Patents by Inventor Yasutaka HAMA

Yasutaka HAMA 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: 20240063000
    Abstract: A method of cleaning a plasma processing apparatus includes: disposing a first dummy substrate at a first position with respect to a stage inside a chamber and performing a first dry cleaning process inside the chamber; and disposing a second dummy substrate at a second position with respect to the stage inside the chamber and performing a second dry cleaning process inside the chamber, wherein each of a center of the first position and a center of the second position is located at a different position from a center of the stage in a plan view, and wherein the first position and the second position are different from each other in a plan view.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2023
    Publication date: February 22, 2024
    Inventors: Yasutaka HAMA, Nobuaki SHINDO
  • Patent number: 11887824
    Abstract: A method of cleaning a plasma processing apparatus includes: disposing a first dummy substrate at a first position with respect to a stage inside a chamber and performing a first dry cleaning process inside the chamber; and disposing a second dummy substrate at a second position with respect to the stage inside the chamber and performing a second dry cleaning process inside the chamber, wherein each of a center of the first position and a center of the second position is located at a different position from a center of the stage in a plan view, and wherein the first position and the second position are different from each other in a plan view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Yasutaka Hama, Nobuaki Shindo
  • Patent number: 11881410
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes: a chamber; a substrate support disposed in the chamber; a plasma generator configured to form a plasma in the chamber; and a controller configured to perform a process including: placing a substrate on the substrate support, the substrate including a first film, a second film and a third film, the first film containing a silicon, the second film having a second aperture, the first film being disposed between the second film and the third film; cooling the substrate to ?30° C. or less; etching the first film through the second aperture with a plasma formed from a first process gas containing a fluorocarbon gas, to form a first aperture of a tapered shape in the first film such that a width of the first aperture gradually decreases toward a bottom of the first aperture; and etching the third film through the first aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Yasutaka Hama, Motoki Noro, Shu Kino
  • Patent number: 11705309
    Abstract: A temperature changing method includes changing a pressure of a gas supplied from a gas supply to a gap between the substrate and an electrostatic chuck from a first pressure to a second pressure being lower than the first pressure, changing a voltage applied to the electrostatic chuck from a first voltage to a second voltage being lower than the first voltage, changing a temperature of the electrostatic chuck from a first temperature to a second temperature, electrostatically attracting the substrate by the electrostatic chuck for a time in a state where the gas pressure is the second pressure and the voltage is the second voltage, changing the gas pressure from the second pressure to a third pressure being lower than the first pressure and higher than the second pressure, and changing the voltage from the second voltage to a third voltage being higher than the second voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Yasutaka Hama, Ryo Matsubara, Nobuaki Shindo
  • Publication number: 20220068658
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes: a chamber; a substrate support disposed in the chamber; a plasma generator configured to form a plasma in the chamber; and a controller configured to perform a process including: placing a substrate on the substrate support, the substrate including a first film, a second film and a third film, the first film containing a silicon, the second film having a second aperture, the first film being disposed between the second film and the third film; cooling the substrate to ?30° C. or less; etching the first film through the second aperture with a plasma formed from a first process gas containing a fluorocarbon gas, to form a first aperture of a tapered shape in the first film such that a width of the first aperture gradually decreases toward a bottom of the first aperture; and etching the third film through the first aperture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2021
    Publication date: March 3, 2022
    Inventors: Yasutaka Hama, Motoki Noro, Shu Kino
  • Publication number: 20220037133
    Abstract: A method of cleaning a plasma processing apparatus includes: disposing a first dummy substrate at a first position with respect to a stage inside a chamber and performing a first dry cleaning process inside the chamber; and disposing a second dummy substrate at a second position with respect to the stage inside the chamber and performing a second dry cleaning process inside the chamber, wherein each of a center of the first position and a center of the second position is located at a different position from a center of the stage in a plan view, and wherein the first position and the second position are different from each other in a plan view.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2021
    Publication date: February 3, 2022
    Inventors: Yasutaka HAMA, Nobuaki SHINDO
  • Patent number: 11201063
    Abstract: A substrate that includes a first film of a silicon-containing film and a second film having a second aperture formed on the first film is subjected to processing that includes: preparing the substrate; controlling a temperature of the substrate to ?30° C. or less; and etching the first film through the second aperture using a plasma formed from a first process gas containing a fluorocarbon gas. By etching the first film through the second aperture, a first aperture of a tapered shape is formed in the first film such that a width of the first aperture gradually decreases toward a bottom of the first aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Yasutaka Hama, Motoki Noro, Shu Kino
  • Publication number: 20210233793
    Abstract: A method of processing a substrate includes: (a) placing the substrate on an electrostatic chuck, and applying a direct current voltage to the electrostatic chuck to hold the substrate on the electrostatic chuck; (b) supplying a radio frequency power to an electrode to generate plasma of an inert gas; (c) stopping the application of the direct current voltage to the electrostatic chuck; and (d) gradually decreasing the radio frequency power supplied to the electrode to 0 W.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2021
    Publication date: July 29, 2021
    Inventors: Yasutaka HAMA, Nobuaki SHINDO, Shigeru YONEDA
  • Publication number: 20210175049
    Abstract: A temperature changing method includes changing a pressure of a gas supplied from a gas supply to a gap between the substrate and an electrostatic chuck from a first pressure to a second pressure being lower than the first pressure, changing a voltage applied to the electrostatic chuck from a first voltage to a second voltage being lower than the first voltage, changing a temperature of the electrostatic chuck from a first temperature to a second temperature, electrostatically attracting the substrate by the electrostatic chuck for a time in a state where the gas pressure is the second pressure and the voltage is the second voltage, changing the gas pressure from the second pressure to a third pressure being lower than the first pressure and higher than the second pressure, and changing the voltage from the second voltage to a third voltage being higher than the second voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2020
    Publication date: June 10, 2021
    Inventors: Yasutaka HAMA, Ryo MATSUBARA, Nobuaki SHINDO
  • Patent number: 10998223
    Abstract: In a method for processing a target object, the target object includes a wiring layer having a wiring, a diffusion barrier film provided on the wiring layer, an insulating film provided on the diffusion barrier film, and a metal mask provided on the insulating film and having an opening, and the insulating film has a trench formed at a part of a portion exposed through the opening and a first via hole provided at a part of the trench. The method includes: a first step of forming a sacrificial film on the trench and a side surface of the first via hole of the target object; and a second step of forming a second via hole at a deeper portion than a bottom surface of the first via hole by etching the sacrificial film and the insulating film and removing the sacrificial film from the trench and the first via hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Seiji Yokoyama, Yasutaka Hama
  • Patent number: 10950458
    Abstract: An etching method is provided. The etching method is performed on a substrate having a first film to a third film. The third film is provided on an underlying region, the second film is provided on the third film, the first film is provided on the second film. The second film contains silicon and nitrogen. The first film to the third film are etched in sequence. Plasma of a processing gas containing fluorine and hydrogen is used in the etching of the first film to the third film. A temperature of the substrate is set to be equal to or less than 20° C. at least in the etching of the second film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Yasutaka Hama, Shinya Morikita, Kiyohito Ito
  • Publication number: 20200328089
    Abstract: A substrate that includes a first film of a silicon-containing film and a second film having a second aperture formed on the first film is subjected to processing that includes: preparing the substrate; controlling a temperature of the substrate to ?30° C. or less; and etching the first film through the second aperture using a plasma formed from a first process gas containing a fluorocarbon gas. By etching the first film through the second aperture, a first aperture of a tapered shape is formed in the first film such that a width of the first aperture gradually decreases toward a bottom of the first aperture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2020
    Publication date: October 15, 2020
    Inventors: Yasutaka HAMA, Motoki NORO, Shu KINO
  • Publication number: 20190214269
    Abstract: An etching method is provided. The etching method is performed on a substrate having a first film to a third film. The third film is provided on an underlying region, the second film is provided on the third film, the first film is provided on the second film. The second film contains silicon and nitrogen. The first film to the third film are etched in sequence. Plasma of a processing gas containing fluorine and hydrogen is used in the etching of the first film to the third film. A temperature of the substrate is set to be equal to or less than 20° C. at least in the etching of the second film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2019
    Publication date: July 11, 2019
    Inventors: Yasutaka Hama, Shinya Morikita, Kiyohito Ito
  • Patent number: 10297496
    Abstract: In a method for processing a target object including a conductive layer and an insulating film formed on the conductive layer, the insulating film is etched by plasma treatment of a fluorine-containing gas to form an opening in the insulating film. A barrier film is formed to cover a surface of the insulating film and a surface of the conductive layer which is exposed through the opening formed in the insulating film. The target object having the barrier film is placed in an atmospheric environment, and the barrier film is removed from the target object by isotropically etching the barrier film. The target object is maintained in a depressurized environment from start of etching the insulating film to end of forming the barrier film. The barrier film is conformally formed on the surfaces of the insulating film and the conductive layer exposed through the opening formed in the insulating film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Yasutaka Hama, Seiji Yokoyama
  • Publication number: 20190043753
    Abstract: In a method for processing a target object, the target object includes a wiring layer having a wiring, a diffusion barrier film provided on the wiring layer, an insulating film provided on the diffusion barrier film, and a metal mask provided on the insulating film and having an opening, and the insulating film has a trench formed at a part of a portion exposed through the opening and a first via hole provided at a part of the trench. The method includes: a first step of forming a sacrificial film on the trench and a side surface of the first via hole of the target object; and a second step of forming a second via hole at a deeper portion than a bottom surface of the first via hole by etching the sacrificial film and the insulating film and removing the sacrificial film from the trench and the first via hole.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2018
    Publication date: February 7, 2019
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Seiji YOKOYAMA, Yasutaka HAMA
  • Publication number: 20180269101
    Abstract: In a method for processing a target object including a conductive layer and an insulating film formed on the conductive layer, the insulating film is etched by plasma treatment of a fluorine-containing gas to form an opening in the insulating film. A barrier film is formed to cover a surface of the insulating film and a surface of the conductive layer which is exposed through the opening formed in the insulating film. The target object having the barrier film is placed in an atmospheric environment, and the barrier film is removed from the target object by isotropically etching the barrier film. The target object is maintained in a depressurized environment from start of etching the insulating film to end of forming the barrier film. The barrier film is conformally formed on the surfaces of the insulating film and the conductive layer exposed through the opening formed in the insulating film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2018
    Publication date: September 20, 2018
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Yasutaka HAMA, Seiji YOKOYAMA
  • Publication number: 20170296690
    Abstract: To provide an ultraviolet sterilizing apparatus that is capable of efficiently performing ultraviolet sterilization on a large volume of gas or pressurized liquid in a short time, can be made compact, and can be stably and safely used for a long time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2015
    Publication date: October 19, 2017
    Inventors: Shingo MATSUI, Yuriko HORII, Reo YAMAMOTO, Keiichiro HIRONAKA, Yasutaka HAMA