system, an oxygen-containing gas supply system, a hydrogen-containing gas supply system, a pressure regulator, and a controller. The controller is configured to control the parts so as to perform: (a) forming an oxide film on a substrate by alternately repeating: (a-1) forming a layer by supplying a source gas into the process vessel accommodating the substrate; and (a-2) changing the layer into an oxide layer by supplying an oxygen-containing gas and an hydrogen-containing gas into the process vessel, the inside of the process vessel being under a heated atmosphere having a low pressure; and (b) modifying the oxide film formed on the substrate by supplying the oxygen-containing gas and the hydrogen-containing gas into the process vessel, the inside of the process vessel being under the heated atmosphere having the low pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: Hitachi Kokusai Electric Inc.
    Inventors: Ryota Sasajima, Yoshiro Hirose, Yosuke Ota, Naonori Akae, Kojiro Yokozawa
  • Patent number: 9011601
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus capable of forming an oxide film on a substrate by forming a layer on the substrate by supplying a source gas into a process vessel accommodating the substrate via the first nozzle, and simultaneously supplying an oxygen-containing gas through a second nozzle and a hydrogen-containing gas through a first nozzle into the process vessel having an inside pressure thereof lower than atmospheric pressure; mixing and reacting the oxygen-containing gas with the hydrogen-containing gas in a non-plasma atmosphere within the process vessel to generate atomic oxygen; and oxidizing the layer with the atomic oxygen to change the layer into an oxide layer is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Hitachi Kokusai Electric Inc.
    Inventors: Naonori Akae, Yoshiro Hirose, Yushin Takasawa, Yosuke Ota
  • Patent number: D725055
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Hitachi Kokusai Electric Inc.
    Inventors: Keishin Yamazaki, Masahiro Miyake, Kosuke Takagi, Yasuaki Komae, Shinya Morita, Naonori Akae, Masato Terasaki
  • Patent number: D739832
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: HITACHI KOKUSAI ELECTRIC INC.
    Inventors: Keishin Yamazaki, Masahiro Miyake, Shinya Morita, Kosuke Takagi, Yasuaki Komae, Naonori Akae, Masato Terasaki, Takatomo Yamaguchi, Takafumi Sasaki
  • Patent number: D771543
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: Hitachi Kokusai Electric Inc.
    Inventors: Shinya Morita, Masahiro Miyake, Masato Terasaki, Naoki Matsumoto, Naonori Akae
  • Patent number: D771772
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: Hitachi Kokusai Electric Inc.
    Inventors: Shinya Morita, Masahiro Miyake, Masato Terasaki, Naoki Matsumoto, Naonori Akae