Patents by Inventor Yoichi Kurono

Yoichi Kurono 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: 20070218197
    Abstract: A vacuum processing system configured for etch and deposition applications is described. The vacuum processing chamber comprises a monolithic, metal cast chamber having a substrate support pedestal positioned within the chamber by a plurality of pedestal support arms acting as utility conduits for the support pedestal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2006
    Publication date: September 20, 2007
    Inventor: Yoichi Kurono
  • Patent number: 6558506
    Abstract: The present invention provides an etching system having a plurality of etching chambers (16, 18, 20) disposed about a transfer chamber (14), wherein the etching chambers are adapted to be selectively mounted at different positions with respect to the transfer chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2003
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Richard J. Freeman, Jay R. Wallace, Yoichi Kurono, Arthur H. Laflamme, Jr., Louise Smith Barriss, Tadashi Onishi
  • Patent number: 6360762
    Abstract: An apparatus for feeding gases for use in semiconductor manufacturing reduced in size and manufacturing costs and facilitating maintenance and operation of the gas supply system. The apparatus comprises a plurality of gas supply sources, gas source valves provided on the gas lead-out pipes from the respective gas supply sources, flow rate controllers provided on main gas feed pipes into which the lead-out pipes converge, and gas supply valves provided on the outlet side of the flow rate controllers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2002
    Assignees: Fujikin Incorporated, Tokyo Electron Ltd.
    Inventors: Hirofumi Kitayama, Yoichi Kurono, Nobukazu Ikeda, Naoya Masuda
  • Publication number: 20010013363
    Abstract: An apparatus for feeding gases for use in semiconductor manufacturing reduced in size and manufacturing costs and facilitating maintenance and operation of the gas supply system. The apparatus comprises a plurality of gas supply sources, gas source valves provided on the gas lead-out pipes from the respective gas supply sources, flow rate controllers provided on main gas feed pipes into which the lead-out pipes converge, and gas supply valves provided on the outlet side of the flow rate controllers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2001
    Publication date: August 16, 2001
    Inventors: Hirofumi Kitayama, Yoichi Kurono, Nobukazu Ikeda, Naoya Masuda
  • Patent number: 6210482
    Abstract: An apparatus for feeding gases for use in semiconductor manufacturing reduced in size and manufacturing costs and facilitating maintenance and operation of the gas supply system. The apparatus comprises a plurality of gas supply sources, gas source valves provided on the gas lead-out pipes from the respective gas supply sources, flow rate controllers provided on main gas feed pipes into which the lead-out pipes converge, and gas supply valves provided on the outlet side of the flow rate controllers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2001
    Assignees: Fujikin Incorporated, Tokyo Electron Ltd.
    Inventors: Hirofumi Kitayama, Yoichi Kurono, Nobukazu Ikeda, Naoya Masuda
  • Patent number: 5779803
    Abstract: An apparatus for subjecting a semiconductor wafer having an uncovered marginal portion, from which a photoresist film is removed, to an anisotropic etching. The apparatus comprises a process chamber which can be set to a vacuum. Upper and lower electrodes opposite to each other are provided in the process chamber. An etching gas is made into plasma between these electrodes. An electrostatic chuck is arranged on the lower electrode. A wafer is mounted on the electrostatic chuck. A ring made of dielectric material, movable upward and downward, is arranged between the electrodes. A central portion of the ring is formed as a hood having a recessed shape corresponding to the marginal portion of the wafer. During the etching, the hood covers the marginal portion of the wafer under a plasma sheath, so as to be out of contact with the wafer, thereby preventing the marginal portion of the wafer from being etched.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 14, 1998
    Assignees: Tokyo Electron Limited, Tokyo Electron Yamanashi Limited
    Inventors: Yoichi Kurono, Shigeki Tozawa, Shozo Hosoda
  • Patent number: 5578164
    Abstract: An apparatus for subjecting a semiconductor wafer having an uncovered marginal portion, from which a photoresist film is removed, to an anisotropic etching. The apparatus comprises a process chamber which can be set to a vacuum. Upper and lower electrodes opposite to each other are provided in the process chamber. An etching gas is made into plasma between these electrodes. An electrostatic chuck is arranged on the lower electrode. A wafer is mounted on the electrostatic chuck. A ring made of dielectric material, movable upward and downward, is arranged between the electrodes. A central portion of the ring is formed as a hood having a recessed shape corresponding to the marginal portion of the wafer. During the etching, the hood covers the marginal portion of the wafer under a plasma sheath, so as to be out of contact with the wafer, thereby preventing the marginal portion of the wafer from being etched.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 26, 1996
    Assignees: Tokyo Electron Limited, Tokyo Electron Yamanashi Limited
    Inventors: Yoichi Kurono, Shigeki Tozawa, Shozo Hosoda
  • Patent number: 5440206
    Abstract: In a plasma processing s including a processing chamber and plate-parallel electrodes, provided in the processing chamber, for generating a high-frequency electric field in response to a high-frequency voltage, a ring-shaped core is provided in the periphery of the processing chamber, and a toroidal coil includes a plurality of 2n split coils wound in all the periphery of the ring-shaped core so that each pair of split coils oppose to each other. An alternating-current power source for generating a plurality of n-phase alternating-current currents including a plurality of n currents having a phase difference of either .pi./n or 2.pi.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 8, 1995
    Assignees: Tokyo Electron Ltd., Tokyo Electron Yamanashi and Daihen Corporation
    Inventors: Yoichi Kurono, Masami Kubota, Hiroyuki Yoshiki, Michio Taniguchi
  • Patent number: 5217560
    Abstract: An ashing apparatus of the vertical type comprises a reaction tube erected in the vertical direction to house therein a plurality of semiconductor wafers, an inner tube arranged in the reaction tube to enclose the semiconductor wafers and having a plurality of holes through which activated radicals in plasma can be selectively passed, a reaction gas supply pipe for supplying reaction gases into a space between the reaction tube and the inner tube, and plasma generating electrode unit located outside the reactor tube to generate plasma of the reaction gases only in the space between the reaction tube and the inner tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 1992
    Date of Patent: June 8, 1993
    Assignees: Tokyo Electron Limited, Tokyo Electron Sagami Limited
    Inventors: Yoichi Kurono, Shigeru Handa