Patents by Inventor Shigehiro Miura

Shigehiro Miura 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: 10151031
    Abstract: A method for processing a substrate is provided. According to the method, a process gas is supplied to a surface of a substrate, and then a separation gas is supplied to the surface of the substrate. Moreover, a first plasma processing gas is supplied to the surface of the substrate in a first state in which a distance between the first plasma generation unit and the turntable is set at a first distance, and a second plasma processing gas is supplied to the surface of the substrate in a second state in which a distance between the second plasma generation unit and the turntable is set at a second distance shorter than the first distance. Furthermore, the separation gas is supplied to the surface of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Hitoshi Kato, Jun Sato, Masahiro Murata, Kentaro Oshimo, Tomoko Sugano, Shigehiro Miura
  • Patent number: 10151034
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a rotary table arranged in a vacuum chamber, a first reaction gas supply unit that supplies a first reaction gas to a surface of the rotary table, a second reaction gas supply unit that is arranged apart from the first reaction gas supply unit and supplies a second reaction gas, which reacts with the first reaction gas, to the surface of the rotary table, and an activated gas supply unit that is arranged apart from the first and second reaction gas supply units. The activated gas supply unit includes a discharge unit that supplies an activated fluorine-containing gas to the surface of the rotary table, a pipe that is arranged upstream of the discharge unit and supplies the fluorine-containing gas to the discharge unit, and at least one hydrogen-containing gas supply unit arranged at the pipe for supplying a hydrogen-containing gas into the pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Shigehiro Miura
  • Publication number: 20180327906
    Abstract: A film forming apparatus includes a rotary table having a loading area at a first surface side thereof and revolving a substrate loaded on the loading area, a rotation mechanism rotating the loading area such that the substrate rotates around its axis, a processing gas supply mechanism supplying a processing gas to a processing gas supply area so that a thin film is formed on the substrate which repeatedly passes through the processing gas supply area the revolution of the substrate, and a control part configured to perform a calculation of a rotation speed of the substrate based on a parameter including a rotation speed of the rotary table to allow an orientation of the substrate to be changed whenever the substrate is positioned in the processing gas supply area, and to output a control signal for rotating the substrate at a calculated rotation speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2018
    Publication date: November 15, 2018
    Inventors: Hitoshi KATO, Shigehiro MIURA, Hiroyuki KIKUCHI, Katsuyoshi AIKAWA
  • Patent number: 10103009
    Abstract: An operation method of a plasma processing device, includes performing a plasma process on a workpiece by supplying first high frequency power of a predetermined output to an electrode and generating plasma; and performing a charge storage process before the plasma process when a time interval from an end of a previous operation of the plasma processing device exceeds a predetermined interval, the charge storage process including supplying, to the electrode, second high frequency power of a lower output than the predetermined output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Shigehiro Miura, Hitoshi Kato, Jun Sato, Takeshi Kobayashi, Masato Yonezawa
  • Patent number: 10072336
    Abstract: A film forming apparatus includes a rotary table having a loading area at a first surface side thereof and revolving a substrate loaded on the loading area, a rotation mechanism rotating the loading area such that the substrate rotates around its axis, a processing gas supply mechanism supplying a processing gas to a processing gas supply area so that a thin film is formed on the substrate which repeatedly passes through the processing gas supply area the revolution of the substrate, and a control part configured to perform a calculation of a rotation speed of the substrate based on a parameter including a rotation speed of the rotary table to allow an orientation of the substrate to be changed whenever the substrate is positioned in the processing gas supply area, and to output a control signal for rotating the substrate at a calculated rotation speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Hitoshi Kato, Shigehiro Miura, Hiroyuki Kikuchi, Katsuyoshi Aikawa
  • Patent number: 10043639
    Abstract: A substrate processing method includes an etching step of mounting a substrate on a surface of a rotatory table arranged in a vacuum chamber and supplying an etching gas into the vacuum chamber while rotating the rotary table to etch a film formed on a surface of the substrate. The etching step includes supplying the etching gas to the surface of the rotary table and supplying a purge gas from a plurality of purge gas supply units that are provided near a region where the etching gas is supplied, and controlling an etching amount of etching the film by independently varying a flow rate of the purge gas that is supplied from each of the plurality of purge gas supply units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Shigehiro Miura
  • Publication number: 20180135178
    Abstract: A film deposition apparatus includes a process chamber and a turntable provided in the process chamber. The turntable includes a substrate receiving region to receive a substrate thereon and provided along a circumferential direction of the turntable. A source gas supply unit extending along a radial direction of the turntable is provided above the turntable with a first distance from the turntable such that the source gas supply unit covers an entire length of the substrate receiving region in the radial direction. An axial-side supplementary gas supply unit is provided in the vicinity of the source gas supply unit and above the turntable with a second distance from the turntable. The second distance is longer than the first distance. The axial-side supplementary gas supply unit covers a predetermined region of the substrate receiving region on the axial side in the radial direction of the turntable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2017
    Publication date: May 17, 2018
    Inventors: Shigehiro MIURA, Jun SATO
  • Publication number: 20180047545
    Abstract: A substrate processing method includes an etching step of mounting a substrate on a surface of a rotatory table arranged in a vacuum chamber and supplying an etching gas into the vacuum chamber while rotating the rotary table to etch a film formed on a surface of the substrate. The etching step includes supplying the etching gas to the surface of the rotary table and supplying a purge gas from a plurality of purge gas supply units that are provided near a region where the etching gas is supplied, and controlling an etching amount of etching the film by independently varying a flow rate of the purge gas that is supplied from each of the plurality of purge gas supply units.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2017
    Publication date: February 15, 2018
    Inventor: Shigehiro MIURA
  • Patent number: 9865499
    Abstract: A method for depositing a silicon-containing film is performed by causing a silicon-containing gas to adsorb on a first surface of a depression formed in a second surface of a substrate by supplying the silicon-containing gas to the substrate. A silicon component contained in the silicon-containing gas adsorbed on the first surface of the depression is partially etched by supplying an etching gas to the substrate. A silicon-containing film is deposited in the depression by supplying a reaction gas reactable with the silicon component to the substrate so as to produce a reaction product by causing the reaction gas to react with the silicon component left in the depression without being etched.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Jun Sato, Hiroyuki Kikuchi, Masahiro Murata, Shigehiro Miura
  • Patent number: 9865454
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a vacuum chamber including a top plate, a rotary table rotatably disposed in the vacuum chamber, a first process gas supply part that supplies a first process gas to be adsorbed on a surface of a substrate placed on the rotary table, a plasma processing gas supply part that is disposed apart from the first process gas supply part in a circumferential direction of the rotary table and supplies a second process gas to the surface of the substrate, a separation gas supply part that supplies a separation gas for separating the first process gas and the second process gas, a plasma generator that converts the second process gas into plasma, and an elevating mechanism that moves at least one of the plasma generator and the rotary table upward and downward.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Hitoshi Kato, Hiroyuki Kikuchi, Masato Yonezawa, Jun Sato, Shigehiro Miura
  • Publication number: 20170335453
    Abstract: A film deposition apparatus includes a process chamber, a rotary table, a first reaction gas supply part disposed in a first process region and configured to supply a first reaction gas, a second reaction gas supply part disposed in a second process region apart from the first reaction gas supply part in a circumferential direction of the rotary table and configured to supply a second reaction gas, and separation gas supply parts disposed in a separation region between the first reaction gas supply part and the second reaction gas supply part and configured to supply a separation gas for separating the first reaction gas and the second reaction gas. The separation gas supply parts are configured to supply, in addition to the separation gas, an additive gas for controlling adsorption of the first reaction gas or for etching a part of material components included in the first reaction gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2017
    Publication date: November 23, 2017
    Inventor: Shigehiro MIURA
  • Publication number: 20170338099
    Abstract: A method performed by a film deposition apparatus includes supplying a first reaction gas, which is adsorbable to hydroxyl groups, to a surface of a substrate and causing the first reaction gas to be adsorbed onto the surface of the substrate; supplying a second reaction gas to the substrate and causing the second reaction gas to react with the first reaction gas adsorbed onto the surface of the substrate to form a reaction product on the substrate; supplying an activated third reaction gas to the substrate to modify a surface of the reaction product; and supplying a fourth reaction gas including a hydrogen-containing gas to at least a partial area of the modified surface of the reaction product to form hydroxyl groups on at least the partial area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2017
    Publication date: November 23, 2017
    Inventor: Shigehiro MIURA
  • Patent number: 9777369
    Abstract: A method of depositing a thin film on a substrate inside a vacuum chamber includes a first process that deposits a first film on the substrate, the first process including a process of supplying an active species that is obtained by changing a gas to plasma and is related to a quality of the thin film to the substrate; and a second process that deposits a second film that is the same type as that of the first film on the first film, the second process including a process of supplying the active species to the substrate so that a supply quantity of the active species per a unit film thickness is greater than a first supply quantity of the active species per the unit film thickness in the first process by adjusting a controlled parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Hitoshi Kato, Masahiro Murata, Kentaro Oshimo, Shigehiro Miura
  • Publication number: 20170268104
    Abstract: A method for processing a substrate is provided. According to the method, a process gas is supplied to a surface of a substrate, and then a separation gas is supplied to the surface of the substrate. Moreover, a first plasma processing gas is supplied to the surface of the substrate in a first state in which a distance between the first plasma generation unit and the turntable is set at a first distance, and a second plasma processing gas is supplied to the surface of the substrate in a second state in which a distance between the second plasma generation unit and the turntable is set at a second distance shorter than the first distance. Furthermore, the separation gas is supplied to the surface of the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2017
    Publication date: September 21, 2017
    Inventors: Hitoshi KATO, Jun SATO, Masahiro MURATA, Kentaro OSHIMO, Tomoko SUGANO, Shigehiro MIURA
  • Publication number: 20170253964
    Abstract: A film deposition method includes steps of: adsorbing a silicon-containing gas on a surface of a substrate, by supplying the silicon-containing gas to the surface of the substrate; depositing a silicon nitride film, by supplying a nitriding gas to the surface of the substrate, while being activated by a first plasma, and nitriding the silicon-containing gas adsorbed on the surface of the substrate; and modifying the silicon nitride film deposited on the surface of the substrate, by supplying a treatment gas containing NH3 and N2 at a given ratio to the surface of the substrate, while being activated by a second plasma.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2017
    Publication date: September 7, 2017
    Inventors: Hitoshi KATO, Masahiro MURATA, Jun SATO, Shigehiro MIURA
  • Publication number: 20170218510
    Abstract: A film deposition method for filling a recessed pattern with a SiN film is provided. NH2 groups are caused to adsorb on a surface of a substrate containing a recessed pattern formed in a top surface of the substrate by supplying a first process gas containing NH3 converted to first plasma to the surface of the substrate containing the recessed pattern. The NH2 groups is partially converted to N groups by supplying a second process gas containing N2 converted to second plasma to the surface of the substrate containing the recessed pattern on which the NH2 groups is adsorbed. A silicon-containing gas is caused to adsorb on the NH2 groups by supplying the silicon-containing gas to the surface of the substrate containing the recessed pattern on which the NH2 groups and the N groups are adsorbed. The above steps are cyclically repeated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2017
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Inventors: Hitoshi KATO, Masahiro MURATA, Jun SATO, Shigehiro MIURA
  • Publication number: 20170218516
    Abstract: A film deposition method for forming a film of a reaction product includes adsorbing a first process gas to a surface of a substrate; reacting the first process gas and a second process gas to generate a reaction product; and modifying a surface of the reaction product by plasma activating a plasma processing gas and supplying the plasma processing gas to the substrate, wherein in the modifying the surface of the reaction product, a first plasma processing gas is supplied to form a flow of the first plasma processing gas in a direction parallel to the surface of the substrate over an entire surface of the substrate, and also a second plasma processing gas containing hydrogen containing gas is supplied at an upstream side of the flow of the first plasma processing gas in the direction parallel to the surface of the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2017
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Inventor: Shigehiro MIURA
  • Patent number: 9714467
    Abstract: A method for processing a substrate is provided. According to the method, a process gas is supplied to a surface of a substrate, and then a separation gas is supplied to the surface of the substrate. Moreover, a first plasma processing gas is supplied to the surface of the substrate in a first state in which a distance between the first plasma generation unit and the turntable is set at a first distance, and a second plasma processing gas is supplied to the surface of the substrate in a second state in which a distance between the second plasma generation unit and the turntable is set at a second distance shorter than the first distance. Furthermore, the separation gas is supplied to the surface of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Hitoshi Kato, Jun Sato, Masahiro Murata, Kentaro Oshimo, Tomoko Sugano, Shigehiro Miura
  • Patent number: 9711370
    Abstract: A method of processing a substrate is provided. A substrate is placed on a turntable provided in a process chamber. The process chamber includes a process area for supplying an etching gas and a purge area for supplying a purge gas. The process area and the purge area are arranged along a rotational direction of the turntable and divided from each other. The etching gas is supplied into the process area. The purge gas is supplied into the purge area. The turntable rotates to cause the substrate placed on the turntable to pass through the process area and the purge area once per revolution, respectively. A film deposited on a surface of the substrate is etched when the substrate passes the process are. An etching rate of the etching or a surface roughness of the film is controlled by changing a rotational speed of the turntable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Shigehiro Miura, Hitoshi Kato, Jun Sato, Hiroyuki Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 9693434
    Abstract: A dimming device includes: a communication unit to receive a control signal for controlling a lighting state of an illumination load; a dimming circuit to dim the illumination load; a dimming circuit driving unit to control the dimming circuit to change a dimming level of the illumination load in response to the control signal; a relay connected between the illumination load and the dimming circuit; a relay driving unit to control on/off of the relay according to the control signal; a measurement unit configured to measure a load state of the illumination load and a control unit to cause the notification unit to notify the overload state, when it is determined by the measurement unit that the illumination load is in the overload state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigehiro Miura, Kei Miura, Kiyoshi Gotou, Takeo Suzuki