Patents by Inventor Toshimitsu Kohara

Toshimitsu Kohara 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: 20050205413
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for reactive sputtering in which a reactive sputtering apparatus including a sputtering vaporization source 2 provided with a metal target disposed in a vacuum chamber 1, a sputtering power source 4 to drive the sputtering vaporization source 2, and an introduction mechanism 5 to introduce an inert gas for sputtering and a reaction gas for forming a compound with sputtered metal into the vacuum chamber 1 is used, and reactive sputtering film formation is performed on a substrate 3 disposed in the above-described vacuum chamber, wherein the method includes the steps of performing constant-voltage control to control the voltage of the above-described sputtering power source 4 at a target voltage Vs and, in addition, performing target voltage control at a control speed lower than the speed of the above-described constant-voltage control, the target voltage control operating the above-described target voltage Vs in order that the spectrum of plasma emission generated forwar
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2003
    Publication date: September 22, 2005
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho (Kobe Steel Ltd.)
    Inventors: Yoshimitsu Ikari, Hiroshi Tamagaki, Toshimitsu Kohara
  • Publication number: 20050058850
    Abstract: A multilayered film of the present invention includes a hard film provided on a substrate and including a compound of essential metal components, Al and Ti, with C, N, B, or O, and an intermediate layer formed between the substrate and the hard film, the intermediate layer including at least one selected from the group consisting of a metal, an alloy, and a compound of the metal or the alloy, and having an oxidation temperature lower than that of the hard film. The multilayered film further includes an oxide-containing layer formed by oxidizing the hard film, and an alumina film formed on the surface of the oxide-containing layer. The multilayered film of the present invention has excellent adhesion to the substrate, excellent heat resistance, and excellent oxidation resistance when being exposed to a substrate temperature of 700° C. or more and an oxidizing atmosphere.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2004
    Publication date: March 17, 2005
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho (Kobe Steel, Ltd.)
    Inventors: Toshimitsu Kohara, Hiroshi Tamagaki, Kenji Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 6749730
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to alter the shape of the magnetic field with ease in the state of auxiliary magnet poles being disposed in a sputtering apparatus. In a sputtering apparatus according to the present invention, one or more magnetron type sputtering evaporation sources 3 and one or more auxiliary magnet poles 9 are disposed in a chamber 1 so as to surround a solid substance 2 to be deposited, wherein an angle changing mechanism for changing the alignment angle of the auxiliary magnet poles 9 relative to the solid substance 2 to be deposited in order to alter the shape of the magnetic field formed by the magnetron type sputtering evaporation sources 3 and the auxiliary magnet poles 9.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2004
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshimitsu Kohara, Koichiro Akari
  • Patent number: 6716540
    Abstract: A multilayer film formed body comprises an outermost layer comprising a diamondlike carbon film, a substrate comprising an iron material, and an intermediate layer comprising a first layer on the substrate side, and a second layer on the outermost layer side. The first layer comprises at least either metal of Cr and Al, and a second layer comprises an amorphous layer including carbon and at least either metal of Cr and Al. The second layer has a gradient structure where the metal decreases as the position becomes closer to the outermost layer. The hardness of the second layer increases stepwise or continuously as the position becomes closer to the outermost layer. The hardness of the second layer close to the first layer is close to the hardness of the first layer. The hardness of the second layer close to the outermost layer is close to the hardness of the outermost layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2004
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho
    Inventors: Toshimitsu Kohara, Koichiro Akari, Eiji Iwamura
  • Publication number: 20030155236
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to alter the shape of the magnetic field with ease in the state of auxiliary magnet poles being disposed in a sputtering apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2003
    Publication date: August 21, 2003
    Inventors: Toshimitsu Kohara, Koichiro Akari
  • Publication number: 20020136895
    Abstract: A multilayer film formed body comprises an outermost layer comprising a diamondlike carbon film, a substrate comprising an iron material, and an intermediate layer comprising a first layer on the substrate side, and a second layer on the outermost layer side. The first layer comprises at least either metal of Cr and Al, and a second layer comprises an amorphous layer including carbon and at least either metal of Cr and Al. The second layer has a gradient structure where the metal decreases as the position becomes closer to the outermost layer. The hardness of the second layer increases stepwise or continuously as the position becomes closer to the outermost layer. The hardness of the second layer close to the first layer is close to the hardness of the first layer. The hardness of the second layer close to the outermost layer is close to the hardness of the outermost layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2002
    Publication date: September 26, 2002
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho (Kobe Steel, Ltd)
    Inventors: Toshimitsu Kohara, Koichiro Akari, Eiji Iwamura
  • Patent number: 6156170
    Abstract: This invention provides a magnetron sputtering apparatus for forming a thin film on a substrate by adhering metal atoms or ions evaporated from a magnetron evaporation source to the substrate, which comprises at least one magnetron evaporation source and at least one auxiliary magnetic pole provided on the circumference of the substrate to generate magnetic lines of force surrounding the substrate. According to this invention, only one kind of magnetron magnetic field structure suffices for the magnetron evaporation sources, a desired sealing magnetic field can be formed regardless of the number or arrangement of the magnetron evaporating sources, and the form of the sealing magnetic field can be easily changed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2000
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho (Kobe Steel, Ltd.)
    Inventors: Koichiro Akari, Toshimitsu Kohara