Patents by Inventor Junichi Kitano
Junichi Kitano 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).
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Patent number: 7857530Abstract: In a developing method for performing developing treatment of a substrate by supplying a developing solution onto a resist film formed on a surface of the substrate, the present invention controls a zeta potential of the surface of the substrate at a predetermined potential in the same polarity as that of a zeta potential of insoluble substances floating in the developing solution, thereby preventing or reducing the adhesion of the insoluble substances to the resist film and the substrate. This remedies the occurrence of development defects. The adhesion of the insoluble substances to the resist film and the substrate can also be prevented or inhibited by supplying an acid liquid to a liquid on the substrate, or controlling a pH value of the liquid on the substrate to control an absolute value of the zeta potential of the insoluble substances.Type: GrantFiled: July 10, 2008Date of Patent: December 28, 2010Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Yuko Ono, Junichi Kitano
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Patent number: 7794924Abstract: In a developing method for performing developing treatment of a substrate by supplying a developing solution onto a resist film formed on a surface of the substrate, the present invention controls a zeta potential of the surface of the substrate at a predetermined potential in the same polarity as that of a zeta potential of insoluble substances floating in the developing solution, thereby preventing or reducing the adhesion of the insoluble substances to the resist film and the substrate. This remedies the occurrence of development defects. The adhesion of the insoluble substances to the resist film and the substrate can also be prevented or inhibited by supplying an acid liquid to a liquid on the substrate, or controlling a pH value of the liquid on the substrate to control an absolute value of the zeta potential of the insoluble substances.Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 2007Date of Patent: September 14, 2010Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Yuko Ono, Junichi Kitano
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Publication number: 20100117011Abstract: A device for stopping a flow of fluid in a fixed length of tube with an actuator simple in construction is provided. The stopping device is free of direct touch with the fluid inside the tube, expected not to obstruct the flow in the tube as permitted as possible at normal condition, expected to perform both detection and control with a single device, and further invulnerable to kinds of fluids. The device for stopping a flow of fluid includes a tube holder to keep a tube in looped configuration, a movable part pressing the looped configuration of the tube. Pressing of the looped configuration of the tube make a snapped bent to stop the flow of fluid passed through the tube. Putting the movable part back into place results in the tube's returning from the configuration having the bent, allowing the fluid flowing again through the tube.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 4, 2008Publication date: May 13, 2010Applicants: ASAHI BREWERIES, LTD., KYOKKO ELECTRIC CO, LTD.Inventors: Junichi Kitano, Takashi Wada, Takeshi Kusunoki
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Publication number: 20100073647Abstract: A coating film forming apparatus for immersion light exposure, for forming a coating film including a resist film or a resist film and an additional film on a substrate to be fed to an immersion light exposure apparatus configured to perform a light exposure process through a liquid, includes: one or more coating units configured to apply the resist film or the resist film and the additional film onto the substrate; one or more thermally processing units configured to perform a thermal process necessary for forming the coating film on the substrate; a checking unit configured to check a state of the coating film at an edge portion of the substrate before the immersion light exposure; and a control section configured to use a check result obtained by the checking unit to make a judgment of whether or not the state of the coating film at the edge portion of the substrate is within an acceptable range, and to permit transfer of the substrate to the light exposure apparatus when the state of the coating film is wType: ApplicationFiled: November 19, 2007Publication date: March 25, 2010Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Hideharu Kyouda, Junichi Kitano, Taro Yamamoto
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Publication number: 20100047725Abstract: In a developing method for performing developing treatment of a substrate by supplying a developing solution onto a resist film formed on a surface of the substrate, the present invention controls a zeta potential of the surface of the substrate at a predetermined potential in the same polarity as that of a zeta potential of insoluble substances floating in the developing solution, thereby preventing or reducing the adhesion of the insoluble substances to the resist film and the substrate. This remedies the occurrence of development defects. The adhesion of the insoluble substances to the resist film and the substrate can also be prevented or inhibited by supplying an acid liquid to a liquid on the substrate, or controlling a pH value of the liquid on the substrate to control an absolute value of the zeta potential of the insoluble substances.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 30, 2009Publication date: February 25, 2010Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Yuko ONO, Junichi Kitano
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Publication number: 20090079948Abstract: A developing method is used for subjecting a light-exposed resist film disposed on a wafer W to a developing process by a developing solution and a rinsing process by a rinsing liquid. In a state where the resist film on the wafer W is wet with the developing solution or rinsing liquid before a drying process is performed on the wafer W, a chemical liquid (curing chemical liquid), which contains a resist curing aid contributory to curing of a resist film remaining on the wafer W, is supplied onto a surface of the wafer W. Then, ultraviolet rays are radiated onto a surface of the wafer to cure a resist film remaining on the wafer W by a synergistic effect of the resist curing aid and the ultraviolet rays thus radiated, so as to prevent pattern fall.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 18, 2008Publication date: March 26, 2009Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Junichi KITANO, Osamu Miyahara, Shinya Wakamizu
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Patent number: 7486377Abstract: A developing method is used for subjecting a light-exposed resist film disposed on a wafer W to a developing process by a developing solution and a rinsing process by a rinsing liquid. In a state where the resist film on the wafer W is wet with the developing solution or rinsing liquid before a drying process is performed on the wafer W, a chemical liquid (curing chemical liquid), which contains a resist curing aid contributory to curing of a resist film remaining on the wafer W, is supplied onto a surface of the wafer W. Then, ultraviolet rays are radiated onto a surface of the wafer to cure a resist film remaining on the wafer W by a synergistic effect of the resist curing aid and the ultraviolet rays thus radiated, so as to prevent pattern fall.Type: GrantFiled: November 26, 2004Date of Patent: February 3, 2009Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Junichi Kitano, Osamu Miyahara, Shinya Wakamizu
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Publication number: 20080284989Abstract: In a developing method for performing developing treatment of a substrate by supplying a developing solution onto a resist film formed on a surface of the substrate, the present invention controls a zeta potential of the surface of the substrate at a predetermined potential in the same polarity as that of a zeta potential of insoluble substances floating in the developing solution, thereby preventing or reducing the adhesion of the insoluble substances to the resist film and the substrate. This remedies the occurrence of development defects. The adhesion of the insoluble substances to the resist film and the substrate can also be prevented or inhibited by supplying an acid liquid to a liquid on the substrate, or controlling a pH value of the liquid on the substrate to control an absolute value of the zeta potential of the insoluble substances.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 10, 2008Publication date: November 20, 2008Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Yuko Ono, Junichi Kitano
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Patent number: 7427168Abstract: In a developing method for performing developing treatment of a substrate by supplying a developing solution onto a resist film formed on a surface of the substrate, the present invention controls a zeta potential of the surface of the substrate at a predetermined potential in the same polarity as that of a zeta potential of insoluble substances floating in the developing solution, thereby preventing or reducing the adhesion of the insoluble substances to the resist film and the substrate. This remedies the occurrence of development defects. The adhesion of the insoluble substances to the resist film and the substrate can also be prevented or inhibited by supplying an acid liquid to a liquid on the substrate, or controlling a pH value of the liquid on the substrate to control an absolute value of the zeta potential of the insoluble substances.Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 2007Date of Patent: September 23, 2008Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Yuko Ono, Junichi Kitano
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Publication number: 20080204675Abstract: A coating/developing apparatus includes a process section including processing units to perform a series of processes for resist coating and development; an interface section disposed between the process section and immersion light exposure apparatus; and a drying section disposed in the interface section to dry the substrate immediately after the immersion light exposure process. The drying section includes a process container configured to accommodate the substrate, a substrate support member configured to place the substrate thereon, a temperature-adjusted gas supply mechanism configured to supply a temperature-adjusted gas into the process container, and an exhaust mechanism configured to exhaust the process container. The drying section is arranged to dry the substrate by supplying the temperature-adjusted gas into the process container with the substrate placed on the substrate support member, while exhausting the process container.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 18, 2007Publication date: August 28, 2008Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Hisashi Kawano, Junichi Kitano, Hitoshi Kosugi, Koichi Hontake, Masashi Enomoto
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Publication number: 20080176002Abstract: According to the present invention, during the photolithography processing of a substrate, exposure processing is performed immediately after removal of a coating film on the rear surface of the substrate, and a coating film is formed on the rear surface of the substrate immediately after the exposure processing. Thereafter, etching treatment and so on are performed, and a series of these treatment and processing steps are performed a predetermined number of times. The coating film has been formed on the rear surface of the substrate at the time for the etching treatment, so that even if the coating film gets minute scratches, the rear surface of the substrate itself is protected by the coating film and thus never scratched. Further, since the coating film on the rear surface of the substrate is removed immediately before the exposure processing, the rear surface of the substrate can be flat for the exposure processing.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 16, 2008Publication date: July 24, 2008Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Kenji TSUTSUMI, Junichi Kitano, Osamu Miyahara, Hideharu Kyouda
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Publication number: 20080176003Abstract: In the coating treatment apparatus, in a first treatment chamber, the front and rear surfaces of the substrate held by a transfer arm are inverted by a turning mechanism, and a coating solution is applied from a coating nozzle to the rear surface of the substrate. The substrate is transferred into a second treatment chamber, in which the coating solution on the rear surface is heated by a heating unit to cure, thereby forming a coating film on the rear surface of the substrate. The formation of the coating film by the coating treatment apparatus is performed before exposure processing, whereby the rear surface of the substrate can be flat for the exposure processing.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 18, 2008Publication date: July 24, 2008Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Kenji TSUTSUMI, Junichi Kitano, Osamu Miyahara, Hideharu Kyouda
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Patent number: 7401988Abstract: On top of respective areas divided by partition plates, that is, a cassette station, a processing station, and an interface section in a coating and developing processing system, gas supply sections for supplying an inert gas into the respective areas are provided. Exhaust pipes for exhausting atmospheres in the respective areas are provided at the bottom of the respective areas. The atmospheres in the respective areas are maintained in a clean condition by supplying the inert gas not containing impurities such as oxygen and fine particles from the respective gas supply sections into the respective areas and exhausting the atmospheres in the respective areas from the exhaust pipes.Type: GrantFiled: February 9, 2007Date of Patent: July 22, 2008Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Takayuki Katano, Hidefumi Matsui, Junichi Kitano, Yo Suzuki, Masami Yamashita, Toru Aoyama, Hiroyuki Iwaki, Satoru Shimura
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Publication number: 20080160781Abstract: In the present invention, a plurality of rounds of patterning are performed on a substrate. In a patterning system, the substrate on which a first round of patterning has been performed is transferred to a planarizing film forming unit, where a planarizing film is formed above the substrate. The substrate is then transferred to the patterning system and subjected to a second round of patterning. The time from the completion of the forming processing of the planarizing film to the start of the second round of patterning is managed to be constant among the substrates. According to the present invention, in the pattern forming processing of performing a plurality of rounds of patterning, a pattern with a desired dimension can be stably formed above the substrate.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 18, 2007Publication date: July 3, 2008Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Hideharu KYOUDA, Junichi Kitano, Osamu Miyahara, Kenji Tsutsumi
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Publication number: 20080124489Abstract: A coating film forming apparatus includes a process section including one or more coating units and one or more thermally processing units; a pre-coating cleaning unit configured to perform cleaning on a back surface and an edge portion of a substrate; and a pre-coating check unit configured to check a state of a back surface and an edge portion of the substrate. A control section is configured to realize a sequence of cleaning the substrate by the pre-coating cleaning unit, checking the substrate by the pre-coating check unit, making a judgment based on a check result thus obtained of whether or not a state of particles on a back surface and an edge portion of the substrate is within an acceptable range, and permitting transfer of the substrate into the process section where the state of particles is within the acceptable range.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 23, 2007Publication date: May 29, 2008Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Taro Yamamoto, Yasushi Takiguchi, Akihiro Fujimoto, Hideharu Kyouda, Junichi Kitano, Osamu Miyahara, Kenji Tsutsumi
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Publication number: 20080079917Abstract: In a developing method for performing developing treatment of a substrate by supplying a developing solution onto a resist film formed on a surface of the substrate, the present invention controls a zeta potential of the surface of the substrate at a predetermined potential in the same polarity as that of a zeta potential of insoluble substances floating in the developing solution, thereby preventing or reducing the adhesion of the insoluble substances to the resist film and the substrate. This remedies the occurrence of development defects. The adhesion of the insoluble substances to the resist film and the substrate can also be prevented or inhibited by supplying an acid liquid to a liquid on the substrate, or controlling a pH value of the liquid on the substrate to control an absolute value of the zeta potential of the insoluble substances.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 14, 2007Publication date: April 3, 2008Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Yuko Ono, Junichi Kitano
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Publication number: 20080013946Abstract: In a developing method for performing developing treatment of a substrate by supplying a developing solution onto a resist film formed on a surface of the substrate, the present invention controls a zeta potential of the surface of the substrate at a predetermined potential in the same polarity as that of a zeta potential of insoluble substances floating in the developing solution, thereby preventing or reducing the adhesion of the insoluble substances to the resist film and the substrate. This remedies the occurrence of development defects. The adhesion of the insoluble substances to the resist film and the substrate can also be prevented or inhibited by supplying an acid liquid to a liquid on the substrate, or controlling a pH value of the liquid on the substrate to control an absolute value of the zeta potential of the insoluble substances.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 14, 2007Publication date: January 17, 2008Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Yuko Ono, Junichi Kitano
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Publication number: 20070127916Abstract: On top of respective areas divided by partition plates, that is, a cassette station, a processing station, and an interface section in a coating and developing processing system, gas supply sections for supplying an inert gas into the respective areas are provided. Exhaust pipes for exhausting atmospheres in the respective areas are provided at the bottom of the respective areas. The atmospheres in the respective areas are maintained in a clean condition by supplying the inert gas not containing impurities such as oxygen and fine particles from the respective gas supply sections into the respective areas and exhausting the atmospheres in the respective areas from the exhaust pipes.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 9, 2007Publication date: June 7, 2007Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Junichi Kitano, Yuji Matsuyama, Takahiro Kitano, Takayuki Katano, Hidefumi Matsui, Yo Suzuki, Masami Yamashita, Toru Aoyama, Hiroyuki Iwaki, Satoru Shimura, Masatoshi Deguchi, Kousuke Yoshihara, Naruaki Iida
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Publication number: 20070099129Abstract: A developing method is used for subjecting a light-exposed resist film disposed on a wafer W to a developing process by a developing solution and a rinsing process by a rinsing liquid. In a state where the resist film on the wafer W is wet with the developing solution or rinsing liquid before a drying process is performed on the wafer W, a chemical liquid (curing chemical liquid), which contains a resist curing aid contributory to curing of a resist film remaining on the wafer W, is supplied onto a surface of the wafer W. Then, ultraviolet rays are radiated onto a surface of the wafer to cure a resist film remaining on the wafer W by a synergistic effect of the resist curing aid and the ultraviolet rays thus radiated, so as to prevent pattern fall.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 26, 2004Publication date: May 3, 2007Applicant: TOKYO ELECTON LIMITEDInventors: Junichi Kitano, Osamu Miyahara, Shinya Wakamizu
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Patent number: 7208066Abstract: On top of respective areas divided by partition plates, that is, a cassette station, a processing station, and an interface section in a coating and developing processing system, gas supply sections for supplying an inert gas into the respective areas are provided. Exhaust pipes for exhausting atmospheres in the respective areas are provided at the bottom of the respective areas. The atmospheres in the respective areas are maintained in a clean condition by supplying the inert gas not containing impurities such as oxygen and fine particles from the respective gas supply sections into the respective areas and exhausting the atmospheres in the respective areas from the exhaust pipes.Type: GrantFiled: August 28, 2003Date of Patent: April 24, 2007Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Junichi Kitano, Yuji Matsuyama, Takahiro Kitano, Takayuki Katano, Hidefumi Matsui, Yo Suzuki, Masami Yamashita, Toru Aoyama, Hiroyuki Iwaki, Satoru Shimura, Masatoshi Deguchi, Kousuke Yoshihara, Naruaki Iida