Patents by Inventor Kenji SUGAKAWA

Kenji SUGAKAWA 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: 11837574
    Abstract: A bonding apparatus includes a holder; a pressing member; and a curvature adjuster. The holder is configured to attract and hold a substrate to be bonded. The pressing member is configured to come into contact with a central portion of the substrate attracted to and held by the holder and press the substrate to allow the central portion of the substrate to be protruded. The curvature adjuster is configured to adjust a curvature of the substrate pressed by the pressing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Kenji Sugakawa, Yosuke Omori
  • Patent number: 11735465
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a holder having thereon an attraction surface configured to attract a substrate and including, as multiple regions in which attracting pressures for attracting the substrate are controlled independently, a first region having a circular shape and a second region having an annular shape and disposed at an outside of the first region in a diametrical direction; multiple attracting pressure generators configured to independently generate the attracting pressures respectively in the multiple regions forming the attraction surface; multiple attracting pressure adjusters configured to independently adjust the attracting pressures respectively generated by the attracting pressure generators; and a controller configured to control the multiple attracting pressure generators and the multiple attracting pressure adjusters. The controller generates different attracting pressures in at least a part of the first region and in at least a part of the second region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Kenji Sugakawa, Yosuke Omori
  • Patent number: 11715663
    Abstract: A bonding apparatus includes a first holder, a first transforming device, a second holder, a second transforming device, a suction device and a control device. The first holder attracts and holds a first substrate from above. The first transforming device transforms the first substrate held by the first holder such that a central portion of the first substrate is protruded downwards. The second holder is provided under the first holder, and attracts and holds a second substrate, which is to be bonded to the first substrate, from below. The second transforming device transforms the second substrate held by the second holder such that a central portion of the second substrate is protruded upwards. The suction device generates different attracting forces in multiple division regions included in an attraction region of the second substrate. The control device controls the suction device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Kenji Sugakawa, Yosuke Omori
  • Publication number: 20230014665
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a holder having thereon an attraction surface configured to attract a substrate and including an outer attracting member configured to attract a peripheral portion of the substrate and an inner attracting member configured to attract a portion of the substrate inside the peripheral portion of the substrate attracted by the outer attracting member in a diametrical direction of the attraction surface; a moving device configured to move the outer attracting member with respect to the inner attracting member; and a controller configured to control a distortion, which is caused at the substrate attracted to the attraction surface, by controlling a movement of the outer attracting member with respect to the inner attracting member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2022
    Publication date: January 19, 2023
    Inventors: Kimio Motoda, Norifumi Kohama, Norio Wada, Yosuke Omori, Kenji Sugakawa
  • Patent number: 11482431
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a holder having thereon an attraction surface configured to attract a substrate and including an outer attracting member configured to attract a peripheral portion of the substrate and an inner attracting member configured to attract a portion of the substrate inside the peripheral portion of the substrate attracted by the outer attracting member in a diametrical direction of the attraction surface; a moving device configured to move the outer attracting member with respect to the inner attracting member; and a controller configured to control a distortion, which is caused at the substrate attracted to the attraction surface, by controlling a movement of the outer attracting member with respect to the inner attracting member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Kimio Motoda, Norifumi Kohama, Norio Wada, Yosuke Omori, Kenji Sugakawa
  • Publication number: 20210358879
    Abstract: A bonding apparatus includes a holder; a pressing member; and a curvature adjuster. The holder is configured to attract and hold a substrate to be bonded. The pressing member is configured to come into contact with a central portion of the substrate attracted to and held by the holder and press the substrate to allow the central portion of the substrate to be protruded. The curvature adjuster is configured to adjust a curvature of the substrate pressed by the pressing member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2021
    Publication date: November 18, 2021
    Inventors: Kenji Sugakawa, Yosuke Omori
  • Patent number: 11164842
    Abstract: Deformation of substrates after the substrates are bonded can be suppressed. A bonding apparatus includes a first holding unit configured to attract and hold a first substrate from above; a second holding unit provided under the first holding unit and configured to attract and hold a second substrate from below; and a striker configured to press a central portion of the first substrate from above and bring the first substrate into contact with the second substrate. The first holding unit is configured to attract and hold a partial region of a peripheral portion of the first substrate, and the first holding unit attracts and holds the region which intersects with a direction, among directions from the central portion of the first substrate toward the peripheral portion thereof, in which a bonding region between the first substrate and the second substrate is expanded faster.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Yosuke Omori, Kenji Sugakawa
  • Publication number: 20210272836
    Abstract: A bonding apparatus includes a first holder, a first transforming device, a second holder, a second transforming device, a suction device and a control device. The first holder attracts and holds a first substrate from above. The first transforming device transforms the first substrate held by the first holder such that a central portion of the first substrate is protruded downwards. The second holder is provided under the first holder, and attracts and holds a second substrate, which is to be bonded to the first substrate, from below. The second transforming device transforms the second substrate held by the second holder such that a central portion of the second substrate is protruded upwards. The suction device generates different attracting forces in multiple division regions included in an attraction region of the second substrate. The control device controls the suction device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2021
    Publication date: September 2, 2021
    Inventors: Kenji Sugakawa, Yosuke Omori
  • Patent number: 10985132
    Abstract: There is provided a bonding apparatus for bonding substrates together, which includes: a first holding part configured to adsorptively hold a first substrate by vacuum-drawing the first substrate on a lower surface of the first substrate; a second holding part provided below the first holding part and configured to adsorptively hold a second substrate by vacuum-drawing the second substrate on an upper surface of the second substrate; a pressing member provided in the first holding part and configured to press a central portion of the first substrate; and a plurality of substrate detection parts provided in the first holding part and configured to detect a detachment of the first substrate from the first holding part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Otsuka, Takashi Nakamitsu, Yosuke Omori, Kenji Sugakawa
  • Publication number: 20210035827
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a holder having thereon an attraction surface configured to attract a substrate and including an outer attracting member configured to attract a peripheral portion of the substrate and an inner attracting member configured to attract a portion of the substrate inside the peripheral portion of the substrate attracted by the outer attracting member in a diametrical direction of the attraction surface; a moving device configured to move the outer attracting member with respect to the inner attracting member; and a controller configured to control a distortion, which is caused at the substrate attracted to the attraction surface, by controlling a movement of the outer attracting member with respect to the inner attracting member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2019
    Publication date: February 4, 2021
    Inventors: Kimio Motoda, Norifumi Kohama, Norio Wada, Yosuke Omori, Kenji Sugakawa
  • Patent number: 10847495
    Abstract: A bonding system includes a surface modifying apparatus, a surface hydrophilizing apparatus and a bonding apparatus. The surface modifying apparatus is configured to modify a bonding surface of a first substrate and a bonding surface of a second substrate with plasma. The surface hydrophilizing apparatus is configured to hydrophilize the modified bonding surfaces of the first substrate and the second substrate. The bonding apparatus includes a condensation suppressing gas discharge unit, and is configured to bond the hydrophilized bonding surfaces of the first substrate and the second substrate by an intermolecular force. The condensation suppressing gas discharge unit is configured to discharge a condensation suppressing gas toward a space between a peripheral portion of the bonding surface of the first substrate and a peripheral portion of the bonding surface of the second substrate facing each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Atsushi Nagata, Hiroshi Maeda, Kenji Sugakawa
  • Publication number: 20200365442
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a holder having thereon an attraction surface configured to attract a substrate and including, as multiple regions in which attracting pressures for attracting the substrate are controlled independently, a first region having a circular shape and a second region having an annular shape and disposed at an outside of the first region in a diametrical direction; multiple attracting pressure generators configured to independently generate the attracting pressures respectively in the multiple regions forming the attraction surface; multiple attracting pressure adjusters configured to independently adjust the attracting pressures respectively generated by the attracting pressure generators; and a controller configured to control the multiple attracting pressure generators and the multiple attracting pressure adjusters. The controller generates different attracting pressures in at least a part of the first region and in at least a part of the second region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2019
    Publication date: November 19, 2020
    Inventors: Kenji Sugakawa, Yosuke Omori
  • Publication number: 20200343216
    Abstract: There is provided a bonding apparatus for bonding substrates together, which includes: a first holding part configured to adsorptively hold a first substrate by vacuum-drawing the first substrate on a lower surface of the first substrate; a second holding part provided below the first holding part and configured to adsorptively hold a second substrate by vacuum-drawing the second substrate on an upper surface of the second substrate; a pressing member provided in the first holding part and configured to press a central portion of the first substrate; and a plurality of substrate detection parts provided in the first holding part and configured to detect a detachment of the first substrate from the first holding part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2020
    Publication date: October 29, 2020
    Inventors: Yoshitaka OTSUKA, Takashi NAKAMITSU, Yosuke OMORI, Kenji SUGAKAWA
  • Patent number: 10756046
    Abstract: There is provided a bonding apparatus for bonding substrates together, which includes: a first holding part configured to adsorptively hold a first substrate by vacuum-drawing the first substrate on a lower surface of the first substrate; a second holding part provided below the first holding part and configured to adsorptively hold a second substrate by vacuum-drawing the second substrate on an upper surface of the second substrate; a pressing member provided in the first holding part and configured to press a central portion of the first substrate; and a plurality of substrate detection parts provided in the first holding part and configured to detect a detachment of the first substrate from the first holding part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Otsuka, Takashi Nakamitsu, Yosuke Omori, Kenji Sugakawa
  • Publication number: 20190385971
    Abstract: Deformation of substrates after the substrates are bonded can be suppressed. A bonding apparatus includes a first holding unit configured to attract and hold a first substrate from above; a second holding unit provided under the first holding unit and configured to attract and hold a second substrate from below; and a striker configured to press a central portion of the first substrate from above and bring the first substrate into contact with the second substrate. The first holding unit is configured to attract and hold a partial region of a peripheral portion of the first substrate, and the first holding unit attracts and holds the region which intersects with a direction, among directions from the central portion of the first substrate toward the peripheral portion thereof, in which a bonding region between the first substrate and the second substrate is expanded faster.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2019
    Publication date: December 19, 2019
    Inventors: Yosuke Omori, Kenji Sugakawa
  • Publication number: 20190385973
    Abstract: There is provided a bonding apparatus for bonding substrates together, which includes: a first holding part configured to adsorptively hold a first substrate by vacuum-drawing the first substrate on a lower surface of the first substrate; a second holding part provided below the first holding part and configured to adsorptively hold a second substrate by vacuum-drawing the second substrate on an upper surface of the second substrate; a pressing member provided in the first holding part and configured to press a central portion of the first substrate; and a plurality of substrate detection parts provided in the first holding part and configured to detect a detachment of the first substrate from the first holding part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2019
    Publication date: December 19, 2019
    Inventors: Yoshitaka OTSUKA, Takashi NAKAMITSU, Yosuke OMORI, Kenji SUGAKAWA
  • Publication number: 20190312007
    Abstract: A bonding system includes a surface modifying apparatus, a surface hydrophilizing apparatus and a bonding apparatus. The surface modifying apparatus is configured to modify a bonding surface of a first substrate and a bonding surface of a second substrate with plasma. The surface hydrophilizing apparatus is configured to hydrophilize the modified bonding surfaces of the first substrate and the second substrate. The bonding apparatus includes a condensation suppressing gas discharge unit, and is configured to bond the hydrophilized bonding surfaces of the first substrate and the second substrate by an intermolecular force. The condensation suppressing gas discharge unit is configured to discharge a condensation suppressing gas toward a space between a peripheral portion of the bonding surface of the first substrate and a peripheral portion of the bonding surface of the second substrate facing each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2019
    Publication date: October 10, 2019
    Inventors: Atsushi Nagata, Hiroshi Maeda, Kenji Sugakawa
  • Patent number: 10438918
    Abstract: Deformation of substrates after the substrates are bonded can be suppressed. A bonding apparatus includes a first holding unit configured to attract and hold a first substrate from above; a second holding unit provided under the first holding unit and configured to attract and hold a second substrate from below; and a striker configured to press a central portion of the first substrate from above and bring the first substrate into contact with the second substrate. The first holding unit is configured to attract and hold a partial region of a peripheral portion of the first substrate, and the first holding unit attracts and holds the region which intersects with a direction, among directions from the central portion of the first substrate toward the peripheral portion thereof, in which a bonding region between the first substrate and the second substrate is expanded fastest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Yosuke Omori, Kenji Sugakawa
  • Patent number: 10438920
    Abstract: There is provided a bonding apparatus for bonding substrates together, which includes: a first holding part configured to adsorptively hold a first substrate by vacuum-drawing the first substrate on a lower surface of the first substrate; a second holding part provided below the first holding part and configured to adsorptively hold a second substrate by vacuum-drawing the second substrate on an upper surface of the second substrate; a pressing member provided in the first holding part and configured to press a central portion of the first substrate; and a plurality of substrate detection parts provided in the first holding part and configured to detect a detachment of the first substrate from the first holding part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Otsuka, Takashi Nakamitsu, Yosuke Omori, Kenji Sugakawa
  • Publication number: 20180158796
    Abstract: There is provided a bonding apparatus for bonding substrates together, which includes: a first holding part configured to adsorptively hold a first substrate by vacuum-drawing the first substrate on a lower surface of the first substrate; a second holding part provided below the first holding part and configured to adsorptively hold a second substrate by vacuum-drawing the second substrate on an upper surface of the second substrate; a pressing member provided in the first holding part and configured to press a central portion of the first substrate; and a plurality of substrate detection parts provided in the first holding part and configured to detect a detachment of the first substrate from the first holding part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2017
    Publication date: June 7, 2018
    Inventors: Yoshitaka OTSUKA, Takashi NAKAMITSU, Yosuke OMORI, Kenji SUGAKAWA