Patents by Inventor Shinji Himori

Shinji Himori 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: 9564287
    Abstract: A substrate processing method uses a substrate processing apparatus including a chamber for accommodating a substrate, a lower electrode to mount the substrate, a first RF power applying unit for applying an RF power for plasma generation into the chamber, and a second RF power applying unit for applying an RF power for bias to the lower electrode. The RF power for plasma generation is controlled to be intermittently changed by changing an output of the first RF power applying unit at a predetermined timing. If no plasma state or an afterglow state exists in the chamber by a control of the first RF power applying unit, an output of the second RF power applying unit is controlled to be in an OFF state or decreased below an output of the second RF power applying unit when the output of the first RF power applying unit is a set output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Takeshi Ohse, Shinji Himori, Jun Abe, Norikazu Yamada
  • Patent number: 9412562
    Abstract: A capacitive coupling plasma processing apparatus includes a process chamber configured to have a vacuum atmosphere, and a process gas supply section configured to supply a process gas into the chamber. In the chamber, a first electrode and a second electrode are disposed opposite each other. The second electrode includes a plurality of conductive segments separated from each other and facing the first electrode. An RF power supply is configured to apply an RF power to the first electrode to form an RF electric field within a plasma generation region between the first and second electrodes, so as to turn the process gas into plasma by the RF electric field. A DC power supply is configured to apply a DC voltage to at least one of the segments of the second electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Shinji Himori, Tatsuo Matsudo
  • Patent number: 9390943
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus generates an electric field in a processing space between a lower electrode to which a high frequency power is supplied and an upper electrode facing the lower electrode and performs plasma processing on a substrate mounted on the lower electrode by using a plasma generated by the electric field. Distribution of a plasma density in the processing space is controlled by a magnetic field generated by controlling a plurality of electromagnets provided at a top surface of the upper electrode which is provided to be opposite to the processing space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Kazuya Nagaseki, Etsuji Ito, Akihiro Yokota, Shinji Himori, Shoichiro Matsuyama
  • Patent number: 9275836
    Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes: a processing chamber that accommodates a substrate therein; a lower electrode positioned within the processing chamber and serving as a mounting table; an upper electrode positioned to face the lower electrode within the processing chamber; a first high frequency power supply that applies high frequency power for plasma generation of a first frequency to the lower electrode or the upper electrode; a second high frequency power supply that applies high frequency power for ion attraction of a second frequency lower than the first frequency to the lower electrode; at least one bias distribution control electrode positioned at least in a peripheral portion above the lower electrode; and at least one bias distribution control power supply that applies an AC voltage or a square wave voltage of a third frequency lower than the second frequency to the at least one bias distribution control electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventor: Shinji Himori
  • Patent number: 9245776
    Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a processing chamber in which a target substrate is processed; an application electrode and a facing electrode provided to face each other in the processing chamber, a plasma generation space being formed between the application electrode and the facing electrode; and an RF power supply connected to the application electrode, an RF power being supplied from the RF power supply to the application electrode. At least one of the application electrode and the facing electrode includes a base formed of a metal, and a dielectric body inserted into the base, one or more metal plate electrodes being buried in the dielectric body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Shinji Himori, Daisuke Hayashi, Akitaka Shimizu
  • Patent number: 9202675
    Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a processing chamber in which a target object is processed by a plasma, a first and a second electrode that are provided in the processing chamber to face each other and have a processing space therebetween, and a high frequency power source that is connected to at least one of the first and the second electrode to supply a high frequency power to the processing chamber. And at least one of the first and the second electrode includes a base formed of a plate-shaped dielectric material and a resistor formed of a metal and provided between the base and the plasma.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Shinji Himori, Daisuke Hayashi
  • Publication number: 20150332898
    Abstract: Provided is a plasma processing apparatus that performs a processing on a processing target substrate by applying plasma of a processing gas on the processing target substrate. The plasma processing apparatus includes: a processing container configured to accommodate the processing target substrate; a lower electrode disposed in the processing container to mount the processing target substrate thereon; an upper electrode disposed in the processing container to face the lower electrode with a processing space being interposed therebetween; a high frequency power source configured to apply a high frequency power between the upper electrode and the lower electrode; a main magnet unit including one or more annular main electromagnetic coils arranged around a central axis; and an auxiliary magnet unit configured to form a magnetic field that perpendicularly or obliquely crosses the central axis in the processing space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2015
    Publication date: November 19, 2015
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Akihiro YOKOTA, Shinji HIMORI, Tatsuro OHSHITA, Shu KUSANO
  • Publication number: 20150221478
    Abstract: A capacitive coupling plasma processing apparatus includes a process chamber configured to have a vacuum atmosphere, and a process gas supply section configured to supply a process gas into the chamber. In the chamber, a first electrode and a second electrode are disposed opposite each other. The second electrode includes a plurality of conductive segments separated from each other and facing the first electrode. An RF power supply is configured to apply an RF power to the first electrode to form an RF electric field within a plasma generation region between the first and second electrodes, so as to turn the process gas into plasma by the RF electric field. A DC power supply is configured to apply a DC voltage to at least one of the segments of the second electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2015
    Publication date: August 6, 2015
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Shinji HIMORI, Tatsuo Matsudo
  • Publication number: 20150162223
    Abstract: There are provided a substrate processing apparatus and a substrate processing method realizing an effective reduction of a voltage change of a substrate on an electrode to reduce the variation of incident energy of ions entering the substrate. The substrate processing apparatus includes: a first electrode holding a substrate on a main surface of the first electrode; a second electrode facing the first electrode; a RF power source applying to the first electrode a RF voltage whose frequency is equal to or higher than 40 MHz; and a pulse voltage applying unit applying to the first electrode a pulse voltage decreasing in accordance with a lapse of time, by superimposing the pulse voltage on the RF voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2015
    Publication date: June 11, 2015
    Inventors: Akio UI, Hisataka HAYASHI, Takeshi KAMINATSUI, Shinji HIMORI, Norikazu YAMADA, Takeshi OHSE, Jun ABE
  • Patent number: 9038566
    Abstract: A capacitive coupling plasma processing apparatus includes a process chamber configured to have a vacuum atmosphere, and a process gas supply section configured to supply a process gas into the chamber. In the chamber, a first electrode and a second electrode are disposed opposite each other. The second electrode includes a plurality of conductive segments separated from each other and facing the first electrode. An RF power supply is configured to apply an RF power to the first electrode to form an RF electric field within a plasma generation region between the first and second electrodes, so as to turn the process gas into plasma by the RF electric field. A DC power supply is configured to apply a DC voltage to at least one of the segments of the second electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Shinji Himori, Tatsuo Matsudo
  • Publication number: 20150072534
    Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus for performing a plasma process on a substrate includes: a mounting table configured to mount thereon the substrate; an electromagnet including a core member and a plurality of coils; a current source connected to both ends of the coils for supplying currents to the coils; and a control unit configured to control the current source to start or stop and to control a current value of the current source. The core member is made of a magnetic material and has a structure including a column-shaped member, multiple cylindrical members, and a base member. The plurality of coils are accommodated in grooves and wound around an outer peripheral surface of the column-shaped member and the cylindrical members, and the grooves are formed between the column-shaped member and one of the cylindrical members and between the cylindrical members.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2014
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Inventors: Shinji Himori, Etsuji Ito, Akihiro Yokota, Shu Kusano, Hiroaki Ishizuka, Kazuya Nagaseki
  • Publication number: 20140346040
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus can easily control a plasma intensity distribution in a processing space. A substrate processing apparatus 10 generates an electric field E in a processing space S between a susceptor 12 to which a high frequency power is applied and an upper electrode 13 provided to face the susceptor 12, and also performs a plasma process on a wafer W mounted on the susceptor 12 with plasma generated by the electric field E. The substrate processing apparatus 10 includes multiple electromagnets 20 arranged on a top surface 13a of the upper electrode 13 opposite to the processing space S, and each of the electromagnets 20 is radially arranged with respect to a central portion C of the upper electrode 13 facing a central portion of the wafer W.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2013
    Publication date: November 27, 2014
    Inventors: Akihiro Yokota, Etsuji Ito, Shinji Himori
  • Patent number: 8895454
    Abstract: In an etching method of a multilayer film including a first oxide film and a second oxide film, a high frequency power in etching an organic film is set to be higher than those in etching a first and second oxide films, and high frequency bias powers in the etching of the first and second oxide films are set to be higher than that in the etching of the organic film. In the etching of the first and second oxide films and the organic film, a magnetic field is generated such that horizontal magnetic field components in a radial direction with respect to a central axis line of a target object have an intensity distribution having a peak value at a position far from the central axis line, and a position of the peak value in the etching of the organic film is closer to the central axis line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Shinji Himori, Etsuji Ito, Akihiro Yokota, Shu Kusano, Hiroaki Ishizuka, Kazuya Nagaseki
  • Patent number: 8888951
    Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a processing chamber that plasma processes a target object therein, first and second electrodes that are provided in the processing chamber to face each other and have a processing space therebetween, and a high frequency power source that is connected to at least one of the first and second electrodes to supply high frequency power to the processing chamber. At least one of the first and second electrodes includes a base formed of a metal, a dielectric material provided at a central portion of a plasma side of the base, and a first resistor provided between the dielectric material and plasma, and formed of a metal with a predetermined pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Shinji Himori
  • Patent number: 8821684
    Abstract: A substrate plasma processing apparatus includes a substrate holding electrode and a counter electrode which are arranged in a chamber, a high frequency generating device which applies a high frequency of 50 MHZ or higher to the substrate holding electrode, a DC negative pulse generating device which applies a DC negative pulse voltage in a manner of superimposing on the high frequency, and a controller controlling to cause intermittent application of the high frequency and cause intermittent application of the DC negative pulse voltage according to the timing of on or off of the high frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Akio Ui, Naoki Tamaoki, Takashi Ichikawa, Hisataka Hayashi, Takeshi Kaminatsui, Shinji Himori, Norikazu Yamada, Takeshi Ohse, Jun Abe
  • Publication number: 20140213055
    Abstract: A semiconductor manufacturing device includes a stage, a plurality of pins, and a driving unit. The stage includes a mounting surface. The mounting surface has a first region for mounting thereon a substrate, and a second region for mounting thereon a focus ring. The second region is provided to surround the first region. A plurality of holes is formed in the stage. The holes extend in a direction that intersects the mounting surface while passing through the boundary between the first region and the second region. The pins are provided in the respective holes. Each of the pins has a first and a second upper end surface. The second. upper end surface is provided above the first upper end surface, and is offset towards the first region with respect to the first upper end surface. The driving unit moves the pins up and down in the aforementioned direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2012
    Publication date: July 31, 2014
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Shinji Himori, Yoshiyuki Kobayashi, Takehiro Kato, Etsuji Ito
  • Publication number: 20140206199
    Abstract: In an etching method of a multilayer film including a first oxide film and a second oxide film, a high frequency power in etching an organic film is set to be higher than those in etching a first and second oxide films, and high frequency bias powers in the etching of the first and second oxide films are set to be higher than that in the etching of the organic film. In the etching of the first and second oxide films and the organic film, a magnetic field is generated such that horizontal magnetic field components in a radial direction with respect to a central axis line of a target object have an intensity distribution having a peak value at a position far from the central axis line, and a position of the peak value in the etching of the organic film is closer to the central axis line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2014
    Publication date: July 24, 2014
    Inventors: Shinji Himori, Etsuji Ito, Akihiro Yokota, Shu KUSANO, Hiroaki Ishizuka, Kazuya Nagaseki
  • Patent number: 8741098
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a table 2 for use in a plasma processing system 1 that includes an electrically conductive member serving as a lower electrode 21 for plasma formation, a lower dielectric layer 22 (first dielectric layer) formed on the electrically conductive member so that it covers the center of the upper surface of the electrically conductive member, serving to make a high-frequency electric field to be applied to plasma via a substrate uniform, and an upper dielectric layer 24 (second dielectric layer) having a relative dielectric constant of 100 or more, formed on the electrically conductive member so that it is in contact at least with the edge of the substrate, in order to prevent a high-frequency current that has propagated along the electrically conductive member face from leaking to the outside of the substrate (wafer W).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Akira Koshiishi, Shinji Himori, Shoichiro Matsuyama
  • Patent number: 8703002
    Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a first radio frequency (RF) power supply unit for applying a first RF power for generating a plasma from a processing gas to at least one of a first and a second electrode which are disposed facing each other in an evacuable processing chamber. The first RF power supply unit is controlled by a control unit so that a first phase at which the first RF power has a first amplitude for generating a plasma and a second phase at which the first RF power has a second amplitude for generating substantially no plasma are alternately repeated at predetermined intervals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Tatsuo Matsudo, Shinji Himori, Noriaki Imai, Takeshi Ohse, Jun Abe, Takayuki Katsunuma
  • Patent number: 8651049
    Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a processing gas supplying unit for supplying a desired processing gas to a processing space between an upper electrode and a lower electrode which are disposed facing each other in an evacuable processing chamber. The plasma processing apparatus further includes a radio frequency (RF) power supply unit for applying an RF power to one of the lower and the upper electrode to generate plasma of the processing gas by RF discharge and an electrically conductive RF ground member which covers a peripheral portion of the electrode to which the RF power is applied to receive RF power emitted outwardly in radial directions from the periphery portion of the electrode to which the RF power is applied and send the received RF power to a ground line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Tatsuo Matsudo, Shinji Himori