Patents by Inventor Toru Imori

Toru Imori 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).

  • Publication number: 20110006427
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a technology for forming an ULSI fine copper wiring by a simpler method. An electronic component in which a thin alloy film of tungsten and a noble metal used as a barrier-seed layer for an ULSI fine copper wiring is formed on a base material, wherein the thin alloy film has a composition comprising tungsten at a ratio equal to or greater than 50 at. % and the noble metal at a ratio of equal to or greater than 5 at. % and equal to or less than 50 at. %. The noble metal is preferably one or more kinds of metals selected from the group consisting of ruthenium, rhodium, and iridium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2009
    Publication date: January 13, 2011
    Inventors: Junnosuke Sekiguchi, Toru Imori
  • Publication number: 20110006426
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a technology for forming an ULSI fine copper wiring by a simpler method. An electronic component in which a thin alloy film of tungsten and a noble metal used as a barrier-seed layer for an ULSI fine copper wiring is formed on a base material, wherein the thin alloy film has a composition comprising tungsten at a ratio equal to or greater than 60 at. % and the noble metal at a ratio of equal to or greater than 5 at. % and equal to or less than 40 at. %. The noble metal is preferably one or more kinds of metals selected from the group consisting of platinum, gold, silver and palladium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2009
    Publication date: January 13, 2011
    Inventors: Junnosuke Sekiguchi, Toru Imori
  • Patent number: 7867564
    Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a metal plating method by a simple process, for example, on resins on which plating has been heretofore impossible. The metal plating method involves surface treating an article to be plated with a liquid prepared by mixing or reacting in advance an organic acid salt of a silane coupling agent containing an azole in a molecule, for example, a coupling agent which is an equimolar reaction product of imidazole and ?-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane, and a noble metal compound, and then conducting electroless plating thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Nippon Mining & Metals Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toru Imori, Atsushi Yabe
  • Publication number: 20100314766
    Abstract: An object of the present is to provide a ULSI micro-interconnect member having a seed layer which, particularly on the inner sidewalls of vias and trenches, is formed with a sufficient coverage and a film thickness uniform with that on surface portion, and which has a low level of impurities. Further objects of the invention are to provide a ULSI micro-interconnect member in which, by utilizing such a seed layer to subsequently effect copper electroplating, micro-interconnects have been formed without generating voids; a process for forming the same; and a semiconductor wafer in which such ULSI micro-interconnects have been formed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2009
    Publication date: December 16, 2010
    Inventors: Junnosuke Sekiguchi, Toru Imori, Takashi Kinase
  • Publication number: 20100244258
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a substrate having a barrier film for preventing copper diffusion having both a barrier function and a catalytic function, wherein the barrier properties during high-temperature heating is excellent. A substrate having, on a base material, a barrier film for preventing copper diffusion comprising one or more metal elements selected from tungsten, molybdenum and niobium, a metal element having a catalytic function in electroless plating such as platinum, gold, silver and palladium, and nitrogen contained in the form of a nitride of the aforementioned one or more metal elements selected from tungsten, molybdenum and niobium. The said barrier film for preventing copper diffusion is manufactured by sputtering in a nitrogen atmosphere using a target containing one or more metal elements selected from tungsten, molybdenum and niobium and the aforementioned metal element having a catalytic function in electroless plating.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2008
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Inventors: Junichi Ito, Atsushi Yabe, Junnosuke Sekiguchi, Toru Imori
  • Publication number: 20100244259
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a substrate having a barrier film for preventing copper diffusion having both a barrier function and a catalytic function, wherein the barrier properties during high-temperature heating is excellent. A substrate having, on a base material, a barrier film for preventing copper diffusion comprising one or more metal elements selected from tungsten, molybdenum and niobium, a metal element having a catalytic function in electroless plating such as ruthenium, rhodium, and iridium, and nitrogen contained in the form of a nitride of the aforementioned one or more metal elements selected from tungsten, molybdenum and niobium. The said barrier film for preventing copper diffusion is manufactured by sputtering in a nitrogen atmosphere using a target containing one or more metal elements selected from tungsten, molybdenum and niobium and the aforementioned metal element having a catalytic function in electroless plating.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2008
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Inventors: Junichi Ito, Atsushi Yabe, Junnosuke Sekiguchi, Toru Imori
  • Publication number: 20100215970
    Abstract: A metal nano particle can be supported and immobilized on a substrate uniformly. Thus, disclosed is a method for supporting a nano metal particle, which comprises applying a silane coupling agent having at least one functional group capable of capturing a metal (e.g., an imidazole group, an amino group, a diamino group, a mercapto group, and a vinyl group) in its molecule on a substrate, and then contacting the silane coupling agent with a nano particle of a metal (e.g., gold, platinum, silver, copper, palladium, nickel, cobalt), wherein the silane coupling agent may be produced by the reaction between an azole compound with an epoxysilane compound, and wherein the metal nano particle to be contacted with the silane coupling agent is preferably coated with an ionic fluid. Also disclosed is a substrate having a metal nano particle supported thereon, which is produced by the method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2008
    Publication date: August 26, 2010
    Applicants: Nippon Mining & Metals Co. Ltd, Nagoya University, Osaka University
    Inventors: Toru Imori, Yoshiyuki Hisumi, Junichi Ito, Tsukasa Torimoto, Kenichi Okazaki, Susumu Kuwabata
  • Patent number: 7727639
    Abstract: An iron-based sintered body with a rustproof function comprises a layer containing 0.01 to 5 at % of indium on the surface of the iron-based sintered body, or an iron-based sintered body with a rustproof function contains 0.01 to 5 at % of indium throughout the sintered body, and the iron-based sintered body having iron as its principal component is manufactured by performing sintering in a gas atmosphere containing indium vapor or indium. Thereby obtained is an iron-based sintered body, as well as the manufacturing method thereof, capable of easily improving the rustproof effect without having to hardly change the conventional process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Nippon Mining & Metals Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Masataka Yahagi, Toru Imori, Atsushi Nakamura
  • Patent number: 7713340
    Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a pretreating agent for electroless plating that is stable and soluble in organic solvents, a method of electroless plating with excellent adhesiveness using it and an electroless plated product. An object to be plated is pre-treated using a pretreating agent for electroless plating comprising a noble metal soap of naphthenic acid or a fatty acid having 5 to 25 carbon atoms or preferably using a pretreating agent for electroless plating additionally comprising an imidazole silane coupling agent or other silane coupling agent having metal capturing ability, and then electroless plated. The noble metal soap is preferably a palladium soap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignee: Nippon Mining & Metals Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshifumi Kawamura, Jun Suzuki, Toru Imori
  • Patent number: 7691172
    Abstract: Provided is iron-based metal powder for powder metallurgy including a metallic soap containing at least one or more types selected from a group of Ag, Au, Bi, Co, Cu, Mo, Ni, Pd, Pt, Sn, Te and W having a higher standard oxidization potential than iron, and an iron sintered body having a rust prevention function, wherein at least one or more types of metallic soap selected from a group of Ag, Au, Bi, Co, Cu, Mo, Ni, Pd, Pt, Sn, Te and W having a higher standard oxidization potential than iron is added to iron-based metal powder for powder metallurgy, and sintering is performed thereto. As a result, obtained is mixed powder for powder metallurgy capable of improving the rust prevention effect easily without having to hardly change the conventional processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: Nippon Mining & Metals Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toru Imori, Atsushi Nakamura, Yasushi Narusawa, Masataka Yahagi
  • Patent number: 7666245
    Abstract: Provided is iron-based metal powder for powder metallurgy including a metallic soap containing at least one or more types of metal selected from a group of Ag, Au, Bi, Co, Cu, Mo, Ni, Pd, Pt, Sn and Te having a higher standard oxidization potential than iron, and an additional metal which forms a liquid phase at a temperature of 1200° C. or less in the combination with the metal, wherein the soap contains metal for forming an alloy phase between the two. As a result, obtained is mixed powder for powder metallurgy capable of improving the rust prevention effect easily without having to hardly change the conventional processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: Nippon Mining & Metals Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toru Imori, Atsushi Nakamura, Yasushi Narusawa, Masataka Yahagi
  • Publication number: 20100038111
    Abstract: The present invention provides a plated article that has a thin seed layer having uniform thickness, formed by electroless plating and allowing formation of ultrafine wiring, and that avoids the complicated formation of a bilayer of a barrier layer and a catalytic metal layer prior to forming the seed layer. The present invention also provides a method for manufacturing the plated article. The plated article has an alloy thin film formed on a substrate and having a catalytically active metal (A) for electroless plating and a metal (B) capable of undergoing displacement plating with a metal ion contained in an electroless plating solution, and a metal thin film formed on the alloy thin film by electroless displacement and reduction plating. The alloy thin film of the catalytically active metal (A) and the metal (B) capable of displacement plating has a composition comprising 5 at % to 40 at % of the metal (A).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2008
    Publication date: February 18, 2010
    Inventors: Atsushi Yabe, Junichi Ito, Yoshiyuki Hisumi, Junnosuke Sekiguchi, Toru Imori
  • Publication number: 20100003539
    Abstract: The present invention provides a plated article that has a thin seed layer having uniform thickness, formed by electroless plating and allowing formation of ultrafine wiring, and that avoids the complicated formation of a bilayer of a barrier layer and a catalytic metal layer prior to forming the seed layer. The present invention also provides a method for manufacturing the plated article. The plated article has an alloy thin film formed on a substrate and having a catalytically active metal (A) for electroless plating and a metal (B) capable of undergoing displacement plating with a metal ion contained in an electroless plating solution, and a metal thin film formed on the alloy thin film by electroless displacement and reduction plating. The alloy thin film of the catalytically active metal (A) and the metal (B) capable of displacement plating has a composition comprising 5 at % to 40 at % of the metal (A).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2008
    Publication date: January 7, 2010
    Inventors: Atsushi Yabe, Junichi Ito, Yoshiyuki Hisumi, Junnosuke Sekiguchi, Toru Imori
  • Publication number: 20090068364
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel imidazole alcohol compound that adheres strongly to metal surfaces in metal products, especially copper, aluminum and steel products, and that has a superior rust-preventive effect even in a thin film, and a surface-treating agent using the same. The novel imidazole alcohol compound is expressed by the following general formula (1) show a rust-preventive effect. (In general formula (1), R1, R2 and R3 are each hydrogen, a vinyl group or an alkyl group with 1 to 20 carbon atoms, an aromatic ring may be formed by R2 and R3, X indicates hydrogen, an alkyl group with 1 to 6 carbon atoms, or a substituent group which may contain N or O, m indicates an integer from 0 to 20, and n and l indicate integers from 1 to 3.) The above-mentioned imidazole alcohol compound can be produced by reacting an imidazole compound and an epoxy alcohol compound.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2008
    Publication date: March 12, 2009
    Inventors: Toru Imori, Atsushi Yabe, Junnosuke Sekiguchi
  • Publication number: 20090042021
    Abstract: A metal-coated material comprising a metal-coated lipid bilayer vesicle and a preparation method thereof are provided. A metal-coated material comprising a metal-coated lipid bilayer vesicle having a network of siloxane bonding (Si—O—Si) on its surface. a method for preparing the metal-coated lipid bilayer vesicle comprising the following steps: (1) rendering the functional group(s) having the ability of carrying the metal catalyst to the surface of lipid bilayer vesicle having a network of siloxane bonding (Si—O—Si bonding) on its surface, at or after the formation, by self-organization, of the lipid bilayer vesicle; (2) immobilizing the metal catalyst on the surface of the lipid bilayer vesicle; (3) optionally, reducing the metal catalyst; and (4) performing electroless plating.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2006
    Publication date: February 12, 2009
    Applicants: Nara Institute of Science and Technology, Nippon Mining & Metals Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jun-ichi Kikuchi, Yoshihiro Sasaki, Mineo Hashizume, Toru Imori
  • Publication number: 20080224313
    Abstract: A method for forming a seed layer for damascene copper wiring is provided. The method comprises the step of forming a seed layer, during damascene copper wiring formation, using an electroless plating solution comprising a water-soluble nitrogen-containing polymer and glyoxylic acid as a reducing agent, wherein the weight-average molecular weight (Mw) of the water-soluble nitrogen-containing polymer is 1,000 to less than 100,000. Preferably, the electroless plating solution further comprises phosphinic acid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2008
    Publication date: September 18, 2008
    Inventors: Atsushi Yabe, Junnosuke Sekiguchi, Toru Imori
  • Publication number: 20080138629
    Abstract: There is provided a technology that can be applied as a substrate material to ordinary resin substrate materials and allows the adhesive strength between this substrate material and a plating metal layer to be increased; more specifically, there is provided an ordinary resin substrate material with an increased adhesive strength between the substrate material and a plating metal layer. The present invention relates to a resin substrate material such as an epoxy resin whose surface is swellable in a solution containing imidazolesilane and a palladium or other noble metal compound having a catalytic action in electroless plating and which has been surface-treated with the solution, and to an electronic component substrate material manufactured by performing electroless plating on this resin substrate material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2006
    Publication date: June 12, 2008
    Inventors: Toshifumi Kawamura, Toru Imori
  • Publication number: 20080138642
    Abstract: An iron-based sintered body with a rustproof function comprises a layer containing 0.01 to 5 at % of indium on the surface of the iron-based sintered body, or an iron-based sintered body with a rustproof function contains 0.01 to 5 at % of indium throughout the sintered body, and the iron-based sintered body having iron as its principal component is manufactured by performing sintering in a gas atmosphere containing indium vapor or indium. Thereby obtained is an iron-based sintered body, as well as the manufacturing method thereof, capable of easily improving the rustproof effect without having to hardly change the conventional process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2008
    Publication date: June 12, 2008
    Applicant: NIPPON MINING & METALS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masataka Yahagi, Toru Imori, Atsushi Nakamura
  • Patent number: 7347969
    Abstract: Provided is an iron-based sintered body with a rustproof function comprising a layer containing 0.01 to 5 at % of indium on the surface of the iron-based sintered body, or an iron-based sintered body with a rustproof function containing 0.01 to 5 at % of indium throughout the sintered body, and the iron-based sintered body having iron as its principal component is manufactured by performing sintering in a gas atmosphere containing indium vapor or indium. Thereby obtained is an iron-based sintered body, as well as the manufacturing method thereof, capable of easily improving the rustproof effect without having to hardly change the conventional process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2008
    Assignee: Nippon Mining & Metals Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Masataka Yahagi, Toru Imori, Atsushi Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20080023669
    Abstract: A surface treatment agent for metal is provided which is capable of improving the strength of adhesion between metal and rubber. A metal surface treatment agent for promoting adhesion between the metal and rubber comprising a cobalt or other metal compound and a silane coupling agent having a metal-capturing functional group in the molecule, and a metal surface treatment agent for promoting adhesion between the metal and rubber comprising a silane coupling agent having in the molecule a metal-capturing functional group with a captured metal such as a cobalt. The metal-capturing functional group is preferably an amino, amide or azole group.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2005
    Publication date: January 31, 2008
    Inventors: Toru Imori, Jun Suzuki, Kazunori Iida