Patents by Inventor Yoshiyuki Kikuchi

Yoshiyuki Kikuchi 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: 20240047198
    Abstract: Methods and systems of forming treated silicon-carbon material are disclosed. Exemplary methods include depositing silicon-carbon material onto a surface of the substrate and treating the silicon-carbon material. The step of treating can include a first treatment step followed by a second treatment step, wherein the first treatment step includes providing first reductant gas activated species and the second treatment step includes providing one or more of a first oxidant gas activated species and a second reductant gas activated species.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2023
    Publication date: February 8, 2024
    Inventors: Hirotsugu Sugiura, Yoshiyuki Kikuchi
  • Publication number: 20240011151
    Abstract: A method for forming a carbon film on inner wall surfaces of a plurality of trenches which are formed on a substrate to be processed includes a depositing step of depositing the carbon film on the inner wall surfaces of the trenches of the substrate to be processed by supplying a mixed gas containing a carbon precursor gas and a carrier gas and applying a high frequency voltage to the mixed gas to generate plasma, an interval step of stopping the supply of the carbon precursor gas and the application of the high frequency voltage while continuing the supply of the carrier gas, and an etching step of etching a part of the carbon film by continuing to supply the carrier gas and applying a high frequency voltage to the carrier gas to generate plasma, wherein the above steps are repeated in the above order.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2023
    Publication date: January 11, 2024
    Inventors: Yoshio Susa, Hirotsugu Sugiura, Yoshiyuki Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 11851919
    Abstract: A door handle includes a door handle case and an electrostatic sensor provided in the door handle case. The electrostatic sensor includes a detection electrode that is formed of a flat conductor plate, or that is formed on a surface of a flat substrate or within a flat substrate. The detection electrode includes a middle portion in a longitudinal direction of the detection electrode and includes peripheral portions proximal to both end portions of the detection electrode in the longitudinal direction. For a width of the detection electrode in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, each peripheral portion is wider than the middle portion, and the width of the detection electrode gradually increases toward each end portion in the longitudinal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: ALPS ALPINE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toshiki Nakamura, Takashi Sasaki, Yoshiyuki Kikuchi, Yuzuru Kawana, Heishiro Fudo, Yukimitsu Yamada, Hiroshi Shigetaka
  • Patent number: 11773629
    Abstract: An operation detection device includes an electrostatic sensor accommodated inside a casing and including a first conductor and a second conductor, and a controller electrically connected to the first conductor and the second conductor, and applies a voltage to each of the first conductor and the second conductor, to measure an electrostatic capacitance of each of the first conductor and the second conductor. The first conductor is arranged in and the second conductor is not arranged in a detection region in which an operating body is detected by the electrostatic sensor. The first conductor and the second conductor are arranged in a non-detection region in which the operating body is not detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: ALPS ALPINE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toshiki Nakamura, Daisuke Takai, Takashi Sasaki, Yuzuru Kawana, Yoshiyuki Kikuchi, Heishiro Fudo
  • Patent number: 11705333
    Abstract: Methods and systems for forming a structure including multiple carbon layers and structures formed using the method or system are disclosed. Exemplary methods include forming a first carbon layer and a second carbon layer, wherein a density and/or other property of the first carbon layer differs from the corresponding property of the second carbon layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: ASM IP Holding B.V.
    Inventors: Yoshio Susa, Ryo Miyama, Yoshiyuki Kikuchi
  • Publication number: 20230137026
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for etching a perimeter of a substrate are disclosed. Exemplary methods and apparatuses can be used to deposit material and selectively etch material at the perimeter of the substrate within the same reaction chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2022
    Publication date: May 4, 2023
    Inventors: Yoshio Susa, Koei Aida, Ryo Miyama, Yoshiyuki Kikuchi
  • Publication number: 20230129291
    Abstract: A method for etching a bevel edge of a substrate. The method includes providing a substrate with a bevel edge after a thin film has been deposited on a top surface of the substrate and rotating the substrate about its center axis. The method also includes, during the rotating, etching the bevel edge by directing flow of atmospheric plasma onto the bevel edge. The flow is parallel to the top surface of the substrate, such as orthogonal to a plane containing a region of the bevel edge being etched by the atmospheric plasma, which may be O2 atmospheric plasma. The etching is performed without loss of thickness of the thin film on the top surface at a radius spaced apart from an outer radius of the substrate. The substrate may be a silicon (Si) wafer, and the thin film may be a carbon film, amorphous carbon, SiC, SiO, or SiN.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2022
    Publication date: April 27, 2023
    Inventors: Yoshio Susa, Yoshiyuki Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 11492823
    Abstract: A door handle includes door handle case, a first detection electrode and a second detection electrode disposed in the door handle case, and a controller connected to the first detection electrode and the second detection electrode. The controller separately measures a first capacitance between the first detection electrode and an operation body and a second capacitance between the second detection electrode and the operation body, and the controller determines whether a locking operation is performed by the operation body based on one or both of the first capacitance and the second capacitance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: ALPS ALPINE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toshiki Nakamura, Takashi Sasaki, Yoshiyuki Kikuchi, Yuzuru Kawana, Yukimitsu Yamada, Daisuke Takai, Heishiro Fudo
  • Publication number: 20220336204
    Abstract: Methods and systems for forming a structure including multiple carbon layers and structures formed using the methods or systems are disclosed. Exemplary methods include forming a first carbon layer with an initial first flowability and a second carbon layer with an initial second flowability, wherein first flowability is less than second flowability.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2022
    Publication date: October 20, 2022
    Inventors: Ryo Miyama, Yoshio Susa, Yoshiyuki Kikuchi, Hirotsugu Sugiura
  • Publication number: 20220251707
    Abstract: Methods and systems for forming a structure and structures formed using the methods or systems are disclosed. Exemplary methods include depositing material on a surface of the substrate and treating the deposited material to form treated material. The methods can be used to fill recesses on a surface of a substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2022
    Publication date: August 11, 2022
    Inventors: Yoshio Susa, Hirotsugu Sugiura, Yoshiyuki Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 11307256
    Abstract: A diagnostic apparatus includes a capacitor capable of being connected in parallel with a first battery, first switches that switch the connection state between a plurality of the first batteries and the capacitor, a detection circuit, a second switch that switches the connection state between the capacitor and the detection circuit, a changeover switch that switches the connection state between a second battery and the capacitor, a controller, and a diagnostic unit. The controller turns on the changeover switch to apply a voltage to the capacitor from the second battery, the detection circuit subsequently detects a potential difference or a discharge current, and the diagnostic unit diagnoses at least one of the capacitor, a lowermost first switch, and the second switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: Marelli Corporation
    Inventors: Masanao Shimazaki, Yoshiyuki Kikuchi, Junya Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20210366712
    Abstract: Methods and systems for forming a structure including multiple carbon layers and structures formed using the method or system are disclosed. Exemplary methods include forming a first carbon layer and a second carbon layer, wherein a density and/or other property of the first carbon layer differs from the corresponding property of the second carbon layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2021
    Publication date: November 25, 2021
    Inventors: Yoshio Susa, Ryo Miyama, Yoshiyuki Kikuchi
  • Publication number: 20210320003
    Abstract: Methods and systems for forming a forming a nitrogen-containing carbon film and structures formed using the methods or systems are disclosed. Exemplary methods include providing a precursor with carbon-terminated carbon-nitrogen bonds. The methods can further include providing a reactant to the reaction chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2021
    Publication date: October 14, 2021
    Inventors: Hirotsugu Sugiura, Yoshiyuki Kikuchi
  • Publication number: 20210257213
    Abstract: Methods and systems for forming a structure including a dielectric material layer on a surface of a substrate and structures and devices formed using the method or system are disclosed. Exemplary methods include providing a substrate within a reaction chamber of a reactor system, providing one or more precursors to the reaction chamber, and providing pulsed plasma power to polymerize the one or more precursors within the reaction chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2021
    Publication date: August 19, 2021
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Kikuchi, Norihiko Ishinohachi
  • Publication number: 20210238742
    Abstract: Methods and systems for forming a structure including carbon material and structures formed using the method or system are disclosed. Exemplary methods include providing an inert gas to the reaction chamber for plasma ignition, providing a carbon precursor to the reaction chamber, forming a plasma within the reaction chamber to form an initially viscous carbon material on a surface of the substrate, wherein the initially viscous carbon material becomes carbon material, and treating the carbon material with activated species to form treated carbon material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2021
    Publication date: August 5, 2021
    Inventors: Yoshio Susa, Ryo Miyama, Hirotsugu Sugiura, Yoshiyuki Kikuchi
  • Publication number: 20210082692
    Abstract: A method of forming a carbon-containing layer on a surface of a substrate is disclosed. The method can include providing a substrate within a reaction chamber of a reactor, heating a carbon precursor to produce a vaporized gas comprising carbon-containing molecules, providing the vaporized gas to the reaction chamber, and polymerizing the carbon-containing molecules to form the carbon-containing layer on the surface of a substrate. The carbon compound can include 10 or more carbon atoms. Exemplary methods provide carbon-containing layer with desired density and transparency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2020
    Publication date: March 18, 2021
    Inventor: Yoshiyuki Kikuchi
  • Publication number: 20210071296
    Abstract: Examples of a cleaning method includes supplying a cleaning gas into an exhaust duct that provides an exhaust flow passage of a gas supplied to an area above a susceptor, the exhaust duct having a shape surrounding the susceptor in plan view, and activating the cleaning gas to clean an inside of the exhaust duct.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2020
    Publication date: March 11, 2021
    Inventors: Toshiharu Watarai, Hiroki Arai, Toshio Nakanishi, Yoshiyuki Kikuchi, Ryo Miyama
  • Patent number: 10910200
    Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a partition plate, an antenna, and a high frequency power supply. The partition plate has a plurality of holes and partitions an inside of the processing container into a plasma generation chamber and a processing chamber. The antenna generates plasma of the plasma excitation gas supplied into the plasma generation chamber. The high frequency power supply generates plasma of a precoating gas supplied into the plasma generation chamber and introduced into the processing chamber through the plurality of holes of the partition plate. The plasma processing apparatus performs a precoating on a surface of a partition plate on a side of the processing chamber by causing the high frequency power supply to generate plasma of the precoating gas before a plasma processing using the plasma of the plasma excitation gas is performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Kikuchi, Akiyoshi Mitsumori
  • Publication number: 20210025941
    Abstract: A diagnostic apparatus includes a capacitor capable of being connected in parallel with a first battery, first switches that switch the connection state between a plurality of the first batteries and the capacitor, a detection circuit, a second switch that switches the connection state between the capacitor and the detection circuit, a changeover switch that switches the connection state between a second battery and the capacitor, a controller, and a diagnostic unit. The controller turns on the changeover switch to apply a voltage to the capacitor from the second battery, the detection circuit subsequently detects a potential difference or a discharge current, and the diagnostic unit diagnoses at least one of the capacitor, a lowermost first switch, and the second switch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2019
    Publication date: January 28, 2021
    Inventors: Masanao Shimazaki, Yoshiyuki Kikuchi, Junya Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20200392769
    Abstract: A door handle includes door handle case, a first detection electrode and a second detection electrode disposed in the door handle case, and a controller connected to the first detection electrode and the second detection electrode. The controller separately measures a first capacitance between the first detection electrode and an operation body and a second capacitance between the second detection electrode and the operation body, and the controller determines whether a locking operation is performed by the operation body based on one or both of the first capacitance and the second capacitance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2020
    Publication date: December 17, 2020
    Inventors: Toshiki NAKAMURA, Takashi SASAKI, Yoshiyuki KIKUCHI, Yuzuru KAWANA, Yukimitsu YAMADA, Daisuke TAKAI, Heishiro FUDO