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: 9376751
    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: February 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Shigehiro Miura, Hitoshi Kato, Jun Sato, Takeshi Kobayashi, Masato Yonezawa
  • Publication number: 20160138159
    Abstract: A film forming apparatus of forming a film by supplying a process gas onto a substrate includes a rotation table having a loading region and is configured to revolve the substrate loaded on the loading region; a process gas supply mechanism configured to supply the process gas to a gas supply region to perform film formation on the substrate repeatedly passing through the gas supply region a plurality of times by revolution of the substrate; a first gear disposed on the other surface side of the rotation table and rotated in a rotation direction of the rotation table; a second gear configured with planetary gears engaging with the first gear, disposed to be revolved together with the loading region, and configured to rotate the loading region so as to allow the substrate to be rotated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2015
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Inventors: Hitoshi KATO, Shigehiro MIURA, Hiroyuki KIKUCHI, Katsuyoshi AIKAWA
  • Publication number: 20160122872
    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: October 29, 2015
    Publication date: May 5, 2016
    Inventors: Hitoshi KATO, Shigehiro MIURA, Hiroyuki KIKUCHI, Katsuyoshi AIKAWA
  • Publication number: 20160071722
    Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a processing chamber. A turntable to receive a substrate thereon is provided in the processing chamber. A first plasma processing area is provided in a predetermined location in a circumferential direction of the turntable and configured to perform a first plasma process by generating first plasma from a first plasma gas. A second plasma processing area is provided apart from the first plasma processing area in the circumferential direction of the turntable and configured to perform a second plasma process by generating second plasma from a second plasma gas. A separation area is provided in each of two locations between the first plasma processing area and the second plasma processing area and configured to prevent the first plasma gas and the second plasma gas from mixing with each other by separating the first plasma processing area from the second plasma processing area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2015
    Publication date: March 10, 2016
    Inventors: Shigehiro MIURA, Jun SATO
  • Publication number: 20160064246
    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: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2015
    Publication date: March 3, 2016
    Inventors: Shigehiro MIURA, Hitoshi KATO, Jun SATO, Hiroyuki KIKUCHI
  • Patent number: 9209011
    Abstract: A method of operating a film deposition apparatus including a turntable provided in a vacuum chamber and configured to rotate a substrate mounted thereon, a first reaction gas supplying portion, a second reaction gas supplying portion, a separation area, a first vacuum evacuation port for mainly evacuating the first reaction gas, a second vacuum evacuation port for mainly evacuating the second reaction gas, and a cleaning gas supplying portion for supplying a cleaning gas to clean the turntable, the method includes a cleaning step of supplying the cleaning gas from the cleaning gas supplying portion into the vacuum chamber while terminating the evacuation from the first vacuum evacuation port and performing the evacuation from the second vacuum evacuation port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Hitoshi Kato, Shigehiro Miura
  • Publication number: 20150332895
    Abstract: A plasma processing method is provided. In the method, a distribution of an amount of processing within a surface of a substrate by a plasma process performed on a film deposited on the substrate is obtained. Next, a flow speed of the plasma processing gas is adjusted by increasing the flow speed of the plasma processing gas supplied to a first area where the amount of processing is expected to be increased or by decreasing the flow speed of the plasma processing gas supplied to a second area where the amount of processing is expected to be decreased. Then, the plasma process is performed on the film deposited on the substrate by supplying the plasma processing gas having the adjusted flow speed into the predetermined plasma process area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2015
    Publication date: November 19, 2015
    Inventors: Shigehiro MIURA, Hitoshi KATO, Jun SATO, Toshiyuki NAKATSUBO, Hiroyuki KIKUCHI
  • Publication number: 20150264782
    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: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2015
    Publication date: September 17, 2015
    Inventors: Shigehiro MIURA, Kei MIURA, Kiyoshi GOTOU, Takeo SUZUKI
  • Patent number: 9129518
    Abstract: The device control system includes: a device controller connected to a load device via a signal line; a wireless master connected to the signal line; and a wireless slave. The device controller outputs a first control signal indicative of an intended state of the load device when receiving a second control signal from the wireless slave via the wireless master or receiving via the signal line a third control signal sent in response to a state check signal. When receiving a state change notice sent in response to the first control signal, the device controller sends the state change notice to the wireless master. When receiving the state change notice, the wireless master sends the received state change notice to the wireless slave.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomoaki Sasaki, Shigehiro Miura, Taku Haraguchi
  • Publication number: 20150235813
    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: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2015
    Publication date: August 20, 2015
    Inventors: Shigehiro MIURA, Hitoshi KATO, Jun SATO, Takeshi KOBAYASHI, Masato YONEZAWA
  • Patent number: 9111747
    Abstract: A film deposition apparatus configured to perform a film deposition process on a substrate in a vacuum chamber includes a turntable configured to rotate a substrate loading area to receive the substrate, a film deposition area including at least one process gas supplying part configured to supply a process gas onto the substrate loading area and configured to form a thin film by depositing at least one of an atomic layer and a molecular layer along with a rotation of the turntable, a plasma treatment part provided away from the film deposition area in a rotational direction of the turntable and configured to treat the at least one of the atomic layer and the molecular layer for modification by plasma, and a bias electrode part provided under the turntable without contacting the turntable and configured to generate bias potential to attract ions in the plasma toward the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Jun Yamawaku, Chishio Koshimizu, Mitsuhiro Tachibana, Hitoshi Kato, Takeshi Kobayashi, Shigehiro Miura, Takafumi Kimura
  • Publication number: 20150225849
    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: February 4, 2015
    Publication date: August 13, 2015
    Inventors: Hitoshi KATO, Jun SATO, Masahiro MURATA, Kentaro OSHIMO, Tomoko SUGANO, Shigehiro MIURA
  • Publication number: 20150132505
    Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus is provided. According to the apparatus, a main antenna connected to a high frequency power source and an auxiliary antenna electrically insulated from main antenna is arranged. Moreover, projection areas when the main antenna and the auxiliary antenna are seen in a plan view are arranged so as not to overlap with each other. More specifically, the auxiliary antenna is arranged on a downstream side in a rotational direction of the turntable relative to the main antenna. Then, a first electromagnetic field is generated in the auxiliary antenna by way of an induction current flowing through the main antenna, and a second induction plasma is generated even in an area under the auxiliary antenna in addition to an area under the main antenna by resonating the auxiliary antenna.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2014
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Inventors: Hitoshi KATO, Shigehiro MIURA, Chishio KOSHIMIZU, Jun YAMAWAKU, Yohei YAMAZAWA
  • Publication number: 20150126044
    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: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2014
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Inventors: Hitoshi KATO, Hiroyuki KIKUCHI, Masato YONEZAWA, Jun SATO, Shigehiro MIURA
  • Publication number: 20150118415
    Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus for processing a substrate includes a turntable for orbitally revolving a substrate mounting area; a nozzle portion facing the substrate mounting area and having gas discharge ports for generating plasma; an antenna including a linear portion extending to cover a substrate passage area on a downstream side relative to the nozzle portion and a separated portion, wound around a vertical axis, and generating induction plasma in a process area to which the gas is supplied; a Faraday shield including a conductive plate provided between the antenna and the process area to cut off an electric field, and slits formed to orthogonally cross the antenna and cause a magnetic field to pass therethrough, wherein the slits are formed on aside lower than the linear portion and a portion of the conductive plate without the slits is positioned on a side lower than a curved portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2014
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Inventors: Hitoshi KATO, Shigehiro MIURA
  • Patent number: 8927440
    Abstract: A film deposition apparatus that laminates layers of reaction product by repeating cycles of sequentially supplying process gases that mutually reacts in a vacuum atmosphere includes a turntable receiving a substrate, process gas supplying portions supplying mutually different process gases to separated areas arranged in peripheral directions, and a separation gas supplying portion separating the process gases, wherein at least one process gas supplying portion extends between peripheral and central portions of the turntable and includes a gas nozzle discharging one process gas toward the turntable and a current plate provided on an upstream side to allow the separation gas to flow onto its upper surface, wherein a gap between the current plate and the turntable is gradually decreased from a central side of the turntable to a peripheral side of the turntable, and the gap is smaller on the peripheral side by 1 mm or greater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Hitoshi Kato, Shigehiro Miura
  • Publication number: 20150004332
    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: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2014
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Inventors: Hitoshi KATO, Masahiro MURATA, Kentaro OSHIMO, Shigehiro MIURA
  • Patent number: 8871654
    Abstract: A film deposition apparatus forming a thin film by after repeating cycles of sequentially supplying gases to a substrate on a turntable inside a vacuum chamber that includes a first supplying portion for causing the substrate to absorb a first gas containing silicon; a second supplying portion apart from the first supplying portion for supplying a second gas containing active species to produce a silicone dioxide; a separating area between the first and second supplying portions for preventing their mixture; a main heating mechanism for heating the substrate; and an auxiliary mechanism including a heat lamp above the turntable and having a wavelength range absorbable by the substrate to directly heat to be a processing temperature at which an ozone gas is thermally decomposed, wherein a maximum temperature is lower than the thermally decomposed temperature, at which, the first gas is absorbed and oxidized by the second gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Hitoshi Kato, Shigehiro Miura
  • Publication number: 20140220260
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus for performing a plasma process inside a vacuum chamber includes a turntable including substrate mounting portions for the substrates formed along a peripheral direction of the vacuum chamber to orbitally revolve these; a plasma generating gas supplying portion supplying a plasma generating gas into a plasma generating area; an energy supplying portion supplying energy to the plasma generating gas to change the plasma generating gas to plasma; a bias electrode provided on a lower side of the turntable to face the plasma generating area and leads ions in the plasma onto surfaces of the wafers; and an evacuation port evacuating the vacuum chamber, wherein the bias electrode extends from a rotational center of the turntable to an outer edge side, and a width of the bias electrode in a rotational direction is smaller than a distance between adjacent substrate mounting portions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2014
    Publication date: August 7, 2014
    Applicant: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Jun Yamawaku, Chishio Koshimizu, Mitsuhiro Tachibana, Hitoshi Kato, Takeshi Kobayashi, Shigehiro Miura, Takafumi Kimura
  • Publication number: 20140199856
    Abstract: A method of depositing a film including carrying substrates in plural substrate mounting portions formed on a turntable in a peripheral direction by intermittently rotating the turntable, arranging the plural substrate mounting portions in a carry-in and carry-out area, and sequentially mounting the substrates on the substrate mounting portions, depositing a thin film on a surface of each substrate to laminate a reaction product of reaction gases, which mutually react, by repeating a cycle of rotating the turntable to revolve the substrates and alternately supplying the reaction gases onto surfaces of the substrates, reformulating the thin film by heating each substrate sequentially arranged in a heating area adjacent to the carry-in and carry-out area while intermittently rotating the turntable, and carrying each substrate out after sequentially arranging each substrate, the thin film on which is reformulated, in the carry-in and carry-out area by intermittently rotating the turntable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2014
    Publication date: July 17, 2014
    Applicant: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Hitoshi KATO, Toshiyuki Nakatsubo, Shigehiro Miura