Patents by Inventor Satoru Yamaki
Satoru Yamaki 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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Patent number: 9403255Abstract: A polishing apparatus polishes a substrate by bringing the substrate into sliding contact with a polishing surface. The polishing apparatus includes: a substrate holder having a substrate holding surface configured to press the substrate against the polishing surface, a retaining ring coupled to the substrate holding surface and configured to surround the substrate, wherein the retaining ring is brought into contact with the polishing surface during operation of the polishing apparatus, the retaining ring being configured to be tiltable independently of the substrate holding surface; a rotating mechanism configured to rotate the substrate holder about its own axis; and at least one local load exerting mechanism configured to exert a local load on a part of the retaining ring in a direction perpendicular to the polishing surface, the at least one local load exerting mechanism being arranged so as not to move in accordance with the substrate holder.Type: GrantFiled: May 30, 2013Date of Patent: August 2, 2016Assignee: Ebara CorporationInventors: Makoto Fukushima, Hozumi Yasuda, Keisuke Namiki, Osamu Nabeya, Shingo Togashi, Satoru Yamaki
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Patent number: 9149903Abstract: A polishing is used for polishing a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer to a flat mirror finish. The polishing apparatus includes a polishing table having a polishing surface, a substrate holding apparatus configured to hold the substrate and to press the substrate against the polishing surface, and a controller. The substrate holding apparatus includes an elastic membrane configured to forma substrate holding surface which is brought into contact with the substrate, a carrier provided above the elastic membrane, at least one pressure chamber formed between the elastic membrane and the carrier, and an infrared light detector configured to measure thermal energy from the elastic membrane. The controller calculates an estimate value of a temperature of the elastic membrane using a measured value of the infrared light detector.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 2014Date of Patent: October 6, 2015Assignee: EBARA CORPORATIONInventors: Makoto Fukushima, Katsuhide Watanabe, Hozumi Yasuda, Satoru Yamaki
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Publication number: 20150273650Abstract: A polishing device is provided to suppress deterioration in reproducibility of a polishing profile due to a variation or change with time of a shape of a retaining ring of a substrate holding member for each of retaining rings. The polishing device includes: a polishing head configured to press a substrate against a polishing pad and have a retainer ring surrounding the substrate pressed against the polishing pad; a measurement sensor configured to measure a surface shape of the retainer ring; and a controller configured to determine a polishing condition of the substrate based on the surface shape of the retainer ring measured by the measurement sensor.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 30, 2015Publication date: October 1, 2015Inventors: Keisuke Namiki, Hozumi Yasuda, Osamu Nabeya, Makoto Fukushima, Shingo Togashi, Satoru Yamaki, Shintaro Isono
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Publication number: 20150273657Abstract: An elastic membrane capable of precisely controlling a polishing profile in a narrow area of a wafer edge portion is disclosed. The elastic membrane includes a contact portion to be brought into contact with a substrate; a first edge circumferential wall extending upwardly from a peripheral edge of the contact portion; and a second edge circumferential wall having a horizontal portion connected to an inner circumferential surface of the first edge circumferential wall. The inner circumferential surface of the first edge circumferential wall includes an upper inner circumferential surface and a lower inner circumferential surface, both of which are perpendicular to the contact portion. The upper inner circumferential surface extends upwardly from the horizontal portion of the second edge circumferential wall, and the lower inner circumferential surface extends downwardly from the horizontal portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 25, 2015Publication date: October 1, 2015Inventors: Makoto FUKUSHIMA, Hozumi YASUDA, Keisuke NAMIKI, Osamu NABEYA, Shingo TOGASHI, Satoru YAMAKI, Shintaro ISONO
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Patent number: 9073170Abstract: A polishing is used for polishing a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer to a flat mirror finish. The polishing apparatus includes a polishing table having a polishing surface, a substrate holding apparatus configured to hold the substrate and to press the substrate against the polishing surface, and a controller. The substrate holding apparatus includes an elastic membrane configured to forma substrate holding surface which is brought into contact with the substrate, a carrier provided above the elastic membrane, at least one pressure chamber formed between the elastic membrane and the carrier, and an infrared light detector configured to measure thermal energy from the elastic membrane. The controller calculates an estimate value of a temperature of the elastic membrane using a measured value of the infrared light detector.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 2014Date of Patent: July 7, 2015Assignee: EBARA CORPORATIONInventors: Makoto Fukushima, Katsuhide Watanabe, Hozumi Yasuda, Satoru Yamaki
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Publication number: 20150133038Abstract: A substrate holder capable of preventing an increase in a polishing rate of an edge portion of a substrate, even when polishing a plurality of substrates successively, is disclosed. The substrate holder includes: a top ring body configured to hold the substrate; and a retaining ring disposed so as to surround the substrate held by the top ring body. The retaining ring includes a pad pressing structure in an annular shape which is to be brought into contact with the polishing pad and the pad pressing structure has a width in a range of 3 mm to 7.5 mm.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 10, 2014Publication date: May 14, 2015Inventors: Satoru YAMAKI, Hozumi YASUDA, Keisuke NAMIKI, Osamu NABEYA, Makoto FUKUSHIMA, Shingo TOGASHI
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Publication number: 20150093971Abstract: A polishing is used for polishing a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer to a flat mirror finish. The polishing apparatus includes a polishing table having a polishing surface, a substrate holding apparatus configured to hold the substrate and to press the substrate against the polishing surface, and a controller. The substrate holding apparatus includes an elastic membrane configured to forma substrate holding surface which is brought into contact with the substrate, a carrier provided above the elastic membrane, at least one pressure chamber formed between the elastic membrane and the carrier, and an infrared light detector configured to measure thermal energy from the elastic membrane. The controller calculates an estimate value of a temperature of the elastic membrane using a measured value of the infrared light detector.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 8, 2014Publication date: April 2, 2015Inventors: Makoto FUKUSHIMA, Katsuhide WATANABE, Hozumi YASUDA, Satoru YAMAKI
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Publication number: 20150093968Abstract: A polishing is used for polishing a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer to a flat mirror finish. The polishing apparatus includes a polishing table having a polishing surface, a substrate holding apparatus configured to hold the substrate and to press the substrate against the polishing surface, and a controller. The substrate holding apparatus includes an elastic membrane configured to forma substrate holding surface which is brought into contact with the substrate, a carrier provided above the elastic membrane, at least one pressure chamber formed between the elastic membrane and the carrier, and an infrared light detector configured to measure thermal energy from the elastic membrane. The controller calculates an estimate value of a temperature of the elastic membrane using a measured value of the infrared light detector.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 8, 2014Publication date: April 2, 2015Inventors: Makoto FUKUSHIMA, Katsuhide WATANABE, Hozumi YASUDA, Satoru YAMAKI
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Patent number: 8932106Abstract: A polishing apparatus is used for polishing a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer to a flat mirror finish. The polishing apparatus includes a polishing table having a polishing surface, a substrate holding apparatus configured to hold the substrate and to press the substrate against the polishing surface, and a controller. The substrate holding apparatus includes an elastic membrane configured to form a substrate holding surface which is brought into contact with the substrate, a carrier provided above the elastic membrane, at least one pressure chamber formed between the elastic membrane and the carrier, and an infrared light detector configured to measure thermal energy from the elastic membrane. The controller calculates an estimate value of a temperature of the elastic membrane using a measured value of the infrared light detector.Type: GrantFiled: September 7, 2011Date of Patent: January 13, 2015Assignee: Ebara CorporationInventors: Makoto Fukushima, Katsuhide Watanabe, Hozumi Yasuda, Satoru Yamaki
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Publication number: 20140370794Abstract: A polishing apparatus capable of precisely controlling a polishing profile, particularly a polishing profile in an edge portion, of a wafer is disclosed. The polishing apparatus includes: a top ring shaft; a housing fixed to the top ring shaft; a flexible membrane configured to press a wafer against a polishing pad; a top ring body configured to hold the flexible membrane; a retaining ring coupled to the top ring body and disposed so as to surround the flexible membrane; a gimbal mechanism configured to allow the top ring body and the retaining ring to tilt with respect to the housing; and a local load exerting mechanism configured to exert a downward local load on a part of the retaining ring.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 3, 2014Publication date: December 18, 2014Inventors: Makoto FUKUSHIMA, Hozumi YASUDA, Keisuke NAMIKI, Osamu NABEYA, Shingo TOGASHI, Satoru YAMAKI
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Patent number: 8870625Abstract: A dressing method is used to dress a polishing pad of a polishing apparatus for polishing a substrate. This method includes repetitively moving the dresser on an upper surface of the polishing pad in a radial direction of the polishing pad so as to perform a dressing process on the polishing pad, during the dressing process, measuring a height of an upper surface of the polishing pad at a predetermined point in one of plural zones on the polishing surface, and repeating the repetitive moving of the dresser and the measuring of the height of the upper surface of the polishing pad so as to measure the height of the upper surface of the polishing pad in all of the plural zones.Type: GrantFiled: November 24, 2008Date of Patent: October 28, 2014Assignee: Ebara CorporationInventors: Tetsuji Togawa, Keisuke Namiki, Satoru Yamaki
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Patent number: 8859070Abstract: An elastic member for use in a substrate holding apparatus includes an elastic member and a first reinforcing member. The first reinforcing member has a higher rigidity than the elastic membrane and reinforces substantially an entire area of the contact portion of the elastic membrane. The contact portion of the elastic member has a contact portion for contact with the substrate. The first peripheral wall portion of the elastic membrane is coupled to a peripheral end of the contact portion and extends upwardly. The second peripheral wall portion of the elastic member defines a first chamber on an outer side thereof and a second chamber on an inner side thereof. The first reinforcing member is embedded in substantially the entire area of the contact portion of the elastic membrane.Type: GrantFiled: November 28, 2012Date of Patent: October 14, 2014Assignee: Ebara CorporationInventors: Hozumi Yasuda, Katsuhide Watanabe, Keisuke Namiki, Osamu Nabeya, Makoto Fukushima, Satoru Yamaki, Shingo Togashi
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Publication number: 20130324012Abstract: A polishing apparatus polishes a substrate by bringing the substrate into sliding contact with a polishing surface. The polishing apparatus includes: a substrate holder having a substrate holding surface configured to press the substrate against the polishing surface, a retaining ring coupled to the substrate holding surface and configured to surround the substrate, wherein the retaining ring is brought into contact with the polishing surface during operation of the polishing apparatus, the retaining ring being configured to be tiltable independently of the substrate holding surface; a rotating mechanism configured to rotate the substrate holder about its own axis; and at least one local load exerting mechanism configured to exert a local load on a part of the retaining ring in a direction perpendicular to the polishing surface, the at least one local load exerting mechanism being arranged so as not to move in accordance with the substrate holder.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 30, 2013Publication date: December 5, 2013Inventors: Makoto FUKUSHIMA, Hozumi YASUDA, Keisuke NAMIKI, Osamu NABEYA, Shingo TOGASHI, Satoru YAMAKI
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Publication number: 20120058709Abstract: A polishing is used for polishing a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer to a flat mirror finish. The polishing apparatus includes a polishing table having a polishing surface, a substrate holding apparatus configured to hold the substrate and to press the substrate against the polishing surface, and a controller. The substrate holding apparatus includes an elastic membrane configured to form a substrate holding surface which is brought into contact with the substrate, a carrier provided above the elastic membrane, at least one pressure chamber formed between the elastic membrane and the carrier, and an infrared light detector configured to measure thermal energy from the elastic membrane. The controller calculates an estimate value of a temperature of the elastic membrane using a measured value of the infrared light detector.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 7, 2011Publication date: March 8, 2012Inventors: Makoto FUKUSHIMA, Katsuhide Watanabe, Hozumi Yasuda, Satoru Yamaki
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Publication number: 20090137190Abstract: The present invention provides a dressing method of dressing a polishing pad used in a polishing apparatus for polishing a substrate. This method includes repetitively moving the dresser on an upper surface of the polishing pad in a radial direction of the polishing pad so as to perform a dressing process on the polishing pad, during the dressing process, measuring a height of an upper surface of the polishing pad at a predetermined point in one of plural zones on the polishing surface, and repeating the repetitive moving of the dresser and the measuring of the height of the upper surface of the polishing pad so as to measure the height of the upper surface of the polishing pad in all of the plural zones.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 24, 2008Publication date: May 28, 2009Inventors: Tetsuji Togawa, Keisuke Namiki, Satoru Yamaki
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Patent number: D633452Type: GrantFiled: February 25, 2010Date of Patent: March 1, 2011Assignee: Ebara CorporationInventors: Keisuke Namiki, Hozumi Yasuda, Osamu Nabeya, Makoto Fukushima, Shingo Togashi, Satoru Yamaki, Katsuhide Watanabe
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Patent number: D634719Type: GrantFiled: February 25, 2010Date of Patent: March 22, 2011Assignee: Ebara CorporationInventors: Hozumi Yasuda, Keisuke Namiki, Makoto Fukushima, Osamu Nabeya, Koji Saito, Satoru Yamaki, Tomoshi Inoue, Shingo Togashi, Tetsuji Togawa