Patents by Inventor Taro Usami

Taro Usami 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: 12690417
    Abstract: A wafer placement table includes a ceramic plate having a wafer placement surface on its top surface and incorporating an electrode; an electrically conductive plate joined to a bottom surface of the ceramic plate; a ceramic plate penetrating part extending through the ceramic plate; an electrically insulating gas passage plug provided in the ceramic plate penetrating part and that allows gas to pass inside; a gas introduction passage provided at least inside the electrically conductive plate and communicating with the ceramic plate penetrating part; and an electrically conductive gas passage part provided in the gas introduction passage, being in contact with a bottom surface of the electrically insulating gas passage plug, being electrically continuous with the electrically conductive plate, and that allows gas to pass inside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2024
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2026
    Assignee: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Seiya Inoue, Tatsuya Kuno, Masaki Ishikawa, Taro Usami, Ren Nakamura, Natsuki Hirata, Kenji Yonemoto
  • Publication number: 20260196450
    Abstract: A wafer placement table includes: a ceramic plate having a wafer placement surface on its upper surface and incorporating an electrode; an electrically conductive plate disposed on a lower-surface side of the ceramic plate; a joint layer joining the ceramic plate and the electrically conductive plate; a ceramic plate penetrating portion extending through the ceramic plate; an insulating gas passage plug provided in the ceramic plate penetrating portion and allowing gas to pass through its interior; a gas introduction passage provided at least inside the joint layer and the electrically conductive plate, and communicating with the ceramic plate penetrating portion; and wherein the joint layer has a structure in which an insulator layer and an electrically conductive layer are laminated, and the electrically conductive layer is exposed in a joint layer penetrating portion which is a portion of the gas introduction passage that penetrates the joint layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2026
    Publication date: July 9, 2026
    Inventors: Taro USAMI, Tatsuya KUNO
  • Publication number: 20260162945
    Abstract: A wafer placement table includes a ceramic body having a wafer placement surface and a focus ring placement surface located radially outside the wafer placement surface, the ceramic body having an electrode built therein; a focus ring having conductive and placed on the focus ring placement surface; a plug disposition hole located below the focus ring and penetrating the ceramic body; and a plug provided in the plug disposition hole and allowing gas to pass through an interior thereof, wherein the focus ring has a lower surface, and the lower surface has a recessed portion for pooling gas at a position opposed to the plug, and an upper surface of the plug is disposed within the recessed portion and is located at a position higher than the lower surface of the focus ring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2025
    Publication date: June 11, 2026
    Inventors: Taro USAMI, Tatsuya KUNO
  • Patent number: 12648396
    Abstract: A wafer placement table includes: a ceramic plate having a wafer placement surface, a cooling plate having a refrigerant flow path and being provided on a lower surface-side of the ceramic plate; a first ceramic plate penetration section that reaches the wafer placement surface; a second ceramic plate penetration section that reaches the wafer placement surface; a first gas passage that communicates with the first ceramic plate penetration section; and a second gas passage that communicates with the second ceramic plate penetration section. The first gas passage has a first gas intermediate passage, the second gas passage has a second gas intermediate passage, the second gas intermediate passage is provided above the first gas intermediate passage, and the refrigerant flow path has a first flow path section provided above the first gas intermediate passage, and a second flow path section provided below the second gas intermediate passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2026
    Assignee: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Tatsuya Kuno, Taro Usami
  • Patent number: 12635467
    Abstract: A member for semiconductor manufacturing apparatus includes a ceramic plate having a wafer placement surface on an upper surface and a built-in electrode; a base plate provided on a lower surface of the ceramic plate, and configured to include a built-in refrigerant flow path; a base plate through-hole provided between adjacent parts of the refrigerant flow path, and configured to penetrate the base plate in an up-down direction; an insulating tube provided in the base plate through-hole, and fixed; and a ceramic plate hole open to the lower surface of the ceramic plate, and provided to communicate with an inside of the insulating tube, wherein a wall thickness of the insulating tube continuously varies in a circumferential direction of the insulating tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2024
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2026
    Assignee: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Taro Usami, Tatsuya Kuno
  • Publication number: 20260112586
    Abstract: A member for a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus includes a ceramic plate having on its upper surface at least one of a wafer placement surface or a focus-ring placement surface; a plug-receiving hole penetrating the ceramic plate in an up-down direction and having a tapered inner peripheral surface whose lower side narrows; and a plug fitted in the plug-receiving hole, the plug having a tapered outer peripheral surface whose lower side narrows and allowing gas to flow in the up-down direction; wherein an outer peripheral surface of the plug is gentler than an inner peripheral surface of the plug-receiving hole.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2025
    Publication date: April 23, 2026
    Inventors: Taro USAMI, Tatsuya KUNO, Natsuki HIRATA, Naoki YAMAMOTO
  • Publication number: 20260114231
    Abstract: A member for a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus includes: a ceramic plate having on its upper surface at least one of a wafer placement surface or a focus-ring placement surface; a plug-receiving hole penetrating the ceramic plate in an up-down direction and having a tapered inner peripheral surface whose lower side narrows; and a plug fitted in the plug-receiving hole, the plug having a tapered outer peripheral surface whose lower side narrows and allowing gas to flow in the up-down direction; wherein an outer peripheral surface of the plug is steeper than an inner peripheral surface of the plug-receiving hole.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2025
    Publication date: April 23, 2026
    Inventors: Taro USAMI, Tatsuya KUNO, Natsuki HIRATA, Naoki YAMAMOTO
  • Patent number: 12598951
    Abstract: A wafer placement table includes: a ceramic plate having a wafer placement surface on its upper surface; a cooling plate provided on a lower surface of the ceramic plate; and a refrigerant flow path provided inside the cooling plate, wherein the refrigerant flow path includes a first portion and a second portion, the second portion continuing from the first portion and being divided into two or more ways forming branches that run side by side, and wherein the first portion has a cross-sectional area smaller than a sum of cross-sectional areas of the respective branches included in the second portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2024
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2026
    Assignee: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Taro Usami, Yohei Kajiura, Keita Ikegami
  • Patent number: 12580163
    Abstract: A member for semiconductor manufacturing apparatus includes: a ceramic plate having a wafer placement surface on an upper surface and a built-in electrode; a base plate provided on a lower surface of the ceramic plate, and configured to include built-in refrigerant flow paths; a through-hole that penetrates the base plate in an up-down direction; an insulating tube inserted into the through-hole; and a resin-containing adhesive layer provided at least one of between an upper surface of the insulating tube and a lower surface of the ceramic plate or between an outer circumferential surface of the insulating tube and an inner circumferential surface of the through-hole, and configured to fix the insulating tube. A thermal conductivity of the insulating tube is less than or equal to 10 W/mK.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2024
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2026
    Assignee: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Taro Usami, Tatsuya Kuno
  • Patent number: 12451822
    Abstract: A feeder member is used to supply electricity to an electrode embedded in a ceramic base. The feeder member includes an electrode-side terminal that is made of a high-melting-point metal containing material and joined to the electrode, an intermediate member that is made of a Cu containing material and directly joined to the electrode-side terminal without using a brazing material, a cable support member that is made of a Cu containing material and joined to the intermediate member, and a cable that is made of a Cu containing material and that has one end whose end surface is welded to the cable support member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2025
    Assignee: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Taro Usami, Seiya Inoue, Tatsuya Kuno, Tomoyuki Minami
  • Patent number: 12444587
    Abstract: A wafer placement table includes an upper substrate; a lower substrate; a through hole extending through the lower substrate in an up-down direction; a plurality of projections provided in a dot pattern, for example, at an entirety of an upper surface of the lower substrate and being in contact with the lower surface of the upper substrate; a heat dissipation sheet having a projection insertion hole and being disposed between the upper substrate and the lower substrate; a screw hole provided, in the lower surface of the upper substrate, at a position facing the through hole; a screw member inserted from a lower surface of the lower substrate into the through hole and screwed into the screw hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2025
    Assignee: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Tatsuya Kuno, Taro Usami, Masaki Ishikawa
  • Publication number: 20250299935
    Abstract: A wafer placement table includes a ceramic plate; an electrically conductive plate joined to a bottom surface of the ceramic plate; a ceramic plate penetrating part extending through the ceramic plate; an electrically insulating gas passage plug provided at the ceramic plate penetrating part; a gas introduction passage provided at least inside the electrically conductive plate; and an electrically conductive gas passage part provided in the gas introduction passage, the electrically conductive gas passage part being in contact with a bottom surface of the electrically insulating gas passage plug, the electrically conductive gas passage part being electrically continuous with the electrically conductive plate, the electrically conductive gas passage part allowing gas to pass between the electrically insulating gas passage plug and the gas introduction passage, wherein the electrically conductive gas passage part has a plate spring that presses the electrically insulating gas passage plug upward with elastic fo
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2025
    Publication date: September 25, 2025
    Applicant: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Masaki ISHIKAWA, Tatsuya KUNO, Taro USAMI, Natsuki HIRATA
  • Publication number: 20250293081
    Abstract: A wafer placement table includes a resin layer joining a ceramic plate and a conductive plate. The ceramic plate has an insulative gas passage plug. The resin layer has a resin layer through portion that is larger than the insulative gas passage plug in plan view. The conductive plate has a gas introduction path communicating with the insulative gas passage plug via the resin layer through portion. A conductive film is provided in the lower surface of the ceramic plate and is larger than the resin layer through portion in plan view. A conductive connecting portion is provided in the gas introduction path and is smaller than the resin layer through portion in plan view. The conductive connecting portion electrically connects the conductive film and the conductive plate to each other and allows the gas to flow from the gas introduction path to the insulative gas passage plug.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2024
    Publication date: September 18, 2025
    Applicant: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Taro USAMI, Tatsuya KUNO
  • Publication number: 20250285909
    Abstract: A member for a semiconductor manufacturing equipment includes: a ceramic substrate having an upper surface on which a wafer is to be placed, and a lower surface; a plug placement hole that vertically penetrates the ceramic substrate; and a plug embedded in the plug placement hole; wherein the plug is composed of a dense body and has an upper end surface exposed on a side of the upper surface, a lower end surface exposed on a side of the lower surface, and a gas passage extending from an upper end opening provided on the upper end surface, through an inside of the dense body, to a lower end opening provided on the lower end surface, and wherein the gas passage is provided with a reinforcing rib that divides the upper end opening into a plurality of segments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2024
    Publication date: September 11, 2025
    Applicant: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Masaki ISHIKAWA, Tatsuya KUNO, Taro USAMI, Natsuki HIRATA, Yusuke OGISO, Hideaki HASHIMOTO
  • Publication number: 20250273507
    Abstract: A member for a semiconductor manufacturing equipment that uses a discharge suppression technology different from conventional ones is provided. A member for a semiconductor manufacturing equipment includes: a ceramic substrate having an upper surface on which a wafer is to be placed and a lower surface; a plug placement hole that vertically penetrates the ceramic substrate; and a plug embedded in the plug placement hole; wherein the plug is composed of a dense body, including an upper end surface exposed on a side of the upper surface, a lower end surface exposed on a side of the lower surface, and a gas passage; and wherein a maximum height D1 in the vertical direction from the upper end opening to a surface of the gas passage, and a maximum height D2 from the lower end opening to the surface of the gas passage satisfies a relationship: D1<D2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2024
    Publication date: August 28, 2025
    Applicant: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Masaki ISHIKAWA, Tatsuya KUNO, Taro USAMI, Natsuki HIRATA, Yusuke OGISO, Hideaki HASHIMOTO
  • Publication number: 20250210397
    Abstract: A member for a semiconductor manufacturing equipment includes: a ceramic substrate having an upper surface on which a wafer is to be placed, and a lower surface; a plug placement hole; a dielectric plug embedded in the plug placement hole; a film covering at least a part of the lower surface of the dielectric plug and having a volume resistivity lower than that of the dielectric plug; a conductive base plate bonded to the lower surface of the ceramic substrate via a resin adhesive layer, a gas passage that passes through the base plate and the resin adhesive layer to supply gas to the to the gas passage portion of the dielectric plug, and a conductive connecting portion provided in the gas passage and having an upper end electrically connected to the film and a lower end electrically connected to the base plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2024
    Publication date: June 26, 2025
    Applicant: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Masaki ISHIKAWA, Tatsuya KUNO, Taro USAMI, Natsuki HIRATA, Takahiro ANDO
  • Publication number: 20250210394
    Abstract: A member for a semiconductor manufacturing equipment, comprising: a ceramic substrate having an upper surface on which a wafer is to be placed and a lower surface; a plug placement hole that vertically penetrates the ceramic substrate and comprises a tapered inner peripheral surface in which an area of an upper opening is larger than an area of a lower opening; a ceramic plug comprising a dense outer peripheral surface and a gas passage penetrating the plug, the ceramic plug being embedded such that the dense outer peripheral surface of the plug is directly fitted to the inner peripheral surface of the plug placement hole; a conductive base plate bonded to the lower surface of the ceramic substrate via a bonding layer; and a gas supply path that passes through the base plate and the bonding layer to supply gas to the gas passage of the ceramic plug.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2024
    Publication date: June 26, 2025
    Applicant: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Masaki ISHIKAWA, Tatsuya KUNO, Taro USAMI, Natsuki HIRATA, Naoki YAMAMOTO, Yusuke OGISO, Seiji NAKAYAMA
  • Publication number: 20250149368
    Abstract: A member for semiconductor manufacturing apparatus includes: a ceramic plate having a wafer placement surface on its upper surface and a built-in electrode; a base plate provided on a lower surface of the ceramic plate; a base plate through-hole that penetrates the base plate in an up-down direction; an insulating tube inserted into the base plate through-hole; an adhesive agent pool provided in at least one of an inner circumferential surface of the base plate through-hole or an outer circumferential surface of the insulating tube, and disposed at a position down away from an upper surface of the insulating tube; and an adhesive layer including an insulating tube outer circumferential surface adhesion part formed from the lower surface of the ceramic plate to an intermediate point of the adhesive agent pool.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2024
    Publication date: May 8, 2025
    Applicant: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Taro USAMI, Tatsuya KUNO
  • Publication number: 20250149369
    Abstract: A member for semiconductor manufacturing apparatus includes a ceramic plate having a wafer placement surface on its upper surface and a built-in electrode; a base plate provided on a lower surface of the ceramic plate; a base plate through-hole that penetrates the base plate in an up-down direction; an insulating tube inserted into the base plate through-hole; an adhesive layer including an insulating tube upper surface adhesion part and an insulating tube outer circumferential surface adhesion part; and a positioning structure configured to perform positioning so that a distance between the lower surface of the ceramic plate and the upper surface of the insulating tube reaches a predetermined distance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2024
    Publication date: May 8, 2025
    Applicant: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Taro USAMI, Tatsuya KUNO
  • Publication number: 20250132184
    Abstract: A member for semiconductor manufacturing apparatus includes a ceramic plate having a wafer placement surface on an upper surface and a built-in electrode; a base plate provided on a lower surface of the ceramic plate, and configured to include a built-in refrigerant flow path; a base plate through-hole provided between adjacent parts of the refrigerant flow path, and configured to penetrate the base plate in an up-down direction; an insulating tube provided in the base plate through-hole, and fixed; and a ceramic plate hole open to the lower surface of the ceramic plate, and provided to communicate with an inside of the insulating tube, wherein a wall thickness of the insulating tube continuously varies in a circumferential direction of the insulating tube.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2024
    Publication date: April 24, 2025
    Applicant: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Taro USAMI, Tatsuya KUNO