Patents by Inventor Yoshifumi Kawamoto

Yoshifumi Kawamoto 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: 5858863
    Abstract: Disclosed is a fabricating system including a plurality of processing apparatuses connected to each other by means of an inter-apparatus transporter, wherein one group of semiconductor wafers are processed in processing apparatuses and other group of wafers are transported to specified processing apparatuses for a time interval from (To+T) to a time To; and another group of wafers are processed and the remaining group of wafers are transported for a time interval from (To+T) to (To+2T). Since processing apparatuses can receive at least one of works from the inter-apparatus transporter for a time interval T min, the distribution of works from the transporter to processing apparatuses is completed for the time interval T min. The transporter is emptied for each time interval T min, and works are unloaded to the emptied transporter, which makes easy the scheduling, control and management of the transporting of a plurality of works in the fabricating system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 12, 1999
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Natsuki Yokoyama, Yoshifumi Kawamoto, Eiichi Murakami, Fumihiko Uchida, Kenichi Mizuishi, Yoshio Kawamura
  • Patent number: 5820679
    Abstract: Disclosed is a fabricating system including a plurality of processing apparatuses connected to each other by means of an inter-apparatus transporter, wherein one group of semiconductor wafers are processed in processing apparatuses and other group of wafers are transported to specified processing apparatuses for a time interval from (To+T) to a time To; and another group of wafers are processed and the remaining group of wafers are transported for a time interval from (To+T) to (To+2T). Since processing apparatuses can receive at least one of works from the inter-apparatus transporter for a time interval T min, the distribution of works from the transporter to processing apparatuses is completed for the time interval T min. The transporter is emptied for each time interval T min, and works are unloaded to the emptied transporter, which makes easy the scheduling, control and management of the transporting of a plurality of works in the fabricating system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 13, 1998
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Natsuki Yokoyama, Yoshifumi Kawamoto, Eiichi Murakami, Fumihiko Uchida, Kenichi Mizuishi, Yoshio Kawamura
  • Patent number: 5601686
    Abstract: A wafer transport method including the steps of preparing a semiconductor process equipment having a transport chamber, a process chamber, an interface means for connecting the transport chamber to the process chamber, and a transport means for transporting a semiconductor wafer from the transport chamber to the process chamber by way of the interface means; inserting the transport means mounting a substrate in a communicating corridor including a supply means and an exhaust means; and transporting the substrate while performing the supply and exhaust by sequentially controlling a supply shutoff means, an exhaust shutoff means, and a communicating shutoff means according to the position of a conductance part formed of a gap between the transport means and the communicating corridor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 11, 1997
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshio Kawamura, Yoshifumi Kawamoto, Fumihiko Uchida, Kenichi Mizuishi, Natsuki Yokoyama, Eiichi Murakami, Yoshinori Nakayama, Eiichi Seya
  • Patent number: 5591998
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device having STC cells wherein the major portions of active regions consisting of channel-forming portions are inclined at an angle of 45 degrees with respect to word lines and bit lines that meet at right angles with each other, thereby enabling the storage capacity portions to be arranged very densely and a sufficiently large capacity to be maintained with very small cell areas. Since the storage capacity portions are formed even on the bit lines, the bit lines are shielded, so that the capacity decreases between the bit lines and, hence, the memory array noise decreases. It is also possible to design the charge storage capacity portion so that a part of thereof has a form of a wall substantially vertical to the substrate in order to increase the capacity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 7, 1997
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinichiro Kimura, Naotaka Hashimoto, Yoshio Sakai, Tokuo Kure, Yoshifumi Kawamoto, Toru Kaga, Eiji Takeda
  • Patent number: 5583358
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device having STC cells wherein the major portions of active regions consisting of channel-forming portions are inclined at an angle of 45 degrees with respect to word lines and bit lines that meet at right angles with each other, thereby enabling the storage capacity portions to be arranged very densely and a sufficiently large capacity to be maintained with very small cell areas. Since the storage capacity portions are formed even on the bit lines, the bit lines are shielded, so that the capacity decreases between the bit lines and, hence, the memory array noise decreases. It is also possible to design the charge storage capacity portion so that a part of thereof has a form of a wall substantially vertical to the substrate in order to increase the capacity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 10, 1996
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinichiro Kimura, Naotaka Hashimoto, Yoshio Sakai, Tokuo Kure, Yoshifumi Kawamoto, Toru Kaga, Eiji Takeda
  • Patent number: 5562800
    Abstract: A wafer transport method includes the steps of preparing a semiconductor process equipment having a transport chamber and a process chamber. An interface means connects the transport chamber to the process chamber. A transport means transports a semiconductor wafer from the transport chamber to the process chamber by way of the interface means. The transport means mounting a substrate is inserted into a communicating corridor including a supply means and an exhaust means. The substrate is transported while performing the supply and exhaust by sequentially controlling a supply shutoff means, an exhaust shutoff means, and a communicating shutoff means according to the position of a conductance part formed of a gap between the transport means and the communicating corridor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 8, 1996
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshio Kawamura, Yoshifumi Kawamoto, Fumihiko Uchida, Kenichi Mizuishi, Natsuki Yokoyama, Eiichi Murakami, Yoshinori Nakayama, Eiichi Seya
  • Patent number: 5426326
    Abstract: An arrangement is provided to decrease the junction degradation caused by the leakage current at a p-n junction in semiconductor devices. This arrangement can be useful for a variety of devices, and is especially effective for reducing junction degradation at the source or drain region of a MOSFET. To achieve such a reduction, a p-n junction layer is provided at a p-n junction of a semiconductor region and a substrate. Carrier concentration distributions of a p-type layer and an n-type layer of the p-n junction layer are set so that an electric field which tends to be increased by a local electric field enhancement in a depletion layer of the p-n junction due to a precipitate introduced from a semiconductor surface will not exceed 1 MV/cm. When the depth of a depletion layer of the p-type layer or the n-type layer is referred to as Xp or Xn, and the slope of the carrier concentration, Ap or An, the following relation is provided:4.3.times.10.sup.12 (/cm.sup.2).gtoreq.An.multidot.Xn.sup.2 =Ap.multidot.Xp.sup.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 1993
    Date of Patent: June 20, 1995
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kiyonori Ohyu, Kozo Watanabe, Osamu Tsuchiya, Kazuyoshi Oshima, Yoshifumi Kawamoto, Atsushi Hiraiwa, Takashi Nishida
  • Patent number: 5374576
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device having STC cells wherein the major portions of active regions consisting of channel-forming portions are inclined at an angle of 45 degrees with respect to word lines and bit lines that meet at right angles with each other, thereby enabling the storage capacity portions to be arranged very densely and a sufficiently large capacity to be maintained with very small cell areas. Since the storage capacity portions are formed even on the bit lines, the bit lines are shielded, so that the capacity decreases between the bit lines and, hence, the memory array noise decreases. It is also possible to design the charge storage capacity portion so that a part of thereof has a form of a wall substantially vertical to the substrate in order to increase the capacity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 20, 1994
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinichiro Kimura, Naotaka Hashimoto, Yoshio Sakai, Tokuo Kure, Yoshifumi Kawamoto, Toru Kaga, Eiji Takeda
  • Patent number: 5357131
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory wherein a part of each capacitor is formed on side walls of an island region surrounded with a recess formed in a semiconductor substrate, and the island region and other regions are electrically isolated by the recess.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 18, 1994
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideo Sunami, Tokuo Kure, Yoshifumi Kawamoto, Masao Tamura, Masanobu Miyao
  • Patent number: 5237528
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory comprises a capacitor with a data storage portion, and an insulated-gate field-effect transistor. The capacitor is formed by a plate which is made up of the side walls and base of a groove formed in a semiconductor substrate, and by a capacitor electrode formed on the side walls and the base, over an insulation film, and which is connected electrically to the source or drain of the insulated-gate field-effect transistor. Various embodiments are provided for reducing size and preventing leakage between other memory cells, including forming stacked capacitors, forming the transistor over the capacitor, using a silicon-over-insulator arrangement for the transistor, forming a common capacitor plate and providing high impurity layers within the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 17, 1993
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideo Sunami, Tokuo Kure, Masanobu Miyao, Yoshifumi Kawamoto, Katsuhiro Shimohigashi, Yoshio Sakai, Osamu Minato, Toshiaki Masuhara, Mitsumasa Koyanagi, Shinji Shimizu
  • Patent number: 5214496
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory comprises a capacitor with a data storage portion, and an insulated-gate field-effect transistor. The capacitor is formed by a plate which is made up of the side walls and base of a groove formed in a semiconductor substrate, and by a capacitor electrode formed on the side walls and the base, over an insulation film, and which is connected electrically to the source or drain of the insulated-gate field-effect transistor. Various embodiments are provided for reducing size and preventing leakage between other memory cells, including forming stacked capacitors, forming the transistor over the capacitor, using a silicon-over-insulator arrangement for the transistor, forming a common capacitor plate and providing high impurity layers within the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1989
    Date of Patent: May 25, 1993
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideo Sunami, Tokuo Kure, Masanobu Miyao, Yoshifumi Kawamoto, Katsuhiro Shimohigashi, Yoshio Sakai, Osamu Minato, Toshiaki Masuhara, Mitsumasa Koyanagi, Shinji Shimizu
  • Patent number: 5200635
    Abstract: The present invention concerns a semiconductor device having a low-resistivity wiring structure. Wirings formed directly on a hill and valley structure result in a thin portion and, in an extreme case, a disconnected portion. This increases the resistivity of wirings on the hill and valley structure and lowers the reliability of the connection. In a case where the wirings are data lines of a memory, with an increased effective length, the resistance and the parasitic capacitance of the data line is greater. The above mentioned problems have been solved by wirings which comprise at least two layers of conductive film including a first conductive film as a lower layer and a second conductive film as an upper layer, and the first conductive layer has a surface moderating or planarizing the hills and valleys in the underlying material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 6, 1993
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Toru Kaga, Shinichiro Kimura, Katsutaka Kimura, Yoshinobu Nakagome, Digh Hisamoto, Yoshifumi Kawamoto, Eiji Takeda, Shimpei Iijima, Tokuo Kure, Takashi Nishida
  • Patent number: 5196910
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory wherein a memory cell region having a plurality of memory cells and a relatively high altitude above the surface of semiconductor substrate is formed at a recessed part of the semiconductor substrate having the recessed part and a projected part, and wherein a peripheral circuit region having a comparatively low altitude from the surface of the semiconductor substrate is formed at the projected part of the semiconductor substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 1991
    Date of Patent: March 23, 1993
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Noboru Moriuchi, Yoshiki Yamaguchi, Toshihiko Tanaka, Norio Hasegawa, Yoshifumi Kawamoto, Shin-ichiro Kimura, Toru Kaga, Tokuo Kure
  • Patent number: 5140389
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device having STC cells wherein the major portions of active regions consisting of channel-forming portions are inclined at an angle of 45 degrees with respect to word lines and bit lines that meet at right angles with each other, thereby enabling the storage capacitor portions to be arranged very densely and a sufficiently large capacitance to be maintained with very small cell areas. Since the storage capacitor portions are formed even on the bit lines, the bit lines are shielded, so that the capacitance decreases between the bit lines and, hence, the memory array noise decreases. It is also possible to design the charge storage capacitor portion so that a part thereof is in the form of a wall substantially vertical to the substrate in order to increase the capacitance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 1990
    Date of Patent: August 18, 1992
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinichiro Kimura, Naotaka Hashimoto, Yoshio Sakai, Tokuo Kure, Yoshifumi Kawamoto, Toru Kaga, Eiji Takeda
  • Patent number: 5118633
    Abstract: Sources and drains of MOS transistors are formed after the formation of an emitter of a bipolar transistor, whereby the sources and drains are made smaller in thickness than the emitter. Since the sources and drains are not subjected to a high-temperature heat treatment conducted in the formation of the emitter, there is no fear of increase in thickness of the sources and drains caused by the diffusion of impurities. There can be formed a BiCMOS having a high integration density and superior characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 2, 1992
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Sagara, Kiyoo Itoh, Goro Kitsukawa, Yoshifumi Kawamoto, Yoshiki Kawajiri
  • Patent number: 5106775
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory comprises a switching device and a charge-storage device disposed at the upper and lower sides, respectively, of each of semiconductor islands. The islands are formed on a semiconductor substrate that is completely isolated from the semiconductor substrate by an insulator. The switching device and charge-storage device are substantially the same width. The memory cell structure is extremely small. The cell structure is highly resistant to alpha-particles and is formed self-aligned. During manufacture, the SiO.sub.2 island is oxidized adjacent its lower end to insulate the island from the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 1990
    Date of Patent: April 21, 1992
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Toru Kaga, Yoshifumi Kawamoto, Hideo Sunami
  • Patent number: 5038193
    Abstract: In the semiconductor integrated circuit device provided with a plurality of second well regions of the same conductivity type, formed by dividing a first well region provided in the semiconductor substrate by an isolation trench, the isolation trench is substantially linear on the semiconductor substrate surface and the ends reach out of the first well region, however there is no intersection part, namely a corner part T part or cross part in the isolation trench. Therefore, no cavity occurs in the filler in the trench and stress is not concentrated on the intersection part. In addition, defects due to junction leak or mechanical damage do not occur, that is, there is no characteristic deterioration occuring. By providing the second well with memory cell, a semiconductor memory device whose characteristic defect rate and reliability defect rate are remarkably low can be formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 1990
    Date of Patent: August 6, 1991
    Assignees: Hitachi VLSI, Hitachi, Ltd. & Engineering Corp.
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Kamigaki, Shinichi Minami, Kazunori Furusawa, Yoshifumi Kawamoto, Shoji Shukuri, Masaaki Terasawa, Yasunori Ikeda, Hidefumi Mukohda
  • Patent number: 5017981
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory is provided having a capacitor formed by utilizing a groove formed in a semiconductor substrate and an insulated gate field effect transistor. In particular, an arrangement is provided to prevent a depletion region formed around the groove from growing into an adjacent capacitor. By virtue of this, both the area occupied by each memory cell and the distance between the memory cells can be made very small. Accordingly, high density integration is facilitated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 21, 1991
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideo Sunami, Tokuo Kure, Yoshifumi Kawamoto
  • Patent number: 5012310
    Abstract: A megabit dynamic random access memory realizing high integration and high reliability is disclosed. The need for an allowance for photomask alignment which is carried out to produce a stacked capacitor memory cell is eliminated. The plate electrode of each memory cell is isolated from the corresponding data line in a memory array by means of an insulating film which is self-alignedly provided around the plate electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 1990
    Date of Patent: April 30, 1991
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinichiro Kimura, Yoshifumi Kawamoto, Toru Kaga, Hideo Sunami
  • Patent number: 5012312
    Abstract: The impurity concentration in a channel stopper in contact with a second fine active area is selected to be lower than the impurity concentration in a first active area that is wider than the second active area. This prevents the impurity concentration in the second active area from excessively rising that is caused by the diffusion of impurities when the insulating film for isolation is being formed, and helps improve characteristics and reliability of fine semiconductor device formed in the second active area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 1988
    Date of Patent: April 30, 1991
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshifumi Kawamoto