Patents by Inventor Ayumi Higuchi

Ayumi Higuchi 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: 10622204
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a spray nozzle that allows a plurality of liquid droplets to collide with a substrate held by a spin chuck, a liquid piping that supplies a mixed liquid of water and a chemical liquid to the spray nozzle, a first flow control valve and a second flow control valve each of which changes the concentration of the chemical liquid in the mixed liquid, and a controller that causes the liquid piping to supply the mixed liquid having a concentration of the chemical liquid determined in accordance with a substrate to be processed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ayumi Higuchi, Akihisa Iwasaki
  • Publication number: 20200086360
    Abstract: A processing solution containing solvent and solute is supplied onto a substrate (9). The processing solution transforms into a particle retention layer as a result of at least part of the solvent being volatilized from the processing solution and causing the processing solution to solidify or harden. The particle retention layer is removed from the substrate (9) by supplying a removal liquid onto the substrate (9). A solute component contained in the particle retention layer is insoluble or poorly soluble in the removal liquid, whereas the solvent is soluble. The solute component contained in the particle retention layer has the property of being altered to become soluble in the removal liquid when heated to a temperature higher than or equal to an alteration temperature. The removal liquid is supplied after the formation of the particle retention layer, without undergoing a process of alternating the solute component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2017
    Publication date: March 19, 2020
    Inventors: Yukifumi YOSHIDA, Ayumi HIGUCHI, Naoko YAMAGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20190198356
    Abstract: An object is to quickly regenerate metal ion removal capability of a substrate processing device. To achieve the object, a substrate processing device includes a processing unit, a supply tank and a collection tank. The processing unit performs etching processing on a substrate by using a treatment solution from a first circulation path. The used treatment solution is guided to the collection tank, and circulates in a second circulation path. The second circulation path includes a first partial pipe and a second partial pipe, and a metal removal coating including metal capturing groups for removing metal ions in the treatment solution is applied to an inner wall of the first partial pipe. An acid-based chemical solution is supplied to the first partial pipe from the acid-based chemical solution supply unit, so that metal adsorption force of the metal capturing groups is regenerated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2017
    Publication date: June 27, 2019
    Inventor: Ayumi HIGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20190189461
    Abstract: A substrate in which a low dielectric constant film is formed on a front surface thereof is processed. A densification step of densifying a surface layer portion of the low dielectric constant film to change to a densified layer is executed. Then, after a densified layer forming step, a repair liquid supplying step of supplying a repair liquid, for repairing the densified layer, to a front surface of the low dielectric constant film is executed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2017
    Publication date: June 20, 2019
    Inventors: Ayumi HIGUCHI, Akihisa IWASAKI
  • Publication number: 20190176196
    Abstract: Provided is a substrate cleaning method for cleaning a substrate having an oxide film on the surface thereof. The method includes a partial etching step of etching the oxide film to a predetermined film thickness, and a physical cleaning step of executing physical cleaning on the surface of the substrate after the partial etching step. The oxide film may be a natural oxide film with particles at least partially taken into the film. In this case, the partial etching step may either expose the particles from the natural oxide film or increase the exposed portion from the natural oxide film. The physical cleaning may remove, by physical action, the particles exposed from the natural oxide film while leaving the natural oxide film on the surface of the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2017
    Publication date: June 13, 2019
    Inventors: Ayumi HIGUCHI, Kana KOMORI
  • Patent number: 10312114
    Abstract: This substrate processing method includes supplying a chemical liquid to an upper surface of a substrate and rinsing away the chemical liquid adhering to the upper surface of the substrate by holding a puddled rinse liquid on the substrate while maintaining a rotation speed of the substrate at a zero or low speed, and a chemical liquid puddle step of holding a liquid film of a puddled chemical liquid on the upper surface of the substrate while maintaining the rotation speed of the substrate at a zero or low speed, and the rinsing step is performed subsequent to finishing the chemical liquid puddle step, and the rinsing step includes supplying a rinse liquid to the upper surface of the substrate and then replacing the liquid film of the chemical liquid held on the upper surface of the substrate with the rinse liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Asuka Yoshizumi, Ayumi Higuchi
  • Publication number: 20190131144
    Abstract: A processing liquid supplying apparatus supplies a processing liquid to a processing unit which processes a substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2018
    Publication date: May 2, 2019
    Inventors: Shota IWAHATA, Ayumi HIGUCHI, Eri FUJITA, Yoshiyuki FUJITANI, Masako MANO, Yusuke TAKEMATSU, Yosuke OKUYA
  • Publication number: 20190056066
    Abstract: A chemical solution feeder feeds a chemical solution to a predeteimined feed target, and includes: a feed flow path that is connected at its one end to a supply source of a chemical solution at room temperature and at its other end to a feed target, to guide the chemical solution to the feed target from the supply source; a first filter that removes particles in a chemical solution at room temperature injected from the supply source into the feed flow path; a heating unit that heats the chemical solution having passed through the first filter; and a second filter that removes particles in the chemical solution at high temperature heated by the heating unit, flowing through the feed flow path toward the feed target, wherein the first filter is a hydrophilic filter and the second filter is a hydrophobic filter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2018
    Publication date: February 21, 2019
    Inventors: Ayumi HIGUCHI, Eri FUJITA, Shota IWAHATA, Masayuki OTSUJI, Yoshiyuki FUJITANI
  • Publication number: 20180236510
    Abstract: The substrate processing apparatus includes common piping which guides a processing liquid to a branching portion, supply piping which guides the processing liquid from the branching portion to a chemical liquid nozzle, return piping which guides the processing liquid from the branching portion, and a discharge valve which changes a flow rate of the processing liquid supplied from the common piping to the branching portion. The discharge valve makes a valve element stationary at a plurality of positions including a discharge execution position at which the processing liquid is supplied from the common piping to the branching portion at a flow rate larger than a maximum value of a suction flow rate and a discharge stop position at which the processing liquid is supplied from the common piping to the branching portion at a flow rate smaller than the maximum value of the suction flow rate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2018
    Publication date: August 23, 2018
    Inventors: Naoyuki OSADA, Takahiro YAMAGUCHI, Eri FUJITA, Akihisa IWASAKI, Ayumi HIGUCHI, Shota IWAHATA
  • Patent number: 9984903
    Abstract: A treatment cup cleaning method is provided, which includes: a rotating step of rotating a substrate rotating unit with a substrate being held by the substrate rotating unit; a cleaning liquid supplying step of supplying a cleaning liquid to an upper surface and a lower surface of the substrate and causing the cleaning liquid to scatter from a peripheral edge of the substrate to be applied to an inner wall of a treatment cup in the rotating step, whereby the cleaning liquid is supplied to the inner wall of the treatment cup; and a scattering direction changing step of changing a cleaning liquid scattering direction in which the cleaning liquid scatters from the peripheral edge of the substrate in the rotating step and the cleaning liquid supplying step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ayumi Higuchi, Asuka Wakita
  • Publication number: 20180079668
    Abstract: A substrate treatment unit applies surface treatment to a semiconductor substrate by using a chemical solution. The chemical solution in which metal is dissolved by substrate treatment is discharged into a storage tank and stored. A polyacid supplying unit supplies polyacid of a deletion complex with a deficient portion into the storage tank. The polyacid of deletion complex with a deficient portion is mixed into a used chemical solution containing the metal, and a pH value of the mixed solution is adjusted to between 2 and 3 to capture the metal dissolved in the chemical solution in the deficient portion of the polyacid. In addition, a counter cation is put into the chemical solution so that the polyacid in which the metal is captured is precipitated to be separated from the chemical solution, and thus the metal contained in the chemical solution during the treatment of the semiconductor substrate can be removed to enable the chemical solution to be reclaimed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2016
    Publication date: March 22, 2018
    Inventor: Ayumi HIGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20170278724
    Abstract: A treatment cup cleaning method is provided, which includes: a rotating step of rotating a substrate rotating unit with a substrate being held by the substrate rotating unit; a cleaning liquid supplying step of supplying a cleaning liquid to an upper surface and a lower surface of the substrate and causing the cleaning liquid to scatter from a peripheral edge of the substrate to be applied to an inner wall of a treatment cup in the rotating step, whereby the cleaning liquid is supplied to the inner wall of the treatment cup; and a scattering direction changing step of changing a cleaning liquid scattering direction in which the cleaning liquid scatters from the peripheral edge of the substrate in the rotating step and the cleaning liquid supplying step.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2017
    Publication date: September 28, 2017
    Inventors: Ayumi HIGUCHI, Asuka YOSHIZUMI
  • Patent number: 9768042
    Abstract: A substrate processing method is implemented in a substrate processing apparatus including a substrate holding and rotating unit having a spin base rotatable about a predetermined vertical axis, and a processing cup surrounding the substrate holding and rotating unit and arranged to receive processing liquid splattering from the substrate rotated by the substrate holding and rotating unit, the substrate processing method including a substrate rotating step of rotating the spin base to rotate the substrate about the vertical axis at a predetermined liquid processing speed and, in parallel with the substrate rotating step, a processing liquid supplying step of supplying processing liquid onto the lower surface of the substrate at a predetermined first flow rate and supplying processing liquid onto the upper surface of the substrate at a second flow rate that is higher than the first flow rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Asuka Wakita, Ayumi Higuchi
  • Publication number: 20170236703
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a spray nozzle that allows a plurality of liquid droplets to collide with a substrate held by a spin chuck, a liquid piping that supplies a mixed liquid of water and a chemical liquid to the spray nozzle, a first flow control valve and a second flow control valve each of which changes the concentration of the chemical liquid in the mixed liquid, and a controller that causes the liquid piping to supply the mixed liquid having a concentration of the chemical liquid determined in accordance with a substrate to be processed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2016
    Publication date: August 17, 2017
    Inventors: Ayumi HIGUCHI, Akihisa IWASAKI
  • Publication number: 20170186599
    Abstract: The controller is programmed to cause a low-surface-tension liquid supply unit to supply a liquid film of a low-surface-tension liquid to a front surface of a substrate so as to form a liquid film of the low-surface-tension liquid. The controller is programmed to control the substrate rotating unit and the inert gas supply unit so that an inert gas is supplied toward the rotational center position while rotating the substrate, thereby forming an opening spreading from the rotational center position to be formed in the liquid film, and enlarging the opening in a direction away from the rotational center position, and to control the landing-position changing unit to change the landing position of the low-surface-tension liquid to at least two positions except the rotational center position in accordance with enlargement of the opening so that the landing position is placed outside the peripheral edge of the opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2016
    Publication date: June 29, 2017
    Inventors: Hiroaki TAKAHASHI, Kazunori FUJIKAWA, Tomonori KOJIMARU, Tomomasa ISHIDA, Ayumi HIGUCHI, Naozumi FUJIWARA, Kana KOMORI, Shota IWAHATA
  • Publication number: 20170014873
    Abstract: A substrate processing system is constituted by a cleaning unit, a plurality of processing liquid supply units and a substrate processing apparatus. The cleaning unit supplies a first cleaning liquid to a processing unit of a processing liquid supply unit during cleaning of a pipe. The processing liquid supply unit stores the first cleaning liquid supplied from the cleaning unit in the processing liquid tank, and then supplies the first cleaning liquid in a processing liquid tank to the processing unit of the substrate processing apparatus through the pipe. The cleaning unit prepares a second cleaning liquid concurrently with cleaning of the pipe by the first cleaning liquid, and supplies the prepared second cleaning liquid to the processing liquid tank.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2015
    Publication date: January 19, 2017
    Inventors: Ayumi HIGUCHI, Eri FUJITA, Hiroshi YOSHIDA, Masashi NOMURA
  • Patent number: 9548197
    Abstract: A substrate treatment method is provided, which includes a rinsing step of supplying a rinse liquid to a front surface of a rotating substrate after a chemical liquid step. The rinsing step includes a higher-speed rinsing step and a deceleration rinsing step to be performed after the higher-speed rinsing step. The deceleration rinsing step includes a liquid puddling step of reducing the rotation speed of the substrate within a rotation speed range lower than a rotation speed employed in the higher-speed rinsing step and supplying the rinse liquid to the front surface of the substrate at a flow rate higher than a maximum supply flow rate employed in the higher-speed rinsing step, whereby a puddle-like rinse liquid film is formed on the front surface of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Asuka Yoshizumi, Ayumi Higuchi
  • Patent number: 9508568
    Abstract: A special mode has a second rinsing process which supplies a rinsing liquid to a substrate while holding and rotating the substrate with a spin chuck under operating conditions different from those in a first rinsing process in a normal mode. In the second rinsing process, a processing cup is cleaned with the rinsing liquid flown off from the rotating substrate. In the second rinsing process in which the substrate is held by the spin chuck, the rinsing liquid flown off from the substrate is less prone to collide with chuck members. The provision of a mechanism designed specifically for the cleaning of the cup is not required in the special mode. The special mode is a mode executable when a substrate is present inside a chamber, and can be executed in the middle of lot processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Asuka Yoshizumi, Ayumi Higuchi
  • Publication number: 20160293447
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus (1) includes a processing part (11), a supply tank (12), and a recovery tank (13). In the supply tank (12), a processing liquid (91) circulates through a first circulation passage (211), and the temperature of the processing liquid is adjusted. The processing part performs etching processing on a substrate (9), using processing liquid from the first circulation passage. The used processing liquid is guided to the recovery tank and circulates through a second circulation passage (223). The second circulation passage includes a heater (224), a metal removal filter (231), and a metal concentration meter (233). The metal removal filter removes metal ions in the processing liquid. The metal concentration meter measures the metal ion concentration in the processing liquid, and the supply tank is replenished with appropriate processing liquid (91) from the recovery tank. This improves the utilization ratio of the processing liquid in etching processing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2016
    Publication date: October 6, 2016
    Inventors: Akihisa IWASAKI, Ayumi HIGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20160247698
    Abstract: This substrate processing method includes supplying a chemical liquid to an upper surface of a substrate and rinsing away the chemical liquid adhering to the upper surface of the substrate by holding a puddled rinse liquid on the substrate while maintaining a rotation speed of the substrate at a zero or low speed, and a chemical liquid puddle step of holding a liquid film of a puddled chemical liquid on the upper surface of the substrate while maintaining the rotation speed of the substrate at a zero or low speed, and the rinsing step is performed subsequent to finishing the chemical liquid puddle step, and the rinsing step includes supplying a rinse liquid to the upper surface of the substrate and then replacing the liquid film of the chemical liquid held on the upper surface of the substrate with the rinse liquid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2014
    Publication date: August 25, 2016
    Inventors: Asuka YOSHIZUMI, Ayumi HIGUCHI