Patents by Inventor Toru Kitada

Toru Kitada 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: 20260117362
    Abstract: A substrate processing method includes preparing a substrate having a silicon-containing film, and forming a hard mask on the silicon-containing film by sputtering. The hard mask is an amorphous film containing tungsten, silicon, and nitrogen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2025
    Publication date: April 30, 2026
    Inventors: Takuya SEINO, Toru KITADA, Shota ISHIBASHI, Sho KUMAKURA
  • Patent number: 12488970
    Abstract: There is a film forming apparatus comprising: a first holder holding a first target formed of a first material; a second holder holding a second target formed of a second material different from the first material; and a mounting table holding a substrate, the mounting table rotatable with a central axis of the mounting table as a rotation axis, wherein a distance from the central axis of the mounting table to a center of a sputter surface of the first target is different from a distance from the central axis of the mounting table to a center of a sputter surface of the second target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2025
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Yasuhiko Kojima, Shota Ishibashi, Toru Kitada
  • Patent number: 12486565
    Abstract: A sputtering apparatus includes: a processing container; a first target provided inside the processing container and formed of a first material; a second target provided inside the processing container and formed of a second material different from the first material; a stage provided inside the processing container to place a substrate thereon: a shielding plate arranged between the first target and the second target; and a controller, wherein the controller is configured to perform a process of reducing a film stress of a film formed on the shielding plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2025
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Shota Ishibashi, Toru Kitada
  • Patent number: 12387922
    Abstract: A film forming apparatus for forming a film by magnetron sputtering includes a substrate support supporting the substrate, a holder holding a target for emitting sputtered particles, a magnet unit having a magnet, first and second movement mechanisms configured to periodically move the substrate support and the magnet unit, respectively, and a controller. The controller is configured to control the first movement mechanism and the second movement mechanism so that a phase in a periodic movement of the substrate support remains the same at a start of film formation and at an end of film formation, a phase in a periodic movement of the magnet unit remains the same at a start of film formation and at an end of film formation, and the phase in the periodic movement of the substrate support and the phase in the periodic movement of the magnet unit do not match during film formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2025
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Kenichi Imakita, Hiroaki Chihaya, Toru Kitada, Atsushi Gomi
  • Publication number: 20250174465
    Abstract: A hard mask used for etching a processing target includes an oxide containing one or more of gallium, indium, and zinc. The hard mask that includes the oxide containing one or more of gallium, indium, and zinc is formed on a substrate having the processing target, and is etched into a desired pattern, and the processing target is etched using the hard mask as a mask.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2023
    Publication date: May 29, 2025
    Inventors: Xiaolong LI, Hiroki MAEHARA, Shota ISHIBASHI, Toru KITADA
  • Publication number: 20240274436
    Abstract: Provided are a film forming method in which oxygen defects are suppressed, and a substrate processing method. Provided is a film forming method having a step for cooling a substrate to a very-low-temperature state of 200 K or less, and a step for forming an oxide semiconductor film on the cooled substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2022
    Publication date: August 15, 2024
    Inventors: Shota ISHIBASHI, Toru KITADA, Keiichi NAGASAKA
  • Patent number: 12018928
    Abstract: There is provided a film thickness measurement method which measures a film thickness of a specific film to be measured in a multilayer film in situ in a film formation system that forms the multilayer film on a substrate, the method comprising: regarding a plurality of films located under the film to be measured as one underlayer film, measuring a film thickness of the underlayer film, and deriving an optical constant of the underlayer film by spectroscopic interferometry; and after the film to be measured is formed, deriving a film thickness of the film to be measured by spectroscopic interferometry using the film thickness and the optical constant of the underlayer film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2024
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Kazunaga Ono, Kanto Nakamura, Toru Kitada, Atsushi Gomi
  • Patent number: 11894222
    Abstract: A film forming apparatus for forming a film on a substrate by using a magnetron sputtering method. The film forming apparatus includes: a substrate holder configured to hold a substrate; a target holder configured to hold a target made of a ferromagnetic material to face the substrate holder; a magnet provided on a surface of the target holder opposite to the substrate holder, and configured to leak a magnetic field to a front surface of the target held by the target holder that is a surface close to the substrate holder; and a magnetic field strength measurement device configured to measure a strength of the magnetic field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Atsushi Takeuchi, Toru Kitada, Kanto Nakamura, Atsushi Gomi
  • Publication number: 20240021423
    Abstract: There is a film forming apparatus comprising: a first holder holding a first target formed of a first material; a second holder holding a second target formed of a second material different from the first material; and a mounting table holding a substrate, the mounting table rotatable with a central axis of the mounting table as a rotation axis, wherein a distance from the central axis of the mounting table to a center of a sputter surface of the first target is different from a distance from the central axis of the mounting table to a center of a sputter surface of the second target.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2023
    Publication date: January 18, 2024
    Inventors: Yasuhiko KOJIMA, Shota ISHIBASHI, Toru KITADA
  • Publication number: 20230175112
    Abstract: There is a method for forming a film including an alloy film containing multiple types of elements on a surface of a substrate using a film forming target made of the alloy film, comprising: (a) arranging the film forming target and a distribution improvement target; and (b) forming the film on the substrate by simultaneously or alternately sputtering the film forming target and the distribution improvement target, wherein the distribution improvement target is made of a distribution improvement film containing a non-uniform element among the multiple types of elements, and in step (b), a larger amount of the non-uniform element sputtered from the distribution improvement target is supplied to a portion where the distribution amount of the non-uniform element is small compared to a portion where the distribution amount of the non-uniform element is large when the film is formed on the substrate by the film forming target.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2022
    Publication date: June 8, 2023
    Inventors: Shota ISHIBASHI, Toru KITADA
  • Publication number: 20230175114
    Abstract: A sputtering apparatus includes: a processing container; a first target provided inside the processing container and formed of a first material; a second target provided inside the processing container and formed of a second material different from the first material; a stage provided inside the processing container to place a substrate thereon; a shielding plate arranged between the first target and the second target; and a controller, wherein the controller is configured to perform a process of reducing a film stress of a film formed on the shielding plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2022
    Publication date: June 8, 2023
    Inventors: Shota ISHIBASHI, Toru KITADA
  • Publication number: 20230011226
    Abstract: There is provided a film thickness measurement method which measures a film thickness of a specific film to be measured in a multilayer film in situ in a film formation system that forms the multilayer film on a substrate, the method comprising: regarding a plurality of films located under the film to be measured as one underlayer film, measuring a film thickness of the underlayer film, and deriving an optical constant of the underlayer film by spectroscopic interferometry; and after the film to be measured is formed, deriving a film thickness of the film to be measured by spectroscopic interferometry using the film thickness and the optical constant of the underlayer film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2022
    Publication date: January 12, 2023
    Inventors: Kazunaga ONO, Kanto NAKAMURA, Toru KITADA, Atsushi GOMI
  • Publication number: 20230005989
    Abstract: A film forming apparatus for forming a laminated structure on a substrate to form a magnetic tunnel junction element is disclosed. The film forming apparatus comprises: a plurality of processing chambers where a magnetic layer and an insulating layer are formed on the substrate; a heat treatment chamber where a magnetic field is applied to the substrate to perform heat treatment; a vacuum transfer chamber that connects the processing chambers and the heat treatment chamber; and a controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2022
    Publication date: January 5, 2023
    Inventors: Keisuke SATO, Toru KITADA, Atsushi GOMI, Kanto NAKAMURA
  • Publication number: 20220415634
    Abstract: A film forming apparatus for forming a film by magnetron sputtering includes a substrate support supporting the substrate, a holder holding a target for emitting sputtered particles, a magnet unit having a magnet, first and second movement mechanisms configured to periodically move the substrate support and the magnet unit, respectively, and a controller. The controller is configured to control the first movement mechanism and the second movement mechanism so that a phase in a periodic movement of the substrate support remains the same at a start of film formation and at an end of film formation, a phase in a periodic movement of the magnet unit remains the same at a start of film formation and at an end of film formation, and the phase in the periodic movement of the substrate support and the phase in the periodic movement of the magnet unit do not match during film formation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2022
    Publication date: December 29, 2022
    Inventors: Kenichi Imakita, Hiroaki Chihaya, Toru Kitada, Atsushi Gomi
  • Publication number: 20220403503
    Abstract: A film forming apparatus for forming a metal oxide film on a substrate, includes: a substrate support part configured to support the substrate; a heating mechanism configured to heat the substrate supported by the substrate support part; a processing container in which the substrate support part is provided; a holder configured to hold a metal material target inside the processing container and connected to a power source; a gas supply part configured to supply an oxygen gas into the processing container; and a controller, wherein the controller is configured to control the heating mechanism, the power source, and the gas supply part so as to execute alternately and repeatedly: forming a predetermined film on the substrate inside the processing container by reactive sputtering in a metal mode; and forming a target metal oxide film by causing the predetermined film to react with an oxygen gas inside the processing container.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2022
    Publication date: December 22, 2022
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Iwashita, Toru Kitada, Atsushi Shimada
  • Publication number: 20220098717
    Abstract: A film forming apparatus according to the present invention comprises: a processing chamber; a substrate holder for holding a substrate within the processing chamber; a target electrode, disposed above the substrate holder, for holding a metal target and supplying electrical power from a power source to the target; an oxidizing gas introduction mechanism for supplying an oxidizing gas to the substrate; and a gas supply unit for supplying an inert gas to the space where the target is disposed. Constituent metal is discharged from the target in the form of sputter particles, whereby a metal film is deposited on the substrate, and the metal film is oxidized by the oxidizing gas introduced by the oxidizing gas introduction mechanism, thereby forming a metal oxide film. When the oxidizing gas is introduced, the gas supply unit supplies the inert gas to the space where the target is disposed so that the pressure therein is positive with respect to the pressure in a processing space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2019
    Publication date: March 31, 2022
    Inventors: Kenichi IMAKITA, Kazunaga ONO, Toru KITADA, Keisuke SATO, Atsushi GOMI, Hiroyuki YOKOHARA, Hiroshi SONE
  • Publication number: 20210407779
    Abstract: A film forming apparatus for forming a film on a substrate by using a magnetron sputtering method. The film forming apparatus includes: a substrate holder configured to hold a substrate; a target holder configured to hold a target made of a ferromagnetic material to face the substrate holder; a magnet provided on a surface of the target holder opposite to the substrate holder, and configured to leak a magnetic field to a front surface of the target held by the target holder that is a surface close to the substrate holder; and a magnetic field strength measurement device configured to measure a strength of the magnetic field.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2021
    Publication date: December 30, 2021
    Inventors: Atsushi TAKEUCHI, Toru KITADA, Kanto NAKAMURA, Atsushi GOMI
  • Patent number: 10309005
    Abstract: A deposition device according to one embodiment includes a processing container. A mounting table is installed inside the processing container, and a metal target is installed above the mounting table. Further, a head is configured to inject an oxidizing gas toward the mounting table. This head is configured to move between a first region that is defined between the metal target and a mounting region where a target object is mounted on the mounting table and a second region spaced apart from a space defined between the metal target and the mounting region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Yasuhiko Kojima, Hiroshi Sone, Atsushi Gomi, Kanto Nakamura, Toru Kitada, Yasunobu Suzuki, Yusuke Suzuki, Koichi Takatsuki, Tatsuo Hirasawa, Keisuke Sato, Chiaki Yasumuro, Atsushi Shimada
  • Publication number: 20170317273
    Abstract: A method for forming a perpendicular magnetization type magnetic tunnel junction element includes forming a tunnel barrier layer on a first magnetic layer of a workpiece, cooling the workpiece on which the tunnel barrier layer is formed, and forming a second magnetic layer on the tunnel barrier layer after the cooling.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2017
    Publication date: November 2, 2017
    Inventors: Toru KITADA, Kanto NAKAMURA, Atsushi GOMI, Shinji FURUKAWA, Yusuke SUZUKI
  • Patent number: 9790590
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a vacuum-processing apparatus for forming a metal film on a substrate by sputtering targets with ions of plasma, and then oxidizing the metal film, the apparatus including: a first target composed of a material having a property of adsorbing oxygen; a second target composed of a metal; a power supply unit configured to apply a voltage to the targets; a shutter configured to prevent particles generated from one of the targets from adhering to the other of the targets; a shielding member; an oxygen supply unit configured to supply an oxygen-containing gas to the substrate mounted on the mounting unit; and a control unit configured to perform supplying a plasma-generating voltage to the targets and sputtering the targets and supplying the oxygen-containing gas from the oxygen supply unit to the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Shinji Furukawa, Atsushi Gomi, Tetsuya Miyashita, Toru Kitada, Kanto Nakamura