Patents by Inventor Toru HISAMATSU

Toru HISAMATSU 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: 11244804
    Abstract: An etching method includes: providing a substrate having a film and a patterned mask on the film; forming a silicon-containing layer including silicon, carbon, and nitrogen on the substrate using a precursor gas containing silicon; and performing a plasma etching on the film. The substrate is placed under a depressurized environment for a time period from a start time point of the step of forming the silicon-containing layer on the substrate to an end time point of the step of performing the plasma etching on the film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Daisuke Nishide, Toru Hisamatsu, Shinya Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 11244828
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, a wafer (W) includes a layer (EL) to be etched, an organic film (OL), an antireflection film (AL), and a mask (MK1), and a method (MT) according to an embodiment includes a step of performing an etching process on the antireflection film (AL) by using the mask (MK1) with plasma generated in a processing container (12), in the processing container (12) of a plasma processing apparatus (10) in which the wafer (W) is accommodated, and the step includes steps ST3a to ST4 of conformally forming a protective film (SX) on the surface of the mask (MK1), and steps ST6a to ST7 of etching the antireflection film (AL) by removing the antireflection film (AL) for each atomic layer by using the mask (MK1) on which the protective film (SX) is formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Yoshihide Kihara, Toru Hisamatsu, Tomoyuki Oishi
  • Patent number: 11201062
    Abstract: A method for processing a substrate includes a step of providing a substrate and a first step. In the step of providing a substrate, a substrate having a first film and a second film formed on the first film and having a pattern formed thereon is provided. In the first step, a protective film is formed on a side wall of the first film by a product generated by sputtering of the second film while a first processing gas is turned into plasma and the first film is etched simultaneously with the sputtering of the second film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Yuki Iijima, Toru Hisamatsu, Kae Kumagai
  • Publication number: 20210384039
    Abstract: An etching method includes a step of selectively forming deposit on a top surface of a mask disposed on a film of a substrate, a step of etching the film after the step of forming the deposit, a step of forming a layer of chemical species included in plasma of a processing gas, on the substrate, and a step of supplying ions from plasma of an inert gas to the substrate so that the chemical species react with the film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2021
    Publication date: December 9, 2021
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Takayuki HOSHI, Masanobu HONDA, Masahiro TABATA, Toru HISAMATSU
  • Publication number: 20210327719
    Abstract: In an embodiment, in the method for processing a workpiece including an etching target layer containing silicon oxide, a mask provided on the etching target layer, and an opening provided in the mask and exposing the etching target layer, according to the embodiment, the etching target layer is etched by removing the etching target layer for each atomic layer through repetitive execution of a sequence of generating plasma of a first processing gas containing nitrogen, forming a mixed layer containing ions included in the plasma on an atomic layer on an exposed surface of the etching target layer, generating plasma of a second processing gas containing fluorine, and removing the mixed layer by radicals included in the plasma. The plasma of the second processing gas contains the radicals that remove the mixed layer containing silicon nitride.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2021
    Publication date: October 21, 2021
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Masahiro TABATA, Toru HISAMATSU, Yoshihide KIHARA, Masanobu HONDA
  • Publication number: 20210320011
    Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus which forms a first film on a pattern formed on a substrate having dense and coarse areas, and then performs sputtering or etching on the first film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2021
    Publication date: October 14, 2021
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Yoshihide KIHARA, Toru HISAMATSU, Kensuke TANIGUCHI, Yoshinari HATAZAKI
  • Patent number: 11139175
    Abstract: A method includes anisotropically etching an etching target layer of a target object through an opening of the target object by generating plasma of a first gas within a processing vessel in which the target object is accommodated; and then forming a film on an inner surface of the opening by repeating a sequence comprising: a first process of supplying a second gas into the processing vessel; a second process of purging a space within the processing vessel; a third process of generating plasma of a third gas containing an oxygen atom within the processing vessel; and a fourth process of purging the space within the processing vessel. The first gas contains a carbon atom and a fluorine atom. The second gas contains an aminosilane-based gas. The etching target layer is a hydrophilic insulating layer containing silicon. Plasma of the first gas is not generated in the first process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Yoshihide Kihara, Toru Hisamatsu, Masahiro Tabata
  • Patent number: 11133192
    Abstract: An embodiment of the present disclosure provides a method of processing a workpiece in which a plurality of holes are formed on a surface of the workpiece. The method includes a first sequence including a first process of forming a film with respect to an inner surface of each of the holes and a second process of isotropically etching the film. The first process includes a film forming process using a plasma CVD method, and the film contains silicon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Masahiro Tabata, Toru Hisamatsu, Yoshihide Kihara
  • Patent number: 11127598
    Abstract: An etching method includes a step of selectively forming deposit on a top surface of a mask disposed on a film of a substrate, a step of etching the film after the step of forming the deposit, a step of forming a layer of chemical species included in plasma of a processing gas, on the substrate, and a step of supplying ions from plasma of an inert gas to the substrate so that the chemical species react with the film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Takayuki Hoshi, Masanobu Honda, Masahiro Tabata, Toru Hisamatsu
  • Patent number: 11114304
    Abstract: A substrate processing method includes providing a processing target substrate having a pattern, forming a film on the substrate, forming a reaction layer on a surface layer of the substrate by plasma, and removing the reaction layer by applying energy to the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Takayuki Katsunuma, Toru Hisamatsu, Shinya Ishikawa, Yoshihide Kihara, Masanobu Honda, Maju Tomura, Sho Kumakura
  • Patent number: 11094551
    Abstract: A plasma processing method performed using a plasma processing apparatus includes a first step of forming a first film on a pattern formed on a substrate and having dense and coarse areas, and a second step of performing sputtering or etching on the first film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Yoshihide Kihara, Toru Hisamatsu, Kensuke Taniguchi, Yoshinari Hatazaki
  • Patent number: 11081360
    Abstract: In an embodiment, in the method for processing a workpiece including an etching target layer containing silicon oxide, a mask provided on the etching target layer, and an opening provided in the mask and exposing the etching target layer, according to the embodiment, the etching target layer is etched by removing the etching target layer for each atomic layer through repetitive execution of a sequence of generating plasma of a first processing gas containing nitrogen, forming a mixed layer containing ions included in the plasma on an atomic layer on an exposed surface of the etching target layer, generating plasma of a second processing gas containing fluorine, and removing the mixed layer by radicals included in the plasma. The plasma of the second processing gas contains the radicals that remove the mixed layer containing silicon nitride.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Masahiro Tabata, Toru Hisamatsu, Yoshihide Kihara, Masanobu Honda
  • Publication number: 20210143004
    Abstract: A method for processing a substrate includes: (a) exposing a substrate with a pattern formed on a surface thereof to a first reactive species in a chamber, thereby adsorbing the first reactive species onto the surface of the substrate; (b) exposing the substrate to plasma formed by a second reactive species in the chamber, thereby forming a film on the surface of the substrate; and (c) repeating a processing including (a) and (b) two or more times while changing a residence amount of the first reactive species at a time of starting (b).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2020
    Publication date: May 13, 2021
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Kae KUMAGAI, Toru HISAMATSU, Masanobu HONDA
  • Publication number: 20210111034
    Abstract: A method for processing a substrate in a plasma chamber is provided. The method includes providing a substrate on which an underlying layer to be etched and a mask are formed. The method further includes forming a protective film on the mask. The method further includes performing an anisotropic deposition to selectively form a deposition layer on a top portion of the mask.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2020
    Publication date: April 15, 2021
    Applicant: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Toru HISAMATSU, Masanobu HONDA, Yoshihide KIHARA
  • Publication number: 20210098263
    Abstract: A method for processing a substrate for processing a substrate includes: (a) providing a substrate having an etching region and a patterned region on the etching region; (b) forming an organic film on a surface of the substrate; and (c) etching the etching region using plasma generated from a processing gas through the patterned region. The step (b) includes (b1) supplying a first gas containing an organic compound to the substrate to form a precursor layer on the substrate, and (b2) supplying a second gas containing a modifying gas to the substrate and supplying energy to the precursor layer and/or the second gas to modify the precursor layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2020
    Publication date: April 1, 2021
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Shinya ISHIKAWA, Toru HISAMATSU
  • Patent number: 10916420
    Abstract: A substrate processing method includes: providing a substrate in a processing container; selectively forming a first film on a surface of a substrate by plasma enhanced vapor deposition (PECVD); and forming a second film by atomic layer deposition (ALD) in a region of the substrate where the first film does not exist. The second film is formed by repeatedly performing a sequence including: forming a precursor layer on the surface of the substrate; purging an interior of the processing container after forming of the precursor; converting the precursor layer into the second film; and purging a space in the processing container after the converting. A plasma processing apparatus performing the method is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Masahiro Tabata, Toru Hisamatsu, Maju Tomura, Sho Kumakura, Hironari Sasagawa
  • Patent number: 10886136
    Abstract: A method for processing a substrate in a plasma chamber is provided. The method includes providing a substrate on which an underlying layer to be etched and a mask are formed. The method further includes forming a protective film on the mask. The method further includes performing an anisotropic deposition to selectively form a deposition layer on a top portion of the mask.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Toru Hisamatsu, Masanobu Honda, Yoshihide Kihara
  • Publication number: 20200411325
    Abstract: A method for processing a substrate includes a step of providing a substrate and a first step. In the step of providing a substrate, a substrate having a first film and a second film formed on the first film and having a pattern formed thereon is provided. In the first step, a protective film is formed on a side wall of the first film by a product generated by sputtering of the second film while a first processing gas is turned into plasma and the first film is etched simultaneously with the sputtering of the second film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2020
    Publication date: December 31, 2020
    Applicant: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Yuki IIJIMA, Toru HISAMATSU, Kae KUMAGAI
  • Publication number: 20200381265
    Abstract: A method of processing a substrate is provided. The substrate includes an etching target region and a patterned region. The patterned region is provided on the etching target region. In the method, an organic film is formed on a surface of the substrate. Subsequently, the etching target region is etched by plasma generated from a processing gas. The organic film is formed in a state that the substrate is placed in a processing space within a chamber. When the organic film is formed, a first gas containing a first organic compound is supplied toward the substrate, and then, a second gas containing a second organic compound is supplied toward the substrate. An organic compound constituting the organic film is generated by polymerization of the first organic compound and the second organic compound.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2020
    Publication date: December 3, 2020
    Inventors: Masahiro Tabata, Toru Hisamatsu, Sho Kumakura, Ryuichi Asako, Shinya Ishikawa, Masanobu Honda
  • Publication number: 20200303181
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, a wafer (W) includes a layer (EL) to be etched, an organic film (OL), an antireflection film (AL), and a mask (MK1), and a method (MT) according to an embodiment includes a step of performing an etching process on the antireflection film (AL) by using the mask (MK1) with plasma generated in a processing container (12), in the processing container (12) of a plasma processing apparatus (10) in which the wafer (W) is accommodated, and the step includes steps ST3a to ST4 of conformally forming a protective film (SX) on the surface of the mask (MK1), and steps ST6a to ST7 of etching the antireflection film (AL) by removing the antireflection film (AL) for each atomic layer by using the mask (MK1) on which the protective film (SX) is formed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2020
    Publication date: September 24, 2020
    Applicant: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Yoshihide KIHARA, Toru HISAMATSU, Tomoyuki OISHI