Patents by Inventor Yasuo Ohama

Yasuo Ohama 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: 11905196
    Abstract: A mold for manufacturing a quartz glass crucible by a rotary molding method, having a plurality of grooves that are concentric with respect to a mold rotation axis in at least a straight body portion of an inner surface of the mold, wherein the plurality of concentric grooves are non-penetrating grooves that do not penetrate the mold. This provides a mold for manufacturing a quartz glass crucible by a rotary molding method, having an inner surface made so that it is difficult for quartz powder to slide down when forming a quartz powder compact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: SHIN-ETSU QUARTZ PRODUCTS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jiro Sawazaki, Yasuo Ohama, Katsumi Taniguchi
  • Publication number: 20200399160
    Abstract: A mold for manufacturing a quartz glass crucible by a rotary molding method, having a plurality of grooves that are concentric with respect to a mold rotation axis in at least a straight body portion of an inner surface of the mold, wherein the plurality of concentric grooves are non-penetrating grooves that do not penetrate the mold. This provides a mold for manufacturing a quartz glass crucible by a rotary molding method, having an inner surface made so that it is difficult for quartz powder to slide down when forming a quartz powder compact.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2018
    Publication date: December 24, 2020
    Applicant: SHIN-ETSU QUARTZ PRODUCTS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jiro SAWAZAKI, Yasuo OHAMA, Katsumi TANIGUCHI
  • Patent number: 8555674
    Abstract: A quartz glass crucible for silicon single crystal pulling operation that by a simple arrangement, attains prevention of any collapse onto the inside at a superior edge of straight trunk part; and a process for manufacturing the same. The quartz glass crucible for silicon single crystal pulling operation having a straight trunk part and a bottom part, is characterized in that at least the straight trunk part is provided with a gradient of fictive temperature so that the fictive temperature on the outermost side thereof is 25° C. or more lower than the fictive temperature on the innermost side thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignees: Heraeus Quarzglas GmbH & Co. KG, Shin-Etsu Quartz Products Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yasuo Ohama
  • Patent number: 8361228
    Abstract: A fused glass crucible includes a collar of doped aluminum silica that defines uppermost and outermost surfaces of the crucible. The melt line that defines the surface of molten silicon in the crucible may be substantially at the lower end of the collar or slightly above it. Crystallization of the collar makes it hard and therefore supports the remaining uncrystallized portion of the crucible above the melt line. The melt line may also be below the lower end of the collar, especially if the melt is drawn down or poured early in the process. Because there is little or no overlap or because the overlap does not last long, the doped aluminum collar is not damaged by the heat of from the melt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignees: Heraeus Shin-Etsu America, Inc., Shin-Etsu Quartz Products Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsuhiko Kemmochi, Yasuo Ohama
  • Patent number: 8277559
    Abstract: A quartz glass crucible which has a non-transparent outer layer formed through melting a natural silica powder and a transparent layer formed in the inside of the outer layer, wherein the transparent layer comprises a natural quartz layer having a thickness of 0.4 to 5.0 mm transparent layer comprising a synthetic quarts glass is formed thereon in the inside of the crucible in the range of 0.15 to 0.55 L relative to L, which is the distance from the center of the bottom of the inner surface of the quartz glass crucible to the upper end thereof along the inner surface thereof. The quartz glass crucible can be suitably used for suppressing the occurrence of vibration and reducing the generation of roughened face in the surface of a crucible, and thus for pulling up a silicon single crystal with enhanced stability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignees: Heraeus Quarzglas GmbH & Co. KG, Shin-Estu Quartz Products Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yasuo Ohama
  • Patent number: 7993556
    Abstract: A rotating mold has a plurality of air channels that communicate with a cavity formed in the mold. Silica grain is deposited in the rotating mold and then formed into the shape of a crucible having a lower portion that comprises a substantially uniformly thick wall. An upper portion of the grain is formed into a substantially narrowed wall portion about the perimeter of the formed shape. The silica grain is heated, and a pump draws gas through the air channels while the silica fuses. There is a pressure drop across the narrowed wall portion. After fusing, the upper portion of the crucible, including the narrowed wall portion, is cut off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignees: Heraeus Shin-Etsu America, Inc., Shin-Etsu Quartz Products Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsuhiko Kemmochi, Yasuo Ohama
  • Publication number: 20100186662
    Abstract: A fused glass crucible includes a collar of doped aluminum silica that defines uppermost and outermost surfaces of the crucible. The melt line that defines the surface of molten silicon in the crucible may be substantially at the lower end of the collar or slightly above it. Crystallization of the collar makes it hard and therefore supports the remaining uncrystallized portion of the crucible above the melt line. The melt line may also be below the lower end of the collar, especially if the melt is drawn down or poured early in the process. Because there is little or no overlap or because the overlap does not last long, the doped aluminum collar is not damaged by the heat of from the melt.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2010
    Publication date: July 29, 2010
    Applicants: HERAEUS SHIN-ETSU AMERICA, INC., SHIN-ETSU QUARTZ PRODUCTS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Katsuhiko Kemmochi, Yasuo Ohama
  • Publication number: 20100132609
    Abstract: A quartz glass crucible for silicon single crystal pulling operation that by a simple arrangement, attains prevention of any collapse onto the inside at a superior edge of straight trunk part; and a process for manufacturing the same. The quartz glass crucible for silicon single crystal pulling operation having a straight trunk part and a bottom part, is characterized in that at least the straight trunk part is provided with a gradient of fictive temperature so that the fictive temperature on the outermost side thereof is 25° C. or more lower than the fictive temperature on the innermost side thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2008
    Publication date: June 3, 2010
    Applicants: Heraeus Quarzglas GmbH & Co. KG, Shin-Etsu Quartz Products Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yasuo Ohama
  • Patent number: 7716948
    Abstract: A fused glass crucible includes a collar of doped aluminum silica that defines uppermost and outermost surfaces of the crucible. The melt line that defines the surface of molten silicon in the crucible may be substantially at the lower end of the collar or slightly above it. Crystallization of the collar makes it hard and therefore supports the remaining uncrystallized portion of the crucible above the melt line. The melt line may also be below the lower end of the collar, especially if the melt is drawn down or poured early in the process. Because there is little or no overlap or because the overlap does not last long, the doped aluminum collar is not damaged by the heat of from the melt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignees: Heraeus Shin-Etsu America, Inc., Shin-Etsu Quartz Products Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsuhiko Kemmochi, Yasuo Ohama
  • Patent number: 7686887
    Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide a quartz glass crucible reduced in the generation of vibration occurring on the surface of a silicon melt and free from the generation of rough surface and cristobalite spots, yet capable of pulling up single crystal silicon stably and at high yield even in long-term operations; it is also an object to provide a method for producing the same. In a quartz glass crucible for pulling up single crystal silicon comprising a crucible base body having a bottom part and a straight shell part with an inner layer provided to the inner surface thereof, the quartz glass crucible is characterized by that said inner layer comprises a synthetic quartz glass layer from the lowest end to at least a height of 0.25 H; a naturally occurring quartz glass layer or a mixed layer of naturally occurring quartz glass and synthetic quartz glass extended in a range of from at least 0.5 H to 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignees: Heraeus Quarzglas GmbH & Co. KG, Shin-Etsu Quartz Products Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuo Ohama, Takayuki Togawa
  • Patent number: 7587912
    Abstract: The present invention refers to a method for producing a quartz glass crucible for use in pulling silicon single crystal, said crucible having at least a double-layer structure comprising a pore-free transparent inner layer and an opaque base body or outer layer having pores, characterized in that at least the base body is formed with a silica powder maintained in a gas having a mixing ratio of 0.0005 to 0.0065 kg/kg (dry gas), and a quartz glass crucible produced by said production method. The obtained crucible has an average OH group concentration of 50 ppm or lower and is capable of suppressing the vibration occurring on the surface of silicon melt during pulling the silicon single crystal. Further the obtained crucible suffers less deformation of the crucible on pulling the silicon single crystal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2009
    Assignees: Heraeus Quarzglas GmbH & Co. KG, Shin-Etsu Quartz Products Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuo Ohama, Hiroshi Matsui
  • Patent number: 7556764
    Abstract: A fused silica crucible having a nozzle is formed by first inserting a preformed silica glass tube into the lower portion of a graphite mold. The tube is aligned with a vertical axis about which the mold is rotated while silica grain is poured into the mold and shaped in the form of the crucible. A graphite plug inserted into the top of the tube keeps the grain out of the tube. Electrodes create a plasma gas ball that fuses the grain and forms it to the tube. Although the graphite plug is covered with grain, the molten silica recedes from the top of the plug during fusion thus forming the nozzle to the crucible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2009
    Assignee: Heraeus Shin-Etsu America, Inc.
    Inventors: Katsuhiko Kemmochi, Yasuo Ohama
  • Publication number: 20090041960
    Abstract: A rotating mold has a plurality of air channels that communicate with a cavity formed in the mold. Silica grain is deposited in the rotating mold and then formed into the shape of a crucible having a lower portion that comprises a substantially uniformly thick wall. An upper portion of the grain is formed into a substantially narrowed wall portion about the perimeter of the formed shape. The silica grain is heated, and a pump draws gas through the air channels while the silica fuses. There is a pressure drop across the narrowed wall portion. After fusing, the upper portion of the crucible, including the narrowed wall portion, is cut off.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2007
    Publication date: February 12, 2009
    Applicants: HERAEUS SHIN-ETSU AMERICA, INC., SHIN-ETSU QUARTZ PRODUCTS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Katsuhiko Kemmochi, Yasuo Ohama
  • Patent number: 7427327
    Abstract: A silica glass crucible includes a thin barium-doped inner layer, a stable, bubble-free intermediate layer, and a stable opaque outer layer. The fusion process of the present invention controls the dynamic gas balance at the fusion front where formed grain is melted to dense fused silica. The crucible demonstrates reduced bubble growth during a Czochralski process. As a result of the thin barium-doped layer and the reduced bubble growth, the inner surface of the crucible is uniformly minimally textured during a CZ process. The present crucible is especially suited for intense CZ processes for manufacturing silicon ingots used for solar cells or with silicon that is heavily doped with antimony, boron, or arsenic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2008
    Assignee: Heraeus Shin-Etsu America, Inc.
    Inventors: Katsuhiko Kemmochi, Yasuo Ohama
  • Publication number: 20080141929
    Abstract: A fused glass crucible includes a collar of doped aluminum silica that defines uppermost and outermost surfaces of the crucible. The melt line that defines the surface of molten silicon in the crucible may be substantially at the lower end of the collar or slightly above it. Crystallization of the collar makes it hard and therefore supports the remaining uncrystallized portion of the crucible above the melt line. The melt line may also be below the lower end of the collar, especially if the melt is drawn down or poured early in the process. Because there is little or no overlap or because the overlap does not last long, the doped aluminum collar is not damaged by the heat of from the melt.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2006
    Publication date: June 19, 2008
    Applicants: HERAEUS SHIN-ETSU AMERICA, INC., SHIN-ETSU QUARTZ PRODUCTS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Katsuhiko Kemmochi, Yasuo Ohama
  • Patent number: 7383696
    Abstract: A silica glass crucible includes a stable, bubble-free inner layer and an opaque outer layer, both layers demonstrating reduced bubble growth during a Czochralski process. When used in the CZ process, little volume change is observed in the crucible wall, and the crucible has little influence on melt level. The present crucible is especially suited for slow silicon ingot pulling with reduced crystalline defects. The fusion process of the present invention controls the dynamic gas balance at the fusion front where formed grain is melted to dense fused silica.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2008
    Assignee: Heraeus Shin-Etsu America, Inc.
    Inventors: Katsuhiko Kemmochi, Robert Mosier, Yasuo Ohama
  • Patent number: 7299658
    Abstract: A quartz glass crucible for use in pulling up a silicon single crystal, wherein it has, at least in the curved portion thereof, a three-layer structure comprising a transparent inner layer being composed of a synthetic quartz glass and having a low Al concentration, a transparent or nontransparent intermediate layer being composed of a natural quartz glass or a mixture of natural and synthetic quartz glasses and having a high Al concentration, and a nontransparent outer layer being composed of a natural quartz glass and having an Al concentration higher than that of the intermediate layer. The quartz glass crucible is reduced in the deformation of the transparent inner layer, and allows the suppression of the change in the amount of dissolution of the quartz glass crucible associated with the pull-up of a single crystal and the achievement of the uniform oxygen concentration in the longitudinal direction of a single crystal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2007
    Assignees: Heraeus Quarzglas GmbH & Co. K.G., Shin-Etsu Quartz Products Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuo Ohama, Takayuki Togawa, Shigeo Mizuno
  • Publication number: 20070102133
    Abstract: A fused silica crucible having a nozzle is formed by first inserting a preformed silica glass tube into the lower portion of a graphite mold. The tube is aligned with a vertical axis about which the mold is rotated while silica grain is poured into the mold and shaped in the form of the crucible. A graphite plug inserted into the top of the tube keeps the grain out of the tube. Electrodes create a plasma gas ball that fuses the grain and forms it to the tube. Although the graphite plug is covered with grain, the molten silica recedes from the top of the plug during fusion thus forming the nozzle to the crucible.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2005
    Publication date: May 10, 2007
    Applicant: Heraeus Shin-Etsu America, Inc.
    Inventors: Katsuhiko Kemmochi, Yasuo Ohama
  • Publication number: 20070051296
    Abstract: A silica glass crucible includes a stable, bubble-free inner layer and an opaque outer layer, both layers demonstrating reduced bubble growth during a Czochralski process. When used in the CZ process, little volume change is observed in the crucible wall, and the crucible has little influence on melt level. The present crucible is especially suited for slow silicon ingot pulling with reduced crystalline defects. The fusion process of the present invention controls the dynamic gas balance at the fusion front where formed grain is melted to dense fused silica.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2005
    Publication date: March 8, 2007
    Inventors: Katsuhiko Kemmochi, Robert Mosier, Yasuo Ohama
  • Publication number: 20070051297
    Abstract: A silica glass crucible includes a thin barium-doped inner layer, a stable, bubble-free intermediate layer, and a stable opaque outer layer. The fusion process of the present invention controls the dynamic gas balance at the fusion front where formed grain is melted to dense fused silica. The crucible demonstrates reduced bubble growth during a Czochralski process. As a result of the thin barium-doped layer and the reduced bubble growth, the inner surface of the crucible is uniformly minimally textured during a CZ process. The present crucible is especially suited for intense CZ processes for manufacturing silicon ingots used for solar cells or with silicon that is heavily doped with antimony, boron, or arsenic.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2006
    Publication date: March 8, 2007
    Applicant: Heraeus Shin-Etsu America, Inc.
    Inventors: Katsuhiko Kemmochi, Yasuo Ohama