Patents by Inventor Kazutaka Yanagita

Kazutaka Yanagita 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: 20030116275
    Abstract: This invention is to provide a technique of separating bonded substrate stacks having porous layers at a high yield. A separating apparatus (100) has a pair of substrate holding portions (270, 280). A bonded substrate stack (50) is sandwiched from upper and lower sides and horizontally held by the substrate holding portions (270, 280) and rotated. A jet is ejected from a nozzle (260) and injected into the porous layer of the bonded substrate stack (50), thereby separating the bonded substrate stack (50) into two substrates at the porous layer. Another separating apparatus (5000) has a pair of substrate holding portions (270, 280), a nozzle (260) of rejecting a fluid to the porous layer of a bonded substrate stack (50), and an abrupt operation prevention mechanism (4000) for preventing the lower substrate holding portion (280) from abruptly moving downward but allowing it to moderately move when separating the bonded substrate stack (50).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2002
    Publication date: June 26, 2003
    Inventors: Kazutaka Yanagita, Kazuaki Ohmi, Kiyofumi Sakaguchi
  • Publication number: 20030102082
    Abstract: This invention is to provide an apparatus for separating a substrate having a porous layer at the porous layer. A bonded substrate stack (101) having a porous layer (101b) is supported by substrate holding portions (120, 150) while being rotated. High-speed, high-pressure water (jet) is ejected from a nozzle (102), so the jet is injected into the bonded substrate stack (101). The substrate holding portions (120, 150) hold the bonded substrate stack (101) such that the bonded substrate stack (101) can expand at its central portion due to the pressure of the injected water. This efficiently applies a force (separation force) that acts outward from the inside of the bonded substrate stack (101).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2002
    Publication date: June 5, 2003
    Inventors: Kazutaka Yanagita, Takao Yonehara, Kazuaki Omi, Kiyofumi Sakaguchi
  • Publication number: 20030089455
    Abstract: This invention is to prevent a substrate from dropping when it is transferred/received to/from a separating apparatus. The support surfaces of substrate holding portions (22, 23) are made horizontal, and a substrate (21) to be separated is mounted on one substrate holding portion (22) in a horizontal state (2A). The substrate holding portions (22, 23) are pivoted about rotary shafts (26, 27), respectively, to make the support surfaces of the substrate holding portions (22, 23) vertical so that the substrate (21) is sandwiched by the substrate holding portions (22, 23) (2B) The substrate holding portions (22, 23) are rotated about rotary shafts (24, 25), respectively, and simultaneously, high-pressure, high-speed water is ejected from an ejection nozzle (28) to separate the substrate (21) into two substrates (21a, 21c). The substrate holding portions (22, 23) are pivoted about the rotary shafts (26, 27), respectively, to make the support surfaces horizontal (2C).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2002
    Publication date: May 15, 2003
    Inventors: Kiyofumi Sakaguchi, Takao Yonehara, Kazuaki Omi, Kazutaka Yanagita, Toshikazu Miyakogawa
  • Patent number: 6540861
    Abstract: This invention is to prevent a substrate from dropping when it is transferred/received to/from a separating apparatus. The support surfaces of substrate holding portions (22, 23) are made horizontal, and a substrate (21) to be separated is mounted on one substrate holding portion (22) in a horizontal state (2A). The substrate holding portions (22, 23) are pivoted about rotary shafts (26, 27), respectively, to make the support surfaces of the substrate holding portions (22, 23) vertical so that the substrate (21) is sandwiched by the substrate holding portions (22, 23) (2B). The substrate holding portions (22, 23) are rotated about rotary shafts (24, 25), respectively, and simultaneously, high-pressure, high-speed water is ejected from an ejection nozzle (28) to separate the substrate (21) into two substrates (21a, 21c). The substrate holding portions (22, 23) are pivoted about the rotary shafts (26, 27), respectively, to make the support surfaces horizontal (2C).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kiyofumi Sakaguchi, Takao Yonehara, Kazuaki Omi, Kazutaka Yanagita, Toshikazu Miyakogawa
  • Patent number: 6527031
    Abstract: This invention is to provide a technique of separating bonded substrate stacks having porous layers at a high yield. A separating apparatus (100) has a pair of substrate holding portions (270, 280). A bonded substrate stack (50) is sandwiched from upper and lower sides and horizontally held by the substrate holding portions (270, 280) and rotated. A jet is ejected from a nozzle (260) and injected into the porous layer of the bonded substrate stack (50), thereby separating the bonded substrate stack (50) into two substrates at the porous layer. Another separating apparatus (5000) has a pair of substrate holding portions (270, 280), a nozzle (260) of rejecting a fluid to the porous layer of a bonded substrate stack (50), and an abrupt operation prevention mechanism (4000) for preventing the lower substrate holding portion (280) from abruptly moving downward but allowing it to moderately move when separating the bonded substrate stack (50).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2003
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazutaka Yanagita, Kazuaki Ohmi, Kiyofumi Sakaguchi
  • Patent number: 6521078
    Abstract: This invention is to provide an apparatus for separating a substrate having a porous layer at the porous layer. A bonded substrate stack (101) having a porous layer (10b) is supported by substrate holding portions (120, 150) while being rotated. High-speed, high-pressure water (jet) is ejected from a nozzle (102), so the jet is injected into the bonded substrate stack (101). The substrate holding portions (120, 150) hold the bonded substrate stack (101) such that the bonded substrate stack (101) can expand at its central portion due to the pressure of the injected water. This efficiently applies a force (separation force) that acts outward from the inside of the bonded substrate stack (101).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2003
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazutaka Yanagita, Takao Yonehara, Kazuaki Omi, Kiyofumi Sakaguchi
  • Publication number: 20030010445
    Abstract: This invention is to appropriately separate a bonded substrate stack regardless of some distortion in the bonded substrate stack or the like. This separating apparatus includes a first nozzle which forms a jet with a large width and a second nozzle which forms a jet with a small width. When the outer portion of a bonded substrate stack is to be separated, a jet formed by the first nozzle is used. After that, when a portion inside the outer portion is to be separated, a jet formed by the second nozzle is used.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2002
    Publication date: January 16, 2003
    Inventors: Kazutaka Yanagita, Mitsuharu Kohda, Kiyofumi Sakaguchi, Akira Fujimoto
  • Publication number: 20030003687
    Abstract: This invention is to appropriately separate a bonded substrate stack regardless of some distortion in the bonded substrate stack or the like. This separating apparatus includes a position adjusting mechanism (140) for adjusting the position of a nozzle (120) which ejects a fluid. A bonded substrate stack (50) is separated while changing the level of the nozzle (120) stepwise by the position adjusting mechanism (140) in accordance with a program which is set in advance on the assumption that the bonded substrate stack (50) has a distortion within a predetermined range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2002
    Publication date: January 2, 2003
    Inventors: Kazutaka Yanagita, Mitsuharu Kohda, Kiyofumi Sakaguchi, Akira Fujimoto
  • Publication number: 20020179243
    Abstract: To separate a composite member consisting of a plurality of bonded members without destructing or damaging it, a fluid is jetted against the composite member from a nozzle to separate it into a plurality of members at a position different from a bonding position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2002
    Publication date: December 5, 2002
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazuaki Ohmi, Takao Yonehara, Kiyofumi Sakaguchi, Kazutaka Yanagita
  • Publication number: 20020174958
    Abstract: This invention is to guarantee that in separating a plate member such as a bonded substrate stack, a fluid is injected to an appropriate portion of the plate member. While a bonded substrate stack (50) is rotated, the vertical position of its peripheral portion is measured throughout its perimeter by a measuring device (150). Then, while the vertical position of a nozzle (120) is dynamically adjusted on the basis of the measurement result, and at the same time, the bonded substrate stack (50) is rotated, the bonded substrate stack (50) is separated into two substrates at a porous layer by injecting a fluid ejected from the nozzle (120).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2002
    Publication date: November 28, 2002
    Inventors: Kazutaka Yanagita, Mitsuharu Kohda, Kiyofumi Sakaguchi, Akira Fujimoto
  • Publication number: 20020174959
    Abstract: This invention is to support a plate member such as a bonded substrate stack in a horizontal state without coming into contact with one surface of the member and also to efficiently progress separation. Separation is executed while arranging a bonded substrate stack (50) generated by bonding a seed substrate (10) to a handle substrate (20) such that the seed substrate (10) remains on the lower side. At the first stage, the peripheral portion is separated while causing a first substrate support section (101) to chuck and support the central portion of the lower surface of the bonded substrate stack (50). Then, at the second stage, the central portion is separated while causing a second substrate support section (102) to support the lower peripheral portion and side of the bonded substrate stack (50).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2002
    Publication date: November 28, 2002
    Inventors: Kazutaka Yanagita, Mitsuharu Kohda, Kiyofumi Sakaguchi, Akira Fujimoto
  • Patent number: 6475323
    Abstract: To separate a composite member consisting of a plurality of bonded members without destructing or damaging it, a fluid is jetted against the composite member from a nozzle to separate it into a plurality of members at a position different from a bonding position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2002
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuaki Ohmi, Takao Yonehara, Kiyofumi Sakaguchi, Kazutaka Yanagita
  • Publication number: 20020157791
    Abstract: This invention prevents defects generated when a bonded substrate stack having a separation layer is separated. A bonded substrate stack (101) having a porous layer (101b) is separated in two steps of the first and second processes. In the first process, a jet is ejected to the porous layer (101b) while rotating the bonded substrate stack (101) to partially separate the bonded substrate stack (101) while leaving the central portion of the porous layer (101b) as an unseparated region. In the second process, the jet is ejected to the porous layer (101b) while rotation of the bonded substrate stack (101) is stopped. A force is applied to the unseparated region from a predetermined direction to completely separate the bonded substrate stack (101). Also, the first region (peripheral portion) and second region (central portion) of the bonded substrate stack (101) having the porous layer (101b) are separated using a jet and ultrasonic wave, respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2002
    Publication date: October 31, 2002
    Inventors: Kazutaka Yanagita, Takao Yonehara, Kazuaki Omi, Kiyofumi Sakaguchi
  • Publication number: 20020157794
    Abstract: This invention prevents defects generated when a bonded substrate stack having a separation layer is separated. A bonded substrate stack (101) having a porous layer (101b) is separated in two steps of the first and second processes. In the first process, a jet is ejected to the porous layer (101b) while rotating the bonded substrate stack (101) to partially separate the bonded substrate stack (101) while leaving the central portion of the porous layer (101b) as an unseparated region. In the second process, the jet is ejected to the porous layer (101b) while rotation of the bonded substrate stack (101) is stopped. A force is applied to the unseparated region from a predetermined direction to completely separate the bonded substrate stack (101). Also, the first region (peripheral portion) and second region (central portion) of the bonded substrate stack (101) having the porous layer (101b) are separated using a jet and ultrasonic wave, respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2002
    Publication date: October 31, 2002
    Inventors: Kazutaka Yanagita, Takao Yonehara, Kazuaki Omi, Kiyofumi Sakaguchi
  • Publication number: 20020148570
    Abstract: This invention is to provide a processing system suitable for manufacturing an SOI substrate. A processing system includes a scalar robot for conveying a bonded substrate stack held by a robot hand, and a centering apparatus, separating apparatus, inverting apparatus, and cleaning/drying apparatus disposed at substantially equidistant positions from a driving shaft of the scalar robot. When the robot hand is pivoted about the driving shaft in the horizontal plane and moved close to or away from the driving shaft, a bonded substrate stack or separated substrate is conveyed among the processing apparatuses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2002
    Publication date: October 17, 2002
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazutaka Yanagita, Kazuaki Ohmi, Kiyofumi Sakaguchi
  • Publication number: 20020134504
    Abstract: This invention is to provide an apparatus for separating a substrate having a porous layer at the porous layer. A bonded substrate stack (101) having a porous layer (101b) is supported by substrate holding portions (120, 150) while being rotated. High-speed, high-pressure water (jet) is ejected from a nozzle (102), so the jet is injected into the bonded substrate stack (101). The substrate holding portions (120, 150) hold the bonded substrate stack (101) such that the bonded substrate stack (101) can expand at its central portion due to the pressure of the injected water. This efficiently applies a force (separation force) that acts outward from the inside of the bonded substrate stack (101).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2002
    Publication date: September 26, 2002
    Inventors: Kazutaka Yanagita, Takao Yonehara, Kazuaki Omi, Kiyofumi Sakaguchi
  • Patent number: 6436226
    Abstract: An apparatus for separating a substrate having a porous layer at the porous layer is provided. A bonded substrate stack (101) having a porous layer (101b) is supported by substrate holding portions (108, 109) while being rotated. High-speed, high-pressure water (jet) is ejected from a nozzle (112) and injected against the bonded substrate stack (101), thereby physically separating the bonded substrate stack (101) into two substrates. The jet pressure is appropriately changed in accordance with progress of separation processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2002
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuaki Omi, Takao Yonehara, Kiyofumi Sakaguchi, Kazutaka Yanagita
  • Patent number: 6427748
    Abstract: This invention prevents defects generated when a bonded substrate stack having a separation layer is separated. A bonded substrate stack (101) having a porous layer (101b) is separated in two steps of the first and second processes. In the first process, a jet is ejected to the porous layer (101b) while rotating the bonded substrate stack (101) to partially separate the bonded substrate stack (101) while leaving the central portion of the porous layer (101b) as an unseparated region. In the second process, the jet is ejected to the porous layer (101b) while rotation of the bonded substrate stack (101) is stopped. A force is applied to the unseparated region from a predetermined direction to completely separate the bonded substrate stack (101). Also, the first region (peripheral portion) and second region (central portion) of the bonded substrate stack (101) having the porous layer (101b) are separated using a jet and ultrasonic wave, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2002
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazutaka Yanagita, Takao Yonehara, Kazuaki Omi, Kiyofumi Sakaguchi
  • Patent number: 6427747
    Abstract: An apparatus for separating a substrate having a porous layer from the porous layer is provided. A bonded substrate stack having a porous layer is supported by substrate holders while being rotated. A jet nozzle ejects a high-speed, high-pressure liquid or water. The jet thrusts into the bonded substrate through a guide unit. The position in the x-axis direction of this guide unit is adjusted by a motor such that the jet is concentrated into the bonding interface of the bonded substrate stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2002
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuaki Omi, Takao Yonehara, Kiyofumi Sakaguchi, Kazutaka Yanagita
  • Patent number: 6426270
    Abstract: In a method of bonding first and second substrates to prepare a bonded substrate stack and then separating the bonded substrate stack at a porous layer to manufacture an SOI substrate, planarization of the first substrate after separation and reuse of the first substrate are facilitated. First, an insulating layer remaining at the outer peripheral portion of a first substrate after separation is selectively removed, and then, a porous layer on a single-crystal Si substrate is selectively removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2002
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kiyofumi Sakaguchi, Kazuaki Ohmi, Kazutaka Yanagita