Patents by Inventor Toshihiko Iwao

Toshihiko Iwao 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: 10145014
    Abstract: Provided is a film forming apparatus including a placement stage; a processing container that defines a processing chamber which accommodates the placement stage and includes a first region and a second region; a gas supply section that supplies a precursor gas to the first region; and a plasma generation section that generates plasma of a reactive gas in the second region. The plasma generation section includes: at least one waveguide that defines a wave guiding path above the placement stage and above the second region, a microwave generator connected to the at least one waveguide, and a plurality of protrusions made of a dielectric material. The protrusions pass through a plurality of openings formed in a lower conductive part of the at least one waveguide to extend into the second region. The protrusions are arranged in a radial direction with respect an axis of the placement stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Toshihisa Nozawa, Masahide Iwasaki, Toshihiko Iwao
  • Publication number: 20180218883
    Abstract: A microwave plasma source for generating a microwave plasma inside a chamber by radiating a microwave into the chamber, includes: a microwave oscillator for oscillating the microwave and vary an oscillation frequency thereof; a waveguide through which the microwave propagates; an antenna part including a slot antenna for radiating the microwave into the chamber and having a predetermined pattern of slots, and a microwave-transmitting plate constituting a ceiling plate of the chamber and made of a dielectric material through which the microwave radiated from the slots transmits; temperature detectors for detecting temperatures at plural positions of the antenna part outside the chamber when the microwave plasma is generated; and a frequency controller for receiving detection signals obtained by the temperature detectors and controlling the oscillation frequency of the microwave oscillator so that a plasma density distribution inside the chamber becomes a desired distribution based on the detection signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2018
    Publication date: August 2, 2018
    Inventor: Toshihiko IWAO
  • Patent number: 9947515
    Abstract: A processing system is disclosed, having a power transmission element with an interior cavity that propagates electromagnetic energy proximate to a continuous slit in the interior cavity. The continuous slit forms an opening between the interior cavity and a substrate processing chamber. The electromagnetic energy may generate an alternating charge in the continuous slit that enables the generation of an electric field that may propagate into the processing chamber. The electric field may interact with process gas in the processing chamber to generate plasma for treating the substrate. The interior cavity may be isolated from the process chamber by a dielectric component that covers the continuous slit. The power transmission element may be used to control plasma density within the process chamber, either by itself or in combination with other plasma sources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Merritt Funk, Jianping Zhao, Lee Chen, Toshihiko Iwao, Toshihisa Nozawa, Zhiying Chen, Peter Ventzek
  • Patent number: 9875882
    Abstract: Disclosed is a microwave plasma processing apparatus. The microwave plasma processing apparatus includes a coaxial waveguide installed in a through hole which is formed in the center side portion in the intermediate metal body to extend continuously through the cooling plate and the intermediate metal plate. The coaxial waveguide includes an inner conductor, an intermediate conductor and an outer conductor. Each of a space between the inner conductor installed in a hollow portion of the intermediate conductor and the intermediate conductor and a space between the intermediate conductor installed in a hollow portion of the outer conductor and the outer conductor transmits microwaves. A difference between an inner diameter of the outer conductor and an outer diameter of the intermediate conductor is larger than a difference between an outer diameter of the inner conductor and an inner diameter of the intermediate conductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Toshihiko Iwao, Kazushi Kaneko
  • Publication number: 20170350014
    Abstract: This plasma processing apparatus includes a processing container that defines a plasma processing space, a holder that holds a substrate to be processed, a gas supply unit that supplies gas into the plasma processing space, an antenna that radiates microwaves to the plasma processing space, a coaxial waveguide that supplies the microwaves to the antenna, a plurality of stubs that regulate distribution of the microwaves radiated from the antenna according to an insertion amount, a measuring unit that measures density of the plasma generated in the plasma processing space by the microwaves radiated from the antenna or a parameter having a correlation with the density of the plasma along a circumferential direction of the substrate to be processed, and a controller that individually controls an insertion amount of each of the plurality of stubs based on the density of the plasma or the parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2015
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Toshihiko IWAO, Satoru KAWAKAMI
  • Publication number: 20170342564
    Abstract: Disclosed is a plasma processing apparatus for performing a plasma processing on a workpiece. The apparatus includes: a processing container that accommodates the workpiece; a dielectric window that is provided to seal an opening in an upper portion of the processing container and transmits microwaves into the processing container; and a slot plate that is provided on an upper surface of the dielectric window and has a plurality of slots formed to radiate the microwaves to the dielectric window. The dielectric window includes a protrusion protruding downward from a lower surface of the dielectric window at a position corresponding to each of the slot, and a width of the protrusion is ?/4±?/8 with respect to a wavelength ? of the microwaves.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2015
    Publication date: November 30, 2017
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Takahiro HIRANO, Toshihiko IWAO
  • Patent number: 9831067
    Abstract: In a film-forming apparatus according to an aspect, a substrate placed on a substrate placing region passes through a first region and a second region in this order by rotation of a placing table. A precursor gas is supplied to the first region. Plasma of a reaction gas is generated in the second region by a plasma generation section. The plasma generation section includes an antenna that supplies microwaves as a plasma source. The antenna includes a dielectric window member and a waveguide. The window member is provided above the second region. The waveguide defines a waveguide path that extends in a radial direction. The waveguide is formed with a plurality of slot holes that allow the microwaves to pass therethrough from the waveguide path toward the window member plate. A bottom surface of the window member defines a groove that extends in the radial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Masahide Iwasaki, Toshihiko Iwao, Koji Yamagishi, Satoshi Yonekura
  • Publication number: 20170298514
    Abstract: Disclosed is a plasma processing apparatus that processes a processing target substrate using microwave plasma within a processing container. The plasma processing apparatus includes a placing table provided in the processing container, and configured to place the processing target substrate thereon; and an antenna provided above the placing table to face the placing table, and including a dielectric plate, the antenna being configured to radiate microwaves into the processing container through the dielectric plate to generate plasma of a processing gas supplied into the processing container. The dielectric plate includes a flat plate portion provided on a bottom surface of the antenna, and formed in a flat shape at least on a surface facing the placing table; and a rib formed on a surface of the flat plate portion that is opposite to the surface facing the placing table.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2016
    Publication date: October 19, 2017
    Inventors: Takahiro Hirano, Toshihiko Iwao, Takaaki Kato
  • Patent number: 9793095
    Abstract: A processing system is disclosed, having a power transmission element with an interior cavity that propagates electromagnetic energy proximate to a continuous slit in the interior cavity. The continuous slit forms an opening between the interior cavity and a substrate processing chamber. The electromagnetic energy may generate an alternating charge in the continuous slit that enables the generation of an electric field that may propagate into the processing chamber. The electric field may interact with process gas in the processing chamber to generate plasma for treating the substrate. The interior cavity may be isolated from the process chamber by a dielectric component that covers the continuous slit. The power transmission element may be used to control plasma density within the process chamber, either by itself or in combination with other plasma sources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Merritt Funk, Jianping Zhao, Lee Chen, Toshihiko Iwao, Toshihisa Nozawa, Zhiying Chen, Peter Ventzek
  • Publication number: 20170236690
    Abstract: Disclosed is a plasma processing apparatus including: a processing container that defines a processing space; a microwave generator that generates microwaves for plasma excitation; a dielectric having a facing surface that faces the processing space; a slot plate provided on a surface of the dielectric opposite to the facing surface and formed with a plurality of slots that radiate the microwaves to the processing space through the dielectric; and a conductor pattern that is provided on the facing surface of the dielectric and converges an electric field corresponding to the microwaves radiated from each of the slots.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2017
    Publication date: August 17, 2017
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Takahiro HIRANO, Toshihiko IWAO
  • Patent number: 9633821
    Abstract: Disclosed is a microwave plasma processing apparatus including: a processing container configured to define a processing space; a microwave generator configured to generate microwaves; a distributor configured to distribute the microwaves to a plurality of waveguides; an antenna installed in the processing container and to radiate the microwaves distributed to the plurality of waveguides to the processing space; a monitor unit configured to monitor a voltage of each of the plurality of waveguides; a storage unit configured to store a difference between a monitor value of the voltage monitored by the monitor unit and a predetermined reference value of the voltage and a control value of a distribution ratio of the distributor corresponding to the difference; and a control unit configured to acquire the control value of the distribution ratio of the distributor from the storage unit and to control the distribution ratio of the distributor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Kazushi Kaneko, Toshihiko Iwao, Satoru Kawakami
  • Publication number: 20160358758
    Abstract: Disclosed is a plasma processing apparatus that includes a processing container configured to accommodate a wafer, and a dielectric window provided to hermetically seal an opening formed in a top portion of the processing container, and configured to transmit microwaves into the processing container. The dielectric window has a thickness of 3?/8 or less (here, ? is a wavelength of the microwaves) at least at a predetermined position where a microwave power is concentrated, and a protrusion is formed at the predetermined position on a bottom surface of the dielectric window to protrude downward from the bottom surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2016
    Publication date: December 8, 2016
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Takahiro HIRANO, Toshihiko IWAO
  • Publication number: 20160172163
    Abstract: Disclosed is a microwave plasma processing apparatus including: a processing container configured to define a processing space; a microwave generator configured to generate microwaves; a distributor configured to distribute the microwaves to a plurality of waveguides; an antenna installed in the processing container and to radiate the microwaves distributed to the plurality of waveguides to the processing space; a monitor unit configured to monitor a voltage of each of the plurality of waveguides; a storage unit configured to store a difference between a monitor value of the voltage monitored by the monitor unit and a predetermined reference value of the voltage and a control value of a distribution ratio of the distributor corresponding to the difference; and a control unit configured to acquire the control value of the distribution ratio of the distributor from the storage unit and to control the distribution ratio of the distributor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2016
    Publication date: June 16, 2016
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Kazushi KANEKO, Toshihiko IWAO, Satoru KAWAKAMI
  • Patent number: 9305751
    Abstract: A microwave plasma processing apparatus includes a processing space; a microwave generator which generates microwaves for generating a plasma; a distributor which distributes the microwaves to a plurality of waveguides; an antenna installed in a processing container to seal the processing space and to radiate microwaves distributed by the distributor, to the processing space; and a monitor unit configured to monitor a voltage of each of the plurality of waveguides. A control unit acquires a control value of a distribution ratio of the distributor, which corresponds to a difference between a voltage monitor value of the monitor unit and a predetermined voltage reference value, from a storage unit that stores the difference and the control value corresponding to each other. The control unit is also configured to control the distribution ratio of the distributor, based on the acquired control value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Kazushi Kaneko, Toshihiko Iwao, Satoru Kawakami
  • Publication number: 20150279627
    Abstract: In a film-forming apparatus according to an aspect, a substrate placed on a substrate placing region passes through a first region and a second region in this order by rotation of a placing table. A precursor gas is supplied to the first region. Plasma of a reaction gas is generated in the second region by a plasma generation section. The plasma generation section includes an antenna that supplies microwaves as a plasma source. The antenna includes a dielectric window member and a waveguide. The window member is provided above the second region. The waveguide defines a waveguide path that extends in a radial direction. The waveguide is formed with a plurality of slot holes that allow the microwaves to pass therethrough from the waveguide path toward the window member plate. A bottom surface of the window member defines a groove that extends in the radial direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2013
    Publication date: October 1, 2015
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Masahide Iwasaki, Toshihiko Iwao, Koji Yamagishi, Satoshi Yonekura
  • Publication number: 20150232993
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus of the present disclosure includes a placing table provided to be rotatable around an axis; a gas supplying section that supplies gas to regions through which a substrate sequentially passes while being moved in a circumferential direction with respect to the axis as the placing table is rotated; and a plasma generating section that generates plasma using the supplied gas. The plasma generating section includes an antenna that radiates microwaves, and a coaxial waveguide that supplies the microwaves to the antenna. Line segments constituting a plane shape of the antenna when viewed in a direction along the axis include two line segments which are spaced to be distant from each other as being spaced away from the axis. The coaxial waveguide supplies the microwaves to the antenna from a gravity center of the antenna.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2015
    Publication date: August 20, 2015
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Toshihiko IWAO, Takahiro HIRANO, Kiyotaka ISHIBASHI, Satoru KAWAKAMI
  • Patent number: 9111727
    Abstract: The invention provides a plurality of resonator subsystems. The resonator subsystems can comprise one or more resonant cavities configured to couple electromagnetic (EM) energy in a desired EM wave mode to plasma by generating resonant microwave energy in a resonant cavity adjacent the plasma. The resonator subsystem can be coupled to a process chamber using one or more interface subsystems and can comprise one or more resonant cavities, and each resonant cavity can have a plurality of plasma tuning rods coupled thereto. Some of the plasma tuning rods can be configured to couple the EM-energy from one or more of the resonant cavities to the process space within the process chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Jianping Zhao, Lee Chen, Merritt Funk, Toshihiko Iwao, Peter L.G. Ventzek
  • Publication number: 20150211124
    Abstract: Provided is a film forming apparatus including a placement stage; a processing container that defines a processing chamber which accommodates the placement stage and includes a first region and a second region; a gas supply section that supplies a precursor gas to the first region; and a plasma generation section that generates plasma of a reactive gas in the second region. The plasma generation section includes: at least one waveguide that defines a wave guiding path above the placement stage and above the second region, a microwave generator connected to the at least one waveguide, and a plurality of protrusions made of a dielectric material. The protrusions pass through a plurality of openings formed in a lower conductive part of the at least one waveguide to extend into the second region. The protrusions are arranged in a radial direction with respect an axis of the placement stage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2013
    Publication date: July 30, 2015
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Toshihisa Nozawa, Masahide Iwasaki, Toshihiko Iwao
  • Publication number: 20150194290
    Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment includes a processing container that defines a processing space; an antenna provided above the processing space and including a disc-shaped wave guiding path around a predetermined axis and a metal plate defining the wave guiding path from a lower side; a microwave generator connected to the antenna and configured to generate microwaves; a stage provided in the processing container and facing the antenna across the processing space to intersect with the predetermined axis; and a heater configured to heat the metal plate. The metal plate includes a plurality of openings along a first circle around the predetermined axis and a second circle having a diameter larger than the first circle. The antenna includes a plurality of protrusions made of a dielectric material extending out into the processing space through the plurality of openings. The microwaves are introduced around the predetermined axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2013
    Publication date: July 9, 2015
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Toshihisa Nozawa, Toshihiko Iwao
  • Publication number: 20150013907
    Abstract: Disclosed is a microwave plasma processing apparatus. The microwave plasma processing apparatus includes a cooling plate. In addition, the microwave plasma processing apparatus includes an intermediate metal body installed on a processing container side of the cooling plate to be spaced apart from the cooling plate so that a spacing between the intermediate metal body and the cooling plate forms a waveguide of microwaves. The intermediate metal body is in contact with the cooling plate at one or plural convex portions arranged to block a portion of the waveguide. Further, the microwave plasma processing apparatus includes a coaxial waveguide configured to supply microwaves to the waveguide, a slot antenna plate configured to radiate microwaves via the waveguide, a dielectric window installed on the processing container side of the slot antenna plate, and a processing container installed to be sealed by the dielectric window.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2014
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Toru FUJII, Toshihiko IWAO, Takahiro SENDA