Patents by Inventor Kazumoto Tochihara

Kazumoto Tochihara 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: 6721037
    Abstract: A device for exposing a peripheral area of a wafer, in which the area which is located within the wafer (and which need not be exposed) is prevented from being exposed regardless of the orientation the wafer which bears a notch in its periphery. The device includes an exposure light irradiation part, a wafer edge determination part, and a notch determination part are arranged integrally with each other. The wafer edge determination part moves such that it follows the edge of the wafer. The peripheral area of the edge of the wafer is exposed by exposure light emitted by the exposure light irradiation part. When the exposure sequence begins irradiation with exposure light is not immediately done, even if the means for wafer edge determination has determined the wafer edge. Instead, the wafer is rotated by a given amount and then exposure is begun. When the area irradiated with exposure light reaches the notch starting position, wafer edge determination is stopped until the end position of the notch is reached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: Ushiodenki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshinori Nagai, Kazumoto Tochihara
  • Patent number: 6700643
    Abstract: To expose the peripheral area of a film with high precision while the film is being transported, even if the peripheral area of the film has an arch or a fold, the edge of a copper foil on a TAB strip is determined by way of an optical detector which includes a light projection section and a light receiving section. The sliding base and the projection lens unit are moved such that the amount of light received by the light receiving part is constant. Ultraviolet light is concentrated on the peripheral area of the copper foil of the TAB strip, by which the peripheral area is exposed. The projection lens unit is provided with a nozzle from which air is blown onto the area of the TAB strip which is undergoing peripheral area exposure. This area is pressed by the pressure of the air against the surface of the carrier so that the peripheral area of the TAB strip can be made planar even if the strip has an arch or a fold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2004
    Assignee: Ushiodenki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshiki Mimura, Kazumoto Tochihara
  • Publication number: 20030096196
    Abstract: A process for curing of a resist in which the consumption of the device is not increased and a device for carrying out the process is achieved following manner. The workpiece stage is divided into several stages which are smaller than the size of the workpiece. The areas formed by division are each controlled to different constant temperatures. First, the part of the workpiece to which a resist has been applied and which has been developed is seated on a stage of the workpiece stage by a workpiece transport means. The resist-applied part of the workpiece is irradiated with UV radiation from a light irradiation part while it is being heated. Then, the workpiece is moved by the workpiece transport means such that the workpiece which was located on the above described stage is transported onto another stage and the other part of the workpiece is transported onto the stage named first. UV radiation is emitted from the light irradiation part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2002
    Publication date: May 22, 2003
    Applicant: USHIODENKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshiki Mimura, Kazumoto Tochihara
  • Publication number: 20030053039
    Abstract: A device for exposing a peripheral area of a wafer, in which the area which is located within the wafer (and which need not be exposed) is prevented from being exposed regardless of the orientation the wafer which bears a notch in its periphery. The device includes an exposure light irradiation part, a wafer edge determination part, and a notch determination part are arranged integrally with each other. The wafer edge determination part moves such that it follows the edge of the wafer. The peripheral area of the edge of the wafer is exposed by exposure light emitted by the exposure light irradiation part. When the exposure sequence begins irradiation with exposure light is not immediately done, even if the means for wafer edge determination has determined the wafer edge. Instead, the wafer is rotated by a given amount and then exposure is begun. When the area irradiated with exposure light reaches the notch starting position, wafer edge determination is stopped until the end position of the notch is reached.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2002
    Publication date: March 20, 2003
    Applicant: Ushiodenki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshinori Nagai, Kazumoto Tochihara
  • Publication number: 20020085191
    Abstract: To expose the peripheral area of a film with high precision while the film is being transported, even if the peripheral area of the film has an arch or a fold, the edge of a copper foil on a TAB strip is determined by way of an optical detector which includes a light projection section and a light receiving section. The sliding base and the projection lens unit are moved such that the amount of light received by the light receiving part is constant. Ultraviolet light is concentrated on the peripheral area of the copper foil of the TAB strip, by which the peripheral area is exposed. The projection lens unit is provided with a nozzle from which air is blown onto the area of the TAB strip which is undergoing peripheral area exposure. This area is pressed by the pressure of the air against the surface of the carrier so that the peripheral area of the TAB strip can be made planar even if the strip has an arch or a fold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2001
    Publication date: July 4, 2002
    Inventors: Yoshiki Mimura, Kazumoto Tochihara
  • Patent number: 5168021
    Abstract: A method for exposing a peripheral part of a wafer according to the present invention is to expose the peripheral part, taking account of a correcting angle determined by calculating the amount of misalignment between a center of a wafer and a rotational center for the wafer from the amount of displacement of a sensor for detecting a peripheral edge. Therefore, any wafer-centering motion and mechanism are not required, and this method is higher in precision of exposing position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 1990
    Date of Patent: December 1, 1992
    Assignee: Ushio Denki
    Inventors: Tetsuji Arai, Shinji Suzuki, Nobutaka Kajiura, Shinetsu Miura, Kazumoto Tochihara