Patents by Inventor Kunihiro Furuya
Kunihiro Furuya 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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Publication number: 20240019487Abstract: A wafer inspection system is provided. The wafer inspection system includes: a transfer region in which a transfer device is arranged; an inspection region in which test heads for inspecting a substrate are arranged; and a maintenance region in which the test heads are maintained. The inspection region is located between the transfer region and the maintenance region, a plurality of inspection rooms accommodating the test heads are adjacent to each other in the inspection region, and the test heads are configured to be unloaded from the inspection region to the maintenance region.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 9, 2023Publication date: January 18, 2024Inventors: Junichi Hagihara, Shigekazu Komatsu, Kunihiro Furuya, Tadayoshi Hosaka, Naoki Muramatsu
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Patent number: 11762012Abstract: A wafer inspection system is provided. The wafer inspection system includes: a transfer region in which a transfer device is arranged; an inspection region in which test heads for inspecting a substrate are arranged; and a maintenance region in which the test heads are maintained. The inspection region is located between the transfer region and the maintenance region, a plurality of inspection rooms accommodating the test heads are adjacent to each other in the inspection region, and the test heads are configured to be unloaded from the inspection region to the maintenance region.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2022Date of Patent: September 19, 2023Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Junichi Hagihara, Shigekazu Komatsu, Kunihiro Furuya, Tadayoshi Hosaka, Naoki Muramatsu
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Publication number: 20230134360Abstract: A wafer inspection system is provided. The wafer inspection system includes: a transfer region in which a transfer device is arranged; an inspection region in which test heads for inspecting a substrate are arranged; and a maintenance region in which the test heads are maintained. The inspection region is located between the transfer region and the maintenance region, a plurality of inspection rooms accommodating the test heads are adjacent to each other in the inspection region, and the test heads are configured to be unloaded from the inspection region to the maintenance region.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 28, 2022Publication date: May 4, 2023Inventors: Junichi Hagihara, Shigekazu Komatsu, Kunihiro Furuya, Tadayoshi Hosaka, Naoki Muramatsu
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Patent number: 11567123Abstract: A wafer inspection system is provided. The wafer inspection system comprises: a transfer region in which a transfer device is arranged; an inspection region in which test heads for inspecting a substrate are arranged; and a maintenance region in which the test heads are maintained. The inspection region is located between the transfer region and the maintenance region, a plurality of inspection rooms accommodating the test heads are adjacent to each other in the inspection region, and the test heads are configured to be unloaded from the inspection region to the maintenance region.Type: GrantFiled: March 10, 2021Date of Patent: January 31, 2023Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Junichi Hagihara, Shigekazu Komatsu, Kunihiro Furuya, Tadayoshi Hosaka, Naoki Muramatsu
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Patent number: 11119122Abstract: There is provided a method for correcting a relative position between a probe card having a plurality of cantilever-type probes and an object to be inspected having a plurality of electrode pads, including: arranging a first group of cantilever-type probes among the plurality of cantilever-type probes in a first region and a second region; arranging a second group of cantilever-type probes among the plurality of cantilever-type probes in a third region and a fourth region; obtaining needle traces formed on the plurality of electrode pads, which are generated when the first group of cantilever-type probes and the second group of cantilever-type probes that are arranged in the first region, the second region, the third region, and the fourth region, are brought into contact with the plurality of electrode pads; and correcting the relative position between the probe card and the object to be inspected based on the obtained needle traces.Type: GrantFiled: March 1, 2019Date of Patent: September 14, 2021Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Kunihiro Furuya, Shingo Ishida
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Patent number: 11061071Abstract: A wafer inspection system is provided. The wafer inspection system includes: a transfer region in which a transfer device is arranged; an inspection region in which test heads for inspecting a substrate are arranged; and a maintenance region in which the test heads are maintained. The inspection region is located between the transfer region and the maintenance region, a plurality of inspection rooms accommodating the test heads are adjacent to each other in the inspection region, and the test heads are configured to be unloaded from the inspection region to the maintenance region.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 2020Date of Patent: July 13, 2021Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Junichi Hagihara, Shigekazu Komatsu, Kunihiro Furuya, Tadayoshi Hosaka, Naoki Muramatsu
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Publication number: 20210190861Abstract: A wafer inspection system is provided. The wafer inspection system comprises: a transfer region in which a transfer device is arranged; an inspection region in which test heads for inspecting a substrate are arranged; and a maintenance region in which the test heads are maintained. The inspection region is located between the transfer region and the maintenance region, a plurality of inspection rooms accommodating the test heads are adjacent to each other in the inspection region, and the test heads are configured to be unloaded from the inspection region to the maintenance region.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 10, 2021Publication date: June 24, 2021Inventors: Junichi Hagihara, Shigekazu Komatsu, Kunihiro Furuya, Tadayoshi Hosaka, Naoki Muramatsu
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Patent number: 10976364Abstract: A wafer inspection system is provided. The wafer inspection system comprises: a transfer region in which a transfer device is arranged; an inspection region in which test heads for inspecting a substrate are arranged; and a maintenance region in which the test heads are maintained. The inspection region is located between the transfer region and the maintenance region, a plurality of inspection rooms accommodating the test heads are adjacent to each other in the inspection region, and the test heads are configured to be unloaded from the inspection region to the maintenance region.Type: GrantFiled: July 16, 2020Date of Patent: April 13, 2021Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Junichi Hagihara, Shigekazu Komatsu, Kunihiro Furuya, Tadayoshi Hosaka, Naoki Muramatsu
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Publication number: 20200400743Abstract: A wafer inspection system is provided. The wafer inspection system includes: a transfer region in which a transfer device is arranged; an inspection region in which test heads for inspecting a substrate are arranged; and a maintenance region in which the test heads are maintained. The inspection region is located between the transfer region and the maintenance region, a plurality of inspection rooms accommodating the test heads are adjacent to each other in the inspection region, and the test heads are configured to be unloaded from the inspection region to the maintenance region.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 31, 2020Publication date: December 24, 2020Inventors: Junichi Hagihara, Shigekazu Komatsu, Kunihiro Furuya, Tadayoshi Hosaka, Naoki Muramatsu
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Publication number: 20200348358Abstract: A wafer inspection system is provided. The wafer inspection system comprises: a transfer region in which a transfer device is arranged; an inspection region in which test heads for inspecting a substrate are arranged; and a maintenance region in which the test heads are maintained. The inspection region is located between the transfer region and the maintenance region, a plurality of inspection rooms accommodating the test heads are adjacent to each other in the inspection region, and the test heads are configured to be unloaded from the inspection region to the maintenance region.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 16, 2020Publication date: November 5, 2020Inventors: Junichi Hagihara, Shigekazu Komatsu, Kunihiro Furuya, Tadayoshi Hosaka, Naoki Muramatsu
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Patent number: 10753972Abstract: A wafer inspection system is provided. The wafer inspection system comprises: a transfer region in which a transfer device is arranged; an inspection region in which test heads for inspecting a substrate are arranged; and a maintenance region in which the test heads are maintained. The inspection region is located between the transfer region and the maintenance region, a plurality of inspection rooms accommodating the test heads are adjacent to each other in the inspection region, and the test heads are configured to be unloaded from the inspection region to the maintenance region.Type: GrantFiled: May 1, 2017Date of Patent: August 25, 2020Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Junichi Hagihara, Shigekazu Komatsu, Kunihiro Furuya, Tadayoshi Hosaka, Naoki Muramatsu
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Publication number: 20200064400Abstract: A wafer inspection system is provided. The wafer inspection system comprises: a transfer region in which a transfer device is arranged; an inspection region in which test heads for inspecting a substrate are arranged; and a maintenance region in which the test heads are maintained. The inspection region is located between the transfer region and the maintenance region, a plurality of inspection rooms accommodating the test heads are adjacent to each other in the inspection region, and the test heads are configured to be unloaded from the inspection region to the maintenance region.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 1, 2019Publication date: February 27, 2020Inventors: Junichi Hagihara, Shigekazu Komatsu, Kunihiro Furuya, Tadayoshi Hosaka, Naoki Muramatsu
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Publication number: 20190277884Abstract: There is provided a method for correcting a relative position between a probe card having a plurality of cantilever-type probes and an object to be inspected having a plurality of electrode pads, including: arranging a first group of cantilever-type probes among the plurality of cantilever-type probes in a first region and a second region; arranging a second group of cantilever-type probes among the plurality of cantilever-type probes in a third region and a fourth region; obtaining needle traces formed on the plurality of electrode pads, which are generated when the first group of cantilever-type probes and the second group of cantilever-type probes that are arranged in the first region, the second region, the third region, and the fourth region, are brought into contact with the plurality of electrode pads; and correcting the relative position between the probe card and the object to be inspected based on the obtained needle traces.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 1, 2019Publication date: September 12, 2019Inventors: Kunihiro FURUYA, Shingo ISHIDA
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Patent number: 9863977Abstract: A method of contacting a substrate with a probe card in a substrate inspection apparatus can inspect electrical characteristics of semiconductor devices on the substrate. A wafer W is transferred to a position facing a probe card 36 while being mounted on a chuck member 22 with a wafer plate 37 therebetween, and electrodes of semiconductor devices on the wafer W are contacted with probes of the probe card 36 by moving the wafer W and the wafer plate 37 toward the probe card 36 through an elevating device 43. Then, the wafer W is overdriven toward the probe card 36 and a contact state between the electrodes of the semiconductor devices and the probes of the probe card 36 is maintained by decompressing a space S between the probe card 36 and the wafer plate 37. Then, the chuck member 22 is separated from the wafer plate 37.Type: GrantFiled: July 18, 2013Date of Patent: January 9, 2018Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Kunihiro Furuya, Hiroshi Yamada, Takanori Hyakudomi, Jun Mochizuki
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Publication number: 20170234924Abstract: A wafer inspection system is provided. The wafer inspection system comprises: a transfer region in which a transfer device is arranged; an inspection region in which test heads for inspecting a substrate are arranged; and a maintenance region in which the test heads are maintained. The inspection region is located between the transfer region and the maintenance region, a plurality of inspection rooms accommodating the test heads are adjacent to each other in the inspection region, and the test heads are configured to be unloaded from the inspection region to the maintenance region.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 1, 2017Publication date: August 17, 2017Inventors: Junichi Hagihara, Shigekazu Komatsu, Kunihiro Furuya, Tadayoshi Hosaka, Naoki Muramatsu
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Patent number: 9671459Abstract: A maintenance carriage of a wafer inspection apparatus can easily unload a test head. A wafer inspection apparatus 10 includes a cell tower 12 in which cells 11 are arranged at four levels, and each of the cells 11 accommodates a test head 15. At an outside of the cell tower 12, a maintenance carriage 27 is arranged. The maintenance carriage 27 includes a carriage base 29 configured to be moved through rollers 28; a test head case 31 configured to accommodate the test head 15; a lift device 30 provided uprightly from the carriage base 29 and configured to move up and down the test head case 31; and a horizontal position adjusting stage 35 provided between a lifter 34 of the lift device 30 and the test head case 31 and configured to move the test head case 31 horizontally with respect to the lifter 34.Type: GrantFiled: October 28, 2014Date of Patent: June 6, 2017Assignees: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED, NIPPO PRECISION CO., LTDInventors: Junichi Hagihara, Shigekazu Komatsu, Kunihiro Furuya, Tadayoshi Hosaka, Naoki Muramatsu
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Patent number: 9140726Abstract: A support body for a plurality of contact terminals included in a probe card for inspecting semiconductor devices formed in a semiconductor substrate is provided. The support body includes a main body formed by stacking a plurality of plate-shaped members, a plurality of contact terminal holes formed through the main body in a thickness direction of the plate-shaped members, and one or more coolant paths provided in the main body. Further, the contact terminals respectively are inserted into the contact terminal holes.Type: GrantFiled: October 16, 2012Date of Patent: September 22, 2015Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Jun Mochizuki, Kunihiro Furuya
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Publication number: 20150219687Abstract: A method of contacting a substrate with a probe card in a substrate inspection apparatus can inspect electrical characteristics of semiconductor devices on the substrate. A wafer W is transferred to a position facing a probe card 36 while being mounted on a chuck member 22 with a wafer plate 37 therebetween, and electrodes of semiconductor devices on the wafer W are contacted with probes of the probe card 36 by moving the wafer W and the wafer plate 37 toward the probe card 36 through an elevating device 43. Then, the wafer W is overdriven toward the probe card 36 and a contact state between the electrodes of the semiconductor devices and the probes of the probe card 36 is maintained by decompressing a space S between the probe card 36 and the wafer plate 37. Then, the chuck member 22 is separated from the wafer plate 37.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 18, 2013Publication date: August 6, 2015Inventors: Kunihiro Furuya, Hiroshi Yamada, Takanori Hyakudomi, Jun Mochizuki
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Publication number: 20150115991Abstract: A maintenance carriage of a wafer inspection apparatus can easily unload a test head. A wafer inspection apparatus 10 includes a cell tower 12 in which cells 11 are arranged at four levels, and each of the cells 11 accommodates a test head 15. At an outside of the cell tower 12, a maintenance carriage 27 is arranged. The maintenance carriage 27 includes a carriage base 29 configured to be moved through rollers 28; a test head case 31 configured to accommodate the test head 15; a lift device 30 provided uprightly from the carriage base 29 and configured to move up and down the test head case 31; and a horizontal position adjusting stage 35 provided between a lifter 34 of the lift device 30 and the test head case 31 and configured to move the test head case 31 horizontally with respect to the lifter 34.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 28, 2014Publication date: April 30, 2015Inventors: Junichi Hagihara, Shigekazu Komatsu, Kunihiro Furuya, Tadayoshi Hosaka, Naoki Muramatsu
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Patent number: 8310257Abstract: A plurality of metal plates and an insulating plate having a polished surface are laminated in a probe supporting plate. Through-holes into which probes are to be inserted are respectively formed in the metal plates and the insulating plate. Diameters of the through-holes are greater than diameters of the through-holes, and the through-holes pass through the probe supporting plate in a thickness direction of the probe supporting plate. Hollow portions passing through the probe supporting plate in the thickness direction of the probe supporting plate are formed in the probe supporting plate. Each of the hollow portions is formed by connecting each of holes formed in each of the metal plates and each of holes formed in the insulating plate. Diameters of holes of a metal plate that is an uppermost layer, holes of a metal plate that is a lowermost player, and holes of a metal plate that is one of intermediate layers are less than diameters of holes of metal plates 30d that are the other intermediate layers.Type: GrantFiled: August 4, 2010Date of Patent: November 13, 2012Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Shinichiro Takase, Kunihiro Furuya, Jun Mochizuki