Patents by Inventor Yasushi SONODA

Yasushi SONODA 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: 20240142830
    Abstract: In a liquid crystal display device, a common electrode is formed on an organic passivation film, an interlayer insulating film is formed on the common electrode, a pixel electrode with a slit is formed on the interlayer insulating film, and a through hole is formed in the organic passivation film and the interlayer insulating film, so that the pixel electrode is connected to a source electrode of a TFT through the through hole. Further, the taper angle around the upper base of the through hole is smaller than the taper angle around the lower base. Thus, the alignment film material can easily flow into the through hole when the diameter of the through hole is reduced to connect the pixel and source electrodes, preventing display defects such as uneven brightness due to the absence of the alignment film or due to the alignment film irregularity around the through hole.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2024
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Inventors: Yasushi TOMIOKA, Yosuke HYODO, Hidehiro SONODA, Noboru KUNIMATSU
  • Patent number: 11914254
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device comprising a TFT substrate having pixels each including a common electrode formed on an organic passivation film, an interlayer insulating film formed so as to cover the common electrode, a pixel electrode having a slit and formed on the interlayer insulating film, a through-hole formed in the organic passivation film and the interlayer insulating film, and a source electrode electrically conducted to the pixel electrode via the through-hole. A taper angle at a depth of D/2 of the through-hole is equal to or more than 50 degrees. The pixel electrode covers part of a side wall of the through-hole but does not cover the remaining part of the side wall of the through-hole. This configuration facilitates the alignment film material to flow into the through-hole, thereby solving a thickness unevenness of the alignment film in vicinity of the through-hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Japan Display Inc.
    Inventors: Yasushi Tomioka, Toshimasa Ishigaki, Hidehiro Sonoda, Sumito Ueta
  • Publication number: 20240055278
    Abstract: There is provided a gas supply apparatus that can effectively suppress a trouble caused by backflow of a process gas to the upstream side when processing is performed by using the process gas inside a chamber. The gas supply apparatus supplies gas to a processing chamber in which a sample is processed. The gas supply apparatus includes: ports respectively connected to gas sources of a plurality of types of gases containing a purging gas and a processing gas; and a collective pipe in which the plurality of types of gases supplied from the ports are joined and flowed. A gas flow path through which gas supplied from the port connected to the gas source for the purging gas flows is formed on an uppermost stream side of the collective pipe.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2021
    Publication date: February 15, 2024
    Inventors: Yoshifumi Ogawa, Yutaka Kouzuma, Keisuke Akinaga, Kazuyuki Hirozane, Yasushi Sonoda
  • Patent number: 11776792
    Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus or a plasma processing method having an improved yield, the plasma processing apparatus includes: a processing chamber arranged inside a vacuum container; a processing gas supply line connecting to the vacuum container, communicating with the processing chamber, and configured to supply processing gas having adhesiveness to the processing chamber; and a gas exhaust line for the processing gas connecting and communicating the processing gas supply line with a processing chamber exhaust line that is connected to an exhaust pump and communicates with the processing chamber, in which the plasma processing apparatus exhausts the processing gas in the processing gas supply line through the gas exhaust line and the processing chamber exhaust line in a state where supplying of the processing gas to the processing chamber is stopped between one processing step of etching the wafer and a subsequent processing step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shunsuke Tashiro, Takashi Uemura, Shengnan Yu, Yasushi Sonoda, Kiyohiko Sato, Masahiro Nagatani
  • Publication number: 20220319809
    Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide a plasma processing apparatus capable of both isotropic etching in which a flux of ions to a sample is reduced and anisotropic etching in which ions are incident on a sample in the same chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2019
    Publication date: October 6, 2022
    Inventors: Taku Iwase, Naoyuki Kofuji, Yasushi Sonoda, Yusuke Nakatani, Motohiro Tanaka
  • Patent number: 11387110
    Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus, including a processing; a first radio frequency power source; a sample stage on which the sample is placed; a second radio frequency power; and a control device configured to control, when the second radio frequency power source is controlled based on a change in a plasma impedance, which is generated when a first gas that is a gas for a first step is switched to a second gas that is a gas for a second step, such that the second radio frequency power is changed from a value of the second radio frequency power in the first step to a value of the second radio frequency power in the second step, and a supply time of the first gas such that a supply time of the second radio frequency power in the first step is substantially equal to a time of the first step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yasushi Sonoda
  • Patent number: 11355319
    Abstract: The present invention is a plasma processing apparatus that includes a processing chamber where plasma processing is performed on a sample, a radio frequency power supply that supplies radio frequency power to generate plasma, a sample stage on which the sample is placed, and a gas supply unit that supplies a gas to the processing chamber. The gas supply unit includes a first pipe that supplies a first gas as a gas for etching process to the processing chamber, a second pipe that supplies a second gas as a gas for etching process to the processing chamber, and a third pipe through which a third gas as a gas for deposition process flows. The third pipe is coupled to the second pipe. A fourth valve is arranged on the second pipe. The fourth valve prevents the third gas from flowing in a direction toward a supply source of the second gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Luke Joseph Himbele, Yasushi Sonoda, Takashi Uemura, Tomoyoshi Ichimaru, Junya Sasaki
  • Publication number: 20220115212
    Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus or a plasma processing method having an improved yield, the plasma processing apparatus includes: a processing chamber arranged inside a vacuum container; a processing gas supply line connecting to the vacuum container, communicating with the processing chamber, and configured to supply processing gas having adhesiveness to the processing chamber; and a gas exhaust line for the processing gas connecting and communicating the processing gas supply line with a processing chamber exhaust line that is connected to an exhaust pump and communicates with the processing chamber, in which the plasma processing apparatus exhausts the processing gas in the processing gas supply line through the gas exhaust line and the processing chamber exhaust line in a state where supplying of the processing gas to the processing chamber is stopped between one processing step of etching the wafer and a subsequent processing step.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2020
    Publication date: April 14, 2022
    Inventors: Shunsuke Tashiro, Takashi Uemura, Shengnan Yu, Yasushi Sonoda, Kiyohiko Sato, Masahiro Nagatani
  • Patent number: 11232932
    Abstract: A plasma processing method for efficiently processing a wafer using plasma which includes two processing steps and a bridging step between the two processing steps. The plasma processing method includes: supplying a processing-use gas into a processing chamber during a processing step; supplying a bridging-use gas into the processing chamber during a bridging step; switching the supply of the processing-use gas from a first gas supply unit and the bridging-use gas from a second gas supply unit to the processing chamber in transition between the two processing steps and the bridging step; and regulating a flow rate of the bridging-use gas to be supplied during the bridging step to a flow rate regarded equal to a supply amount of the processing-use gas to be supplied during a succeeding processing step out of the two processing steps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masatoshi Kawakami, Kohei Sato, Yasushi Sonoda, Masahiro Nagatani, Makoto Kashibe
  • Publication number: 20210082766
    Abstract: In a manufacturing process of a three-dimensional structure device such as a GAA type FET or a nanosheet fork type FET having stacked channels in which channels having a shape of a wire or a sheet are stacked in a direction vertical to a substrate, a work function control metal is separately formed without expanding a space between FETs having different threshold voltages. Therefore, a first step S10 of performing anisotropic etching to open the mask material 23 until the work function control metal film 22 is exposed; a second step S11 of depositing a protective film 26; a third step S12 of performing anisotropic etching to remove the protective film while remaining the protective film deposited on sidewalls of the mask material opened in the first step; and a fourth step S13 of performing isotropic etching to selectively remove the mask material between the channels relative to the protective film and the work function control metal film are executed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2019
    Publication date: March 18, 2021
    Applicant: Hitachi High-Tech Corporation
    Inventors: Makoto Miura, Kiyohiko Sato, Yasushi Sonoda, Satoshi Sakai
  • Publication number: 20200402809
    Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus, including a processing; a first radio frequency power source; a sample stage on which the sample is placed; a second radio frequency power; and a control device configured to control, when the second radio frequency power source is controlled based on a change in a plasma impedance, which is generated when a first gas that is a gas for a first step is switched to a second gas that is a gas for a second step, such that the second radio frequency power is changed from a value of the second radio frequency power in the first step to a value of the second radio frequency power in the second step, and a supply time of the first gas such that a supply time of the second radio frequency power in the first step is substantially equal to a time of the first step.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2019
    Publication date: December 24, 2020
    Inventor: Yasushi SONODA
  • Patent number: 10699909
    Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a processing chamber configured to perform a plasma processing on a sample, a first radio frequency power supply configured to generate a plasma, a sample stage configured to place the sample thereon, a second radio frequency power supply configured to supply a radio frequency power to the sample stage, a mass flow controller configured to supply a gas into the processing chamber, and a control device configured to change the radio frequency power supplied from the first radio frequency power supply or the second radio frequency power supply based on a change of plasma impedance after a first gas is switched to a second gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: HITACH HIGH-TECH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasushi Sonoda, Motohiro Tanaka
  • Patent number: 10522333
    Abstract: A vacuum processing apparatus includes a vacuum processing chamber, an upper electrode, a lower electrode, a first high-frequency power source, a second high-frequency power source, a first matching box, a second matching box, a copper plate for connecting an electrode shaft of the lower electrode with the second matching box, a drive base on which the electrode shaft of the lower electrode and the second matching box are mounted, a drive unit for ascending or descending the drive base, and an exhaust unit disposed at a position equally distanced from an exhaust outlet by a distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Yusaku Sakka, Hiromichi Kawasaki, Tsutomu Iida, Hiromitsu Terauchi, Masahiro Nagatani, Yasushi Sonoda
  • Publication number: 20190189403
    Abstract: The present invention is a plasma processing apparatus that includes a processing chamber where plasma processing is performed on a sample, a radio frequency power supply that supplies radio frequency power to generate plasma, a sample stage on which the sample is placed, and a gas supply unit that supplies a gas to the processing chamber. The gas supply unit includes a first pipe that supplies a first gas as a gas for etching process to the processing chamber, a second pipe that supplies a second gas as a gas for etching process to the processing chamber, and a third pipe through which a third gas as a gas for deposition process flows. The third pipe is coupled to the second pipe. A fourth valve is arranged on the second pipe. The fourth valve prevents the third gas from flowing in a direction toward a supply source of the second gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2019
    Publication date: June 20, 2019
    Inventors: Luke Joseph HIMBELE, Yasushi SONODA, Takashi UEMURA, Tomoyoshi ICHIMARU, Junya SASAKI
  • Publication number: 20190164725
    Abstract: There is provided a plasma processing apparatus and a plasma processing method for efficiently processing a wafer using plasma. The plasma processing apparatus includes two processing steps and a bridging step between the two processing steps.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2018
    Publication date: May 30, 2019
    Inventors: Masatoshi KAWAKAMI, Kohei SATO, Yasushi SONODA, Masahiro NAGATANI, Makoto KASHIBE
  • Publication number: 20190088453
    Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a processing chamber, a radio frequency power source, and a magnetic-field generation unit. In the processing chamber, a sample is subjected to plasma processing. The radio frequency power source supplies radio frequency power for a microwave. The magnetic-field generation unit forms a magnetic field for generating plasma by an interaction with the microwave. The magnetic-field generation unit includes a first power source and a second power source. The first power source causes a current to flow in a first magnetic-field forming coil configured to forma magnetic field in the processing chamber. The second power source causes a current to flow in a second magnetic-field forming coil configured to form a magnetic field in the processing chamber. Sensitivity for magnetic-field changing by the first magnetic-field forming coil is higher than sensitivity for magnetic-field changing by the second magnetic-field forming coil.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2018
    Publication date: March 21, 2019
    Inventors: Yasushi SONODA, Naoki YASUI, Motohiro TANAKA, Koichi YAMAMOTO
  • Publication number: 20180277402
    Abstract: Provided is a plasma processing apparatus or method in which a procedure containing processing steps of supplying a predetermined amount of processing gas into a processing chamber disposed in a vacuum vessel through a gas supply unit, and processing a wafer placed on a sample table disposed in the processing chamber by generating plasma in the processing chamber using the processing gas supplied on each different condition. The procedure includes a first transition step of adjusting and supplying the rare gas to make a pressure of the rare gas equal to a condition of the processing gas used in the former processing step, and a second transition step of adjusting and supplying the rare gas after the first transition step such that a pressure and a flow rate of the rare gas come to be equal to a condition of the processing gas used in the later processing step.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2017
    Publication date: September 27, 2018
    Inventors: Masatoshi KAWAKAMI, Motohiro TANAKA, Yasushi SONODA, Kohei SATO, Naoki YASUI
  • Publication number: 20180151336
    Abstract: A vacuum processing apparatus includes a vacuum processing chamber, an upper electrode, a lower electrode, a first high-frequency power source, a second high-frequency power source, a first matching box, a second matching box, a copper plate for connecting an electrode shaft of the lower electrode with the second matching box, a drive base on which the electrode shaft of the lower electrode and the second matching box are mounted, a drive unit for ascending or descending the drive base, and an exhaust unit disposed at a position equally distanced from an exhaust outlet by a distance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2017
    Publication date: May 31, 2018
    Inventors: Yusaku SAKKA, Hiromichi KAWASAKI, Tsutomu IIDA, Hiromitsu TERAUCHI, Masahiro NAGATANI, Yasushi SONODA
  • Publication number: 20160133530
    Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a processing chamber configured to perform a plasma processing on a sample, a first radio frequency power supply configured to generate a plasma, a sample stage configured to place the sample thereon, a second radio frequency power supply configured to supply a radio frequency power to the sample stage, a mass flow controller configured to supply a gas into the processing chamber, and a control device configured to change the radio frequency power supplied from the first radio frequency power supply or the second radio frequency power supply based on a change of plasma impedance after a first gas is switched to a second gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2015
    Publication date: May 12, 2016
    Inventors: Yasushi SONODA, Motohiro TANAKA
  • Patent number: D1008986
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Tech Corporation
    Inventors: Yusuke Nakatani, Kazuumi Tanaka, Masahiro Yamaoka, Yasushi Sonoda, Taku Iwase