Patents by Inventor Yasuhisa Sano

Yasuhisa Sano 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: 10916455
    Abstract: A flattening method, by utilizing the advantages of the CARE method and making up for the disadvantages, can perform removal processing of a surface of a workpiece at a sufficient processing rate and can provide a processed surface having enhanced flatness without leaving damage in the processed surface. A flattening method comprises at least two surface removal steps and at least two cleaning steps, the final surface removal step being a catalyst-referred etching step comprising immersing a workpiece in a processing solution containing at least one of hydrohalic acid, hydrogen peroxide water and ozone water, and bringing a surface of a catalyst platen into contact with or close proximity to a surface to be processed of the workpiece to process the surface, said catalyst platen having in a surface a catalyst selected from the group consisting of platinum, gold, a ceramic solid catalyst, a transition metal, glass, and an acidic or basic solid catalyst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: EBARA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuto Yamauchi, Yasuhisa Sano, Hideyuki Hara, Junji Murata, Keita Yagi
  • Publication number: 20190228994
    Abstract: A flattening method, by utilizing the advantages of the CARE method and making up for the disadvantages, can perform removal processing of a surface of a workpiece at a sufficient processing rate and can provide a processed surface having enhanced flatness without leaving damage in the processed surface. A flattening method comprises at least two surface removal steps and at least two cleaning steps, the final surface removal step being a catalyst-referred etching step comprising immersing a workpiece in a processing solution containing at least one of hydrohalic acid, hydrogen peroxide water and ozone water, and bringing a surface of a catalyst platen into contact with or close proximity to a surface to be processed of the workpiece to process the surface, said catalyst platen having in a surface a catalyst selected from the group consisting of platinum, gold, a ceramic solid catalyst, a transition metal, glass, and an acidic or basic solid catalyst.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2019
    Publication date: July 25, 2019
    Inventors: Kazuto YAMAUCHI, Yasuhisa SANO, Hideyuki HARA, Junji MURATA, Keita YAGI
  • Patent number: 10297475
    Abstract: A flattening method, by utilizing the advantages of the CARE method and making up for the disadvantages, can perform removal processing of a surface of a workpiece at a sufficient processing rate and can provide a processed surface having enhanced flatness without leaving damage in the processed surface. A flattening method comprises at least two surface removal steps and at least two cleaning steps, the final surface removal step being a catalyst-referred etching step comprising immersing a workpiece in a processing solution containing at least one of hydrohalic acid, hydrogen peroxide water and ozone water, and bringing a surface of a catalyst platen into contact with or close proximity to a surface to be processed of the workpiece to process the surface, said catalyst platen having in a surface a catalyst selected from the group consisting of platinum, gold, a ceramic solid catalyst, a transition metal, glass, and an acidic or basic solid catalyst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: Ebara Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuto Yamauchi, Yasuhisa Sano, Hideyuki Hara, Junji Murata, Keita Yagi
  • Patent number: 10163645
    Abstract: There are provided a processing method for a wide-bandgap semiconductor substrate and an apparatus therefor that use no abrasives or no abrasive grains, or no solution having a large environmental burden at all, can process a single crystal, which is SiC, GaN, AlGaN, or AlN, at a variety of processing speed, can obtain a surface of higher quality than the quality of a surface finished by CMP, and also have an excellent compatibility with a clean room. A catalytic substance having a function of promoting the direct hydrolysis of a work piece (5) or promoting the hydrolysis of an oxide film on the surface of the work piece is used as a processing reference plane (3). In the presence of water (1), the work piece is brought into contact with or extremely close to the processing reference plane at a predetermined pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignees: OSAKA UNIVERSITY, TOHO ENGINEERING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuto Yamauchi, Ai Isohashi, Yasuhisa Sano
  • Publication number: 20170069506
    Abstract: There are provided a processing method for a wide-bandgap semiconductor substrate and an apparatus therefor that use no abrasives or no abrasive grains, or no solution having a large environmental burden at all, can process a single crystal, which is SiC, GaN, AlGaN, or AlN, at a variety of processing speed, can obtain a surface of higher quality than the quality of a surface finished by CMP, and also have an excellent compatibility with a clean room. A catalytic substance having a function of promoting the direct hydrolysis of a work piece (5) or promoting the hydrolysis of an oxide film on the surface of the work piece is used as a processing reference plane (3). In the presence of water (1), the work piece is brought into contact with or extremely close to the processing reference plane at a predetermined pressure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2015
    Publication date: March 9, 2017
    Applicants: OSAKA UNIVERSITY, TOHO Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuto YAMAUCHI, Ai ISOHASHI, Yasuhisa SANO
  • Patent number: 9233449
    Abstract: A polishing method can process and flatten, in a practical processing time and with high surface accuracy, a surface of a substrate of a Ga element-containing compound semiconductor. The polishing method includes: bringing a Ga element-containing compound semiconductor substrate (16) into contact with a polishing tool (10) in the presence of a processing solution (14) comprising a neutral pH buffer solution containing Ga ions; irradiating a surface of the substrate with light or applying a bias potential to the substrate, or applying a bias potential to the substrate while irradiating the surface of the substrate with light, thereby forming Ga oxide (16a) on the surface of the substrate; and simultaneously moving the substrate and the polishing tool relative to each other to polish and remove the Ga oxide formed on the surface of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignees: OSAKA UNIVERSITY, EBARA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasuhisa Sano, Kazuto Yamauchi, Junji Murata, Shun Sadakuni, Keita Yagi
  • Publication number: 20150068680
    Abstract: A polishing method and a polishing apparatus finish a surface of a substrate of a compound semiconductor containing an element such as Ga or the like to a desired level of flatness, so that the surface can be flattened with high surface accuracy within a practical processing time. In the presence of water, such as weak acid water, water with air dissolved therein, or electrolytic ion water, the surface of the substrate made of a compound semiconductor containing either one of Ga, Al, and In and a surface of a polishing pad having an electrically conductive member in an area of the surface which is held in contact with the substrate) are relatively moved while being held in contact with each other, thereby polishing the surface of the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2014
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Inventors: Yasuhisa SANO, Kazuto YAMAUCHI, Junji MURATA, Takeshi OKAMOTO, Shun SADAKUNI, Keita YAGI
  • Patent number: 8912095
    Abstract: A polishing method and a polishing apparatus finish a surface of a substrate of a compound semiconductor containing an element such as Ga or the like to a desired level of flatness, so that the surface can be flattened with high surface accuracy within a practical processing time. In the presence of water, such as weak acid water, water with air dissolved therein, or electrolytic ion water, the surface of the substrate made of a compound semiconductor containing either one of Ga, Al, and In and a surface of a polishing pad having an electrically conductive member in an area of the surface which is held in contact with the substrate) are relatively moved while being held in contact with each other, thereby polishing the surface of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignees: Osaka University, Ebara Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuhisa Sano, Kazuto Yamauchi, Junji Murata, Takeshi Okamoto, Shun Sadakuni, Keita Yagi
  • Publication number: 20140231011
    Abstract: A flattening method, by utilizing the advantages of the CARE method and making up for the disadvantages, can perform removal processing of a surface of a workpiece at a sufficient processing rate and can provide a processed surface having enhanced flatness without leaving damage in the processed surface. A flattening method comprises at least two surface removal steps and at least two cleaning steps, the final surface removal step being a catalyst-referred etching step comprising immersing a workpiece in a processing solution containing at least one of hydrohalic acid, hydrogen peroxide water and ozone water, and bringing a surface of a catalyst platen into contact with or close proximity to a surface to be processed of the workpiece to process the surface, said catalyst platen having in a surface a catalyst selected from the group consisting of platinum, gold, a ceramic solid catalyst, a transition metal, glass, and an acidic or basic solid catalyst.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2014
    Publication date: August 21, 2014
    Applicant: Ebara Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuto YAMAUCHI, Yasuhisa SANO, Hideyuki HARA, Junji MURATA, Keita YAGI
  • Patent number: 8734661
    Abstract: A flattening method, by utilizing the advantages of the CARE method and making up for the disadvantages, can perform removal processing of a surface of a workpiece at a sufficient processing rate and can provide a processed surface having enhanced flatness without leaving damage in the processed surface. A flattening method comprises at least two surface removal steps and at least two cleaning steps, the final surface removal step being a catalyst-referred etching step comprising immersing a workpiece in a processing solution containing at least one of hydrohalic acid, hydrogen peroxide water and ozone water, and bringing a surface of a catalyst platen into contact with or close proximity to a surface to be processed of the workpiece to process the surface, said catalyst platen having in a surface a catalyst selected from the group consisting of platinum, gold, a ceramic solid catalyst, a transition metal, glass, and an acidic or basic solid catalyst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Ebara Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuto Yamauchi, Yasuhisa Sano, Hideyuki Hara, Junji Murata, Keita Yagi
  • Patent number: 8679286
    Abstract: A catalyst-aided chemical processing method is a novel processing method having a high processing efficiency and suited for processing in a space wavelength range of not less than several tens of ?m. The catalyst-aided chemical processing method comprises: immersing a workpiece in a processing solution in which a halogen-containing molecule is dissolved, said workpiece normally being insoluble in said processing solution; and bringing a platinum, gold or ceramic solid catalyst close to or into contact with a processing surface of the workpiece, thereby processing the workpiece through dissolution in the processing solution of a halogenide produced by chemical reaction between a halogen radical generated at the surface of the catalyst and a surface atom of the workpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Ebara Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuto Yamauchi, Yasuhisa Sano
  • Publication number: 20120244649
    Abstract: A polishing method and a polishing apparatus particularly suitable for finishing a surface of a substrate of a compound semiconductor containing an element such as Ga or the like to a desired level of flatness, so that a surface of a substrate of a compound semiconductor containing an element of Ga can be flattened with high surface accuracy within a practical processing time. In the presence of water (232) such as weak acid water, water with air dissolved therein, or electrolytic ion water, a surface of a substrate (142) made of a compound semiconductor containing either one of Ga, Al, and In and the surface of a polishing pad (242) having an electrically conductive member (264) in an area of the surface which is held in contact with the substrate (142) are relatively moved while being held in contact with each other, thereby polishing the surface of the substrate (142).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2010
    Publication date: September 27, 2012
    Inventors: Yasuhisa Sano, Kazuto Yamauchi, Junji Murata, Takeshi Okamoto, Shun Sadakuni, Keita Yagi
  • Publication number: 20120241087
    Abstract: A catalyst-aided chemical processing method is a novel processing method having a high processing efficiency and suited for processing in a space wavelength range of not less than several tens of ?m. The catalyst-aided chemical processing method comprises: immersing a workpiece in a processing solution in which a halogen-containing molecule is dissolved, said workpiece normally being insoluble in said processing solution; and bringing a platinum, gold or ceramic solid catalyst close to or into contact with a processing surface of the workpiece, thereby processing the workpiece through dissolution in the processing solution of a halogenide produced by chemical reaction between a halogen radical generated at the surface of the catalyst and a surface atom of the workpiece.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2012
    Publication date: September 27, 2012
    Inventors: Kazuto YAMAUCHI, Yasuhisa Sano
  • Patent number: 8119320
    Abstract: A heat-sensitive transfer image-receiving sheet, in which the heat-sensitive transfer image-receiving sheet is provided in a form that it is wound into a roll and all periphery of the roll is covered with a protective sheet, and in which the heat-sensitive transfer image-receiving sheet contains, on a support, at least one receptor layer containing a latex polymer, and at least one heat-insulating layer containing hollow polymer particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventors: Ryuji Shinohara, Yasuhisa Sano, Kazuma Takeno, Hiroshi Takehara
  • Publication number: 20120001193
    Abstract: A polishing method can process and flatten, in a practical processing time and with high surface accuracy, a surface of a substrate of a Ga element-containing compound semiconductor. The polishing method includes: bringing a Ga element-containing compound semiconductor substrate (16) into contact with a polishing tool (10) in the presence of a processing solution (14) comprising a neutral pH buffer solution containing Ga ions; irradiating a surface of the substrate with light or applying a bias potential to the substrate, or applying a bias potential to the substrate while irradiating the surface of the substrate with light, thereby forming Ga oxide (16a) on the surface of the substrate; and simultaneously moving the substrate and the polishing tool relative to each other to polish and remove the Ga oxide formed on the surface of the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2010
    Publication date: January 5, 2012
    Inventors: Yasuhisa Sano, Kazuto Yamauchi, Junji Murata, Shun Sadakuni, Keita Yagi
  • Publication number: 20100273381
    Abstract: A catalyst-aided chemical processing method is a novel processing method having a high processing efficiency and suited for processing in a space wavelength range of not less than several tens of ?m. The catalyst-aided chemical processing method comprises: immersing a workpiece in a processing solution in which a halogen-containing molecule is dissolved, said workpiece normally being insoluble in said processing solution; and bringing a platinum, gold or ceramic solid catalyst close to or into contact with a processing surface of the workpiece, thereby processing the workpiece through dissolution in the processing solution of a halogenide produced by chemical reaction between a halogen radical generated at the surface of the catalyst and a surface atom of the workpiece.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2010
    Publication date: October 28, 2010
    Inventors: Kazuto YAMAUCHI, Yasuhisa Sano
  • Patent number: 7776228
    Abstract: A catalyst-aided chemical processing method is a novel processing method having a high processing efficiency and suited for processing in a space wavelength range of not less than several tens of ?m. The catalyst-aided chemical processing method comprises: immersing a workpiece in a processing solution in which a halogen-containing molecule is dissolved, said workpiece normally being insoluble in said processing solution; and bringing a platinum, gold or ceramic solid catalyst close to or into contact with a processing surface of the workpiece, thereby processing the workpiece through dissolution in the processing solution of a halogenide produced by chemical reaction between a halogen radical generated at the surface of the catalyst and a surface atom of the workpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: Ebara Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuto Yamauchi, Yasuhisa Sano
  • Publication number: 20100147463
    Abstract: A catalyst-aided chemical processing method can process hard-to-process materials, especially SiC, GaN, etc. whose importance as electronic device materials is increasing these days, with high processing efficiency and high precision even for a space wavelength range of not less than several tens of ?m. The catalyst-aided chemical processing method comprises: putting a workpiece in a processing liquid in which halogen-containing molecules are dissolved; and moving the workpiece and a catalyst composed of molybdenum or a molybdenum compound relative to each other while keeping the catalyst in contact with or close proximity to a surface to be processed of the workpiece, thereby processing the surface of the workpiece.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2009
    Publication date: June 17, 2010
    Inventors: Kazuto YAMAUCHI, Yasuhisa SANO, Hideyuki HARA, Junji MURATA, Keita YAGI
  • Patent number: 7651625
    Abstract: A catalyst-aided chemical processing method can process hard-to-process materials, especially SiC, GaN, etc. whose importance as electronic device materials is increasing these days, with high processing efficiency and high precision even for a space wavelength range of not less than several tens of ?m. The catalyst-aided chemical processing method comprises: putting a workpiece in a processing liquid in which halogen-containing molecules are dissolved; and moving the workpiece and a catalyst composed of molybdenum or a molybdenum compound relative to each other while keeping the catalyst in contact with or close proximity to a surface to be processed of the workpiece, thereby processing the surface of the workpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2010
    Assignees: Osaka University, Ebara Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuto Yamauchi, Yasuhisa Sano, Hideyuki Hara, Junji Murata, Keita Yagi
  • Publication number: 20090095712
    Abstract: A flattening method, by utilizing the advantages of the CARE method and making up for the disadvantages, can perform removal processing of a surface of a workpiece at a sufficient processing rate and can provide a processed surface having enhanced flatness without leaving damage in the processed surface. A flattening method comprises at least two surface removal steps and at least two cleaning steps, the final surface removal step being a catalyst-referred etching step comprising immersing a workpiece in a processing solution containing at least one of hydrohalic acid, hydrogen peroxide water and ozone water, and bringing a surface of a catalyst platen into contact with or close proximity to a surface to be processed of the workpiece to process the surface, said catalyst platen having in a surface a catalyst selected from the group consisting of platinum, gold, a ceramic solid catalyst, a transition metal, glass, and an acidic or basic solid catalyst.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2008
    Publication date: April 16, 2009
    Inventors: Kazuto Yamauchi, Yasuhisa Sano, Hideyuki Hara, Junji Murata, Keita Yagi