Patents Assigned to Ebara Corporation
  • Patent number: 11911872
    Abstract: Polishing uniformity of a surface to be polished of a substrate is improved by appropriately according with a state of the surface to be polished during polishing. A substrate processing apparatus includes a table 100 for supporting a substrate WF, a pad holder 226 for holding a polishing pad 222 for polishing the substrate WF supported by the table 100, an elevating mechanism for elevating the pad holder 226 with respect to the substrate WF, a swing mechanism for swinging the pad holder 226 in a radial direction of the substrate WF, supporting members 300A and 300B for supporting the polishing pad 222 swung to outside the table 100 by the swing mechanism, and driving mechanisms 310 and 320 for adjusting at least one of a height and a distance to the substrate WF of the supporting member 300 while polishing the substrate WF.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Ebara Corporation
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Takada, Hozumi Yasuda
  • Patent number: 11911806
    Abstract: Provided is a substrate cleaning device, an abnormality determination method of a substrate cleaning device, and an abnormality determination program of a substrate cleaning device for determining whether there is an abnormality in a roll cleaning member that is attached. A substrate cleaning device includes: a holder to which a roll cleaning member for cleaning a substrate is attached in a detachable manner; a rotation device which makes the roll cleaning member attached to the holder rotate; a sensor which measures information concerning a vibration of the roll cleaning member during rotation; and a control device which determines, based on a measurement result of the sensor, whether there is an abnormality in the roll cleaning member attached to the holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: EBARA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masumi Nishijima, Kunimasa Matsushita, Hiroshi Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 11913466
    Abstract: To eliminate accumulation of air while preventing a decrease in pump efficiency, a pump is provided. The pump includes a rotary shaft, an impeller that is attached to the rotary shaft and that rotates with rotation of the rotary shaft, a casing that surrounds the rotary shaft, a shaft sealing device that seals a gap between the casing and the rotary shaft, and a baffle plate part that is located between the impeller and the shaft sealing device and attached to a rotating body. The baffle plate part extends in a direction that is inclined or orthogonal with respect to a surface orthogonal to an axial direction of the rotary shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: EBARA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Seigo Kyo, Yoichi Nakamura, Akinori Murata, Soichiro Ogawa, Dong Min Kim
  • Patent number: 11911867
    Abstract: A polishing apparatus which can measure a film thickness with high accuracy without affecting a polishing rate of a wafer is disclosed. The polishing apparatus includes: a polishing head configured to press a wafer against a polishing pad; an illuminating fiber having a distal end disposed in a flow passage formed in the polishing table; a spectrometer configured to resolve reflected light from the wafer in accordance with wavelength and measure an intensity of the reflected light at each of the wavelengths; a light-receiving fiber having a distal end disposed in the flow passage; a liquid supply line communicating with the flow passage; a gas supply line communicating with the flow passage; a liquid supply valve attached to the liquid supply line; a gas supply valve attached to the gas supply line; and an operation controller configured to control operations of the liquid supply valve and the gas supply valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: EBARA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshifumi Kimba, Masaki Kinoshita, Yoichi Shiokawa
  • Patent number: 11911868
    Abstract: Accuracy of detection of a fly out of a substrate from a polishing head is improved. A substrate processing apparatus includes a polishing table 350 to which a polishing pad 352 for polishing the substrate is attachable, a polishing head 302 for holding and pressing the substrate against the polishing pad 352, a retainer member disposed surrounding the polishing head 302, a retainer member pressurization chamber disposed adjacent to the retainer member, an arm 360 for holding and turning the polishing head 302, and a slip out detector 910 for detecting a fly out of the substrate from the polishing head 302 based on a turning torque of the arm 360 or based on a flow rate of a fluid supplied to the retainer member pressurization chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: EBARA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takashi Mitsuya, Asagi Matsugu, Ayumu Saito
  • Publication number: 20240062066
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes: an information acquisition part, acquiring recipe information indicating processing content of polishing processing and finishing processing, and transfer time information indicating a transfer time required for each transfer processing; and a schedule creation part, based on the recipe information and the transfer time information, creating a substrate processing schedule by determining a start timing of each processing so that a final processing end time during which a final substrate after the finishing processing is carried out to a substrate carry-out position is shortest.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2023
    Publication date: February 22, 2024
    Applicant: EBARA CORPORATION
    Inventors: CHING WEI HUANG, HIROFUMI OTAKI, TAKAMASA NAKAMURA
  • Patent number: 11905611
    Abstract: Provided is a maintenance member or the like capable of easily maintaining an electric contact in a substrate holder. It relates to a maintenance member to maintain a substrate holder including an electric contact configured to supply power to a substrate. The maintenance member includes an abrasive body having a shape corresponding to the substrate that is a holding target of the substrate holder, and disposed to come in contact with the electric contact when held by the substrate holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: EBARA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masayuki Satake
  • Patent number: 11906299
    Abstract: Provided is a technique that allows measuring a film thickness of a substrate in a plating process. A plating apparatus 1000 includes a plating tank 10, a substrate holder 20, a rotation mechanism 30, a plurality of contact members 50, a coil 60, a current sensor 65, and a film thickness measuring device 70. The plurality of contact members 50 are disposed in a substrate holder and arranged in a circumferential direction of the substrate holder. The plurality of contact members 50 contact an outer peripheral edge of a lower surface of a substrate to supply electricity to the substrate in the plating process. The coil 60 generates a current by an electromagnetic induction due to a magnetic field generated by a current flowing into the contact member, the contact member being rotate together with the substrate holder in the plating process. The current sensor 65 detects the current generated in the coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: EBARA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masaya Seki, Masaki Tomita, Shao Hua Chang
  • Patent number: 11897080
    Abstract: There is disclosed a polishing apparatus which can regulate a surface temperature of the polishing pad without causing a defect such as a scratch on a substrate such as a wafer. The polishing apparatus includes: a non-contact type pad-temperature regulating device; a pad-temperature measuring device. The pad-temperature measuring device is arranged adjacent to the pad-temperature regulating device and on a downstream side of the pad-temperature regulating device in a rotation direction of a polishing table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: EBARA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masashi Kabasawa, Yasuyuki Motoshima, Hisanori Matsuo, Keisuke Kamiki
  • Patent number: 11897078
    Abstract: A polishing apparatus that is capable of referring to a storage in which a machine learning model is stored, the machine learning model being learned using learning data in which a feature amount of a signal regarding a frictional force between a polishing member and a substrate in polishing or a feature amount of a temperature of the polishing member or the substrate in polishing is input, and data regarding a film thickness of the polished substrate or a parameter related to yield of a product included in the polished substrate is output, the device including: a polishing table provided with the polishing member and configured to be rotatable; a polishing head facing the polishing table and configured to be rotatable, wherein the substrate is attachable to a surface facing the polishing table; a control unit configured to perform control to polish the substrate by pressing the substrate against the polishing member while rotating the polishing table and the polishing head having the substrate attached there
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: EBARA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akira Nakamura, Tsuneo Torikoshi, Yuta Suzuki, Hisanori Matsuo, Takahito Kagoshima
  • Patent number: 11898940
    Abstract: A method of inspecting a leak detection system in a short time is disclosed. The leak detection system includes a leak detection line, an on-off valve, a flow mater, an operation controller configured to detect a fluid leak from a fluid line based on a first flow rate measured by the flow mater, a drain line, and a drain valve attached to the drain line. The inspection method includes: opening the on-off valve and the drain valve, with a supply valve and a return valve closed; measuring a second flow rate of fluid in the leak detection line by the flow mater; and determining that the leak detection system has a defect when the second flow rate is lower than a predetermined reference value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: EBARA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toru Maruyama, Mitsunori Komatsu, Keisuke Kamiki
  • Publication number: 20240045405
    Abstract: A control device of a substrate processing apparatus is configured to execute: calculating patterns for changing an order of loading to the substrate processing apparatus for multiple substrates loaded to the substrate processing apparatus; generating, for each obtained pattern, a time table in which process end times in the polishing device, the cleaning device, and the transport device are associated, so that an idling state does not occur from a time when the substrates are loaded to the substrate processing apparatus until a cleaning process ends; selecting a time table with a shortest time from a time when a process of a substrate initially loaded to the substrate processing apparatus starts until a process of a lastly loaded substrate ends in the obtained time tables; and controlling timings of loading the substrates to the substrate processing apparatus based on the selected time table.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2023
    Publication date: February 8, 2024
    Applicant: EBARA CORPORATION
    Inventor: MITSUNORI SUGIYAMA
  • Patent number: 11890716
    Abstract: An accuracy of detecting a slip out of a substrate from a top ring is improved. A polishing unit 300 includes a polishing table 350, a top ring 302, a light emitting member 371, a slip-out detector 370, and an elimination mechanism 380. A polishing pad 352 that polishes a substrate WF is attached to the polishing table 350. The top ring 302 holds the substrate WF to press the substrate WF against the polishing pad 352. The light emitting member 371 emits a light to a detection area 372 on the polishing pad 352. The slip-out detector 370 detects a slip out of the substrate WF from the top ring 302 based on the light reflected from the detection area 372. The elimination mechanism 380 eliminates a polishing liquid flowing into the detection area 372.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: EBARA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akihiro Yazawa, Kenichi Kobayashi, Asagi Matsugu
  • Patent number: 11891715
    Abstract: A paddle capable of reducing an influence of blocking the electric field and capable of improving its mechanical strength is disclosed. The paddle, which is configured to agitate a processing liquid in a processing tank by moving in the processing tank, includes a plurality of agitating beams that form a honeycomb structure. The honeycomb structure has a plurality of hexagonal through-holes formed by the plurality of agitating beams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: EBARA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasuyuki Masuda, Shao Hua Chang, Yoshitaka Mukaiyama, Masashi Shimoyama, Jumpei Fujikata
  • Patent number: 11890652
    Abstract: A cleaning chemical liquid supply device includes: first and second mixers respectively mixing first chemical liquid with dilution water and respectively supplying to first and second nozzles respectively supplying the first chemical liquid adjusted to desired flow rates and concentrations to a first position and a second, different position of the substrate in the cleaning device; a first dilution water control box controlling flow rates of the dilution water supplied to the first and second mixers; third and fourth mixers respectively mixing second, different chemical liquid with the dilution water and respectively supplying to third and fourth nozzles for respectively supplying the second chemical liquid adjusted to desired flow rates and concentrations to a third position and a fourth, different position of the substrate in the cleaning device; and a second dilution water control box controlling flow rates of the dilution water supplied to the third and fourth mixers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: EBARA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Fujihiko Toyomasu, Junji Kunisawa
  • Patent number: 11894244
    Abstract: A cleaning member mounting mechanism has: a cleaning member holding part, to which a cleaning member assembly having a cleaning member for cleaning a substrate W can be mounted; a member rotation part for rotating the cleaning member assembly held by the cleaning member holding part; and a moving part which moves the cleaning member holding part along an axial direction when the cleaning member assembly is removed, thereby to bring the cleaning member holding part into a rotation fixed position to restrict a rotation of the cleaning member holding part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: EBARA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mitsuru Miyazaki, Tomoaki Fujimoto, Takuya Inoue
  • Patent number: 11883922
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a polishing head defining plural pressure chambers D1 to D5 for pressing a wafer W on a polishing pad 42, a pressure control unit performing pressure feedback control by individually controlling pressures in the pressure chambers D1 to D5, a film thickness measurement unit measuring a film thickness distribution of the wafer W being polished, a storage unit storing multiple pieces of information on a preset pressure of the pressure chambers D1 to D5, and a response characteristic acquisition unit changing the preset pressure every time a predetermined condition is satisfied during polishing of the wafer W, measuring a polishing rate applied to the wafer W, and acquiring a response characteristic of the polishing of the wafer W. The response characteristic indicates responsiveness of the polishing of the wafer W to the pressure feedback. The response characteristic is acquired based on the obtained polishing rates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: EBARA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuki Watanabe, Keita Yagi
  • Publication number: 20240011821
    Abstract: A machine learning apparatus (4) generates a learning model (6) to be used in a sliding-surface diagnosis apparatus (1A) for diagnosing a condition of sliding surfaces of a fixed-side sliding member and a rotation-side sliding member. The machine learning apparatus (4) includes: a learning-data memory (41) configured to store learning data including input data containing at least data on motor current value in a predetermined period, data on contact electric resistance in the predetermined period, and data on vibration (AE wave or acceleration) in the predetermined period; a machine learning section (42) configured to input the learning data to the learning model (6) to cause the learning model (6) to learn a correlation between the input data and diagnostic information of the sliding surfaces; and a learned-model memory (43) configured to store the learning model (6) that has learned by the machine learning section (42).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2021
    Publication date: January 11, 2024
    Applicants: EBARA CORPORATION, UNIVERSITY OF FUKUI
    Inventors: Chikako TAKATOH, Yumiko NAKAMURA, Kazuhiko SUGIYAMA, Tomomi HONDA
  • Patent number: 11865665
    Abstract: A polishing apparatus which can efficiently polish an entirety of a back surface of a substrate, with the back surface facing downward, is disclosed. The polishing apparatus includes: a substrate holder configured to rotate the substrate; a polishing head configured to polish the back surface of the substrate; a tape advancing device; and a translational rotating mechanism configured to cause the polishing head to make a translational rotating motion. The substrate holder includes a plurality of rollers which are rotatable about their own axes. The plurality of rollers have substrate-holding surfaces capable of contacting a periphery of the substrate. The polishing head is disposed below the substrate-holding surfaces. The polishing head includes a polishing blade configured to press the polishing tape against the back surface of the substrate, and a pressing mechanism configured to push the polishing blade upward.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: EBARA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenichi Kobayashi, Masayuki Nakanishi, Makoto Kashiwagi, Manao Hoshina
  • Patent number: D1012975
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: Ebara Corporation
    Inventors: Soichiro Ogawa, Yoichi Nakamura, Seigo Kyo