Patents by Inventor Koudai Higashi

Koudai Higashi 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: 20240125697
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a supply channel through which a liquid to be supplied to a substrate flows; and a foreign substance detecting unit configured to detect a foreign substance in the liquid based on a signal obtained when light, which is near-infrared light, is radiated toward a flow path forming unit constituting a part of the supply channel by a light projector so that light is emitted from the flow path forming unit and a light receiver receives the light emitted from the flow path forming unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2023
    Publication date: April 18, 2024
    Inventors: Koudai Higashi, Masato Hayashi, Kohei Noguchi
  • Patent number: 11906414
    Abstract: A foreign substance detection device includes a flow path unit through which a fluid is flown; an optical system configured to flatten a laser light from a laser source to be lengthened in a direction intersecting with a flow direction of the fluid; a laser light irradiation unit provided such that an optical path intersects with the flow direction and configured to irradiate the laser light into the flow path unit; a light detection unit which is provided on the optical path having passed through the flow path unit and includes light receiving elements arranged in a lengthwise direction of a transversal cross section of the optical path; a foreign substance detection unit configured to compare a signal level corresponding to intensity of light received by each light receiving element with a threshold value and configured to detect the foreign substances based on a comparison result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Masato Hayashi, Kohei Noguchi, Daisuke Kajiwara, Koudai Higashi
  • Patent number: 11879839
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a supply channel through which a liquid to be supplied to a substrate flows; and a foreign substance detecting unit configured to detect a foreign substance in the liquid based on a signal obtained when light, which is near-infrared light, is radiated toward a flow path forming unit constituting a part of the supply channel by a light projector so that light is emitted from the flow path forming unit and a light receiver receives the light emitted from the flow path forming unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Koudai Higashi, Masato Hayashi, Kohei Noguchi
  • Publication number: 20220326133
    Abstract: A foreign substance detection device includes a flow path unit through which a fluid is flown; an optical system configured to flatten a laser light from a laser source to be lengthened in a direction intersecting with a flow direction of the fluid; a laser light irradiation unit provided such that an optical path intersects with the flow direction and configured to irradiate the laser light into the flow path unit; a light detection unit which is provided on the optical path having passed through the flow path unit and includes light receiving elements arranged in a lengthwise direction of a transversal cross section of the optical path; a foreign substance detection unit configured to compare a signal level corresponding to intensity of light received by each light receiving element with a threshold value and configured to detect the foreign substances based on a comparison result.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2022
    Publication date: October 13, 2022
    Inventors: Masato Hayashi, Kohei Noguchi, Daisuke Kajiwara, Koudai Higashi
  • Publication number: 20220319893
    Abstract: An information acquisition system is for acquiring information about a substrate processing apparatus including a substrate holder configured to hold and rotate a substrate, a nozzle configured to supply a processing liquid to a surface of the substrate which is rotating, and a cup surrounding the substrate held by the substrate holder. The information acquisition system includes: an information acquisition body held in place of the substrate by the substrate holder and including an imaging part configured to image the cup and acquire image data; and an acquisition part configured to acquire information about a height of the cup based on the image data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2022
    Publication date: October 6, 2022
    Inventors: Junnosuke MAKI, Koudai HIGASHI, Ryo KONISHI, Hideki KAJIWARA, Hokuto SHIGEMOTO
  • Publication number: 20220319886
    Abstract: An information acquisition system configured to acquire information upon a substrate processing apparatus configured to process a substrate held by a substrate holder includes a base body, instead of the substrate, held by the substrate holder; and multiple position sensors provided at the base body such that detection directions thereof are different from each other, and each configured to detect a position of a common detection target object located outside the base body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2022
    Publication date: October 6, 2022
    Inventors: Junnosuke Maki, Koudai Higashi, Ryo Konishi
  • Patent number: 11402313
    Abstract: A foreign substance detection device includes a flow path unit through which a fluid is flown; an optical system configured to flatten a laser light from a laser source to be lengthened in a direction intersecting with a flow direction of the fluid; a laser light irradiation unit provided such that an optical path intersects with the flow direction and configured to irradiate the laser light into the flow path unit; a light detection unit which is provided on the optical path having passed through the flow path unit and includes light receiving elements arranged in a lengthwise direction of a transversal cross section of the optical path; a foreign substance detection unit configured to compare a signal level corresponding to intensity of light received by each light receiving element with a threshold value and configured to detect the foreign substance based on a comparison result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Masato Hayashi, Kohei Noguchi, Daisuke Kajiwara, Koudai Higashi
  • Patent number: 11340152
    Abstract: According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided a substrate processing apparatus comprising: a supply passage through which fluid supplied to a substrate flows; and a foreign substance detector including a channel forming part forming a portion of the supply passage, a light projector irradiating light to the channel forming part, and a light receiver receiving light emitted from the channel forming part as a result of irradiating light to the channel forming part by the light projector, the foreign substance detector being configured to detect a foreign substance in the fluid based on a signal obtained by the light that the light receiver receives, wherein the light projector and the light receiver in the foreign substance detector are disposed in areas that are not opposite to each other in areas in upper, lower, left, right, front and rear directions of the channel forming part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Masato Hayashi, Kohei Noguchi, Koudai Higashi, Makoto Ogata
  • Publication number: 20220034802
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a supply channel through which a liquid to be supplied to a substrate flows; and a foreign substance detecting unit configured to detect a foreign substance in the liquid based on a signal obtained when light, which is near-infrared light, is radiated toward a flow path forming unit constituting a part of the supply channel by a light projector so that light is emitted from the flow path forming unit and a light receiver receives the light emitted from the flow path forming unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2021
    Publication date: February 3, 2022
    Inventors: Koudai Higashi, Masato Hayashi, Kohei Noguchi
  • Publication number: 20210247286
    Abstract: According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided a substrate processing apparatus comprising: a supply passage through which fluid supplied to a substrate flows; and a foreign substance detector including a channel forming part forming a portion of the supply passage, a light projector irradiating light to the channel forming part, and a light receiver receiving light emitted from the channel forming part as a result of irradiating light to the channel forming part by the light projector, the foreign substance detector being configured to detect a foreign substance in the fluid based on a signal obtained by the light that the light receiver receives, wherein the light projector and the light receiver in the foreign substance detector are disposed in areas that are not opposite to each other in areas in upper, lower, left, right, front and rear directions of the channel forming part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2021
    Publication date: August 12, 2021
    Inventors: Masato HAYASHI, Kohei NOGUCHI, Koudai HIGASHI, Makoto OGATA
  • Patent number: 11048016
    Abstract: An apparatus includes flow path units 15A to 15K configured to form flow paths 17A to 17K through which a fluid supplied to a target object W is flown; a laser light irradiator 51 configured to irradiate a laser light into the flow path units such that an optical path intersects with a flow direction of the fluid in the flow path units; light receiving elements 45A and 45B provided at the optical path having passed through the flow path units; a detector 6 configured to detect the foreign substance in the fluid based on a signal from the light receiving elements; and a filter unit 57 provided at the optical path between the light receiving elements and the flow path units, and configured to block a Raman scattered light and allow a Rayleigh scattered light to be transmitted to the light receiving elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Masato Hayashi, Kohei Noguchi, Daisuke Kajiwara, Koudai Higashi
  • Publication number: 20210190661
    Abstract: A foreign substance detection device includes a flow path unit through which a fluid is flown; an optical system configured to flatten a laser light from a laser source to be lengthened in a direction intersecting with a flow direction of the fluid; a laser light irradiation unit provided such that an optical path intersects with the flow direction and configured to irradiate the laser light into the flow path unit; a light detection unit which is provided on the optical path having passed through the flow path unit and includes light receiving elements arranged in a lengthwise direction of a transversal cross section of the optical path; a foreign substance detection unit configured to compare a signal level corresponding to intensity of light received by each light receiving element with a threshold value and configured to detect the foreign substance based on a comparison result.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2017
    Publication date: June 24, 2021
    Inventors: Masato Hayashi, Kohei Noguchi, Daisuke Kajiwara, Koudai Higashi
  • Patent number: 11002656
    Abstract: According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided a substrate processing apparatus comprising: a supply passage through which fluid supplied to a substrate flows; and a foreign substance detector including a channel forming part forming a portion of the supply passage, a light projector irradiating light to the channel forming part, and a light receiver receiving light emitted from the channel forming part as a result of irradiating light to the channel forming part by the light projector, the foreign substance detector being configured to detect a foreign substance in the fluid based on a signal obtained by the light that the light receiver receives, wherein the light projector and the light receiver in the foreign substance detector are disposed in areas that are not opposite to each other in areas in upper, lower, left, right, front and rear directions of the channel forming part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Masato Hayashi, Kohei Noguchi, Koudai Higashi, Makoto Ogata
  • Publication number: 20200240891
    Abstract: According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided a substrate processing apparatus comprising: a supply passage through which fluid supplied to a substrate flows; and a foreign substance detector including a channel forming part forming a portion of the supply passage, a light projector irradiating light to the channel forming part, and a light receiver receiving light emitted from the channel forming part as a result of irradiating light to the channel forming part by the light projector, the foreign substance detector being configured to detect a foreign substance in the fluid based on a signal obtained by the light that the light receiver receives, wherein the light projector and the light receiver in the foreign substance detector are disposed in areas that are not opposite to each other in areas in upper, lower, left, right, front and rear directions of the channel forming part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2020
    Publication date: July 30, 2020
    Inventors: Masato HAYASHI, Kohei NOGUCHI, Koudai HIGASHI, Makoto OGATA
  • Publication number: 20190383963
    Abstract: An apparatus includes flow path units 15A to 15K configured to form flow paths 17A to 17K through which a fluid supplied to a target object W is flown; a laser light irradiator 51 configured to irradiate a laser light into the flow path units such that an optical path intersects with a flow direction of the fluid in the flow path units; light receiving elements 45A and 45B provided at the optical path having passed through the flow path units; a detector 6 configured to detect the foreign substance in the fluid based on a signal from the light receiving elements; and a filter unit 57 provided at the optical path between the light receiving elements and the flow path units, and configured to block a Raman scattered light and allow a Rayleigh scattered light to be transmitted to the light receiving elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2018
    Publication date: December 19, 2019
    Inventors: Masato Hayashi, Kohei Noguchi, Daisuke Kajiwara, Koudai Higashi
  • Patent number: 10049905
    Abstract: A substrate heat treatment apparatus includes: a placement unit on which a substrate is placed; a heat treatment unit for heating or cooling the substrate on the placement unit; a plurality of temperature sensors positioned correspondingly to a plurality of locations of the substrate on the placement unit; and a control unit. The control unit is configured to control the heat treatment unit based on temperatures detected by the temperature sensors, to calculate a position of a thermal center of gravity of the substrate based on the temperatures detected by the temperature sensors, and to detect heat treatment condition of the substrate based on the position of the thermal center of gravity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Koudai Higashi, Shinichiro Misaka
  • Patent number: 9953853
    Abstract: A substrate transport apparatus for detecting with high accuracy rubbing between a substrate held in a substrate holding tool, and a support which transports a substrate. The substrate transport apparatus includes: a stage for placing thereon the substrate holding tool; a substrate transport mechanism including the support for the substrate, and a back-and-forth movement mechanism for moving the support, the mechanism configured to transfer a substrate to/from the substrate holding tool; a lifting mechanism for moving the support up and down with respect to the substrate holding tool; a sound amplifying section for amplifying a contact sound generated by contact between a substrate held in the substrate holding tool and the support; and a detection section for detecting rubbing between a substrate and the support based on a detection signal from a vibration sensor which detects a solid-borne sound, propagating through the substrate holding tool, and outputs the detection signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Masato Hayashi, Koudai Higashi
  • Publication number: 20160093519
    Abstract: A substrate heat treatment apparatus includes: a placement unit on which a substrate is placed; a heat treatment unit for heating or cooling the substrate on the placement unit; a plurality of temperature sensors positioned correspondingly to a plurality of locations of the substrate on the placement unit; and a control unit. The control unit is configured to control the heat treatment unit based on temperatures detected by the temperature sensors, to calculate a position of a thermal center of gravity of the substrate based on the temperatures detected by the temperature sensors, and to detect heat treatment condition of the substrate based on the position of the thermal center of gravity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2015
    Publication date: March 31, 2016
    Inventors: Koudai HIGASHI, Shinichiro MISAKA
  • Publication number: 20150340258
    Abstract: A substrate transport apparatus for detecting with high accuracy rubbing between a substrate held in a substrate holding tool, and a support which transports a substrate. The substrate transport apparatus includes: a stage for placing thereon the substrate holding tool; a substrate transport mechanism including the support for the substrate, and a back-and-forth movement mechanism for moving the support, the mechanism configured to transfer a substrate to/from the substrate holding tool; a lifting mechanism for moving the support up and down with respect to the substrate holding tool; a sound amplifying section for amplifying a contact sound generated by contact between a substrate held in the substrate holding tool and the support; and a detection section for detecting rubbing between a substrate and the support based on a detection signal from a vibration sensor which detects a solid-borne sound, propagating through the substrate holding tool, and outputs the detection signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2014
    Publication date: November 26, 2015
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Masato HIYASHI, Koudai HIGASHI
  • Patent number: 8608378
    Abstract: Disclosed is a temperature measuring apparatus which is provided with: a substrate (2); a temperature sensor (3) disposed on one surface of the substrate (2); and a wire (8) disposed to electrically connect together a circuit, which detects a temperature using the temperature sensor (3), and the temperature sensor (3). In said surface of the substrate (2), a recessed section (7) having a heat capacity smaller than that of the material of the substrate (2) is formed on the periphery of the temperature sensor (3). The recessed section (7) is formed at a predetermined interval from the temperature sensor (3) such that the recessed section surrounds the temperature sensor (3) and has predetermined width and depth. Preferably, the low heat capacity zone is the recessed section (7), i.e., the groove having a recessed cross-section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Hisaki Ishida, Masato Hayashi, Koudai Higashi