Patents by Inventor Soichi Kumon

Soichi Kumon 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: 10037882
    Abstract: A method for cleaning a wafer that has a pattern of recessed and projected portions formed on a surface thereof and contains at least one element selected from titanium, tungsten, aluminum, copper, tin, tantalum, and ruthenium on a surface of a recessed portion of the pattern. The method at least includes a pre-treating step of holding a cleaning liquid at least in the recessed portion of the pattern; a protective film forming step of holding a protective film forming chemical liquid, which is a chemical liquid containing a water-repellant protective film forming agent, at least in the recessed portion of the pattern after the pre-treating step; and a drying step of removing the liquids from the pattern by drying. The cleaning liquid is acidic if the protective film forming chemical liquid is basic, or is basic if the protective film forming chemical liquid is acidic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: CENTRAL GLASS COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Masanori Saito, Takashi Saio, Soichi Kumon, Shinobu Arata
  • Publication number: 20170287705
    Abstract: Provided herein is a method for cleaning a wafer having a fine uneven surface pattern that at least partially contains a silicon element using a wafer cleaning device that includes a vinyl chloride resin as a liquid contacting member, the method including retaining a water-repellent protective film-forming chemical in at least a recessed portion of the uneven pattern to form a water-repellent protective film on a surface of the recessed portion, the water-repellent protective film-forming chemical containing: a monoalkoxysilane represented by the following general formula [1], (R1)aSi(H)3-a(OR2)??[1]; a sulfonic acid represented by the following general formula [2], R3—S(?O)2OH??[2]; and a diluting solvent, wherein the diluting solvent contains 80 to 100 mass % of alcohol with respect to the total 100 mass % of the diluting solvent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2015
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Inventors: Takashi SAIO, Yuzo OKUMURA, Yuki FUKUI, Soichi KUMON
  • Patent number: 9748092
    Abstract: Disclosed is a liquid chemical for forming a water-repellent protecting film at least on a surface of a recessed portion of an uneven pattern at the time of cleaning a wafer having a finely uneven pattern at its surface and containing silicon at at least a part of the uneven pattern. This liquid chemical contains a silicon compound A represented by the general formula: R1aSi(H)bX4-a-b and an acid A, the acid A being at least one selected from the group consisting of trimethylsilyl trifluoroactate, trimethylsilyl trifluoromethanesulfonate, dimethylsilyl trifluoroactate, dimethylsilyl trifluoromethanesulfonate, butyldimethylsilyl trifluoroactate, butyldimethylsilyl trifluoromethanesulfonate, hexyldimethylsilyl trifluoroacetate, hexyldimethylsilyl trifluoromethanesulfonate, octyldimethylsilyl trifluoroactate, octyldimethylsilyl trifluoromethanesulfonate, decyldimethylsilyl trifluoroacetate and decyldimethylsilyl trifluoromethanesulfonate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: Central Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Soichi Kumon, Takashi Saio, Shinobu Arata, Masanori Saito, Atsushi Ryokawa, Shuhei Yamada, Hidehisa Nanai, Yoshinori Akamatsu
  • Patent number: 9691603
    Abstract: Disclosed is a liquid chemical for forming a water repellent protective film on a wafer that has at its surface a finely uneven pattern and contains silicon element at least at a part of the uneven pattern, the water repellent protective film being formed at least on surfaces of recessed portions of the uneven pattern at the time of cleaning the wafer. The liquid chemical contains: a silicon compound (A) represented by the general formula R1aSi(H)b(X)4?a?b and an acid; or a silicon compound (C) represented by the general formula R7gSi(H)h(CH3)w(Z)4?g?h?w and a base that contains no more than 35 mass % of water. The total amount of water in the liquid chemical is no greater than 1000 mass ppm relative to the total amount of the liquid chemical. The liquid chemical can improve a cleaning step that easily induces pattern collapse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Central Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Soichi Kumon, Takashi Saio, Shinobu Arata, Masanori Saito, Atsushi Ryokawa, Shuhei Yamada, Hidehisa Nanai, Yoshinori Akamatsu
  • Publication number: 20170062203
    Abstract: [Problem] To provide a method for preparing a protective film-forming liquid chemical, in a method for producing a wafer having at its surface an uneven pattern and containing silicon element at least at a part of the uneven pattern. The liquid chemical forms a water-repellent protective film on the uneven pattern of the wafer and improves a cleaning step which tends to induce a pattern collapse, and particularly provides a good persistence (pot life) of the improving effect. [Solution] A method for preparing a liquid chemical for forming a water-repellent protective film, the liquid chemical being for forming a water-repellent protective film at the time of cleaning the wafer at least on surfaces of recessed portions of the uneven pattern, the liquid chemical containing a nonaqueous organic solvent, a silylation agent, and an acid or base.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2016
    Publication date: March 2, 2017
    Inventors: Atsushi RYOKAWA, Shuhei YAMADA, Masahiro FUJITANI, Soichi KUMON, Masanori SAITO, Takashi SAIO, Shinobu ARATA
  • Publication number: 20170004963
    Abstract: Disclosed is a liquid chemical for forming a water-repellent protecting film on a wafer. The liquid chemical is a liquid chemical containing a water-repellent-protecting-film-forming agent for forming the water-repellent protecting film, at the time of cleaning the wafer which has a finely uneven pattern at its surface and contains at least at a part of a surface of a recessed portion of the uneven pattern at least one kind of matter selected from the group consisting of titanium, titanium nitride, tungsten, aluminum, copper, tin, tantalum nitride, ruthenium and silicon, at least on the surface of the recessed portion. The liquid chemical is characterized in that the water-repellent-protecting-film-forming agent is a water-insoluble surfactant. The water-repellent protecting film formed with the liquid chemical is capable of preventing a pattern collapse of the wafer, in a cleaning step.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2016
    Publication date: January 5, 2017
    Inventors: Masanori SAITO, Shinobu ARATA, Takashi SAIO, Soichi KUMON, Hidehisa NANAI, Yoshinori AKAMATSU
  • Patent number: 9496131
    Abstract: Disclosed is a liquid chemical for forming a water-repellent protecting film. The liquid chemical contains an agent for forming a water-repellent protecting film, and a solvent. The agent is for provided to form a water-repellent protecting film on a wafer after a cleaning step for the wafer and before a drying step for the wafer, the wafer having at its surface an uneven pattern and containing at least one kind element of titanium, tungsten, aluminum, copper, tin, tantalum and ruthenium at surfaces of recessed portions of the uneven pattern, the water-repellent protecting film being formed at least on the surfaces of the recessed portions. The liquid chemical is characterized in that the agent for forming a water-repellent protecting film is a compound represented by the following general formula [1].
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: Central Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Takashi Saio, Soichi Kumon, Masanori Saito, Shinobu Arata, Hidehisa Nanai, Yoshinori Akamatsu
  • Patent number: 9481858
    Abstract: A silicon wafer cleaning agent includes at least a water-based cleaning liquid, and a water-repellent cleaning liquid for providing water-repellent to an uneven pattern at least at recessed portions during a cleaning process. The water-repellent cleaning liquid is a liquid composed of a water-repellent compound containing a reactive moiety which is chemically bondable to Si in the silicon wafer, and a hydrophobic group, or is a liquid wherein 0.1 mass % or more of the water-repellent compound relative to the total quantity of 100 mass % of the water-repellent cleaning liquid and an organic solvent are mixed and contained therein. A cleaning process wherein a pattern collapse is easily induced can be improved by using the cleaning agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: Central Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Soichi Kumon, Masanori Saito, Takashi Saio, Hidehisa Nanai, Yoshinori Akamatsu
  • Patent number: 9478407
    Abstract: Disclosed is a liquid chemical for forming a water-repellent protecting film on a wafer. The liquid chemical is a liquid chemical containing a water-repellent-protecting-film-forming agent for forming the water-repellent protecting film, at the time of cleaning the wafer which has a finely uneven pattern at its surface and contains at least at a part of a surface of a recessed portion of the uneven pattern at least one kind of matter selected from the group consisting of titanium, titanium nitride, tungsten, aluminum, copper, tin, tantalum nitride, ruthenium and silicon, at least on the surface of the recessed portion. The liquid chemical is characterized in that the water-repellent-protecting-film-forming agent is a water-insoluble surfactant. The water-repellent protecting film formed with the liquid chemical is capable of preventing a pattern collapse of the wafer, in a cleaning step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Central Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Masanori Saito, Shinobu Arata, Takashi Saio, Soichi Kumon, Hidehisa Nanai, Yoshinori Akamatsu
  • Publication number: 20160254140
    Abstract: A method for cleaning a wafer that has a pattern of recessed and projected portions formed on a surface thereof and contains at least one element selected from titanium, tungsten, aluminum, copper, tin, tantalum, and ruthenium on a surface of a recessed portion of the pattern. The method at least includes a pre-treating step of holding a cleaning liquid at least in the recessed portion of the pattern; a protective film forming step of holding a protective film forming chemical liquid, which is a chemical liquid containing a water-repellant protective film forming agent, at least in the recessed portion of the pattern after the pre-treating step; and a drying step of removing the liquids from the pattern by drying. The cleaning liquid is acidic if the protective film forming chemical liquid is basic, or is basic if the protective film forming chemical liquid is acidic.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2014
    Publication date: September 1, 2016
    Applicant: CENTRAL GLASS COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Masanori SAITO, Takashi SAIO, Soichi KUMON, Shinobu ARATA
  • Publication number: 20160230016
    Abstract: A liquid chemical for forming a water repellent protecting film on a wafer having at its surface an uneven pattern and containing at least one kind of element selected from the group consisting of titanium, tungsten, aluminum, copper, tin, tantalum and ruthenium at surfaces of recessed portions of the uneven pattern, the water repellent protecting film being formed at least on the surfaces of the recessed portions. The liquid chemical is characterized by including: a water repellent protecting film forming agent; and water, and characterized in that the water repellent protecting film forming agent is at least one selected from compounds represented by the following general formula [1] and salt compounds thereof and that the concentration of the water relative to the total quantity of a solvent contained in the liquid chemical is not smaller than 50 mass %.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2016
    Publication date: August 11, 2016
    Inventors: Soichi KUMON, Takashi SAIO, Masanori SAITO, Shinobu ARATA
  • Publication number: 20160148802
    Abstract: Disclosed is a liquid chemical for forming a water-repellent protecting film at least on a surface of a recessed portion of an uneven pattern at the time of cleaning a wafer having a finely uneven pattern at its surface and containing silicon at at least a part of the uneven pattern. This liquid chemical contains a silicon compound A represented by the general formula: R1aSi(H)bX4-a-b and an acid A, the acid A being at least one selected from the group consisting of trimethylsilyl trifluoroactate, trimethylsilyl trifluoromethanesulfonate, dimethylsilyl trifluoroactate, dimethylsilyl trifluoromethanesulfonate, butyldimethylsilyl trifluoroactate, butyldimethylsilyl trifluoromethanesulfonate, hexyldimethylsilyl trifluoroacetate, hexyldimethylsilyl trifluoromethanesulfonate, octyldimethylsilyl trifluoroactate, octyldimethylsilyl trifluoromethanesulfonate, decyldimethylsilyl trifluoroacetate and decyldimethylsilyl trifluoromethanesulfonate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2015
    Publication date: May 26, 2016
    Inventors: Soichi KUMON, Takashi SAIO, Shinobu ARATA, Masanori SAITO, Atsushi RYOKAWA, Shuhei YAMADA, Hidehisa NANAI, Yoshinori AKAMATSU
  • Patent number: 9349582
    Abstract: A liquid chemical for forming a water repellent protecting film on a wafer having at its surface an uneven pattern and containing at least one kind of element selected from the group consisting of titanium, tungsten, aluminum, copper, tin, tantalum and ruthenium at surfaces of recessed portions of the uneven pattern, the water repellent protecting film being formed at least on the surfaces of the recessed portions. The liquid chemical is characterized by including: a water repellent protecting film forming agent; and water, and characterized in that the water repellent protecting film forming agent is at least one selected from compounds represented by the following general formula [1] and salt compounds thereof and that the concentration of the water relative to the total quantity of a solvent contained in the liquid chemical is not smaller than 50 mass %.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: Central Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Soichi Kumon, Takashi Saio, Masanori Saito, Shinobu Arata
  • Patent number: 9281178
    Abstract: A cleaning agent for a silicon wafer (a first cleaning agent) contains at least a water-based cleaning liquid and a water-repellent cleaning liquid for providing at least a recessed portion of an uneven pattern with water repellency during a cleaning process. The water-based cleaning liquid is a liquid in which a water-repellent compound having a reactive moiety chemically bondable to Si element in the silicon wafer and a hydrophobic group, and an organic solvent including at least an alcoholic solvent are mixed and contained. With this cleaning agent, the cleaning process which tends to induce a pattern collapse can be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: Central Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Soichi Kumon, Takashi Saio, Shinobu Arata, Hidehisa Nanai, Yoshinori Akamatsu, Shigeo Hamaguchi, Kazuhiko Maeda
  • Patent number: 9228120
    Abstract: Disclosed is a liquid chemical for forming a water-repellent protecting film at least on a surface of a recessed portion of an uneven pattern at the time of cleaning a wafer having a finely uneven pattern at its surface and containing silicon at least a part of the uneven pattern. This liquid chemical contains a silicon compound A represented by the general formula: R1aSi(H)bX4-a-b and an acid A, the acid A being at least one selected from the group consisting of trimethylsilyl trifluoroactate, trimethylsilyl trifluoromethanesulfonate, dimethylsilyl trifluoroactate, dimethylsilyl trifluoromethanesulfonate, butyldimethylsilyl trifluoroactate, butyldimethylsilyl trifluoromethanesulfonate, hexyldimethylsilyl trifluoroacetate, hexyldimethylsilyl trifluoromethanesulfonate, octyldimethylsilyl trifluoroactate, octyldimethylsilyl trifluoromethanesulfonate, decyldimethylsilyl trifluoroacetate and decyldimethylsilyl trifluoromethanesulfonate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: Central Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Soichi Kumon, Takashi Saio, Shinobu Arata, Masanori Saito, Atsushi Ryokawa, Shuhei Yamada, Hidehisa Nanai, Yoshinori Akamatsu
  • Publication number: 20150270123
    Abstract: A liquid chemical for forming a water-repellent protective film, containing: a water-repellent protective film forming agent for forming a water-repellent protective film on a wafer having at its surface an uneven pattern and containing at least one kind of element selected from titanium, tungsten, aluminum, copper, tin, tantalum and ruthenium at surfaces of recessed portions of the uneven pattern, the protective film being formed at least on the surfaces of the recessed portions by retaining the liquid chemical at least on the recessed portions of the wafer before a rinsing treatment step of rinsing the wafer surface with a rinsing liquid consisting only of a protic polar solvent or a rinsing liquid containing a protic polar solvent as the principal component; and a solvent. The water-repellent protective film forming agent is at least one kind of compound represented by the following general formulas [1] to [3].
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2013
    Publication date: September 24, 2015
    Applicant: CENTRAL GLASS COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Shinobu Arata, Soichi Kumon, Masanori Saito, Takashi Saio
  • Patent number: 9090782
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for cleaning wafers while preventing pattern collapse of the wafers in semiconductor device fabrication, the wafer having at its surface an uneven pattern and containing silicon element at least on surfaces of recessed portions. Provided is: a liquid chemical for forming a protective film which allows efficient cleaning; and a method for cleaning wafers, using the liquid chemical. A liquid chemical for forming a water repellent protective film is provided for forming a protective film on a wafer (having at its surface an uneven pattern and containing silicon element at least at a part of the uneven pattern), the protective film being formed at least on surfaces of recessed portions of the uneven pattern at the time of cleaning the wafer. The liquid chemical contains a dialkylsilyl compound represented by the formula [1] and does not contain an acid and a base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: Central Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Takashi Saio, Soichi Kumon, Masanori Saito, Shinobu Arata, Hidehisa Nanai
  • Publication number: 20150179433
    Abstract: A surface treatment was conducted by using a liquid chemical containing a water-repellent protective film forming agent represented by the following general formula [1], subsequent to a step of cleaning a metal-based wafer and prior to a step of drying the wafer. (R1 represents a C1-C18 monovalent hydrocarbon group the hydrogen elements of which may partially or entirely be replaced with a fluorine element(s). R2 mutually independently represents a monovalent organic group having a C1-C18 hydrocarbon group the hydrogen elements of which may partially or entirely be replaced with a fluorine element(s). “a” is an integer of from 0 to 2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 4, 2013
    Publication date: June 25, 2015
    Applicant: Central Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Takashi Saio, Soichi Kumon, Masanori Saito, Shinobu Arata
  • Patent number: 9053924
    Abstract: A cleaning agent for a silicon wafer (a first cleaning agent) contains at least a water-based cleaning liquid and a water-repellent cleaning liquid for providing at least a recessed portion of an uneven pattern with water repellency during a cleaning process. The water-based cleaning liquid is a liquid in which a water-repellent compound having a reactive moiety chemically bondable to Si element in the silicon wafer and a hydrophobic group, and an organic solvent including at least an alcoholic solvent are mixed and contained. With this cleaning agent, the cleaning process which tends to induce a pattern collapse can be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: Central Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Soichi Kumon, Takashi Saio, Shinobu Arata, Hidehisa Nanai, Yoshinori Akamatsu, Shigeo Hamaguchi, Kazuhiko Maeda
  • Publication number: 20150101643
    Abstract: A silicon wafer cleaning agent includes at least a water-based cleaning liquid, and a water-repellent cleaning liquid for providing water-repellent to an uneven pattern at least at recessed portions during a cleaning process. The water-repellent cleaning liquid is a liquid composed of a water-repellent compound containing a reactive moiety which is chemically bondable to Si in the silicon wafer, and a hydrophobic group, or is a liquid wherein 0.1 mass % or more of the water-repellent compound relative to the total quantity of 100 mass % of the water-repellent cleaning liquid and an organic solvent are mixed and contained therein. A cleaning process wherein a pattern collapse is easily induced can be improved by using the cleaning agent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2014
    Publication date: April 16, 2015
    Inventors: Soichi KUMON, Masanori SAITO, Takashi SAIO, Hidehisa NANAI, Yoshinori AKAMATSU