Patents by Inventor Shoubin Zhang

Shoubin Zhang 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: 10883169
    Abstract: The present invention provides a sputtering target having a composition containing 45 at % to 90 at % of In, and the remainder including Cu and inevitable impurities. An In single phase and a Cu11In9 compound phase exist, and an XRD peak ratio I(In)/I(Cu11In9) between the In single phase and the Cu11In9 compound phase is in a range of 0.01 to 3. The average grain size of the Cu11In9 compound phase is 150 ?m or less, the amount of oxygen is 500 mass ppm or less, and the theoretical density ratio is 85% or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignees: MITSUBISHI MATERIALS CORPORATION, Solar Frontier K.K.
    Inventors: Keita Umemoto, Shoubin Zhang, Yuya Mutsuda
  • Publication number: 20190271069
    Abstract: A Cu—Ga sputtering target of the present invention includes, as a composition of metal components, Ga in a range of 5 at % to 60 at %, at least one additive element selected from the group consisting of K, Rb, and Cs in a range of 0.01 at % to 5 at %, and a balance including Cu and inevitable impurities, in which all or a part of the additive element is present in a state of halide particles including at least one halogen selected from the group consisting of F, Cl, Br, and I, a maximum particle size of the halide particles is 15 ?m or less, and an oxygen concentration is 1000 mass ppm or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2017
    Publication date: September 5, 2019
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Materials Corporation
    Inventors: Keita UMEMOTO, Kensuke IO, Shoubin ZHANG, Ichiro SHIONO
  • Patent number: 10283332
    Abstract: A Cu—Ga binary alloy sputtering target having excellent mechanical workability, high density, and high bending strength, and a method of producing the sputtering target are provided. The sputtering target has a composition including 28 to 35 atomic % of Ga and the balance made of Cu and inevitable impurities. In addition, the sputtering target has a coexistence microstructure in which a low-Ga-containing Cu—Ga binary alloy phase is surrounded by a high-Ga-containing Cu—Ga binary alloy phase. The low-Ga-containing Cu—Ga binary alloy phase includes 26 atomic % or less of Ga and a balance made of Cu. The high-Ga-containing Cu—Ga binary alloy phase includes 28 atomic % or more of Ga.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI MATERIALS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Keita Umemoto, Shoubin Zhang
  • Publication number: 20190039131
    Abstract: Provided is a sputtering target having a composition comprising: 5 at % or more and 60 at % or less of Ga, and 0.01 at % or more and 5 at % or less of alkali metal, as metal components; and a Cu balance including inevitable impurities, wherein a concentration of the alkali metal on a surface on a sputtering surface side is less than 80% of a concentration of the alkali metal inside the target.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2017
    Publication date: February 7, 2019
    Inventors: Keita Umemoto, Shoubin Zhang, Ichiro Shiono, Kensuke Io
  • Publication number: 20180312961
    Abstract: The present invention provides a sputtering target having a composition containing 45 at % to 90 at % of In, and the remainder including Cu and inevitable impurities. An In single phase and a Cu11In9 compound phase exist, and an XRD peak ratio I(In)/I(Cu11In9) between the In single phase and the Cu11In9 compound phase is in a range of 0.01 to 3. The average grain size of the Cu11In9 compound phase is 150 ?m or less, the amount of oxygen is 500 mass ppm or less, and the theoretical density ratio is 85% or more.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2016
    Publication date: November 1, 2018
    Applicants: MITSUBISHI MATERIALS CORPORATION, Solar Frontier K.K.
    Inventors: Keita UMEMOTO, Shoubin ZHANG, Yuya MUTSUDA
  • Patent number: 9988710
    Abstract: Provided are a sputtering target which has excellent machinability and is capable of forming a compound film that mainly contains Cu and Ga and a method for producing the sputtering target. The sputtering target of the present invention has a component composition that contains 15 to 40 at % of Ga, 0.1 to 5 at % of Bi, and the balance composed of Cu and unavoidable impurities with respect to all metal elements in the sputtering target. The method for producing the sputtering target includes a step of melting at least Cu, Ga and Bi as simple substances or an alloy that contains two or more of these elements at 1,050° C. or higher to produce an ingot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignees: MITSUBISHI MATERIALS CORPORATION, SOLAR FRONTIER K.K.
    Inventors: Shoubin Zhang, Masahiro Shoji, Keita Umemoto
  • Patent number: 9934949
    Abstract: A sputtering target consists of a sintered body having a component composition consisting of: Ga of 10 to 40 at. % and Na of 0.1 to 15 at. % as metal elements; and the balance being Cu and inevitable impurities. The sintered body contains the Na in a form of Na compounds consisting of at least one compound selected from the group consisting of sodium sulfate, sodium sulfite, sodium selenate, and sodium selenite, the sintered body has a composition in which a Na compound phase is dispersed, and an average grain size of the Na compound phase is 10 ?m or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI MATERIALS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shoubin Zhang, Keita Umemoto, Masahiro Shoji
  • Publication number: 20170298499
    Abstract: A sputtering target, which has a component composition including: 30.0-67.0 atomic % of Ga; and the Cu balance containing inevitable impurities, wherein the sputtering target is a sintered material having a structure in which ? phases made of Cu—Ga alloy are dispersed in a matrix of the ? phases made of Cu—Ga alloy, is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2015
    Publication date: October 19, 2017
    Inventors: Keita Umemoto, Shoubin Zhang, Koutarou Urayama
  • Publication number: 20170236695
    Abstract: A Cu—Ga sputtering target made of a composition containing: as metal components excluding fluorine, 5 atomic % or more and 60 atomic % or less of Ga and 0.01 atomic % or more and 5 atomic % or less of K; and the Cu balance containing inevitable impurities is provided. In the Cu—Ga sputtering target, the Cu—Ga sputtering target has a region containing Cu, Ga, K, and F, in an atomic mapping image by a wavelength separation X-ray detector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2015
    Publication date: August 17, 2017
    Applicants: MITSUBISHI MATERIALS CORPORATION, Solar Frontier K.K.
    Inventors: Keita UMEMOTO, Shoubin ZHANG, Kensuke IO
  • Publication number: 20170178876
    Abstract: A Cu—Ga alloy sputtering target includes, as a component composition, Ga: 0.1 to 40.0 at % and a balance including Cu and inevitable impurities, in which a porosity is 3.0% or lower, an average diameter of circumscribed circles of pores is 150 ?m or less, and an average crystal grain size of Cu—Ga alloy particles is 50 ?m or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2015
    Publication date: June 22, 2017
    Inventors: Keita Umemoto, Shoubin Zhang
  • Patent number: 9660127
    Abstract: Provided are a sputtering target that is capable of forming a Cu—Ga film, which has an added Ga concentration of 1 to 40 at % and into which Na is well added, by a sputtering method and a method for producing the sputtering target. The sputtering target has a component composition that contains 1 to 40 at % of Ga, 0.05 to 2 at % of Na as metal element components other than F, S and Se, and the balance composed of Cu and unavoidable impurities. The sputtering target contains Na in at least one form selected from among sodium fluoride, sodium sulfide, and sodium selenide, and has a content of oxygen of from 100 to 1,000 ppm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignees: MITSUBISHI MATERIALS CORPORATION, SOLAR FRONTIER K.K.
    Inventors: Shoubin Zhang, Masahiro Shoji
  • Patent number: 9607812
    Abstract: Provided is a sputtering target which contains Na in high concentration and, despite this, is inhibited from discoloration, generating spots, and causing abnormal electrical discharge and which has high strength and rarely breaks. Also provided is a method for producing the sputtering target. The sputtering target has a component composition that contains 10 to 40 at % of Ga and 1.0 to 15 at % of Na as metal element components other than F, S, and Se, with the remainder composed of Cu and unavoidable impurities, wherein the Na is contained in the form of at least one Na compound selected from sodium fluoride, sodium sulfide, and sodium selenide. The sputtering target has a theoretical density ratio of 90% or higher, a flexural strength of 100 N/mm2 or higher, and a bulk resistivity of 1 m?·cm or less. The number of 0.05 mm2 or larger aggregates of the at least one of sodium fluoride, sodium sulfide, and sodium selenide present per cm2 area of the target surface is 1 or less on average.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI MATERIALS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shoubin Zhang, Keita Umemoto, Masahiro Shoji
  • Patent number: 9528181
    Abstract: Provided are a sputtering target which has excellent machinability and is capable of forming a compound film that mainly contains Cu and Ga and a method for producing the sputtering target. The sputtering target of the present invention has a component composition that contains 20 to 40 at % of Ga, 0.1 to 3 at % of Sb, and the balance composed of Cu and unavoidable impurities. A method for producing the sputtering target includes a step of producing a starting material powder that is obtained by pulverizing at least Cu, Ga and Sb as simple substances or an alloy that contains two or more of these elements; and a step of subjecting the starting material powder to hot processing in a vacuum, in an inert atmosphere or in a reducing atmosphere, wherein Ga is contained in the starting material powder in the form of a Cu—Ga alloy or in the form of a Ga—Sb alloy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignees: MITSUBISHI MATERIALS CORPORATION, SOLAR FRONTIER K.K.
    Inventors: Shoubin Zhang, Masahiro Shoji
  • Publication number: 20160260591
    Abstract: A sputtering target of the present invention is a sintered body containing: 0.5 at % to 10 at % of at least one metal element selected from Ni and Al; 0.01 ppm by weight to 10000 ppm by weight of B or P; and a balance including Si and inevitable impurities, in which the sintered body has a volume resistivity of 10 ?·cm or lower, a theoretical density ratio of 85% to 99%, and a bending strength of 65 N/mm2 or higher.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2015
    Publication date: September 8, 2016
    Inventor: Shoubin Zhang
  • Publication number: 20160118232
    Abstract: A sputtering target, which has excellent mechanical workability; and makes it possible to deposit a film of a compound including Cu and Ga as major components, is provided. The sputtering target includes: with respect to an all of metal elements in the sputtering target, 15.0 to 50.0 atomic % of Ga; 0.1 to 10.0 total atomic % of one or more metal elements selected from Al, Zn, Sn, Ag, and Mg; and the Cu balance and inevitable impurities.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2014
    Publication date: April 28, 2016
    Inventors: Shoubin Zhang, Keita Umemoto
  • Publication number: 20160079044
    Abstract: A sputtering target consists of a sintered body having a component composition consisting of: Ga of 10 to 40 at. % and Na of 0.1 to 15 at. % as metal elements; and the balance being Cu and inevitable impurities. The sintered body contains the Na in a form of Na compounds consisting of at least one compound selected from the group consisting of sodium sulfate, sodium sulfite, sodium selenate, and sodium selenite, the sintered body has a composition in which a Na compound phase is dispersed, and an average grain size of the Na compound phase is 10 ?m or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2014
    Publication date: March 17, 2016
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI MATERIALS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shoubin Zhang, Keita Umemoto, Masahiro Shoji
  • Publication number: 20160056025
    Abstract: The cylindrical sputtering target is a Cu—Ga alloy cylindrical sputtering target made of a Cu alloy containing 15 atom % to 35 atom % of Ga, in which the Cu alloy has a granular crystal structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2014
    Publication date: February 25, 2016
    Inventors: Shinji Kato, Shoubin Zhang, Shozo Komiyama
  • Publication number: 20150332901
    Abstract: A Cu—Ga binary alloy sputtering target having excellent mechanical workability, high density, and high bending strength, and a method of producing the sputtering target are provided. The sputtering target has a composition including 28 to 35 atomic % of Ga and the balance made of Cu and inevitable impurities. In addition, the sputtering target has a coexistence microstructure in which a low-Ga-containing Cu—Ga binary alloy phase is surrounded by a high-Ga-containing Cu—Ga binary alloy phase. The low-Ga-containing Cu—Ga binary alloy phase includes 26 atomic % or less of Ga and a balance made of Cu. The high-Ga-containing Cu—Ga binary alloy phase includes 28 atomic % or more of Ga.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2013
    Publication date: November 19, 2015
    Inventors: Keita Umemoto, Shoubin Zhang
  • Publication number: 20150211108
    Abstract: The sputtering target has a component composition containing Ga: 2 to 30 at %, In: 15 to 45 at %, Na: 0.05 to 15 at % as metal components other than F, S and Se in the sputtering target and the remainder composed of Cu and inevitable impurities. The sputtering target has a composition in which a Na compound phase is dispersed, the Na is contained in the Na compound phase, a theoretical density ratio of the sintered body is 90% or more, a deflective strength is 60 N/mm2 or more, a bulk resistivity is 0.1 ?*cm or less, and the number of Na compound aggregates having a size of 0.05 mm2 or more contained in an area of 1 cm2 of a surface of the sputtering target is one or less on average.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2013
    Publication date: July 30, 2015
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI MATERIALS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shoubin Zhang, Keita Umemoto
  • Patent number: 8968491
    Abstract: [Problems to be Solved] To provide a sputtering target that is capable of forming a Cu—Ga film to which Na is favorably added by a sputtering method, and a method for producing the same. [Means to Solve the Problems] The sputtering target is provided wherein 20 to 40 at % of Ga, 0.05 to 2 at % of Na, and 0.025 to 1.0 at % of S are contained and a remaining portion has a component composition consisting of Cu and unavoidable impurities. Also, a method for producing the sputtering target includes the step of hot pressing a mixed powder of Na2S powder and Cu—Ga alloy powder or a mixed powder of Na2S powder, Cu—Ga alloy powder, and pure Cu powder in a vacuum atmosphere or an inert gas atmosphere or sintering a mixed powder of Na2S powder and Cu—Ga alloy powder or a mixed powder of Na2S powder, Cu—Ga alloy powder, and pure Cu powder by hot isostatic pressing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Materials Corporation
    Inventors: Shoubin Zhang, Masahiro Shoji, Yoshinori Shirai