Patents by Inventor Toshiaki Sudo

Toshiaki Sudo 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: 20140326172
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for evaluating a vitreous silica crucible which can measure a three-dimensional shape of the inner surface of the crucible in a non-destructive manner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2012
    Publication date: November 6, 2014
    Applicant: SUMCO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshiaki Sudo, Tadahiro Sato, Ken Kitahara, Eriko Kitahara, Makiko Kodama
  • Publication number: 20140283552
    Abstract: Accurate temperature measurement during manufacturing a vitreous silica crucible is enabled. The present invention provides an apparatus for manufacturing a vitreous silica crucible including: a mold for forming a silica powder layer by supplying silica powder therein; an are discharge unit having carbon electrodes and a power supply unit and for heating and fusing the silica powder layer by arc discharge; and a temperature measurement unit for measuring temperature of a fused portion in the mold, wherein the temperature measurement unit is an radiation thermometer for measuring temperature by detecting radiation energy of a wavelength of 4.8 to 5.2 ?m.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2014
    Publication date: September 25, 2014
    Inventors: Toshiaki SUDO, Eriko SUZUKI
  • Patent number: 8806892
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of manufacturing a vitreous silica crucible including: a silica powder supplying process of supplying a material silica powder into a mold for molding a crucible, to form a silica powder layer, and an arc fusing process of arc fusing the silica powder layer by arc discharge generated by carbon electrodes, wherein the arc fusing process includes processes of measuring a temperature of the silica powder layer, and controlling a vitreous silica fused state based on a reference temperature which is a temperature at a local maximum point which appears first in the arc fusing process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Japan Super Quartz Corporation
    Inventors: Toshiaki Sudo, Eriko Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8769988
    Abstract: Provided is a method for manufacturing a vitreous silica crucible and a manufacturing apparatus for the same, which can reduce the amount of bubbles and impurities of a crucible inner surface and enhance a crystallization yield of silicon single crystal. A method for manufacturing a vitreous silica crucible of the invention includes a silica powder supplying process of supplying silica powder in a rotating mold to form a silica powder layer; an arc fusing process of fusing the silica powder layer by arc discharge generated by carbon electrodes; and a fire polishing process of throwing an arc flame toward a target surface of the silica powder layer for surface removal, wherein, in the fire polishing process, the distances from the tips of the carbon electrodes to the target surface is set to be equal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Japan Super Quartz Corporation
    Inventors: Toshiaki Sudo, Hiroshi Kishi, Kouta Hasebe
  • Patent number: 8774959
    Abstract: Provided is a method of calculating a temperature distribution with higher accuracy than a conventional method, which calculates a temperature distribution of an inner surface of a silica powder molded body during manufacturing based on boundary conditions corrected in accordance with the actually measured temperature in consideration of plasma radiation by arc discharge and heat radiation of arc discharge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignees: Japan Super Quartz Corporation, Shibaura Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Toshiaki Sudo, Eriko Suzuki, Naoki Ono
  • Patent number: 8739573
    Abstract: There are provided an apparatus and a method for manufacturing a vitreous silica crucible which can prevent the deterioration of the inner surface property in the manufacturing process of a vitreous silica crucible. The apparatus includes a mold defining an outer shape of a vitreous silica crucible, and an arc discharge unit having electrodes and a power-supply unit, wherein each of the electrodes includes a tip end directed to the mold, the other end opposite to the tip end, and a bent portion provided between the tip end and the other end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Japan Super Quartz Corporation
    Inventors: Toshiaki Sudo, Eriko Suzuki, Hiroshi Kishi, Takeshi Fujita
  • Patent number: 8726692
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of manufacturing a vitreous silica crucible by heating and fusing a silica powder layer in a rotating mold by arc discharge generated by carbon electrodes comprising: a preparation process for determining optimal temperatures during heating and fusing the silica powder layer for one or more selected from the group consisting of the silica powder layer, fume generated during arc fusing, and arc flame generated in the arc discharge; a temperature measuring process for measuring actual temperatures during heating and fusing for one or more selected from the group where the optimal temperatures are determined; and a temperature controlling process for controlling the actual temperatures for one or more selected from the group where the actual temperatures are measured so that the actual temperatures match the optimal temperatures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Japan Super Quartz Corporation
    Inventors: Toshiaki Sudo, Eriko Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8689584
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of manufacturing a vitreous silica crucible including: a silica powder supplying process of supplying a material silica powder into a mold for molding a vitreous silica crucible, to form a silica powder layer, and an arc fusing process of arc fusing the silica powder layer by arc discharge generated by carbon electrodes, wherein the arc fusing process includes processes of measuring temperatures at measuring points provided on different heights of an inner surface of the silica powder layer while rotating the mold, and controlling the arc discharge to enable detection, at each measuring point, of a local maximum point which appears first in the arc fusing process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Japan Super Quartz Corporation
    Inventors: Toshiaki Sudo, Eriko Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8671716
    Abstract: There is provided a method of manufacturing a vitreous silica crucible having non-bubbles on the inner surface without necessitating new apparatuses for grinding and polishing and without damaging the productivity. According to the present invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing a vitreous silica crucible including the processes of: gathering a vitreous silica layer containing residual bubbles existing in a near-surface region of the transparent layer of the vitreous silica crucible by controlling the number of rotations applied to the vitreous silica crucible in a state that an inner surface side of the vitreous silica crucible is fused by arc heating; and moving a portion of a non-bubble layer in the surface of the transparent layer exposed by movement of the residual bubble-containing layer to cover a region in which bubbles have gathered with the non-bubble layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Japan Super Quartz Corporation
    Inventors: Toshiaki Sudo, Takuma Yoshioka
  • Publication number: 20120318021
    Abstract: Provided is an apparatus for manufacturing a vitreous silica crucible, which is capable of stably manufacturing a high quality vitreous silica crucible by stabilizing heat generation through an arc discharge. The apparatus for manufacturing a vitreous silica crucible includes a mold that defines a shape of a vitreous silica crucible, carbon electrodes that generate an arc discharge for fusing a silica powder molded body formed in the mold, and a power supply device that supplies power to the carbon electrodes. The power supply device includes a saturable reactor that is provided on a supply path of the power to the carbon electrodes and has variable reactance, and a control device that controls the power supplied to the carbon electrodes by changing the reactance of the saturable reactor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2012
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Applicant: JAPAN SUPER QUARTZ CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshiaki SUDO, Hiroshi KISHI, Takeshi FUJITA, Minoru KANDA
  • Publication number: 20120285372
    Abstract: Provided is a vitreous silica crucible for pulling a silicon single crystal, which stably suppresses surface vibration of a silicon melted solution filled therein and has a long life, and a method for manufacturing the same. The vitreous silica crucible for pulling a silicon single crystal includes a peripheral wall portion, a curved portion, and a bottom portion, wherein a plurality of minute concave portions are formed on a certain area of an inner surface of the peripheral wall portion, and a plurality of bubbles are formed on a lower position of the minute concave portions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2011
    Publication date: November 15, 2012
    Applicant: JAPAN SUPER QUARTZ CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshiaki SUDO, Hiroshi KISHI, Eriko SUZUKI
  • Publication number: 20120272687
    Abstract: Provided is an apparatus for manufacturing a vitreous silica crucible, which is capable of stably manufacturing a high quality vitreous silica crucible by stabilizing heat generation through an arc discharge. The apparatus for manufacturing a vitreous silica crucible includes a mold that defines a shape of a vitreous silica crucible, carbon electrodes that generate an arc discharge for fusing a silica powder molded body formed in the mold, and a power supply device that supplies power to the carbon electrodes. The power supply device includes a saturable reactor that is provided on a supply path of the power to the carbon electrodes and has variable reactance, and a control device that controls the power supplied to the carbon electrodes by changing the reactance of the saturable reactor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2011
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Applicant: JAPAN SUPER QUARTZ CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshiaki SUDO, Hiroshi KISHI, Takeshi FUJITA, Minoru KANDA
  • Publication number: 20120272682
    Abstract: During fabrication of a vitreous silica crucible, contamination of the vitreous silica crucible due to wear particles and debris of components of an apparatus for manufacturing a vitreous silica crucible is reduced by preventing damage and wear of the components of the apparatus due to silica fume. The apparatus for manufacturing a vitreous silica crucible is divided into a lower section for accommodating a mold and a mold driving system and an upper section for accommodating an arc electrode driving system, wherein a sectioning member including one or more communication paths for allowing penetration of arc electrodes, thereby the air flow is controlled so as to reduce exchange between gas in the upper section and gas in the lower section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2011
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Applicant: JAPAN SUPER QUARTZ CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshiaki SUDO, Takeshi FUJITA
  • Publication number: 20120260852
    Abstract: Provided is a vitreous silica crucible which has a special region for suppressing vibration of melt surface during pulling of a silicon single crystal and at the same time, a marking capable of accurately monitoring a changed position of the melt surface when passing through the special region. The special region for preventing sloshing of silicon melt is provided on an inner wall of a straight body portion, and the marking is provided at least at an upper end and a lower end of the special region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2010
    Publication date: October 18, 2012
    Applicant: JAPAN SUPER QUARTZ CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshiaki Sudo, Hiroshi Kishi, Makiko Kodama
  • Publication number: 20120255487
    Abstract: Provided is a method of manufacturing a vitreous silica crucible for pulling a silicon single crystal which can suppress melt surface vibration of silicon melt filled therein and has a long lifetime. The crucible includes a peripheral wall portion, a curved portion and a bottom portion, and has a plurality of micro recesses on the specific region of the inner surface of the peripheral wall portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2010
    Publication date: October 11, 2012
    Applicant: JAPAN SUPER QUARTZ CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshiaki Sudo, Hiroshi Kishi, Eriko Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8281620
    Abstract: During fabrication of a vitreous silica crucible, contamination of the vitreous silica crucible due to wear particles and debris of components of an apparatus for manufacturing a vitreous silica crucible is reduced by preventing damage and wear of the components of the apparatus due to silica fume. The apparatus for manufacturing a vitreous silica crucible is divided into a lower section for accommodating a mold and a mold driving system and an upper section for accommodating an arc electrode driving system, wherein a sectioning member including one or more communication paths for allowing penetration of arc electrodes, thereby the air flow is controlled so as to reduce exchange between gas in the upper section and gas in the lower section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Japan Super Quartz Corporation
    Inventors: Toshiaki Sudo, Takeshi Fujita
  • Patent number: 8276402
    Abstract: Provided is a method of manufacturing a vitreous silica crucible, including: an arc fusing process for fusing the silica powder molded body by using arc flames generated from the plurality of carbon electrodes, wherein the arc fusing process is performed in a state of disposing tips of at least a pair of carbon electrodes of the plurality of carbon electrodes closer to a target surface of the silica powder molded body than other carbon electrode tips, and setting distances from each of the tips of the closer carbon electrodes to the target surface, to be equal, and the arc fusing process is performed by heating and fusing the silica powder molded body while performing fire polishing, which partially removes an inner surface of the silica powder molded body by using arc flames generated by the closer carbon electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Japan Super Quartz Corporation
    Inventors: Toshiaki Sudo, Hiroshi Kishi, Kouta Hasebe
  • Publication number: 20120167628
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of manufacturing a vitreous silica crucible by heating and fusing a silica powder layer in a rotating mold by arc discharge generated by carbon electrodes comprising: a preparation process for determining optimal temperatures during heating and fusing the silica powder layer for one or more selected from the group consisting of the silica powder layer, fume generated during arc fusing, and arc flame generated in the arc discharge; a temperature measuring process for measuring actual temperatures during heating and fusing for one or more selected from the group where the optimal temperatures are determined; and a temperature controlling process for controlling the actual temperatures for one or more selected from the group where the actual temperatures are measured so that the actual temperatures match the optimal temperatures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2011
    Publication date: July 5, 2012
    Applicant: JAPAN SUPER QUARTZ CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshiaki SUDO, Eriko SUZUKI
  • Publication number: 20120167627
    Abstract: There is provided a method of manufacturing a vitreous silica crucible having a suitably controlled inner surface property. The present invention provides a method of manufacturing a vitreous silica crucible by heating and fusing a silica powder layer in a rotating mold by arc discharge generated by carbon electrodes including: a preparation process for determining optimal fusing temperatures during heating and fusing the silica powder layer at plural points of different heights of the silica powder layer; a temperature measuring process for measuring actual temperatures during heating and fusing the silica powder layer at the plural points; a temperature controlling process for controlling the actual temperatures at the plural points so that the actual temperatures matches the optimal fusing temperatures at the respective points.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2011
    Publication date: July 5, 2012
    Applicant: JAPAN SUPER QUARTZ CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshiaki SUDO, Eriko SUZUKI
  • Publication number: 20120167821
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of manufacturing a vitreous silica crucible including: a taking-out process of taking out the vitreous silica crucible from the mold, a honing process of removing the unfused silica powder layer on the outer surface of the vitreous silica crucible, and further comprising, after the taking-out process and before the honing process, a marking process of marking an identifier comprised of one or more groove line on the outer surface of the vitreous silica crucible, wherein the groove line after the honing process has a depth of 0.2 to 0.5 mm, and a width of 0.8 mm or more at the opening of the groove line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2011
    Publication date: July 5, 2012
    Applicant: JAPAN SUPER QUARTZ CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshiaki SUDO, Taira SATO, Shuichi IKEHATA, Manabu SHONAI, Takuji NISHI, Takaya SATOU, Shinsuke YAMAZAKI