Patents by Inventor Tetsuji Sato

Tetsuji Sato 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: 11961718
    Abstract: A plasma processing method of processing a substrate with plasma in a plasma processing apparatus. The plasma processing apparatus includes: a chamber configured to accommodate a substrate; an upper electrode structure forming an upper portion of the chamber and including a temperature-controlled plate, an electrode plate disposed below the temperature-controlled plate, and an electrostatic attractor, the electrostatic attractor including a contact surface, an attraction surface, a first electrode, and a second electrode; a power supply configured to apply a voltage to the first and second electrodes; and a temperature obtaining portion configured to acquire a temperature distribution of the electrode plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Shojiro Yahata, Tetsuji Sato
  • Patent number: 11825589
    Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a cooling plate having a fixing surface to which an upper electrode is fixed, the cooling plate having, on the fixing surface, an electrostatic chuck configured to attract the upper electrode by an attraction force generated by an applied voltage; a power supply configured to apply the voltage to the electrostatic chuck; and a power supply controller configured to control the power supply such that an absolute value of the voltage applied to the electrostatic chuck is increased based on a degree of consumption of the upper electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Yohei Uchida, Tetsuji Sato, Shojiro Yahata, Taira Takase
  • Publication number: 20230317425
    Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus comprising: a plasma processing chamber; a substrate support; and a baffle structure to surround the substrate support. The baffle structure includes an upper baffle plate having a plurality of first openings, each of the plurality of first openings having a first width, and a lower baffle plate having a plurality of second openings, each of the plurality of second openings having an upper opening portion and a lower opening portion. A liner structure surrounds a plasma processing space disposed above the substrate support, and includes an inner cylindrical liner and an outer cylindrical liner. The inner cylindrical liner has a plurality of third openings, each of the plurality of third openings having a fourth width. The outer cylindrical liner has a plurality of fourth openings, each of the plurality of fourth openings having an inner opening portion and an outer opening portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2023
    Publication date: October 5, 2023
    Applicant: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Ryoya ABE, Tetsuji SATO, Shin MATSUURA
  • Patent number: 11257662
    Abstract: An annular member is disposed to surround a pedestal for receiving a substrate in a plasma processing apparatus. The annular member contains quartz and silicon. A content percentage of the silicon in the quartz and the silicon is 2.5% or more and 10% and less by weight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Shingo Kitamura, Koichi Kazama, Masahiro Ogasawara, Susumu Nogami, Tetsuji Sato
  • Publication number: 20210272781
    Abstract: A plasma processing method of processing a substrate with plasma in a plasma processing apparatus. The plasma processing apparatus includes: a chamber configured to accommodate a substrate; an upper electrode structure forming an upper portion of the chamber and including a temperature-controlled plate, an electrode plate disposed below the temperature-controlled plate, and an electrostatic attractor, the electrostatic attractor including a contact surface, an attraction surface, a first electrode, and a second electrode; a power supply configured to apply a voltage to the first and second electrodes; and a temperature obtaining portion configured to acquire a temperature distribution of the electrode plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2021
    Publication date: September 2, 2021
    Inventors: Shojiro YAHATA, Tetsuji SATO
  • Publication number: 20210267042
    Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a cooling plate having a fixing surface to which an upper electrode is fixed, the cooling plate having, on the fixing surface, an electrostatic chuck configured to attract the upper electrode by an attraction force generated by an applied voltage; a power supply configured to apply the voltage to the electrostatic chuck; and a power supply controller configured to control the power supply such that an absolute value of the voltage applied to the electrostatic chuck is increased based on a degree of consumption of the upper electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2021
    Publication date: August 26, 2021
    Inventors: Yohei Uchida, Tetsuji Sato, Shojiro Yahata, Taira Takase
  • Publication number: 20210249231
    Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a chamber, a lower electrode, an electrostatic chuck, an edge ring, a metal member, a driving unit, and a control device. The electrostatic chuck is provided on the lower electrode on which a substrate is placed. The edge ring is provided around the electrostatic chuck. The metal member is disposed along an outer wall of the lower electrode and is grounded. The driving unit moves the metal member along the outer wall of the lower electrode. The control device controls the driving unit to move the metal member so as to increase the area in which the outer wall of the lower electrode and the metal member overlap each other when viewed in a direction intersecting the surface of the outer wall of the lower electrode in accordance with an increase in the amount of wear of the edge ring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2021
    Publication date: August 12, 2021
    Applicant: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Tetsuji SATO
  • Publication number: 20210183685
    Abstract: Provided is an edge ring to reduce the frequency of replacement of an edge ring used for plasma processing and to suppress the leakage of a heat transfer gas. The edge ring has an annular first member and an annular second member, the first member has a recess on the lower surface and is made of a first material having plasma resistance, and the second member is arranged in the recess of the first member and is made of a second material having a rigidity lower than that of the first material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2020
    Publication date: June 17, 2021
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Sungjae LEE, Toshiya TSUKAHARA, Mitsuaki SATO, Tetsuji SATO
  • Patent number: 11032899
    Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a cooling plate having a fixing surface to which an upper electrode is fixed, the cooling plate having, on the fixing surface, an electrostatic chuck configured to attract the upper electrode by an attraction force generated by an applied voltage; a power supply configured to apply the voltage to the electrostatic chuck; and a power supply controller configured to control the power supply such that an absolute value of the voltage applied to the electrostatic chuck is increased based on a degree of consumption of the upper electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Yohei Uchida, Tetsuji Sato, Shojiro Yahata, Taira Takase
  • Patent number: 10847348
    Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a processing vessel, a lower electrode, an annular member, an inner upper electrode, an outer upper electrode, a processing gas supply, a first high frequency power supply and a first DC power supply. The lower electrode is configured to place a processing target substrate. The annular member is disposed on an outer peripheral portion of the lower electrode. The inner upper electrode is disposed to face the lower electrode. The outer upper electrode is disposed at an outside of the inner upper electrode. The first high frequency power supply applies a first high frequency power. The first DC power supply applies a first variable DC voltage to the outer upper electrode. At least a part of a surface of the outer upper electrode exposed to the processing space is located higher than a surface of the inner upper electrode exposed to the processing space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Toshiya Tsukahara, Shuhei Yamabe, Kota Yachi, Tetsuji Sato, Yohei Uchida, Ayuta Suzuki, Yosuke Tamura, Hidetoshi Hanaoka, Junichi Sasaki
  • Publication number: 20200176226
    Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a processing vessel, a lower electrode, an annular member, an inner upper electrode, an outer upper electrode, a processing gas supply, a first high frequency power supply and a first DC power supply. The lower electrode is configured to place a processing target substrate. The annular member is disposed on an outer peripheral portion of the lower electrode. The inner upper electrode is disposed to face the lower electrode. The outer upper electrode is disposed at an outside of the inner upper electrode. The first high frequency power supply applies a first high frequency power. The first DC power supply applies a first variable DC voltage to the outer upper electrode. At least a part of a surface of the outer upper electrode exposed to the processing space is located higher than a surface of the inner upper electrode exposed to the processing space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2019
    Publication date: June 4, 2020
    Inventors: Toshiya Tsukahara, Shuhei Yamabe, Kota Yachi, Tetsuji Sato, Yohei Uchida, Ayuta Suzuki, Yosuke Tamura, Hidetoshi Hanaoka, Junichi Sasaki
  • Publication number: 20200107429
    Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a cooling plate having a fixing surface to which an upper electrode is fixed, the cooling plate having, on the fixing surface, an electrostatic chuck configured to attract the upper electrode by an attraction force generated by an applied voltage; a power supply configured to apply the voltage to the electrostatic chuck; and a power supply controller configured to control the power supply such that an absolute value of the voltage applied to the electrostatic chuck is increased based on a degree of consumption of the upper electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2019
    Publication date: April 2, 2020
    Inventors: Yohei Uchida, Tetsuji Sato, Shojiro Yahata, Taira Takase
  • Publication number: 20200066496
    Abstract: An annular member is disposed to surround a pedestal for receiving a substrate in a plasma processing apparatus. The annular member contains quartz and silicon. A content percentage of the silicon in the quartz and the silicon is 2.5% or more and 10% and less by weight.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2019
    Publication date: February 27, 2020
    Inventors: Shingo KITAMURA, Koichi KAZAMA, Masahiro OGASAWARA, Susumu NOGAMI, Tetsuji SATO
  • Patent number: 9455125
    Abstract: Disclosed is a substrate processing apparatus capable of suppressing generation of plasma in the space between a moving electrode and an end wall at one side of a cylindrical chamber. The substrate processing apparatus includes a cylindrical chamber to receive a wafer, a shower head movable along a central axis of the chamber inside the chamber, a susceptor opposing the shower head in the chamber, and a flexible bellows connecting the shower head to a cover of the chamber, wherein a high frequency power is applied to a processing space presented between the shower head and the susceptor, processing gas is introduced into the processing space, the shower head and the side wall of the chamber are non-contact to each other, and a bypass member is installed electrically connecting the shower head and the cover or the side wall of the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Akihiro Yoshimura, Tetsuji Sato, Masato Horiguchi, Nobuhiro Wada, Makoto Kobayashi, Hiroshi Tsujimoto, Jun Tamura, Mamoru Naoi
  • Patent number: 8727708
    Abstract: A reflecting device that enables to prevent infiltration of particles into a processing chamber. The reflecting device is disposed in a communicating pipe. The communicating pipe allows the processing chamber of a substrate processing apparatus and an exhaust pump to communicate with each other. The exhaust pump has at least one rotary blade. The reflecting device comprises at least one reflecting surface. The at least one reflecting surface is oriented to the exhausting pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Moriya, Takahiro Murakami, Yoshiyuki Kobayashi, Tetsuji Sato, Eiichi Sugawara, Shosuke Endoh, Masaki Fujimori
  • Patent number: 8687343
    Abstract: A substrate mounting table of a substrate processing apparatus includes a base portion and a circular plate-shaped electrostatic chuck adhered to an upper surface of the base portion by an adhesive layer. The electrostatic chuck has a circular attracting surface to support a substrate. The substrate mounting table further includes an annular focus ring arranged around the electrostatic chuck to surround the substrate and to cover an outer peripheral portion of the upper surface of the base portion. The electrostatic chuck has a two-layer structure including an upper circular part and a lower circular part having a diameter larger than that of the upper circular part. An outer peripheral portion of the lower circular part and an outer peripheral portion of the adhesive layer adhering the lower circular part to the base portion are covered with the focus ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Tetsuji Sato, Takashi Kitazawa, Akihiro Yoshimura
  • Patent number: 8524005
    Abstract: A heat-transfer structure which can keep a consumable component at a temperature of 225° C. or less during etching of a substrate. The heat-transfer structure is disposed in a chamber where plasma processing is performed on a wafer as the substrate under a reduced pressure. The heat-transfer structure is comprised of a focus ring having an exposed surface exposed to plasma, a susceptor and an electrostatic chuck that cool the consumable component, and a heat-transfer sheet interposed between the focus ring and the electrostatic chuck and made of a gel-like material. The ratio of hardness of the heat-transfer sheet expressed in Asker C to thermal conductivity of the heat-transfer sheet expressed in W/m·K is less than 20.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Masaaki Miyagawa, Tetsuji Sato
  • Patent number: 8173036
    Abstract: A plasma processing method includes the steps of etching the target object with a CF-based processing gas by using a patterned resist film as a mask, removing deposits accumulated inside a processing chamber during the step of etching the target object by using a processing gas containing at least an O2 gas, and ashing the resist film by using a processing gas containing at least an O2 gas. Relevant places in the processing chamber from which the deposits are removed are heated in the step of removing the deposits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Masanobu Honda, Tetsuji Sato, Shin Matsuura, Yutaka Matsui
  • Patent number: 8083891
    Abstract: In a plasma processing apparatus that executes plasma processing on a semiconductor wafer placed inside a processing chamber by generating plasma with a processing gas supplied through a gas supply hole at an upper electrode (shower head) disposed inside the processing chamber, an interchangeable insert member is inserted at a gas passing hole at a gas supply unit to prevent entry of charged particles in the plasma generated in the processing chamber into the gas supply unit. This structure makes it possible to fully prevent the entry of charged particles in the plasma generated inside the processing chamber into the gas supply unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Tetsuji Sato
  • Patent number: D709536
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Akihiro Yoshimura, Masaaki Miyagawa, Tetsuji Sato