Patents by Inventor Norihiko Amikura

Norihiko Amikura 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: 11326914
    Abstract: The flow rate measurement method includes: measuring a first pressure of a gas filled in a first flow path connected to a flow rate controller and a second flow path connected to the first flow path; supplying a gas to the first and second flow paths via the flow rate controller and measuring a second pressure and a temperature of the gas filled in the first and second flow paths; after the gas is exhausted from the second flow path, measuring a third pressure of the gas filled in the second flow path; measuring a fourth pressure of the gas filled in the first and second flow paths; and calculating an amount of the gas supplied to the first and second flow paths via the flow rate controller, based on the first, second, third, and fourth pressures and the temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Norihiko Amikura, Risako Matsuda, Kazuyuki Miura
  • Publication number: 20220130695
    Abstract: There is provided a processing system. The processing system comprises: a chamber in which a consumable member is installed; a storage module configured to store the consumable member; a position detection sensor configured to detect a position of the consumable member; a vacuum transfer module connected to the chamber and the storage module, the vacuum transfer module having a transfer robot configured to transfer the consumable member between the chamber and the storage module; and a controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2021
    Publication date: April 28, 2022
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Norihiko Amikura, Masatomo Kita
  • Publication number: 20220130651
    Abstract: There is provided a system for processing a substrate under a depressurized environment. The system comprises: a processing chamber configured to perform desired processing on a substrate; a transfer chamber having a transfer mechanism configured to import or export the substrate into or from the processing chamber; and a controller configured to control a processing process in the processing chamber. The transfer mechanism comprises: a fork configured to hold the substrate on an upper surface; and a sensor provided in the fork and configured to measure an internal state of the processing chamber. The controller is configured to control the processing process in the processing chamber on the basis of the internal state of the processing chamber measured by the sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2021
    Publication date: April 28, 2022
    Applicant: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Norihiko AMIKURA, Makoto SAEGUSA, Jun HIROSE
  • Publication number: 20220093438
    Abstract: A substrate transfer system includes a load lock module, an atmospheric transfer module having a first sidewall adjacent to the load lock module and a second sidewall remote from the load lock module, the atmospheric transfer module being connected to the load lock module, and a substrate transfer robot disposed in the atmospheric transfer module. The substrate transfer robot includes a base configured to reciprocate along the first sidewall, a substrate transfer arm disposed on the base, and a flow rectifier surrounding the base, the flow rectifier being configured, upon movement of the base, to create an obliquely downward air flow in a direction opposite to a moving direction of the base.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2021
    Publication date: March 24, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Norihiko AMIKURA, Toshiaki TOYOMAKI
  • Publication number: 20220080476
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a vacuum transfer chamber including a top surface, a bottom surface, and side surfaces between the top and the bottom surfaces, including a first side surface and a second side surface opposite to the first side surface; a transfer robot, disposed in the vacuum transfer chamber, for transfering a substrate; a load lock module connected to the first side surface; a pipe, connected to a purge gas supply source, for supplying a purge gas into the vacuum transfer chamber; one or more gas ports provided in the top surface in the vicinity of the second side surface and connected to the pipe; and one or more exhaust ports, provided in the bottom surface in the vicinity of the first side surface, to which an exhaust pump for exhausting the purge gas supplied into the vacuum transfer chamber is connected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2021
    Publication date: March 17, 2022
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Norihiko AMIKURA, Hideyuki OSADA, Genichi NANASAKI, Seiichi KAISE, Masatomo KITA, Takashi TAKIZAWA, Eiji TAKAHASHI
  • Publication number: 20220068689
    Abstract: A transfer apparatus includes a transfer arm, an irradiator, a light receiver, and a controller. The transfer arm transfers the member. The irradiator irradiates light obliquely onto a passage area, through which the member passes, when the member is transferred by the transfer arm. The light receiver receives the light, which is irradiated from the irradiator and reflected from the member, when the member passes through the passage area. The controller determines whether the member has passed through the passage area according to whether the light irradiated from the irradiator is received by the light receiver.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2021
    Publication date: March 3, 2022
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Norihiko AMIKURA, Masatomo KITA
  • Publication number: 20220051928
    Abstract: A transfer device for simultaneously or separately transferring a wafer and a consumable part having a circular shape is disclosed. The consumable part is disposed in a wafer processing module, and the outer diameter of the consumable part is larger than the outer diameter of the wafer. The transfer device comprises an end effector configured to place the wafer and the consumable part thereon simultaneously or separately, an arm configured to move the end effector, and a controller configured to control the arm, to place the consumable part on the end effector such that the center of gravity of the consumable part coincides with a first position when transferring the consumable part, and to place the wafer on the end effector such that the center of gravity of the wafer coincides with a second position between the first position and front ends of the end effector when transferring the wafer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2021
    Publication date: February 17, 2022
    Applicant: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Norihiko AMIKURA, Masatomo KITA, Masahiro DOGOME, Takami FUKASAWA, Daisuke HAYASHI, Toshiaki TOYOMAKI
  • Patent number: 11231313
    Abstract: A method of obtaining the output flow rate of the flow rate controller according to an aspect is provided. The method including a first step of outputting gas whose flow rate is adjusted according to a designated set flow rate from the flow rate controller, in a state where the diaphragm mechanism is opened; a second step of adjusting the diaphragm mechanism so that the pressure in the second pipe is the target pressure value, in a state where the output of gas from the flow rate controller is continued in the first step; and a third step of obtaining the output flow rate of the flow rate controller by using a pressure value and a temperature value in the tank, after the pressure in the second pipe is set to the target pressure value in the second step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Norihiko Amikura, Risako Miyoshi
  • Patent number: 11227785
    Abstract: A substrate transfer system includes a load lock module, an atmospheric transfer module having a first sidewall adjacent to the load lock module and a second sidewall remote from the load lock module, the atmospheric transfer module being connected to the load lock module, and a substrate transfer robot disposed in the atmospheric transfer module. The substrate transfer robot includes a base configured to reciprocate along the first sidewall, a substrate transfer arm disposed on the base, and a flow rectifier surrounding the base, the flow rectifier being configured, upon movement of the base, to create an obliquely downward air flow in a direction opposite to a moving direction of the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Norihiko Amikura, Toshiaki Toyomaki
  • Publication number: 20210398838
    Abstract: A storage module includes a substrate support, a sensor, a rotating unit, a storage unit and an elevating unit. The substrate support has a consumable member thereon. The sensor detects an orientation of the consumable member. The rotating unit rotates the consumable member in a predetermined direction based on the orientation of the consumable member detected by the sensor. The storage unit is disposed below the substrate support to store the consumable member. The elevating unit vertically moves the storage unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2021
    Publication date: December 23, 2021
    Applicant: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Norihiko AMIKURA, Masatomo KITA
  • Publication number: 20210343559
    Abstract: A processing system capable of increasing an operating time of the processing system is provided. The processing system includes a vacuum transfer module, a plurality of processing modules, a plurality of load-lock modules, and a plurality of atmospheric transfer modules. The vacuum transfer module is configured to transfer a substrate in a pressure lower than an atmospheric pressure. The processing modules are connected to the vacuum transfer module and configured to process the substrate. The load-lock modules are connected to the vacuum transfer module. Each of the atmospheric transfer modules is connected to at least one of the load-lock modules and configured to transfer the substrate in an atmospheric environment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2021
    Publication date: November 4, 2021
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Norihiko AMIKURA, Jun Hirose
  • Publication number: 20210301942
    Abstract: A gas inspection method includes: inputting a signal for opening a secondary valve; measuring, by a secondary pressure gauge, a pressure P on a downstream side of an orifice of a flow rate controller at a time point when a period t elapses from the input of the signal for opening the secondary valve; measuring, by the secondary pressure gauge, a standard deviation ? of the pressure P on the downstream side of the orifice of the flow rate controller at the time point when the period t elapses from the input of the signal for opening the secondary valve; and determining whether or not an open degree of the secondary valve is normal by comparing the pressure P and the standard deviation ? of the pressure P with a threshold value P0 of the pressure and a threshold value ?0 of the standard deviation of the pressure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2021
    Publication date: September 30, 2021
    Inventors: Risako MATSUDA, Norihiko AMIKURA
  • Publication number: 20210287927
    Abstract: A substrate processing system includes a substrate processing module, an atmospheric substrate transfer module, a first and a second vacuum substrate transfer module, a load lock module, and a vacuum substrate transfer robot. The first vacuum substrate transfer module having a first transfer space is disposed adjacent to the atmospheric substrate transfer module and the substrate processing module. The second vacuum substrate transfer module, having a second transfer space in communication with the first transfer space and external dimensions smaller than those of the first vacuum substrate transfer module in a plan view, is disposed on or under the first vacuum substrate transfer module. The load lock module is disposed between the atmospheric substrate transfer module and the second vacuum substrate transfer module. The vacuum substrate transfer robot is disposed in the first transfer space or the second transfer space to transfer a substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2021
    Publication date: September 16, 2021
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Norihiko AMIKURA, Masatomo KITA
  • Publication number: 20210280447
    Abstract: A substrate transfer system includes a load lock module, an atmospheric transfer module having a first sidewall adjacent to the load lock module and a second sidewall remote from the load lock module, the atmospheric transfer module being connected to the load lock module, and a substrate transfer robot disposed in the atmospheric transfer module. The substrate transfer robot includes a base configured to reciprocate along the first sidewall, a substrate transfer arm disposed on the base, and a flow rectifier surrounding the base, the flow rectifier being configured, upon movement of the base, to create an obliquely downward air flow in a direction opposite to a moving direction of the base.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2021
    Publication date: September 9, 2021
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Norihiko AMIKURA, Toshiaki TOYOMAKI
  • Publication number: 20210280441
    Abstract: A substrate transfer system includes an atmospheric substrate transfer module, a vacuum substrate transfer module, and a load lock module disposed on a side surface of the atmospheric substrate transfer module and disposed on an upper surface or a lower surface of the vacuum substrate transfer module. The load lock module includes a container having a first substrate transfer opening and a second substrate transfer opening, a first gate configured to open or close the first substrate transfer opening, a second gate configured to open or close the second substrate transfer opening, and a substrate actuator configured to vertically move a substrate through the second substrate transfer opening between a first position in the container and a second position in the vacuum substrate transfer module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2021
    Publication date: September 9, 2021
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Norihiko AMIKURA, Masahiro DOGOME, Masatomo KITA
  • Publication number: 20210216088
    Abstract: A gas supply system includes a first flow channel connected to a first gas source of a first gas, formed inside a ceiling or a sidewall of the treatment container, and communicating with the treatment space through a plurality of first gas discharge holes, a second flow channel connected to a second gas source of a second gas, formed inside the ceiling or the sidewall of the treatment container, and communicating with the treatment space through a plurality of second gas discharge holes, and a plurality of first diaphragm valves, wherein each of the first diaphragm valves is provided between the first flow channel and the first gas discharge hole to correspond to the first gas discharge hole.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2021
    Publication date: July 15, 2021
    Applicant: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Atsushi SAWACHI, Norihiko AMIKURA
  • Publication number: 20210134564
    Abstract: A gas supply system includes first and second gas supply lines, first and second valves, and a controller. The first gas supply line is connected between a process gas source and a substrate processing chamber and has an intermediate node. The second gas supply line is connected between a purge gas source and the intermediate node. The first valve is disposed upstream of the intermediate node on the first gas supply line. The second valve is disposed upstream of the first valve on the first gas supply line. A controller controls the first and second valves to open the first and second valves in a first mode for supplying a process gas from the process gas source to the substrate processing chamber, and close the first and second valves in a second mode for supplying a purge gas from the purge gas source to the substrate processing chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2020
    Publication date: May 6, 2021
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Atsushi SAWACHI, Norihiko AMIKURA
  • Patent number: 10996688
    Abstract: A gas supply system according to the present disclosure includes a first flow channel connected to a first gas source of a first gas, formed inside a ceiling or a sidewall of the treatment container, and communicating with the treatment space through a plurality of first gas discharge holes. The gas supply system also includes a second flow channel connected to a second gas source of a second gas, formed inside the ceiling or the sidewall of the treatment container, and communicating with the treatment space through a plurality of second gas discharge holes. The gas supply system further includes a plurality of first diaphragm valves, wherein each of the first diaphragm valves is provided between the first flow channel and the first gas discharge hole to correspond to the first gas discharge hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Atsushi Sawachi, Norihiko Amikura
  • Publication number: 20210050190
    Abstract: A substrate processing method is provided. In the method, a process gas is supplied into a chamber. A pressure in the chamber is controlled to a first pressure by evacuating the chamber via a first exhaust line. Then, the pressure in the chamber is controlled to a second pressure that is higher than the first pressure by evacuating the chamber via a second exhaust line while closing the first exhaust line. Next, the pressure in the chamber is controlled to the first pressure by evacuating the chamber via the first exhaust line while closing the second exhaust line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2020
    Publication date: February 18, 2021
    Inventors: Kazuyuki MIURA, Norihiko AMIKURA
  • Publication number: 20210013012
    Abstract: A performance calculation method is provided. In the performance calculation method, shipment inspection data of multiple flow rate controllers are acquired. Further, first performance values indicating, as deviation values, performance of the flow rate controllers are calculated based on the acquired shipment inspection data and first coefficients for items indicating the performance of the flow rate controllers. Further, second performance values indicating, as deviation values, performance of a processing apparatus using the flow rate controllers are calculated based on the calculated first performance values and second coefficients for items indicating the performance of the processing apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2020
    Publication date: January 14, 2021
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Atsushi Sawachi, Norihiko Amikura