Patents by Inventor Shinji Komoto

Shinji Komoto 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: 9631274
    Abstract: Provided is a plasma processing apparatus comprising an exhaust path extending from the exhaust hole to the pump, wherein the pump is configured to depressurize inside of the processing container and the exhausting path, wherein the exhaust path includes a horizontally linearly extended portion, wherein the horizontally linearly extended portion of the exhaust path has a rectangular or oval cross-section having a horizontal length longer than a vertical length; wherein the plasma processing apparatus further includes a pressure control valve disposed in the horizontally linearly extended portion of the exhaust path; and wherein the pressure control valve is formed of a pressure control valve plate having substantially same shape and size as those of the cross-section and a shaft formed in the pressure control valve along the horizontal length of the cross-section, in such a manner that the pressure control valve plate rotates about the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Toshihisa Nozawa, Shinji Komoto, Masahide Iwasaki
  • Patent number: 9574267
    Abstract: Provided is a plasma processing apparatus comprising an exhaust path extending from the exhaust hole to the pump, wherein the pump is configured to depressurize inside of the processing container and the exhausting path, wherein the exhaust path includes a horizontally linearly extended portion, wherein the horizontally linearly extended portion of the exhaust path has a rectangular or oval cross-section having a horizontal length longer than a vertical length; wherein the plasma processing apparatus further includes a pressure control valve disposed in the horizontally linearly extended portion of the exhaust path; and wherein the pressure control valve is formed of a pressure control valve plate having substantially same shape and size as those of the cross-section and a shaft formed in the pressure control valve along the horizontal length of the cross-section, in such a manner that the pressure control valve plate rotates about the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Toshihisa Nozawa, Shinji Komoto, Masahide Iwasaki
  • Publication number: 20150159269
    Abstract: Provided is a plasma processing apparatus comprising an exhaust path extending from the exhaust hole to the pump, wherein the pump is configured to depressurize inside of the processing container and the exhausting path, wherein the exhaust path includes a horizontally linearly extended portion, wherein the horizontally linearly extended portion of the exhaust path has a rectangular or oval cross-section having a horizontal length longer than a vertical length; wherein the plasma processing apparatus further includes a pressure control valve disposed in the horizontally linearly extended portion of the exhaust path; and wherein the pressure control valve is formed of a pressure control valve plate having substantially same shape and size as those of the cross-section and a shaft formed in the pressure control valve along the horizontal length of the cross-section, in such a manner that the pressure control valve plate rotates about the shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2015
    Publication date: June 11, 2015
    Inventors: Toshihisa NOZAWA, Shinji KOMOTO, Masahide IWASAKI
  • Publication number: 20150159270
    Abstract: Provided is a plasma processing apparatus comprising an exhaust path extending from the exhaust hole to the pump, wherein the pump is configured to depressurize inside of the processing container and the exhausting path, wherein the exhaust path includes a horizontally linearly extended portion, wherein the horizontally linearly extended portion of the exhaust path has a rectangular or oval cross-section having a horizontal length longer than a vertical length; wherein the plasma processing apparatus further includes a pressure control valve disposed in the horizontally linearly extended portion of the exhaust path; and wherein the pressure control valve is formed of a pressure control valve plate having substantially same shape and size as those of the cross-section and a shaft formed in the pressure control valve along the horizontal length of the cross-section, in such a manner that the pressure control valve plate rotates about the shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2015
    Publication date: June 11, 2015
    Inventors: Toshihisa NOZAWA, Shinji KOMOTO, Masahide IWASAKI
  • Patent number: 8973527
    Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus is provided with a first exhaust path which extends downward from an exhaust hole; a second exhaust path which is connected to a downstream end portion of the first exhaust path in the exhausting direction and extends in a direction perpendicular to a direction in which the first exhaust path extends, and whose cross-section, which orthogonally intersects with the exhausting direction, is horizontally long such that a widthwise length is greater than a vertical length in the cross-section; a third exhaust path which is connected to a downstream end portion of the second exhaust path in the exhausting direction and extends in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the second exhaust path extends; a pump which is connected to a downstream end portion of the third exhaust path in the exhausting direction and depressurizes an inside of a processing container; a pressure control valve which is provided in the second exhaust path, and comprises a pressure control valve pla
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Toshihisa Nozawa, Shinji Komoto, Masahide Iwasaki
  • Patent number: 8419859
    Abstract: A method of cleaning a plasma processing apparatus for processing a target in a process container, which is vacuum-evacuatable, using plasma, includes performing a first cleaning process by supplying a cleaning gas into the process container to generate plasma and maintaining the pressure in the process container at a first pressure, and performing a second cleaning process by supplying a cleaning gas into the process container to generate plasma and maintaining the pressure in the process container at a second pressure that is higher than the first pressure. Accordingly, the plasma processing apparatus can be efficiently and rapidly cleaned without damaging at least one of the group consisting of inner surfaces of the process container and members in the process container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Noriaki Fukiage, Shinji Komoto, Hiroyuki Takaba, Kiyotaka Ishibashi
  • Publication number: 20120111427
    Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus is provided with a first exhaust path which extends downward from an exhaust hole; a second exhaust path which is connected to a downstream end portion of the first exhaust path in the exhausting direction and extends in a direction perpendicular to a direction in which the first exhaust path extends, and whose cross-section, which orthogonally intersects with the exhausting direction, is horizontally long such that a widthwise length is greater than a vertical length in the cross-section; a third exhaust path which is connected to a downstream end portion of the second exhaust path in the exhausting direction and extends in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the second exhaust path extends; a pump which is connected to a downstream end portion of the third exhaust path in the exhausting direction and depressurizes an inside of a processing container; a pressure control valve which is provided in the second exhaust path, and comprises a pressure control valve pla
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2009
    Publication date: May 10, 2012
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Toshihisa Nozawa, Shinji Komoto, Masahide Iwasaki
  • Patent number: 8091863
    Abstract: A gate valve of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, which is formed between a processing chamber in which processing is performed and a transfer chamber which carries a substrate on which the processing is performed, includes a gate valve at a side of the processing chamber; a sealing member which is formed in the gate valve at the side of the processing chamber; a gate valve at the side of the transfer chamber; a sealing member which is formed in the gate valve at the side of the transfer chamber; and a thermal insulator which is formed between the gate valve at the side of the processing chamber and the gate valve at the side of the transfer chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Shinji Komoto, Toshihisa Nozawa
  • Publication number: 20100175713
    Abstract: A method of cleaning a plasma processing apparatus for processing a target in a process container, which is vacuum-evacuatable, using plasma, includes performing a first cleaning process by supplying a cleaning gas into the process container to generate plasma and maintaining the pressure in the process container at a first pressure, and performing a second cleaning process by supplying a cleaning gas into the process container to generate plasma and maintaining the pressure in the process container at a second pressure that is higher than the first pressure. Accordingly, the plasma processing apparatus can be efficiently and rapidly cleaned without damaging at least one of the group consisting of inner surfaces of the process container and members in the process container.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2008
    Publication date: July 15, 2010
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Noriaki Fukiage, Shinji Komoto, Hiroyuki Takaba, Kiyotaka Ishibashi
  • Publication number: 20090230342
    Abstract: A gate valve of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, which is formed between a processing chamber in which processing is performed and a transfer chamber which carries a substrate on which the processing is performed, includes a gate valve at a side of the processing chamber; a sealing member which is formed in the gate valve at the side of the processing chamber; a gate valve at the side of the transfer chamber; a sealing member which is formed in the gate valve at the side of the transfer chamber; and a thermal insulator which is formed between the gate valve at the side of the processing chamber and the gate valve at the side of the transfer chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2009
    Publication date: September 17, 2009
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Shinji KOMOTO, Toshihisa NOZAWA
  • Publication number: 20090194238
    Abstract: Provided is a plasma processing apparatus capable of easily processing a top surface of a mounting table to have a smooth shape, and also capable of preventing a temperature of a peripheral portion of a substrate from decreasing. A plasma processing apparatus 5 processes a substrate W in a processing vessel 20 by converting a processing gas, which is supplied into the processing vessel 20, into plasma, wherein a mounting table 21 for mounting the substrate W on a top surface thereof is installed in the processing vessel 20, and positioning pins 25 for positioning a peripheral portion of the substrate W are installed to be protruded in plural locations on the top surface of the mounting table 21, and the positioning pins 25 are inserted into recess portions 26 formed in the top surface of the mounting table 21.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2009
    Publication date: August 6, 2009
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Kiyotaka Ishibashi, Toshihisa Nozawa, Shinya Nishimoto, Shinji Komoto