Patents by Inventor Toshihiko Kikuchi

Toshihiko Kikuchi 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: 20220020596
    Abstract: An etching processing apparatus includes a stage configured to receive a substrate, a chamber configured to contain the stage, and a plasma generator configured to generate plasma in the chamber. An annular quartz member is disposed in a space in which the plasma is generated. The annular quartz member includes a surface facing the space. A coating film covers the surface of the quartz member. The coating film is made of a material other than quartz, and has a thickness of 10 nm or more and less than 800 nm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2021
    Publication date: January 20, 2022
    Inventors: Toshihiko KIKUCHI, Nobuyuki NAGAYAMA
  • Patent number: 10768089
    Abstract: A particle collecting apparatus includes a cylindrical housing, a gap forming unit, a supply port and an intake port. The cylindrical housing has a closed top and an open bottom facing a target object. The gap forming unit is configured to form a gap having a predetermined distance between the bottom and the target object. The supply port is formed at the opening of the bottom in an annular shape along an inner wall of the housing and configured to supply a gas to the target object. The intake port is provided closer to a central axis of the supply port than the supply port and configured to suck particles on the target object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Toshihiko Kikuchi, Nobuyuki Nagayama, Hikaru Kikuchi, Katsushi Abe
  • Publication number: 20180095021
    Abstract: A particle collecting apparatus includes a cylindrical housing, a gap forming unit, a supply port and an intake port. The cylindrical housing has a closed top and an open bottom facing a target object. The gap forming unit is configured to form a gap having a predetermined distance between the bottom and the target object. The supply port is formed at the opening of the bottom in an annular shape along an inner wall of the housing and configured to supply a gas to the target object. The intake port is provided closer to a central axis of the supply port than the supply port and configured to suck particles on the target object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2017
    Publication date: April 5, 2018
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Toshihiko KIKUCHI, Nobuyuki NAGAYAMA, Hikaru KIKUCHI, Katsushi ABE
  • Patent number: 8778205
    Abstract: The present invention is a processing method including a processing step of performing predetermined processing for a workpiece; an unnecessary portion removal step of removing an unnecessary portion produced on a surface of the workpiece due to the predetermined processing; and a surface structure evaluation step of evaluating a surface structure of the workpiece from which the unnecessary portion has been removed by the unnecessary portion removal step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Ohno, Toshihiko Kikuchi, Machi Moriya, Yoshitaka Saita
  • Patent number: 8243268
    Abstract: In a method of obtaining an optical constant of each the films of a film-stacked structure formed on a substrate, a basic process obtains an optical constant of each of the films by successively providing the films one by one as a target film from bottom to top and obtaining an optical constant of the target film by using a previously obtained optical constant of a below-located film that is located below the target film and a re-obtaining process re-obtains the optical constant of each of the films by correcting the previously obtained optical constant of the below-located film and the optical constant of the target film obtained in the basic process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Toshihiko Kikuchi
  • Publication number: 20100133231
    Abstract: The present invention is a processing method including a processing step of performing predetermined processing for a workpiece; an unnecessary portion removal step of removing an unnecessary portion produced on a surface of the workpiece due to the predetermined processing; and a surface structure evaluation step of evaluating a surface structure of the workpiece from which the unnecessary portion has been removed by the unnecessary portion removal step.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2009
    Publication date: June 3, 2010
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Ohno, Toshihiko Kikuchi, Machi Moriya, Yoshitaka Saita
  • Publication number: 20100045981
    Abstract: In a method of obtaining an optical constant of each the films of a film-stacked structure formed on a substrate, a basic process obtains an optical constant of each of the films by successively providing the films one by one as a target film from bottom to top and obtaining an optical constant of the target film by using a previously obtained optical constant of a below-located film that is located below the target film and a re-obtaining process re-obtains the optical constant of each of the films by correcting the previously obtained optical constant of the below-located film and the optical constant of the target film obtained in the basic process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2009
    Publication date: February 25, 2010
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventor: Toshihiko KIKUCHI
  • Patent number: 7663760
    Abstract: An optical constant calculation method capable of calculating an accurate optical constant of an underlayer film to accurately identify a substrate surface structure. After each of films is layered on a wafer, there are measured the reflectivity of an oxide film under which an organic insulation film is formed and the reflectivity of an organic insulation film exposed after removal by plasma of the oxide film. Based on the measured reflectivities, the optical constant of the organic insulation film after being altered by heat treatment and the optical constant of the organic insulation film after being altered by plasma are calculated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2010
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Toshihiko Kikuchi
  • Publication number: 20080297801
    Abstract: An optical constant calculation method capable of calculating an accurate optical constant of an underlayer film to accurately identify a substrate surface structure. After each of films is layered on a wafer, there are measured the reflectivity of an oxide film under which an organic insulation film is formed and the reflectivity of an organic insulation film exposed after removal by plasma of the oxide film. Based on the measured reflectivities, the optical constant of the organic insulation film after being altered by heat treatment and the optical constant of the organic insulation film after being altered by plasma are calculated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Publication date: December 4, 2008
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventor: Toshihiko KIKUCHI
  • Publication number: 20060185793
    Abstract: In a substrate processing system having a gas processing apparatus, a measuring apparatus and a transfer apparatus, the measuring apparatus for performing a measurement on a substrate includes a mounting unit, an optical measuring unit and a measuring space. A substrate transfer port for transferring the substrate to the mounting unit is opened in the measuring space; and, by a wall defining the measuring space, the measuring space and a space where the optical measuring unit is accommodated are airtightly isolated from each other. Further, in the measuring space, there is provided an air supply port for supplying a clean air towards the substrate transfer port when the substrate is loaded into the measuring space to be measured therein. Therefore, the processing gas introduced from the substrate transfer port into the measuring space is diluted or sent back, to thereby, suppress contamination in the measuring space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2005
    Publication date: August 24, 2006
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Yoshihide Sakamoto, Toshihiko Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 6950186
    Abstract: Assuming that the s-polarized light of the incident light is reflected from the interface of the layer B, and the p-polarized light is reflected from the interface of the layer D, each amplitude reflectivity of Rs and Rp are calculated, and tan ? of a function of the amplitude ratio ? of the p-polarization component to the s-polarization component and cos ? of a function of the phase difference ? between the p-polarization component and the s-polarization component are calculated, thereby creating reference data. The thickness tA of the oxide film 301 is determined on the basis of the reference data. Thus, the thickness and cross section shape of the film formed on the multilayer interconnection are measured in a nondestructive manner with high throughput.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2005
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Toshihiko Kikuchi
  • Publication number: 20050007592
    Abstract: Assuming that the s-polarized light of the incident light is reflected from the interface of the layer B, and the p-polarized light is reflected from the interface of the layer D, each amplitude reflectivity of Rs and Rp are calculated, and tan ? of a function of the amplitude ratio ? of the p-polarization component to the s-polarization component and cos ? of a function of the phase difference ? between the p-polarization component and the s-polarization component are calculated, thereby creating reference data. The thickness tA of the oxide film 301 is determined on the basis of the reference data. Thus, the thickness and cross section shape of the film formed on the multilayer interconnection are measured in a nondestructive manner with high throughput.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2004
    Publication date: January 13, 2005
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventor: Toshihiko Kikuchi
  • Publication number: 20040260420
    Abstract: The present invention is a processing method including a processing step of performing predetermined processing for a workpiece; an unnecessary portion removal step of removing an unnecessary portion produced on a surface of the workpiece due to the predetermined processing; and a surface structure evaluation step of evaluating a surface structure of the workpiece from which the unnecessary portion has been removed by the unnecessary portion removal step.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2004
    Publication date: December 23, 2004
    Applicant: Tokyo Electron Limited.
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Ohno, Toshihiko Kikuchi, Machi Moriya, Yoshitaka Saita
  • Patent number: 6825938
    Abstract: A film thickness measuring method comprises projecting white light onto a wafer with a film to be measured and sensing a first reflected light intensity from the wafer, determining the first reflected light intensity in the form of a first light intensity profile with wavelength as the abscissa axis and light intensity as the ordinate axis, projecting the white light onto a reference sample having the same structure as that of the underlying layer below the film and sensing a second reflected light intensity from the sample, determining the second reflected light intensity in the form of a second light intensity profile similarly to the first light intensity profile, calculating a normalized light intensity profile by dividing the first light intensity profile by the second light intensity profile, and calculating the film thickness of the film to be measured from the normalized light intensity profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2004
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Toru Mikami, Toshihiko Kikuchi
  • Publication number: 20020163652
    Abstract: A film thickness measuring method comprises projecting white light onto a wafer with a film to be measured and sensing a first reflected light intensity from the wafer, determining the first reflected light intensity in the form of a first light intensity profile with wavelength as the abscissa axis and light intensity as the ordinate axis, projecting the white light onto a reference sample having the same structure as that of the underlying layer below the film and sensing a second reflected light intensity from the sample, determining the second reflected light intensity in the form of a second light intensity profile similarly to the first light intensity profile, calculating a normalized light intensity profile by dividing the first light intensity profile by the second light intensity profile, and calculating the film thickness of the film to be measured from the normalized light intensity profile.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2002
    Publication date: November 7, 2002
    Inventors: Toru Mikami, Toshihiko Kikuchi
  • Publication number: 20020065999
    Abstract: The names of objective files, a backup sequence and a restore sequence are stored in a configuration tables so as to correspond to one another for the purpose of performing file backup and restoration, based on conditions respectively inherent in a plurality of files according to user's needs and arbitrarily performing the file backup and restoration from an application, and which allows a copy process controller to monitor the occurrence of events and the occurrence of backup and restore execution requirements from an application program passed through an interface for notification, thereby performing the backup and restoration of the corresponding file.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2002
    Publication date: May 30, 2002
    Inventors: Toshihiko Kikuchi, Takashi Miki, Takahiro Morimoto, Daisuke Kawakatsu
  • Patent number: 4950446
    Abstract: A method of lining a pipe with a rigid plastic tube inserted in the pipe by enlarging the tube from inside with application of heat and pressure. The method includes enlarging the tube by an electrically heatable enlarging pig moved through the tube, retaining the enlarged portion of the plastic tube with compressed air supplied to the interior of the tube, and preheating the unenlarged portion of the plastic tube with a portion of the compressed air heated by being passed through air heating channels of the pig. The use of the pig eliminates the material limitations to be otherwise imposed on the tube, and therefore the softening point, of the plastic tube. The preheating of the unenlarged portion of the plastic tube renders the pig movable through the tube at an increased speed to achieve an improved work efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 21, 1990
    Assignees: Osaka Gas Company Inc., Osaka Bosui Construction Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Namio Kinumoto, Toshihiko Kikuchi, Akeshi Kegasa
  • Patent number: 4444156
    Abstract: A water heater of the combustion type having a collecting assembly for collecting the drain water resulting from combustion to prevent corrosion of components of the heater by the drain water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1982
    Date of Patent: April 24, 1984
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Youei Seisakusho
    Inventors: Yasutaka Iwasaki, Mitsuru Tanaka, Akihiko Yasuda, Munetaka Kinugasa, Toshihiko Kikuchi, Masao Maruyama
  • Patent number: 4184919
    Abstract: The disclosed method involves adding a crosslinking reagent to mycelia which contain enzymes, freezing the mixture and then thawing the frozen mycelia. The resulting gelation immobilizes the intracellular enzyme in the mycelia. The gel may be used in the enzyme industry as a highly active enzyme preparation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 1978
    Date of Patent: January 22, 1980
    Assignee: Snow Brand Milk Products Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Taisuke Iwasaki, Toshihiko Kikuchi