Patents by Inventor Hiroshi Shirasu

Hiroshi Shirasu 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: 20240014079
    Abstract: To improve the throughput of substrate bonding. A substrate bonding apparatus that bonds first and second substrates so that contact regions in which the first and second substrates contact are formed in parts of the first and second substrates and the contact regions enlarge from the parts, the apparatus including: a detecting unit detecting information about the contact regions; and a determining unit determining that the first and second substrates can be carried out based on the information detected at the detecting unit. In the substrate bonding apparatus, the information may be information, a value of which changes according to progress of enlargement of the contact regions, and the determining unit may determine that the first and second substrates can be carried out if the value becomes constant or if a rate of changes in the value becomes lower than a predetermined value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2023
    Publication date: January 11, 2024
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Isao SUGAYA, Eiji ARIIZUMI, Yoshiaki KITO, Mikio USHIJIMA, Masanori ARAMATA, Naoto KIRIBE, Hiroshi SHIRASU, Hajime MITSUISHI, Minoru FUKUDA, Masaki TSUNODA
  • Patent number: 11791223
    Abstract: To improve the throughput of substrate bonding. A substrate bonding apparatus that bonds first and second substrates so that contact regions in which the first and second substrates contact are formed in parts of the first and second substrates and the contact regions enlarge from the parts, the apparatus including: a detecting unit detecting information about the contact regions; and a determining unit determining that the first and second substrates can be carried out based on the information detected at the detecting unit. In the substrate bonding apparatus, the information may be information, a value of which changes according to progress of enlargement of the contact regions, and the determining unit may determine that the first and second substrates can be carried out if the value becomes constant or if a rate of changes in the value becomes lower than a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Isao Sugaya, Eiji Ariizumi, Yoshiaki Kito, Mikio Ushijima, Masanori Aramata, Naoto Kiribe, Hiroshi Shirasu, Hajime Mitsuishi, Minoru Fukuda, Masaki Tsunoda
  • Publication number: 20200225589
    Abstract: A substrate stage and an empty-weight canceling mechanism that supports an empty weight of the substrate stage are made up of separate bodies. Accordingly, the size and weight of the substrate stage (a structure including the substrate stage) can be reduced, compared with the case where the substrate stage and the empty-weight canceling mechanism are integrally configured. Further, due to movement of an X coarse movement stage and a Y coarse movement stage by an X drive mechanism and a Y drive mechanism, the substrate stage is driven in an XY plane and also the empty-weight canceling mechanism that supports the empty weight of the substrate stage is driven. With this operation, the substrate stage can be driven without difficulty even when the substrate stage and the empty-weight canceling mechanism are configured of separate bodies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2020
    Publication date: July 16, 2020
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasuo AOKI, Hiroshi SHIRASU, Yoshihiko KUDO
  • Patent number: 10627725
    Abstract: A substrate stage and an empty-weight canceling mechanism that supports an empty weight of the substrate stage are made up of separate bodies. Accordingly, the size and weight of the substrate stage (a structure including the substrate stage) can be reduced, compared with the case where the substrate stage and the empty-weight canceling mechanism are integrally configured. Further, due to movement of an X coarse movement stage and a Y coarse movement stage by an X drive mechanism and a Y drive mechanism, the substrate stage is driven in an XY plane and also the empty-weight canceling mechanism that supports the empty weight of the substrate stage is driven. With this operation, the substrate stage can be driven without difficulty even when the substrate stage and the empty-weight canceling mechanism are configured of separate bodies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasuo Aoki, Hiroshi Shirasu, Yoshihiko Kudo
  • Publication number: 20190155176
    Abstract: A substrate stage and an empty-weight canceling mechanism that supports an empty weight of the substrate stage are made up of separate bodies. Accordingly, the size and weight of the substrate stage (a structure including the substrate stage) can be reduced, compared with the case where the substrate stage and the empty-weight canceling mechanism are integrally configured. Further, due to movement of an X coarse movement stage and a Y coarse movement stage by an X drive mechanism and a Y drive mechanism, the substrate stage is driven in an XY plane and also the empty-weight canceling mechanism that supports the empty weight of the substrate stage is driven. With this operation, the substrate stage can be driven without difficulty even when the substrate stage and the empty-weight canceling mechanism are configured of separate bodies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2019
    Publication date: May 23, 2019
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasuo AOKI, Hiroshi SHIRASU, Yoshihiko KUDO
  • Patent number: 10228625
    Abstract: A substrate stage and an empty-weight canceling mechanism that supports an empty weight of the substrate stage are made up of separate bodies. Accordingly, the size and weight of the substrate stage (a structure including the substrate stage) can be reduced, compared with the case where the substrate stage and the empty-weight canceling mechanism are integrally configured. Further, due to movement of an X coarse movement stage and a Y coarse movement stage by an X drive mechanism and a Y drive mechanism, the substrate stage is driven in an XY plane and also the empty-weight canceling mechanism that supports the empty weight of the substrate stage is driven. With this operation, the substrate stage can be driven without difficulty even when the substrate stage and the empty-weight canceling mechanism are configured of separate bodies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasuo Aoki, Hiroshi Shirasu, Yoshihiko Kudo
  • Publication number: 20180308770
    Abstract: To improve the throughput of substrate bonding. A substrate bonding apparatus that bonds first and second substrates so that contact regions in which the first and second substrates contact are formed in parts of the first and second substrates and the contact regions enlarge from the parts, the apparatus including: a detecting unit detecting information about the contact regions; and a determining unit determining that the first and second substrates can be carried out based on the information detected at the detecting unit. In the substrate bonding apparatus, the information may be information, a value of which changes according to progress of enlargement of the contact regions, and the determining unit may determine that the first and second substrates can be carried out if the value becomes constant or if a rate of changes in the value becomes lower than a predetermined value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2018
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Isao SUGAYA, Eiji ARIIZUMI, Yoshiaki KITO, Mikio USHIJIMA, Masanori ARAMATA, Naoto KIRIBE, Hiroshi SHIRASU, Hajime MITSUISHI, Minoru FUKUDA, Masaki TSUNODA
  • Patent number: 9539800
    Abstract: Substrates are aligned and then bonded to each other. A substrate bonding apparatus includes a deformer that deforms at least a first one of two substrates that are to be bonded to each other in order to correct misalignment between the two substrates, a holder that holds the deformed first substrate in the deformed state achieved by the deformer, a transporter that transports the holder from a position at which the deformed first substrate is held by the holder while the first substrate remains deformed, and a bonder that bonds the first substrate that has been transported by the transporter to the second substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Kito, Hiroshi Shirasu, Masahiro Yoshihashi, Daisuke Yuki, Kazuhiro Suzuki, Isao Sugaya
  • Publication number: 20160259255
    Abstract: A substrate stage and an empty-weight canceling mechanism that supports an empty weight of the substrate stage are made up of separate bodies. Accordingly, the size and weight of the substrate stage (a structure including the substrate stage) can be reduced, compared with the case where the substrate stage and the empty-weight canceling mechanism are integrally configured. Further, due to movement of an X coarse movement stage and a Y coarse movement stage by an X drive mechanism and a Y drive mechanism, the substrate stage is driven in an XY plane and also the empty-weight canceling mechanism that supports the empty weight of the substrate stage is driven. With this operation, the substrate stage can be driven without difficulty even when the substrate stage and the empty-weight canceling mechanism are configured of separate bodies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2016
    Publication date: September 8, 2016
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasuo AOKI, Hiroshi SHIRASU, Yoshihiko KUDO
  • Patent number: 9366974
    Abstract: A substrate stage and an empty-weight canceling mechanism that supports an empty weight of the substrate stage are made up of separate bodies. Accordingly, the size and weight of the substrate stage (a structure including the substrate stage) can be reduced, compared with the case where the substrate stage and the empty-weight canceling mechanism are integrally configured. Further, due to movement of an X coarse movement stage and a Y coarse movement stage by an X drive mechanism and a Y drive mechanism, the substrate stage is driven in an XY plane and also the empty-weight canceling mechanism that supports the empty weight of the substrate stage is driven. With this operation, the substrate stage can be driven without difficulty even when the substrate stage and the empty-weight canceling mechanism are configured of separate bodies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasuo Aoki, Hiroshi Shirasu, Yoshihiko Kudo
  • Patent number: 8704431
    Abstract: A light source apparatus is equipped with a discharge lamp, which has a glass tube that forms a light emitting part and a base member that is coupled thereto, and a mounting apparatus that holds the discharge lamp via the base member. Therein, the base member has a flange part that contacts positioning plate of the mounting apparatus, and a fixed part that is urged with a pressing force that presses the flange part to the positioning plate. Furthermore, the mounting apparatus has a fixing arm that urges the fixed part by a compression coil spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Shirasu, Yasuo Aoki, Motoo Koyama, Takayuki Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 8699001
    Abstract: A substrate is held by adsorption by a substrate holding frame that is formed into a frame shape and is lightweight, and the substrate holding frame is driven along a horizontal plane by a drive unit that includes a linear motor. Below the substrate holding frame, a plurality of air levitation units are placed that support by levitation the substrate in a noncontact manner such that the substrate is substantially horizontal, by jetting air to the lower surface of the substrate. Since the plurality of air levitation units cover a movement range of the substrate holding frame, the drive unit can guide the substrate holding frame (substrate) along the horizontal plane at high speed and with high precision.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuo Aoki, Tomohide Hamada, Hiroshi Shirasu, Manabu Toguchi
  • Publication number: 20140072774
    Abstract: Substrates are aligned and then bonded to each other. A substrate bonding apparatus includes a deformer that deforms at least a first one of two substrates that are to be bonded to each other in order to correct misalignment between the two substrates, a holder that holds the deformed first substrate in the deformed state achieved by the deformer, a transporter that transports the holder from a position at which the deformed first substrate is held by the holder while the first substrate remains deformed, and a bonder that bonds the first substrate that has been transported by the transporter to the second substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2013
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Inventors: Yoshiaki KITO, Hiroshi Shirasu, Masahiro Yoshihashi, Daisuke Yuki, Kazuhiro Suzuki, Isao Sugaya
  • Patent number: 8531093
    Abstract: A light source apparatus is equipped with a discharge lamp, which has a glass tube that forms a light emitting part and a base member that is coupled thereto, and a mounting apparatus that holds the discharge lamp via the base member. Therein, the base member has a flange part that contacts positioning plate of the mounting apparatus, and a fixed part that is urged with a pressing force that presses the flange part to the positioning plate. Furthermore, the mounting apparatus has a fixing arm that urges the fixed part by a compression coil spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Shirasu, Yasuo Aoki, Motoo Koyama, Takayuki Kikuchi
  • Publication number: 20120248960
    Abstract: A light source apparatus is equipped with a discharge lamp, which has a glass tube that forms a light emitting part and a base member that is coupled thereto, and a mounting apparatus that holds the discharge lamp via the base member. Therein, the base member has a flange part that contacts positioning plate of the mounting apparatus, and a fixed part that is urged with a pressing force that presses the flange part to the positioning plate. Furthermore, the mounting apparatus has a fixing arm that urges the fixed part by a compression coil spring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2012
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Inventors: Hiroshi SHIRASU, Yasuo Aoki, Motoo Koyama, Takayuki Kikuchi
  • Publication number: 20110085152
    Abstract: A vibration control apparatus suppresses a vibration of a structure which is vibrated. The vibration control apparatus includes: a vibration isolation apparatus that supports the structure and suppresses a transmission of a vibration to the structure, the vibration having an amplitude equal to or less than a first amplitude in a predetermined direction; and a damping apparatus that damps a vibration of the structure vibrating in the predetermined vibration direction with a second amplitude larger than the first amplitude, to thereby reduce the vibration to equal to or less than the first amplitude.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2010
    Publication date: April 14, 2011
    Inventors: Hideaki Nishino, Hiroshi Shirasu
  • Publication number: 20110042874
    Abstract: A plurality of air levitation units that jet air to the lower surface of a substrate are placed below the substrate, and the substrate is supported in a noncontact manner so as to be substantially horizontal. Further, a portion subject to exposure of the substrate is held by a fixed-point stage from below in a noncontact manner, and the surface position of the portion subject to exposure is adjusted in a pinpoint manner. Accordingly, exposure can be performed on the substrate with high precision, and a configuration of a substrate stage device can be simplified.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2010
    Publication date: February 24, 2011
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasuo AOKI, Tomohide HAMADA, Hiroshi SHIRASU, Manabu TOGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20110043784
    Abstract: A substrate is held by adsorption by a substrate holding frame that is formed into a frame shape and is lightweight, and the substrate holding frame is driven along a horizontal plane by a drive unit that includes a linear motor. Below the substrate holding frame, a plurality of air levitation units are placed that support by levitation the substrate in a noncontact manner such that the substrate is substantially horizontal, by jetting air to the lower surface of the substrate. Since the plurality of air levitation units cover a movement range of the substrate holding frame, the drive unit can guide the substrate holding frame (substrate) along the horizontal plane at high speed and with high precision.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2010
    Publication date: February 24, 2011
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasuo AOKI, Tomohide Hamada, Hiroshi Shirasu, Manabu Toguchi
  • Publication number: 20100245795
    Abstract: A chamber assembly (226) for providing a sealed chamber (38) adjacent to a workpiece (28) includes a chamber housing (244), a chamber pressure source (246) and a seal assembly (250). The chamber housing (244) cooperates with the workpiece (28) to define at least a portion of the sealed chamber (38). The chamber pressure source (246) controls a chamber pressure within the sealed chamber (38) to be different than the environmental pressure. The seal assembly (250) seals the chamber housing (244) to the workpiece (28). The seal assembly (250) can include a first seal contact region (270) and a second seal contact region (272) that cooperate to define a seal gap (274) adjacent to at least one of the chamber housing (244) and the workpiece (28). The seal assembly (250) may further include a seal pressure source (276) for controlling a seal pressure within the seal gap (274) so that the seal pressure is different than the chamber pressure and the environmental pressure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2010
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Inventors: Fardad A. Hashemi, Hiroshi Shirasu, Douglas C. Watson
  • Publication number: 20100018950
    Abstract: A substrate stage and an empty-weight canceling mechanism that supports an empty weight of the substrate stage are made up of separate bodies. Accordingly, the size and weight of the substrate stage (a structure including the substrate stage) can be reduced, compared with the case where the substrate stage and the empty-weight canceling mechanism are integrally configured. Further, due to movement of an X coarse movement stage and a Y coarse movement stage by an X drive mechanism and a Y drive mechanism, the substrate stage is driven in an XY plane and also the empty-weight canceling mechanism that supports the empty weight of the substrate stage is driven. With this operation, the substrate stage can be driven without difficulty even when the substrate stage and the empty-weight canceling mechanism are configured of separate bodies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2009
    Publication date: January 28, 2010
    Applicant: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuo AOKI, Hiroshi SHIRASU, Yoshihiko KUDO