Patents by Inventor Ryoji ASAKURA

Ryoji ASAKURA 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: 11538671
    Abstract: In time-series data indicating light emission of plasma when plasma processing is carried out on a sample by generating the plasma, an analysis apparatus creates combinations of a plurality of light emission wavelengths of elements and a plurality of time intervals within a plasma processing interval and calculates, for each of the combinations of the wavelengths and the time intervals, a correlation between an average value of light emission intensity and the number of times the plasma processing is carried out on the samples for each of the combinations of the wavelengths and the time intervals that have been created. Thereafter, the data analysis apparatus selects, as a combination of the wavelength and the time interval used to observe or control the plasma processing, a combination of a wavelength of light emitting from a specific element and a specific time interval having a maximum correlation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryoji Asakura, Kenji Tamaki, Akira Kagoshima, Daisuke Shiraishi, Masahiro Sumiya
  • Publication number: 20220367298
    Abstract: A plasma processing method to detect and process a thickness of the processing target film with high accuracy when a fine shape of the semiconductor wafer surface varies, including detecting a state of a processing target film of a processing target material that is processed inside a vacuum processing chamber; detecing light emission of the plasma; obtaining a differential waveform data of the light emission of the plasma; storing a plurality of pieces of differential waveform pattern data in advance; calculating an estimated value of the film thickness of the processing target film processed on the processing target material by weighting based on differences between the differential waveform data obtained and the plurality of pieces of differential waveform pattern data stored; and determining an end point of processing using the plasma based on the estimated value of the film thickness of the processing target film calculated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2022
    Publication date: November 17, 2022
    Inventors: Kousuke Fukuchi, Ryoji Asakura, Soichiro Eto, Tsubasa Okamoto, Tatehito Usui, Shigeru Nakamoto
  • Publication number: 20220328286
    Abstract: There is provided a method of analyzing data obtained from an etching apparatus for micromachining a wafer using plasma. This method includes the following steps: acquiring the plasma light-emission data indicating light-emission intensities at a plurality of different wavelengths and times, the plasma light-emission data being measured under a plurality of different etching processing conditions, and being obtained at the time of the etching processing, evaluating the relationship between changes in the etching processing conditions and changes in the light-emission intensities at the plurality of different wavelengths and times with respect to the wavelengths and times of the plasma light-emission data, and identifying the wavelength and the time of the plasma light-emission data based on the evaluation result, the wavelength and the time being to be used for the adjustment of the etching processing condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2022
    Publication date: October 13, 2022
    Applicant: HITACHI HIGH-TECH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryoji Asakura, Kenji Tamaki, Akira Kagoshima, Daisuke Shiraishi
  • Patent number: 11437289
    Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus including a processing state detection unit having: a light emission detection unit to detect light emission of the plasma; a calculation unit to obtain a differential waveform data of the light emission of the plasma; a database unit that stores a plurality of pieces of differential waveform pattern data in advance; a film thickness calculation unit to calculate an estimated value of the film thickness of the processing target film processed on the processing target material by weighting based on differences between the differential waveform data obtained by the calculation unit and the plurality of pieces of differential waveform pattern data stored in the database unit; and an end point determination unit to determine an end point of processing using the plasma based on the estimated value of the film thickness of the processing target film calculated by the film thickness calculation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kousuke Fukuchi, Ryoji Asakura, Soichiro Eto, Tsubasa Okamoto, Tatehito Usui, Shigeru Nakamoto
  • Patent number: 11410836
    Abstract: There is provided a method of analyzing data obtained from an etching apparatus for micromachining a wafer using plasma. This method includes the following steps: acquiring the plasma light-emission data indicating light-emission intensities at a plurality of different wavelengths and times, the plasma light-emission data being measured under a plurality of different etching processing conditions, and being obtained at the time of the etching processing, evaluating the relationship between changes in the etching processing conditions and changes in the light-emission intensities at the plurality of different wavelengths and times with respect to the wavelengths and times of the plasma light-emission data, and identifying the wavelength and the time of the plasma light-emission data based on the evaluation result, the wavelength and the time being to be used for the adjustment of the etching processing condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryoji Asakura, Kenji Tamaki, Akira Kagoshima, Daisuke Shiraishi
  • Patent number: 11404253
    Abstract: According to the present invention, a plasma processing apparatus includes an analysis unit that obtains wavelengths of the light correlated with a plasma processing result, selects, from the obtained wavelengths, a wavelength having a first factor that represents a deviation in an intensity distribution of the light and is larger than a first predetermined value, and predicts the plasma processing result using the selected wavelength, or an analysis unit that obtains values computed using each of light intensities of a plurality of wavelengths and correlated with the plasma processing result, selects, from the obtained values, a value having a second factor that represents a deviation in a distribution of the obtained values and is larger than a second predetermined value, and predicts the plasma processing result using the selected value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryoji Asakura, Daisuke Shiraishi, Akira Kagoshima, Satomi Inoue
  • Publication number: 20220102122
    Abstract: Provided is a processing state detection unit includes: a light emission detection unit configured to detect light emission of the plasma; a calculation unit configured to obtain a differential waveform data of the light emission of the plasma; a database unit that stores a plurality of pieces of differential waveform pattern data in advance; a film thickness calculation unit configured to calculate an estimated value of the film thickness of the processing target film processed on the processing target material by weighting based on differences between the differential waveform data obtained by the calculation unit and the plurality of pieces of differential waveform pattern data stored in the database unit; and an end point determination unit configured to determine an end point of processing using the plasma based on the estimated value of the film thickness of the processing target film calculated by the film thickness calculation unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2021
    Publication date: March 31, 2022
    Inventors: Tsubasa Okamoto, Ryoji Asakura, Soichiro Eto
  • Publication number: 20220102226
    Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus including a processing state detection unit having: a light emission detection unit to detect light emission of the plasma; a calculation unit to obtain a differential waveform data of the light emission of the plasma; a database unit that stores a plurality of pieces of differential waveform pattern data in advance; a film thickness calculation unit to calculate an estimated value of the film thickness of the processing target film processed on the processing target material by weighting based on differences between the differential waveform data obtained by the calculation unit and the plurality of pieces of differential waveform pattern data stored in the database unit; and an end point determination unit to determine an end point of processing using the plasma based on the estimated value of the film thickness of the processing target film calculated by the film thickness calculation unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2020
    Publication date: March 31, 2022
    Inventors: Kousuke Fukuchi, Ryoji Asakura, Soichiro Eto, Tsubasa Okamoto, Tatehito Usui, Shigeru Nakamoto
  • Publication number: 20210407776
    Abstract: A vacuum processing apparatus includes a processing unit comprising a processing chamber disposed in a vacuum container, a detector detecting a thickness of the target film on a wafer or an end point during the processing of the wafer using a light from the wafer, the detector being functioned to detect the thickness or the end point by comparing a data pattern of obtained in advance indicating light intensities of a plurality of wavelengths related to the film thickness using the wavelength as a parameter and a real data pattern indicating the light intensities of the plurality of wavelengths obtained at a particular time during the processing, and the data pattern being obtained by dividing differential coefficient value of time-series data of the light intensities of the plurality of wavelengths by time-series data indicating values of the light intensities of the plurality of wavelengths.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2020
    Publication date: December 30, 2021
    Inventors: Yusuke Yoshida, Shigeru Nakamoto, Kosuke Fukuchi, Ryoji Asakura
  • Publication number: 20210074528
    Abstract: The plasma processing apparatus includes a plasma processing unit that performs plasma processing of a sample and a control unit that controls the plasma processing. The control unit selects one of a plurality of the prediction models for predicting a result of the plasma processing based on a state of the plasma processing unit, and predicts the result of the plasma processing by using a selected prediction model.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2020
    Publication date: March 11, 2021
    Inventors: Ryoji Asakura, Shota Umeda, Daisuke Shiraishi, Akira Kagoshima, Satomi Inoue
  • Patent number: 10872750
    Abstract: The plasma processing apparatus includes a plasma processing unit that performs plasma processing of a sample and a control unit that controls the plasma processing. The control unit selects one of a plurality of the prediction models for predicting a result of the plasma processing based on a state of the plasma processing unit, and predicts the result of the plasma processing by using a selected prediction model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryoji Asakura, Shota Umeda, Daisuke Shiraishi, Akira Kagoshima, Satomi Inoue
  • Publication number: 20200328067
    Abstract: According to the present invention, a plasma processing apparatus includes an analysis unit that obtains wavelengths of the light correlated with a plasma processing result, selects, from the obtained wavelengths, a wavelength having a first factor that represents a deviation in an intensity distribution of the light and is larger than a first predetermined value, and predicts the plasma processing result using the selected wavelength, or an analysis unit that obtains values computed using each of light intensities of a plurality of wavelengths and correlated with the plasma processing result, selects, from the obtained values, a value having a second factor that represents a deviation in a distribution of the obtained values and is larger than a second predetermined value, and predicts the plasma processing result using the selected value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2020
    Publication date: October 15, 2020
    Inventors: Ryoji ASAKURA, Daisuke SHIRAISHI, Akira KAGOSHIMA, Satomi INOUE
  • Patent number: 10734207
    Abstract: According to the present invention, a plasma processing apparatus includes an analysis unit that obtains wavelengths of the light correlated with a plasma processing result, selects, from the obtained wavelengths, a wavelength having a first factor that represents a deviation in an intensity distribution of the light and is larger than a first predetermined value, and predicts the plasma processing result using the selected wavelength, or an analysis unit that obtains values computed using each of light intensities of a plurality of wavelengths and correlated with the plasma processing result, selects, from the obtained values, a value having a second factor that represents a deviation in a distribution of the obtained values and is larger than a second predetermined value, and predicts the plasma processing result using the selected value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryoji Asakura, Daisuke Shiraishi, Akira Kagoshima, Satomi Inoue
  • Publication number: 20200066500
    Abstract: In time-series data indicating light emission of plasma when plasma processing is carried out on a sample by generating the plasma, an analysis apparatus creates combinations of a plurality of light emission wavelengths of elements and a plurality of time intervals within a plasma processing interval and calculates, for each of the combinations of the wavelengths and the time intervals, a correlation between an average value of light emission intensity and the number of times the plasma processing is carried out on the samples for each of the combinations of the wavelengths and the time intervals that have been created. Thereafter, the data analysis apparatus selects, as a combination of the wavelength and the time interval used to observe or control the plasma processing, a combination of a wavelength of light emitting from a specific element and a specific time interval having a maximum correlation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2019
    Publication date: February 27, 2020
    Inventors: Ryoji ASAKURA, Kenji TAMAKI, Akira KAGOSHIMA, Daisuke SHIRAISHI, Masahiro SUMIYA
  • Patent number: 10510519
    Abstract: In time-series data indicating light emission of plasma when plasma processing is carried out on a sample by generating the plasma, an analysis apparatus creates combinations of a plurality of light emission wavelengths of elements and a plurality of time intervals within a plasma processing interval and calculates, for each of the combinations of the wavelengths and the time intervals, a correlation between an average value of light emission intensity and the number of times the plasma processing is carried out on the samples for each of the combinations of the wavelengths and the time intervals that have been created. Thereafter, the data analysis apparatus selects, as a combination of the wavelength and the time interval used to observe or control the plasma processing, a combination of a wavelength of light emitting from a specific element and a specific time interval having a maximum correlation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Ryoji Asakura, Kenji Tamaki, Akira Kagoshima, Daisuke Shiraishi, Masahiro Sumiya
  • Patent number: 10408762
    Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus, plasma processing method, and plasma processing analysis method in which a suitable combination of wavelength, time interval, and etching condition parameter for control to change etching conditions is determined among wavelengths, time intervals, and changeable parameters for spectroscopic measurement data in order to ensure stable etching conditions. Specifically, a regression equation which represents the correlation between emission intensity and etching result at a wavelength and a time interval is obtained for each of two or more combinations of wavelength, time interval, and etching condition parameter. Furthermore, for each of the combinations, the amount of change is calculated from the regression equation when the value set for the etching condition parameter is changed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Ryoji Asakura, Kenji Tamaki, Daisuke Shiraishi, Akira Kagoshima, Satomi Inoue
  • Publication number: 20190189397
    Abstract: There is provided a method of analyzing data obtained from an etching apparatus for micromachining a wafer using plasma. This method includes the following steps: acquiring the plasma light-emission data indicating light-emission intensities at a plurality of different wavelengths and times, the plasma light-emission data being measured under a plurality of different etching processing conditions, and being obtained at the time of the etching processing, evaluating the relationship between changes in the etching processing conditions and changes in the light-emission intensities at the plurality of different wavelengths and times with respect to the wavelengths and times of the plasma light-emission data, and identifying the wavelength and the time of the plasma light-emission data based on the evaluation result, the wavelength and the time being to be used for the adjustment of the etching processing condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2019
    Publication date: June 20, 2019
    Applicant: HITACHI HIGH-TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryoji Asakura, Kenji Tamaki, Akira Kagoshima, Daisuke Shiraishi
  • Publication number: 20190170653
    Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus, plasma processing method, and plasma processing analysis method in which a suitable combination of wavelength, time interval, and etching condition parameter for control to change etching conditions is determined among wavelengths, time intervals, and changeable parameters for spectroscopic measurement data in order to ensure stable etching conditions. Specifically, a regression equation which represents the correlation between emission intensity and etching result at a wavelength and a time interval is obtained for each of two or more combinations of wavelength, time interval, and etching condition parameter. Furthermore, for each of the combinations, the amount of change is calculated from the regression equation when the value set for the etching condition parameter is changed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2019
    Publication date: June 6, 2019
    Inventors: Ryoji ASAKURA, Kenji TAMAKI, Daisuke SHIRAISHI, Akira KAGOSHIMA, Satomi INOUE
  • Patent number: 10262842
    Abstract: There is provided a method of analyzing data obtained from an etching apparatus for micromachining a wafer using plasma. This method includes the following steps: acquiring the plasma light-emission data indicating light-emission intensities at a plurality of different wavelengths and times, the plasma light-emission data being measured under a plurality of different etching processing conditions, and being obtained at the time of the etching processing, evaluating the relationship between changes in the etching processing conditions and changes in the light-emission intensities at the plurality of different wavelengths and times with respect to the wavelengths and times of the plasma light-emission data, and identifying the wavelength and the time of the plasma light-emission data based on the evaluation result, the wavelength and the time being to be used for the adjustment of the etching processing condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryoji Asakura, Kenji Tamaki, Akira Kagoshima, Daisuke Shiraishi
  • Publication number: 20190051502
    Abstract: The plasma processing apparatus includes a plasma processing unit that performs plasma processing of a sample and a control unit that controls the plasma processing. The control unit selects one of a plurality of the prediction models for predicting a result of the plasma processing based on a state of the plasma processing unit, and predicts the result of the plasma processing by using a selected prediction model.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2018
    Publication date: February 14, 2019
    Inventors: Ryoji ASAKURA, Shota UMEDA, Daisuke SHIRAISHI, Akira KAGOSHIMA, Satomi INOUE