Patents by Inventor Sumi Tanaka

Sumi Tanaka 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: 11929234
    Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus capable of improving the in-plane uniformity of plasma and a lower stage used for the plasma processing apparatus are anticipated. In an exemplary embodiment, the lower stage is for a lower stage that generates plasma with an upper electrode. The lower stage includes: a lower dielectric body formed of ceramic, a lower electrode embedded in the lower dielectric body, and a heating element embedded in the lower dielectric body. The separation distance between the top surface of the lower dielectric body at the outer edge position thereof and the lower electrode is smaller than the separation distance between the top surface of the lower dielectric body in the central region thereof and the lower electrode. The lower electrode has an inclination region inclined with respect to the top surface between the outer edge position and the central region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignees: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED, TOHOKU UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Taro Ikeda, Sumi Tanaka, Satoru Kawakami, Masaki Hirayama
  • Patent number: 11538667
    Abstract: A stage includes a stage body having a placement surface and a radio-frequency electrode embedded in the stage body. The stage body is made of ceramics, and the radio-frequency electrode extends in a thickness direction of the stage body in a region below an outer periphery of the placement surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Taro Ikeda, Satoru Kawakami, Sumi Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20220068603
    Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus capable of improving the in-plane uniformity of plasma and a lower stage used for the plasma processing apparatus are anticipated. In an exemplary embodiment, the lower stage is for a lower stage that generates plasma with an upper electrode. The lower stage includes: a lower dielectric body formed of ceramic, a lower electrode embedded in the lower dielectric body, and a heating element embedded in the lower dielectric body. The separation distance between the top surface of the lower dielectric body at the outer edge position thereof and the lower electrode is smaller than the separation distance between the top surface of the lower dielectric body in the central region thereof and the lower electrode. The lower electrode has an inclination region inclined with respect to the top surface between the outer edge position and the central region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2019
    Publication date: March 3, 2022
    Inventors: Taro IKEDA, Sumi TANAKA, Satoru KAWAKAMI, Masaki HIRAYAMA
  • Publication number: 20210265138
    Abstract: A stage includes a stage body having a placement surface and a radio-frequency electrode embedded in the stage body. The stage body is made of ceramics, and the radio-frequency electrode extends in a thickness direction of the stage body in a region below an outer periphery of the placement surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2021
    Publication date: August 26, 2021
    Inventors: Taro IKEDA, Satoru KAWAKAMI, Sumi TANAKA
  • Publication number: 20210225618
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes: a processing chamber including a processing room; a heating unit that heats the processing chamber; a support including a base thermally isolated from the processing chamber and fixed to the processing chamber, and a stage inserted into an opening provided toward the processing room while being supported by the base at a position distant from a reference position in a horizontal direction, and holds the substrate in the processing room; a stage peripheral member provided in the processing chamber along a periphery of the stage in a state of being inserted into the opening; and a first positioning pin fixed to the processing chamber to position the stage peripheral member, and a second positioning pin fixed to a position farther than the first positioning pin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2021
    Publication date: July 22, 2021
    Inventors: Sumi TANAKA, Tamihiro KOBAYASHI
  • Publication number: 20210071302
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus for processing a substrate is provided. In the substrate processing apparatus, a substrate support has an upper surface on which a substrate is placed and serves to heat the substrate placed thereon. At least one substrate support pin is configured to protrude from and retract below the upper surface of the substrate support and to support the substrate. Further, a light irradiation mechanism is configured to irradiate light to a specific portion of the substrate placed on the upper surface of the substrate support, corresponding to a position where the at least one substrate support pin protrudes and retracts, to heat the specific portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2020
    Publication date: March 11, 2021
    Inventor: Sumi TANAKA
  • Patent number: 9224623
    Abstract: There is provided a microwave irradiation apparatus capable of independently controlling a temperature of a target object while irradiating microwave to the target object. The microwave irradiation apparatus 2 includes a processing chamber 4 configured to be vacuum-evacuated; a supporting table 6 configured to support the target object; a processing gas introduction unit 106 configured to introduce a processing gas into the processing chamber; a microwave introduction unit 72 configured to introduce the microwave into the processing chamber; a heating unit 16 configured to heat the target object; a gas cooling unit 104 configured to cool the target object by a cooling gas; a radiation thermometer 64 configured to measure a temperature of the target object; and a temperature control unit 70 configured to adjust the temperature of the target object by controlling the heating unit and the gas cooling unit based on the temperature measured by the radiation thermometer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Shigeru Kasai, Ryoji Yamazaki, Mitsutoshi Ashida, Yuji Obata, Sumi Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20150136759
    Abstract: A microwave heating apparatus includes a processing chamber configured to accommodate a substrate; a substrate holding unit configured to hold and rotate the substrate in the processing chamber; a microwave generating source configured to generate a microwave; and a plurality of microwave inlet ports formed at a surface of the processing chamber which faces the substrate in the processing chamber, each of the microwave inlet ports having an opening area that gradually becomes wider toward the substrate. The microwave generated by the microwave generating source is irradiated to the substrate in the processing chamber through the microwave inlet ports to heat the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2014
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Inventors: Taro IKEDA, Sumi TANAKA
  • Publication number: 20150090708
    Abstract: A microwave heating apparatus includes a processing chamber for accommodating a target, a support device for supporting the target in the processing chamber and a microwave introducing device for generating microwaves to introduce them into the processing chamber. The processing chamber further includes a top wall having a plurality of microwave introduction ports to introduce the microwaves generated in the microwave introducing device into the processing chamber. Each of the microwave introduction ports has a rectangular shape having long sides and short sides parallel to inner wall surfaces of four sidewalls of the processing chamber, and the support device includes a support member to support the target and a rotating mechanism for rotating the supported target.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2013
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Inventors: Sumi Tanaka, Taro Ikeda, Yoshiro Kabe, Kouji Shimomura, Seokhyoung Hong, Jun Yamashita, Masakazu Ban, Taichi Monden, Masayoshi Maenishi, Ryoji Yamazaki
  • Publication number: 20140291318
    Abstract: A microwave heating apparatus is provided to perform heat treatment on a substrate to be processed by irradiating a microwave to the substrate in a processing chamber. The microwave heating apparatus includes a supporting table configured to support the substrate in the processing chamber, a microwave introducing unit configured to introduce the microwave into the processing chamber, a coolant channel formed in the supporting table, and a coolant supply source configured to supply a coolant to the coolant channel. At least a surface of the supporting table which supports the substrate is made of a material in which a product of a relative dielectric constant and a dielectric loss angle is smaller than 0.005, and the coolant supplied from the coolant supply source is liquid having no electrical polarity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Kouji SHIMOMURA, Junichi KITAGAWA, Nobuhiko YAMAMOTO, Hiroyuki HAYASHI, Sumi TANAKA
  • Publication number: 20140248784
    Abstract: A microwave processing apparatus includes a processing chamber configured to accommodate an object to be processed, a support member configured to support the object by contact with the object in the processing chamber, and a microwave introducing unit configured to generate a microwave for processing the object and introduce the microwave into the processing chamber. The microwave processing apparatus further includes a heat absorbing layer provided on a wall surface of a member facing the object supported by the supporting member in the processing chamber. The heat absorbing layer is made of a material that transmits the microwave and has an emissivity higher than an emissivity of the member facing the object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2014
    Publication date: September 4, 2014
    Applicant: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Hiroyuki HAYASHI, Sumi TANAKA
  • Publication number: 20140034636
    Abstract: A microwave irradiation apparatus, for performing a predetermined process by irradiating a microwave to a target substrate, includes a processing chamber configured to accommodate the target substrate, a support member configured to support the target substrate in the processing chamber, and a microwave introduction mechanism configured to generate microwaves and introduce the microwaves into the processing chamber. The microwave irradiation apparatus further includes microwave introduction ports through which the microwave generated by the microwave introducing mechanism is introduced into the processing chamber, electric field sensors configured to measure an electric field formed by the microwave introduced into the processing chamber, and a control unit configured to control powers of the microwaves introduced into the processing chamber through the microwave introduction ports from the microwave introduction mechanism based on the electric field measured by the electric field sensors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2013
    Publication date: February 6, 2014
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Nobuhiko YAMAMOTO, Junichi Kitagawa, Sumi Tanaka, Yuki Osada
  • Patent number: 8440939
    Abstract: Disclosed is an annealing device that includes a processing chamber into which a wafer is received, a heating source having a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) for emitting a light toward the wafer, which faces the surface of the wafer, and a light transmissive member provided corresponding to the heating source, into which the light from the light emitting elements is transmitted. The heating source has the light emitting elements attached on a support toward the wafer. Each of the light emitting elements is individually covered with a lens layer made of a transparent resin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Shigeru Kasai, Tomohiro Suzuki, Sumi Tanaka, Masatake Yoneda, Hiroyuki Miyashita
  • Publication number: 20120279944
    Abstract: Provided is an annealing apparatus, which is free from a problem of reduced light energy efficiency resulted by the reduction of light emission amount due to a heat generation and capable of maintaining stable performance. The apparatus includes: a processing chamber 1 for accommodating a wafer W; heating sources 17a and 17b including LEDs 33 and facing the surface of the wafer W to irradiate light on the wafer W; light-transmitting members 18a and 18b arranged in alignment with the heating sources 17a and 17b to transmit the light emitted from the LEDs 33; cooling members 4a and 4b supporting the light-transmitting members 18a and 18b at opposite side to the processing chamber 1 to make direct contact with the heating sources 17a and 17b and made of a material of high thermal conductivity; and a cooling mechanism for cooling the cooling members 4a and 4b with a coolant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2012
    Publication date: November 8, 2012
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Shigeru KASAI, Hiroyuki MIYASHITA, Masatake YONEDA, Tomohiro SUZUKI, Sumi TANAKA, Masamichi NOMURA, Miwa SHIMIZU
  • Publication number: 20120211486
    Abstract: There is provided a microwave irradiation apparatus capable of independently controlling a temperature of a target object while irradiating microwave to the target object. The microwave irradiation apparatus 2 includes a processing chamber 4 configured to be vacuum-evacuated; a supporting table 6 configured to support the target object; a processing gas introduction unit 106 configured to introduce a processing gas into the processing chamber; a microwave introduction unit 72 configured to introduce the microwave into the processing chamber; a heating unit 16 configured to heat the target object; a gas cooling unit 104 configured to cool the target object by a cooling gas; a radiation thermometer 64 configured to measure a temperature of the target object; and a temperature control unit 70 configured to adjust the temperature of the target object by controlling the heating unit and the gas cooling unit based on the temperature measured by the radiation thermometer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2012
    Publication date: August 23, 2012
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Shigeru Kasai, Ryoji Yamazaki, Mitsutoshi Ashida, Yuji Obata, Sumi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8246900
    Abstract: Provided is an annealing apparatus, which is free from a problem of reduced light energy efficiency resulted by the reduction of light emission amount due to a heat generation and capable of maintaining stable performance. The apparatus includes: a processing chamber 1 for accommodating a wafer W; heating sources 17a and 17b including LEDs 33 and facing the surface of the wafer W to irradiate light on the wafer W; light-transmitting members 18a and 18b arranged in alignment with the heating sources 17a and 17b to transmit the light emitted from the LEDs 33; cooling members 4a and 4b supporting the light-transmitting members 18a and 18b at opposite side to the processing chamber 1 to make direct contact with the heating sources 17a and 17b and made of a material of high thermal conductivity; and a cooling mechanism for cooling the cooling members 4a and 4b with a coolant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Shigeru Kasai, Hiroyuki Miyashita, Masatake Yoneda, Tomohiro Suzuki, Sumi Tanaka, Masamichi Nomura, Miwa Shimizu
  • Patent number: 8197601
    Abstract: A vaporizer (300) is formed by connecting block-shaped vaporization modules (310). Each vaporization module has a discharge opening for a liquid source material; a vaporization chamber (370) for vaporizing the liquid source material, which is discharged from the discharge opening, to create a source gas; a liquid material flow path (320) formed so as to penetrate through joint surfaces connected to other vaporization modules; and a spray nozzle communicating with a portion in the middle of the liquid material flow path and leading the liquid source material, which flows in the flow path, to the discharge opening. Each vaporization module is connected at its joint surface to each of the other vaporization modules to cause the liquid material flow paths of all the vaporization modules to communicate with one another. When various flow rates ranging from low to high levels is required, the structure of the evaporator can be easily changed according to such rates without a reduction in evaporation efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Sumi Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20120118504
    Abstract: A processing apparatus for performing a process on an object includes a chamber; a rotary floater for supporting the object on its upper end side; XY rotating attraction bodies provided in the rotary floater at an interval circumferentially; a floating attraction body provided in the rotary floater to extend circumferentially; a floating electromagnet group for floating the rotary floater while adjusting an inclination of the rotary floater by applying a vertically upward acting magnetic attraction to the floating attraction body; an XY rotating electromagnet group for rotating the rotary floater while adjusting a horizontal position of the rotary floater by applying a magnetic attraction force to the XY rotating attraction bodies; a gas supply for supplying a gas into the chamber; a mechanism for performing a process on the object; and an apparatus control unit for controlling an entire operation of the apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2010
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Masamichi Nomura, Kenjiro Koizumi, Shigeru Kasai, Sumi Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20110180002
    Abstract: To prevent a liquid material outlet from being clogged with accretion. Disclosed is a vaporizer, which vaporizes a liquid material, discharged from the outlet of a nozzle, in a heated vaporization chamber to produce a raw gas, and which is provided with a cylindrical heated member, which is disposed between the front end of the nozzle and the vaporization chamber so as to cover the perimeter of the outlet, a carrier gas ejection port, which ejects a carrier gas from the vicinity of the outlet, a mixing chamber, wherein the liquid material discharged from the outlet is mixed with the carrier gas, which ejects the mixture toward the vaporization chamber, a first heating part, which heats the vaporization chamber from its exterior, and a second heating part, which heats the heated member from its exterior.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2009
    Publication date: July 28, 2011
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Sumi Tanaka, Munehisa Futamura
  • Publication number: 20110005686
    Abstract: A loading table structure which is adapted, in order to prevent damage to the loading table, so that large thermal stress does not occur in the loading table and so that the amount of supply of a purge gas for corrosion prevention to the loading table is minimized. The loading table structure is formed in a processing container capable of discharging gas contained therein and is used to load thereon an object to be processed. The loading table structure is provided with a loading table on which the object to be processed is loaded and which consists of a dielectric, a heating means which is provided to the loading table and which heats the object to be processed loaded on the loading table, and protective strut tubes which are mounted so as to vertically rise from the bottom section of the processing container, which have upper ends joined to the lower surface of the loading table to support the loading table, and which consist of a dielectric.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2010
    Publication date: January 13, 2011
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Sumi TANAKA, Tomohito KOMATSU, Hiroo KAWASAKI