Patents by Inventor Saburo Kanai
Saburo Kanai 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: 20010019472Abstract: A sample processing method includes electrostatically attracting and holding a sample on an electrostatic chuck which includes a pair of electrodes having different polarities and being concentrically disposed, and a dielectric film formed on top surfaces of the pair of electrodes, by applying a DC voltage between the pair of electrodes. The sample which is attracted and held on the chuck through the dielectric film is subjected to plasma processing while applying a bias voltage. The application of the bias voltage applied during plasma processing is stopped after termination of processing the sample, and an unbalance between electric charges stored on attracting portions of the dielectric film formed on the electrodes is eliminated by continuing generation of the plasma for a specific time after stopping the application of the bias voltage. The plasma is extinguished after an elapse of the specific time.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 13, 2001Publication date: September 6, 2001Inventors: Seiichiro Kanno, Tatehito Usui, Ken Yoshioka, Saburo Kanai, Youichi Itou
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Publication number: 20010009497Abstract: An electrostatic chuck for holding a substrate, including an electrode block which serves as an electrode for electrostatic attraction and a plurality of electrostatic attraction arranged on a surface of the electrode block. The electrostatic attraction members are disposed so as to attract the substrate electrostatically and to come in contact with the substrate. An insulating material covers the surface of the electrode block other than attraction surfaces of the electrostatic attraction members. Grooves made by the insulating material are provided between the individual electrostatic attraction members.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 1, 2001Publication date: July 26, 2001Inventors: Kazue Takahasi, Youichi Itou, Saburo Kanai, Seiichiro Kanno
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Patent number: 6245202Abstract: In a high-frequency inductive plasma etching apparatus, a space between an antenna to which a high-frequency power is fed and a processing chamber is insulated with an insulating material having a suitable thickness, while the antenna is protected from a plasma or a reactive gas for plasma processing and the surface of a side in contact with the plasma is covered by an insulating material such as alumina and quartz. The insulating material and the antenna are placed in a vacuum. Since the processing chamber which contains the insulating material and the antenna can take a pressure differential with atmospheric pressure, all that is required of the insulating material is its capacity to take the plasma atmosphere. Consequently, the insulating material can be made thin and the plasma is generated uniformly in high density.Type: GrantFiled: October 8, 1998Date of Patent: June 12, 2001Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Manabu Edamura, Ryoji Nishio, Ken Yoshioka, Saburo Kanai
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Patent number: 6243251Abstract: An electrostatic chuck includes a pair of electrodes having different polarities, and a dielectric film, formed on top surfaces of the pair of electrodes, on which a sample to be electrostatically attracted and held when a DC voltage is applied between the pair of electrodes, wherein the respective amounts of electric charges stored on attracting portions of the dielectric film corresponding to the pair of electrodes, directly before stopping supply of the DC voltage applied between the pair of electrodes, are substantially equal to each other. With this chuck, the electric charges stored on the attracting portions of the dielectric film after stopping supply of the DC voltage can be eliminated due to the balance between the electric charges having different polarities. The electrostatic chuck is subjected to a significantly reduced residual attracting force.Type: GrantFiled: August 25, 1999Date of Patent: June 5, 2001Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Seiichiro Kanno, Tatehito Usui, Ken Yoshioka, Saburo Kanai, Youichi Itou
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Patent number: 6235146Abstract: A stage with an electrostatic attracting means is adapted for use in a wafer treatment at a high temperature in a vacuum treatment system. In a vacuum treatment system having a stage provided in a treatment chamber, which electrostatically attracts an object to the stage in a low pressure atmosphere, and treats the object at high temperature by heating the stage, an electrode member of the stage is made of titanium or a titanium alloy and a dielectric film for electrostatic attraction is formed on the electrode member. In order to bond firmly titanium and alumina ceramics, it is desirable to sandwich a nickel alloy (Ni—Al) between the materials.Type: GrantFiled: May 18, 1999Date of Patent: May 22, 2001Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Masanori Kadotani, Saburo Kanai, Youichi Itou, Takashi Fujii, Hironobu Kawahara, Ryouji Hamasaki, Kazue Takahashi, Motohiko Yoshigai
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Patent number: 6180019Abstract: A plasma is generated by feeding an antenna with radio-frequency electric power generated by a radio-frequency power source, and one end of the antenna is grounded to the earth through a capacitor of variable capacitance. A Faraday shield is electrically isolated from the earth, and the capacitance of the variable capacitor is determined to be such a value that the voltage at the two ends of the antenna may be equal in absolute values and inverted to reduce the partial removal of the wall after the plasma ignition. At the time of igniting the plasma, the capacitance of the capacitor is adjusted to a larger or smaller value than that minimizing the damage of the wall.Type: GrantFiled: November 26, 1997Date of Patent: January 30, 2001Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Hideyuki Kazumi, Tsutomu Tetsuka, Ryoji Nishio, Masatsugu Arai, Ken Yoshioka, Tsunehiko Tsubone, Akira Doi, Manabu Edamura, Kenji Maeda, Saburo Kanai
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Patent number: 6171438Abstract: A plasma etching apparatus including a vacuum processing chamber, a plasma generation device, a processing gas supply for supplying processing gas to the processing chamber, an electrode for holding a sample to be processed in the vacuum processing chamber, and an evacuation system for reducing the pressure of the vacuum processing chamber. The processing gas includes at least one kind of gas having a composition for forming a polymerized film by plasma discharge, wherein the processing gas is made plasmatic by plasma discharge in the processing chamber. At least one surface of an inner wall surface of the processing chamber in contact with plasma in the processing chamber and a surface of an internal component part is controlled to a predetermined temperature which is lower than the temperature of the sample to be processed and a strong polymerized film is formed on the inner wall surface of the processing chamber.Type: GrantFiled: January 8, 1999Date of Patent: January 9, 2001Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Toshio Masuda, Kazue Takahashi, Mitsuru Suehiro, Tetsunori Kaji, Saburo Kanai
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Patent number: 6156663Abstract: Provided is a method of processing a sample by generating plasma by an electromagnetic wave, wherein a material containing carbon, such as silicon carbide (Sic), is disposed in a vacuum container serving as a discharge region. The inside of an etching chamber is cleaned by O.sub.2 cleaning treatment by using a sheet type dry etching apparatus, and after an inner wall temperature of the etching chamber is set and controlled, a sample is conveyed into the etching chamber, and a TiN cap layer, an Al--Cu alloy layer and a TiN barrier layer are plasma-etched in order by using BCl.sub.3 /Cl.sub.2 /CH.sub.4 /Ar gases with the pattern of a resist film as a mask.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 1996Date of Patent: December 5, 2000Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Katsuya Watanabe, Saburo Kanai, Ryoji Hamasaki, Tsuyoshi Yoshida, Yutaka Omoto, Masayuki Kojima, Syunji Sasabe, Tadamitsu Kanekiyo, Takazumi Ishizu
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Patent number: 5946184Abstract: An electrostatic chuck includes a pair of electrodes having different polarities; and a dielectric film, formed on top surfaces of the pair of electrodes, on which a sample is to be electrostatically attracted and held when a DC voltage is applied between the pair of electrodes; wherein the respective amounts of electric charges stored on attracting portions of the dielectric film corresponding to the pair of electrodes, directly before stopping supply of the DC voltage applied between the pair of electrodes, are substantially equal to each other. With this chuck, the electric charges stored on the attracting portions of the dielectric film after stopping supply of the DC voltage can be eliminated due to the balance between the electric charges having different polarities. The electrostatic chuck is subjected to a significantly reduced residual attracting force.Type: GrantFiled: September 11, 1997Date of Patent: August 31, 1999Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Seiichiro Kanno, Tatehito Usui, Ken Yoshioka, Saburo Kanai, Youichi Itou
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Patent number: 5914051Abstract: A microwave plasma processing method and apparatus of the type wherein a waveguide section includes electric discharge means isolated from a waveguide for the propagation of microwaves and having a plasma generation region therein, which method and apparatus are well suited for subjecting samples, such as semiconductor device substrates, to an etching process, a film forming process, etc. The microwaves are introduced into the electric discharge means in correspondence with only the traveling direction thereof, whereby uniformity in a plasma density distribution corresponding to the surface to-be-processed of the sample can be sharply enhanced, so that the sample processed by utilizing such plasma can attain an enhanced processing homogeneity within the surface to-be-processed.Type: GrantFiled: May 18, 1995Date of Patent: June 22, 1999Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Saburo Kanai, Yoshinao Kawasaki, Kazuaki Ichihashi, Seiichi Watanabe, Makoto Nawata
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Patent number: 5895586Abstract: There are provided a plasma processing apparatus and a plasma processing method which are suitable for processing a processed substance using a gas plasma containing fluorine atoms.Structural materials used for a high vacuum processing chamber of a plasma processing apparatus are aluminum, aluminum having an anodic oxide coating processed surface and a material having a film of aluminum oxide or a film having aluminum oxide as a main component. A part or the whole of the inner surfaces of the processing chamber is constructed with a pre-fluorinated material.When plasma processing of a processed substance is performed using a gas plasma containing fluorine atoms in the processing chamber having the pre-fluorinated inner surfaces, time-varying processing characteristic can be suppressed.Type: GrantFiled: November 12, 1996Date of Patent: April 20, 1999Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Tetsunori Kaji, Saburo Kanai, Satoshi Ito, Ryoji Hamasaki, Tetsuo Ono, Tatehito Usui, Kazue Takahashi, Kazutami Tago
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Patent number: 5874012Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus is provided. In the apparatus, an inside surface of a process chamber is prevented from having its quality varied or becoming a heavy metal contamination source by plasma in the chamber, and at the same time the plasma characteristic is stabilized over time. In a plasma processing apparatus including a plasma generating unit, a process chamber capable of having its inside pressure reduced, a gas supply system for supplying a gas to the process chamber, a sample table for holding a sample and a vacuum pumping system, the process chamber has an outer cylinder capable of withstanding depressurization and an inner cylinder arranged inside the outer cylinder and being spaced therefrom through a gap, and a heater and a temperature control are provided in the outer cylinder. A non-magnetic metallic material not containing heavy metals, or ceramic, carbon, silicon or quartz is used for the inner cylinder.Type: GrantFiled: March 8, 1996Date of Patent: February 23, 1999Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Saburo Kanai, Kazue Takahashi, Kouichi Okamura, Ryoji Hamasaki, Satoshi Ito
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Patent number: 5804033Abstract: The present invention relates to a microwave plasma processing method and apparatus. According to the present invention, the microwaves are introduced into the electric discharge means in correspondence with only the traveling direction thereof, whereby uniformity in a plasma density distribution corresponding to the surface to-be-processed of the sample can be sharply enhanced, so that the sample processed by utilizing such plasma can attain an enhanced processing homogeneity within the surface to be processed. In addition, homogeneity and stability of the plasma are improved by inserting a cavity resonator between the microwave generator and plasma processing (plasma generating) chamber, and coupling the cavity resonator and plasma processing chamber such that microwaves substantially only of a desired mode (e.g., TE.sub.11) pass into the plasma processing chamber. Such coupling to provide microwaves substantially only of circular TE.sub.Type: GrantFiled: March 10, 1993Date of Patent: September 8, 1998Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Saburo Kanai, Yoshinao Kawasaki, Kazuaki Ichihashi, Seiichi Watanabe, Makoto Nawata, Muneo Furuse, Tetsunori Kaji
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Patent number: 5785807Abstract: The present invention relates to a microwave plasma processing method and apparatus. More particularly, it relates to a microwave plasma processing method and apparatus of the type wherein a waveguide section includes electric discharge means isolated from a waveguide for the propagation of microwaves and having a plasma generation region therein, which method and apparatus are well suited for subjecting samples, such as semiconductor device substrates, to an etching process, a film forming process, etc. According to the present invention, the microwaves are introduced into the electric discharge means in correspondence with only the traveling direction thereof, whereby uniformity in a plasma density distribution corresponding to the surface to-be-processed of the sample can be sharply enhanced, so that the sample processed by utilizing such plasma can attain an enhanced processing homogeneity within the surface to-be-processed.Type: GrantFiled: September 26, 1991Date of Patent: July 28, 1998Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Saburo Kanai, Yoshinao Kawasaki, Kazuaki Ichihashi, Seiichi Watanabe, Makoto Nawata
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Patent number: 5781400Abstract: The present invention allows the electrostatically attracting electrode, whose size corresponds to large-diameter wafers, to be fabricated easily and with precision.The first electrode 1 is provided with a recess in which to install the second electrode 2. An insulating film 4 is formed in the recess and then the second electrode is securely fitted in the recess. The assembled electrode is machined to make the surfaces of the first and second electrodes flush with each other in the same plane. The flat surfaces are covered with the sprayed electrostatic attraction film 3, which is then polished until it has a predetermined thickness. This fabrication process allows the electrostatic attraction electrode suitable to large-diameter wafers.Type: GrantFiled: September 18, 1996Date of Patent: July 14, 1998Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Kazue Takahashi, Youichi Itou, Saburo Kanai, Seiichiro Kanno
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Patent number: 5536359Abstract: A semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus and its method, measures the amount or chemical composition of reaction products adhering to or deposited on the inside of a processing chamber of the semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus, without exposing the chamber to the air. External light, such as infrared light, is introduced from a light introducing unit into the processing chamber. A light receiving unit provided outside the processing chamber receives light reflected from a specified location inside the processing chamber or light reflected from an arbitrary location inside the chamber. The received light is then subjected to spectrometry or photometry to judge how badly the chamber is contaminated and to judge the state of the process being carried out.Type: GrantFiled: September 20, 1994Date of Patent: July 16, 1996Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Hiroki Kawada, Kazue Takahashi, Manabu Edamura, Saburo Kanai, Naoyuki Tamura
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Patent number: 5520771Abstract: The present invention relates to a microwave plasma processing method and apparatus. More particularly, it relates to a microwave plasma processing method and apparatus of the type wherein a waveguide section includes electric discharge means isolated from a waveguide for the propagation of microwaves and having a plasma generation region therein, which method and apparatus are well suited for subjecting samples, such as semiconductor device substrates, to an etching process, a film forming process, etc.According to the present invention, the microwaves are introduced into the electric discharge means in correspondence with only the traveling direction thereof, whereby uniformity in a plasma density distribution corresponding to the surface to-be-processed of the sample can be sharply enhanced, so that the sample processed by utilizing such plasma can attain an enhanced processing homogeneity within the surface to-be-processed.Type: GrantFiled: May 18, 1995Date of Patent: May 28, 1996Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Saburo Kanai, Yoshinao Kawasaki, Kazuaki Ichihashi, Seiichi Watanabe, Makoto Nawata
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Patent number: 5276386Abstract: In a microwave plasma generating method and apparatus according to the present invention, a slow wave structure is disposed in the propagation region of microwaves, and the microwaves are introduced at a delayed phase velocity into a discharge chamber so that treating gases are transformed into plasma. Thus, the phase velocity of the microwaves is adjusted to a relatively low velocity, at which charged particles are distributed most densely in the plasma, so that the energy may be efficiently transformed to many more charged particles in the plasma. Thus, the plasma of high density is generated to improve a plasma treating rate.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 1991Date of Patent: January 4, 1994Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Seiichi Watanabe, Makoto Nawata, Ryooji Fukuyama, Yutaka Kakehi, Saburo Kanai, Yoshinao Kawasaki
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Patent number: 4971651Abstract: This invention relates to a microwave plasma processing method and apparatus.An electromagnetic field intensity distribution of a microwave, which is incident into a plasma generation chamber and is again incident due to irregular reflection, is made uniform by uniforming means fixed inside a waveguide, a processing gas is converted to plasma by use of the microwave having the uniformed electromagnetic field intensity distribution, and a sample is plasma-processed by the resulting plasma. Accordingly, the electro-magnetic field of the microwave, which is incident, and is again incident, into the plasma generation region and locally increases a plasma density, is absorbed, attenuated or diffused by the uniforming means so that the distribution of the plasma density is made uniform and uniform processing can be effected.Type: GrantFiled: February 5, 1990Date of Patent: November 20, 1990Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Seiichi Watanabe, Makoto Nawata, Ryooji Fukuyama, Yutaka Kakehi, Saburo Kanai, Keiji Ueyama