Patents by Inventor Yuko Nambu

Yuko Nambu 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: 6799888
    Abstract: A test wafer for use in wafer temperature prediction is prepared. The test wafer includes: first semiconductor layer formed in a crystalline state; second semiconductor layer formed in an amorphous state on the first semiconductor layer; and light absorption film formed over the second semiconductor layer. Next, the test wafer is loaded into a lamp heating system and then irradiating the test wafer with a light emitted from the lamp, thereby heating the second semiconductor layer through the light absorption film. Thereafter, a recovery rate, at which a part of the second semiconductor layer recovers from the amorphous state to the crystalline state at the interface with the first semiconductor layer, is calculated. Then, a temperature of the test wafer that has been irradiated with the light is measured according to a relationship between the recovery rate and a temperature corresponding to the recovery rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2004
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Shibata, Yuko Nambu
  • Publication number: 20040109489
    Abstract: A test wafer for use in wafer temperature prediction is prepared. The test wafer includes: first semiconductor layer formed in a crystalline state; second semiconductor layer formed in an amorphous state on the first semiconductor layer; and light absorption film formed over the second semiconductor layer. Next, the test wafer is loaded into a lamp heating system and then irradiating the test wafer with a light emitted from the lamp, thereby heating the second semiconductor layer through the light absorption film. Thereafter, a recovery rate, at which a part of the second semiconductor layer recovers from the amorphous state to the crystalline state at the interface with the first semiconductor layer, is calculated. Then, a temperature of the test wafer that has been irradiated with the light is measured according to a relationship between the recovery rate and a temperature corresponding to the recovery rate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2003
    Publication date: June 10, 2004
    Applicant: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Shibata, Yuko Nambu
  • Publication number: 20040047394
    Abstract: A test wafer for use in wafer temperature prediction is prepared. The test wafer includes: first semiconductor layer formed in a crystalline state; second semiconductor layer formed in an amorphous state on the first semiconductor layer; and light absorption film formed over the second semiconductor layer. Next, the test wafer is loaded into a lamp heating system and then irradiating the test wafer with a light emitted from the lamp, thereby heating the second semiconductor layer through the light absorption film. Thereafter, a recovery rate, at which a part of the second semiconductor layer recovers from the amorphous state to the crystalline state at the interface with the first semiconductor layer, is calculated. Then, a temperature of the test wafer that has been irradiated with the light is measured according to a relationship between the recovery rate and a temperature corresponding to the recovery rate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2003
    Publication date: March 11, 2004
    Applicant: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Satoshi Shibata, Yuko Nambu
  • Patent number: 6666577
    Abstract: A test wafer for use in wafer temperature prediction is prepared. The test wafer includes: first semiconductor layer formed in a crystalline state; second semiconductor layer formed in an amorphous state on the first semiconductor layer; and light absorption film formed over the second semiconductor layer. Next, the test wafer is loaded into a lamp heating system and then irradiating the test wafer with a light emitted from the lamp, thereby heating the second semiconductor layer through the light absorption film. Thereafter, a recovery rate, at which a part of the second semiconductor layer recovers from the amorphous state to the crystalline state at the interface with the first semiconductor layer, is calculated. Then, a temperature of the test wafer that has been irradiated with the light is measured according to a relationship between the recovery rate and a temperature corresponding to the recovery rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2003
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Shibata, Yuko Nambu
  • Patent number: 6616331
    Abstract: A test wafer for use in temperature prediction is prepared. The test wafer includes: first semiconductor layer formed in a crystalline state; second semiconductor layer formed in an amorphous state on the first semiconductor layer; and passivation film formed over the second semiconductor layer. Next, the test wafer is loaded into a device fabrication system and then heated therein at a predetermined period of time. Thereafter, a recovery rate, at which part of the second semiconductor layer recovers from the amorphous state to the crystalline state at the interface with the first semiconductor layer, is calculated. Then, a temperature of the test wafer that has been heated is measured according to a relationship between the recovery rate and a temperature corresponding to the recovery rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2003
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., LTD
    Inventors: Satoshi Shibata, Yuko Nambu
  • Patent number: 6475815
    Abstract: An amorphous region is formed by implanting an impurity such as As into a semiconductor substrate having a natural oxide film. The amorphous region is divided into a heavily doped oxygen region in which the concentration of oxygen is equal to or higher than a critical value and a lightly doped oxygen region in which the oxygen concentration is lower than the critical value. Then, oxygen ions are implanted to expand the heavily doped oxygen region throughout the amorphous region. Annealing is performed such that the reordering rate of the amorphous region is determined and the annealing temperature is determined by using the relationship between the annealing temperature and the reordering rate. By adjusting the oxygen concentration in the amorphous region to the critical value or more, the reordering rate can be adjusted to a nearly constant low value and the accuracy and reliability of temperature measurement is increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2002
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuko Nambu, Satoshi Shibata
  • Publication number: 20020075936
    Abstract: A test wafer for use in temperature prediction is prepared. The test wafer includes: first semiconductor layer formed in a crystalline state; second semiconductor layer formed in an amorphous state on the first semiconductor layer; and passivation film formed over the second semiconductor layer. Next, the test wafer is loaded into a device fabrication system and then heated therein at a predetermined period of time. Thereafter, a recovery rate, at which part of the second semiconductor layer recovers from the amorphous state to the crystalline state at the interface with the first semiconductor layer, is calculated. Then, a temperature of the test wafer that has been heated is measured according to a relationship between the recovery rate and a temperature corresponding to the recovery rate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2001
    Publication date: June 20, 2002
    Inventors: Satoshi Shibata, Yuko Nambu
  • Publication number: 20020051481
    Abstract: A test wafer for use in wafer temperature prediction is prepared. The test wafer includes: first semiconductor layer formed in a crystalline state; second semiconductor layer formed in an amorphous state on the first semiconductor layer; and light absorption film formed over the second semiconductor layer. Next, the test wafer is loaded into a lamp heating system and then irradiating the test wafer with a light emitted from the lamp, thereby heating the second semiconductor layer through the light absorption film. Thereafter, a recovery rate, at which a part of the second semiconductor layer recovers from the amorphous state to the crystalline state at the interface with the first semiconductor layer, is calculated. Then, a temperature of the test wafer that has been irradiated with the light is measured according to a relationship between the recovery rate and a temperature corresponding to the recovery rate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2001
    Publication date: May 2, 2002
    Inventors: Satoshi Shibata, Yuko Nambu